Lesson plan

School Nicolae Balcescu

Prof. Popa Serban-Mihai
Time: 50 minutes
Grade: VIII
Textbook: Snapshot- Intermediate
Target group profile: 18 students, aged 14, below average level
Unit: 13
Lesson: What’s on the box?
Language focus: Present Simple and Present Continuous- Revision; Present Simple and
Present Continuous with a future meaning
Communicative area: talking about TV programmes, expressing preferences, talking
about future plans and arrangements

Aims of the lesson:

- by the end of the lesson Ss will have revised and better understood the Present
Continuous in the context of everyday activities happening now
- by the end of the lesson Ss will have revised and better understood the Present Simple
in the context of everyday activities happening on a regular basis
- by the end of the lesson Ss will have understood that the Present Continuous can be
used when talking about arrangements for future events
- by the end of the lesson Ss will have understood that the Present Simple is used when a
future event is part of a programme or a timetable
- by the end of the lesson Ss will be able to use the Present Continuous and the Present
Simple with a future meaning
- by the end of the lesson Ss will be able to talk about TV programmes and to express
preferences for one programme or another
- by the end of the lesson Ss will be better able to read for specific information

Teaching aids: textbook, pictures, worksheets

Skills covered: speaking, reading, writing
Interaction: T – Ss, Ss – T, S – S
Class management: whole class, pair work
Anticipated problems: explanations in Romanian may be needed
 Procedure

Lead in – 2 min

T: How do you spend your free time? (If necessary, give clues: I do not have much free
time, but I read books, surf the INTERNET for information, listen to music, watch old
films. What do you do?. T gets 3-4 answers. Ss (anticipated answer) : watch TV . T: So,
you watch TV. How many hours a day do you watch TV? Ss (anticipated answer): 2-3
hours.
T: Then you must be familiar with many kinds of programmes.

Activity 1
Aim: to provide conversation practice using vocabulary related to TV programmes
Time: 4 min
Procedure: T hands out Worksheet 1. T: Look at exercise 1! These are types of TV
programmes. Read the list out loud! Ss take turns to read the list. T: Now read dialogue
A! Ss read. T: In pairs, practise dialogue A using types of programmes from the list! Ss
practise the dialogue. T: Now read and practice dialogue B! Ss practise in pairs .
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T, S-S
Class management: whole class, pair work

Activity 2
Aim: to provide further conversation practice using vocabulary related to contents of TV
programmes
Time: 4 min
Procedure: T: Now, look at ex 2 on Worksheet 1! You have a list of what TV
programmes are about. Read the list! Ss take turns to read the list. T: Now, work in pairs,
practise this dialogue and report the answer to the class like in the model. Ss take turns to
fulfill the task in pairs.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T, S-S
Class management: whole class, pair work

Activity 3
Aim: pre-reading activity meant to familiarize Ss with the information they are going to
look for during the reading activity
Time: 3 min
Procedure: T hands out Worksheet 2. T: Here you have five reviews on TV
programmes on Channel 1 and Channel 2 and here (turn the worksheet over), in ex 3, you
have eight questions. Read the questions and translate them! Ss take turns to read and
translate the questions.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class
Activity 4
Aim: to provide practice in reading for specific information
Time: 4 min
Procedure: T: Now, read the reviews to find the answers to these questions! Ss take
turns to read the five reviews. T corrects pronunciation mistakes.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class

Activity 5
Aim: to check comprehension post reading
Time: 4 min
Procedure: T: Now answer the questions in ex 3! T asks the questions. Ss take turns to
answer. (Answers: 1- Keanu Reeves; 2- Talk show, on Channel 2; 3- a cop; 4- ABBA;
5- The private life of plants; 6- in 1928; 7- 9 o’clock; 8- in 1982 )
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class

Activity 6
Aim: to familiarize Ss with adjectives showing a reviewer’s opinion about a film, a
play, a book, a TV programme
Time: 4 min
Procedure: T: look at the five reviews again and find the words expressing the author’s
attitude!
T: What does the author say about the music of ABBA?
Ss: It is spectacular, powerful and breathtaking).
T: What does he say about the documentary “The private life of plants”?
Ss: It’s excellent and the photography is great.
T: What about Mickey Mouse?
Ss: He is adorable.
T: What does he say about the findings at the end of the talk show?
Ss: They are interesting and surprising.
T: Finally, what is the film Speed like?
Ss: It is thrilling, dramatic and smart.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class

Activity 7
Aim: to revise the Present Continuous Tense for actions going on at the moment
Time: 3 min
Procedure: T: Well, children, what am I doing now? Ss: You are talking/ teaching T:
What are you doing? Ss: We are listening. T: Yes, you are looking at me, you are
listening and you are learning now. Când au loc toate acţiunile acestea? Ss: Now, în
momentul vorbirii.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class

Activity 8
Aim: to revise the Present Simple Tense for habits and routines
Time: 3 min
Procedure: T: When do you go to school (in the morning or in the afternoon)? Ss: We
go to school in the afternoon. T: When do you sleep? S: I sleep at night. T: When do you
watch TV? S: I watch TV in the evening. T: When do you meet your friends? S: I meet
my friends at the weekend. T: Când au loc aceste acţiuni, ce fel de acţiuni sunt acestea?
Ss: Obișnuite și repetate.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T, T-S, S-T
Class management: whole class

Activity 9
Aim: to practice the two grammar tenses with adverbs of time in order to reinforce the
revised uses
Time: 4 min
Procedure: T hands out Worksheet 3. (Explanations in Romanian may be needed)
T: Read the sentences in the Present Continuous adding an adverb of time. Ss take turns
to read. T: Now, read the sentences in the Present Simple and put the adverbs in the
right place. Ss take turns to read. T corrects if adverbs are misplaced.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class

Activity 10
Aim: to introduce the Present Continuous Tense with a future meaning
Time: 4 min
Procedure: Listen: My brother is playing football with his friends tomorrow. Translate
this sentence! S: “Fratele meu joacă fotbal cu prietenii lui mâine”. T: Ce timp am
folosit? Ss: Present Continuos. T: Acţiunea se întâmplă acum, în momentul vorbirii? Ss:
Nu, se va întâmpla în viitor, mâine. T: Oare prietenii și fratele meu știu că vor juca mâine
fotbal, s-au informat unul pe altul? Ss: Da T: Deci, ce fel de acţiune mai poate exprima
Present Continuous? Ss: o acţiune viitoare, sigură și planificată.
T: Now, turn over Worksheet 3. Say what you are doing on Saturday and Sunday. Ss
take turns to make sentences using the information in the planner.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class
Anticipated problem: explanations in Romanian are needed
Activity 11
Aim: to introduce the Present Simple Tense for future actions which are set by a
timetable
Time: 4 min
Procedure: T: Listen!: It’s 4 o’clock now; the concert begins at 6:30 p.m. Translate this
sentence! Ss: “Este ora 4 acum; concertul începe la 6:30 după amiază”. T: A început
deja concertul? Ss: Nu! T: Când va avea el loc? Ss: Intr-un moment viitor, la ora 6:30
după amiază. T: Ce timp grammatical am folosit (“begins”)? Ss: Present Simple. T: Un
concert poate începe când vrem noi? Ss: Nu, există un program stabilit dinainte. T: Deci,
în afara acţiunilor obișnuite și repetate, ce fel de acţiuni mai putem exprima prin Present
Simple? Ss: Acţiuni viitoare care se desfășoară după un program sau un grafic.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class
Anticipated problem: explanations in Romanian are needed

Activity 12
Aim: to provide practice in using the Present Continuous Tense with a future meaning
and the Present Simple Tense for future actions which are set by a timetable
Time: 4 min
Procedure: T hands out W4. T: Look at exercises A and B! Work in pairs ! Put the
verbs in the right form to express future actions! Ss work in pairs for 2 min, then T
checks as a whole class activity. Ss take turns to do exercises A and B. T corrects if
necessary.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T, T-S, S-T
Class management: whole class

Assesment: T grades a few Ss

Time: 2 min

Homework assignment: Make 3 sentences to express future, planned activities and 3

sentences to express future actions which are set by a timetable. Use Present Simple and
Present Continuous.
Time: 1min