REACH FOR THE MOON!

Silvia Algeri 18th July 2013

CLASS PROFILE AND

LEVELTIMETABLE FIT AND TIMING

ASSUMPTIONS

AIMS

METHOD ANDACTIVITIES

TEACHING AIDS AND TECHNOLOGYCROSS-CURRICULAR

REFERENCES

PROCEDURES

ASSESSMENT AND REMEDIAL WORK

SENSTUDENTS

FOLLOW UP

Class profile and level:

• 3rd year of lower secondary school• 13/14 year old students • Class of 24 students (1 dyslexic student)• CEFR Level: A2

Timetable fit and timing:End of first term3 h periods + 1 h for written assessment.

Assumptions:Students understand and can use the Past Simple;

Students are already familiar with making simple predictions using the will-future;

General Aims:Foster exploration and discovery;Encourage sts to work productively and

cooperatively;

Cultural Aims: Sts will be familiar with some basic facts on the

history of space travel and on the current perspectives;

Skills and Language Focus: Vocabulary related to travel in space;Use of WILL-future to make general predictions.

Method and type of activities:

Learner centered eclectic approach (focus on communicative approach and the 4 skills approach);

Webquest;Class Discussion;Pair-work and group-work;Reading comprehension exercises and

grammar exercises.

Teaching Aids and Technology:

IT lab; IWB with internet connection;Videoclips; Pictures;Photocopies.

Cross-curricular references:

History: Cold War, Space Race, Moon Landing;Science: The Solar System.

Procedures: Lesson 1STEP AIDS INTERACTION PROCEDURE TIME

Step1

ProjectorIT Lab

T<-> Sts Sts sit in pairs at one computer, while the computers are strarting up, as a lead-in activity, the T shows on the projector a collage with pictures related to travels in space. T asks for recognition, commenting and expanting on sts’ answers. This warm-up activity aims at settling sts into the topic of the lesson, arising their interest on space travel and eliciting vocabulary which will be helpful in the following tasks.

10 min

Step2

ProjectorIT Lab

St<-> st Sts are encouraged to find out about the history of Space Travel through a guided webquest. They browse though a series of sites provided by the teacher in order to complete information on a space travel story-line handed out by the teacher on a photocopy.

30 min

Procedures: Lesson 1STEP AIDS INTERACTION PROCEDURE TIMEStep3

ProjectorIT Lab

T<-> Sts Class correction of sts’ findings. T elicits sts’ contribution and projects model answers for everybody to check. T encourages expansion and note-taking to improve the story-line.

10 min

Step4

ProjectorIT Lab

T-> Sts Homework assignment: sts read a text on the first Moon Landing and complete comprehension exercises (T/F, open questions).

5 min

Step 5

Projector T-> Sts Time filler: T shows a funny video on youtube on the space race between the USSR and The Usa.(Horrible Histories Episode 12, Series 5)

Procedures: Lesson 2STEP AIDS INTERACTION PROCEDURE TIMEStep1

IWB T<-> Sts Homework correction. 20 min

Step2

IWB T-> Sts T shows a videoclip taken from The Fifth Element showing a luxurious trip in space.

5min

Step 3

IWB T<-> Sts T encourages class discussion on the video by asking questions: Where do you think the Journey is headed to? Is space travel really possible nowadays? Would you like to go on a holiday in space? How do you imagine a holiday in space? …

10 min

Step 3 IWB T-> Sts Listening of a recording on the Nasa and the Johnson Space Centre in Houston. On the first listening sts answer general questions, on the second and third listening sts answer a T/F exercise. Overall correction.

15min

Procedures: Lesson 2STEP AIDS INTERACTION PROCEDURE TIMEStep4

Photocopies

T<-> Sts Homework assignment. Sts complete a text and an interview filling in the blanks with the will form of given verbs. The text is about the project of a Hotel in Space.

5 min

Procedures: Lesson 3STEP AIDS INTERACTION PROCEDURE TIMEStep 1 Photocopi

esT<-> Sts Homework checking and correction. 15

minStep 2

Photocopies

Sts<-> Sts Sts work in small groups (4 people) to complete an application form to take part in a mission on the moon organized by Nasa. Once they have completed the form they have to practice a speech to convince the teacher and the other sts thay they are the best space crew for the mission.

15 min

Step 3 Sts<-> T, Sts Each group has approx 5 min to convince the audience that they are worth the expedition. Each st in the group must have a say. T votes for the best speech and awards the winners a fake contract with Nasa.

20 min

Step 4 Photocopies

T<-> Sts Homework assignment: revision exercises on will for the test and a wordsearch on vocabulary reated to space.

5 min

Assessment and Remedial Work:

Overall informal assessment of homework and speaking and writing activities;

Informal assessment of each group based on: discipline, participation and language accuracy;

Formative Test (Grammar exercises on will progressing from simple to complex, T/F and matching exercises on culture).

Remedial Work: additional homework material and remedial test planned in advance.

SEN STUDENTS:

Compensatory Tools:Reading texts will be aligned on

the left and will be provided in a dyslexic user friendly script (Sans Serif), on pale colouled paper. Key-words will be in bold and students will be encouraged to use text-to-speech devices for study and a spell-checker for written homework.

Dispensatory Measures:Written homework and testwill be shorter by the 30%.

Follow up:

• Vocabulary and basic information on the planets of the solar system, to provide vocabulary in English of what they studied in the Science course;

• Space related songs: Space Oddity by David Bowie, Rocket Man by Elton John, Man on the Moon by REM.

EXPECTED VOCABULARY:

AstronautSpacecraft ShuttleRocketMoon landing0 gravity…

Space Travel Webquest:

Complete the timeline of space travel surfing the following websites:

• http://www.rocketmime.com/space/timeline.html• • http://www.thespacerace.com/• • http://www.spacekids.co.uk/learn/

1957

1961

1962

1963

1965

1969

1975

Space Travel Webquest:

Complete the timeline of space travel surfing the following websites:

• http://www.rocketmime.com/space/timeline.html• • http://www.thespacerace.com/• • http://www.spacekids.co.uk/learn/

1957

•USSR launches Earth satellite Sputnik 1, then Sputnik 2, which carries a small

•dog named Laika into orbit. Other animals are also used in space experiments.

1961

•April 12 Yuri Gagarin orbits the Earth once and becomes the first man in space.

•May 5 Alan B. Shepard becomes the first American in space.

1962

•John Glenn orbits the Earth three times in February.

•July 10 Telstar 1 is launched.

1963

•Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space.

1965

•March 18 Alexei Leonov spends 12 minutes outside of his Voskhod spacecraft

•performing the first spacewalk.

1969

•On July 20 Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin become the first men to

•walk on the moon while crewmate Michael Collins orbits around the moon alone.

1975

•July 17 The end of the space race with the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. Soyuz 19

•is launched on July 15 and an Apollo craft that was launched six-and-a-half

•hours later successfully docks with the Soviet vehicle on July 17.

Annali della Pubblica Istruzione. Indicazioni nazioni per il curricolo della scuola d’infanzia e del primo ciclo d’istruzione ,

Firenze, Le Monnier, 2012 p. 48

Bibliography and web references:

• Birdsall Melanie, Cross-curricular English Activities, Mary Glasgow Magazines, 2002;

• Bowen Philippa, Delaney Denis, High Spirits 2, Oup, 2009;• Caon Fabio, Serragiotto Graziano, Tecnologie e didattica delle lingue, Utet,

Torino, 2012;• Daloiso Michele, Lingue straniere e dislessia evolutiva, Utet, Torino, 2012;• Annali della Pubblica Istruzione. Indicazioni nazioni per il curricolo della

scuola d’infanzia e del primo ciclo d’istruzione , Firenze, Le Monnier, 2012 p. 48;

• http://warmupsfollowups.blogspot.fr/2013/04/the-5th-element-space-tourism.html

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1Im7VU-NN0• http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/space/teacher/inde

x.asp?article=guide