Table 1: A framework for CLIL lesson planning
THE EARTH: MOVEMENTS AND SEASONS
MªJosé Millán Lomeña, English Department. Escola del Carme, Sabadell
UNIT FEATURES & MATERIALS
Students’ age
11-12
Students’ language
level (CEFR)
A-1
Subject
Module topic
Unit title
Science
Science 1 ESO
The Earth: Movements and seasons
105 hours
3 hours
Comments
CLIL elective session into the compulsory module. It would be elective in
the sense that we offer one hour in which half of students does science,
whereas the other half does technology. So, we could propose the
election of doing this weekly session in English to students who wanted it,
Unit description
Goals
Objectives
Contents
working curricular contents.
The Earth study implies the knowledge of its movements related to
Sun and Moon, to understand the reasons of day, night and seasons.
1. Earth movement. Earth movement consequences and
consequences of rotation axis slant: Seasons.
2. Moon movement around the Earth: Days and nights.
1. Wonder about natural phenomena like seasons. Compare the
explanations with previous ideas.
2. Describe correctly Earth movements and relate them to day,
night and seasons.
3. Analize aspects related with seasons, day and night times,
etc, produced at the same time in different areas of our planet.
4. Reason and justify explanations given to proposed questions.
5. Make reports, summaries and drawings, watching out for
clearness and order.
1. Earth movement. Consequences of movement and rotation
axis slant: seasons.
2. Photographs, drawings and models observation and
interpretation about natural phenomena or concepts dealt in
the unit.
3. Comparison between previous and acquired ideas after
working a specific topic.
4. Considered and justified line of argument about stated
hypotheses or ideas.
5. Carrying out graphic representations or drawings that help to
explain some studied concepts or phenomena.
6. Deduction of situations that are related with the dealt
phenomena, in different areas of our planet.
7. Correct oral or written expression about the topic, using the
suitable terminology.
8. Stated ideas readings, searchings, analysis and interpretation.
9. Making summaries, diagrams and activities to better
assimilate.
10. Interest and curiosity to know the studied phenomena
explanation or reason.
11. Readiness to make questions and try to answer them from the
acquired knowledge.
12. Habit of preparing and making a clear, ordered and complete
studying material.
13. Respect and tolerance about others’ opinions, and ability to
change one’s mind after listening to others’ arguments.
Student workload
1. Students are required to explain the Earth movements with a
brief report about weather forecast in two cities from different
hemispheres at the same date, in the midday and at night.
2. Video, audio or written report about the Earth movement
influences into the weather.
3. Students are asked to do a test after all the presentations.
Resources and
materials
Teacher resources
Teacher-produced or
-distributed materials
Internet. Biology books. Activities prepared by the teacher.
Activities and test.
Internet. Biology coursebook. Dictionaries. Research books.
Newspapers. TV.
Student-processed or
–produced materials Weather forecast reporting Earth movements as the reason of it.
Test.
Student resources
Learning
environments
Classroom and ICT. Students spend the first session in the classroom and the
ICT to look for their cities weather forecast, one session to prepare the report
and one session to present and take the test (both in the classroom).
Assessment
1. Video recorded, audio recorded or written work weather
forecast and explanation (in pairs).
2. Test (individually).
Presentations must be accurate, with enough information, well
organized and understable.
__________________ ________________________________________________________
Session 1:
1. Introductory activities. [ 15' ]
2. Teacher explanation. [ 10' ]
3. Instructions for pairwork and Internet use. [ 5' ]
4. Pair research work. [ 25' ]
Session 2
1. Pairwork for presentation. [ 55' ]
Session 3
Lesson plan
1. Presentations. [ 40' ]
2. Test. [ 15' ]
Learning activities
Session 1:
1.
Students answer some activities. [ 15' ]
2.
Students take notes on teacher's explanation. [ 10' ]
3.
Students receive instructions for their work. [ 5' ]
4.
Students carry out reseach and surf the Internet. [ 25' ]
Session 2
1.
Students record the report. [ 55' ]
Session 3
1. Pair presentations to the class. [ 40' ]
2.
Students answer the test. [ 15' ]
Materials provided
Instructions for pairwork. (Annex 1)
Report description. (Annex 2)
Visual aids with explanations. (Annex 3)
Language exercises related to the topic. (Annex 4)
Glossary. (Annex 5)
Assessment
materials
Sitography
Test on the Earth movements
Complete the sentences
 The Earth makes a (revolution) movement around the Sun.
 The Earth Takes (24 hours) to complete a full circle around its
own axis.
 When in the Northern Hemisphere it is spring, in the Southern
one it is (autumn).
Draw diagrams to show the movements of the Earth. Explain how
long they take. Draw the axis and the Sun's rays when in the
Northern Hemisphere it is the summer.
El temps del Picó
http://www.barcelonatv.cat/programacio/detail.php?id=20
BBC Weather Centre
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/
Starchild
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/song
.html
Nasa's Imagine the Universe
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/homepage.html
BBC TV
http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/
BBC Radio
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/
The Sydney Morning Herald
http://www3.nationalgeographic.com
National Geographic
http://www3.nationalgeographic.com
The Science Museum
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/
The Encyclopaedia Britannica
http://www.britannica.com/
Richmond
www.richmondelt.com/spain/
Science across the World
http://www.scienceacross.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=content.showcont
ent&node=29
Santillana
www.santillana.es/
The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary
http://www.oup.com/elt/catalogue/teachersites/oald7/lookup?cc=global
Bibliography
Sánchez, D. et al. Science 1. Santillana (Madrid 2005)
Fernández, M.A. Ecos 1. Vicens Vives (Barcelona 2002)
Fornells, M. et al. El món on vivim. McGraw Hill (Madrid 1996)
© 2005 Pérez-Vidal, Campanale Grilloni. Photocopiable material.
Annex 1
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PAIRWORK
Work in pairs to research the weather in two cities from different hemispheres.
Develop a mini-documentary.
It should be about three minutes long, and cover the following areas:
Weather forecast in city A (Student A):
 What is the highest temperature?
 What is the coldest one?
 Is it sunny/cloudy/…?
Weather forecast in city B (Student B):
(The same as student A)
Report (Students A and B):
 What is the relationship between both forecasts and the Earth
movements?
 Why are there different temperatures according to the time?
 What is the reason because these two cities have a different season?
 Can people change nature?
 Do you think changes could be dangerous? Why?
 How can we help?
Annex 2
REPORT DESCRIPTION
Next to each report, there must be a piece of written work containing:
1. Title.
2. Contents page.
3. Report:
 Two cities forecast with temperatures during day and night.
 Maps.
 Difference in temperature between day and night, related with rotation.
 Different seasons in the hemispheres because of revolution.
 Diagrams.
4. Sitography.
5. Bibliography.
Annex 3
VISUAL AIDS WITH EXPLANATIONS
Images from http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/
Earth revolution.
Diagram from http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/song.html
Annex 4
LANGUAGE EXERCISES RELATED TO THE TOPIC
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES: What’s the weather like in Sydney?
1. Match the words and the characteristics
Winter
Spring
Autumn
Summer
There are many flowers in the gardens.
We go to the beach.
The coldest season of the year.
Leaves fall from trees.
2. Put the words in the columns (Some words can be in more than one column).
Low, warm, high, colder, sunny, hot, cold, cloudy, snowy, rainy, wet
SPRING
SUMMER
AUTUMN
WINTER
3. What is the meaning of midday? And sunset?
4. Look for the weather in Sydney.
(You can go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0093).
Answer the questions:
- Is it the same all day long?
- When is it colder?
- Have we got the same weather?
- Do you know why?
Annex 5
GLOSSARY
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Autumn
Axis
Cloudy
Cold
Colder
Ellipsis
Forecast
Hemispheres
High
Hot
Low
Midday
Poles
Rainy
Revolution
Rotation
Snowy
Spring
Stant
Summer
Sunny
Sunset
Warm
Weather
Wet
Winter
Tardor
Eix
Nuvolat
Fred
Més fred
El.lipse
Previsió meteorològica
Hemisferis
Alt
Calent
Baix
Migdia
Pols
Plujós
Translació
Rotació
Nevat
Primavera
Inclinació
Estiu
Assolellat
Posta de sol
Temperat
Clima
Humit
Hivern