APIEClass activity: Dive School Match-up (Activity Visuals)
Oceans and sea life
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Dive School Match-up
A2 Speaking and Listening • Ocean and Abilities
How to play
Teacher's Instructions
- 1. Print one set of 16 half-cards for up to 16 students.
- 2. Use only complete pairs. For 10 students, give out 5 pairs. If you have an odd number of students, keep one card for yourself. Give each student a different card.
- 3. Tell students to stand up and walk around. They read their sentence aloud to find their partner.
- 4. When they find their partner, they sit down. They write two new sentences together and check their points.
- 5. Check the answers together using the teacher key. Finish the lesson with the closing questions.
Students' Rules
- 1. Find your partner by listening. Do not show your card.
- 2. Walk to a classmate and read your sentence.
- 3. When your sentences match, sit down together.
- 4. Write two new sentences together. Write your points on a piece of paper.
Plan for this lesson
Give out cards
Give out the cards and explain the rules of the game.
Walk and match
Students walk around the room. They read their sentences aloud to find their partners.
Write together
Students sit in pairs. They write two new sentences together.
Check answers
Count the points. Check the matching pairs together as a class.
Closing questions
Answer the closing questions together as a group.
16 half-cards for the activity (8 pairs)
Print these cards. Blue cards show what you could not do in the past (Last year...). Green cards show what you can do now (Now...).
Last year I couldn't swim.
Now I can swim 50 metres.
Last year I couldn't dive.
Now I am able to dive to 5 metres.
Last year I couldn't hold my breath for long.
Now I can hold my breath for 30 seconds.
Last year I couldn't sail a small boat.
Now I am able to sail a small boat alone.
Last year I couldn't stand on a surfboard.
Now I can ride small waves.
Last year I couldn't catch a fish.
Now I am able to catch two fish in an hour.
Last year I couldn't name any sea animals.
Now I can name twenty sea animals.
Last year I couldn't take photos under water.
Now I am able to take good photos under water.
How to get points
Find your partner
You found your partner by speaking and listening. You did not show your card.
Write a sentence
Write a correct sentence with can, could, or be able to. You can get up to 3 points.
Use ocean words
Get a bonus point for each ocean word you use. For example: shark, dolphin, whale, or wave.
6 ways to start your sentence
Use these words (can / couldn't / is able to) with ocean words:
"Now I can dive deep into..."
Say what you can do now
"Last year I couldn't see a dolphin, but now..."
Say what you couldn't do
"A turtle is able to breathe and swim near the..."
Say what an animal is able to do
"Sharks are able to hunt in the..."
Say what animals are able to do
"Last year I couldn't ride a big wave on the..."
Say what you couldn't do
"Whales can dive very deep because they..."
Say what animals can do
Write with your partner
Write 2 new sentences with your partner. Compare what you couldn't do last year with what you can do now.
💡 Bonus tip: Use ocean words to get extra points. You can use words like shark, dolphin, whale, turtle, or wave. You can also use coast, deep, dive, breathe, or hunt. Make sure you use couldn't, can, or am able to correctly.
Teacher key and common mistakes
Card 3: "Last year I couldn't swim."
Card 12: "Now I can swim 50 metres."
Card 7: "Last year I couldn't dive."
Card 1: "Now I am able to dive to 5 metres."
Card 11: "Last year I couldn't hold my breath for long."
Card 8: "Now I can hold my breath for 30 seconds."
Card 2: "Last year I couldn't sail a small boat."
Card 15: "Now I am able to sail a small boat alone."
Card 14: "Last year I couldn't stand on a surfboard."
Card 4: "Now I can ride small waves."
Card 9: "Last year I couldn't catch a fish."
Card 10: "Now I am able to catch two fish in an hour."
Card 5: "Last year I couldn't name any sea animals."
Card 13: "Now I can name twenty sea animals."
Card 16: "Last year I couldn't take photos under water."
Card 6: "Now I am able to take good photos under water."
| Cards | Past card (Last year...) | Present card (Now...) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 & 12 | Last year I couldn't swim. | Now I can swim 50 metres. |
| 7 & 1 | Last year I couldn't dive. | Now I am able to dive to 5 metres. |
| 11 & 8 | Last year I couldn't hold my breath for long. | Now I can hold my breath for 30 seconds. |
| 2 & 15 | Last year I couldn't sail a small boat. | Now I am able to sail a small boat alone. |
| 14 & 4 | Last year I couldn't stand on a surfboard. | Now I can ride small waves. |
| 9 & 10 | Last year I couldn't catch a fish. | Now I am able to catch two fish in an hour. |
| 5 & 13 | Last year I couldn't name any sea animals. | Now I can name twenty sea animals. |
| 16 & 6 | Last year I couldn't take photos under water. | Now I am able to take good photos under water. |
Common mistakes to listen for
❌ "I could to dive"
✅ "I could dive"
Mistake: adding 'to' after the word could or can.
❌ "I can swam"
✅ "I can swim"
Mistake: using the past tense after the word can.
❌ "I am able dive"
✅ "I am able to dive"
Mistake: forgetting 'to' when you say 'be able to'.
Other ways to play
Read together first
Read all 16 sentences aloud together first. This helps students know which words to listen for.
Ask and answer
Students cannot look at the cards. They must listen and ask questions. For example: "Could you...?" or "Can you...?"
Explain why
Students must explain why they couldn't do it last year. Then they explain how they can do it now. After that, they can match.
Act it out
Fast students can write a short conversation. They can act like scientists or divers by the sea.
Closing questions
What new thing are you most happy to do now?
Example: "Now I am very happy that I can swim."
Which ocean animal is the best at hunting?
Example: "I think sharks are the best hunters because they..."
What is one thing your partner could not do last year?
Example: "Last year my partner could not..."
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