A Lesson on McDonald's

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THE LESSON ON MCDONALD'S

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McDonald’s is one of the most famous brands in the world. It is the world’s largest chain of hamburger restaurants with 31,000 eateries. It operates in 119 countries, serving 47 million customers a day. The company employs over 1.5 million people. The business began in 1940 when brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald opened their first restaurant. In 1948, they introduced the "Speedee Service System" which started the modern fast-food phenomenon. The golden arches trademark was introduced in 1962. McDonald’s has rarely been out of the headlines for controversies over its unhealthy menus and working conditions. The term "McJob" was added to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary in 2003, meaning "a low-paying job that requires little skill and provides little opportunity for advancement".

ONLINE QUIZZES

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    WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES

    WARM-UPS

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

    2. MCDONALD’S MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of McDonald’s. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.

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

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

    5. TRUE OR FALSE: Students find out several facts about McDonald’s. 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 McDonald’s. 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

    McDonald’s ___________________ famous brands in the world. It is the ___________________ of hamburger restaurants with 31,000 eateries. It operates in 119 countries, serving 47 million ___________________. The company employs over 1.5 million people. The business began in 1940 when brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald ______________________. In 1948, they introduced the "Speedee Service System" which started the modern ___________________. The golden arches trademark was introduced in 1962. McDonald’s ___________________ of the headlines for controversies ___________________ menus and working conditions. The term "McJob" was added to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary in 2003, meaning "a low-paying job that requires little skill ___________________ opportunity for advancement".

    CORRECT THE SPELLING

    McDonald’s is one of the most famous sandrb in the world. It is the world’s largest chain of hamburger restaurants with 31,000 esreatei. It roepaste in 119 countries, serving 47 million customers a day. The company oypmsel over 1.5 million people. The business began in 1940 when brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald nodpee their first restaurant. In 1948, they introduced the "Speedee Service System" which started the dnmreo fast-food phenomenon. The golden arches trademark was introduced in 1962. McDonald’s has raelry been out of the headlines for controversies over its unhealthy menus and working odoitcnsni. The term "McJob" was added to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary in 2003, meaning "a low-paying job that iurqsree little skill and rieopsvd little opportunity for advancement".

    UNJUMBLE THE WORDS

    McDonald’s brands of in the the most is famous one world. It of world’s hamburger largest is chain the restaurants with 31,000 eateries. It operates in 119 countries, 47 serving day a customers million. The employs 5 company 1 people over million. The business began in 1940 when brothers Richard and Maurice opened restaurant their McDonald first. In 1948, they introduced the "Speedee Service System" which started the modern fast-food phenomenon. The golden arches trademark was introduced in 1962. McDonald’s has rarely headlines controversies out the for been of over its unhealthy menus and working conditions. The term "McJob" was added to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary in 2003, meaning "paying skill job a that low requires - little and advancement for opportunity little provides".

    INSERT THE VOWELS

    McD_n_ld’s _s _n_ _f th_ m_st f_m__s br_nds _n th_ w_rld. _t _s th_ w_rld’s l_rg_st ch__n _f h_mb_rg_r r_st__r_nts w_th 31,000 __t_r__s. _t _p_r_t_s _n 119 c__ntr__s, s_rv_ng 47 m_ll__n c_st_m_rs _ d_y. Th_ c_mp_ny _mpl_ys _v_r 1.5 m_ll__n p__pl_. Th_ b_s_n_ss b_g_n _n 1940 wh_n br_th_rs R_ch_rd _nd M__r_c_ McD_n_ld _p_n_d th__r f_rst r_st__r_nt. _n 1948, th_y _ntr_d_c_d th_ "Sp__d__ S_rv_c_ Syst_m" wh_ch st_rt_d th_ m_d_rn f_st-f__d ph_n_m_n_n. Th_ g_ld_n _rch_s tr_d_m_rk w_s _ntr_d_c_d _n 1962. McD_n_ld’s h_s r_r_ly b__n __t _f th_ h__dl_n_s f_r c_ntr_v_rs__s _v_r _ts _nh__lthy m_n_s _nd w_rk_ng c_nd_t__ns. Th_ t_rm "McJ_b" w_s _dd_d t_ M_rr__m-W_bst_r's D_ct__n_ry _n 2003, m__n_ng "_ l_w-p_y_ng j_b th_t r_q__r_s l_ttl_ sk_ll _nd pr_v_d_s l_ttl_ _pp_rt_n_ty f_r _dv_nc_m_nt".

    PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

    mcdonald’s is one of the most famous brands in the world it is the world’s largest chain of hamburger restaurants with 31000 eateries it operates in 119 countries serving 47 million customers a day the company employs over 15 million people the business began in 1940 when brothers richard and maurice mcdonald opened their first restaurant in 1948 they introduced the "speedee service system" which started the modern fast-food phenomenon the golden arches trademark was introduced in 1962 mcdonald’s has rarely been out of the headlines for controversies over its unhealthy menus and working conditions the term "mcjob" was added to merriam-webster's dictionary in 2003 meaning "a low-paying job that requires little skill and provides little opportunity for advancement"

    CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE

    McDonald’s .......... (be) one of the most famous brands in the world. It .......... (be) the world’s largest chain of hamburger restaurants with 31,000 eateries. It .......... (operate) in 119 countries, serving 47 million customers a day. The company .......... (employ) over 1.5 million people. The business .......... (begin) in 1940 when brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald .......... (open) their first restaurant. In 1948, they .......... (introduce) the "Speedee Service System" which .......... (start) the modern fast-food phenomenon. The golden arches trademark was .......... (introduce) in 1962. McDonald’s has rarely .......... (be) out of the headlines for controversies over its unhealthy menus and working conditions. The term "McJob" was .......... (add) to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary in 2003, meaning "a low-paying job that .......... (require) little skill and provides little opportunity for advancement".

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    REWRITE WITH SPACES

    McDonald’sisoneofthemostfamousbrandsintheworld.Itistheworld’slargestchainofhamburger
    restaurantswith31,000eateries.Itoperatesin119countries,serving47millioncustomersa
    day.Thecompanyemploysover1.5millionpeople.Thebusinessbeganin1940whenbrothers
    RichardandMauriceMcDonaldopenedtheirfirstrestaurant.In1948,theyintroducedthe"Speedee
    ServiceSystem"whichstartedthemodernfast-foodphenomenon.Thegoldenarchestrademarkwasintroducedin1962.McDonald’shasrarely
    beenoutoftheheadlinesforcontroversiesoveritsunhealthymenusandworkingconditions.The
    term"McJob"wasaddedtoMerriam-Webster'sDictionaryin2003,meaning"alow-payingjobthatrequireslittleskillandprovideslittleopportunityforadvancement".

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    CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

    McDonald’s is one of the most famous ____________ in the world. It is the world’s largest chain of hamburger restaurants with 31,000 ____________. It operates in 119 countries, serving 47 million customers a day. The company ____________ over 1.5 million people. The business began in 1940 when brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald ____________ their first restaurant. In 1948, they ____________ the "Speedee Service System" which started the modern fast-food phenomenon. The golden arches ____________ was introduced in 1962. McDonald’s has ____________ been out of the headlines for controversies over its unhealthy menus and ____________ conditions. The term "McJob" was added to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary in 2003, meaning "a low-____________ job that requires little skill and provides ____________ opportunity for advancement".

     

     

    employs
    trademark
    brands
    little
    eateries
    rarely
    introduced
    paying
    opened
    working

    PROJECT MCDONALD’S

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

    Main products

     

     

     

    How to improve them

     

     

     

    A brand new ‘killer’ product

     

    How McDonald’s 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.

    MCDONALD’S – ROLE PLAY 1

    Role  A – McDonald’s 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 – McDonald’s 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 – McDonald’s customer

    You are a customer of McDonald’s. 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 McDonald’s. 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.

    MCDONALD’S – ROLE PLAY 2

    Role  A – McDonald’s New Products Director

    You have created a new product for McDonald’s. 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 McDonald’s.

    Role  B – McDonald’s 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 – McDonald’s 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 – McDonald’s Shareholder

    You know a lot about McDonald’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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    2.

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    3.

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

    1.

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    5.

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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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    MCDONALD’S SURVEY

    Write five GOOD questions about McDonald’s 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.

     

     

     

     

    Q.4.

     

     

     

     

    Q.5.

     

     

     

     

    WRITING 1 – SPEED WRITING

    Write anything about McDonald’s 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 McDonald’s. 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 McDonald’s. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

    3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about McDonald’s. 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. MCDONALD’S POSTER Make a poster about McDonald’s. 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 MCDONALD’S LESSON: Make your own English lesson on McDonald’s. 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 McDonald’s. Share your findings with the class.

    ANSWERS

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