English RuSh: June 2016

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Happiness

Divide words into synonyms and antonyms of HAPPY

Cheerful, glad, delighted, merry, jolly, gay, joyful.

Unhappy, sad, down, serious, upset, depressed.

http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/happy

What makes you happy?

I decided to make a list of ten things that make me happy. At first it was quite difficult, I had to think quite hard. However as I began writing my list I had more and more ideas. As the day passed, ideas kept popping into my head and my list became very long. I realised that there are so many things that make me happy.

Here are ten examples from my very long list:

Spending time with my husband and children.
Dog walking.
Music.
Hugs.
The beach.
The sound of my sons laughing together.
Dancing.
Discovering new places.
Drinking wine with my girlfriends.
Coffee in the garden, with my husband on a Saturday morning.
Swimming in the sea.
Being with my daughters.
Drinking coffee in a terrace.
Reading a novel in bed at night.
Waking up late at the weekend.

Discussion points:

Q1: Why don't we spend more time doing the things that make us happy?

Q2: Can you buy happiness?

Q3: Do happy people live longer?

Be Happy from kieran donaghy on Vimeo.

Speed dating questions

HAPPY OPINIONS: Do you agree with these opinions on happiness? Talk about them with your partner(s).

Money makes you happy.
The older you become, the happier you are.
You can take lessons on how to be happy.
Men are happier than women.
Married people are happier than single people.
People in warmer climates are happier than people in colder climates.
It’s hard to be happy in today’s world.
Every country should have a Minister of Happiness.

Homework
Ask students to write a short composition titled: What I do to live a happy life.

Lesson about happiness
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/0510/051006-happiness-e.html