Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Possessive Pronouns

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5 - 7 minutes)

The Objectives stage is essential to clearly establish what is expected of students by the end of the lesson. By defining clear and targeted objectives, students can focus their learning efforts more effectively. In this section, the teacher should ensure that students understand not only the definition of possessive pronouns but also how to apply them to express possession accurately and contextually.

Main Objectives:

1. Empower students to identify and correctly use possessive pronouns in simple sentences.

2. Develop the ability to recognize the sense of possession conveyed by possessive pronouns in different contexts.

Side Objectives:

1. Encourage active student participation through practical activities that reinforce the use of possessive pronouns.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The purpose of the Introduction stage is to engage students and revive prior knowledge about possessive pronouns, using practical problem situations they may encounter in daily life. Additionally, contextualization aims to show the relevance of the topic in real life, encouraging students to see possessive pronouns not just as grammatical rules, but as useful and necessary tools for effective communication.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine that you and your friends are planning a birthday party. Each person has specific responsibilities, like buying ingredients, organizing games, etc. How would you use possessive pronouns to describe these tasks?

2. Think of a situation where a player from a soccer team lost their uniform. How could the coach use possessive pronouns to solve this problem?

Contextualization

Possessive pronouns are fundamental in daily life, not only in formal writing but also in everyday communication. They help express ownership and belonging, as when we say 'my car' or 'their house'. Furthermore, understanding and using possessive pronouns correctly is crucial in professional and academic situations, where clarity in communication is essential. Curiosities such as the difference in usage between British and American English can also spark students' interest in exploring the topic further.

Development

Duration: (70 - 75 minutes)

The Development stage is designed to put into practice and deepen students' prior knowledge about possessive pronouns. Through playful and interactive activities, this section aims to consolidate students' understanding of how to use possessive pronouns in varied contexts, stimulating creativity, collaboration, and practical application of what has been learned. Each proposed activity serves to engage students actively and contextually, ensuring they can apply knowledge in a meaningful and memorable way.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - Possessive Pronoun Detectives

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Recognize and manipulate possessive pronouns in different contexts to understand their use and sense of possession.

- Description: Students will be divided into groups of up to five people and will receive a set of cards with sentences that contain possessive pronouns in English. Each sentence will be associated with a small story or description of a situation. The group's challenge will be to identify and highlight the possessive pronoun in each sentence, and then rewrite the sentence substituting the pronoun for an equivalent possessive pronoun of a different person (for example, replacing 'his' with 'her').

- Instructions:

• Form groups of up to five students.

• Distribute the sentence cards to each group.

• Ask them to identify and highlight the possessive pronouns in the sentences.

• Instruct students to rewrite each sentence, swapping the pronoun for a different person's equivalent.

• Each group will present their rewritten sentences and explain the changes made.

Activity 2 - The Possessive Map

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Apply possessive pronouns in visual contexts to strengthen the understanding of possession and location.

- Description: In this activity, each group will receive a 'map' representing a space with different areas marked with objects and locations. They will have to create sentences using possessive pronouns to describe who 'owns' each item or place. For example, on a map with a school, a library, and a classroom, students could say 'his book is in the library'.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to five students.

• Give each group a 'map' representing an environment with various marked objects and locations.

• Ask them to create sentences using possessive pronouns to describe who 'owns' or where each item is.

• Each group will present their sentences, and the rest of the class will try to guess which object or place the sentence refers to.

Activity 3 - Theatrical Pronouns

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop the ability to use possessive pronouns naturally and contextually, as well as promote expression and collaboration skills.

- Description: Students will create short plays that involve situations where possessive pronouns are essential. Each group will write a script and act it out, ensuring the correct use of the pronouns. The focus will be on expressing possession and belonging clearly and creatively.

- Instructions:

• Organize students into groups of up to five people.

• Explain that they must create and act in a short play that highlights the use of possessive pronouns.

• Each group will write a script that includes at least five different possessive pronouns.

• The groups will rehearse their plays, ensuring the correct use of the pronouns.

• At the end, each group will present their play to the class.

Feedback

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The purpose of this feedback stage is to consolidate learning, allowing students to reflect on what they learned and share their experiences and discoveries with the group. This not only reinforces the understanding of possessive pronouns but also promotes communication and collaboration skills. Through discussion, students can correct misunderstandings, clarify doubts, and learn from each other’s mistakes and successes, making the learning process richer and more meaningful.

Group Discussion

Start the discussion with a brief recap of the activities carried out, asking students what they learned about the use of possessive pronouns. Then, ask each group to share their discoveries and challenges faced during the activities. Encourage students to explain how they applied possessive pronouns in different contexts and how this helped clarify the sense of possession in sentences.

Key Questions

1. What were the most challenging possessive pronouns to identify and why?

2. How can the use of possessive pronouns change the meaning of a sentence?

3. Was there any situation during the activities where the use of possessive pronouns was not clear? How did you resolve it?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The purpose of the Conclusion stage is to ensure that students have a clear and consolidated understanding of possessive pronouns, integrating practical learning with the theoretical foundations studied. This recap helps reinforce the acquired knowledge and highlight the relevance of the topic for everyday communication in English. Additionally, it provides a moment to clarify any remaining doubts and reiterate the applicability of the content learned.

Summary

In conclusion, the teacher should summarize the main points discussed during the lesson, emphasizing the identification and correct use of possessive pronouns in English. Practical activities such as 'Possessive Pronoun Detectives', 'The Possessive Map,' and 'Theatrical Pronouns' should be reviewed, highlighting the creative solutions found by the students.

Theory Connection

It is crucial to emphasize how the classroom activities connected theory with practice. The proposed dynamics allowed students to apply theoretical concepts in everyday situations, reinforcing understanding of the use of possessive pronouns in real and fictional contexts, which helps in knowledge retention.

Closing

Finally, the teacher should highlight the importance of possessive pronouns in enhancing communication in English, both in formal and informal situations. Understanding and using these pronouns correctly is essential for expressing possession and belonging clearly and effectively, a fundamental skill in various environments.