Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Pixar. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Pixar Animation Studios is the world’s most successful CGI animation film studio. It was started by Star Wars producer George Lucas, before Apple co-founder Steve Jobs bought it in 1986. Disney then bought the studios in 2006. Pixar has been responsible for some of the greatest children’s movies ever made, including the Toy Story franchise, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Wall-E and Up. The studio has won 24 Oscars, among dozens of other awards, acknowledgments and achievements and has made $5.5 billion worldwide. Its website says: “Pixar's objective is to combine…technology and world-class creative talent to develop computer-animated feature films with memorable characters and heartwarming stories that appeal to audiences of all ages.”
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Pixar on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. PIXAR MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Pixar. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Pixar. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Pixar and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Pixar. 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 Pixar. 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
Pixar Animation Studios is the world’s most successful ________________________. It was started by Star Wars producer George Lucas, ________________________ Steve Jobs bought it in 1986. Disney then bought the studios in 2006. Pixar ________________________ some of the greatest ________________________ made, including the Toy Story franchise, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Wall-E and Up. The studio has won 24 Oscars, ________________________ awards, acknowledgments and achievements and has made $5.5 billion worldwide. Its website says: “________________________ combine…technology and world-class creative talent to develop computer-animated feature films ________________________ and heartwarming stories ________________________ of all ages.”
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Pixar Animation Studios is the world’s most successful CGI atnimniao film studio. It was started by Star Wars producer George Lucas, before Apple co-fndreou Steve Jobs bought it in 1986. Disney then bought the studios in 2006. Pixar has been sieblersonp for some of the greatest children’s movies ever made, including the Toy Story chnaeirsf, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Wall-E and Up. The studio has won 24 Oscars, angmo dozens of other awards, acknowledgments and achievements and has made $5.5 billion rewdowdli. Its website says: “Pixar's ievoctjeb is to combine…technology and world-class eeacrivt talent to develop computer-animated feature films with lrmeaomeb characters and heartwarming stories that apalpe to audiences of all ages.”
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Pixar Animation most world’s the is Studios successful CGI animation film studio. It was started by Star Wars producer George Lucas, before Apple co-founder Steve Jobs bought it in 1986. Disney then bought the studios in 2006. Pixar the of some for responsible been hasgreatest ever children’s made movies, including the Toy Story franchise, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Wall-E and Up. studio The among , Oscars 24 won has dozens and acknowledgments , awards other of achievements and has made $5.5 billion worldwide. Its website says: “Pixar's objective is to combine technology” and talent develop - creative to world class computer-animated feature films with memorable characters and stories heartwarming audiences to appeal that of all ages.”
pixar animation studios is the world’s most successful cgi animation film studio it was started by star wars producer george lucas before apple co-founder steve jobs bought it in 1986 disney then bought the studios in 2006 pixar has been responsible for some of the greatest children’s movies ever made including the toy story franchise finding nemo the incredibles cars wall-e and up the studio has won 24 oscars among dozens of other awards acknowledgments and achievements and has made $55 billion worldwide its website says “pixar's objective is to combine…technology and world-class creative talent to develop computer-animated feature films with memorable characters and heartwarming stories that appeal to audiences of all ages”
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Pixar Animation Studios .......... (be) the world’s most successful CGI animation film studio. It was .......... (start) by Star Wars producer George Lucas, before Apple co-founder Steve Jobs .......... (buy) it in 1986. Disney then bought the studios in 2006. Pixar has .......... (be) responsible for some of the greatest children’s movies ever .......... (make), including the Toy Story franchise, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Wall-E and Up. The studio has .......... (win) 24 Oscars, among dozens of other awards, acknowledgments and achievements and has .......... (make) $5.5 billion worldwide. Its website .......... (say): “Pixar's objective .......... (be) to combine…technology and world-class creative talent to .......... (develop) computer-animated feature films with memorable characters and heartwarming stories that .......... (appeal) to audiences of all ages.”
Pixar Animation Studios is the world’s most ____________ CGI animation film studio. It was started by Star Wars producer George Lucas, before Apple co-____________ Steve Jobs bought it in 1986. Disney then bought the studios in 2006. Pixar has been ____________ for some of the greatest children’s movies ever made, ____________ the Toy Story ____________, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Wall-E and Up. The studio has won 24 Oscars, among ____________ of other awards, acknowledgments and achievements and has made $5.5 billion ____________. Its website says: “Pixar's objective is to combine…technology and world-class creative talent to ____________ computer-animated feature films with ____________ characters and heartwarming stories that ____________ to audiences of all ages.”
responsible
dozens
successful
appeal
founder
including
develop
franchise
memorable
worldwide
PROJECT PIXAR
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Pixar. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Pixar 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.
PIXAR – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Pixar 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 – Pixar 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 – Pixar customer
You are a customer of Pixar. 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 Pixar. 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.
PIXAR – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Pixar New Products Director
You have created a new product for Pixar. 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 Pixar.
Role B – Pixar 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 – Pixar 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 – Pixar Shareholder
You know a lot about Pixar’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.
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 Pixar. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Pixar. 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. PIXAR POSTERMake a poster about Pixar. 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 PIXAR LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Pixar. 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 Pixar. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
