Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Relative Pronouns: Introduction

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)

This stage of the lesson plan aims to equip students with essential skills to understand and use relative pronouns in English. By focusing on the pronouns 'who', 'which', 'that', and 'whose', the lesson aims not only to improve students' grammar but also to increase their ability to express themselves clearly and accurately in different communicative situations. Proficiency in relative pronouns is crucial for constructing complex sentences and articulating more elaborate ideas, which are fundamental for English proficiency.

Main Objectives:

1. Identify and correctly apply the relative pronouns 'who', 'which', 'that', and 'whose' in different contexts to improve fluency and accuracy in written and spoken communication.

2. Recognize the proper use of relative pronouns in texts and dialogues, differentiating their functions and applicability.

Side Objectives:

1. Develop analytical skills to choose the correct relative pronoun based on the grammatical function (subject, object, possession) in complex sentences.

Introduction

Duration: (20 - 25 minutes)

The introduction is designed to engage students through problem-solving situations that require critical thinking about the use of relative pronouns, building on their prior knowledge. Furthermore, the contextualization highlights the relevance of relative pronouns in the daily and professional use of English, motivating students to understand the importance of learning and correctly applying these grammatical structures.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Students are presented with a situation in which they need to correct a dialogue in a movie script, where the relative pronouns were used incorrectly. This activity aims to review students' prior knowledge about pronouns and prepare them for their correct use in real contexts.

2. Present students with an excerpt from a news article that contains errors in the use of relative pronouns. Ask them to identify and correct the mistakes, discussing the impact of these errors on the clarity of information.

Contextualization

Explain the importance of relative pronouns in the English language, highlighting how they are essential for constructing more complex and connected sentences, which is crucial in formal contexts such as academia, literature, and professional communications. Share curiosities about common errors in relative pronouns even among native speakers and how this can lead to misunderstandings or ambiguities.

Development

Duration: (70 - 80 minutes)

The Development stage is designed to consolidate and apply students' prior knowledge about relative pronouns through practical and interactive activities. By working in groups, students are encouraged to discuss, collaborate, and creatively apply their knowledge of relative pronouns, making the learning experience more meaningful and memorable. This section aims to transform theory into practice in an engaging and effective way.

Activity Suggestions

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

Activity 1 - Pronoun Treasure Hunt

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop the ability to identify and correct the incorrect use of relative pronouns in a fun and dynamic context.

- Description: In this playful activity, students will be divided into groups of up to 5 people to participate in a treasure hunt within the classroom. The teacher will hide cards containing sentences with incorrect or incomplete relative pronouns. Each group will receive a symbolic map with clues leading them to the cards. Upon finding a card, the group must correct the sentence on the whiteboard.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of no more than 5 students.

• Distribute maps with clues to each group.

• Explain that the hidden cards contain sentences that need to be corrected using appropriate relative pronouns.

• Each group must find the cards and correct the sentences on the board.

• The first group to correctly fix all the sentences wins a small prize.

Activity 2 - Pronouns Theater

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Practice the correct use of relative pronouns in a creative and collaborative context, improving communication skills and dramatic expression.

- Description: Students will create short plays where the dialogues must correctly include various relative pronouns. Each group will receive a different situation to develop their scene and will present it to the class. The challenge is to include at least five different uses of relative pronouns that will be evaluated by peers.

- Instructions:

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

• Give each group a situation or scenario to develop a theatrical dialogue.

• The dialogues must include at least five different uses of relative pronouns.

• Allow time for rehearsal before the presentations.

• Each group presents their play and the other groups must identify the used relative pronouns.

Activity 3 - Pronoun Detectives

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Deepen students' understanding of the contextual use of relative pronouns, developing analytic and argumentative skills.

- Description: In this activity, students become linguistic detectives. They will receive excerpts from texts with omitted relative pronouns or replaced by symbols. Each group must deduce which relative pronoun is most appropriate for each gap, based on the context. They must justify their choices to the class.

- Instructions:

• Divide students into groups of up to 5 people.

• Distribute texts with gaps or symbols where the relative pronouns should be.

• Instruct the groups to deduce and discuss which relative pronoun fits best in each gap.

• Each group presents their findings and justifications to the class.

• Class discussion on each group's choices.

Feedback

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

This stage of the lesson plan is crucial for consolidating students' learning, allowing them to reflect on the practical use of relative pronouns and discuss the difficulties and discoveries that arose during the activities. By sharing their experiences, students can learn from each other, and the teacher can assess the effectiveness of the instruction and delve into points that still generate doubts, thus ensuring a more solid and applicable understanding of the content.

Group Discussion

Start the group discussion by briefly reviewing the activities conducted, emphasizing the key learning points. Encourage students to share their experiences and insights regarding the use of relative pronouns. Ask how they perceived the application of these pronouns in different contexts and how this may help them in their daily and academic communications. Highlight the importance of understanding not only the form but also the function of relative pronouns.

Key Questions

1. What challenges did you encounter when applying relative pronouns in different contexts during the activities?

2. How has your understanding of relative pronouns changed after these activities?

3. Are there situations where you think the use of a specific relative pronoun is more challenging? Why?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The purpose of this Conclusion section is to summarize the key concepts addressed during the lesson, linking them to the practical activities carried out. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of relative pronouns in everyday use of the English language, reinforcing the value of integration between theory and practical application. This recap helps students consolidate their learning and understand the relevance of the content beyond the classroom.

Summary

To conclude, in this lesson, we explored the definition and use of the relative pronouns 'who', 'which', 'that', and 'whose'. We reviewed how these pronouns help connect ideas in sentences, providing clarity and fluency in communication in English. Students applied the acquired knowledge in practical activities, such as correcting dialogues, participating in a linguistic treasure hunt, and creating theatrical plays, reinforcing their understanding of when and how to use each relative pronoun in different contexts.

Theory Connection

Today's lesson connected theory and practice by applying concepts of relative pronouns in dynamic and contextual activities. By interacting with the content practically, students were able to see the applicability of relative pronouns, not only in grammar but also as essential tools for improving cohesion and coherence in their written and oral communication.

Closing

Understanding and correctly using relative pronouns is fundamental not only for academic success in English but also for effective communication in daily life and professional environments. These pronouns help structure our ideas more complexly and in greater detail, which is crucial for expressing important nuances and details in any conversation or written text.