New lesson plan: Past simple tense of "to be" in the context of the workplace

Alice Park

Past simple tense of "to be" in the context of the workplace - A1 - Beginners level

Past simple tense of "to be" in the context of the workplace
A1 - Beginners level

Description

In this lesson, students will learn the past simple tense form of "to be," through the context of the workplace. They will practice both singular and plural forms, and focus on the meaning, pronunciation, and form of this particular tense through exercises and speaking practice.

Materials

Boss Photo

Warmer Photo

Handout #1

Extra Handout

Freer Practice Prompts

Boss Photo

Warmer Photo

Handout #1

Extra Handout

Freer Practice Prompts

Main Aims

To provide clarification and practice of the past simple tense of "to be" in the context of the workplace, work meeting.

Subsidiary Aims

To provide fluency and accuracy speaking practice in a role-play dialogue in the context of the workplace, work meeting.

Procedure (33-44 minutes)

Warmer/Lead-in (2-3 minutes) • To set the context of a work meeting in a workplace

T will give each table a photo of a work meeting. T will let the Ss discuss in groups, what is happening in the photo, and who is in the photo. T will then elicit from the class during WC FB, that the picture shows the workplace, and the people in the picture are co-workers in a work meeting.

Pre-teach Vocab. (1-2 minutes) • To highlight and clarify three vocabulary words before the reading exercise

T will hand out three vocabulary words: ill, holiday, and busy. Each table will discuss and place the word on the appropriate picture.

Gist Reading (3-4 minutes) • To have the Ss read the email by themselves, and confirm their predictions

T will have Ss read the email individually, and have them answer a question: What happened yesterday? Ss will discuss in pairs, that there was a work meeting yesterday. This will confirm or not confirm the predictions they made in the warmer stage. After, T will go into WC FB and have a student share.

Detail Reading (4-5 minutes) • To have Ss read and understand who was at the meeting and who wasn't at the meeting

T will have the Ss read the email again, and work in pairs to answer: Who was at the meeting? Who wasn't at the meeting? Who are the people in the pictures? After, T will do WC-FB to go over the answers.

Grammar (3-4 minutes) • To clarify the past simple tense of "to be:" "was," "were"

T will have the Ss work in pairs to complete the table with "was," or "were." T will then draw the table on the WB, and have Ss come up and fill in the blanks. After, T will check the answers with the class.

Grammar: Meaning, Form, Pronunciation (4-5 minutes) • To teach Ss the specific meaning, form, and pronunciation of "was, were, wasn't, weren't"

T will use the grammar table on the WB to compare it with the negative forms of "was," and "were." T will try to elicit the "not" for the negative forms from the Ss. Then, T will teach the contraction of the negative forms. On the WB, T will also draw stress dots over the stresses, and have Ss practice pronunciation chorally and individually.

Post-Grammar Task (4-5 minutes) • To have Ss practice the simple past tense form of "to be"

T will have Ss work in pairs for exercise 2b. After a couple minutes, T will have one of the Ss come up to the WB and write down the answers. T will check the answers with the entire class and use CCQs to clarify between singular and plural forms.

Controlled Practice (4-5 minutes) • To have Ss listen to an email from Tom and choose the right words he says

T will play a listening for the Ss and have them circle the words he says individually. T will then have Ss check their answers in pairs. After, T will have the Ss shout the answers to check the answers.

Controlled Practice 2 (3-4 minutes) • To have Ss practice was, were, wasn't, and weren't in an exercise

T will hand out an exercise to the Ss and have them work in pairs to fill in the blanks with either: was, were, wasn't, or weren't. After, T will have Ss come up and write their answers on the WB.

Freer Practice (5-7 minutes) • To have Ss practice speaking and using the simple past tense form of "to be"

T will lead the Ss into role-play. T will be the boss, and the Ss will all be co-workers. T will pass out prompts to the Ss, saying they were either at work, or not at work. T will go around and ask Ss whether they were at work or not at work. After every three or four Ss, T will ask someone to summarize who was at work and who wasn't at work.