With Love From Bilbao

**Total disclaimer: I ripped off this lesson AND this blog from my friend Kaley who teaches high school-aged kids in Zamora. She thought up the lesson and blogged about it. I thought it was the funniest thing, and I had to try it for myself. Great success**

My 3rd E.S.Os (14/15) are working on modal verbs. For those of you who aren't as up to speed on your English grammar as I (who am I kidding, I just learned what modals were this week), modal verbs are should/shouldn't, must/musn't*, could/couldn't, and so on and so forth.

In order to hammer this into their little heads, I had them write letters to my friend Cassie (who is visiting in June) and advise her on what to see and do in Bilbao.

The results are both are informative and entertaining. (I edited some of them if they were unintelligible, but these are mostly their words.)

Dear Cassie, 

My name is Nicol and I live in Bilbao. I have to tell you some good news. We can go to visit some monuments and you should bring a camera. Next, we could eat ice cream and we can walk in the park. You shouldn't bring a coat because it is very sunny. You could bring your dog. You musn't smoke in the pub, but we can go to dance. We shouldn't stay at home, it's boring because we should go out to funny. 

Regards, Nicol

Dear Cassie, 

Hi! :) My name is Karen, I live in Bilbao, Spain, and I have to tell you some things. First, you must go the the Gran Via street and look at some things, also you should go to a beach and swimming pool. You must go to a party at the different discos in Bilbao, and you musn't go to San Francisco street** because it is very ugly and dangerous for you. Finally you have to go to the "Chupiuazo" in the Bilbao center, it is the party of Bilbao, it's very funny***. 

Love, Karen

Dear Cassie, 

You can go to my grandmother's house. We can also go get a coffee, or any other drink that you like.

Love, Sebastián

Hi Cassie, 

My name is Lander and I'll talk to you about Bilbao. You should visit the Guggenheim museum  but you shouldn't go to a protest, it's bad. You must visit San Mamés, but now they are working on it. You can visit the Arriaga it's very big. You musn't swim in the river. Too you should go to the shopping center Zubiarte it's wonderful. You must go to town hall and meet the mayor, he's old. :)

Love, Lander

*When was the last time you used "musn't" in a sentence?

**San Francisco is the immigrant area in Bilbao. It's a little sketchy, but not as much as they make it out to be.

***For some reason, many Spanish people thing that when something is really fun, it's "funny". I guess it kinda makes sense.

Originally published 5.21.11