Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Subordination

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 essential to establish the learning expectations of the lesson and ensure that both the teacher and students are aligned regarding the expected outcomes. This section serves to clearly outline what students are expected to be able to do by the end of the lesson, helping them focus their learning efforts during practical activities.

Main Objectives:

1. Ensure that students understand the structure of subordinate clauses and their dependency relationship with the main clause.

2. Develop the ability to identify and analyze the different types of meanings expressed between subordinate clauses.

Side Objectives:

1. Encourage critical analysis and group discussion about the use and importance of subordinate clauses in different contexts.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The Introduction serves to immediately engage students with content they have already studied and to place the importance of the lesson's theme in everyday and academic language use. Through problem-based situations, students are encouraged to actively apply their prior knowledge, preparing the ground for more complex activities. The contextualization aims to connect grammatical content with real life, increasing interest and awareness of the relevance of studying subordinate clauses.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Ask students to analyze the following sentence: 'When he arrived, everyone rejoiced.' Request them to identify the subordinate clause and explain the meaning relationship it establishes with the main clause.

2. Present the sentence: 'She left because it was late.' Challenge students to distinguish the clauses and discuss how the conjunction 'because' contributes to the causal relationship between the clauses.

Contextualization

Explain the relevance of subordinate clauses in constructing clear and coherent texts, exemplifying with literary or journalistic texts where subordination is fundamental for understanding causes, conditions, or concessions. Emphasize how mastering this aspect of language can enrich students' written and oral expression, making them more effective communicators.

Development

Duration: (75 - 85 minutes)

The Development stage is designed for students to practically and creatively apply the knowledge acquired about subordinate clauses. The suggested activities aim to consolidate students' understanding of the structure and function of subordinate clauses, using methods that stimulate collaboration, creativity, and critical analysis. Each activity is an opportunity for students to not only apply what they have learned but also to improve their communication and linguistic analysis skills.

Activity Suggestions

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

Activity 1 - The Fabric of Clauses

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop the ability to create and identify subordinate clauses in a creative and collaborative context.

- Description: In this activity, students will create a story in groups, where each sentence must contain at least one subordinate clause. Groups will be provided with cards containing different subordinate conjunctions, and they must use these cards to construct sentences so that the story is coherent and engaging.

- Instructions:

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

• Distribute conjunction cards to each group.

• Each group must create a story where each sentence contains a subordinate clause, using the conjunctions from the cards.

• After 30 minutes, each group will present their story to the class.

• During the presentations, other students must identify the subordinate clauses and discuss their effect on the story.

Activity 2 - Grammar Filmmaker

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Practice writing and identifying subordinate clauses in varied contexts, emphasizing how they can influence the tone and direction of a text.

- Description: Students will create short scripts for films, using dialogues that must exemplify the use of subordinate clauses. Each group will receive a different scenario (for example, a scene from a mystery movie, a family comedy, etc.), and they must write a dialogue where subordinate clauses help build tension, humor, or other relevant elements of the genre.

- Instructions:

• Form groups of up to 5 students and assign a film genre to each group.

• Explain that each dialogue in the script must contain subordinate clauses that contribute to the development of the scene.

• Groups will have 40 minutes to write their scripts.

• In the last 20-30 minutes, each group will present their script, acting out the scenes in front of the class.

• After each presentation, discuss with the class how subordinate clauses were used to develop the scene.

Activity 3 - Grammar Detectives

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Increase accuracy in identifying and using subordinate clauses, promoting a deeper understanding of their functions and importance in sentence construction.

- Description: Students become linguistic detectives, where they must solve a 'grammatical crime'. Each group receives a 'case' that contains a series of sentences with errors in the use of subordinate clauses. They must identify the errors, correct them, and explain the reasons for their corrections.

- Instructions:

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

• Distribute the 'cases' to each group, which contain sentences with incorrect use of subordinate clauses.

• Groups must analyze the sentences, identify the errors, correct them, and prepare an explanation.

• Each group will present their corrections and explanations to the class.

• Promote a discussion about common errors and how to avoid them.

Feedback

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

This stage is crucial for consolidating the learning acquired during the practical activities. By discussing in groups, students have the opportunity to reflect on the application of grammatical knowledge in varied contexts and recognize the importance of subordinate clauses in constructing effective texts. This discussion also allows the teacher to assess students' understanding and clarify any remaining doubts, ensuring a solid grasp of the topic addressed.

Group Discussion

To conclude the lesson, conduct a comprehensive discussion with all students. Start by briefly reviewing the key points addressed during the activities. Then, allow each group to share their experiences and discoveries. Use guiding questions to encourage a deep and reflective discussion on how understanding subordinate clauses can enhance writing and text analysis.

Key Questions

1. What challenges did you encounter while creating stories or dialogues with subordinate clauses?

2. How did the use of different types of subordinate clauses alter the meaning of the sentences or contribute to the narrative?

3. Was there a moment when the choice of subordinate conjunction significantly impacted the clarity or emotional effect of the text?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The Conclusion stage is designed to reinforce and synthesize the main learnings of the lesson, as well as to connect these learnings with the students' practical lives. This moment is crucial to ensure that students understand the relevance of studying subordinate clauses and how this knowledge can be applied in different communication contexts, reinforcing the importance of grammar in constructing effective and cohesive discourse.

Summary

To conclude, it is essential to summarize the fundamental aspects of subordinate clauses discussed today. We talked about their structure, the types, and the effects they produce on the meaning of sentences. This recap helps solidify the acquired knowledge, ensuring that students can identify and correctly apply subordinate clauses in various contexts.

Theory Connection

Today's lesson was carefully planned to connect theory with practice. Through diverse activities, students had the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in practical situations, from creating stories to solving 'grammatical crimes'. This approach not only facilitates understanding of the topic but also shows how theory can be used in a practical and creative way.

Closing

Recognizing the importance of subordinate clauses is crucial, not only for academic improvement but also for effective communication in daily life. The ability to construct complex and well-structured sentences is a powerful tool for expressing ideas clearly and precisely, whether in written texts or everyday speech.