Invictus - Movie activity - What Mandela said

As all our attention goes to South Africa today because of the world cup, using Invictus in class might enrich our students understanding and appreciation of this great country. Invictus is based on a true story; One of those stories that sound so impossible that one can find it difficult to believe. Nelson Mandela decided to support a white team to help him unite a country that was on the verge of a civil war. Let's hope that once again sports will help people connect and see the beauty in a rainbow.

1. Talk about the movie, if they have seen it, what it is about. - Make sure students know words to describe a movie. see ideas here.

2. Have an odd one out activity to activate students backgroung knowledge.
3. Have students decide - true / false -historical background information.
4. Have students rewrite true sentences in the direct speech to practice grammar and learn a little about the historical background when Mandela stepped into office.

5. have students watch the scene below and check their answers.

Download the worksheet and movie scene here.

Answer the questions below in pair.

·        Have you seen the movie Invictus?

·        What do you know about the political and economical background?

·        What do you know about Nelson Mandela?

2.    Look at the sentences below and write true of false about the movie Invictus.

a)    In the beginning of the movie Invictus the newsman said that he was in a position to announce that Nelson Mandela would be released from prison. (   )

b)    The recent release of Nelson Mandela triggered a power struggle.

c)    There were reports that the government had been secretly providing guns and that South Africa appeared to be on the verge of a civil war.

d)    Mandela told 100.000 angry young man to take their knives and throw them into the sea.

e)    Black people did not cast a vote in the election.

f)     During his opening speech as the new president Mandela vowed that never again South Afrika would experience oppression.

3.    Rewrite all the true sentences in the direct speech to learn what was really said in real time. Watch the movie segment  on http://tryingoutweb24ed.blogspot.com/2010/06/invictus-movie-activity-what-mandela.html  and check your answers.