LESSON PLAN

Teacher: Popescu Delia-Nicoleta

School: Ion Simionescu Lilieci-Hemeius
Date: 15th December 2011
Grade: 7th, 2 classes/week
Time: 50 minutes
Number of students: 20
Level: intermediate
Textbook: High Flyer
Unit 7: Mars
Type of lesson: mixed
Aims of the lesson: 1. to introduce new vocabulary;
2. to activate the students language related to astronomy;
Cognitive objectives:
1. to get the students express thoughts and exchange personal opinions in
English;
2. to practise scanning the text for specific information ;
3. to develop comprehension skills;
Teaching methods: brainstorming, conversation, dialogue, exercise, explanation, KWL
technique, crossword;
Skills: reading, speaking, listening, writing.
Evaluation:
- initial: homework check-up;
- continue: through activities, error correction;
- final: through oral and written feed-back and homework;
Materials: - Textbook Highflyer-intermediate by Ana Acevedo & Marisol Gower;
-Power Point Presentation: Earth versus Mars;
-1 large chart paper, sticky notes, markers;
-video projector;
-handouts.

132

STAGES OF THE LESSON:

ACTIVITY 1: ORGANIZATIONAL MOMENT: (1`)

Procedure: T. enters the classroom, greets the Ss., and then asks if there are any absentees. The
S. on duty tells if there are any.
Aims: -to assure the introductive part of the lesson.
Skills: speaking
Techniques: Informal conversation, questioning.
Interaction: T-S; S-T;

ACTIVITY 2: WARM UP-GAME You say, we pay (4`)

Procedure:

T. shows one S an image or something relevant to the topic. Then the S has to describe the image
to the rest of the class, without saying exactly what it is.
Aims: - to revive the spirit of the class and assure a proper atmosphere for the lesson.
Skills: speaking
Techniques: conversation, brainstorming, miming;
Interaction: T-S; S-S.

ACTIVITY 3: CHECKING PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE AND HOMEWORK (5`)

Procedure:

T. asks the Ss. about their homework, first a frontal check -Has everybody done the
homework? Tell me, what was your homework for today?, then individually by making a
selection of the Ss. that are about to read, check and correct their homework while T. offers Ss.
the feedback, making corrections where necessary.
Aims: - to check previous knowledge;
- to assure the feedback for the Ss` work at home;
133

- to put the Ss. in the situation of reading, checking and correcting their written
production.
Skills: speaking, reading.
Techniques: conversation, explanations if necessary.
Interaction: T-S; S-T;

ACTIVITY 4: PRE-READING ACTIVITIES (15)

Procedure:
T creates a large KWL chart for the entire class:
What I Know about Mars
What I Want to know about
What I have Learned about
Mars
Mars
T hands out sticky notes and asks Ss to write two things they know about Mars and two
things they want to know about Mars on separate sticky notes;
Ss place the sticky notes with what they know on chart 1 and what they want to know on
chart 2;
T asks Ss to read each note. T explains to the class that the sticky notes will move over to
chart 3 as they learn about Mars through their activities;
T shows to Ss a PPP : Earth vs. Mars; T asks questions related to each slide: e.g. Which
planet is this? What does it look like? Which planet is bigger?
The last slide shows the image of the solar system; after ending the presentation, the T
asks Ss to look at ex.1/30 in the Students Book : in pairs, Ss have to put the planets in
order from the nearest to the furthest from the sun;
Aims: -to inform Ss. about the topic of the lesson.
-to activate previous knowledge related to the topic;
- to guide the Ss. to the discovery of the lesson topic in order to capture their interest.
Skills: listening, speaking, reading;
Techniques: conversation, questioning; KWL technique ;
Interaction: T-Ss, PW.

ACTIVITY 5: WHILE-READING ACTIVITIES (10)

Procedure:

T tells Ss that they are going to read an interview about a project on conquering Mars; T
asks Ss to focus on the difference between skimming ( getting a rough idea/gist of the
134

content) technique which they learned about in Unit 2-Comics, and scanning
(searching for particular kinds of information);
T explains that in the interview the questions are used as subheadings; Ss have to scan the
text and solve the task from ex.3/30;
T checks the answers with the class as a whole;
Aims: - to practise scanning the text for specific information;
Skills: speaking, reading, listening;
Techniques: explanation, scanning;
Interaction: T-Ss, IW;

ACTIVITY 6: POST-READING ACTIVITIES: VOCABULARY PRACTICE (12)

Procedure:

T gives Ss handouts with a crossword exercise; Ss have the definitions of the words
related to the topic, which they met in the interview;
After solving the exercise and checking the answers with the whole class, the T asks Ss to
go to the chart she made at the beginning of the lesson and move the sticky notes from
What I Want to know to What I have Learned, according to the knowledge they
acquired during the class;

Aims: -to practise the new vocabulary met in the lesson;

-to make Ss gather, evaluate and synthesize data from a variety of sources.
Skills: speaking, reading; writing, listening;
Techniques: explanation, scanning, crossword ;
Interaction: T-Ss, PW

ACTIVITY 7: ASSIGNING HOMEWORK (2`)

Procedures:

T. asks Ss. to look at exercise number 4/31 in the Students book and tells Ss. that it is their
homework for the next class.
Aim: - to consolidate and use the new vocabulary by working at home.
Interaction: T-Ss.

135

ACTIVITY 8: EVALUATION (1`)

Procedures: T. appreciates Ss.` activity both verbally -praising their activity- and by giving
marks.
Aim: -to increase Ss.` self-confidence and encourage them in their study of English.
Interaction: T-Ss.

136

HANDOUT

Complete the crossword with words from the interview 2010: Mars!. You are given the
definitions of the words. On the central line (down) you will discover a key-word!
Across
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

8
9
10
11

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

A craft capable of traveling in outer space.

To travel for the purpose of discovery.
Any of the celestial bodies that revolve around the sun in the solar system.
Deprived of life/ not having the capacity to support life.
The top layer of the surface of the Earth (or other planet), consisting of humus and
disintegrated rock.
6. The extended two-dimensional outer boundary of a three-dimensional object.
7. The 4th planet from the sun.
8. A mechanism that can move automatically.
9. The act of coming down to the Earth or other surface
10. Any organism of microscopic size.
137

11. The act of propelling with force a device or craft.

138