A Lesson on Kodak

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THE LESSON ON KODAK

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Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational US corporation famous for producing photographic materials and equipment. It was a pioneer in film photography and is now refocusing to compete in digital markets. Kodak started as the Eastman Dry Plate Company, founded by inventor George Eastman and businessman Colin Craft. They made the first cameras suitable for non-expert use. Eastman made the slogan "you press the button, we do the rest," when he marketed the world’s first simple camera in 1888. That camera was called the “Kodak”. It was so successful the word became the company name. The Eastman Kodak Company has become a leader in leisure, commercial, entertainment and scientific photography. The company employs 25,000 people and generates over $10 billion a year in revenue.

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    WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES

    WARM-UPS

    1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Kodak on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).

    2. KODAK MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Kodak. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.

    3. RUMOURS: Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Kodak. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.

    4. GOOD AND BAD: Brainstorm good and bad things about Kodak and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.

    5. TRUE OR FALSE: Students find out several facts about Kodak. They write these down and add the same number of things about the company that are false. Students test each other on which of their points are true or false.

    6. FACTS: In groups, students write down as many facts as they can about Kodak. The winner is the group with the most facts. Teacher may wish to have groups share their facts to make sure they are real.

    LISTENING / READING GAP FILL

    Eastman Kodak Company ____________________ US corporation famous for producing photographic materials and equipment. It ____________________ photography and ____________________ compete in digital markets. Kodak started as the Eastman Dry Plate Company, ____________________ George Eastman and businessman Colin Craft. They made the first cameras suitable ____________________. Eastman made the slogan "you press the button, we do the rest," when he ____________________ first simple camera in 1888. That camera was called the “Kodak”. It was so successful the word became the company name. The Eastman Kodak Company has become ____________________, commercial, entertainment and scientific photography. The company employs 25,000 people ____________________ $10 billion a year in revenue.

    CORRECT THE SPELLING

    Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational US corporation famous for cpudigron photographic materials and equipment. It was a inpeoer in film photography and is now refocusing to compete in digital markets. Kodak started as the Eastman Dry Plate Company, founded by vneonirt George Eastman and businessman Colin Craft. They made the first cameras suitable for non-exterp use. Eastman made the slogan "you press the nuobtt, we do the rest," when he krtdeema the world’s first simple camera in 1888. That camera was called the “Kodak”. It was so successful the word became the company name. The Eastman Kodak Company has become a laeedr in eiuerls, commercial, entertainment and scientific photography. The company yomepls 25,000 people and generates over $10 billion a year in vnereue.

    UNJUMBLE THE WORDS

    Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational US photographic for corporation producing famous materials and equipment. photography film in pioneer a was It and is to in markets refocusing compete digital now. Kodak started as the Eastman Dry Plate Company, founded by inventor George Eastman and businessman Colin Craft. They non the cameras for made first suitable-expert use. Eastman made the slogan "you press the button, we do the rest," first when marketed world’s simple he the camera in 1888. That camera was called the “Kodak”. It the so the became was successful word company name. The Eastman Kodak Company has become a leader in leisure, commercial, entertainment and scientific photography. 25 000 The employs , people company and billion generates a over year $ in 10 revenue.

    INSERT THE VOWELS

    __stm_n K_d_k C_mp_ny _s _ m_lt_n_t__n_l _S c_rp_r_t__n f_m__s f_r pr_d_c_ng ph_t_gr_ph_c m_t_r__ls _nd _q__pm_nt. _t w_s _ p__n__r _n f_lm ph_t_gr_phy _nd _s n_w r_f_c_s_ng t_ c_mp_t_ _n d_g_t_l m_rk_ts. K_d_k st_rt_d _s th_ __stm_n Dry Pl_t_ C_mp_ny, f__nd_d by _nv_nt_r G__rg_ __stm_n _nd b_s_n_ssm_n C_l_n Cr_ft. Th_y m_d_ th_ f_rst c_m_r_s s__t_bl_ f_r n_n-_xp_rt _s_. __stm_n m_d_ th_ sl_g_n "y__ pr_ss th_ b_tt_n, w_ d_ th_ r_st," wh_n h_ m_rk_t_d th_ w_rld’s f_rst s_mpl_ c_m_r_ _n 1888. Th_t c_m_r_ w_s c_ll_d th_ “K_d_k”. _t w_s s_ s_cc_ssf_l th_ w_rd b_c_m_ th_ c_mp_ny n_m_. Th_ __stm_n K_d_k C_mp_ny h_s b_c_m_ _ l__d_r _n l__s_r_, c_mm_rc__l, _nt_rt__nm_nt _nd sc__nt_f_c ph_t_gr_phy. Th_ c_mp_ny _mpl_ys 25,000 p__pl_ _nd g_n_r_t_s _v_r $10 b_ll__n _ y__r _n r_v_n__.

    PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

    eastman kodak company is a multinational us corporation famous for producing photographic materials and equipment it was a pioneer in film photography and is now refocusing to compete in digital markets kodak started as the eastman dry plate company founded by inventor george eastman and businessman colin craft they made the first cameras suitable for non-expert use eastman made the slogan "you press the button we do the rest" when he marketed the world’s first simple camera in 1888 that camera was called the “kodak” it was so successful the word became the company name the eastman kodak company has become a leader in leisure commercial entertainment and scientific photography the company employs 25000 people and generates over $10 billion a year in revenue

    CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE

    Eastman Kodak Company .......... (be) a multinational US corporation famous for producing photographic materials and equipment. It .......... (be) a pioneer in film photography and .......... (be) now refocusing to compete in digital markets. Kodak .......... (start) as the Eastman Dry Plate Company, founded by inventor George Eastman and businessman Colin Craft. They .......... (make) the first cameras suitable for non-expert use. Eastman .......... (make) the slogan "you .......... (press) the button, we .......... (do) the rest," when he .......... (market) the world’s first simple camera in 1888. That camera was .......... (call) the “Kodak”. It .......... (be) so successful the word .......... (become) the company name. The Eastman Kodak Company has .......... (become) a leader in leisure, commercial, entertainment and scientific photography. The company .......... (employ) 25,000 people and .......... (generate) over $10 billion a year in revenue.

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    REWRITE WITH SPACES

    EastmanKodakCompanyisamultinationalUScorporationfamousforproducingphotographic
    materialsandequipment.Itwasapioneerinfilmphotographyandisnowrefocusingtocompetein
    digitalmarkets.KodakstartedastheEastmanDryPlateCompany,foundedbyinventorGeorge
    EastmanandbusinessmanColinCraft.Theymadethefirstcamerassuitablefornon-expertuse.Eastmanmadetheslogan"youpressthebutton,wedotherest,"whenhemarketed
    theworld’sfirstsimplecamerain1888.Thatcamerawascalledthe“Kodak”.Itwassosuccessful
    thewordbecamethecompanyname.TheEastmanKodakCompanyhasbecomealeaderinleisure,
    commercial,entertainmentandscientificphotography.Thecompanyemploys25,000people
    andgeneratesover$10billionayearinrevenue.

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    CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

    Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational US corporation ____________ for producing photographic materials and equipment. It was a pioneer in film photography and is now refocusing to ____________ in digital markets. Kodak started as the Eastman Dry Plate Company, founded by ____________ George Eastman and businessman Colin Craft. They made the first cameras ____________ for non-____________ use. Eastman made the slogan "you press the button, we do the rest," when he ____________ the world’s first simple camera in 1888. That camera was called the “Kodak”. It was so ____________ the word became the company name. The Eastman Kodak Company has become a ____________ in leisure, commercial, entertainment and scientific photography. The company ____________ 25,000 people and generates over $10 billion a year in ____________.

     

     

    marketed
    famous
    suitable
    employs
    successful
    inventor
    revenue
    compete
    expert
    leader

    PROJECT KODAK

    Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Kodak. Complete this  table with your project partner(s):

    Main products

     

     

     

    How to improve them

     

     

     

    A brand new ‘killer’ product

     

    How Kodak is better than the competition

     

    How to beat the competition

     

    Part 2. Change partners and look at their project. Suggest improvements. Ask for advice on your project:

    Part 3. Make a presentation on your project. Give it to the class. Vote the best projects.

    KODAK – ROLE PLAY 1

    Role  A – Kodak CEO

    You believe your company is the best in the world. It pays its workers very well and working conditions are great. Your company is very green – it cares about the environment. You think your levels of customer service are great. Disagree with person B, C and D.

    Role  B – Kodak worker

    You think it’s a bad company to work for. You’re very unhappy with pay, raises and bonuses. You are very unhappy with the working environment. You don’t like the company’s policy on the environment. You keep hearing profits are more important than customers. Disagree with A and C. Tell D the truth.

    Role  C – Kodak customer

    You are a customer of Kodak. You used to think it was great, but not now. Its workers are always very rude. No one ever answers the phone. You are shocked about its policy on the environment. You think all staff should get less pay. You disagree with person A and B. Tell D the truth.

    Role  D – A journalist

    You keep hearing bad things about Kodak. You want to tell the world in your newspaper. You heard the CEO gets a huge bonus every year. You found a company memo saying profits are more important than the environment. You want to know why so many staff are ill. Find the truth.

    KODAK – ROLE PLAY 2

    Role  A – Kodak New Products Director

    You have created a new product for Kodak. You believe the new product will be the company’s best ever. It will be a bestseller. There are people who do not agree with you. You need B, C and D on your side. Tell them why this is a product that will bring great things to Kodak.

    Role  B – Kodak Marketing Director

    You think the company’s new product is a really bad idea. It will give your company a really bad name. You think the New Products Director is trying to destroy the company. Try to get him/her to understand there’s no way the new product will sell. Try to get person C and D on your side.

    Role  C – Kodak Market Researcher

    You have interviewed thousands of people about the new product. They don’t like it or hate it. You think it will be successful if they make many changes. Tell the New Products Director he/she needs to change the product. You neither like nor trust person B. Disagree will him/her.

    Role  D – Kodak Shareholder

    You know a lot about Kodak’s new product. You are worried it will not sell and share prices will go down. You think A is crazy and must find a new job. You agree with everything B says. You don’t agree with C. The new product should not go on the market.

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    JOB INTERVIEW ROLE PLAY

    INTERVIEWER  (Write the questions you want to ask the candidate.)

    1.

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    INTERVIEWEE  (Write questions you want to ask the interviewer.)

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    DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

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    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

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    KODAK SURVEY

    Write five GOOD questions about Kodak in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

    When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

     

    STUDENT 1

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    STUDENT 2

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    STUDENT 3

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    Q.1.

     

     

     

     

    Q.2.

     

     

     

     

    Q.3.

     

     

     

     

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    Q.5.

     

     

     

     

    WRITING 1 – SPEED WRITING

    Write anything about Kodak for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

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    WRITING 2 – LETTER OF COMPLAINT

    Write a letter to Kodak. Complain about one of its products. Ask for a refund. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

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    WRITING 3 – LETTER OF APOLOGY

    Write a letter of apology to the customer. Explain why you cannot give a refund. Show your partner your letter. Correct each other’s work.

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    HOMEWORK

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

    2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about Kodak. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

    3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Kodak. What have they done recently? What are their plans? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

    4. KODAK POSTER Make a poster about Kodak. Make sure you sell the company to the public.  Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.

    5. MY KODAK LESSON: Make your own English lesson on Kodak. Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Teach the class / another group when you have finished.

    6. ONLINE SHARING: Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, MySpace page, Twitter stream, Del-icio-us / StumbleUpon account, or any other social media tool to get opinions on Kodak. Share your findings with the class.

    ANSWERS

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