Laughter is the best medicine for Blue Monday

The third Monday of January is called Blue Monday. People say it’s the most depressing day of the year. That makes it the best time for some good old-fashioned jokes!

Words:

• You can wave with your hand when you say hello to someone. When the water in the sea or ocean moves, these are also called waves.
• When you look ‘flushed’, you have red cheeks. To flush a toilet means to press that button to run water through it. 
• Loafers are a type of shoe. They sound like the word ‘loaf’. When you buy bread, you buy a loaf of bread.
• A fan is someone who really loves an artist, like a musician or actor. A fan is also something that blows air to keep you cool. 
• When you are so nervous that you can’t do anything, you’re called a nervous wreck. A wreck is also a word for a ship that’s been destroyed or has sunk.
• A lizard is an animal with scales instead of skin, and cold blood instead of warm blood.
• Your luggage is what you carry with you on holiday. 
• To sue someone means to start a legal process where you have to convince a judge they did something wrong. 
• A case can be short for a suitcase, which you use to carry your things on holiday. A case can also be short for a court case, which is a legal word.
  

Video:

Warming up

1. This video is about Blue Monday. Blue Monday is a day in January when many people feel sad of depressed. Why do you think people feel depressed in January?

2. This video is filmed in Dundee, Scotland. What do you already know about Scotland? 

Questions about the video

Watch the video from 0:00-0:31. Pause the video if you need to.

3. What are the children asked to do?

4. Finn’s first joke is about waves. The word ‘waves’ has two meanings. What are these two meanings (in Dutch)? You can use a dictionary if you’re not sure.

Now watch the video from 0:31 to 01:18. Pause the video if you need to.

5. Explain Aliah’s first joke. Why is a circle pointless?

6. Some of the jokes in this section use words that have more than one meaning. Write down at least one of these words.

7. Which of these jokes is explained wrong?

A: Aliah’s joke about cows is funny because cows don’t watch movies.

B: Nathan’s joke is funny because ‘a dress’ sounds like ‘address’. A house has an address. 

C: Nathan’s second joke is funny because ‘loafers’ sound like a loaf of bread, which a baker would make.

Now watch the video from 1:18 to the end. Pause the video if you need to.

8. Why would a nervous wreck be shaking at the bottom of the ocean? 

9. Which two types of cases did the person from the last joke lose?

Task

Option 1: Many jokes are word jokes. In English, a joke that uses a word with more than one meaning is called a ‘pun’. Using Google or a chatbot, look for 3-4 examples of a pun. Write down the one you think is the funniest.

Option 2: Draw a cartoon of one of these jokes:

A nervous wreck at the bottom of the ocean.

A celebrity with all their fans.

A stand-up chameleon. 

Van de makers van All Right!, Of Course! en Taalblokken Engels