Faire du skateboard - cours d'anglais

Dans ce cours, la prof d'anglais Sandrine propose de découvrir tout ce qu'il y a à savoir sur le skateboard.

Objectifs du cours

• Découvrir une culture sportive et artistique
• Montrer comment relier les sciences et l’anglais
• Apprendre à parler, comprendre en anglais

La culture du skateboard (texte en anglais)

Skateboarding began in California in 1950s when surfers wanted something to surf when the waves were flat. The first skateboards were nothing more that wooden boxes or boards. They rapidly became popular in the 1960s. In the 1970s, Alan Ollie Gelfand developed a trick where he jumped with his skateboard seemingly attached to his feet. This popular trick is also known as « aka » the ollie. In the 1980s in California, there were droughts skateboarders used empty swimming pools to skate. They invented flips to turn in the air and go up and down the siders of the swimming pools.

The skateboarding style is associated with cool streeatwear (confortable clothes like hoodies, t-shirt, trousers/pants, jogging suits and flat shoes). Traditionaly, skateboarding has been associated with punk or rock music. It used on the west coast of America (in California). In the 2010s, hip hop culture has influenced skateboarders in the east coast of America. In west coast, skateboarders use stickers to decorate under of their skateboard. Shepard Fairey, a famous skateboarder and artist, create stickers for skateboard. In the east coast, the type of art is different : it’s graffiti art.

Skateboarding is an unisex sport. Actually, it’s very few female skateboarders (23,9 %). The famous women skateboarder is Sky Brown. She was born in 12th July 2008 in Japan. Her mother is Japenese and her father is British. She started skateboarding at the age of 8 by watching videos and competed in the US Open. At the age of 10, she became the youngest professional athlete. She will representing Breat Britain in the Olympics in Tokyo.

There are 3 types of boards : cruisers (for short distances), street (technical tricks) and longboards (long distances). Streetboards are the most popular. The gravity is the point where the skateboard is balanced. The centre of gravity is in the middle of skateboard. A torque is a force that make a rotation. The formula of the torque is Force x distance (force multiply by the distance). If you pratice you will be able to tricks such as ollies or a kickflip.

Grammaire : futur ou conditionnel avec « if » (texte en anglais)

If clauses (present)

« If you are beginner, you will buy a preassembled skateboard. »

Il y a deux propositions dans cette phrase : une proposition subordonnée qui est au présent et une proposition principale qui est au futur.

Règle : dans la subordonnée de condition : « if » + présent, dans la principale : sujet + futur.

→ L’action n’est pas encore réalisée mais elle est possible ou potentielle si la condition est remplie.

If clauses (preterit)

« If you were not a beginner, you would have more experience and you would assemble your own skateboarding. »

Règle : dans la subordonnée de condition : « if » + preterit, dans la principale : sujet + conditionnel.

→ On part d’une hypothèse de départ difficilement réalisable et on imagine ce qu’on ferait dans cette situation-là.

Vocabulaire anglais lié au skateboard

A deck 

A pair of trucks

A pair of wheels

Bearings

Chill

Urban

An ollie : the skateboard is like attached on your feet

A kickflip : the skateboard is fliping, it turns

The 50s (say « The fifties »)