Lesson plan of Negative Sentences

Goals (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Understand the structure of negative sentences in English: The teacher should introduce the concept of how to form negative sentences in English, including the correct use of negative words like "not", "no", and "never". Additionally, the importance of the placement of these words within the sentence to ensure proper negation should be emphasized.

2. Practice forming negative sentences in English: Through hands-on examples and exercises, students should be encouraged to form their own negative sentences. This will help reinforce the concept and allow students to gain confidence in their ability to use negative sentences correctly.

3. Identify and correct common mistakes: The teacher should provide ongoing feedback to students, correcting common mistakes and encouraging practice and improvement. The aim is for students to become proficient in forming negative sentences without the need for constant reference.

Secondary Goals:

• Develop fluency and confidence in English communication: By mastering the formation of negative sentences, students will feel more confident in their ability to communicate effectively in English, adding an element of fluency and confidence to their language skills.

• Foster autonomous learning: By providing students with the tools and knowledge needed to form negative sentences in English, the teacher is empowering them to continue learning and improving their skills independently.

Introduction (10 - 12 minutes)

1. Review of prior knowledge: The teacher begins the lesson by reminding the students about the basic structure of English sentences, focusing on the placement of the verb and the subject. This review is crucial for the understanding of negative sentence formation, as the placement of the negative words is an important aspect.

2. Problem situations: The teacher proposes two problem situations to instigate the students' thinking:

   • First situation: "How would you say in English 'I don't like ice cream'?"
   • Second situation: "How would you negate the sentence 'He always arrives on time'?"

3. Contextualization: The teacher explains the importance of negative sentences in everyday life, showing how they are used to express negation, disagreement or to make an opposite statement. Real-life examples can be given, such as declining an invitation, expressing dislike for something, or denying a statement.

4. Introduction to the topic: The teacher introduces the topic of negative sentences, explaining that they are formed by the use of negative words, such as "not", "no", "never", among others. It is also mentioned that, in English, negative words are placed differently than in Portuguese, which can be an initial challenge for the students.

5. Capturing students' attention: To spark the students' interest, the teacher can share some curiosities about the use of negative sentences in English. For example:

   • Curiosity 1: "Did you know that, in English, it is possible to use two negative words in the same sentence without it generating an affirmation, unlike what happens in Portuguese? For example, 'I don't have no money' is a correct sentence in English, but if we translate it literally to Portuguese, it becomes affirmative ('I do not have any money')."
   • Curiosity 2: "Another curiosity is that, in informal English, it is common to hear the word 'ain't', which is a contraction of 'am not', 'is not' and 'are not'. Although it is widely used in informal conversations, it is important to remember that 'ain't' is not considered a correct word in formal writing."

This Introduction to the topic should prepare the students for the content that will be covered in the lesson, arousing their curiosity and motivating them to learn more about negative sentences in English.

Development (20 - 25 minutes)

1. Activity 1: Negative Sentence Card Game (10 - 12 minutes)

   • Material Preparation: The teacher prepares a set of cards, each containing a simple affirmative sentence in English. For example: "I like ice cream." or "He always arrives on time."
   • Game Rules: Students are divided into groups of 3 or 4. Each group receives a set of cards. The goal of the game is to transform the affirmative sentences into negative sentences, maintaining the original meaning. To do this, the students must add negative words (such as "not", "no", "never", etc.) and rearrange the words in the sentence, if necessary. The first group to correctly transform all their sentences wins.
   • Carrying out the Activity: The teacher starts the game, giving a limited time (for example, 2 minutes) for the groups to try to transform their sentences. After the time, each group must present their negative sentences. The teacher corrects and gives immediate feedback. The game continues until a group has correctly transformed all their sentences.

2. Activity 2: Role Playing (10 - 12 minutes)

   • Material Preparation: The teacher prepares a list of everyday situations that involve the use of negative sentences. For example: "Declining an invitation to go out", "Expressing dislike for a dish", "Denying a statement", among others.
   • Game Rules: Students continue in the same groups. Each group receives a situation. They must create a short dialogue using negative sentences to express the situation. The dialogue must be presented to the class.
   • Carrying out the Activity: The teacher distributes the situations to each group and gives them time (for example, 5 minutes) to create the dialogue. Then, each group presents its dialogue to the class. The teacher gives feedback and corrects, if necessary.

3. Activity 3: Story Creation (5 - 6 minutes)

   • Material Preparation: The teacher prepares a list of keywords that the students must use to create a story. These words include verbs, nouns, adjectives and negative words.
   • Game Rules: Students continue in the same groups. Each group receives the list of keywords. They must create a short story, of no more than 5 sentences, using all the keywords. At least one of the sentences must be negative.
   • Carrying out the Activity: The teacher gives the groups time (for example, 5 minutes) to create their stories. Then, each group reads their story to the class. The teacher gives feedback and corrects, if necessary.

These playful and interactive activities allow students to practice negative sentence formation in a fun and engaging way. Furthermore, by working in groups, students have the opportunity to collaborate, discuss and learn from each other.

Feedback (8 - 10 minutes)

1. Group Discussion (3 - 4 minutes):

   • The teacher gathers all the students and promotes a group discussion about the solutions or conclusions found by each group in the activities carried out.
   • The teacher can ask targeted questions to encourage the students' reflection, such as: "Why did you choose that particular negative sentence?" or "How did you decide the order of the words in the negative sentence?"
   • The goal of this discussion is to allow students to share their negative sentence formation strategies, reinforcing the learning and understanding of the topic. In addition, the discussion can also reveal common mistakes or areas of confusion that still need to be addressed.

2. Connection with the Theory (2 - 3 minutes):

   • After the discussion, the teacher makes the connection with the theory, reinforcing the concepts and rules presented at the beginning of the lesson.
   • The teacher can, for example, review the use of negative words such as "not", "no" and "never" and the correct placement of these words in the sentence.
   • This step is crucial to ensure that the students understand the theory behind the formation of negative sentences and can apply it correctly in practical situations.

3. Individual Reflection (2 - 3 minutes):

   • The teacher proposes that the students reflect silently on what they have learned in the lesson. He/she can ask targeted questions, such as: "What was the most important concept learned today?" or "What questions have not yet been answered?"
   • The students have one minute to think about their answers. The teacher encourages them to write down their reflections, if possible.
   • After the reflection time, the teacher can select some students to share their answers with the class, if they feel comfortable.
   • This individual reflection helps students to consolidate what they have learned and identify any gaps in their understanding. Furthermore, by sharing their reflections with the class, students have the opportunity to learn from each other and to receive the teacher's feedback.

4. Feedback and Closing (1 minute):

   • To conclude the lesson, the teacher can give general feedback on the class's performance, acknowledging strengths and identifying areas that need more practice or clarification.
   • The teacher can also give a preview of the content that will be covered in the next lesson, so that students can prepare themselves and know what to expect.

The Feedback is a crucial step in the lesson plan, as it allows the teacher to assess the students' progress, correct any misunderstandings and ensure that everyone is ready to move on to the next topic. In addition, by promoting reflection and discussion, the teacher is encouraging active and deep learning, which can lead to better knowledge retention and application.

Conclusion (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Content Summary (2 - 3 minutes):

   • The teacher should start the Conclusion by recapping the main points covered during the lesson. This includes the structure of negative sentences in English, the use of negative words (such as "not", "no" and "never"), and the importance of the placement of these words in the sentence.
   • He/she can remind students about the practical activities carried out, highlighting the most common mistakes and the effective strategies for forming negative sentences.
   • Additionally, the teacher should make references to real-life situations where negative sentences are commonly used, reinforcing the relevance of the content learned for effective communication in English.

2. Connection between Theory, Practice and Applications (1 - 2 minutes):

   • The teacher should emphasize how the lesson connected the theory (the structure and use of negative sentences in English) with practice (the playful and interactive activities) and real-life applications (the everyday situations where negative sentences are used).
   • He/she can explain that the combination of these elements allowed the students to understand the theory, practice the application of the knowledge in a meaningful and reflective way, and understand the importance of negative sentences for communication in English.

3. Complementary Materials (1 minute):

   • The teacher can suggest complementary study materials for the students, such as websites, apps, textbooks, videos or podcasts that offer additional explanations and exercises on the formation of negative sentences in English.
   • He/she can, for example, recommend a website with interactive exercises, a language learning app with lessons on negative sentences, or a grammar book that explains in detail the structure and use of these sentences.

4. Importance of the Topic (1 minute):

   • To conclude, the teacher should emphasize the importance of the topic covered for the students' everyday lives. He/she can mention that the ability to form negative sentences correctly is essential for expressing negation, disagreement or making an opposite statement in English.
   • In addition, the teacher can highlight that the mastery of negative sentences contributes to fluency and confidence in English communication, allowing students to express their ideas and feelings clearly and accurately.

The Conclusion is an essential step to consolidate learning, reinforce the relevance of the topic and provide resources for continuous learning. At the end of the lesson, students should have a solid understanding of the formation of negative sentences in English and be prepared to apply this knowledge in their own conversations and writing.