C1CEFRSpeaking20 min

Class activity: Coast Council Risk Register (A Collaborative Grammar Game)

Risk, insurance and disaster planning

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🏛️ C1 Advanced Speaking & Writing

Coast Council Risk Register

Disaster Planning, Risk Assessment & Financial Exposure Simulation

⏱️
Duration
20 Minutes
🟦

1. Rules of the Game

👨‍🏫

Teacher Instructions

  1. 1 Divide the class into small planner teams of 3 or 4 students representing Coast Council.
  2. 2 Hand out one Risk Card and one Register Sheet to each team.
  3. 3 Set a visible timer for 20 minutes across the 6 structured steps.
  4. 4 Explain the scoring criteria: 1 pt for target phrase, 2 pts for correct grammar, 1 bonus pt per Unit word.
  5. 5 Monitor card rotation between rounds and refer to the Teacher Key for final verification.
💡 Tip: Ensure teams appoint a Writer, Timekeeper, and Peer Checker!
🎓

Student Team Goals

  1. 1 Read your assigned Risk Card situation carefully with your team.
  2. 2 Write 1 complete risk assessment sentence combining the target phrase, prompt word, and unit vocabulary.
  3. 3 Pass your Register Sheet to the neighboring team after each round for peer evaluation.
  4. 4 Tick earned points: 1 pt for target phrase, 2 pts for verb pattern, +1 bonus pt for each unit word used.
  5. 5 Win the activity by scoring the highest total points as certified Council Risk Planners!
🏆 Target: Use terms like mitigate, contingency, uninsured, coverage for extra points!
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2. Timed Plan (20 Minutes Total)

2m
Step 1

Hand out cards & assign team roles.

3m
Step 2

Write Sentences 1 & 2 using Cards 1 & 2.

5m
Step 3

Pass cards & draft Sentences 3 & 4.

5m
Step 4

Final card rotation for Sentences 5 & 6.

3m
Step 5

Pass Register Sheet & peer-check scores.

2m
Step 6

Review model key & announce winner!

⚠️

3. Council Risk Cards (6 Scenarios)

Printable Game Cards
⚠️ Card 1
C1
Situation

A seaside shop with no flood cover. The shop may have to close for months.

Phrase: run the risk of Word: close
⚠️ Card 2
C2
Situation

Houses built on a steep hill. Earth may slide down onto the residential structures.

Phrase: be at risk of Word: landslides
⚠️ Card 3
C3
Situation

A harbour closes after a heavy storm. Local boat crews will probably lose income.

Phrase: stand to Word: lose
⚠️ Card 4
C4
Situation

An old wooden pier. A severe coastal storm may bring the entire structure down.

Phrase: be liable to Word: collapse
⚠️ Card 5
C5
Situation

A coastal school loses its lights. Pupils wait safely inside the central hall.

Phrase: in the event of Word: power cut
⚠️ Card 6
C6
Situation

Heavy rain is very likely all week long across the entire coastal county.

Phrase: there is every likelihood that Word: continue
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4. Official Council Risk Register Sheet

Team Worksheet

Each planner team writes their official risk statements below based on the cards. Peer checkers will evaluate grammar form and bonus unit vocabulary!

Card
Council Risk Assessment Sentence
Peer Score (P/F/B)
C1
____ (Write sentence for Card 1 (run the risk of / close)...)
____ (___ / 4 pts)
C2
____ (Write sentence for Card 2 (be at risk of / landslides)...)
____ (___ / 4 pts)
C3
____ (Write sentence for Card 3 (stand to / lose)...)
____ (___ / 4 pts)
C4
____ (Write sentence for Card 4 (be liable to / collapse)...)
____ (___ / 4 pts)
C5
____ (Write sentence for Card 5 (in the event of / power cut)...)
____ (___ / 4 pts)
C6
____ (Write sentence for Card 6 (there is every likelihood that / continue)...)
____ (___ / 4 pts)
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5. Scoring Criteria & Unit Vocabulary

Point Breakdown

    1 PT
    Target Risk Phrase

    Include the full target phrase accurately in context.

    2 PTS
    Correct Grammatical Form

    Correct verb pattern after the phrase (e.g., -ing after prepositions, bare infinitive after stand to / liable to).

    +1 PT
    Bonus Unit Word

    Earn 1 extra bonus point for each Unit vocabulary word correctly integrated!

Unit Words: Risk, Insurance & Disaster Planning

Integrate these key C1 vocabulary items to maximize team points during peer evaluation:

premium Insurance payment rate
coverage Protection extent
uninsured Lacking insurance
exposure Vulnerability level
contingency Backup plan
precaution Preventative measure
evacuation Emergency removal
vulnerable At high risk
mitigate Reduce severity
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6. Sentence Starters Practice

Fill in the correct target verb forms to complete these standard council assessment starters:

1. Uninsured shop owners run the risk of ____ for months after coastal flooding.
run the risk of
2. Hillside properties with high exposure are at risk of ____ during intense seasonal rain.
be at risk of
3. Without financial coverage, local boat crews stand to ____ substantial revenue when the harbour shuts.
stand to
4. Old coastal structures built without precaution are liable to ____ in extreme weather.
be liable to
5. In the event of a ____ , contingency evacuation protocols take effect.
in the event of
6. There is every likelihood that storm mitigation efforts will ____ throughout the week.
there is every likelihood that
⬛

7. Teacher Answer Key & Grammar Alert

Official Model Sentences

  1. 1. "The shop runs the risk of closing for months."
  2. 2. "The houses are at risk of landslides."
  3. 3. "The boat crews stand to lose a lot of income."
  4. 4. "The pier is liable to collapse in a storm."
  5. 5. "In the event of a power cut, pupils wait in the hall."
  6. 6. "There is every likelihood that the rain will continue."
🚨

Common Mistake to Watch

❌ Incorrect Form:

"The shop runs the risk of lose..."

✅ Correct Form:

"The shop runs the risk of closing..."

⚠️ Reminder: Prepositions (of, in, about) must be followed by a gerund (-ing) or a noun phrase, NOT a bare infinitive!
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8. Activity Variations & Differentiation

🌱 Easy Level

Guided Verb Bank

Provide a helpful reference card showing required verb endings (-ing vs to-infinitive) alongside each phrase card for support.

⚖️ Medium (Standard)

Original Generation

Standard game flow requiring teams to generate completely original council statements incorporating target grammar and unit vocabulary.

🔥 Hard Level

Double Vocab Combo

Challenge teams to integrate at least TWO Unit vocabulary words in a single cohesive risk assessment sentence.

⚡ Fast Groups

Emergency Card #7

Fast teams receive a bonus 7th card: "Immediate sea-wall breach: evaluate evacuation contingency protocols."

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9. Closing Reflection Questions

Wrap up the 20-minute planning session with these class reflection prompts:

1

Which risk phrase felt most natural when describing disaster planning scenarios?

2

How does changing from "be liable to" to "there is every likelihood that" alter certainty in a report?

3

Which Unit word (e.g., mitigation, contingency, exposure) was most effective in boosting your score?

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