This lesson is designed around a beautiful short documentary film called Caine’s Arcade directed by Nirvan Mullick and the themes of childhood games, creativity and imagination.

Language level: Intermediate (B1)- Advanced (C1)

Learner type: All ages

Time: 90 minutes

Activity: Watching short film, speaking, reading and writing

Topic: Childhood games, creativity and imagination

Language:used to + infinitive and vocabulary related to childhood games

Materials: Short film, discussion questions and article

Downloadable materials: caines arcade lesson instructions     childhood games and imagination discussion questions     caines arcade lessons article

Step 1

Tell your students that they are going to talk about their childhood toys and games. Give them the discussion questions, put them in pairs and ask them to choose 4 questions to discuss. After 10 minutes get feedback from the whole class.

Childhood Games and Imagination Discussion Questions

Step 2
Get feedback from the following questions:

What games did you use to invent when you were a child?
Did you invent any toys when you were a child?

Get students to tell the class about their invented games and toys.

Step 3
Tell your students they are going to watch a short film in which a 9 year-old boy is very creative and imaginative. While they watch the film, they should note down his inventions. Show the film.

After watching the film get students to compare their answers in pairs, and then get feedback from the whole class.

Step 4
Write on the board:
Caine Monroe
George Monroe
Nirvan Mullick
Tell your students they are going to watch the film a second time and that they should make brief notes about the people and how they relate to the story and the film. They should also write down adjectives to describe their character. Show the film, then put students into pairs to compare their answers, and then get feedback from the whole class.

Step 5
Write the following question on the board.

What lessons can be learned from Caine’s Arcade?

Put student into pairs and ask them to discuss the question. After 5 minutes get feedback from the whole class.

Step 6
Give your students the short article Lessons from Caine’s Arcade. Ask them to read the article, discuss the lessons and compare them with their own.

Caines Arcade Lessons Article

Homework
Give your students the link to the film and ask them to write the story the film tells using narrative tenses.

I hope you enjoy the film and the lesson.