Lesson plan

Superhero High
Topic
Story: Superhero High

Aims
To practise:
vocab: vocabulary connected with super powers and superheroes
structure: present simple (timetables)
skills: integrated skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing)

Age group
Primary

Level
A1/A2

Time
90 minutes approximately

Materials
1. Story: Superhero High
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/short-stories/superhero-high
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-superhero-high-
worksheet-final-2012-11-01.pdf
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/sites/kids/files/attachment/stories-superhero-high-
worksheet-answers-2012-12-04.pdf
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/sites/kids/files/attachment/stories-superhero-high-
transcript-final-2012-09-24.pdf
3. Song: Amazing superheroes
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/songs/amazing-superheroes
4. Style-a-hero game
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/make-your-own/style-hero
 Lesson plan
Introduction
In this lesson, Ss will be introduced to the popular story Superhero High. Ss will watch the story,
complete comprehension activities, look at some lexis for super powers and superheroes, and
review the story. Finally Ss can do some extension work based on the story, writing their own
superhero school timetable and doing a class survey.

Procedure
1. Introduce the Show a picture of Superman or another famous superhero. Elicit his name and his
topic (5 mins) job (superhero). Do they know any other superheroes?

2. Focus on Ask Ss what he does/what special powers he has that makes him a superhero. What
vocabulary (10 other super powers do they know? For example, super-strength, x-ray vision,
mins) invulnerability, flying, immortality, etc. Brainstorm ideas and write them on the board.
Play a game: Ss work in groups of 4 (or 3 or 5). One student mimes a super power,
the other students have to say it. The first student to say it gets a point. You could
provide a picture of a buzzer or bell for each group which the Ss have to touch
before they can say the answer.
If you have played mime games like this with your Ss before, a demonstration
should suffice. If this is the first time, play a whole round as a class before putting Ss
into groups.
Monitor to praise and help with pronunciation.

3. Focus on the Play the story. Ss complete part 1 of the activity sheet: match the pictures and the
story: super power.
comprehension Check answers. What super powers did they come up with that werent in the story?
(10-15 mins) Ask Ss complete as much as they can of part 2 of the activity sheet: put the events
in the story in order. Tell Ss in advance that they are going to see the story again
and so they dont need to remember everything.
Play the story again. Ss check or complete part 2. Check answers as class.

4. Reviewing the Ask Ss what was their favourite class in the story and hold a class vote. Play the
story (5 mins) 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.

5. Extension: Tell Ss to imagine that they go to Superhero High. Ask them what classes they
planning own would like to have everyday. You can refer back to the list on the board from stage
superhero 2, and encourage Ss to add more. They can use their imaginations the super
school (10-20 power classes dont have to be traditional super powers. They could come up with,
mins) for example, the How to make all the teachers be nice class!
If you wanted to widen the vocabulary area, you could talk about equipment. Ask Ss
what equipment helps Ss at Superhero High to see through walls (glasses).
Brainstorm ideas for equipment that could help Ss in different super power classes
(e.g. a cape in the How to fly class, or flowers and chocolates in the How to make
all the teachers be nice class!).
 Lesson plan

Ss complete part 3 of the activity sheet, creating a timetable of super powers

classes. If you have looked at vocabulary for equipment, Ss could also write what
equipment they need for each class.
Monitor to praise and help with language where necessary.
Play a game: in pairs, Ss swap activity sheets. They test each others memory of
their timetable. The winner is the student who can remember their timetable the
best. You might like to practise the question What class do you have on? first. Ss
could continue the game by swapping back the activity sheets and then testing each
other on their own timetable (i.e. What class do I have on ?).
If you wanted to take the superhero school project further, Ss could plan more about
the school in small groups. Ss could draw a plan of the school on A3 paper and label
the parts of the school with as little or as much detail as their level allows. For
example, Ss could label the canteen and write what kind of food there is, or label the
playground and write what kind of sports are played, or label the classrooms and
write the names of the teachers (e.g. Mr Strong teaches being strong, Mrs Fox
teaches flying, etc), or label the library and write the names of some books you can
find there.
Display work around the class. Allow time for Ss to look at other Ss work.

6. Oral Do a class survey: Ss work in groups of 5. Each student takes a question What
extension: class class do you have on Monday/Tuesday? etc. Ss mingle and ask each other their
survey (10-15 question, recording the answer in their notebooks. Ss go back to their groups and
mins) find the most popular class for each day of the week. Alternatively the survey could
ask Whats the best super power? or Whos your favourite superhero?.

7. Song (5-10 If there is time and interest, you might like to listen to or sing the Amazing
mins) superheroes song with your Ss.

8. Setting For homework, Ss could write in more detail about one of their super power classes,
homework (5 e.g. about the teacher, the equipment, the exams. If Ss have internet access at
mins) home, they can watch the story again, or listen to the song. They could also try this
Style-a-hero game where they can design a superhero, and even print the hero they
design to bring to class next time.

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

Contributed by
Rachael Ro