Oxford Picture Dictionary Third Edition Lesson Plan
Schools and Subjects
C o m m u n ic at i v e O b j e c t i v e s
      Identify schools and school subjects.
     Main Lesson Objective: Ask for and
give information about schools and
school subjects.
CASAS competencies: 0.1.2, 0.1.6, 2.7.9, 2.8.1, 2.8.3,
▼
7.2.3, 7.2.6
Warm-up
Elicit names of local schools and ages of students
attending them. Find out which types of schools
students can name.
Introduction
Classify each school mentioned in the Warm-up.
Mercer is an elementary school. LBCC is a community
college. State the objective: Today we’ll learn words
for types of schools and subjects people study, and we’ll
practice making phone calls to schools.
Presentation
1. Draw a flowchart on the board showing the schools
on pg. 200. Use it to discuss the U.S. educational
system.
Ask students with school-age children if they can
name any subjects their children study. Write
each subject on the board with a small drawing
to illustrate its meaning; e.g., a math problem for
math, ABC for language arts and ESL/ESOL, a flag
for history, a speech bubble for world languages,
an atom or a beaker for science, a paintbrush for
arts, a note for music, and a soccer ball for physical
education. Ask which subjects students like and
which ones their children like.
Or project the Classroom Presentation Tool and play
the target vocabulary on the Dictionary Audio.
2. Project the Classroom Presentation Tool with the
words masked. Elicit more information about the
pictures: Where are they? What are they doing? Write
any additional vocabulary on the board.
3. Check comprehension: Ask questions about local
schools and ages. Is Mercer a high school or an
elementary school? My son is 6 years old. Does he go
to elementary school or preschool? Erase the subjects
and point to the pictures. Is this math or language
arts? Ask questions to check comprehension of any
additional vocabulary.
4. Elicit situations in which students might want to call
a school; e.g., to enroll a child or to find out what
classes are offered.
200  Schools and Subjects © Oxford University Press, 2017
Guided Practice
Listen and point
1. Model the activity at the bottom of pg. 200. Say a
word from the wordlist and have students point to
the corresponding picture on pg. 200 or 201.
2. Pair students and have one pair model the activity.
3. Have partners take turns pointing to the pictures
and saying the words. Set a time limit. Have partners
switch roles when time is called.
Dictate to your partner
1. Model the activity at the bottom of pg. 200. Have a
volunteer dictate an item from pg. 200 or 201 to you.
Model a clarification strategy by spelling out the item
before you write it: w-o-r-l-d l-a-n-g-u-a-g-e-s? Switch
roles.
2. Pair students and assign A/B roles. Partner A dictates;
Partner B writes. Set a time limit.
3. Circulate and monitor student practice. Encourage
writers to spell out the words before they write. Have
partners switch roles when time is called.
Sequencing
1. Ask students to close their books. Write these types
of schools on the board:
____ high school
____ college
____ preschool
____ middle school
____ elementary school
2. Have students sequence the schools by themselves
or in pairs. Go over the answers as a class.
Pair practice
1. Copy the sample conversation from the bottom
of pg. 201 on the board, leaving blanks for the
substitutions. Add another line for B so students
know the conversation should continue. Suggest and
elicit continuations: Do you like it? Is it difficult? When
will you finish? Write them on the board.
2. Elicit other substitutions to use in the conversations.
3. Have volunteers model a new conversation. Pair
students and have them practice the conversations.
Set a time limit (three minutes). Ask volunteers to
share a conversation with the class.
For more guided practice
Use Workbook pgs. 200–201.
 Oxford Picture Dictionary Third Edition Lesson Plan
Communicative Practice
Discussion
Write questions on the board. Give students a few
minutes to think and make notes on their answers. Call
on volunteers to share their ideas with the class. Possible
questions:
1. What are some differences between the U.S. school
system and the school systems in other countries? What
are the pros and cons of each system?
2. Which is better for children: public school or private
school?
3. Should children wear uniforms to school? Why or why
not?
Telephone Role play
1. Write a sample role play on the board:
A: Valley Adult School. How may I help you?
B: Do you offer art classes?
A: Yes, we do.
B: When do classes start?
A: In September.
B: How do I register?
A: J ust come to the school office between 8:00 a.m. and
7:00 p.m.
B: Thanks!
Have the class listen and repeat each sentence.
Emphasize accurate pronunciation.
2. Elicit other questions the prospective student might
ask. How much is tuition? Do you accept 3-year-olds?
What should my daughter bring? Write them on the
board.
3. Pair students and assign roles: receptionist and
student. Have them do one role play and then switch
roles to do another. Set a time limit (three minutes).
Call time and ask volunteers to share a role play with
the class.
M u lt i l e v e l R o l e p l ay
    Have these students practice the first three or
five lines. Direct them to look at the pictures on
pgs. 200–201 and cover the words. Tell Partner A
to point to the subject Partner B mentions.
    Have these students sit facing away from each
other. Tell Partner B to write down the information given
by Partner A.
For more communicative practice
Use Classic Classroom Activities - Academic Study Guess
What? Cards 3, Academic Study Survey 1, and Academic
Study Group Writing 1.
© Oxford University Press, 2017
Schools and Subjects
Evaluation
1. Use the Telephone role play activity as an evaluation.
After calling time on the first role-play practice,
provide feedback. Then ask students to continue the
activity. Monitor and note areas where students need
practice.
2. Project the Classroom Presentation Tool with the
words masked. Ask students to write target words.
To create customized tests
Use the OPD Assessment Program.
Application
Problem solving
1. Provide students with a situation. Have them work in
groups to brainstorm possible solutions and choose
the best one.
Selma’s daughter is in high school. She’s a good student.
She wants to go to a university, but the tuition is very
expensive. What can Selma do?
2. Have groups write a letter to Selma giving their
advice. Have a group reporter read the letter to the
class. Discuss the best solutions.
Expansion
Spell Check
1. Divide the class into two teams.
2. Give the teams ten minutes to study the spelling of
the words on pgs. 200–201.
3. Have the teams line up on either side of the room.
4. Give the first student on each team a word from the
pages and have him or her write it on the board.
Students who spell the word correctly sit down and
earn a point for their team. Students who make a
mistake go to the end of the line for another chance.
5. Give the next student on each team a word, etc. The
game ends when all the members of one team are
seated.
Schools and Subjects 201