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1 Text-Based Grammar Activities Based on Genevieve Pepper
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Text-Based Grammar Activities
Based on
Genevieve Pepper
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Table of ContentsIntroduction……………………………………………………………..3
Presentation and Analysis………………………………………....3
Teaching Context………………………………………………...10
Overview of Activities…………………………………………...11
Activity 1: Prepositions………………………………………………..13
Activity 2: Adjectives………………………………………………….19
Activity 3: Simple Past Tense………………………………………….23
Activity 4: Possessive Pronouns /Adjectives…………………………..30
Activity 5: Progressive –ing……………………………………………33
References……………………………………………………………...38
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Grammar Presentation and Analysis
Activity 1: Prepositions
Prepositions are words in sentences that are followed by a noun, a proper noun, a pronoun, a
noun phrase, or a gerund. The element that follows a preposition in a sentence is referred to as
the objects of the preposition. Prepositions are mostly used to indicate a temporal, spatial, or
logical relationship between its object and the rest of the sentence (Celce-M., Larsen-F., 1999).
They are usually one word (e.g. in, at, near, etc.), but can also be two or three words (e.g. on top
of, in back of, etc.).
Prepositions are complex units of the English language. This can be explained by the fact that
there is no one-to-one correspondence between a preposition and its meaning. Indeed, one
preposition can express various meanings. Also, various prepositions can be used to express one
meaning. This variation in use can be difficult for language learners to understand.
Examples:
Time:
i. I’ll be there at midnight.
ii. We will meet on Monday.
iii. Supper is in two hours.
Location:
i. They flew to the ground.
ii. They sat on the broomstick.
iii. He rose from the ground.
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Logic:
i. I read a book by Mark Twain.
ii. We will make our way on foot.
Different prepositions used for the same meaning:
The book is near the bookshelf.
The book is by the bookshelf.
Same preposition used with different meaning:
The ruler is in the pencil case.
We will meet in two hours.
Activity 2: Adjectives
Adjectives are units of the English language that describe the qualities of something; their
function is to modify or complement nouns (Celce-M., Larsen-F., 1999). Celce-Murcia and
Larson-Freeman (1999) explain that there are two different types of adjectives: attributive and
predicative. Attributive adjectives are placed before the noun they are describing or qualifying.
Predicative adjective are located after linking verbs (Celce-M., Larsen-F., 1999). There are also
instances where an adjective follows a noun. These are called postnominal adjectives, and are
often interpreted as temporary states (Celce-M., Larsen-F., 1999).
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In the English language, adjectives do not agree in number and gender with the noun they
modify or complement. Some adjectives can have inflectional morphemes to create superlative
or comparative forms (Celce-M., Larsen-F., 1999). Superlative adjectives are used to express
extreme degrees, whereas comparative adjectives compare two units.
When there is more than one adjective in a sentence, the order in which they occur is usually
from the more general to the more specific adjective.
Examples:
Attributive adjective:
The old man sat on the chair.
Predicative adjective:
That man is responsible.
Postnominal adjective:
The only car drivable was not big enough.
Superlative form:
She was the tallest girl in class.
Comparative form:
She was taller than the other girls.
Order of adjectives:
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The nice tasty soup is served.
Activity 3: The Simple Past Tense
The simple past expresses an action (a simple action, a repetitive action, or a long-lasting
action) that occurred in the past and that is completed. Celce-Murcia and Larsen-Freeman (1999)
argue that the simple past tense creates a sense of “remoteness”, because it expresses a sense of
completion.
Conjugating a verb into the simple past tense requires speakers and writers to use the base
form of regular verbs, and add an inflectional “–ed”. It is important to mention that this rule
applies for regular verbs only. Irregular verbs are verbs that do not end with “-ed” in the simple
past. Their spelling varies when conjugated in this tense.
It is important to teach the simple past to language learners, because they will often
encounter these forms. For example, since the simple past is often used to state facts, English
speakers and writers can often use this tense in conversations or in written productions.
Since these are young learners, the activity will focus on regular verbs in the past tense.
The reasoning behind this choice is to allow students to recognize and familiarize themselves
with the “-ed” pattern of the past tense in certain verbs.
Examples:
Regular verbs:
Verb: Play
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I played football yesterday.
They played in the snow last Christmas.
Verb: push
He pushed her off the chair.
We pushed the limits.
Irregular verbs:
Verb: Drink
I drank too much.
You drank water last night.
Activity 4: Possessive Pronouns
Pronouns are used to replace nouns in sentences. There are various types of pronouns:
personal (e.g. I, you), demonstrative (e.g. those, this), interrogative (e.g. which), indefinite (e.g.
none, several), possessive (e.g. your, their), reflexive (e.g. herself, itself), reciprocal (e.g. each
other), and relative (e.g. which, who). Pronouns are useful, because they limit repetitiveness, and
help organize thoughts.
The focus of this analysis is on possessive pronouns and adjectives. These pronouns and
adjectives are used to indicate possession; something or someone that belongs to someone. The
following are the possessive pronouns that are used in English: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours,
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theirs. There are also possessive adjectives used before nouns, such as: my, your, his, her, its,
our, and their.
Understanding the importance of possessive pronouns and adjectives, as well as how to
use them, is essential for language learners. Indeed, this will facilitate communication and help
them get their message across clearly and concisely.
Examples:
Possessive pronouns:
This book is mine.
He said that the apartment was yours.
John wanted his pencil back.
His car is faster than mine.
That food is not theirs.
Possessive Adjectives:
This is my book.
That is your pencil.
I like his sweater.
I like her nail polish
Activity 5: The “- ing” Form
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In the English language, the “-ing” form can be inflected on verbs to fulfill various
functions. Indeed, “-ing” can be have the role of a verb, noun, or adjective.
When acting as a verb, the “-ing” form expresses the progressive aspect. In other words,
it conveys an action that is in progress of occurring. When it acts as a noun, the “-ing” form is
attached to the base of a verb and creates a gerund. Once again, the aspect of progression can be
felt in sentences with gerunds. Finally, when the “-ing” form is attached to a verb base to form a
participle, it acts as an adjective and modifies a noun. These participles also express the aspect of
progression in the sentence.
Thus, it is important to teach the “-ing” form to language learners, because it gives them
insight into how to express progression, which is important when communicating, reading, and
writing.
Examples:
“-ing” form as a verb:
i. She was studying math.
ii. He was writing an essay.
“-ing” form as a noun:
i. Studying English is quite complicated.
ii. Talking to Eloise was fun.
“-ing” form as an adjective:
i. Out from the bushes leaped a dripping wet dog.
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ii. The book was boring.
Teaching Context
This is a fourth grade classroom in a public elementary school in Laval. The student body
is multicultural, and the first language spoken by most of the students is French. The class has 20
students. There are 8 boys and 12 girls. Their overall proficiency in English is intermediate. They
have had experience with the target language, but still need a lot of guidance to further their
language abilities. This can be observed when the students use French in the classroom. Indeed,
although the teacher strongly encourages the use of the target language at all times in the
classroom, many students might not feel comfortable with English yet, and refer back to French
when they want to communicate their thoughts. Consequently, activities in this class must be
engaging and promote risk-taking and communication in the target language.
The students have had many lessons on vocabulary and have gotten more familiar with
the language repertoire of this unit. Therefore, the shift can be made towards teaching certain
features of English grammar. It was important to teach the vocabulary first, because this allows
students to focus more of their attention on understanding the mechanics of the language, instead
of having to focus on both the meaning and form at the same time. This can encourage them to
take risks, to engage fully, and to reinvest their understanding of new grammatical knowledge.
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Overview of Text-Based Activities
Students will be working on their grammar unit using the enchanting children’s book
“Room on the Broom” by Julia Donaldson. They have been studying this book for several
classes, and have become familiar with the vocabulary it presents. This book was chosen to help
students learn about grammar in an engaging and meaningful way.
The main goal of this unit is to enable students to learn new grammatical features of the
English language using an authentic text that they have familiarized themselves with (i.e. “Room
on the Broom”). The activities in this unit focus on helping the students use inductive learning to
further their knowledge of the grammar of the target language. Inductive learning means that
students will be discovering grammatical features by experiencing them, instead of being given
rules and asked to apply them (Thornbury, 1999). Thus, this approach is closely linked to the
way natural acquisition occurs in the first language. Using inductive learning also allows
students to apply what they have learned outside of the classroom setting. Indeed, discovering
the grammatical patterns and generalizing them to a broader context is one of the main objectives
of this unit.
Teaching grammar to young ESL learners is important for their target language
development. Although young learners need a significant amount of exposure and practice with
the target language to perfect their abilities, teaching them about grammar is valuable to their
capability to produce the language. In their book Teaching Grammar Creatively, Gerngross,
Puchta, and Thornbury (2006) explain that learners need to understand before being able to
produce.
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The activities in this unit follow the Discovery-Consolidation-Use method presented in
Gerngross, Puchta, and Thornbury’s (2006) book. This method was chosen over the PPP
formula, because it is student centered and respects the level of comfort that students experience
with the language.
Each lesson is introduced by a lead-in activity that serves to engage students immediately
in the learning experience. The lead-in activity is followed by exercises that aim to help students
discover grammatical features using inductive learning (discovery), learn about and practice the
roles and use of these features (consolidation), and apply their newly acquire knowledge to a
broader context (use).
Hence, learning grammar can be difficult for young learners. However, it is important
that students are engaged and encouraged to explore the target language and take risks to develop
their language abilities. These lessons aim to guide students towards discovering their second
language in a meaningful way.
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Activity 1: Prepositions
Aim: The aim of this activity is to introduce prepositions and the different ways they can be used in sentences.
Lead-in activity:
The teacher projects an image from the book (see “sample image” below) with the projector. If the projector does not work, the teacher will have a printed version of the picture. The printed version of the picture must be big enough so that every student in each group can clearly see it.
The teacher announces to the students that the class will begin with a small competition.
Discovery:
1. The class is split into four groups of five students. Each group must form a line facing the image.
2. On a desk, in front of each group, there is a pile of flashcards (every team has the same flashcards). The flashcards will have prepositions printed on them. These will serve as answers during the activity.*Variation: The teacher can divide the teams by putting the stronger students together and the less advanced students together. The teacher can give the more advanced students flashcards containing only the preposition words, whereas the less advanced students can have flashcards that include prepositions, with supporting drawings for better understanding (see “flashcard sample” below).
3. The teacher will say a sentence describing the picture (the teacher can act out a little to help students with difficult vocabulary). The sentence will be shaped to elicit responses in which students must use prepositions (see “fill-in the blank” below). The sentences are structured as “fill-in the blank”. Therefore, the teacher can write the sentences on the board as they are being said; leaving a space where the correct answer will be missing.
4. The first student of every team must choose the flashcard with the correct preposition on it to complete the sentence correctly.
5. Each student that chooses the right preposition gets a point for their team.6. The teacher writes the correct answer in the blank space of the sentence, using a different
colored chalk so that it stands out.7. The next student in each row does the same, and so on.8. Repeat this activity at least 5 times, so that all the students get the opportunity to
participate.9. The team with the most points wins the game.
*Variation: If there is a tie, the teacher will ask the teams involved in the tie a question, and the first team to answer with a preposition, without looking at the flashcards, wins.
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10. After all the students have played, and the winning team has been congratulated (and other teams have been praised for great participation), the students will return to their seats.
11. The teacher will explain that the words that are in color on the blackboard are prepositions; and that these types of words can be used to indicate time and place.
Consolidation:
1. The teacher will project two different images from the book simultaneously (see “sample double images” below).
2. The teacher will read a sentence from the book, which contains one (or many) prepositions (see “double images” below). While reading, the teacher will also write the sentence on the blackboard, and underline the preposition(s).*Variation: The teacher can ask the stronger students to identify which word(s) in the sentence written on the board is/are the preposition(s).
3. The teacher will point to one of the images, and ask the students to raise their hands if they believe that the sentence previously uttered corresponds with that image. The teacher will do the same for the second image.
4. The teacher will indicate which picture matches the sentence.5. The teacher will ask various students why they chose the picture they chose. The teacher
can use scaffolding and guiding questions to help students (e.g. does the bird have something IN its beak?).
6. Repeat this activity 4-5 times.
Use:
1. The students are divided into five teams of four students.2. One student from each team must tell the three other students to complete an action by
placing something (e.g. an object, themselves, …) somewhere (on the chair, under the desk, …).
3. In order for the students to understand, the teacher models the activity with two students (e.g. the teacher tells the two students to “take their pencil in their hand” and does the action with them to ensure comprehension).
4. Each student takes their turn directing the other students in their group. The flashcards used at the beginning are available at the front of the class for students who need reminders or help.
5. The teacher walks around the room and listens and intervenes if necessary.
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Sample image:
Fill-in the blank:
The witch is sitting __________ the broom.
The dog has a pot ________ his paw.
The cat is sitting _______ the dog.
The frog is jumping ____ the broom.
All the animals are _________ the witch.
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Flashcards:
IN ON
NEXT TO BEHIND
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Double images:
“There bounded a dog with the hat in his jaws.”
“There flapped a green bird with the bow in her beak.”
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“The witch’s half-broomstcik flew into a cloud, […]”
“From out of a ditch rose a horrible beast.”
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Activity 2: Adjectives
Aim: The aim of this activity is to introduce and familiarize students with the use of adjectives to modify nouns.
Lead-in activity:
Before the class begins, the teacher writes on the blackboard the following:
“I spy with my little eyes, something...”
As soon as the students enter the classroom and take their seats, they can notice this sentence written in big letters.
The teacher explains to the students that they will be playing a game together, where someone will have to make the classroom guess an object, without naming it. The students must always use the sentence on the board every time they give a clue. The students have to describe the object as much as possible in order for the classroom to reach the appropriate answer.
Discovery:
1. The teacher begins the activity by doing it first. The teacher uses the sentence “I spy with my little eyes, something…” repetitively to model the activity for students. The teacher uses adjectives to describe the object chosen.
2. Every time the teacher gives a clue (i.e. an adjective), the word is written on the blackboard. This helps the students remember the clues, and gives them a visual representation of adjectives.
3. The student who guesses the object gets to make the class guess another object. The object chosen by the student must be approved by the teacher, to ensure that it is possible to describe with their language repertoire and appropriate adjectives.
4. The teacher acts as a guide and facilitator for the student giving clues. The teacher can help the student come up with ideas.
5. Repeat this activity four or five times.6. After the last student has passed, the teacher asks the students what the words written on
the blackboard were used for. This question is used to elicit responses which refer to words that are used for descriptions. The teacher can use scaffolding and guiding questions to help the students reach the desired response.
Consolidation:
1. Students will be divided into 5 groups of four.2. Each group will have a handout that has a passage from the book written on it (see
“Adjective Handout”). However, there are missing some adjectives on the handout (fill in
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the blank). Every group’s handout is identical (they are all missing the same adjectives and the same number of adjectives).
3. Students will line up in their groups at the back of the class. On the blackboard, which is at the front of the class, the teacher will leave the book open to the page which has the appropriate passage.
4. One student from each team must race to the front, write down one word that they saw is missing in the passage on the handout, and write it down at the appropriate place on the handout.*Variation: The teacher may ask higher level students to try and memorize the word instead of writing it down.
5. The second student in each group does the same once the word is written on the handout. 6. This continues until one team has completed the activity. The first team to finish must
raise their hand. The teacher will verify their answers. If they are correct, they win.7. The teacher places a copy of the handout on the projector and goes over the missing
words. The teacher continuously mentions that these words are used to describe and are called adjectives.
Use:
1. Students will be given a blank piece of paper. 2. They will be asked to draw their version of the “monster”.3. On their drawing, students will be asked to write down five words that best describe their
monster (e.g. big, scary, mean, loud, etc.).*Variation: The teacher could ask more advanced students to write 5 descriptive sentences, using adjectives.
4. The teacher can bring a prepared drawing to model for students (see “Teacher’s Monster”).
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Adjective Handout:
The Monster RaceAdjectives
But just as he planned
To begin on his feast,
From out of a ditch
rose a ___________ beast.
It was ____, ______, and _______,
And feathered and furred.
It had four ________ heads,
It had wings like a bird.
And its ___________ voice,
when it started to speak,
was a ______ and a growl
and a croak and a ________.
It dripped and it squelched
as it strode from the ditch,
And it said to the dragon,
“Buzz off!-
THAT’S MY WITCH!”
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Teacher’s Monster:
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Activity 3: Simple Past (regular verbs)
Aim: This activity aims to introduce the simple past tense to students, using regular verbs. They should walk away with an understanding of the pattern of adding the “-ed” ending to the root word describing the action.
Lead-in activity:
The teacher gives an “action card” to every student (see “action card” below), which has several pictures on it of various actions.
Discovery:
1. The teacher explains that the students must pay close attention, because they will have to identify and circle one image, on the “action card”, that matches the sentence that the teacher will say to them.
2. The teacher will say one sentence to the students, in order for them to find the matching image (the sentence must always be in the past tense). Since the students understand many verbs in the present tense, they will be able to recognize the root word of the conjugated verb, and choose the correct image. These sentences will always have a regular verb in the past tense. The teacher will use as much movement as possible to help the students understand the main verb. Furthermore, the important verb in the sentence will be written on the blackboard.
3. When the students have circled their answer, they must close their eyes and raise their hand. The students must close their eyes, so that the less advanced students, who may need extra time, do not feel pressured or judged.
4. Once the teacher sees that every student has raised their hand, the students are asked to put their hands down and open their eyes.
5. The teacher has a big copy of each image. The sentence will be repeated. The teacher can point to the corresponding verb written on the blackboard while re-stating the sentence.
6. The teacher raises the correct image so that all the students see if they were correct.7. The teacher asks the students how many got the right answer.8. They must all write the verb indicated on the blackboard below the corresponding image.
This will help them have a reminder of the past tense regular verbs with the “-ed” ending.9. Repeat this activity 9 times.10. At the end of this exercise, the blackboard (as well as the students’ “action cards” will
have all the verbs written down. The teacher can then ask the students what they notice about all the verbs (i.e. what do they all have in common?).
11. Once the students notice the “-ed” pattern, the teacher will circle the ending of all the verbs on the board (and encourage the students to do the same on their “action cards”),
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and explain that actions that end with “-ed” describe actions that have already happened in the past.
Consolidation:
1. The students will be split into 5 groups of 4. Every team will have a copy of the book “Room on the Broom”, a timer, and a loose leaf.
2. Each student in the team will have a role: Reader: This student will have control of the book. Timer: This person will keep track of the time. Writer: This person will be writing.The director: This person will make sure everyone is on task.
3. The teams will be given 5 minutes to go through the book and find as many verbs in the past as they can. They must write them down on the loose leaf sheet.
4. After the five minutes have past, the teacher will collect the sheets, and assess which team has found the highest number of verbs in the simple past.
Use:
1. The students will be divided into five teams of four students.2. Three of the four students will be at the back of the class, and the other student will be at
the front. The student at the front of the class will be called the “actor”.3. There are 5 bags containing 6 small pieces of paper with regular verbs written on them
(one bag for each team) at the front of the class (see “acting verbs” below). 4. Each team will have a copy of the “Acting Race” handout (see “Acting Race” handout
below). 5. When the teacher says “go”, the student at the front of the class must pick one paper out
of their bag. One of the three students on the other side of the class must run to the front. The student in the front must act out the verb, while the other student tries to guess what the verb is.*The teacher can help the “actor” by using the verb in a sentence to help the student understand better.
6. Once the correct verb is guessed, the student runs back to the two other students and tells them the verb.
7. The students must write the guessed verb onto the first section of the handout (see “Acting Race” handout below).
8. Once the verb is written, the second student runs to the front of the class. The “actor” must pick another paper and act it out for the other student, and so on.
9. Each student has the opportunity to guess twice. 10. Once the 6 verbs have been guessed, the actor joins the three other teammates. They must
work together to complete the second section of the handout (see “Acting Race” handout below). This section requires them to place the verbs in the appropriate sentences, and
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transform them into the past tense. This helps them notice the context and form of past tense verbs.
11. When they finish their handout, they raise their hand. The teacher goes over their answers. The first team to finish wins!
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Action Card:
Sentences said by the teacher for the action card game:
1. Yesterday, Emilie watched television for 2 hours.2. Jason listened to music all night long.3. Last week, I saw a beautiful puppy that wagged his tail really fast.4. John laughed a lot at the movies last night.5. The baby cried all night long.6. The frog leaped really high!7. Leila and Anthony danced together last year.8. Jessica played hockey last weekend.9. Tony talked to his brother for three hours yesterday.
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List of regular verbs from the book:
Purred Grinned Wailed Cried Searched
Bounded Dropped Pulled Clambered Tapped
Wagged Laughed Flapped Tied Fluttered
Shrieked Clutched Leaped Dried Jumped
Snapped Looked Started Planned Dripped
Squelched Spluttered Climbed Filled Stirred
Muttered
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Action Verbs:
Listen
Dance
Jump
Bark
Kick
Cook
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Acting Race
Write the verbs you have guessed from the Actor:
1- _______________2- _______________3- _______________4- _______________5- _______________6- _______________
Place the verbs in the appropriate sentence AND use the PAST TENSE FORM:
A. Sam loves sports. Every Sunday, his dad brings him to the park. Last Sunday, Sam _____________ the soccer ball so strongly to his dad, that it hit him on the head.
B. Julie always takes her dog for long walks. Yesterday, she was very upset, because her dog _____________ at everyone that passed them by.
C. Last summer, Kayla ___________ hip hop in a big talent show. The judges gave her 1st place, because she was really good!
D. Henry has so much energy. Yesterday, in class, he could not stand still. He ____________ up and down, just like a frog.
E. Last night, Sandy ____________ to his mom and dad talking on the phone. He overheard them talking about Sandy’s birthday gift. He will not spy on his parents’ conversation anymore.
F. Last year, for my sister’s birthday, I _____________ a delicious lasagna. My sister told me it was the best birthday gift ever!
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Activity 4: Possessive Pronouns/Adjectives
Aim: This activity aims to introduce students to the concept of possessive pronouns and adjectives. They will familiarize themselves with the notion of possession and the contexts it can be used in.
Lead-in activity:
The students were asked to bring an item of their choice to class. This object should represent something about them. This activity will introduce students to the topic of possession.
Discovery:
1. The teacher will stand in front of the class and present an important object. This will act as a model of the activity that will take place. Example: This is my ringette stick. I use it to play my favorite sport: ringette. My sister also plays ringette and has a stick. Hers is orange. I prefer mine, because it is red. Red is my favorite color!
2. The teacher will ask the students to pair up.*The teacher can make the pairs if there is a need for more advanced students to be paired together to challenge students accordingly. Also, the teacher could pair more advanced students with lower level students to encourage cooperative learning.
3. The teacher will tell the students that this activity will last five minutes.4. One student in the pair will present their item to their teammate. Since these objects are
meaningful to students and belong to them, this should elicit possessive sentences.5. After the first student has presented their item, the second student does the same.6. The teacher will act as a facilitator during this activity. It is important that the teacher
actively engages in the students’ communicative exchanges. The teacher can answer questions, use scaffolding to inspire students, give guiding questions, etc.
7. The class will come back together. The teacher will write on the blackboard the word “Possession” and explain that this words means that something belongs to someone. Under the word there will be the list of possessive adjectives/pronouns: my/mine, your/yours, his, her/hers, its, our/ours, and their/theirs.
8. The teacher will go through each form, asking students if they can explain/give examples of each possessive adjective and pronoun.
Consolidation:
1. The teacher will project the book on an overhead projector. 2. Every student will be given a handout (see “possessive pronoun handout” below).3. The teacher will read the book to the students. The teacher will make sure to use the
images and scaffolding to help students notice certain aspects of the text that relate to possession. This will help them with the activity later on.
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4. The class will read through the entire book. 5. After they have completed the reading, students will work in pairs to complete the
handout. Every team will have a copy of the book to help find the answers.6. The handout requires them to identify which character(s) corresponds to specific
possessive pronouns or possessive adjectives in various passages pulled from the book. (see “possessive pronouns/adjectives handout” below).
7. After ten minutes have passed, the pairs will divide into new groups, to compare their answers with another partner.
8. After the students have discussed for five minutes, the class will come back as a group and go through the handout. The teacher will ask students to raise their hands to give their answer out loud to the class.
Use:
1. The teacher will ask the students to return in their initial pairs for the item presentation activity.
2. These pairs will be placed with another pair of students to form groups of four.3. Each student will present their partner’s object to the two students who have just joined
them. This will ensure that students are using a new variety of possessive pronouns.*The students will be given five minutes to remind their partner of their object and what it means to them.
4. This section of the activity should last ten minutes.
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Possessive pronouns/adjectives handout:
Possession
List of characters:
Witch Bird Monster
Dog Frog
Cat Dragon
1. “And long ginger hair in a braid down her back.” (HINT: PAGE 1)
Her _______________
2. “As they sat on their broomstick and flew through the wind.” (HINT: PAGE 1)
Their ________________ and __________________
3. “There bounded a dog with the hat in his jaws.” (HINT: PAGE 2)
His ___________________
4. “[…] firmly down on her head.” (HINT: PAGE 3)
Her ___________________
5. “[…] wagged his tail and the stormy wind blew.” (HINT: PAGE 4)
His _________________
6. “But away blew the bow from her braid – just like that.” (HINT: PAGE 4)
Her _________________
7. “[…] with the bow in her beak.” (HINT: PAGE 5)
Her _______________
8. “Buzz off!- THAT’S MY WITCH!” (HINT: PAGE 11)
My _____________________
9. “And he spread out his wings and was off through the sky.” (HINT: PAGE 12)
His ______________________
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Activity 5: Progressive –ing
Aim: This activity aims to introduce students to the concept of progression in regards to the –ing ending. They should walk out with the ability to understand that the –ing ending on various words is used to signal progression.
Lead-in activity:
The classroom will be arranged so that there are 5 stations with four students sitting in each station. Every station will have a pad with blank papers, coloring pencils, a bag filled with cards, and a second set of the cards facing downwards on the desks.
Discovery:
1. The students will be in teams of four. The teacher can divide these teams according to strength. It is important to make sure that there is an equal balance in every team.
2. The teacher explains to the students that they will be playing “Draw it for me!”3. One student from each team will take a card from the bag, and draw as best as possible
what is written on the card (every card will have an action word in the present progressive; see “Present Progressive Cards” below).
4. The three other students will work together to try and guess what the drawing represents. They will turn over the second set of cards and try to find the one that corresponds with the drawing.
5. Once they have found the correct card, they must take it out of the lot of cards.6. The second student must then pick another card from the bag, and go through the same
process. 7. The first team to have no more cards from the second set on their desk wins.8. The teacher then asks the students to write down all the verbs on a sheet, and try to find
something similar in all of them.9. Once a group has mentioned the –ing ending, the teacher explains that this ending show
progression in an action. In other words, it’s something that is ongoing.
Consolidation:
1. Students will work in teams of two on the “Progressive Handout” (see “Progressive Handout” below).*The teacher can make the pairs, and match students with various abilities in order to create a supportive and collaborative environment.
2. Every pair will have a copy of the book. 3. They will work to together to answer the handout. They must find specific images in the
book to answer questions written on the handout (the questions/answers use the progressive –ing form).
4. They must match the correct answer with the appropriate question.
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5. Before beginning the activity, the teacher will go through the handout with the entire class, to make sure that the vocabulary is clear, and that they understand how to complete the activity. The teacher must mention that the pages are numbered according to TEXT. When there is text on a page, the students must count that as a page number. However, if it is only a drawing, it does not count in the page count.
6. When all the students have finished, the teacher will correct the handout with the students. The book will be projected on a overhead projector, and the teacher will use the images as support for each answer.
Use:
1. The students will be paired in groups of two.2. They all must individually choose their favorite picture from the book.3. They must describe to their partner what they think is happening in the picture. They
must have a minimum of 5 sentences.4. They will be encouraged to use their imagination, and constantly be reminded that they
must speak as if the actions are in progress.5. The teacher will give 5 minutes to each student to present their interpretation of their
chosen image.6. The teacher will model this activity before the class divides into pairs. 7. It is important that the teacher actively walks around to provide help and support to the
students. The teacher must recognize the use of the –ing ending in students’ communicative exchanges.
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Present Progressive Cards
He is singing in the shower
She is dancing in the rain
Emma is baking a birthday cake
John is writing a letter to Mike
He is playing football She is flying a kite
He is reading a great book They are watching a really scary movie
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Progressive Handout
Write the letter of the answer to each question on the appropriate line.
1. On PAGE 2, what are the witch and cat doing? Answer: ______
2. On PAGE 4, what is the dog looking at? Answer: ______
3. On PAGE 5/6, what is the bird doing? Answer: ______
4. On PAGE 7, what is the weather like? Answer: ______
5. On PAGE 8, what is the frog holding? Answer: ______
6. On PAGE 9, what is happening to ALL the characters? Answer: ______
7. On PAGE 10, what is the dragon doing? Answer: ______
8. On PAGE 11, what are the witch’s friends becoming? Answer: ______
9. On PAGE 14/15, what is the witch doing in her pot? Answer: ______
Answers:
A) She is flying.
B) They are all falling down from the broom.
C) They are turning into a big and scary monster.
D) He is breathing out fire.
E) He is watching the bow fly away in the wind.
F) They are looking for the hat.
G) It is raining.
H) She is making a magic potion.
I) He is holding the magic wand.
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ANSWER KEY
Progressive Handout
Write the letter of the answer to each question on the appropriate line.
1. On PAGE 2, what are the witch and cat doing? Answer: _O___
2. On PAGE 4, what is the dog looking at? Answer: _E____
3. On PAGE 5/6, what is the bird doing? Answer: _A____
4. On PAGE 7, what is the weather like? Answer: _G____
5. On PAGE 8, what is the frog holding? Answer: _I____
6. On PAGE 9, what is happening to ALL the characters? Answer: _B____
7. On PAGE 10, what is the dragon doing? Answer: _D____
8. On PAGE 11, what are the witch’s friends becoming? Answer: _C____
9. On PAGE 14/15, what is the witch doing in her pot? Answer: _H____
Answers:
A) She is flying.
B) They are all falling down from the broom.
C) They are turning into a big and scary monster.
D) He is breathing out fire.
E) He is watching the bow fly away in the wind.
F) They are looking for the hat.
G) It is raining.
H) She is making a magic potion.
I) He is holding the magic wand.
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References
Celce-Murcia, M. & Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). The Grammar Book. An ESL / EFL Teacher’s
Course (2nd edition). Heinle & Heinle Publishers
Donaldson, J. (2001). Room on the Broom. New York (NY): Puffin Books.
Gerngross, G., Puchta, H. & Thornbury, S. (2006). Teaching grammar creatively.
Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Thornbury, S. (1999). How to teach grammar. Essex, UKL Pearson Education Limited.
