Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Kodak. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
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.
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.
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.
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 POSTERMake 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
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
