Songs and Activities for English Language Learners sandraheyersongs.comLesson PlanPreview of CBS news video / Secret Santa

Before showing the video (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/sheriffs-deputies-kindness-brings-drivers-to-tears/), give students a preview of the story, illustrating it with simple drawings on the board as you tell it. (Or can illustrate the story with the drawings below, projected on a screen.) Below are some possible steps and drawings.

Tell students:

1. We are going to watch a video. The video is from a TV news report. The report is from a city in the United States. The city is Kansas City, Missouri.

2. There is a very rich businessman in Kansas City.

3. He likes to give money away. He gives the money to strangers. Every year he gives away $100,000.

4. He especially likes to give money away during the Christmas holiday.

5. Who is the man? What is his name? Nobody knows. He doesn’t tell anyone his name. He says his name is “Secret Santa.”

6. One year during the Christmas holiday, the rich man didn’t give money to strangers. He gave the money to police officers (sheriff’s deputies). He told them, “Give the money to strangers.” He gave each police officer $1,000 to give away. What happened? Let’s watch the video to find out.

Thanks to: Norma Shapiro, who shares invaluable drawing tips in her resource book Chalk Talks.

Copyright © 2014 Sandra Heyer. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.