Lesson plan

Prof Popa Serban-Mihai

Time : 50
Grade : VI
Target profile group: 15 students, aged 12 -13, below average level
Textbook: English Factfile
Unit: Books and Libraries
Lesson: The Library - A magic place
Vocabulary Focus: Present perfect simple (general experience) +/-ever/never
Communicative area : Asking for and expressing opinions about books. Talking about
general experience

Aims of the lesson:

- by the end of the lesson Ss will be better able to express opinions about books
- by the end of the lesson Ss will be better able to talk about general experience
- by the end of the lesson Ss will be better able to use the Present perfect simple +
ever/never
- by the end of the lesson Ss will be better able to listen for specific information
- by the end of the lesson Ss will be able to use the correct word stress in groups of words
describing types of books

Teaching aids: textbook, pictures, audio cassette

Skills covered: speaking, reading, listening comprehension, writing

Interaction: T – Ss, Ss – T, S – S, whole class activity, pair work

Anticipated problems: explanations in Romanian may be needed

Procedure

Lead in:
Time: 3 min
T : Have you ever been to a public library?
What did you see there?
What did you do there?
Ss answer the questions. Possible answers:
a) Yes, I have/No, haven't. b) I saw lots of books on the shelves , people looking for
books. c) I borrowed books/talked to the librarian/read some books.
Activity 1
Aim: to familiarize Ss with different types of books, to provide speaking practice
Time: 4 min
Procedure: ex 1b. T hands out different kinds of books and gives students time to
browse through them for a little while. T introduces the words denoting kinds of books
pointing to front covers in the picture. Ss repeat the words. Then T asks them what they
can find in each type of book. Ss match the answers to the right front covers and read the
sentences that say what you normally find in each book. Answers: 1 b); 2 I); 3 d); 4 c); 5
e); 6 a ); 7 h); 8 g).
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class activity

Activity 2
Aim: to practise using the correct word stress
Time: 2 min
Procedure: T plays the tape. Students repeat each word /group of words. Answers: a
manual. a novel; a ghost story; a fairytale; a travel book; a dictionary; a science-fiction
book ; an adventure book.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class activity

Activity 3
Aim: to reinforce the correct word stress
Time: 3 min
Procedure: T asks the Ss to copy the words denoting types of books and to mark the
main stress. T checks the answers as a whole class activity
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class activity

Activity 4
Aim: to introduce the language function of asking for and expressing opinions about
books
Time: 4 min
Procedure: T demonstrates the activity acting out the situation so that students see the
need for this particular language strategy. T shows them a well-known book and asks:
” What do you think of this book?” Then T changes voice as if it were another person and
answers: “I think it's interesting. It's about ...”. The need to ask for and express an opinion
is created. This activity also prepares the students for the dialogue.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class activity
Activity 5
Aim: to practise expressing opinions about books
Time: 4 min
Procedure: T asks the question again to individual students, working T - S round the
class. T tells the students to look for answers in the Language Focus box. Example:
T What are you reading?
S1 'One Way Ticket'.
T What do you think of it?
S1 I like it. It's interesting.
T How do you like it, Sam?
S2 It's all right but there are too many frightening things.
T Do you like it, Pam?
S3 I don't know. It's well-written .. .. etc.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class activity

Activity 6
Aim: to further practise asking for and expressing opinions about books
Time: 4 min
Procedure: T asks students to work in groups of three in the form of a chain S1-S2- S3
practising the dialogue in the book, changing information as they wish. T monitors.
Interaction: S-S
Class management: group work

Activity 7
Aim: to provide reading practice and to stimulate imagination
Time: 2 min
Procedure: ex 3a. T asks the Ss to read the poem out loud and think of a title. Any title
that fits is acceptable. Ss take turns to read. Possible answers : 'Library'; 'A Magic Place ';
'A Magic World'; 'A Wonderful World' ; 'The World of Books'; 'Dreamland'
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class activity

Activity 8
Aim: to introduce words describing building materials
Time: 3 min
Procedure: ex 3b. Ss read the first verse again and find words that describe the building
material. Answers: a) stone; b) marble; c) concrete. They fill in the missing word and
read the definitions out loud.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class activity
Activity 9
Aim: to practise reading for specific information
Time: 4 min
Procedure: ex 3c. Students read the second verse and find words that refer to types of
books . Possible answers: 'you can ride a camel' - an adventure book or a travel book;
‘you can ride a train' - a travel book ; 'visit Rome, Siam or Nome' - a travel book or a
history book; 'meet a king' - a fairy tale; 'learn to sing '- a manual; 'how to bake a pie' a
cookery book; 'see the moon' - a science-fiction or an adventure book, etc.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class activity

Activity 10
Aim: to introduce the Present perfect simple in order to express general experience
Time: 4 min
Procedure: ex 4a.: What experiences has the author had in the library? T elicits answers
like: She has met a king./She has learned to sing./She has visited space, etc. T: So, she
has had a lot of experiences.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T
Class management: whole class activity

Activity 11
Aim: to get the Ss to use the Present perfect simple speaking about their own experience
Time: 5 min
Procedure: 4b) T asks Ss to look at the Language Focus box and find the way they can
ask/answer about their experiences up to now in life. T asks a student to read Liz's part in
the dialogue and T gives the poet's answers. T ..... S work, 2-3 examples. Then T asks Ss
to work in pairs to continue the dialogue. Finally, Ss take turns to act out the dialogue. T
draws Ss’s attention to the place of ever/ never with Present perfect when talking about
our general experience up to now in life. Possible answers:
Liz: Have you ever travelled to the Moon?
Poet: No, I haven't.
Liz: Have you ever been to sea?
Poet: No, I haven't. I have never done that.
Liz: Have you ever visited space?
Poet: No, I haven't.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T, T-S, S-S
Class management: whole class activity, pair work

Activity 12
Aim: to provide conversation practice
Time: 4 min
Procedure: ex 5a. Ss work in groups. A secretary in the group must write the name of
one person who has done each thing or write the word 'no one'. Ss practise the language
pattern in mini-conversational exchanges of the type:
Have you ever spoken to a famous writer?
No, I haven 't. I've never spoken to a famous writer.
Have you ever visited a famous library?
Yes, I have. I've visited the British Library.
Have you ever written a poem?
No, I haven't. I've never written a poem.
Have you ever met an important person?
Yes, I have. I've met a well-known actor/singer.
Everybody writes down the notes.
Interaction: T-Ss, Ss-T, S-S
Class management: group work

Assesment: T grades a few Ss

Time: 1 min

Homework assignment: ex 5b. Ss will use the notes to write 4- 5 sentences to report to
the class what they have found out in their groups.
Time: 1min