Session 1
Introduction to the project
Objectives
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To use correctly the past form of the verb to be and can.
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To understand and apply the rules to create the regular past simple
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To identify and use the irregular verbs
Activities
1.
Introduction of the new project to be developed in English.
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Also, check on their previous knowledge!
- What is a timeline?
- When do we use them?
- What are they useful for?
- ....
Time: 10'
2.
Show them the different examples of timelines.
*In case that in the previous step they do not know nothing about it, show the examples first and let them think.
First, start with your own example of timeline. It is a way to connect with them and make them feel interested in the task.
Focus on the structure, the format but make clear that there are several ways to do it. Creativity is more than welcome. However, there are some rules that all of them will have to apply regardless of the format they want to apply (vertical, horizontal, computer, poster, ...)
Project it so everyone can see it and is able to read it. Start by explaining the different parts (title, picture, years, explanatory sentences... ) and then proceed to read every year's sentence and ask them about the meaning of it. Focus on the years as well. What can they observe about the years? When does a timeline start? And finish? Is there an order? Are there all the years?
It is important to make them reflect upon this until they realize (with or without teacher's indications) of the different relevant aspects of a timeline such as the chronological order, starting with the birth, not every year has to be included, the relevance of the statements, etc)
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Once thar the example is clear, make them reflect on the events that you chose. Why those? What would they write? When would they start their timelines?
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From this debate, encourage them to decide on a criteria that will guide them when creating their own timelines. That is, let's put in common the ideas and decide on which events are going to be compulsory for everybody to mention at least.
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Birth
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Kindergarten
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School
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Trips
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Hobbies
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....
Time: 20'
3.
Now, it is time to focus on the senteces written. The verbs used and the tense as well.
- Are these events that have happened already?
- Does a timeline explais events in the past, present, future?
- Look at the example's sentences, how are the verbs written?
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From this introductory debate make them reflect about the past tense in particular. Give examples as well.
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Use the blackboard to clarify the explanations! Make a table with examples and make them do it. With every example, write the affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences and emphasize the differences and the changes occured. Try first with regular verbs and then with irregular verbs too.
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Time: 15'
4.
Finally, it is time to play a game!
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It is a good oportunity to practice the past tense.
Show them the cards for the game and explain what it consists on. Also, do an example or two to make sure that they understand it.
Play it in groups or per tables and give each one a card.
Write the introductory sentence on the blackboard so that they can read it anytime.
Chain game:
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The teacher gives a sentence (i.e. Yesterday I went to the supermarket...) and the students have to follow it. How?
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Each student will have a card with a verb on it that they have to use when continuing the sentence. (i.e. verb -> BUY --- and I bought some cereals)
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So, students have to repeat the introductory sentence and add their part by using the verb in past simple. The next student of the table has to repeat the introductory, the one said by the last student and say his/hers. And this process is followed with as many students as the group have.
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It is important then, that all of them are paying attention because they will have to repeat their teammates' sentences.
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Also, you can make that after every round they say their sentence outloud for everybody to hear it. It can be fun to listen to all the sentences created and if they make sense or not.
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Time: 15'
Further Extension
Prepare another game or change the conditions or sentences of the chain game.
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Assessment tools
The debates generated, their answers, their knowledge on the verbs and the content explained collect their previous knowledge and their predictions about the topic. This information is useful for the teacher to check their prior knowledge and then, avoid focusing on content that they already know or making more emphasis where needed.
Classroom Management
For this session, students will be placed as usual. That is, they will be seated per tables in groups of 4.
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The teacher is going to be conducting the session so as to listen to students' answers and shaping them into the target content.
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It would be nice to enhance language learning by applying the strategy of repeating altogether. That is, when forming a definition for one term or another, to repeat it all the students at the same time along with the teacher.
Attention to diversity
In order to provide some scaffolding on the language it is important to:
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Highlight those words that you want them to learn.
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Use the blackboard to write the relevant vocabulary and to help children not to get lost diuring the explanation and allow them to make a copy or their own notes to have with them in case they need it.
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Provide more than one learner-style input: Text or visuals, listenings, some maniplative material, etc.
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Always put examples of different sentences.
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Recapping is essential.
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Encourage them to create their own meaning (with their own words) of what they read or listen to.
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Also, there are other factors to take into account and ideas that could work:
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Create heterogeneous groups.
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Give simple and concise tasks.
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Pick some student to be your helper (for example when they have to search for words on the computer).
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Make them explain the meaning of a word or sentence in pairs.
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Showing visual aids help students to be more focused and undestand better the activity than rather just explaining it.
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More specifically, having cards with the verbs written on them will help children to have another input and ease the connection listening/speking/reading.
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Having a clear expected outcomes and sharing the assessment criteria, besides deciding it with them, help students to undertand better what they are expected to do.