The Amazing Spider-Man

Activities based on a YouTube fragment

As mentioned before, the truth is that lots and lots of activities for language practice may be produced based on this movie. I am here providing just a few based on the limitations of my column. I hope the ones offered this time will serve as springboard for teachers´ further imaginative ideas. I recommend watching the full movie either in class or as homework. Project work, poster making and debate are possible and likely to find many followers! (Cross-species genetics, stem cells,hybrids, transgenics, and chimera, etc.) You have here a fantastic opportunity for cross-curricular research & activities.

WORKSHEET

Intermediate Level

Activity 1

Background: Read this summary to get to know the facts. Discuss the terms in bold type as used in the passage.

PLOT:This is the story of Peter Parker, an outcast schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben and Aunt Mary. Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy and together they struggle with love, commitment and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents´disappearance—leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr Curt Connors, his father´s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connor´s alter ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life- altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

Cast:

Andrew Garfield / ... / Spider-Man / Peter Parker
Emma Stone / ... / Gwen Stacy
Rhys Ifans / ... / The Lizard / Dr. Curt Connors
Denis Leary / ... / Captain Stacy
Martin Sheen / ... / Uncle Ben
Sally Field / ... / Aunt May

The next activities in this Worksheet are based on a short fragment (1.06) that will be found at called:

Second in His Class

The latest Spider-Man film has as its focus Peter Parker's quest to resolve the mystery of his parents' deaths. In this clip, Peter,an intern for Oscorp, impresses his father's former partner, Dr. Curt Conners during a school class visit to a science lab.

Key Vocabulary

  • Radical:a person / plan/ idea / solution with advanced opinions-policies
  • Parkinson's: a chronic, progressive disease with muscular tremors etc.
  • Dopamine: is a simple organic chemical in the catecholamine family, is a monoamine neurotransmitter which plays a number of important physiological roles in the bodies of animals.
  • Promising:seeming likely to succeed
  • Zebrafish: is a tropical freshwater. It is a popular aquarium fish and is an important vertebrate model organism in scientific research. It is particularly notable for its regenerative abilities.
  • Cross-species genetics: we refer to the combination of genetic or cellular material from two organisms that would generally be understood, in lay terms, as belonging to different species. There are many types of interspecies organisms including hybrids, transgenics, and chimeras, each of which is created through different sorts of processes. Hybrids are created through breeding. Transgenics are produced through genetic manipulation and modification. Chimeras are the result of cell or tissue transplants.
  • venture: dare
  • stem cells: are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide (through mitosis) and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells.

Activity 2:

First Viewing. Watch the fragment once and answer these questions:

1.-Where does the action take place?

2.-Who participate in the scene? Describe them.

3.-What is peculiar about the blond man doctor?

4.-What´s the doctor´s reaction to Peter´s words?

5.-Describe Peter.

Activity 3: Second Viewing. Watch the scene and complete the dialogue below with the missing words:

Dr Connors: I long to fix ………………………….

I wanna create a world ………………….weakness.

Anyone can venture and guess just …………………..?

Intern: Stem …………………..?

Dr Connors: Promising… But the solution I´m ……………………….of is

more…radical

Anyone?

Peter: Cross-species genetics.

A person gets …………………………… when the brain cells that

produce dopamine start to ……………………………

But the zebrafish has the ……………………… to regenerate cells

on……………………..

Somehow give this ability to the ………………………you´re talking

about. That´s that! She´s …she´s curing …………………….

Yeah, you just have to look past the quills on her neck.

DrConnors: And you are…?

Gwen: He´s one of the midtown scientist best invitees.

He´s …………………..in his class

Peter: ……………………..?

Gwen: Yeah.

Peter: You´re ……………………about that?

Gwen: I´m ………………….sure.

ONLY for TEACHERS

Answers

Activity 1:

Outcast schooler: friendless intern

Raised: brought up

Figure out: discover

To have a crush on somebody: be in love with somebody, a crush would be the person you love or think you love.

Struggle: deal with

Commitment: responsibility

Quest: pursuit, trying to find

Alter ego: one´s other self

Life-altering: that will change one´s life

Activity 2:

1.-The Science Laboratory

2.-Young interns and two doctors, a man and a woman

3.-He doensn´t have the lower part of his right arm

4.-He looks surprised, he calmly admires what Peter says

5.-He´s second in his class

Activity 3

Myself – without – how – cells – thinking – Parkinson´s – disappear – ability – herself – second – second – very