Lesson Plan: Castaways

Lesson Level: All levels¹ Duration: 45 Minutes

Lesson Title: Castaways

Grammar and Vocabulary

“will” for future sentences.

“because”.

Lesson Objectives

Students will be able to discuss plans using “will” and to explain why they make choices using “because”.

Materials Required

Cartoon strip pictures for board containing following pictures.²

1. An ocean liner with students and teachers on board.
2. The liner sinking.
3. Group of students on raft.
4. Students on raft landing on an island.
5. A suitcase.

Preparation

Prepare materials.

Procedure

1

Introduce lesson.

2

Play hangman variant (Hangman but with an island picture removing one of palm tree leaves for each missed guess. I usually include a stick figure on the island and rub out the island at the end replacing it with a figure in the water shouting “help”.)

Words to use. Cruise ship, island, raft, castaway, ocean, sink, disaster

Choose next person to guess by ball toss.

3

Put class into groups of about six.

4

Put picture one up. Label the student group with class number and the teacher group with “teachers”.

Ask the class what is happening in the picture.

Write story sentences suggested by students underneath the picture.

Repeat with pictures 2-4

(On the raft there are only students - tell the class that all the teachers have drowned and they are on their own now.)

Go through the story, checking off the words.

5

Put up picture 5.

Tell students that they can take up to six items onto the island.

Put up the rules

You can take six things onto the island with you.

You can take ANYTHING but it MUST fit into the suitcase.

You must have a reason for each thing you take.

Write sentences of the form “We will take_______because________.”

6

Give examples with

Matches – We will take matches because we want to make a fire.

Rope – We will take rope because we can use it to tie things.

7

Get each group to feedback.

After feedback ask other groups about any unusual items.

EG – If they take a gun and no bullets its useless.

If they take a map what is it a map of? (They can’t have one of the island)

If they take a radio what use will it be without electricity?

8

Extension activity.³

Groups decide what are the first five things they will do on the island.

Similar feedback.

Notes

1. The lesson can be used at all levels. The descriptions of what they will take and why should be more complex for higher levels.

2. Once again the art doesn't have to be great.

3. I have very rarely needed the extension activity. The previous discussion is usually enough to fill the lesson.