Lesson plan

Ali and the magic carpet

Topic
Story: Ali and the magic carpet

Aims
To practise: vocab: weather and habitats structure: Whats the weather like? skills: integrated skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing)

Age group
Primary

Level
A1/A2

Time
90 minutes approximately

Materials
1. Story: Ali and the magic carpet http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/short-stories/ali-and-the-magic-carpet 2. Activity sheet, answers and transcript for the story (log-in to LearnEnglish Kids to access) http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/sites/kids/files/attachment/stories-ali-and-the-magiccarpet-worksheet-final-2012-11-01.pdf http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/sites/kids/files/attachment/stories-ali-and-the-magiccarpet-worksheet-answers-final-2012-11-27.pdf http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/sites/kids/files/attachment/stories-ali-and-the-magiccarpet-transcript-final-2012-09-21.pdf 3. Weather flashcards (log-in to LearnEnglish Kids to access) http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/worksheets/weather-flashcards 4. Weather map worksheet (log-in to LearnEnglish Kids to access) http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/worksheets/weather-map 5. A map of Ss own country (two per student copy double-sided to save paper) 6. Different maps of other countries (one per group of 3-4 students, on A3 paper)

Lesson plan
Introduction
In this lesson, Ss will be introduced to the popular story Ali and the magic carpet. Ss will watch the story, complete comprehension activities, look at some lexis for weather and habitats, and review the story. Finally Ss can do some extension work based on the story, producing their own TV weather forecast and re-imagining the story.

Procedure
1. Introduce the Draw or show a carpet/rug on the board and elicit what it is. Ask Ss if they topic (5 mins) know of any stories with a special carpet, and what the carpet can do (fly). 2. Focus on the story: vocabulary (1015 mins) Play the story. Ss complete part 1 of the activity sheet: put the pictures in order. Play the story again and check answers. Ask Ss if they remember what the weather is like in the story. Elicit the weather vocabulary (sunny, etc) using the flashcards. Ss complete part 2 of the activity sheet: write the words under the pictures. Check answers.

3. Focus on the From memory, Ss complete as much as they can of part 3 of the activity story: sheet: match the weather and the places. comprehension Give each pair of Ss a copy of the transcript of the story. Together, they read (10 mins) through the transcript and check/complete their answers. Check answers as a class: show a flashcard(s) and ask Ss to tell you what weather it is and where. 4. Reviewing the story (5-10 mins) Ask Ss what was their favourite place in the story and hold a class vote. Play the story all the way through. After each page of the story, ask questions about the it, and ask Ss to tell you what happens next. You could give points for correct answers. Finally, Ss complete part 4 of the activity sheet: draw a picture and write about todays weather. Ss complete the weather map worksheet. If the language is too difficult, it could be simplified to a map of the UK describing the weather in different cities. Then give Ss a map of their own country. They draw their own weather map, with different weather in different cities or regions. Now do a drawing dictation. Ss turn over their paper to another copy of the map, and in pairs they ask and dictate to each other the weather from their own map to draw. Before starting this activity, drill the question form: Whats the weather like in...?. Ss can check their answers by comparing maps after they finish dictating.

5. Further practise of structure and vocabulary (15 mins)

Lesson plan
6. Oral extension: producing a TV weather forecast (15-20 mins) Ss work in groups of 3 or 4. Give each group a map of a different country. Ss then decide what the weather is like in each city or region and make weather symbols on card for those cities, which can be attached using Blu-tack or similar. Help Ss plan and rehearse their weather forecast presentation. Depending on the Ss, you might like to demonstrate with a map and presentation of your own. When the groups are ready, introduce each group as if the news has just finished, and each group presents the weather for that country, with their map on the board, sticking on the weather symbols as they go. If desired, you could film the forecasts. Brainstorm as a class, where Ss would like to go if they found a magic carpet, and what they might see there. Put some ideas on the board. In pairs, Ss decide together 6 places they would like to go to, and in what order. Now Ss draw a picture and write a caption for each place they go, and where they start and finish. Depending on your Ss, the original story text could be used to help Ss write captions, or Ss could write their own captions saying where they are and what they can see in each place. Display the stories around the room, and allow time for Ss to move around and read them. For homework, Ss could choose another country and make a weather forecast for it, or draw and write about some more places they would like to visit on their magic carpet. If Ss have internet access at home, they can watch the story again, or try this weather maze game or this weather forecast game.

7. Written extension: reimagining the story (15 mins)

8. Setting homework (5 mins)

Further reading http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/teaching-kids/tips-using-stories

Contributed by
Rachael Ro