Holidays & Events

April Fools’ Day

Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. What is April Fools’ Day?

2. When is April Fools’ Day?

3. D
 o you celebrate April Fools’ Day
in your native country?

4. What is a hoax?

5. Have you ever fallen for a hoax or practical joke?

6. Have you ever played a practical joke on someone?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match up as many words and meanings as you can.

Check this exercise again after seeing the words in context on page 2.

1. metric a) impolite or hurtful

2. hoax b) to not allow anymore
3. gullible c) a measurement system based on meters and grams
4. fall for d) a fake report to trick people into believing something
5. scope e) easily tricked, believing anything
6. practical joke f) a trick played on a person to make others laugh
7. masses g) an event that promotes a new item for sale
8. product launch h) a large number of people
9. legendary i) to believe in someone’s trick or joke
10. thrive j) a phrase that describes a product or company’s purpose
11. read someone’s mind k) to know what someone is thinking
12. slogan l) to develop or grow very well
13. in bad taste m) known by many for a long time
14. ban n) the variety or range (wide or narrow)

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 April Fools’ Day
Holidays & Events

Reading
1.  hat would you say if someone told you that the
W 5. T
 he most popular April Fools’ Day hoaxes in history
world was changing to metric time? In other words, are legendary. These types of jokes work because
instead of 60 minutes in every hour, there would they are organized by well-trusted media sources.
be 100. This is exactly what happened on April 1, The BBC’s Swiss Spaghetti Harvest hoax is one of
1975, when an Australian news program played an the most well known. In 1957, the BBC featured
April Fools’ Day joke on its viewers. a program about a spaghetti crop in Switzerland
that was thriving because the “spaghetti weevil”
 his type of joke is called a hoax. The people who
2. T
(a weevil is an insect) had died off during a mild
pull the hoax are trying to fool a large amount of
winter. When viewers contacted the BBC to ask
people. A few people always fall for a well-planned
how to grow their own spaghetti trees, they were
hoax. People who believe anything are gullible.
advised to “place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of
Part of the April Fools’ Day tradition is for the
tomato sauce and hope for the best.”
prankster to yell “April fool!” after a person has
fallen for a joke. 6. G
 oogle tries to fool the world on April 1 each
year too. In 2000, Google announced a search
3. A
 pril Fools’ Day, also known as “All Fools’ Day,” is
technology that could read a user’s mind. In
always on April 1. It is observed throughout the
2006, they announced the new launch of Google
Western world and in many other countries as well.
Romance. Their slogan was: “Dating is a search
Traditionally, all practical jokes are played out in
problem.” In 2007, Google announced Gmail
the morning before noon. There is no confirmed
Paper, a free webmail service for turning emails
origin of April Fools’ Day, though it has been in
into paper to send via the postal service.
practice for hundreds of years.
7.  pril 1 is a day that helps us learn to laugh
A
4. The scope of April Fools’ Day has changed
at ourselves. But do some jokes go too far?
dramatically since the 1700s. Even until recently,
Jokes that are in bad taste can hurt people’s
April Fools’ Day was limited to practical jokes and
feelings and even be dangerous. One town in
“fools’ errands” between family members, friends,
America announced in 2008 that there would
and colleagues. For example, students would tell
be a new “bye-law” in which all April Fools’ Day
each other their shoelaces were untied or their
jokes and pranks would be banned. Extra staff
zippers were undone. These days, pranksters
members were hired at the local newspaper to
use various methods to fool the masses.
prevent April Fools’ Day jokes from being printed.
Jokes and hoaxes come in the form of email,
The newspaper even bought extra scissors to cut
tweets, Facebook updates, product launches,
out any jokes that got through. “April fool!”
and YouTube videos.

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 April Fools’ Day
Holidays & Events

Comprehension
Practice asking and answering the following questions with your partner.
Then write the answers in your notebook.

1. Describe the Australian hoax from the introductory paragraph.

2. What do tricksters shout on April Fools’ Day?

3. A
 legendary hoax is mentioned in paragraph 5.
Who planned this hoax?

4. A
 ccording to the reading, which popular
company often has fake product launches on April 1?

5. What is “Gmail Paper”?

6. What is odd about the term “bye-law” in the final paragraph?

7. How does the reading conclude?

Group Work
Example
A bylaw is a formal rule or regulation. It applies to things like 04.01 PURPLE TULIP BYLAW
parking, pets, noise, and smoking in cities, parks, or schools.
As of April 1 of this year,
Work in a small group. Plan an April Fools’ Bylaw for your town or city. colorful tulip displays will
not be permitted in the
1. Get into a small group. city of Stratford.

2. T
 hink of a funny rule for your town or city. All tulip bulbs must be purple
to match the town’s official
(It must not be in bad taste and must not hurt anyone’s feelings.)
colors. This bylaw applies to the
3. W
 rite a description of your bylaw from a reporter’s point of view. gardens and window boxes of
Include at least three sentences. (See the example on the right.) private residents and business
owners. Tulips may be different
4. H
 and in your bylaw to your teacher. shades of purple, such as
Include your group names at the bottom. lavender, violet, and mauve.

Residents and business owners

5. Y
 our teacher will hand the bylaws out to “reporters” around
who do not comply this spring
the classroom. Each reporter will stand up and read the bylaw
will have their bulbs forcefully
in a serious voice. The reporters must try not to laugh! removed by a committee of
local squirrels.
6. Which bylaw is the funniest?

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 April Fools’ Day
Holidays & Events

Vocabulary Review
A. C
 hoose the Correct Example

Complete the sentences with the appropriate word or

expression from the list. Some of the words will not be used.

1. “Just Do It” is an example of a famous .

Word List
2. Releasing the Wii was an example of a .
• product launch
3. T
 aping a sheet of paper on someone’s back that says • practical joke
“kick me” is an example of a . • gullible
• banned
4. K
 nowing what your sister is going to say when she • bad taste
calls is an example of . • slogan
• scope
5. F
 alling for an April Fools’ Day hoax (such as spaghetti growing • reading someone’s mind
on trees) is an example of being .

B. Choose the Correct Word

Choose the correct word or expression from

the list to complete the following sentences.

1. A hoax in Australia is the report that stated

Word List
that the country would be switching to time.
• legendary
2. T
 hough Google attempts to trick the
• metric
with its fake product launches, many people have come to • masses
expect their April Fools’ Day . • in bad taste
• hoaxes
3. T
 he BBC is online. • banned
Viewers worldwide go online to enjoy the website. • thriving
• scope
4. April Fools’ Day jokes were at our company
this year because many of last year’s jokes were .

5. Over the years, April Fools’ Day tricks have increased in .

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 April Fools’ Day
Holidays & Events

Pair Work (Student A)

A. Sharing Information

You and your partner each have Reading

a short reading about the April
In France, the person who is fooled on April Fools’ Day is known as the
fish. Read your article and then
“April fish.” The April fish is the prank itself as well as the fool. Unlike the
share your information with
variety of pranks pulled in places such as England and America, French
your partner. Work together
children find great amusement in a simple prank made of paper. Someone
to complete the questions
cuts a fish shape out of a piece of paper and tapes it to another child’s
that follow.
back. When the fool finally discovers the fish, those who witness it shout
“poisson d’Avril” (April fish). Children aren’t the only victims in this tradition.
Adults (especially teachers) have been known to walk around all day with a
paper fish on their back. Originally, a real fish may have been used. When
the fool smelled the dead fish on his back, he would have realized his
foolishness. These days, it is customary to sell and share chocolate fish in
France on April Fools’ Day. Some chocolate fish have tiny fish inside. Paper
fish are also hung up as decorations in schools and public places at this
time of year.

B. Comprehension Questions

Work with your partner to 1. What is the French term for the April Fool?
complete the following questions.
2. Describe the typical prank that French children pull on April Fools’ Day.
(You each have half of the
information in your previous 3. Which calendar came after the Julian calendar?
readings.) Write your answers
4. When was the new year celebrated before it was changed to January 1?
in your notebook.
5. Hundreds of years ago, who was considered the opposite of a fool?

6. Which zodiac sign is a fish?

7.  esides paper fish, what other types

B
of fish are popular in France on April 1?

8. What is the true origin of April Fools’ Day?

9. Why does one of the readings mention streams?

10. How is a young fish comparable to a gullible person?

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 April Fools’ Day
Holidays & Events

Pair Work (Student B)

A. Sharing Information

You and your partner each have Reading

a short reading about the April
The true origin of April Fools’ Day is unknown. Many historians believe the
fish. Read your article and then
tradition started in France after the calendar was changed from the Julian
share your information with
calendar to the Gregorian calendar. According to the old calendar, the new
your partner. Work together
year was celebrated between the weeks of mid-March and April 1. The new
to complete the questions
calendar named January 1 the official first day of the year. Many Europeans
that follow.
did not know or accept this change and continued to observe April 1 as
the last day of the new year. These people were called fools. A fool was the
lowest rank a person could hold in society. The king was the highest. This
time of year was associated with the zodiac sign Pisces, the fish. It was also
a time when young fish were plentiful in France’s streams. Young fish were
easy to catch or fool with a simple hook and lure.

B. Comprehension Questions

Work with your partner to 1. What is the French term for the April Fool?
complete the following questions.
2. Describe the typical prank that French children pull on April Fools’ Day.
(You each have half of the
information in your previous 3. Which calendar came after the Julian calendar?
readings.) Write your answers
4. When was the new year celebrated before it was changed to January 1?
in your notebook.
5. Hundreds of years ago, who was considered the opposite of a fool?

6. Which zodiac sign is a fish?

7.  esides paper fish, what other types

B
of fish are popular in France on April 1?

8. What is the true origin of April Fools’ Day?

9. Why does one of the readings mention streams?

10. How is a young fish comparable to a gullible person?

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 April Fools’ Day
Holidays & Events

Survey
Walk around the classroom and ask your classmates questions.
Write the questions in the spaces provided below, and write
your classmate’s name on the right if he/she answers “yes.”

# Find someone... Question Classmate

who likes to play

1
practical jokes on people.

2 who has fallen for a hoax.

3 who is gullible.

4 who enjoys telling jokes.

5 who has been to France.

who participated
6
in April Fools’ Day.

who thinks April Fools’ Day

7
should go beyond noon on April 1.

8 who loves to eat chocolate.

9 who loves to eat fish.

10 who has a birthday in April.

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 April Fools’ Day
Holidays & Events

Listening
 [Link]

Fill in the blanks as you listen to the recording.

1.  hat would you say if someone told you that the world was changing
W
to time? In other words, instead of 60
minutes in every hour, there would be 100. This is exactly what
happened on April 1, 1975, when an Australian news program played
an April Fools’ Day joke on its viewers.

2. T
 his type of joke is called a . The people
who pull the hoax are trying to fool a large amount of people. A few
people always a well-planned hoax. People
who believe anything are . Part of the
April Fools’ Day tradition is for the prankster to yell “April fool!” after a
person has fallen for a joke.

3. A
 pril Fools’ Day, also known as “All Fools’ Day,” is always on April 1. It
is observed throughout the world and
in many other countries as well. Traditionally, all practical jokes are
played out in the morning before noon. There is no confirmed origin of
April Fools’ Day, though it has been in practice for hundreds of years.

4. The of April Fools’ Day has changed

dramatically since the 1700s. Even until recently, April Fools’ Day was
limited to and “fools’ errands” between
family members, friends, and colleagues. For example, students
would tell each other their shoelaces were untied or their zippers
were undone. These days, pranksters use various methods to fool
the . Jokes and hoaxes come in the form
of email, tweets, Facebook updates, ,
and YouTube videos.

Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( I N T / V E R S I O N 3 . 2) 8
 April Fools’ Day
Holidays & Events

Listening cont.
5. The most popular April Fools’ Day hoaxes in history are
. These types of jokes work because
they are organized by well-trusted media sources. The BBC’s Swiss
Spaghetti Harvest hoax is one of the most well known. In 1957, the
BBC featured a program about a spaghetti crop in Switzerland that
was because the “spaghetti weevil”
(a weevil is an insect) had died off during a mild winter. When viewers
contacted the BBC to ask how to grow their own spaghetti trees, they
were advised to “place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce
and hope for the best.”

6. G
 oogle tries to fool the world on April 1 each year too.
In 2000, Google announced a search technology that could
. In 2006, they announced the new launch
of Google Romance. Their slogan was: “Dating is a search problem.”
In 2007, Google announced Gmail Paper, a free webmail service for
turning emails into paper to send via the postal service.

7.  pril 1 is a day that helps us learn to laugh at ourselves. But do

A
some jokes go too far? Jokes that are in
can hurt people’s feelings and even be dangerous. One town
in America announced in 2008 that there would be a new
“bye-law” in which all April Fools’ Day jokes and pranks would
be . Extra staff members were hired
at the local newspaper to prevent April Fools’ Day jokes from being
printed. The newspaper even bought extra scissors to cut out any
jokes that got through. “April fool!”

Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( I N T / V E R S I O N 3 . 2) 9
 April Fools’ Day
Holidays & Events

Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION: LEVEL: Int

Students read about April Fools’ Day. Includes a comprehension TIME: 2–3 hours
check, a group activity, a vocabulary review, an information
TAGS: history, origin, holiday, April Fools’ Day, fool, April Fish,
gap activity to do in pairs, a class survey, and a listening
joke, prank, April
gap-fill activity.

Pre-Reading Comprehension

A. WARM-UP QUESTIONS 1. T he Australian hoax tried to convince people

that Australia would be switching to metric time,
1. A pril Fools’ Day is a day for playing practical jokes on people.
in which every hour would have 100 minutes.
2. April Fools’ Day is on April 1.
2. Tricksters shout “April fool!” after pulling off a prank successfully.
3. Answers will vary.
3. T he BBC organized the prank discussed in paragraph 3.
4. A hoax is a fake report to trick people into believing something.
4. Google often has fake product launches on April 1.
5. Answers will vary.
5. Gmail Paper was a fake service that Google introduced one
6. Answers will vary.
April Fools’ Day. The promo suggested that users could now
get their emails printed on paper and posted for free.
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
6. T he term “bye-law” is funny because the real term
1. c 4. i 7. h 10. l 13. a is “bylaw”. This is a play on words using the word “bye.”
2. d 5. n 8. g 11. k 14. b Many successful hoaxes use a play on words.
3. e 6. f 9. m 12. j 7. T he reading concludes with a trick of its own. The report
about the banning of April Fools’ Day jokes was a hoax itself.

Reading (and/or Listening)

(continued on the next page...)

Read individually, in small groups, or as a class. You can also play

the listening as your students read along. A gap-fill version of the
reading is available on page 9. Help your students with vocabulary
and expressions that they are unfamiliar with.

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 April Fools’ Day
Holidays & Events

Answer Key cont.

Group Work 8. The true origin of April Fools’ Day is unknown.
9. Student B’s reading mentions streams because early April was

Give students time to prepare some funny, fictional bylaws for a time when there were plenty of young fish in French streams.

your city or town. They will think of a bylaw and summarize it from 10. A young fish falls for a trick easily, just as a gullible person does.

a reporter’s perspective. Collect the bylaw reports and select

“reporters” to present them as if they are giving a news report. Survey
Choose a reporter who is not a group member to present a bylaw.
You may want to check your students’ work before the reporters Answers will vary. Help your students with question formation.
share the report out loud. For higher-level learners, you could
ask them to write the actual bylaw. Here are some samples to
Listening
show them: [Link]
organizational-structure/write-bylaws/main
1. metric
2. hoax, fall for, gullible
Vocabulary Review 3. Western
4. scope, practical jokes, masses, product launches
A. CHOOSE THE CORRECT EX AMPLE
5. legendary, thriving

1. slogan 4. reading someone’s mind 6. read a user’s mind, slogan

2. product launch 5. gullible 7. in bad taste, banned

3. practical joke
SPELLING NOTE:

B. CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

This lesson shows the American spelling of the words Meters,
1. legendary, metric 4. banned, bad taste Colorful, Colors, and Practice. Most other English-speaking
2. masses, hoaxes 5. scope countries spell these words this way: Metres, Colourful, Colours,
3. thriving and Practise (when used as a verb; Practice when used as a noun).
Make it a challenge for your students to find these words in the
text and see if they know the alternate spellings.
Pair Work
EDITOR’S NOTE:
B. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
For a discussion on the capitalization and punctuation
1. The French term for the April fool is April fish (poisson d’Avril).
rules regarding this holiday, see our blog post:
2. T he typical prank children play in France
[Link]
is to tape a paper fish to someone’s back.
capitalization-and-punctuation-rules/
3. The Gregorian calendar came after the Julian calendar.
4. Previously, the new year was
celebrated from mid-March to April 1.
5. Hundreds of years ago, the king was
considered the opposite of a fool.
6. Pisces is the zodiac sign that is a fish.
7. Besides paper fish, you will also see
chocolate fish in France around April 1.

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