Lesson Plan:Astronomy

Lesson Level: Senior 1 Duration: 40 Minutes

Lesson Title: Astronomy

Grammar and Vocabulary

Names of the planets, names of some constellations (See notes 1 and 2)

Lesson Objectives

To discuss what things look like.

To read and discuss various facts, identifying which facts belong to which planets.

Materials Required

Pictures of constellations with stars marked and drawing of the constellation name (required by teacher only)

Sets of planetary fact sheets (one for each group)

Preparation

Prepare materials as above.

Procedure

1 (2 Minutes/ 2 Minutes)

Write “astronomy” on the board.

Elicit from class the meaning.

Write “constellation” on the board.

Elicit or explain the meaning

2 (3/5)

Give task example.

Choose ONE of the constellations from the list in the notes.

Mark the stars on the board (using coloured chalk)

Tell the class that when people look at this they see it as a pattern that makes a (whatever).

Ask if the can see it. (Probably not.)

Use white chalk to draw the picture around it.

3 (10/15)

tell class we will now have a quiz to test their imaginations.

Put class in groups of four.

For each of the other constellations

mark the stars on the board and ask class to guess what it represents.

Give only 30 seconds to guess.

Elicit guesses from each group (quickly)

Give any group guessing correctly one point.

Draw the shape.

Erase and repeat for next constellation.

4

LEAVE THE SCORES ON THE BOARD

5. (3/18)

Write on the board

My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas

ask if they can guess why you wrote it

Explain that it's a mnemonic ( a way to remember) the nine planets in the right order.

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto

6 (10/28))

Tell class they must match the facts to the planets.

Hand out the fact sheets.

Make sure class know they must not write on them.

Groups must read and match the facts to the planets.

7 (12/40)

Give correct answers.

Explain any facts that anyone doesn't understand.

Ask each group how many they got right.

Add scores to board.

8 Extension task:

Ask groups to discuss which planet they would most like to visit if they were astronauts and why they think it would be interesting.

Notes

1. Constellation pictures.

harp (Lyra)	eagle (Aquila)
lion (Leo)	plough/big dipper (Part of Ursa Major)
Orion, the hunter (Orion)	scales (Libra)
dog (Canis Major)	scorpion (Scorpio)

2.

Planetary facts Sheet

a. Has the tallest mountain in the solar system.		1. Mercury
b. Is also known as “The morning star”.
c. Is the only planet not named after a Roman God.		2. Venus
d. has a system of rings that surround it.
e. Has moons named after characters from Shakespeare's plays.		3. Earth
f. The year is just 88 days long.
g. Was a planet until 2006 but is now classed as a “dwarf planet”		4. Mars
h. Has the shortest day of any planet (just 9 hours).
I. has a year that lasts for almost 165 Earth years.		5. Jupiter
j. Does not orbit in the same plane as the other planets.
k. Is now the smallest planet in the solar system.		6. Saturn
l. Has 14 moons.
m. Has a day that is longer than it's year.		7.Uranus
n. Has a giant red spot.
o. Was discovered in 1781		8. Neptune
p Has about 150 moons and smaller moonlets.
q. Is the only planet known to have life.		9. Pluto
r. Is named after the Roman God of War

Lesson Plan: Antiques

Lesson Level: Senior 2 Duration: 40 Minutes

Lesson Title: Antiques

Grammar and Vocabulary

This lesson tests the grammar that the students already know by giving texts to be corrected.

New vocabulary: antique, auction, auctioneer, cost, value, bid, diamond, ivory, gorgeous, unique

Lesson Objectives

To be able to locate and correct errors in short texts.

Materials Required

Antiques cards : see note 1

Dialogue sheets (1 for each group of four students) : see note 2

Preparation

See Note 3

Procedure

1 (2 Minutes/ 2 Minutes)

Write “Antiques” on board (or slide 1)

Elicit from class meaning of “antiques”.

2 (8/10)

Go through the vocabulary items writing them on the board and eliciting the meanings from the class. (or slide 2)

3 (5/15)

Hand out the dialogue sheets (or show as slide 3).

Choose two students to read.

Ask questions around class to check comprehension.

4 (5/20)

Break class into twelve groups.

Give each group one of the prepared cards for correction.

Make sure that they know they must not write on them

Each group must rewrite the text with the errors corrected. Allow only 5 minutes for this.

5.(Non-PP version) (20/40)

In turn call each group forward to write their corrected versions on the board. (If you have two boards – call groups in twos.)

Ask class if the corrected versions are now completely correct. Elicit any further errors and make the corrections.

(PP version)

As above but show the uncorrected versions/pictures on PP slides and ask the groups where the errors are.

Indicate any errors that they missed.

Notes

1 You will need twelve prepared cards. Each card should have a picture of an antique (either printed from internet or drawn) on one side with an accompanying text containing errors on the other side.

The cards required are as follows. (Corrected versions are shown in brackets and obviously should NOT be included on the cards handed out.

a/

Picture: Two antique round-backed chair

Text: This (these) very stylish chairs has (have) round backs. They looking (will look) good in your hole (home) or living romm (room). They (are) 35 inches high (tall) and have a deep red colour.

b)

Picture: A silver tea pot

Text: That (This) teapot was make (made) in 1910. It is the best quality sliver (silver) with a wooden handle. The beautiful (beautiful) shape and plane (plain) body make it an excellent item.

c)

Picture: Ivory statue of Chinese musician

Text: This am (is) a superb Chinese statue of a musican (musician). The details is (are) excelent (excellent) and the condition (is) fine. It is made from ivory and dates in (from) 1880.

d)

Picture: Landscape painting

Text: This beautiful panting (painting) shows a (an) English landscape. It is moor (more) than a hundred year (years) old and was paint (painted) by Bryan Whitmore. Not ice (Notice) the excelent (excellent) artwok (artwork)

e)

Picture: A sword

Text:This sword is France (French). The blade is steal (steel) and the handle is (made) out of brass. It is in very godd (good) condition and is 29 inch (inches) long.

f)

Picture:Plate

Text:This is a beautiful England (English) plate. The decoration shows fruit and flours (flowers). The edge is lined with gold. It is nine inch (inches) in diameter and was make (made) in 1925.

g)

Picture: Mirror

Text: This mirror is (has) a fantastic carved wodden (wooden) frame. It was maked (made) in 1920 and is 31 inches by 60 inches. The grass (glass) is still of (in) good condition.

h)

Picture:Doll

Text: This are (is) a wonderful doll. It is not very old but the quality are (is) outstanding.  The doll has hand-maked (made) clothes and carry (carries) a blue bag. It is twenty-eight inches big (tall).

I)

Picture:Gold Coin (Victoria head)

Text:This is a very nice example of a rare glod (gold) coin. The coin is English and from 1892. The qulaty (qualirty) is excellent. The front show (shows) Quean (Queen) Victoria and the back shows a sheild. (shield)

j)

Picture:French carriage clock

Text: This is a nise (nice) 150-years-old (year) clock. The case are (is) gold. The clock is from French (France) and still work (works) perfectly. It is six inches tall.

k)

Picture: Ruby and emerald necklace

Text:This pritty (pretty) necklace is made from rose gold and set with rubbies (rubies) and emeralds. It is fifteen inches long and will looking (look) good from (with) many kinds of cloths. (clothes)

l)

Picture:Japanese Vase

Text:This is a lovely Japan (Japanese) vase decorated with gold. The decoration shows gooses (geese) fly (flying) and people drink (drinking) tea. It is thirteen inches big (tall) and eleven inches wide.

2 The following dialogue may be used for the introduction.

Customer: Hello, can you help me?

Shopkeeper: Of course. Are you looking for anything in particular or just browsing?

Customer: It's my mother's birthday next week and I'd like to get her something nice. She really loves old things so I thought maybe an antique piece of jewelery would be ideal.

Shopkeeper: I see. Did you have a particular price range in mind?

Customer: Well, that depends on the piece, of course.

Shopkeeper: We have some very nice earrings here. They are 19^th century and made of gold and diamond. They originally came from France and as you can see they are very elegant. They are rather expensive though. They would be eight hundred pounds.

Customer: Oh. That's quite a lot more than I have.

Shopkeeper: Perhaps she'd like this ivory bracelet and brooch set, it's...

Customer: Oh no. She wouldn't wear anything made from ivory. She's really into animal conservation and disapproves of anything like that. She be really mad at me if I bought her something like that.

Shopkeeper: Of course. I understand. That's something quite a few of our customers say, though how it will help an elephant that's been dead for mare than a hundred and fifty years I don't really understand.

Customer: Do you have something in silver. She's really very fond of silver jewelery. She bought a gorgeous silver bracelet at an auction last month. It cost three hundred pounds. It has a design of flowers and leaves all twined together. I've never seen anything like it before. It was unique.

Shopkeeper: Ah. Then I think I have the very thing for you. Take a look at this locket and chain. The chain is very delicate and made from the finest English silver but if you look at the locket it has a design similar to the one you described – flowers and leaves.

Customer: Wow! You're right. That would go really well with her bracelet. How much is it?

Shopkeeper: I could let you have it for two hundred. Normally I'd ask for two fity, but as it's your mother's birthday.

Customer: How about one hundred and fifty...

3. This lesson is best accompanied by a powerpoint presentation showing pictures of the items and copies of the text to be corrected. However this lesson plan is written as if the presentation is not available so that it can be used in classrooms without the technology. Notes are provided to indicate where slides could be used.

Lesson Plan: The Million Pound Note

Lesson Level: Senior 1 Duration: 40 Minutes

Lesson Title: The Million Pound Bank Note¹

Grammar and Vocabulary

See shopping lists (notes 2 and 3) for vocabulary items .

Lesson Objectives

To promote discussion among students.

Materials Required

Two shopping lists (with pictures if possible.) See notes.

Descriptions of three charities.

Preparation

Create a shopping list of very expensive clothes items². Pictures may be added if available.

Create a second shopping list of other very expensive items^3. Pictures may be added if available.

Prepare descriptions of three charities⁴.

Procedure

1 (5 Minutes/ 5 Minutes)

Put class into groups of four

Write “The Million Pound Note” on the board.

Explain that each student has been given one million pounds. Todays lesson will be all about deciding how to spend it.

Explain that each student should keep a list of everything they buy and how much it all costs.

2 (10/15)

Explain that first they must choose some clothes. Give a shopping list that shows variously priced clothes. Very high priced clothes must be included. If pictures are available, that will be better.

Tell them to each choose the clothes they would like and tell their group. They should explain why they chose the ones they did.

Elicit feedback.

3 (10/25)

Explain that now they must each choose a car, a home, a holiday and a boat to buy.

Give the second list.

Tell them to choose from the list and tell their group why they chose the items they did.

Elicit feedback.

4 (10/35)

Tell the groups that any money they have left they can donate to charity.

Give three descriptions of charities to the students.

Each student must choose a charity and decide how much money they will give.

They must tell their group which charity they chose and how much they gave.

Elicit feedback.

5. (5/40)

Elicit from students how much money (if any) they have left.

Ask for ideas on how to spend it. Ask individual students for their ideas.

Notes

1. This lesson can be used free-standing or in conjunction with New Senior English For China Student's Book 3 Unit 3.

2. Shopping list for clothes.

Mans suit £5,000.00

A Ladies Dress £7,000.00

Ladies Shoes £3,000.00

Men's Shoes £2,500.00

A Ladies Suit £2,500.00

A man's Suit £8,000.00

Men's Shoes £2,000.00

Men's Trainers £1,500.00

Ladies Trainers £6,000.00

A Ladies Dress £4,000.00

Ladies Shoes £3,500.00

A Man's Suit and Jacket £9,000.00

A Man's Suit £10,000.00

3 Shopping list for other items

£200,000.00 Sports Car

£10,000.00 Eco Car

£15,000.00 Family Car

£2,000.00 Old Car

£900,000.00 Villa

£350,000.00 Bungalow

£600,000.00 Cottage

£200,000.00 2 bedroom apartment

£10,000.00 World Cruise

£5,000.00 Trip to Europe

£7,000.00 Trip to Australia

£1,000.00 Trip to Beijing

£900,000.00 Yacht

£500,000.00 Fishing Boat

£2,000.00 Rowing Boat

£1,000.00 Dinghy

4.

A charity to raise money for sick and injured animals.

A charity to help children of poor families receive an education.

A charity to help raise money for local projects in your home town.

5. ALTERNATE PLAN

I have found that sometimes this lesson doesn't go as well as hoped so if I think a class might not like it, or might struggle, I have an alternate version.

I give all the things they can buy together  and let them have ten minutes to consider. As they do this I go round and ask questions. "Which car do you want?/Why?" etc. Then I do a vocabulary check with Sports Car/Eco Car/Family Car/Villa/Bungalow/Cottage/Yacht/Dinghy" which are the words they are most likely not to know. (Practise pronunciation for "yacht").

Then I ask each of the questions "Which clothes/shoes/house/car/holiday/boat" would you like?" and "Why?" once only - choosing a different student for each one.

The follow up activity is then to write on the board:

Do you think someone can be poor but happy or do you need to be rich?

Do you think that all rich people are happy?

Should rich people use their money to help poor people.

And get groups to discuss the questions. I monitor by going around and joining each group in turn, where I always take the opposite view to whatever the students think.

At the end I ask some of the students to stand up and share their answers with the class.

* Original lesson concept Carole Daley. Adapted by Bob Hale.

Lesson Plan: Under The Sea

Lesson Level: Junior 2 Duration: 40 Minutes

Lesson Title: Under The Sea

Grammar and Vocabulary

Names of various creatures that live under the sea

+

seaside, snorkel, dive, tide, shore, shallow, seaweed, eels, turtle, grey, shark, sharp, depth

.

Lesson Objectives

To develop vocabulary

To be able to read a text with unfamiliar words and answer questions relating to it, without use of a dictionary.

To use a text as a basis for discussion.

Materials Required

Reading text and questions

Preparation

Print enough copies of reading text for class (one copy per four people is enough.)

Procedure

1 (2 Minutes/ 2 Minutes)

Put class into groups. One person from each group will need to work simultaneously at the board. Number if groups should be created accordingly.

2 (3/5)

Elicit a few words for things that live in the sea... shark, octopus etc.

Give groups two minutes to make lists of things that live in the sea.

While groups do this divide the board into columns – one column for each group. Number the columns.

3 (10/15)

At end of two minutes get one student from each group to come to the board and write their words.

Give just one minute.

Score the results as follows.

Correct word, correctly spelled... 2 points

Correct word, incorrectly spelled.1 point (and show correct spelling)

In correct word (i.e. not undersea creature)..0 points

4 (10/25)

Hand out the reading text and questions.

Read the text to the class.

Groups work on answering questions. (5 Minutes, be strict on time.)

Go through answers.

5.(10/35)

Write on board.

What kind of dangers are there when you swim in the sea?

Groups discuss the dangers.

Elicit the answers and write on board.

6 (5/40)

Use a ball to toss to and select students to answer new question.

What would you do if you were in the sea and …. (one of the suggested dangers.)

Notes

1. Suggested reading text and questions.

The sea is a vast and mysterious place. It is full of wonderous, beautiful things such as coral reefs and incredible fish, but it is also full of dangerous things. When you go to the seaside you can swim in the sea or use a snorkel to let you dive down to the sea bed and explore the ocean floor. Near the shore, in the shallow water you often find sea weed washed their by the tide but if yo go out a little further and dive down you will see much more.

Perhaps you will see colourful fish or long thin eels. Maybe, if you are in the right part of the world you will see some turtles.

Be careful though. You don't want to come face to face with the gray face and sharp teeth of a shark or find yourself stung by the long trailing tendrils of a jellyfish!

Be careful also not to get out of your depth.

Swimming in the sea can be great, but it can also be dangerous.

Now try to answer the following questions.

What adjectives can you find that the author uses to describe the sea?

What things does the author say that you might see in the sea?

What dangers does the author say are in the sea?

Can you swim? Have you ever been swimming in the sea?

What is snorkeling? Do you think you would like to try it?

2 Note on Level

As written this level is designed to be suitable for Junior 2 Students. I have, however, used it with groups of weak Senior 2 students.

3 The lesson is free standing but can also be used in conjunction with New Senior English For China Student's Book 7 Unit 3.

Original lesson concept by Carol Daley. Adapted by Robert Hale.

We do make a difference

If ever you wonder why you came to China, consider this.

We do make a difference. I received an email about half an hour ago from a student I taught last year in Junior 1 (Grade 7, 12 years old). This was it (completely unamended, exactly as the student wrote it)

Dear Bob,
Hello!How are you?
I am a student in the No.11 middle school of Baiyin City in China.I am in Grade8 Class 1 now. Have you remembered?
We have not your class this year. And we have seen neither you nor Megan since this term began.Where did you go?Have you gone to another country? Or just have gone to another city in China? Will you come back？
Thanks a lot for returning every e-mail from me.Do so many students write to you?
Best wishes for you.And looking forwards your e-mail.
Miss you very much.
Yours sincerely,

I replied briefly and a few minutes ago received this one from the same student.

Dear Bob,
You always reply so quickly.I'm very glad to know that both you and Megan are still in China.And I'm surprised that you are still in Baiyin,too.
Our lessens are good.And we are still working hard.But without you and Megan, everybody is a little unhappy.
I'll tell my friend your e-mail.They will write to you.I'm sure.
Thank you again for your replying.It's deep night,so you needn't to reply.
Good night.

I really wish that I thought anyone in my current Senior 2 class (Grade 11, age 16) could produce work that good.

A Note On Levels

Last week's lesson - Dragons' Den - highlighted an issue I've been meaning to post about - the question of levels.

Chinese middle schools generally cover six years which are called Junior 1, Junior 2, Junior 3, Senior 1, Senior2 and Senior 3. That is, grades 7 to 12. In my experience schools seldom have foreign teachers for Junior 3 and I have never heard of a school having a foreign teacher at all for Senior 3: they are too busy preparing for University entrance exams.

It should be easy, shouldn't it? You know the ages of the students and you know the grade levels and you can prepare accordingly. Sadly, this is China, and life is never that simple.

The levels of students within a grade, even within a class, can vary to a degree that you will initially find astonishing. In my Junior 1 (Grade 7) classes last year I had some students who could barely understand "what is your name"* and other students who could hold a perfectly sensible conversation on topics as diverse as environmentalism and whether Penny and Leonard would stay together in The Big Bang Theory. This year I have no juniors. I have only grades 11 and 12 - Senior 1 and 2 - and the spread of ability is exactly the same for my Senior 2 classes as it was for my Junior 1 classes. 

The difference is that for junior one the bell curve was skewed to low end and for Senior 2 it's skewed to the high end but it's still a bell curve for all that.

So how did that impact on this Dragons' Den lesson plan.

I had prepared the lesson intending to teach it to both Senior levels with just slight amendments to the level. I started with Senior 2 students and it was obvious within minutes that I wouldn't succeed. The introduction - eliciting the meaning of "business" and a few examples didn't take five minutes: it took more than ten. The instructions written on the board were, as far as the class seemed to understand, incomprehensible gibberish. We covered less than half the planned work. 

In between lessons I scribbled down a slightly simplified version. It was still too hard for the next class. Virtually no one was able to complete a task that I considered suitable for several grades lower.

At lunch time I revamped the whole thing coming up with version two. All the same, in the afternoon at my other school, teaching a class that is ostensibly a grade lower I went with the original version. They sailed through it easily, completing everything, including the offers of finance and the accepting or rejecting of those offers.

So for the rest of the week the higher level got the really dumbed down version of the lesson while the lower level got the harder and more interesting version.

And that's the way it will have to be from now on - Senior Two will get lessons that are, in my opinion suitable for Junior 1 and Senior 1 will get lessons that I think should be for Senior 2.

Assuming anything about the levels is a big mistake.

(*Even the lowest students can take part in this conversation

 How are you?

I'm fine thanks, and you.

I'm fine too.

But they have learned it the way parrots learn to say "Polly wants a cracker", without any actual understanding. It isn't learning so much as it's a Pavlovian response to stimulus.)