Theaters are trying new ways to get people to come and watch plays. One way is by using virtual reality (VR), a type of technology that can make you feel like you’re inside the play. A lady named Roberta Doyle wore VR glasses to watch a play about a famous soccer coach. She said it felt very real and a bit scary, but she liked it.
A company called Box Office VR makes these VR glasses. The founders, Kelman and Gemma Grieg-Kicks, used to make movies and do theater tours. They think VR can help more people enjoy theater. To use it, you need to buy the glasses and put your phone inside. Then, you can watch a recorded play on your phone. The glasses make it look like you’re sitting in the theater, watching the play. So far, about a 100 people have tried it.
Theaters are excited about this new way to watch plays. It could help them earn more money and get more people to come. It could also help kids learn about theater. A drama teacher in Dundee uses VR glasses in her class. Her students love it and it helps them learn about different parts of a play, like lighting and sound. She hopes that it will make them want to go to the theater.
Liam Sinclair, who works at a theater in Dundee, says VR can make people feel very close to the play. He thinks it’s a different but exciting way to enjoy theater. Roberta Doyle agrees. She says that after watching the soccer coach play with VR, she felt like she was really there.
Original news source: Theatres tempt new audiences with virtual reality (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– “Theater Time”
Instructions: Ask the students to create a short role-play where they act out buying VR glasses and a ticket to a play. They should use simple phrases and sentences to communicate their actions.
– “Role Switching”
Instructions: Imagine they are Roberta Doyle watching the play about the soccer coach with VR glasses. Students should write a short paragraph about what they see and how they feel. Encourage them to use basic adjectives to express feelings and sensations.
– “Story Retelling”
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will receive different sentences from the article. The task is to put the sentences in the correct order to recreate the story. This activity encourages students to understand the meaning of sentences in context, as well as practice interacting with each other using English.
– “Drama Class”
Instructions: Let the students pretend to be a drama teacher for a moment and explain to the class how they would use VR glasses in their lessons. Students should use simple language to describe the process and benefits of using VR in a drama class.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What is one new way theaters are trying to get people to come and watch plays?
2. Who is Roberta Doyle and what did she do?
3. What company makes the VR glasses?
4. What did the founders of Box Office VR used to do?
5. How do you use the VR glasses to watch a play?
6. What does Liam Sinclair think about using VR in theater?
7. How does a drama teacher in Dundee use VR glasses in her class?
8. How did Roberta Doyle feel after watching the soccer coach play with VR?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Theaters are trying new ways to get people to come and watch plays. One way is by using virtual reality (VR), a type of technology that can make you feel like you’re inside the (1)_____. A lady named Roberta Doyle wore VR glasses to watch a play about a famous soccer coach. She said it felt very real and a bit scary, but she liked it.
A company called Box Office VR makes these VR glasses. The founders, Kelman and Gemma Grieg-Kicks, used to make movies and do theater tours. They think VR can help more people enjoy (2)_____. To use it, you need to buy the glasses and put your phone inside. Then, you can watch a recorded play on your phone. The glasses make it look like you’re sitting in the theater, watching the play. So far, about a 100 people have tried it.
Theaters are excited about this new way to watch plays. It could help them earn more money and get more people to come. It could also help kids learn about theater. A drama teacher in (3)_____ uses VR glasses in her class. Her students love it and it helps them learn about different parts of a play, like lighting and sound. She hopes that it will make them want to go to the theater.
Liam Sinclair, who works at a theater in Dundee, says VR can make people feel very close to the (4)_____. He thinks it’s a different but exciting way to enjoy theater. Roberta Doyle agrees. She says that after watching the soccer coach play with VR, she felt like she was really there.
Theaters are trying new ways to get people to come and watch plays. One way is by using virtual reality (VR), a type of technology that can make you feel like you’re inside the play. A lady named Roberta Doyle wore VR glasses to watch a play about a famous soccer coach. She said it felt very real and a bit scary, but she liked it.
A company called Box Office VR makes these VR glasses. The founders, Kelman and Gemma Grieg-Kicks, used to make movies and do theater tours. They think VR can help more people enjoy theater. To use it, you need to buy the glasses and put your (5)_____ inside. Then, you can watch a recorded play on your phone. The glasses make it look like you’re sitting in the theater, watching the play. So far, about a 100 people have tried it.
Theaters are excited about this new way to watch plays. It could help them earn more money and get more people to come. It could also help kids learn about theater. A drama teacher in Dundee uses VR glasses in her class. Her students love it and it helps them learn about different parts of a play, like lighting and (6)_____. She hopes that it will make them want to go to the theater.
Liam Sinclair, who works at a theater in Dundee, says VR can make people feel very close to the play. He thinks it’s a different but exciting way to enjoy theater. Roberta Doyle agrees. She says that after watching the soccer coach play with VR, she felt like she was really (7)_____.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. Have you ever seen a play? Did you like it?
2. Do you know what virtual reality or VR is? Can you tell about it?
3. Would you like to watch a play with VR glasses? Why or why not?
4. Roberta Doyle said watching a play with VR glasses felt a bit scary. Do you think it would be scary? Why?
5. What do you think it means when it says the play felt “very real” to Roberta?
6. Do you think it’s a good idea for theaters to use VR glasses? Why or why not?
7. Would you want to try VR glasses in school like the kids in Dundee? Why?
8. How do you think VR glasses can help kids learn about theater?
9. Liam Sinclair says VR can make people feel very close to the play. What do you think he means by this?
10. Do you think VR glasses can make more people go to the theater? Why or why not?
11. What do you think it would feel like to be inside a play using VR glasses?
12. Do you know what a soccer coach is? Can you tell about it?
13. Would you want to watch a play about a soccer coach with VR glasses? Why or why not?
14. Have you ever used a phone to watch a play or a movie? Did you like it?
15. Do you think VR glasses can help theaters earn more money? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. Theater
2. Virtual reality
3. Technology
4. Glasses
5. Company
6. Phone
7. Money
8. Teacher
Shuffled Meanings:
A) Something you use to call and text people, and can also use to watch videos or play games
B) A place where you go to watch plays or movies
C) A person who helps you learn new things at school
D) Stuff you use to buy things you want or need
E) A business that makes or sells things
F) Things you wear on your face to help you see better or to watch something in a special way
G) A special kind of tools or machines that can do amazing things, like computers or robots
H) A special way to watch videos or play games that makes you feel like you’re inside them
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What is one way theaters are trying to get more people to watch plays?
(a) By offering free popcorn
(b) By using virtual reality
(c) By lowering ticket prices
(d) By having famous actors
2. Who makes the VR glasses used to watch plays?
(a) A company called Box Office VR
(b) A lady named Roberta Doyle
(c) A drama teacher in Dundee
(d) Liam Sinclair
3. What do you need to do to use the VR glasses to watch a play?
(a) Buy a ticket to the theater
(b) Download a special app
(c) Buy the glasses and put your phone inside
(d) Get a special permission
4. How many people have tried watching a play with VR glasses so far?
(a) About a thousand
(b) About a hundred
(c) About ten
(d) About fifty
5. Who uses VR glasses in her class to teach about theater?
(a) Roberta Doyle
(b) Gemma Grieg-Kicks
(c) A drama teacher in Dundee
(d) A lady in Box Office VR
6. What does Liam Sinclair think about using VR to watch plays?
(a) He thinks it’s a waste of time
(b) He thinks it’s too expensive
(c) He thinks it’s a different but exciting way to enjoy theater
(d) He thinks it’s not as good as watching a play in person
7. How did Roberta Doyle feel after watching a play with VR glasses?
(a) She felt bored
(b) She felt like she was really there
(c) She felt dizzy
(d) She felt confused
8. Who used to make movies and do theater tours before founding Box Office VR?
(a) Liam Sinclair
(b) Roberta Doyle
(c) A drama teacher in Dundee
(d) Kelman and Gemma Grieg-Kicks
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. Theaters are using VR to make people feel like they are in a play.
2. Roberta Doyle did not like watching a play with VR glasses.
3. Box Office VR makes the VR glasses that are used to watch plays.
4. To watch a play with VR glasses, you need to put your phone inside the glasses.
5. Over a thousand people have tried watching a play with VR glasses.
6. A drama teacher in Dundee uses VR glasses to help her students learn about theater.
7. Liam Sinclair works at a theater in London.
8. Roberta Doyle felt like she was really at the soccer coach play when she watched it with VR glasses.
Go to answers ⇩
Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. What is virtual reality (VR)?
2. How do the VR glasses make you feel when you watch a play?
3. Who makes the VR glasses?
4. How do you use the VR glasses to watch a play?
5. How can VR help theaters and kids who want to learn about theater?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. What is one new way theaters are trying to get people to come and watch plays?
Theaters are using virtual reality (VR) to make people feel like they’re inside the play.
2. Who is Roberta Doyle and what did she do?
Roberta Doyle is a lady who wore VR glasses to watch a play about a famous soccer coach.
3. What company makes the VR glasses?
A company called Box Office VR makes the VR glasses.
4. What did the founders of Box Office VR used to do?
The founders of Box Office VR, Kelman and Gemma Grieg-Kicks, used to make movies and do theater tours.
5. How do you use the VR glasses to watch a play?
You need to buy the glasses and put your phone inside. Then, you can watch a recorded play on your phone. The glasses make it look like you’re sitting in the theater, watching the play.
6. What does Liam Sinclair think about using VR in theater?
Liam Sinclair thinks that VR can make people feel very close to the play and it’s an exciting way to enjoy theater.
7. How does a drama teacher in Dundee use VR glasses in her class?
The drama teacher in Dundee uses VR glasses in her class to help her students learn about different parts of a play, like lighting and sound.
8. How did Roberta Doyle feel after watching the soccer coach play with VR?
After watching the soccer coach play with VR, Roberta Doyle felt like she was really there.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
1. play
2. theater
3. Dundee
4. play
5. phone
6. sound
7. there
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. Theater
Answer: B) A place where you go to watch plays or movies
2. Virtual reality
Answer: H) A special way to watch videos or play games that makes you feel like you’re inside them
3. Technology
Answer: G) A special kind of tools or machines that can do amazing things, like computers or robots
4. Glasses
Answer: F) Things you wear on your face to help you see better or to watch something in a special way
5. Company
Answer: E) A business that makes or sells things
6. Phone
Answer: A) Something you use to call and text people, and can also use to watch videos or play games
7. Money
Answer: D) Stuff you use to buy things you want or need
8. Teacher
Answer: C) A person who helps you learn new things at school
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What is one way theaters are trying to get more people to watch plays?
Answer: (b) By using virtual reality
2. Who makes the VR glasses used to watch plays?
Answer: (a) A company called Box Office VR
3. What do you need to do to use the VR glasses to watch a play?
Answer: (c) Buy the glasses and put your phone inside
4. How many people have tried watching a play with VR glasses so far?
Answer: (b) About a hundred
5. Who uses VR glasses in her class to teach about theater?
Answer: (c) A drama teacher in Dundee
6. What does Liam Sinclair think about using VR to watch plays?
Answer: (c) He thinks it’s a different but exciting way to enjoy theater
7. How did Roberta Doyle feel after watching a play with VR glasses?
Answer: (b) She felt like she was really there
8. Who used to make movies and do theater tours before founding Box Office VR?
Answer: (d) Kelman and Gemma Grieg-Kicks
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Theaters are using VR to make people feel like they are in a play.
Answer: True
2. Roberta Doyle did not like watching a play with VR glasses.
Answer: False
3. Box Office VR makes the VR glasses that are used to watch plays.
Answer: True
4. To watch a play with VR glasses, you need to put your phone inside the glasses.
Answer: True
5. Over a thousand people have tried watching a play with VR glasses.
Answer: False
6. A drama teacher in Dundee uses VR glasses to help her students learn about theater.
Answer: True
7. Liam Sinclair works at a theater in London.
Answer: False
8. Roberta Doyle felt like she was really at the soccer coach play when she watched it with VR glasses.
Answer: True
Go back to questions ⇧
