There are many different topics for student to write about. You
can use the calendar as inspiration, student interests or tie it to the topics
you are teaching in their lessons. Beginners might write only in English
as a cultural component. Then, move into simple assignments in simple Italian
as their Italian grows with more vocabulary and grammar. Advanced
students can extend their writing in Italian with more detail and a wider
vocabulary.
1. Writing in future tense on
New Year’s Resolutions. I will write in
my journal, learn to cook, walk the dog.
Timely phrases: every day, all day, every week, every month, sometimes,
always, every Tuesday etc.
2. Descriptive writing about
Carnevale, This is usually in April and
is a grand parade of colorful costumes, masks and celebration. Ask students to describe the clothes, colours
and foods of the festival. Is there
music playing live? Is the setting in Venice or another Italian city? Are there gondolas?
3. Describe an Italian
summer. Include weather, setting, summer
holidays away from home at the sea or mountains, foods including gelato. What is their favourite flavor?
4. Describe an Italian autumn
as the warm summer turns to reds and oranges of autumn before wintry white.
What activities are popular in autumn? Are people playing soccer? Playing in a
pile of autumn leaves?
5. Describe an Italian
winter. The climate, the food, the setting
and the activities. Touch of the role of
winter in an Italian Christmas. Is there
a snowplough to help people have streets clear of snow. Have people salted their driveway to make it
less slippery?
6. Describe an Italian spring
as nature wales from winter. What plants
are in bloom>? Which colours are starting to appear? Can you hear young birds or see butterflies
perhaps? Is there a river starting to
flow after being frozen over winter?
7. June 2nd is the
national day of Italy. What festivities
are planned in terms of food, music and costumes? Is there a parade? What does
the three colour flag of Italian represent?
How was Italy before this important date in history? What had changed?
8. Christmas in Italy is
different for Australians, particularly because it is a European winter
holiday. There are no barbeques and sun
and sand. There is sometimes snow, and
warm chestnuts and panettone to celebrate. Many meet up with
extended family of the aunts, uncles and cousins to catch up on family
news. Often the housewife makes a meal
for all which may be homemade pasta and or seafood dishes. Many Italians are Catholic and attend
Midnight Mass on Christmas Day.
9. Easter is also a religious
holiday. Many Italians are Catholics and
attend Church over Easter of Pasqua to recognise the resurrection of Christ.
Young people often spend Christmas with family and Easter with their
friends. They may travel for the long
weekend to the seas or mountains. Chocolate is a part of Easter in Italy, but
the focus is on the symbol of the egg.
The Easter bunny does not feature in the Italian Easter.
10. When is your birthday? What day of the week
were your born? What is your star
sign? Does your family have special
traditions on birthdays? What do you
like to do to celebrate? Maybe you have
a party or a sleepover? Some families like to wrap presents in strange shapes
to disguise the present. Then, the game
is to guess the present before you open it.
11. What is your school like? How is it different from a typical Italian
school? Which type of high school would
you choose? Maybe science, classic or a
trade school. What subjects do you
like? What subjects are you good at?
12. Who is in your family? Do you have a sister
or a brother? Are you the youngest or the oldest? Do you live in a house or an
apartment? Many Italians live in apartments close to town. Australians are luckier to have room for a
backyard to play soccer or have a dog.
13. Do you have a pet? What would your dream pet be? Many Italians
cannot have pets in their apartment. Describe what it is like to live in an
apartment with an elevator and no yard.
14. Do you play sport? Many Australians like football or cricket.
Many Italians like soccer. How often do you play sport? Do you play with friends or in a team? What are your team colours?
15. When you finish school, what would you like
to be? Describe a few jobs and what
would be great about working in that job.
Research based topics:
16.
Introduce an Italian person. Write a profile or an interview about that
person. Include name, date or birth,
job, where they lived and any interesting facts you learn about them.
17. Introduce an Italian place. Write a profile
or a poster about that place. Include
name, region of Italy, date founded if known and any interesting facts you
learn about them. Perhaps some famous people lived there, or it was the place
of an important event in history.
18. Introduce an Italian event in history. Write
a profile or a poster about that event.
Include place and region of Italy, date or dates of the event, who was
involved, and any interesting facts you learn about them. Perhaps a famous
person was there at the same time.
19. Introduce an Italian food. Write a recipe or
make a poster about that food. Include
name, where in Italy is from and any interesting facts you learn about them.
Perhaps you can make it to share with your friends and family. You might choose a pizza, pasta or gelato
recipe.
20. Introduce an Italian musician. Write a
profile or an interview about that musician.
Include name, date or birth, job, where they lived and any interesting
facts you learn about them. You might choose an opera singer, an orchestral
musician or a pop singer you history or
modern day.
21. Introduce a famous Italian building. Write a profile
or make a poster about that building.
Include its name in Italian and English, date built (if known), who
designed &/or built it, which Italian region it is in, is it still standing
today and any interesting facts you learn about it.
Please comment to share any topic ideas you have tried with your class :-)
