LESSON PLAN
Aim
Level
Content - Subject
Communication Language
Approx. time overall
To describe electricity and its relevance in a modern car, then
communicate how to perform a simple procedure/reparation on a car.
The student will write a report on this subject and be evaluated orally.
Language level A2-B2. The use of authentic texts means that the level
is high, but tasks and methods used ought to allow all students to
achieve the aims of the lesson.
The electrical system.
Pages from Principles of Light Vehicle Operations
How cars work, chapter 7 – The Electrical System
Diverse texts on electricity
The student needs to have a basic language level (A1) in order to have
a basis to work from. Ideally the students should be of mixed abilities,
as one of the major linguistic aims of this lesson is to be able to
communicate successfully about their chosen area of interest. Students
will be required to help each other in order to complete many of the
tasks.
I have supplied teaching materials based on a class of 20 students
working in 5 groups of 4, in pairs and individually.
Subject-specific vocabulary is introduced throughout the lessons using
games and communicative tasks aimed at solidifying the knowledge
and providing a network linking the individual words to each other,
thus encouraging correct application in 'real-life' situations.
18 X 45 minute lessons
Plan
Stage 1
Short Description
Gathering useful general
vocabulary.
Links to Activities
Activity 1
Stage 2
Gathering specific vocabulary
and knowledge
Activity 2
Stage 3
Practical task and creation of
documentation (individual)
Activity 3
Evaluation
The students are evaluated
during the activities on how they
have:
 demonstrated their social
abilities (working in
groups and sharing
information)
 demonstrated their
gained knowledge in the
chosen area
 demonstrated their
practical ability to use the
gained knowledge
 communicated the
gained knowledge to
others
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Activity 1
Procedure
The students learn (or refresh their knowledge) about electricity. They
have to perform simple experiments and acquire vocabulary relating to
the subject.
Film: Electricity - Bill Nye the Science Guy
The lesson starts with a simple listening task where the students see a
film about electricity. The film is conveniently transcribed and placed in
the Clilstore. Teacher should note that the language in the film is
American English (AmEng).
Brainstorm: Electricity. What words can you remember from the film?
What other words do you know? These words should remain on the
board and can be added to during the lesson.
Finding groups: Did you know? The students get a card with a
statement on it and circulate around the classroom reading and
swopping the cards. After approximately 5 minutes the teacher says
stop and the students are asked to look at the number on their card.
The number represents a group; they have to assemble in their groups.
Station tasks: The Electricity Challenge
The groups have to visit several stations and complete tasks that will
help them to gain knowledge and thereby write a report about
electricity. Stations 1-6 can be taken in any order. Students should be
encouraged to return to stations if they need to refresh information.
Information should be gathered and used in the final task (station 7)
which is to write a report about electricity.
Station 1: Electrical circuits. The students should make circuits using
three lamps in parallel and series. They then have to measure the
voltage and the current in each. There is a text to help them.
Station 2: Electrical vocabulary. Students have to match single words
with definitions, then choose five words and make sentences using
them.
Station 3: Wiring Diagram. Students have to draw wiring diagrams
using a key.
Station 4: Checking the system. Students have to measure the charge
in a battery and measure to see if the alternator is working. Then
describe what they have done. They should use a voltmeter or a multimeter to measure the voltage in the battery. This should be around
12V. They should then start the car and measure the voltage again. It
should have risen to approximately 14V.
Station 5: Making electricity. Students have to induce electricity using a
magnet and a coil. They should then create an electromagnet using the
coil and a DC power source. You can also allow students to create a
voltaic cell showing how a battery works.
Approx. time
Level
Learning outcome
Indicators
Materials
Station 6: Resistance. Students have to use Ohms law to solve a
number of problems.
Station 7: Test yourself. Students have to answer a number of
questions that should show them how much they now know about
electricity.
3-4 X 45 minute lessons
A1-B1
 Increasing ‘electric’ vocabulary
 Obtaining/refreshing knowledge about electricity
 Listening to English
 Acknowledging and recognising different forms of English
 Students using English as a classroom language
 Students using gained knowledge to complete a task
Film: Electricity - Bill Nye the Science Guy
Finding groups:
Did you know?
Materials:
Station 1:
Text: Serial and parallel circuits from motor vehicle technology for
mechanics
Worksheet for station 1
Power source
Electrical wires
Bulbs
Bulb holders
Station 2:
Electrical words
Station 3:
Paper
Pencils
Station 4:
Multi-meter or voltmeter
Car that can start
Telephone or computer that can record
Station 5:
Magnet
Coil
Multi-meter or voltmeter
Electrical wires
DC Power source
Paper clips
Station 6:
Calculator
Paper
Pencil
Station 7:
Computer
Activity 2
Procedure
Approx. time
Learning outcome
The Students read about the parts of the electrical system in a car and
share their knowledge.
Brainstorm: Electricity in cars. Students should use the knowledge
gained from the last activity to find places in the car that use
electricity. All words are accepted, but the teacher should try to elicit
the areas addressed in the texts for the day.
Pairing up: Find your partner. The teacher gives each student a card
with a word or a definition from activity one. Students walk around the
room reading their word/definition. If the two cards don’t match then
they swop cards and ask another student. When they find the correct
pair they have to sit down together.
Reading: Each pair gets a text – there are 7 texts so for a class over 14
some texts will be used twice. The students read their text together.
Both students have to be able to explain what the text is about. Their
explanation should take about 2 minutesSharing information: Speed dating. Students sit at one table across
from their partner. If the teacher has used texts more than once it is
important that the text have numbers and that the students sit in the
order of the texts – the students on the right side of the table have to
move one place to their right. The student at the end of the table that
is now without a seat moves to the free space at the top of the table.
Both students then explain what they have read. They have four
minutes. When the four minutes are up the teacher rings a bell and the
students on the right side of the table move one space to their right
again. This is repeated seven times. All of the students have now heard
the entire chapter. Students should be encouraged to make notes on
what their partner tells them.
Test: In their original pairs the students then answer the questions in
the test. They are allowed to ask specific questions to other students in
order to get the correct information.
Reading: Each student now has to read a text about the charging
system and the starting system. In groups of three or four they then
have to make five questions to the text. Questions should be written
on a sheet of paper. The groups then swop questions and try to answer
them.
Test: Put the text in order. In pairs the students should arrange the
cards so that they describe how to replace an alternator. They should
then go to the workshop and remove and replace an alternator.
3- 4 X 45 minute lessons plus time in the workshop.
 Increasing vocabulary
 Communicating through reading
 Following written instructions
Indicators
Materials
 Students debate use of particular vocabulary
 Students are able to replace an alternator
Texts: Chapter seven How cars work (seven pages plus test)
Page 291 to 295, Principles of Light Vehicle Operations
Find your pair: Electric pairs
Put the text in order: Replacing the alternator.
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Activity 3
Procedure
Approx. time
Learning outcome
Indicators
Materials
Back to Top
The final challenge.
Brainstorm: The electric system. In groups the students have to
brainstorm on words to do with the electric system. There are no
wrong answers, but choices have to be justified. When the teacher
judges that each group has a number of words they have to take turns
in writing one of their words on the board. This activity should
continue until all of the words that the groups have generated are on
the board. Other groups may comment/question the words as may the
teacher, who may also add key vocabulary if she deems it necessary.
The challenge: Students pick a number and are assigned a task. The
task is a customer drop off form. It describes a problem with a car. The
student has to prepare for a ten minute conversation with the
customer about the car and its problems. After a suitable amount of
time for preparation the students have to talk to the ‘customer’ (i.e.
the teacher).
4 X 45 minute lessons plus 10 minutes per student.
 Using acquired vocabulary
 Using acquired knowledge
 Students ability to talk and work with the electrical system
Tasks