.Programme 1: English: Language Course – Lesson 3
Resources
Language Learning Goals – Can do statements & Lesson Overview
Teacher’s Resources
- Teacher Resource 1:
Structuring a fourparagraph essay
Student’s Resources
Lesson 3
- Student Resource 1:
Daily Agenda
- Student Activity 1:
Daily agenda for a
child prodigy;
- Student Activity 2: 4
Para Essay - Graphic
Organizer
- Student Activity 2:
Peer-Editing Exercise
Additional Resources
- annotated model
essay (pdf file)
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Language Learning Goals – Can Do Statements
 Students can write a four-paragraph composition showing logical argumentation that
includes an introduction, argument for, argument against, and conclusion.
Warmer:
1. Option 1: view YouTube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&v=wavpsBTLELY and elicit responses
from students. Some sample discussion questions: a) Why did Samuel Johnson eventually grow to hate
playing the cello? B) What did Samuel miss about growing up as a normal kid? C) What does Vanessa
May feel about growing up as a child prodigy?
2. Option 2: hand out the sample daily agenda for a child prodigy and elicit responses from students – see
Student Resource 1. Ask the students if they would enjoy living the kind of lifestyle presented in the agenda.
Why or why not?
Pre-Task(s):
1. Explain today students will be writing short essays on the topic of child geniuses/ prodigies.
2. Go over the structure and format of a four-paragraph essay by asking students to draw lines connecting
the specific words in the boxed paragraphs of the essay with the descriptions at the right. Student Activity
1.
3. Students brainstorm arguments for and against the idea of being a child prodigy. To get things started, ask
students the following: What would be the advantages and disadvantages of living the life of a genius?
How would being a progidy effect your personality? What kinds of friends would you have if you were a
prodigy?
Main Task(s):
4. Using their brainstorms, students organize their ideas by completing the graphic organizer, Student Activity
2.
5. Using the completed graphic organizer, students write a four-paragraph essay explaining the pros and
cons of being a child prodigy.
Post-Task(s):
6. Students peer-edit the drafts, Student Activity 3.
Homework:
3. Explain to students that next week they will be continuing the theme of amazing people. Tell students to
research one record from the Guiness Book of World Records and be prepared to present their findings.
next lesson. http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/explore-records/
Secondary English Language Curriculum – Level 4
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Teacher Resource 1
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Secondary English Language Curriculum – Level 4
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Student Activity 1:
Time
6:00
6:30
6:45
7:45
8:00
8:30
9:00
9:30
10:00
12:00
12:15
12:30
1:30
3:30
3:45
4:15
5:15
5:45
6:15
7:00
8:00
9:00
10:00
10:30
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Activity
Wake up
Breakfast
Music reading/notation exercises
Break
Finger strengthening exercises
Read and study English
Piano exercise
Read and study Math
Radio interview with KCRW Radio
Lunch
Finger strengthening exercises
Read and study science
Piano practice
Break
Read and study humanities
Piano practice
Exercise
Dinner
Leave for concert
Warm up for performance
Performance
Homework/reading
Piano practice
Prepare for bed
Duration
Secondary English Language Curriculum – Level 4
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15 mins
1 hour
15 mins
30 mins
30 mins
30 mins
30 mins
2 hours
15 mins
30 mins
1 hour
2 hours
15 mins
30 mins
1 hour
30 mins
30 mins
1 hour
1 hour
1 hour
30 mins
Student Activity 2
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Secondary English Language Curriculum – Level 4
Page 4 of 5
Student Activity 3:
Student Writer:
___________________________
Peer Evaluator:
___________________________
Read the essay thoroughly and then answer the following questions.
1. Try to locate the thesis statement/main idea. What is the writer trying to prove?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
2. What arguments does the writer use to support his/her thesis?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Does he/she use examples to explain his/her argument? ________________________
3. Are these arguments effective? __________ Why or why not?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
4. List any misspelled words you notice: _________________________________________
5. Look again at the thesis statement. Do you think that the student was
successful in developing/supporting a clear and focused argument? Explain.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
7.What do you like best about this paper? What did the student do well?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
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Secondary English Language Curriculum – Level 4
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