The singer Cher is ageless and she has no intention of “Going Gentle Into That Good Night” any time soon. Cher has always been known for her outrageous costumes, along with her outspoken ideas (including her gay son, her younger boyfriends, and her plastic surgeries) no matter what she does she’ll always be one of America’s favorite pop icons!
ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key.
Cher at the American Masters. Photo- Cher News
Excerpt: Cher Talks About (What Else?) Being Cher By Jacob Bernstein, The New York Times
“After nearly a half-century of being world famous, Cher has encountered every type of boldface name. She’s shared a stage with Bette Midler, and worked for Phil Spector, who was her first boss and, she says, paid her $25 for a year’s work. She even had a thing with Tom Cruise back in the ’80s before he became a Scientologist.
Cher in LA Photo-IDLator
So when a caller to Andy Cohen’s show, Watch What Happens Live,asked her last Thursday whom she’d most like to to shake hands with, there really wasn’t much to say besides Jesus Christ.
Cher, 67 and conservatively dressed (for her) in a black-and-white striped Ann Demeulemeester jacket and black-and-white harlequin pants, knew exactly what she would ask him, too. “I would just say, ‘Dude, what’s the deal?’ ” she said to the small, mostly gay crowd.
She spoke frankly about the journey of her son Chaz Bono from female to male, and about the fact that she still has trouble with which pronouns to use… admitting that she had a tough time emotionally with his sex change at first but has since come around and couldn’t be prouder of him.
Dazzling silver outfit. Photo- Styleite
She said that her romantic relationship with Robert Camilletti, a bagel-shop worker and bartender nearly two decades her junior (she was 40 and he was 22 when they became involved) was the easiest involvement she ever had.
There was never a problem. Never a worry. I’m temperamental. Not like a star, but I’m mercurial, and if I was, like, having some sort of tizzy, he’d say, ‘I’m going to get cigarettes and I’ll bring you a black and white cookie.
Her first of two husbands, Sonny Bono (the second was Gregg Allman), was the one she was most attached to, she said, though the marriage had its complications. It wasn’t like anything before or after…And it wasn’t all roses. It was very Russian roulette.
After that, she discussed her Hollywood career. She admitted that she doesn’t get as many calls as she used to. And that she thought the reason may have something to do with her famously wrinkle-free visage. She recalled reading an article a few years ago in which the reporter said that the star looked neither young nor old, just Cher. Which of course makes it hard for Cher to become a character other than Cher. It didn’t feel very good, but it was true,” she said. I thought: I get that. I understand that.Of aging, she said: It’s a bitch. I don’t like it. Anyone who says they do is lying. Or they don’t have my work.”
ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post
Level: Intermediate -Advanced
Language Skills: Reading, writing, speaking and listening. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.
Time: Approximately 2 hours.
Materials: Student handouts (from this lesson) access to news article, and video.
Objective: Students will read the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and learning new vocabulary. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic through discussions, and writing.
I. Pre-Reading Activities
Stimulating background knowledge
Brainstorming
Directions: Place students in groups, ask students to think about what they already know about the topic. Next, have students look at the picture(s) in the text and generate ideas or words that may be connected to the article. Debrief as a class and list these ideas on the board. Students can use the Brainstorming chart from Kootation.com
II. While Reading Activities
Vocabulary
Word Inference
Directions: Students are to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. They may use a dictionary or thesaurus for assistance. Have students use the Word organizer from Enchanted Learning to assist them with new vocabulary.
Sentences:
- Cher, 67 was conservatively dressed.
- The narrow demographic in Mr. Cohen’s clubhouse did not come as a surprise.
- When it was all over, she did not retire to her hotel.
- She spoke frankly about the journey of her son Chaz Bono.
- She talked about her exes.
- She recalled reading an article about herself.
- Bob Mackie, is her longtime friend and partner-in-kitsch.
- Some critics may be ruing their words.
- Cher descended to the stage.
- Moments later, she was ensconced in a booth.
Reading Comprehension
True /False/NA-Statements
Directions: Review the statements with students before the watching the video. As students listen to the video if a statement is true they mark it T. If the statement is not applicable, they mark it NA. If the statement is false they mark it F and provide the correct answer.
- Cher is 58 years-old.
- The name of the talk show Cher was visiting was Oprah.
- Cher wanted to visit the show again in the future.
- Cher would like most to shake hands with the president.
- The audience at the show was mostly young.
- Cher was in New York for the Gay Pride celebration.
- Anderson Cooper of CNN arrived for a surprise guest appearance.
- Chaz Bono is Cher’s son.
- Robert Camilletti is Cher’s publicist.
- Sonny Bono and Cher lived in New York for 10 years.
Grammar Focus
Word Order Puzzle
Directions: The following 5 sentences from the reading are out of order. Students can find the original sentences in the reading to check their work.
- Her first of two husbands, Sonny Bono (the second was Gregg Allman), was the one she was most attached to.
- The narrow demographic in Mr. Cohen’s clubhouse did not exactly come as a surprise.
- Moments later, she was ensconced in a booth with Mr. Cohen.
- After nearly a half-century of being world famous, Cher has encountered every type of boldface name.
- When it was all over, she did not retire to her hotel for milk and Nilla wafers.
III. Post Reading Tasks
Reading Comprehension Check
WH-How Questions
Directions: Have students use the WH-question format to discuss or to write the main points from the article.
Who or What is the article about?
Where does the action/event take place?
When does the action/event take place?
Why did the action/event occur?
How did the action/event occur?
Discussion/Writing Exercise
Directions: Place students in groups and have them answer the following questions. After, have the groups share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the discussion topics.
- The article states, “She admitted that she doesn’t get as many calls as she used to…She recalled reading an article a few years ago in which the reporter said that the star looked neither young nor old, just Cher.” In your own words explain what this means.
- From reading this article do you think Cher likes growing old? Provide support from the article for your answer.
- In your opinion, when should a performer retire? Provide reasons why.
- Choose one of the following people and write a short report: Sony Bono, Chaz Bono, Tom Cruise.
IV. Listening Activity
Video Clip: Cher: Watch What Happens Live Season 10 : Truth or Cher!
Cher interviews with host Andy Cohen on his show “Watch What Happens Live”.
Note: This is the Video Link Only.
While Listening Activities
True /False/NA-Statements
Directions: Review the statements with students before the watching the video. As students listen to the video if a statement is true they mark it T. If the statement is not applicable, they mark it NA. If the statement is false they mark it F and provide the correct answer.
The game played was called “Truth or Chair”.
The basis of the game was that Cher had to answer a question or perform a task.
Cher’s favorite color is purple.
Cher understood what the host was talking about in the beginning.
Cher likes living in New York.
The first question was about her family.
Michael Jackson ranked in the top five of her list.
Cher said that her list was long.
The second time Cher chose to perform a dare.
The dare was to re-enact a scene from the movie Moonstruck.
Post-Listening Activities
Questions for Discussion
Directions:Place students in groups and have them discuss the following questions.
1. After listening to this video has your personal idea of Cher changed in any way? If yes, describe in what way. If no, describe your original opinion.
2. With your group members, make up questions that you would like to ask Cher.
ANSWER KEY: Cher