Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Pronouns and Adjectives: Demonstratives

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 establishing a clear and focused direction for the lesson. By defining specific objectives, the teacher guides students on what is expected of them and how they will apply this knowledge. This clarity helps to maximize the use of time in the classroom and ensures that all students are aligned with the learning goals, facilitating a more effective and engaging learning experience.

Main Objectives:

1. Empower students to identify and correctly use demonstrative pronouns in English (this, that, these, those), distinguishing them according to context and proximity.

2. Develop the ability to apply demonstrative pronouns in various grammatical structures, strengthening fluency and accuracy in the use of English.

Side Objectives:

1. Encourage active participation from students in identifying common errors in the use of demonstrative pronouns and proposing corrections.
2. Promote collaboration among students during practical activities, increasing interaction and collective learning.

Introduction

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

The Introduction stage serves to engage students and review prior knowledge, using problem situations to stimulate critical thinking and reflection on the practical use of demonstrative pronouns. Furthermore, contextualizing the importance of the topic through real examples and curiosities helps to increase students' interest and realize the relevance of the subject in daily life and broader contexts.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine you are organizing a photo album from your vacation. How would you use demonstrative pronouns to describe the photos to someone next to you versus someone far away?

2. Think of a marketplace scenario where different items are for sale, some close and others far from you. How would you ask a friend to grab a specific item using demonstrative pronouns correctly?

Contextualization

The ability to correctly use demonstrative pronouns in English can be crucial in everyday situations, such as giving directions or explaining scenarios. Additionally, often in international travel or while watching movies and series in English, understanding and properly using these pronouns enrich the experience and avoid misunderstandings. The use of demonstrative pronouns also varies among different English dialects, which can be a point of interest and discussion.

Development

Duration: (75 - 85 minutes)

This Development stage is essential to provide students with the opportunity to apply prior knowledge acquired about demonstrative pronouns in a practical and dynamic manner. Through the suggested activities, students will consolidate their learning in an interactive and engaging way, ensuring a deeper and more lasting understanding of the concepts. Each proposed activity aims to reinforce the proper use of demonstrative pronouns in different contexts, increasing fluency and accuracy in the use of English.

Activity Suggestions

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

Activity 1 - Demonstrative Pronouns Treasure Hunt

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Enhance understanding and correct use of demonstrative pronouns in different contexts and distances.

- Description: In this playful activity, students will be divided into groups of up to five people. Each group will receive a list of objects scattered around the school environment, described only through demonstrative pronouns. They will need to find the objects and determine the situations in which to use 'this', 'that', 'these', and 'those.'

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of no more than five students.

• Distribute cards with descriptions of the objects using demonstrative pronouns.

• Students must explore the school environment to find the objects described on the cards.

• Each found object must be marked with a sticker that correctly identifies the appropriate demonstrative pronoun (this, that, these, those).

• After finding all the objects, each group must present a brief report on the use of the demonstrative pronouns they used.

Activity 2 - Demonstrative Pronouns Drama

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop skills in applying demonstrative pronouns in conversation and presentation, reinforcing learning through dramatized practice.

- Description: Students will create small plays where they must correctly use demonstrative pronouns. Each group will receive a daily scenario involving multiple locations of objects and people, and they will need to demonstrate the correct use of 'this', 'that', 'these', and 'those' in their dialogues.

- Instructions:

• Form groups of up to five students.

• Distribute different scenarios to each group where the use of demonstrative pronouns is crucial.

• Allow time for the groups to prepare their plays, writing the script and rehearsing.

• Each group presents its play to the class, highlighting the use of demonstrative pronouns.

• Group discussion after each presentation for feedback and clarifications on the use of the pronouns.

Activity 3 - Interactive Demonstratives Quiz

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Test and reinforce students' knowledge of demonstrative pronouns dynamically and interactively, using technology for engagement.

- Description: Using interactive quiz software like Kahoot or Quizizz, students will participate in a real-time quiz where they must choose the correct demonstrative pronoun to complete the presented sentences. Each question will be accompanied by images to illustrate the context.

- Instructions:

• Prepare a quiz on the chosen software with questions about demonstrative pronouns.

• Organize students into groups of up to five participants and log in to the quiz platform.

• Start the quiz and allow groups to answer the questions.

• Review the answers at the end of the quiz, discussing each question to reinforce learning.

• Reward the group with the highest score to encourage effective participation.

Feedback

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

This Feedback section is fundamental to consolidate learning, allowing students to reflect on their practical experiences and share insights with the class. By discussing in groups, students have the opportunity to verbalize and clarify their understandings, as well as learn from their peers' experiences. This stage also allows the teacher to assess the effectiveness of the activities and the level of understanding of the students, facilitating immediate feedback and adjustments to teaching approaches if necessary.

Group Discussion

Start the group discussion by briefly reviewing the activities carried out, and then invite each group to share their findings and experiences. Suggest that they reflect on how demonstrative pronouns were applied and what challenges they encountered. Encourage students to discuss the perceived differences in the use of 'this', 'that', 'these', and 'those' in different contexts and distances.

Key Questions

1. What were the main challenges you faced when using demonstrative pronouns during the activities?

2. How did distance and context influence the choice of demonstrative pronouns in the activities you conducted?

3. Were there situations where you found it difficult to decide which demonstrative pronoun to use? How did you resolve that?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The Conclusion stage is crucial for reinforcing and synthesizing the knowledge acquired throughout the lesson. By summarizing the main content and connecting theory with practice and its practical applications, this section helps consolidate learning and ensure that students can transfer what they learned to situations outside the classroom. Additionally, by highlighting the relevance of the topic in daily life, the importance of continuing to practice and improve these language skills is reinforced.

Summary

In this final moment, briefly recap the main concepts covered regarding demonstrative pronouns: 'this', 'that', 'these', and 'those'. Reinforce how each of these pronouns is used to indicate proximity or distance in both singular and plural forms. Also recap the strategies used to determine the appropriate pronoun choice in different contexts presented in the activities.

Theory Connection

Explain how today's lesson bridged the gap between theoretical concepts studied at home and practice in the classroom. Highlight how the activities allowed students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical scenarios, such as the treasure hunt, drama, and quiz, thus facilitating a more robust and contextualized understanding of demonstrative pronouns.

Closing

To conclude, emphasize the importance of demonstrative pronouns in daily English use, highlighting how they are essential for clear and effective communication in various situations, such as directions, descriptions, and social interactions. Stress how mastering these pronouns enhances fluency and confidence in the English language, preparing students for real communication situations.