World Cup 2014: The Right Choice?
Lesson ideas and activity sheets
ActionAid Schools | June 2014 | 1
World Cup 2014: The Right Choice? Lesson 1/Lesson plan
Introduction: The run up to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil has seen missed deadlines for stadiums and transport projects,
protests over the soaring costs of the event and the deaths of eight workers. Was the Brazilian government
right to host the World Cup this summer?
Objective:
Assess different viewpoints and draw conclusions
Outcome:
Participate in a role play with peers
Activity
Resources
Starter
• What do pupils think about Brazil hosting the World Cup?
Pupils record their initial thoughts using Activity Sheet A.
and/or
• Pupils answer questions from the ‘Welcome to Brazil’
introductory quiz.
•
Activity Sheet 1
•
‘Welcome to Brazil’ quiz
Main
• In groups of 3-4, pupils choose a role play card from
Activity Sheets 1.
• The TV show host should prepare questions to help him/her
find out how the guests feel about the World Cup coming to
Brazil and why. The TV show host should share these
questions with the guests in advance.
• The guests should prepare answers to explain how they feel
and why, using the TV show host questions as prompts.
• The groups should rehearse their questions and answers.
• Ask the groups to share their role-play with the class with
the TV show host saying who was most persuasive at the
end of the role-play and why.
•
Activity Sheets 2
Plenary
• Pupils record what they now think about the Brazilian
government’s decision to host the World Cup this summer
on Activity Sheet A.
•
Curriculum links
English: KS2
Spoken language
• Listen and respond appropriately to adults and their
peers
• Articulate and justify answers, arguments and
opinions
English: KS2
Spoken language
• Participate in discussions, presentations,
performances, role play, improvisations and debates
• Consider and evaluate different viewpoints,
attending to and building on the contributions of
others
Reading - comprehension
• Retrieve, record and present information from nonfiction
• Provide reasoned justification for their views
Activity Sheet 1
English: KS2
Writing – composition
• Noting and developing initial ideas, drawing on
reading research where necessary
ActionAid Schools | June 2014 | 2
World Cup 2014: The Right Choice? Lesson 2/Lesson plan
Introduction: The run up to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil has seen missed deadlines for stadiums and transport projects,
protests over the soaring costs of the event and the deaths of eight workers. Was the Brazilian government
right to host the World Cup this summer?
Objective:
Assess different viewpoints and draw conclusions
Outcome:
Create a newspaper article or blog post
Activity
Resources
Starter
• In groups of 2-3, pupils read through the quotes on Activity
Sheet 3.
• For each quote, pupils should decide if it supports or
opposes the Brazilian government’s decision to host the
World Cup.
• If there is time, groups can compare their decisions,
focusing on any differences in opinion.
•
Activity Sheet 3
Main
• Using the quotes (and answers from Activity Sheet 1, if
appropriate), pupils write a newspaper front page (Activity
Sheet 4) or blog post arguing in support and opposition of
the Brazilian government hosting the World Cup this
summer before explaining their own position.
•
Activity Sheet 1
(optional)
•
Activity Sheet 4
Curriculum links
English: KS2
Spoken language
• Articulate and justify answers, arguments and
opinions
English: KS2
Spoken language
• Consider and evaluate different viewpoints,
attending to and building on the contributions of
others
Writing – composition
• Identifying the audience for and purpose of the
writing, selecting the appropriate form and using
other similar writing as models for their own
Plenary
• Place the two statements on Activity Sheets 5 around the
room.
• Pupils individually ‘vote with their feet’ by standing next to
the comment they most agree with.
• Ask pupils why they have made the decision they have.
•
Activity Sheets 5
English: KS2
Spoken language
• Consider and evaluate different viewpoints,
attending to and building on the contributions of
others
ActionAid Schools | June 2014 | 3
The Right Choice?/Activity Sheet 1
Instructions: When your teacher asks you to, write down how you feel about the Brazilian government’s
decision to host the World Cup this summer. Try not to let your previous answers influence your current
thoughts. There are no right or wrong answers!
1. I think the Brazilian government made the
right/wrong decision to host the World Cup this
summer because…
3. I think the Brazilian government made the
right/wrong decision to host the World Cup this
summer because…
2. I think the Brazilian government made the
right/wrong decision to host the World Cup this
summer because…
4. I think the Brazilian government made the
right/wrong decision to host the World Cup this
summer because…
ActionAid Schools | June 2014 | 4
The Right Choice?/Activity Sheet 2
Instructions: Choose a card and read through the information given on it. If you are the TV show host,
prepare questions to find out what your guests think about the World Cup being hosted by Brazil. If you are
a guest, prepare answers which explain what you think about the World Cup being hosted by Brazil and why.
Practice your TV show questions and answers before sharing with the class.
Samir - guest
Vera - guest
Samir is eight-years-old and lives with
his family in Maré favela, one of the
biggest slums in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.
Vera is thirteen-years-old and lives
with her mum, step-dad and eight
siblings in Heliópolis favela, the largest
slum in São Paulo, Brazil.
Samir enjoys riding his bike and
playing with his pet dog but has to do
this on the roof of his home because it
is too dangerous for him to play
outside with his friends.
Samir is really excited about the World
Cup coming to Brazil. He thinks Brazil
will win and is looking forward to
supporting his team.
Vera enjoys Maths at school and would
like to be a vet when she is older.
Vera thinks that the money spent on
the World Cup should have been used
to provide better health care for those
that need it, for example by building
more hospitals.
ActionAid Schools | June 2014 | 5
The Right Choice?/Activity Sheet 2
Instructions: Choose a card and read through the information given on it. If you are the TV show host,
prepare questions to find out what your guests think about the World Cup being hosted by Brazil. If you are
a guest, prepare answers which explain what you think about the World Cup being hosted by Brazil and why.
Practice your TV show questions and answers before sharing with the class.
Nat - guest
Nat works for ActionAid UK and visited
the Maré favela, one of the biggest
slums in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.
Nat was surprised by the contrast
between rich and poor in Brazil. There
was a lot more poverty than she was
expecting.
Nat thinks the World Cup will bring
investment into Brazil but she is
worried that money will not be spent
wisely.
TV show host
You host a popular TV show. On your
show today you are discussing the
pros and cons of the World Cup being
hosted in Brazil with your guests.
You need to find out if your guests are
in favour of the World Cup and why
through careful questioning, before
choosing the guest who has made the
most persuasive argument.
ActionAid Schools | June 2014 | 6
The Right Choice?/Activity Sheet 3
Instructions: Read through the quotes below in your group. For each quote, decide if you think it supports
(S) or opposes (O) the Brazilian government’s decision to host the World Cup by ticking the appropriate box.
Vera, 13, Sao Paulo
“There’s so much money to do stuff for the
World Cup and nothing for people who need it.
Money would be better spent on more hospitals,
there are so many ill people and there aren’t
enough hospital beds.”
Does it S  or O ?
Nat, ActionAid worker, Rio de Janiero
“The World Cup is going to bring investment into the
country. However, what happens to that investment is
a big question.”
Samir, 8, Rio de Janiero
“I’m excited because I like football. I definitely
think Brazil is going to win.”
Does it S  or O ?
Sara, 13, Rio de Janiero
“They are investing a lot in the World Cup but leaving
us behind. The government should be spending the
money on helping people who are homeless.”
Does it S  or O ?
Does it S  or O ?
Cirlene, mother, Rio de Janiero
“We need health services in the favela. That’s what public
spending should be spent on.”
Aldo Rebelo, Brazil’s Minister of Sport
“The World Cup will provide a lasting legacy of economic
growth.”
Does it S  or O ?
Does it S  or O ?
Samira, 8, Rio de Janiero
“I’m looking forward to it because I want Brazil to
win. I think they will win.”
Does it S  or O ?
ActionAid Schools | June 2014 | 7
The best school newspaper in the world
Price:
The School News
The Right choice?/Activity Sheet 4
Date:
ActionAid Schools | June 2014 | 8
The Right Choice?/Activity Sheet 5
I think the Brazilian
government made the right
decision to host the World
Cup this summer.
ActionAid Schools | June 2014 | 9
The Right Choice?/Activity Sheet 5
I don’t think the Brazilian
government made the right
decision to host the World
Cup this summer.
ActionAid Schools | June 2014 | 10