Christmas Carol Verb Singers

The aims of the activity are to practise the parts of the verb "to have" and create a simple carol performance in which children identify the singular and plural forms of the present tense of the verb"to have".

You will need to introduce or revisit the verb "to have" :christmas cracker style! 
 

• Draw  8 2D Christmas Crackers on festive paper and the same on plain card.
• Cut out  the shapes.
• On the plain paper in the centre section , write one part of the present tense of the verb paradigm  "to have" in  the target language.
• Cut the festive paper crackers in half.

• Stick the outer edges of one of the festive Christmas cracker on to one of the plain paper crackers - so that the festive cracker can open and shut in the middle.
• Put the finished festive crackers on the board. 
• Ask volunteers amongst the children to select a cracker.
• Open the cracker with the children

• Look at the phrase written in the middle. Do the children recognise any of the phrases?Can they identify that hes phrases are parts of a verb?
• Can they help you to organise the crackers in to a paradigm of the verb (singular line of crackers and plural line of crackers) ?
• (You may need blu tac to keep the festive crackers shut when you want to conceal the phrases written on the plain paper).

A Christmas Carol

• Practise the verb "to have" in the target language by opening the festive crackers one by one from the top of the singular line through to the bottom of the plural line of crackers.
• Can the children see any patterns emerging? 
• Hum with the class the tune of "We wish you a Merry Christmas". Pause occasionally and select a festive cracker.Can the children remember the phrase that is inside the cracker?
• In pairs ask the children to try to fit the paradigm of the verb "o have" in the target language to the tune of "We wish you a Merry Christmas!"(It will work in French,Spanish and German if you make it a "merry" and sometimes "exagerated" sounding song").
• Ask volunteers to share their songs.Select a class favourite from the songs.
• Now practise the song as a class group of carol singers!
• Make it a Christmas Carol singer performance- ask the children to stand in rows of six making a crescent shape
•  
• Sing the chosen version of the "to have" Merry Christmas song and ask the children to shake hands with one person on the left or right on singular parts of the verb and to cross arms and join hands with partners on either side and shake hands ,standing in their rows for the plural parts of the verb