TESOL Certificate Programs

Lesson Plan Format

NAME ELLA ZHAO
LESSON # __1__ (1 9)
DATE ___7/23/15____ (when lesson will be taught)
QUARTER (e.g. Spring 2007) Summer 2015

CONTEXT
Level: Intermediate ESL students
Skill : Writing
Topic or Function: Cause and Effect

OBJECTIVES
1. Students will be able to write correct compound and complex sentences using cause and effect
patterns.
2. Students will write one paragraph about the effects that they will have came up with.
3. Students will discuss with other classmates about the expressions of cause and effect.

TARGET EXPRESSIONS OR MAIN TEACHING POINTS

1) Cause-Effect (C-E): C leads to E; C contributes to E; C accounts for E; C winds up in E; C
ends up in E; C causes E; C is the reason for E; C is responsible for E; Therefore; Thereby;
Thus; Hence; Consequently; As a result; Because of; In view of; On account of; Due to; Owing
to; Thanks to; So...that; Such...that;
2) Effect-Cause(E-C): E is attributed to C; E is attributable to C; E roots in C; E springs from C;
E results from/in C; E follows C; E is a result of; E is a consequence of.

SOURCES
Transitions ( Reza Bahrami, 2015)

MATERIALS
one reformulated topic, one handout of transitions, one game card, one rubric

TESOL Certificate Programs

Lesson Plan Format
Lesson Plan Phases:
STEP ONE
Discussing Audience and Purpose
T: Hand out the reformulated topic. Put students in groups and ask them to underline the
key words/sentence of the topic.
S: Discuss with the classmates about a possible audience for this piece of writing and the
purpose it could serve. Discussing with others, every student needs to take notes to
emphasize the audience and the purpose.
E.g. Audience: relatives, uncle Tom; Purpose: convince, suggest, give effects/results
STEP TWO
Brainstorming
T: Tell students to brainstorm about the effects that they can think of and work
individually
Students take out a piece of blank paper and make a list of the possible results/effects that
I have changed since high school. For example, I became positive and communicative
etc.

STEP THREE
Making a Composite List--group work
A). Crate a list of results/effects, students compare and contrast their lists, and then
discuss why they have included each item.
B). Each group makes a composite list.
E.g. The composite list of effects by one of the groups in the class could look like the
following:
1. I enjoy communicating with people.
2. I am a cooperative team-worker.

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Lesson Plan Format
3. I join several sports clubs and actively participate in them.
4. I think dreams come true.
5. I believe people have choices in their lives and should chase what they believe.
6. I consider school a place that people exchange thoughts and make progress.
7. I feel students should try harder to get into a better school.
8. I think family is the most important part of life.
......

STEP FOUR
Narrowing down the composite list
T: Ask students to work in a group to narrow down the list and create a new shorter
list( if the original list is too long), including overlapping ideas.
S: Choose the most essential effects, the students have to narrow the list to the four most
important effects.
E.g. After some discussion, one of the groups in the class chooses to include the
following four effects:
1. I am a cooperative team-worker
2. I join several sports clubs and actively participate in them.
3. I believe people have choices in their lives and should chase what they believe.
4. I consider school a place that people exchange thoughts and make progresses.

c STEP FIVE
A) Each group reports to the whole class:1. What ideas it came up with, and 2. Why it
chose these ideas.
B) As each group is reporting, T summarizes the points made by each group on the board.
Tip: The points made by each group should be listed in a separate column and under a
separate heading.
E.g.
Group A
Group B
cooperative team-worker
........
joining clubs and participating in them
having a positive attitude about life
reverence towards school

Group C
.......

C) The teacher and students write relevant vocabulary/transitions on the board.

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Lesson Plan Format
Note: This is a whole-class activity that all the students are encouraged to add words
to the list on the board.
# P.P.P
A.) Present (mechanical practice)
T: Pass out the handout of useful transitions and quickly introduce their usage
B.) Practice (meaningful practice)
T: Hand out the meaningful practice game cards. Different groups have different
game cards
S: First work individually to choose the right answer and make sentences by using
transitions from the given list. They then compare their sentences with those of their
group members.

STEP SIX
First Draft (Last P--communicative practice)
Each student writes a first draft of the piece of writing assigned. Meanwhile, the
relevant vocabulary and transitions stay on the board.
Requirements for the first draft:
1. At least five sentences that includes one topic sentence and four effects in four
sentences. If the students provide supporting information for each effect, there will be
more than five sentences in the paragraph.
2. Encourage students use either the descending order (most important to least important)
or the descending order( first, then, last...) in the draft.
c STEP SEVEN
Share the first draft
The students get into groups again and read one anothers first draft, compare and
contrast the first draft with their group members and discuss which of the first drafts is
the most effective and why.
T chooses the most exemplary draft among students and show it to others.

STEP EIGHT
4

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Lesson Plan Format
Rewriting
After having discussed about the first draft, students now have a clearer idea to improve
their writing.
T: erases everything on the board and asks students to rewrite the paragraph without
looking at their notes or the first draft
c STEP NINE
Proofreading and peer review
A). Students proofread their writing carefully
B). Students exchange papers and check their partners paper first for clarity of ideas
and then for spelling, punctuation and grammar.

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Lesson Plan Format
Topic 29: (focus on effect)

You just graduated from high school and one of your close relatives, uncle Tom, invites you to a
family party. He finds out that you have changed a lot since high school and wonders why. You
tell uncle Tom that you have met a wonderful teacher who cares about students and understands
the students. Encouraged by the teacher, you have changed from a negative and rancorous person
to a positive and enthusiastic person.

Prepare a detailed paragraph in which you will mention how you have changed in terms of your
personality, your feelings about school and your approach to life, therefore trying to convince
uncle Tom to suggest the same school to his daughter.

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Lesson Plan Format
Mechanical practice
Common Expressions of Cause and Effect:
A.) Cause--Effect: (C--E)
C leads to E

Due to

C accounts for E

C is the reason for Hence

E
C is responsible for Consequently
E
Such...that
As a result

C winds up in E

Therefore

Because of

So...that

C ends up in E

Thereby

In view of

C causes E

Thus

On account of

C contributes to E

Owing to
Thanks to

B.) Effect--Cause: (E--C)

E is attributed to C

E springs from C

E is a consequence of

E is attributable to C

E results C

E is a result of

E roots in C

E follows C

(This transition list is from Dr. Reza Bahrami, 2015)

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Lesson Plan Format
Evaluating Rubrics
Not effective(0-1)
1. The writing is unclear and
irrelevant.
2. Your writing uses 0 1 common
expressions.
3. You have not described the
context in the class, or you lack
details or examples.
4. Your writing is illogical or
unoriginal.

Somewhat effective(2-3)
1. The writing is somewhat
clear.
2. Your writing uses 2 - 3
common expressions.
3. You have described the
context with some details or
examples.
4.The writing is somewhat
logical and creative.

Very effective(4-5)
1. The message is very clear
and relevant.
2. Your writing connects to at
least 3 established expressions.
3.You have described the topic
with specific details or
examples.
4.The reader is engaged by the
writing.

Grammar
&
Mechanics

There are significant grammatical

(structural) or mechanical
(punctuation, capitalization, etc.)
errors that interfere with the
writing.

There are no apparent

grammatical (structural) or
mechanical (punctuation,
capitalization, etc.) errors.

Organizati
on

Organization is completely lacking

or is not effective for the topic.
Lack of main idea and/or
supporting details.

Tone &
Word
Choice

Tone and word choice are very

informal and/or unprofessional.
Do not fit the intended audience.

There may be some

grammatical (structural) or
mechanical (punctuation,
capitalization, etc.) errors, but
they do not interfere with the
transference of information.
Organization is somewhat
ineffective for the topic. Main
ideas and supporting details
are clear. Reflects US
university-level organization.
Tone and word choice are
fairly appropriate, although
they could be better (more
formal or professional).

Standards
& Format

0-1 sources are used; sources are

not used effectively to support
arguments, and may not be cited
accurately. In-text citations or
reference list may be missing.
Significant errors in citation. Paper
may not meet word count.

2-3 sources are used; sources

are used somewhat effectively
to support arguments and are
cited accurately. In-text
citations and a reference list
are included. Some errors in
citation. Paper may meet word
count.

3+ sources are used effectively

to support arguments, and are
cited accurately. In-text
citations are accurate and a
correct reference list is
included. Paper meets or
exceeds word count.

Message/
Content

Organization is very effective

for the topic. Main ideas and
supporting details are well
constructed; writing flows
nicely.
Tone and word choice are
appropriate for the intended
audience. Very professional
and academic.