Teaching notes and ideas
Name of resource:
Friction investigation
Age group(s)
Subject(s)
12 to 14, 15 to 16
Science
Topic
Language Level
Friction
Beginner
EAL Nexus
Description of resource
Resource pack comprising:
 Flashcards with visuals illustrating the sequence of a science investigation into
friction (provided on PowerPoint)
 Flashcards with sentences illustrating the sequence of a science investigation
into friction (provided on PowerPoint)
 PowerPoint for Interactive White Board (IWB) with both text and visuals – or if
preferred these can also be printed out as flashcards.
 Writing frame to illustrate where the method would feature in an investigation
write up.
Preparation needed
You will need:
 an IWB to use the visual and text PowerPoint
 a copy of the set of visual flashcards for each pair of EAL learners
 a copy of the set of text flashcards for each pair of EAL learners.
You will need to:
 make picture flashcards by printing out the visual PowerPoint presentation as
two-to-a-page handouts. Print onto thin card and cut out, or onto paper if you
are going to laminate them for reuse
 make text flashcards by printing out the text PowerPoint as six-to-a-page
handouts. Print onto thin card and cut out, or onto paper if you are going to
laminate them for reuse.
Curriculum objectives
 To describe a sequence of activities when explaining the method of a science
investigation
 To be able to present results in table/graph form
 To write conclusions based on results
This project and its actions were made possible due to co-financing by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals
© British Council 2015
EAL Nexus
Language objectives
Functions
Structures
Sequencing
Time connectives:
 First I/we …
 After that I/we …
 Next I/we …
 Then I/we …
 Finally I/we ...
Simple past tense
 I/We placed …
 I/We measured …
Describing
Comparing
 There is more friction with … than with …
 There is less friction … than …
 Steep, steeper
Vocabulary
Technical: Newton meter, friction, investigation, slope, weights, to measure, force
needed
Everyday: shoe, to attach, steep, same, different, rough, smooth, bumpy
This resource could be used:
 as differentiation within class for a learner or group of learners who are new or
recent arrivals and whose level of English is not yet sufficient to write up a
science investigation independently
Ideas for using the resource
What to do
 After the investigation ask the beginner EAL learners to sequence the visual
flashcards to show what they did. The flashcards contain images of four
different possible investigations – the variable could be the type of shoe, the
weight placed in the shoe, the surface or the slope. Learners can either be
given just the cards that apply to the investigation they carried out to sequence,
or a more challenging activity would be to select the relevant cards from the full
set.
 The pairs of EAL learners could then use the visual cards and match them up
to the cards with text as a collaborative activity.
 Use the cards to help the new arrival describe what they did in the practical work
(orally). Speaking and listening tasks should precede writing tasks. New or recent
This project and its actions were made possible due to co-financing by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals
© British Council 2015
EAL Nexus
arrivals may only be able to provide one-word answers initially. Use the text cards
to scaffold responses. More advanced learners should be encouraged to reply in
complete sentences. Sympathetically remodel the correct sentence if errors are
made.
 Use the cards along with the writing frame to help the new arrival to write up the
investigation
Other ideas for making the best use of this resource
 Prior to investigation use the cards/visual PowerPoint to show the EAL learner
what to do in the practical work.
 Prior to investigation use the cards/text PowerPoint to encourage the EAL learner
to pre-visit key vocabulary and language. See use of bilingual dictionaries.
 Learners who share a language may find it helpful to discuss the findings of the
investigation in their first language before trying to talk about them in English.
See using learners’ first language ability.
 Using the text flashcards, ask the EAL learner to read the sentence and then
cover the sentence and practise saying it.
 Print copies of the master PowerPoint and laminate to use as a mat or display on
the walls in the classroom for EAL learners to refer to.
Possible extension activities
 EAL learners could be asked to underline or highlight key words and phrases in
their written account which can be used in future investigations (e.g. independent
variable, fair test, sequencing connectives, etc.). From these they could create
their own investigation writing frame.
This project and its actions were made possible due to co-financing by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals
© British Council 2015