Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Negative Sentences

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 - 10 minutes)

The Objectives stage is crucial for directing the focus of students and the teacher during the lesson. By clearly establishing what is expected to be achieved, students can better organize their prior learning and teachers can structure classroom activities according to the established goals. This section aims to ensure that everyone involved is aligned with the purpose of the lesson and what is expected of them to achieve by the end of the session.

Main Objectives:

1. Empower students to recognize and identify negative sentences in English.

2. Develop the ability to transform affirmative sentences into negative ones, correctly applying negation operators.

Side Objectives:

1. Promote discussion and collaboration among students during practical activities in the classroom.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The Introduction serves to activate students' prior knowledge and contextualize the importance of the lesson topic. By presenting problem situations, students are challenged to immediately apply what they learned at home, preparing for practical activities in the classroom. The contextualization helps show the practical relevance of the topic, increasing engagement and understanding of students regarding the applicability of negative sentences in their daily lives and in different contexts of English language use.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine that a friend tells you that he never eats chocolate. How would you express surprise in English using a negative form?

2. If a teacher tells a student that he can't use his cell phone in the classroom, how could the student respond negatively, expressing his disapproval?

Contextualization

Negative sentences are an essential part of communication in English, allowing us to express denial, doubt, or disagreement. They are common in everyday situations, from simple conversations to academic and literary texts. For example, the use of 'not' in 'I do not like coffee' transforms the sentence from affirmative to negative, completely altering the meaning. This knowledge is not only important for understanding the language but also for avoiding misunderstandings in everyday interactions.

Development

Duration: (65 - 75 minutes)

The Development stage is designed for students to practically and interactively apply the knowledge acquired about negative sentences. By working in groups, they not only reinforce learning but also develop communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. Each proposed activity aims to explore different aspects of using negative sentences in various contexts, ensuring a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the topic.

Activity Suggestions

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

Activity 1 - Mystery of Negative Sentences

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Practice transforming affirmative sentences into negatives and develop teamwork and problem-solving skills.

- Description: Students will be divided into groups of up to 5 people and receive a set of cards containing affirmative sentences in English. The challenge is to turn these sentences into negatives, correctly using negation operators ('not', 'no', 'never', etc.). Each group will have to complete a series of puzzles that can only be solved when the negative sentences are correct, revealing clues for the next puzzle.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Distribute the cards with affirmative sentences.

• Each group should work to transform the sentences into negatives.

• Upon correctly completing a negative sentence, the group receives a clue for the next puzzle.

• The group that solves all the puzzles first wins.

Activity 2 - Debate of Opposites

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Practice using negative sentences in a debate and argumentation context, developing expression and argumentation skills in English.

- Description: In this activity, students, organized into groups, will receive cards with everyday or controversial situations that must be discussed. Each group must express their opinions and arguments using negative sentences to contradict or disagree with the assertions of other groups, simulating a debate.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Give cards with situations to each group.

• Groups discuss the situations, using negative sentences to express disagreement or denial.

• Each group presents their conclusions and arguments in a debate format.

• At the end, hold a vote to decide which group presented the most convincing arguments.

Activity 3 - Negative Sentences Relay Race

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop speed and accuracy in transforming affirmative sentences into negatives, also promoting teamwork and healthy competition.

- Description: Students, in groups, will participate in a relay race. Each member of the group must run to a board, where they will find an affirmative sentence that they must turn into a negative and return to the group to pass the turn. The group that completes the most negative sentences correctly and in the shortest time wins.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Position each group at one end of the room, with a board in the middle.

• The first student from each group runs to the board, reads the sentence, transforms it to negative, and returns to the group.

• The next student repeats the process, and so forth.

• The group that completes the most negative sentences correctly and in the shortest time wins.

Feedback

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

The purpose of this stage is to consolidate learning, allowing students to reflect on the applicability of negative sentences in different contexts. The group discussion helps identify areas that may still need clarification, as well as promoting a deeper understanding of the impact of using negative sentences in communication. This moment also serves to reinforce oral expression skills in English, essential for fluency in the language.

Group Discussion

At the end of the activities, gather all students for a group discussion. Start the discussion with a brief introduction: 'Now that we all had the opportunity to explore and practice negative sentences in context, let's share what we learned. Each group can start by telling a situation they found particularly challenging and how they managed to overcome the challenge using negative sentences. Then, discuss how this knowledge can be applied in different real situations and how it can improve communication in English.'

Key Questions

1. What were the main difficulties you encountered when transforming affirmative sentences into negatives?

2. How can the use of negative sentences alter the meaning of a statement?

3. Was there any situation during the activities where the use of negative sentences was not appropriate? Why?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The Conclusion serves to consolidate learning, ensuring that students have captured the key points of the lesson. This moment also aims to reinforce the practical importance of the topic, showing how the knowledge acquired can be applied in real communication situations. Additionally, it links practical activities to the theory studied, providing students with a complete and integrated understanding of the subject.

Summary

In this final stage, the teacher will summarize the key points addressed during the lesson about negative sentences, highlighting the different ways to transform affirmative sentences into negatives and the negation operators used, such as 'not', 'no', and 'never'.

Theory Connection

Today's lesson connected theory to practice through interactive activities that allowed students to apply prior knowledge in practical and playful situations. This active learning method reinforces understanding and retention of the content.

Closing

Finally, it is important to highlight the relevance of negative sentences in everyday life. Understanding and using negation correctly in English is fundamental for clarity in communication, avoiding misunderstandings, and allowing a more precise expression of our ideas and feelings.