GETTING STARTED
LEVEL (450)
(Contributed by Mary Ruth Spencer)
Estimated Time:
3 – 3 1/2 hours
Lesson Objectives:
Write at least 1 paragraph about your hometown
using a variety of regular and irregular verb tenses
Language Skills Focus:
Speaking, listening, reading, writing
EFF Non-language Skills:
Interpersonal: Cooperate with others
Decision-Making: Plan
Lifelong Learning: Take responsibility for
learning
Reflect and Evaluate
Resources and Materials
Needed:
Chart paper, markers, index cards, overhead
projector, Overhead markers, overhead film,
sentence strips, tape, Irregular Verbs sheet
Lesson Plan and Teacher Notes:
Using a grouping strategy, get students in pairs. The paragraph below should be
cut up into individual sentences. Place the paragraph in a baggie. Each team
should have their own baggie. Each team should take the sentences and create the
paragraph.
Growing up in Virginia was a wonderful experience. I lived in a large home with 2 parents
and 2 siblings. We lived on a 1/2 acre lot of land with many nice neighbors and lots of kids to play
with. My best friend happened to be a neighbor and we spent all of our free time together. My best
friend and I also attended the same school. We were blessed to have good teachers who cared
about us as people as well as our learning. I was lucky to have all of this while growing up in
Virginia.
When groups have finished, have them share with the class. Teacher then shares
the paragraph shown above. Teacher asks students comprehension questions
about the paragraph and answer any questions about vocabulary, etc.
Introduction and Presentation:
Introduce objectives. Write past, present,
future on chart paper. Discuss the paragraph from the warm up activity. Was it
written in past, present, or future? Choose 1 of the sentences and write it in the
past column. As a group, change the sentence to present, then future.
Presentation and Practice:
Begin to focus on simple past tense. Use the
paragraph from the warm up and have students pick out the verbs. The teacher
then writes them on the overhead projector. Discuss patterns with regular verbs
( - ed) Give each student an index card with a regular verb on each card. (See list
below) Students work with partners to create sentences using the verb given to
them. These sentences should be written in past tense. Students write the
sentences on sentence strip paper.
Answer
hope
purchase
Dance
desire
watch
Act
design
talk
Laugh
clean
explain
Design
continue
cook
Own
follow
wish
Students share with the class.
Next, the teacher introduces (reviews) irregular verbs. The teacher gives examples
and passes out Common Irregular Verbs chart. Review components of chart.
Distinguish between past tense and past participle.
Pass out index cards with base form of irregular verbs (see list below). Students
create past tense sentences using sentence strip paper. Groups share with class.
Awake
come
feel
give
meet
sing
Become
dig
fly
hear
pay
spend
Build
drive
forgive
hurt
rise
swim
Buy
eat
get
leave
sleep
teach
Catch
drink
grow
make
speak
write
Place following chart on overhead or butcher paper or overhead.
Home and Family
Neighborhood
Friends
School
Teacher models writing about the above topics. The teacher writes in past tense.
Students complete chart for themselves and share with partner. The teacher then
takes this chart as a guide to write a paragraph titled, My Hometown. Remember
to teach topic sentence, supporting sentences, and concluding sentence. Review the
following:
 Indent the first word of a new paragraph
 Begin each sentence with a capital letter
 End every sentence with a period or other punctuation
mark
 Do NOT begin each new sentence on a new line!
Students write their paragraphs.
When students have finished writing, have students edit their partner’s writing.
Depending on the level of students’ writing ability, students can revise and edit.
Write final drafts. Share with class.
Application:
Students write about a specific incident from their childhood.
Evaluation:
Teacher collects students’ writing. Edit for paragraph
formation, and correct verb tenses.
My Hometown
Home and Family
Neighborhood
Friends
School
Some Common
Irregular Verbs
Base Form
Simple Past
Past
Participle
Am, be
Break
Drink
Eat
Drive
Fly
Give
Go
Know
Rise
See
Sing
Speak
Take
Write
Grow
Was, were
broke
drank
ate
drove
flew
gave
went
knew
rose
saw
sang
spoke
took
wrote
grew
been
broken
drunk
eaten
driven
flown
given
gone
Known
Risen
Seen
sung
Spoken
Taken
written
grown