Activity 1: Companies:
Good or Evil?
Activity/Procedure/Stage
Interaction
Ss call out four different ways of defining phrasal
OC
verbs (learned from last class). Open class (OC)
review of separable/inseparable,
transitive/intransitive phrasal verbs. T reminds Ss
to be careful that sometimes transitive/intransitive
(object/no object) changes meaning of phrasal
verb.
In pairs, Ss describe the two pictures on the PPT
using phrasal verbs they learned last class.
1.1 Pre-Stage: In pairs, Ss activate schemata w/
best company chart. Pairs decide which is the
best company in its category and why they think it
is the best (open-ended responses are expected).
Open class, T calls on Ss to report on which
company they chose and why.
T writes on board names of companies Ss chose. If
running out of time, T will selectively call on
groups to answer each category.
1.2. During Stage: T writes the word ethical on
the board and gives Ss a minute to look at the
word and think. In pairs, Ss will take a minute to
discuss what they think the word means. After a
short discussion, T asks Ss to give a definition. Ss
may call out a definition. If no Ss call out a
definition, T asks if any Ss think one of the
companies listed on the board is ethical. This
will allow those Ss who may not be able to offer up
a clear definition of ethical to show their
knowledge in other ways. T will ask why Ss think
[Company X] is ethical. T will elicit examples of
Time
10-15 min
S-S
S-S
OC
15-20 mins
T-Ss
OC
S-S
30 mins
T-Ss
Ss-Ss
OC
30 mins
T-Ss
5-10 mins
Materials: PPT, board, markers, extra copies of HW (in case Ss forget to bring it)
Anticipated Problems & Suggested Solutions: The goal of this lesson is to get students practicing the two
phrasal verbs and one idiomatic expression from the homework. One problem that may arise is students may not
do the homework. If this happens, I will need to take extra time to have them discuss the meaning of those three
vocabulary words first with a partner and then as a class. In order to adjust for this, I will plan to take out the
Privacy/Scenario activity in Activity #2. Depending on the time, I might be able to keep that in and just shorten
the time students spend in broad-group discussions in Activity #3.
Another problem may be that students do not use the targeted phrasal verbs or are using them incorrectly. I try
to always plan for this, as it is a language class. Both Christopher and I will be walking around during smalland broad-group discussions encouraging students to use the three targeted vocabulary words in their responses.
If I notice just one or two students are having trouble using the phrasal verbs correctly, I will help correct them
during pair work. If all the students are having trouble using the phrasal verbs correctly (e.g., trying to make it
separable when it is inseparable), I will take a moment to temporarily bring the students attention to the board
and go over the errors together. I will then have the students continue with their discussions, focusing on the
forms we just went over.
Timing, as mentioned previously, is always an issue. Each group of students is different. Even though I may
have done an activity many times, some groups will take more time than others to go through the activity;
additionally, some will enjoy it and others may not. I like to have some alternatives in case I have more time left
than I originally anticipated; I am running out of time; or I need an alternative because the current activity is not
going well. Realistically, I do not think we will have enough time to spend all 30 minutes on Activity 3: Broad
Group Discussion. However, I know these students like broad-group discussions, so I have planned for that in
case the previous activity does not go over well or the students finish quickly.
Contingency Plans (what you will do if you finish early, etc.): See Timing above.