Lesson aims:
To practise question asking (e.g. “Can it/Can you..?”, “Is it…?”, “Does it..?”) and also encourage appropriate short answers (e.g. “Yes, it can/No, it can’t”, “Yes, it is/No, it isn’t” etc)
Quick description: This is an elongated version of the classic yes/no warm-up game. A powerpoint slide shows a closed box. Students have to ask questions to guess what’s inside. When they guess correctly, the slide changes to reveal a realistic interior and an image of that object.
NOTE: • Once the idea is introduced, it can be a good occasional lesson warmer – with the 2nd or 3rd object leading in to your topic (eg a mobile phone, to start a lesson practicing phone conversations.) • This lesson works best if after introducing the idea in one lesson, you take their suggests and create a powerpoint for the following lesson.
Sub-skills practised: Building vocabulary knowledge of materials (eg made of glass, wood, steel etc) and verbs (can it fly, float). Practise comparatives -e.g. “it it bigger than my hand?” etc.
Teaching Materials / requirements:
• Power point presentation (prepared with students’ suggestions if applicable)
• slips of paper (so students can suggest objects for future classes)
• A projector (with picture ‘freeze’ or ‘hide’ function)
• A white board – or a roll of book covering plastic to act as a blutac-up-able whiteboard.
DOWNLOAD LINKS: word doc of lesson plan powerpoint template
Preparation:
- Pre-load the powerpoint slides using free images from the internet (eg Plexel).
- To save time, pre-write the example questions and related short answers onto a roll of plastic (see above). This can be stuck anywhere in classroom
Assumed knowledge:
Students will have been introduced to this simple question and answer structure. A basic level of vocabulary which can be revised in class (eg colours, descriptions, verbs).
Anticipated problems > solutions:
- Some students are very shy about coming up to speak in front of the class – even if it is just to give short yes it is / no it isn’t answers. > Solution: allow these students to come up with a partner, to help them.
- Technology fail – the game can be carried out without the powerpoint presentation – although it is less fun.
Lesson plan and rationale:
1. Prepare the classroom: stick up your list of example questions and short answers or write them on the board. Underline the key verb in both question and short answer :
• Can you eat it?
Yes, you can. No, you can’t.
• Can it fly?
Yes, it can. No, it can’t.
• Does it…?
Yes, it does. No, it doesn’t.
• Is it…?
Yes, it is. No, it isn’t?
Rationale: By providing a template, students feel more comfortable participating in the early stages of the game. It also proves a useful visual aid for correction (pointing without having to say a word, the students often correct themselves.)
2. Start the game by taking the first turn yourself. Tell students they can ask simple yes or no questions to find out ‘What’s in the box’. Make sure you give full ‘short answer’ forms during your turn – e.g. “yes, it is” rather than just “yes”. As the game warms up, point to the correct short answer on the board as you say it – this emphasises the point.
Rationale: By taking the first turn, you can demonstrate the game and the use of short answers..
3. When you have a correct guess reveal the next slide showing what is in the box. Invite the winner up to take the next turn as ‘Box owner’. Freeze the projector (or ‘mute’ it) so that you can advance the slide on the computer without the rest of the class seeing it. Show the student the computer slide so they have a clear idea of what’s in their box. Flick the slide back to the box exterior and let game play commence. [ Note: if the projector doesn’t have a mute/freeze button, it may be worth taking photos with your phone. You can then show them this picture instead.
Rationale: By showing the student the exact picture of what’s in their box, they are better equipped to answer questions about colour and size. (A dog could be take many different forms.).
4. As the class make guesses, keep an eye on word order – learners with Spanish as a first language will be tempted to use statement questions like “You can eat it?” (rather than the more correct “Can you eat it?”) Hand gestures become an effective way of prompting students to switch the word order. They quickly learn to self correct after this gesture is understood.
5. The first time you play this game, you will need to create the content for the boxes yourself. But at the end of the first session (note: you may not want to play it for a full lesson on your first outing), give each student a slip of paper and ask them – in secret! – to write down two things: one everyday object or item, and another crazy/unusual thing. It’s often fascinating and amusing to see what they come up with. (eg. The Eiffel Tower, a window, ‘the same box but smaller’, a unicorn, a roundabout(!)) . Tell them they must also put their full name on it in capitals (to help you read their writing and distinguish between students with similar first names).
6. Before the next lesson, use a free images from the internet (e.g. from royalty free site Pexels.com) to create as many interesting boxes as possible. Try to find images with a white background so that you can use powerpoint ‘Remove background image’ function. If you have photo editing skills /apps, you can have a lot of fun adding extra elements. Though prep takes a little longer, the time is rewarded with a heightened enthusiasm from students, who are keen to find out what their classmates have chosen.
When creating boxes, label the outside with the name of the student who chose it. In the next class, call up the student as their name and box come up.
TEACHER PETE 