Lesson Plan | Teachy Methodology | Verbs: Introduction to Modal Verbs

Objectives

Duration: 10 - 15 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to clearly define the main and secondary objectives of the lesson, ensuring that both the teacher and the students understand the focus of the learning. This establishes a solid foundation for the practical activities that will follow, connecting the previously studied theory with practice in a modern digital context.

Main Objectives

1. Understand the use and application of modal verbs: can, could, may, must, and should.

2. Identify the differences in meaning and context between each modal verb.

Side Objectives

1. Encourage the use of digital tools to explore examples of modal verbs in everyday contexts.
2. Promote collaboration among students through group activities and online discussions.

Introduction

Duration: 15 - 20 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to immediately engage students, using their own experiences and digital discoveries to initiate learning. By using mobile devices and accessing social networks, students see the practical and everyday relevance of modal verbs while starting to reflect on their use.

Warming Up

Modal verbs are an essential part of English grammar, used to express possibility, ability, permission, and obligation. To begin, ask students to use their cell phones to find an interesting or curious fact about one of the modal verbs (can, could, may, must, should). This may include usage examples, popular memes, or tweets that use these modal verbs.

Initial Reflections

1. What are the most common uses of the modal verbs you found?

2. Can you share any interesting example you found online?

3. Why do you think modal verbs are important in daily communication?

4. Did anyone find a meme or social media post that uses a modal verb in a funny or interesting way?

Development

Duration: 70 - 80 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to provide a practical, contextualized, and interactive experience, allowing students to consolidate their knowledge of modal verbs through creative activities that are relevant to their everyday and digital lives. It also promotes collaboration, critical thinking, and the ability to communicate ideas clearly and effectively.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended that only one of the suggested activities be carried out

Activity 1 - Digital Influencer: The Art of Modal Verbs 

> Duration: 60 - 70 minutes

- Objective: Develop the ability to explain grammatical concepts creatively, contextually, and engagingly, as well as promote collaboration and critical thinking.

- Description: In this activity, students will create content in the form of a video or social media post explaining and exemplifying the use of modal verbs. They should put themselves in the role of digital influencers, using humor, creativity, and cultural references to engage their fictional followers.

- Instructions:

• Form groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group must choose one or more modal verbs (can, could, may, must, should) to focus on.

• Using their phones, record a short video (maximum 2 minutes) or create a post with images and text explaining the use of the selected modal verbs.

• Incorporate memes, cultural references, or examples from everyday life to illustrate the modal verbs in a fun and accessible way.

• Post the videos or images on an internal sharing platform, such as Google Classroom or a private WhatsApp group.

• Each group should watch or view their classmates' content and provide constructive feedback, highlighting strengths and suggestions for improvement.

Activity 2 - Digital Escape Room: Modal Verb Mission 

> Duration: 60 - 70 minutes

- Objective: Reinforce understanding and use of modal verbs in real context through a playful and challenging activity that stimulates collaboration and logical reasoning.

- Description: Students will participate in a digital 'Escape Room' game, where they will need to correctly use modal verbs to solve puzzles and advance to the next level. Each puzzle will relate to everyday situations where modal verbs can be applied.

- Instructions:

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

• Each group must access an online game platform previously set up with the puzzles (tools like Google Forms, Classcraft, or other gamification platforms can be used).

• The puzzles will be presented in text, images, or videos, and students must choose the correct modal verb for each situation to unlock the next puzzle.

• Groups will have a time limit to solve each puzzle (e.g., 10 minutes per puzzle).

• In the end, the group that solves all puzzles in the shortest time will be the winner.

Activity 3 - Twitter Classroom: Modal Verb Debate 

> Duration: 60 - 70 minutes

- Objective: Practice the use of modal verbs in real argumentative contexts, promoting concise and clear writing, as well as stimulating critical thinking and healthy debate.

- Description: In this activity, students will participate in an online debate using a microblogging platform (Twitter or a simulation in Google Classroom). They will post short tweets using modal verbs to argue about a controversial topic presented by the teacher.

- Instructions:

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

• Each group will receive a controversial topic for debate, such as 'Should there be a curfew for teenagers?' or 'Should everyone be allowed to work remotely?'.

• During the debate, each group must post arguments using modal verbs (can, could, may, must, should) in tweets of up to 280 characters.

• Groups must respond to the tweets of other groups, creating a rich and dynamic dialogue.

• The teacher moderates the debate, highlighting the best uses of modal verbs and encouraging participation from all.

Feedback

Duration: 15 - 20 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to consolidate learning, reflect on the strategies used, and promote self-assessment and peer assessment. Through discussion and feedback, students can identify areas for improvement and reinforce the knowledge gained collaboratively.

Group Discussion

To initiate the group discussion, suggest that each group share their experiences and conclusions. The teacher can start with the following introduction: 'Now that everyone has had the opportunity to explore and apply modal verbs in different activities, let's share our discoveries. Each group can briefly present what they learned, the difficulties encountered, and the creative solutions they developed.'

Reflections

1. What was the biggest challenge you encountered when using modal verbs in the activities? 2. How did the use of modal verbs in digital contexts (like social media and games) help you better understand their functions? 3. What example or approach had the most impact on the group's learning?

360° Feedback

Instruct students to carry out a 360° feedback round within their groups. Explain that each member should receive constructive feedback on their participation, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. Guide students to be respectful and specific in their comments, for example: 'I thought it was excellent how you explained the verb 'can' with examples from everyday life, but maybe we could have included more visual examples to make it even clearer.'

Conclusion

Duration: 10 - 15 minutes

 Purpose of the Conclusion : This stage aims to synthesize the main points of the lesson, connecting them to the students' reality and emphasizing their practical importance. In addition, it reinforces the learning in a playful and light-hearted manner, aiding in the retention of the discussed concepts. Through this creative recap, students leave the lesson with a clear and applicable understanding of modal verbs, ready to use them in various everyday situations. 

Summary

 Summary of Modal Verbs : Imagine that modal verbs are superpowers of the English language! They are like magic tools that help express possibilities , abilities , permissions , and obligations . Today, students dove into the world of these superpowers, exploring 'can' ️, 'could' , 'may' , 'must' , and 'should'  in innovative and digital ways. Fun was guaranteed with memes, videos, and even a Twitter-style debate! ✨

World Connection

 Connection to the Current World : Today's lesson showed how modal verbs are present in our daily interactions, whether on social media, in online conversations, or even in games. It demonstrated that grammar is not just a boring book concept, but a living and vibrant tool we use to communicate effectively in the digital world . Each digital activity highlighted the relevance of these verbs in modern daily life, linking theory to practice in an innovative and fun way! 

Practical Application

 Applications in Life : Modal verbs are essential for clear and effective communication. Whether asking for permission, making a suggestion, or expressing an obligation, these verbs are everywhere in our daily lives. Learning them in an applied manner facilitates their use in real life, from writing an email ‍ to talking with foreign friends ️, strengthening students' communication skills in varied contexts. 