Melissa Cramoline
Elementary and Junior High School
What Time is it?
Swatter Time!
Introduction:
The best lesson plan I have taught so far was a lesson plan on “I can/can’t ~~”. This lesson plan I will
introduce is one I created after the students got a general concept of how to use “I can” and “I
can’t (can not)”. I used this lesson plan with my 6th grade elementary school students. Some of the
teachers I work with at the school and I worked together to come up with this game and organized
the lesson plan.
Lesson Plan:
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I normally start the class asking the students questions such as “How are you?”, “How is the
weather” or “What day is it”. (5 minutes)
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Next I explain what we will be doing for the day. (2 minutes)
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Just like I always do before jumping into a grammar point, I introduce new words and/or
review old words that go along with said grammar point. In this case we reviewed sports (play
soccer, play volleyball. Ect), playing music (play piano, play guitar ect), cooking (make an
omelet) and things like that. Words that can be used in an “I can/can’t” sentence. I usually
used the words that the students have in their text books. (10 minutes)
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Next I had them practice making “I can” and “I can’t” sentences using the already studies
words they know. For example we would say something like “I can swim” and then say “I can’t
swim”. I would also ask them “Can you swim?” and the students who can swim say “Yes, I can
swim” and the students who can’t swim say “No, I can’t swim” to help review the words and
the grammar point. (5 to 10 minutes)
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Next we played what I call ‘Telephone Flyswatter Game’. (10 to 30 minutes)
 Materials you will need for the game
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Magnets
Flashcards
4 Flyswatters. (Two pink and two blue. At least two of each color)
A board to put them on (I use the classrooms black board)
 How to play
Melissa Cramoline
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Elementary and Junior High School
To play the game you first put the flashcards all over the board. Face them so that
the students can see the picture on the cards.
Explain to the students that the blue swatter means “I can” and that the pink
swatter means “I can’t”. Explain that you will be giving an “I can” or an “I can’t”
sentence for the students to telephone down the line and the student with the two
flyswatters has to match the correct vocabulary card with the correct swatter color.
(I also make the student with the swatter say the sentence out loud before I give
them the point. If you can’t say the sentence, then you don’t get the point and the
other team gets a try).
Split the students into two teams and line the students up like they are going to
play telephone. Make sure that they are perpendicular to the board and that their
backs are facing the board.
Give the two students at the end of the line (The ones furthest from the board) two
of the flyswatters (one pink and one blue).
Next you will tell each student at the front of the lines an “I can/can’t” sentence. (I
find it is best to have them meet me outside the room to tell them the sentence so
that the rest of the class can’t hear).
Then you have them return to the class room. When you say “GO!” The students
will telephone the sentence down the line to the student with the flyswatter. Once
it gets to the student with the flyswatter, he/she has to race to the board, match
the correct color swatter with the flash card, and say the sentence out loud.
 Ex: The sentence is “I can play soccer”. This means that the student must
match the blue flyswatter (I can) with the card of kids playing soccer on it and
then must say the sentence “I can play soccer” out loud. And then you give the
team a point
Finally you have the student with the flyswatter come to the front of the line and
repeat the process.
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We end the class with cleaning up (putting desks back where they belong) and I give prizes
(stickers) to the winning team. (3 minutes)
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To end the class we all say “good bye” or “see you”. (1minute)
My contact information
Ladyestelle8@gmail.com
Feel free to email me!