Speaking Activity 1 GROUP WORK Board game

UNIT 5 LESSON 1

Target Language Materials

Each group of students needs: one

The present continuous, electronic devices copy of the worksheet (game board);
vocabulary one die; three or four place markers
(coins, poker chips, etc.)

PREPARATION (2–3 minutes)

Write on the board shop for, take.

Point to each verb / phrase as you say a sentence in the
present continuous using that verb / phrase. For example,
I’m shopping for a computer. I’m taking the 5:00 train
tomorrow.

PROCEDURE (10–15 minutes)

Explain that students are going to play a board game.

Put students in groups of three or four. Give each group a
copy of the worksheet, a die, and a place marker for each
student.
Explain the activity: Students place their markers in the Start
square. They then take turns rolling the die and moving the
indicated number of squares, in a clockwise direction.
When the student lands on a square, he or she must make
a sentence in the present continuous using the verb in that
square. If the square is black, the sentence must include one
of the items pictured in the center of the game board.
Students get one point for each correct sentence. If a
student lands on a square more than once, he or she must
make a different sentence each time in order to receive
points.
Set a time limit. The student who has the most points wins. Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc.

OPTIONS / ALTERNATIVES (8–10 minutes)

Play the game as a two-player question-and-answer practice.

Student A asks an information question in the present
continuous using the verb in that square. Student B answers
the question.
Award one point for a correct question and one point for a
correct answer.
Set a time limit. The student who has the most points wins.

Top Notch 1, Third Edition LESSON PLAN 1

 START
go look
take
do (for) get
get buy

leave clean

use do

take shop
(for)
study
work
(for)
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

meet read

buy watch
get use
drive call
look buy
(for) listen talk

2 UNIT 5, SPEAKING ACTIVITY 1 Top Notch 1, Third Edition

 Speaking Activity 2 PAIR WORK Information-gap crossword puzzle
UNIT 5 LESSON 2

Target Language Materials

One copy of the worksheet cut in half
Electronics vocabulary
for each pair of students

PREPARATION (2–3 minutes)

If necessary, review the electronics vocabulary on page 50 of

the Student’s Book.
Tell students that you are going to give them clues to guess
the name of an electronic gadget. Say We use it to call our
friends from anywhere. What is it? Elicit the answer from the
class. (cell phone) If no one answers, give more clues until
someone does.

PROCEDURE (10–15 minutes)

Divide students into pairs. Give each student one half of the
worksheet.
Explain that students are going to complete the crossword
puzzle on their worksheet. The words on Student A’s puzzle
are not on Student B’s. The words on Student B’s puzzle are
not on Student A’s.
Students take turns asking for and giving clues to complete
the crossword puzzle. For example: Student A: 3 across. We
use it to clean dishes. (dishwasher)
Remind students that if the answer is more than one word,
they can tell their partners how many words there are.
Go around the classroom, offering help as needed.
Go over the answers with the class.

OPTIONS / ALTERNATIVES (5–8 minutes) Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Extend the activity by having a word-association contest.

Divide the class into two groups. Write one of the puzzle
words on the board. Have students in each group take turns
coming to the board and writing down related words. (For
example, for microwave, students may come up with food,
dinner, cook.)
Set a time limit. Go over each group’s list and discuss with
the class if any words should be eliminated. The group that
has the most words wins.

Top Notch 1, Third Edition LESSON PLAN 3

 STUDENT A

3
D I S H W A S H E R

4 5 6
R I C E C O O K E R
7

8
F R E E Z E R

10
D R Y E R

11
V A C U U M C L E A N E R

12 13
S T O V E R E F R I G E R A T O R
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

A
1

H I
2

A R
3

I C
R C O O
4 5 6

D O V N B
7

R F E D L
8

Y F N I E
E E J T N
9

R E U I D
10

M I O E
A C N R
11

K E E
E R R
12 13

STUDENT B

4 UNIT 5, SPEAKING ACTIVITY 2 Top Notch 1, Third Edition

 Speaking Activity 3 PAIR WORK Concentration game
UNIT 5 LESSON 3

Target Language Materials

One copy of the worksheet cut into two
Describing problems with things
sets of cards for each pair of students

PREPARATION (2–3 minutes)

Mime having problems opening a window that’s stuck.

Ask What’s the problem? Elicit an answer from the class.
(The window won’t open.)
Write on the board The window is clogged. Ask Is this right
or wrong? Elicit the answer from the class. (wrong) Erase
the sentence and repeat the correct sentence: The window
won’t open.

PROCEDURE (5–10 minutes)

Divide students into pairs. Give each pair the two sets
of cards.
Have students shuffle the picture cards and arrange them
facedown. Leave the phrase cards faceup.
Explain the activity: Student B turns over a picture card.
Student A then chooses a correct phrase from the other pile
and makes a sentence based on both cards. (For example,
The window won’t open.) He or she gets one point for
making a correct sentence. The picture card gets put aside,
and the phrase card rejoins the others. Student A now turns
over a picture card and takes a turn.
If he or she chooses the wrong phrase card and the sentence
doesn’t make sense (for example, The window won’t flush),
the picture card gets shuffled back into the pile of facedown
cards and Student B takes a turn.
Continue until all the picture cards have been used. The Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc.
student with the most points wins.
Go around the room, helping to judge the sentences as
necessary.

OPTIONS / ALTERNATIVES (3–5 minutes)

Have a selected pair come to the front of the room.

Designate one student as a hotel guest and the other as
a desk clerk.
Have students pick three picture cards and role-play a
conversation about the items.
Top Notch 1, Third Edition LESSON PLAN 5
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

won’t flush / stop flushing isn’t working

won’t turn on / off is making a funny sound

won’t open / close is clogged

6 UNIT 5, SPEAKING ACTIVITY 3 Top Notch 1, Third Edition

 Speaking Activity 4 GROUP WORK Charades game
UNIT 5 LESSON 4

Target Language Materials

One copy of the worksheet cut into
Machines and appliances vocabulary
12 cards for each group of students

Remind students that new gadgets may

PREPARATION (3–5 minutes)
Write on the board clock radio. Ask students if
they know what a clock radio is. Tell students
this is a gadget that is made of two other
gadgets: a clock and a radio.
Tell students that you will mime a new gadget
for them to guess. The new gadget is a
combination of two other gadgets, just like
clock radio.
Mime the action of typing on a keyboard. Then
mime holding up the keyboard and using it to
take a picture (you can mime taking a picture
of the class or taking a picture of yourself). Elicit
an answer from the class. (a keyboard camera)
OPTIONS / ALTERNATIVES
Have volunteers tell you what they think of the
idea of a keyboard camera.
PROCEDURE (10–15 minutes)
Put students in groups of four. Give each
group one set of cards. Explain the activity:
One student picks a card and then mimes the
gadget described on the card.
combine two other gadgets or may be an
improvement on an older gadget. Other
students must guess the gadget being mimed.
If the group can’t guess after a reasonable
amount of time, allow the student who drew
the card to “pass”—allow one “pass” for each
player.
The student who guesses correctly gives an
opinion on the gadget.
The correct guesser then draws a card and
mimes the gadget described. Continue until all
cards have been used.
(5–8 minutes)
Have groups choose the best gadget from all
the ones described on the cards.
Have groups share their choices with the whole
class, explaining what they like about it and
why they think it’s the best gadget.

Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Top Notch 1, Third Edition LESSON PLAN 7

 microwave oven / coffee maker / hairdryer /
CD player dishwasher vacuum cleaner

portable digital camera /

TV / telephone
air conditioner printer
Copyright © 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

portable
car / refrigerator scanner /
washing machine
photocopier

cell phone / laptop / smart phone /

scanner digital camera fan

8 UNIT 5, SPEAKING ACTIVITY 4 Top Notch 1, Third Edition