TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC VINH KHOA SƯ PHẠM NGOẠI NGỮ

LESSON PLAN/ UNIT PLAN

TOPIC: ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
Student’s level: 10th grade (CEFR A2+ and above)
Time: 3 periods (45 min/ 1 period) including poster design and oral presentation

STAGE 1 – DESIRED OBJECTIVES

A. OBJECTIVES: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. state what environmental pollution is;
2. identify four basic types of pollution, namely water pollution, air pollution, soil pollution and noise
pollution in terms of causes and effects;
3. discuss one type of environmental problem that their school/ community is suffering and write
some practical advice on how to reduce this type of pollution and an action plan;
4. design a poster of one type of the environmental pollution and reliable solutions that protect the
environment
5. present the poster of one type of the environmental pollution and reliable solutions that protect the
environment in front of the class;
6. recognize their responsibility for conserving the environment in their community;
7. create a specific action plan to protect their community from pollution with a message “a small
action, a big change”.

B. LANGUAGE FOCUS
Key terms/ Vocabulary
- Key terms: words and phrases related to environmental impacts and preservation (environmental
pollution, global warming, greenhouse effects, polar ice melting, contaminate...)
- Key grammatical structures: should/ shouldn’t (do something); had better (do something)

C. INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES
- 4 pictures of 4 types of environmental pollution: water, noise, soil, air pollution
- The website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1KxC-S7QgA
- A worksheet: A cause and effect graphic organizer of environmental pollution
- A reading passage about environmental pollution

STAGE 2 – ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance
Performance Tasks Assessment tools
Products
1. Recite the definition of 1. Student’s 1. The definition is in the
environmental pollution recitation first paragraph of the
2. Students’ answers passage.
2. Complete a cause & effect (completed graphic 2. Answer key, peer-
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graphic organizer for reading organizer) correction, S-T correction
comprehension

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 3. Discuss one type of environmental 3. Sts’ discussions/ 3. Observation
problem that their school/ community is interaction
suffering and practical solutions for the
problem

4. Design a poster showing one type of 4. Group’s poster 4. a rubric for assessing the
pollution and its causes and effects on (causes and effects poster and the oral
the natural environment and the health of one presentation, selecting or
of the local people, and giving practical environmental taking photos about
advice or specific actions to reduce the problem & advices environmental pollution in
threat. (using a rubric for assessing the to reduce the threat) students’ community
poster)

5. Give a poster presentation explaining 5. Group’ oral 5. Observation

one type of environmental problems, its presentation
cause & effects and solutions for the
problem
6. Student’s 6. Self-assessment, group
6. Perform their responsibility for behaviour/ assessment, informal
conserving the environment at home, at performance/ actions interviews, conversations
school or in their community

7. Create or make an action plan at 7. Student’s 7. Self-assessment, group

home at school or in their community behaviour/ assessment, informal
performance/ actions interviews, conversations

STAGE 3 – LEARNING PLAN

Activity 1: Brainstorming
- Ask students to brainstorm what they know about environmental pollution.
- Elicit the students’ ideas and lay out on the board (use the K-W-L graphic organizer
if necessary).

Activity 2: Reading
- Have students scan the first paragraph of the passage about environmental pollution (handout
1) and answer the two following questions.
1. What is environmental pollution?
2. How many types of pollution are mentioned in the passage? What are they?
- Elicit the answers and get feedback. Correct the students’ mistakes if necessary.
- Ask students to read the passage and complete the Cause and Effect Map (handout 2). May
use the Think-Pair-Share technique in this activity.
- Check student’s understandings and confirm the correct answers.

Activity 3: Video
- Have students watch a video clip about the four basic types of pollution and complete the
chart below with the main information they got from the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1KxC-S7QgA

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 POLLUTION
Air Water Noise Soil
Causes
Effects
Solutions
- Have students compare their answers with their group members.
- Check student’s understandings and confirm the correct answers.

Activity 4: Project
- Introduce the aims of the project on environmental pollution. (Appendixes 1-6)
- Ask students to read the instructions and guidelines on the project teamwork plan, the poster,
the checklist, the oral presentation and the scoring rubrics for the oral presentation and the
poster.
- Have students discuss in groups to find one type of environmental problem that their
school/ community is suffering and write some practical advice on how to reduce this
type of pollution and an action plan.
- Ask groups of students made a poster about the type of pollution including causes and effects,
and pictures/ photos to illustrate the pollution problem. (Remind that the Project is to be
done outside the class.)
- Ask students make an oral presentation on the type of pollution by using the designed poster.

Activity 5: Project show (Poster & Oral presentation)

- Have students present the final outcomes of their work in the project show:
o Set the time for each group to present and rules. For example, each group has 5-7
minutes to present their project and 2-3 minutes for question and answer section.)
o While one group is presenting its project, the others must observe, tick the checklist and
give comments (appendix 4).
- Observe and take notes while groups are presenting their projects.
- Have the class walk around and vote to decide which group had the best poster and the best
advice or suggestions.
- Use the rubrics for the project poster and for the oral presentation (appendix 5 &6).
- Give constructive and positive feedback.
- Praise feasible projects that completely meet the requirements.

Activity 6: Wrap-up & Lesson core values

- Ask students the following questions to identify core values of the lesson.
- What have you learned today? - What is the value of your project?
- How do you feel about your project? - When do you intend to carry out your plan?
- Encourage students to perform positive attitudes and behavior about preserving the
environment by using reliable and practical methods.

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Reading passage
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Environmental pollution is one of the impacts of human activities on the earth. It is also one
of the biggest problems of the world today. The environmental pollution is the cause of some
disease that most people do not know about. There are four types of pollution, namely, air
pollution, soil pollution, water pollution and noise pollution.

Most of the air pollution results from the burning of fossil fuels, motor vehicles, factories,
aircraft and rockets. This can cause acid rain which damages water, soil, vegetation. Air
pollution also contributes to the greenhouse effect which can lead to series of environmental
problems such as global warming, polar ice melting, rise of sea levels and loss of land.

Soil pollution is a result of dumping plastic or other inorganic waste in the ground and the
over use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture. The long-term effects of soil pollution are
contaminated vegetation and the decrease of soil fertility.

Water pollution is a result of dumping pollutants such as detergents, pesticides, oil and other
chemicals in rivers, which makes the water unclean or contaminated. Rubbish blockages in
rivers can also cause pollution. The effects of water pollution include the destructions of
ecosystem of rivers, lakes and the pollution of groundwater, surface water and seawater.

Noise pollution is caused by loud and annoying sounds of motor vehicles, railway, aircraft
and jet engines, factory machinery and musical instruments. It can cause stress
psychological and health problems for humans such as increased heart rate and hearing
damage.

Environmental pollution is becoming an increasingly serious problem or threat that needs to

be taken care of as soon as possible, not only for the sake of the environment, but also for
the people that live in it.

Vietnam MOET (2014) Tiếng Anh 10: Student book 2, p.41. Hanoi: Education Publishing
House and Pearson

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 CAUSE & EFFECT MAP

Air pollution ………………………………

……………………………….. ………………………………

Soil pollution ………………………………

……………………………… ………………………………

ENVIRONMENTAL

Water pollution POLLUTION ………………………………

……………………………… ………………………………

………………………………
Noise pollution
………………………………
………………………………

RELIABLE
SOLUTIONS

………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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 CAUSE & EFFECT MAP KEY

Air pollution - greenhouse effect

burning of fossil fuels,
motor vehicles, factories, - global warming
aircraft and rockets
- polar ice melting

Soil pollution
- contaminated vegetation
dumping plastic or other
inorganic waste in the - decrease of soil fertility
ground

ENVIRONMENTAL
Water pollution - destruction of ecosystem
POLLUTION
dumping pollutants: of rivers & lakes
detergents, pesticides, oil - pollution of groundwater
& other chemicals in surface water & seawater
rivers

Noise pollution - stress psychological &

loud and annoying sounds health problems for
of motor vehicles, factory
humans (increased heart
machinery, musical
instruments rate & hearing damage)

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APPENDIX 1
PROJECT TEAMWORK PLAN

Project Name

Team Members
Product: Due Date:
Person responsible
Task Timeline Comment
(A responsible person
(Activities need to be (An expected (Comments are
must be identified for
done) completion date) optional.)
each action step)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

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APPENDIX 2
GUIDELINES ON ORAL PRESENTATION

Name of the project:

Names of the group members: 1. _ _ 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

I. INTRODUCTION

1. Group members

2. Introducing name of project

3. Reasons for choosing this type of pollution

II. CONTENT

A. Causes

B. Effects

C. Solutions/ Advice

III. CONCLUSION

1. Concluding the contents

2. Giving some key values

IV. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Answer questions related to the topic from the teacher and the audience.

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APPENDIX 3
GUIDELINES ON THE POSTER LAYOUT

Your PROJECT POSTER may follow the layout below (or you may create your own)

CAUSES
NAME OF PROJECT: EFFECTS
Cause 1: image 1 Effect 1: image 1
…………………….. ……………………..
…………………….. (Illustration) ……………………..

Cause 2: image 2 TYPE OF POLLUTION Effect 2: image 2

……………………
Cause 3: image 3 ……………………..
..
…………………….. ……………………..
……………………..
(Illustration)
Effect 3: image 3
SOLLUTIONS/ ADVICE ……………………..
(Write some practical advice on how to reduce this type of pollution and an action plan.)
……………………..
Illustration

Illustration Illustration Illustration

Illustration
(Action
Message)
GROUP MEMBERS:
1………………………………. 2.
………………………….
3………………………………. 4.
………………………….

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APPENDIX 4

CHECKLIST FOR POSTER

Project: Teacher: Group:
Class:

YES (√) /
MARKING CRITERIA COMMENTS
NO (X)
NAME OF THE Have you chosen one type of environmental
PROJECT pollution?
Have you had a group leader?
Have your leader assigned tasks to all members?
Have your group listed tasks and plans that you
intend to do?
Have you searched the information from
magazines, newspapers, the Internet, or
PREPARATION libraries?
Have you taken your own photos of your
community?
Have you compiled, evaluated, and synthesized
the relevant information?
Have you discuss the type of pollution in terms
of:
- Causes?
- Effects?
DISCUSSION - Solutions/ advice?
- Others?
Is your advice practical and helpful to your
community?
Are illustrated picture/ photos eye-catching
meaningful, and understandable for the
addressed pollution problem
ILLUSTRATION Handwriting on the poster is neat and easy to
& TEXT read?
Are items of importance on the poster are
clearly labeled with labels that can be read from
at least 4 meters far?
Does your poster include:
- title of the project?
- name of group members?
- main contents with causes, effects and
solutions/ advice?
DESIGN - main contents with headings and sub-
headings?
Have you illustrated the causes and effects with
pictures/ photos?
Have you designed the poster in a logical order?

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APPENDIX 5

Criteria 4 3POSTER 2 1 Score

The poster RUBRIC All but 1 of
All required Several
Teacher: includes all elements are the required required Group:
Required required included on the Class:
elements is not elements were Topic:
Elements elements as well poster. included on missing.
as additional the poster.
information.
All graphics and All graphics and Some graphics Many
texts are related texts are related and texts do graphics and
Graphics & to the topic and to the topic and not relate to texts do not
Texts make it easy to most make it the topic and it relate to the
understand. easy to is not easy to topic and it is
understand. understand. very difficult
to understand.
The poster is The poster is The poster is The poster is
exceptionally attractive in acceptably distractingly
attractive in terms terms of design, attractive messy or very
Attractiveness
of design, layout, layout and though it may poorly
&
and neatness and neatness and the be a bit messy designed. It is
Organization
the information is information is and the not attractive.
very well- well-organized. information is
organized organized
acceptably.
Ideas and several Ideas and one or The graphics No graphics
of the graphics two of the are made by made by the
used on the graphics used on the student, but student are
poster reflect an the poster reflect are based on included and
Ideas &
exceptional student creativity the designs or the ideas are
Design
degree of student in their creation ideas of others. not creative at
creativity in their and/or display. all.
creation and/or
display
Capitalization There are 3 or 4 There are 5 or There are
punctuation, errors in 6 errors in more than 6
spelling and capitalization, capitalization, errors in
Mechanics & grammar are punctuation, punctuation, capitalization,
Grammar almost correct spelling or spelling, or punctuation,
throughout the grammar on the grammar on spelling, or
poster. poster. the poster grammar on
the poster
Total score / 20

18-20: Excellent, 16-17: Good, 13-15: Satisfactory, 10-12: Unsatisfactory, <10 redo is required
(Adapted from http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?
screen=CustomizeTemplate&bank_rubric_id=32&section_id= 2&)

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APPENDIX 6

ORAL PRESENTATION RUBRIC Topic:

Teacher: Group:

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1 SCORE
Shows a full Shows a good Shows a good Does not
understandin Understanding understanding seem to
Content g of the topic. of the topic. of parts of the understand
topic. the topic very
well.
Student is Student is able Student is able Student is
able to to accurately to accurately unable to
accurately answer most answer a few accurately
answer Questions questions answer
almost all posted by posted by questions
Comprehension questions classmates classmates posted by
posted by about the about the classmates
classmates topic. topic. about the
about the topic.
topic.
Speaks Speaks clearly Speaks clearly Often
clearly and and distinctly and distinctly mumbles or
Clear speech distinctly all most (89-75%) about 74-60% cannot be
And (100-90%) the time, but of the time. understood
Pronunciation the time, and mispronounces Mispronounce OR
mispronounc 3, 4 or 5 s no more than mispronounce
es no words words. 7 words s more than 9
or 1-2 words words.
Facial Facial Facial Very little use
expressions Expressions expressions of facial
and body and body and body expressions
language Language language are or body
generate a Sometimes used to try to language. Did
strong generate a generate not generate
Enthusiasm interest and strong interest enthusiasm, much interest
enthusiasm And but seem in topic being
about the Enthusiasm somewhat presented.
topic with the about the topic pretended.
others. with the
others.
Student is Student seems The student is Student does
completely Pretty somewhat not seem at
prepared and prepared but prepared, but all prepared
Preparedness has fully might have it is clear that to present.
rehearsed. needed a rehearsal was
couple more lacking.
rehearsals.
/ 20
Total score

18-20: Excellent, 16-17: Good, 13-15: Satisfactory, 10-12: Unsatisfactory, <10 redo is required
(Adapted from http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=CustomizeTemplatePrint&)

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