Lesson Plan | Socioemotional Learning | Subordinating Conjunctions: Compound Period by Subordination and Substantive Subordinate Clauses

Objectives

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

The purpose of this stage of the Socioemotional Lesson Plan is to contextualize students about the theme to be studied, highlighting the skills necessary for understanding the content. This phase is crucial to align students' expectations and prepare them emotionally for the challenges of the lesson, promoting a more engaged and focused learning environment. Furthermore, by establishing clear objectives, students are better able to visualize the purpose of subsequent activities and how they connect to the development of their socioemotional competencies.

Main Goals

1. Recognize substantive subordinate clauses in compound sentences.

2. Understand the meaning expressed by substantive subordinate clauses.

3. Identify the syntactic functions of substantive subordinate clauses in a sentence.

Introduction

Duration: 15 to 20 minutes

Emotional Warm-up Activity

 Guided Meditation for Focus and Concentration 

Guided meditation is a practice that helps to promote students' focus, presence, and concentration. During the guided meditation, students are encouraged to disconnect from external and internal distractions, focusing on their breathing and a state of inner calm. This practice not only prepares students emotionally for the lesson but also improves their attention span and receptiveness to learning.

1. Ask the students to sit comfortably in their chairs, with their feet firmly on the floor and their hands resting gently in their laps.

2. Request that they close their eyes to minimize visual distractions and focus on their breathing.

3. Begin guiding the meditation with a calm and serene voice, saying: 'Breathe deeply through your nose, filling your lungs with air, and then slowly exhale through your mouth. Feel the breath coming in and out, focusing only on this movement.'

4. Encourage students to notice any tension in their bodies and, as they breathe, to release this tension, relaxing their muscles, especially in the shoulders, neck, and face.

5. After a few minutes of deep breathing, guide students to imagine a peaceful and safe place where they feel calm and relaxed. It can be a beach, a forest, or any place that brings peace.

6. Stay in this visualization for a few minutes, reminding students to maintain deep and regular breathing.

7. To conclude, ask them to slowly start moving their fingers and toes, bringing their attention back to the classroom, and to open their eyes when they feel ready.

8. Wrap up the activity with a brief reflection, asking how they feel and if they are more focused and present.

Content Contextualization

In everyday life, we often encounter situations where we need to understand and articulate our thoughts clearly and effectively. Subordinate conjunctions and substantive subordinate clauses play a crucial role in structuring complex sentences, allowing us to express more elaborate and interconnected ideas. Understanding these structures is not only a linguistic skill but also a socioemotional competency, as it enhances our communication skills and responsible decision-making by articulating our emotions and thoughts logically and coherently.

For example, when writing a motivation letter for a university or a professional email, the correct use of subordinate conjunctions can make a difference in the clarity and persuasion of your message. Additionally, by understanding the syntactic functions of clauses, students can improve their interpretation of complex texts, which is essential for developing social awareness and social skills, as written communication is a powerful tool for expressing and sharing emotions and ideas.

Development

Duration: 60 to 75 minutes

Theoretical Framework

Duration: 20 to 25 minutes

1. Subordinate Conjunctions

2. Subordinate conjunctions are words that link dependent (subordinate) clauses to a main clause, establishing a relationship of subordination between them. Subordinate conjunctions can be classified into different types, such as causal, comparative, concessive, conditional, consecutive, final, proportional, temporal, and integrative.

3. Compound Sentence by Subordination

4. A compound sentence by subordination is formed by a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses that syntactically depend on the main one. The subordinate clause can serve different syntactic functions in relation to the main clause, such as subject, direct object, indirect object, nominal complement, predicative, adverbial adjunct, or apposition.

5. Substantive Subordinate Clauses

6. Substantive subordinate clauses are those that perform syntactic functions typical of a noun. They can be classified into six main types:

7. Subjective: serves as the subject of the main clause. Example: 'It is important that you study.'

8. Direct Object: functions as the direct object of the main clause. Example: 'He said he would come.'

9. Indirect Object: functions as the indirect object of the main clause. Example: 'He needs help.'

10. Nominal Complement: complements the meaning of a noun (noun, adjective, or adverb) present in the main clause. Example: 'I am sure that he will come.'

11. Predicative: serves as the predicative of the subject of the main clause. Example: 'The truth is that he lied.'

12. Appositive: serves as the explanatory apposition in the main clause. Example: 'He had a wish: that everyone be happy.'

Socioemotional Feedback Activity

Duration: 35 to 40 minutes

 Analysis and Creation of Substantive Subordinate Clauses

In this activity, students will analyze substantive subordinate clauses in provided texts and later create their own sentences using different types of substantive subordinate clauses. This activity aims not only to reinforce the theoretical content but also to develop socioemotional skills such as self-awareness, self-control, and social skills.

1. Divide the students into groups of 4 or 5.

2. Distribute a short text to each group, containing several substantive subordinate clauses.

3. Ask the students to identify and classify the substantive subordinate clauses found in the text, noting their syntactic functions.

4. After the analysis, each group should create five original sentences, using different types of substantive subordinate clauses (subjective, direct object, indirect object, nominal complement, predicative, and appositive).

5. Encourage the students to share their sentences with the class, explaining the reasoning behind their choices and the syntactic function of each substantive subordinate clause.

Group Discussion

After the activity, promote a group discussion using the RULER method to guide students' socioemotional feedback. Begin by asking students to recognize the emotions they felt during the activity (e.g., anxiety, excitement, confusion) and understand the causes of these emotions (e.g., difficulty in identifying clauses, collaboration with peers). Next, ask them to name these emotions accurately, fostering a reflection on how they felt at different moments during the activity.

Encourage the students to express their emotions appropriately, sharing experiences and challenges faced during the activity. Finally, work with students to regulate their emotions, offering strategies to cope with negative feelings and enhance positive feelings in future activities. This discussion not only reinforces the content learned but also promotes the development of essential socioemotional competencies for academic and personal life.

Conclusion

Duration: 20 to 25 minutes

Emotional Reflection and Regulation

Suggest that students write a brief reflection on the challenges they faced during the lesson and how they managed their emotions. Ask them to consider specific moments when they felt difficulties or frustrations and how they were able to overcome these situations. Alternatively, promote a group discussion where each student can share their experiences and listen to those of their peers, creating an environment of support and mutual learning.

Objective: The objective of this subsection is to encourage self-assessment and emotional regulation. By reflecting on the challenges faced and emotions felt, students will learn to identify effective strategies for dealing with challenging situations. This practice helps develop emotional resilience and self-control, essential both in academic contexts and in personal life.

Closure and A Look Into The Future

Explain to students the importance of setting clear goals for continuous learning and personal development. Ask each student to write one or two personal and academic goals related to the lesson content, such as 'improving the identification of substantive subordinate clauses' or 'practicing writing complex texts with clarity.' Encourage them to share these goals with the class, promoting a collective commitment to growth and learning.

Possible Goal Ideas:

1. Improve the identification of substantive subordinate clauses in texts.

2. Practice writing complex sentences using different types of subordinate clauses.

3. Develop greater clarity and coherence in written communication.

4. Apply knowledge of subordinate conjunctions in essays and other written works.

5. Enhance the ability to work in teams and collaborate with peers. Objective: The objective of this subsection is to strengthen students' autonomy and the practical application of their learning. By setting personal and academic goals, students are encouraged to continue developing their skills independently and proactively. This practice aims at continuity in academic and personal development, promoting responsibility and motivation to achieve future goals.