Lesson Plan

Animal World
Topic: Animals

Duration of Lesson: 90min

Instructional Setting:
Learners’ age: 14-16
# of learners: 15
Level of L proficiency: Elementary, Low-intermediate, High-intermediate
Native Language: Armenian

Prior learning related to this lesson: During the previous week students had learned
present and past simple tenses and names of animals. This lesson is designed to check their
understanding of the above mentioned grammatical aspects, as well as help them to put the
gained knowledge into practice. Students will also learn new words concerning animals
and other words from the texts. During the lesson students will work in groups as well as
individually, for the teacher to be able to assess their work and progress.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the class, students will be able to (SWBAT):

LO1 Develop creative thinking by making up stories on the spot

LO2 Enhance vocabulary by learning new animal names
LO3 Practice present and past simple tenses
LO4 Promote group discussion and cooperation
LO5 Practice all four skills
LO6 Practice the correct spelling of the newly learned words

Materials:

 Photocopies of animals
 Paper clips
 Recording
 Handouts, markers, papers, pencils
 Students’ personal dictionaries

Procedures:

1. Warm-up/Review: “Animal close to your heart”, “Word-map” LO1, LO4

2. New Information/Content: “Lions”, “change the tense” LO2, LO5
3. Practice: “Find the animal”  LO5
4. Wrap-up: “Scrambled words”  LO6

Procedures:
 Lesson Plan

WARM UP/REVIEW

1. “Animals close to your heart” LO1( _25_ minutes)

a. Individual activity:
i. Clip the photocopies of different animals on the board that students
have learned during the previous lesson. (See Appendix 1)
ii. Ask the students to name the animals on the pictures respectively and
write the names under each animal
iii. Ask each student to individually look at the picture and choose one
animal, without speaking.
iv. Tell them they are going to be the animal they have chosen for a day.
v. Model an example about you for students to be clearer how to do that.
For example, “Today I am a dog. I am sad as it is raining outside and my
owner does not want to take me for a walk…”
vi. Now once again working alone, tell students to choose one of the
animals and after choosing get them to write a few sentences about
their day, or their thoughts which the animal they have chosen might
have.
vii. After finishing get students to read/tell their stories.
viii. Ask volunteers to retell their stories first, as in this way struggling
students will be able to check the format of their stories and become
more confident while presenting/reading theirs.
ix. Ask the others to comment on the story they have heard, and give
feedback to their peers.

2. “Word-map” LO4( _10_ minutes)

a. Group activity: Divide Ss into three groups putting elementary students in
the first group, low-intermediate students in the second group and high
intermediate students in the third group.
i. Tell them they are going to write words common to the animal they
get.
ii. Give one handout to each group (See Appendix 2).
iii. Get students with elementary level to brainstorm as many words
describing the animal in the circle they got.
iv. Urge students with low intermediate level to add more arrows and
write more words.
v. Ask students with high intermediate level to add more arrows, write
more words and form sentences with five of them.
vi. Give 7 minutes to finish the task.
vii. Next, get one member from each group to read out the ideas.
viii. Get them to give logical and reasonable answers for the words they
have written.
ix. If the stronger groups come up with words which the struggling ones
don’t know, while they are reading write those words on the board so
the struggling students could write them and learn.
x. Ask the advanced students to explain those words for the struggling
ones.
 Lesson Plan

NEW INFORMATION/CONTENT

1. “Let’s have more animal friends” LO2 (_10_ minutes)

i. Tell the students now they are going to get acquainted with new
animals by learning their names.
ii. Stick the pictures on the board (See Appendix 3) and ask whether the
students are familiar with that animals and whether they have ever
seen them in real life.
iii. If yes, ask the struggling Ss to tell where they have seen the animals.
iv. While they talk, ask the advanced Ss to come to the board and write
the names of the animals under each picture.
v. If they are not familiar with the animals and no one can give an
answer, write the words yourself and together pronounce them in the
correct way.
vi. After making sure that the students know all the words and they have
written them in their dictionaries, ask them which animals are
considered to be endangered.
vii. Then ask them which animals they can meet in Armenia.
viii. Promote a 2-3minute discussion before passing to the next activity.

2. “Change the tense”  LO3(_10_ minutes)

a. Group work: divide the class into three groups making sure to have each
level sitting in one group.
i. Tell the students they are going to read a very interesting and funny
story called “Hare and Tortoise”.
ii. Before distributing the handouts revise present and past simple tense
with the whole class.
iii. After making sure that they remember the formation and use of the
two tenses distribute the handouts. (See Appendixes 4A,4B, 4C)
iv. Give the students one minute to go over the text and tell any unknown
words that they may come up with and together discuss them.
v. Tell them they are going to change the tense of the passage and they
have five minutes to complete the task.
vi. After the time is over ask a volunteer to read their work, and tell the
others to write down any part that they consider to be wrong.
vii. After reading, ask the others to comment on the mistakes they have
come across, and discuss everything together.

3. “Lions”  LO5 ( _10_ minutes)

a. Two groups: Divide the class into three groups in order to have each level
sitting in one group.
i. Tell students now they are going to do a jigsaw puzzle activity where
they are going to put the passages of an interesting story about lions
into the correct order (See Appendix5, for the teacher)
 Lesson Plan

ii. Give handout A to the elementary group handout B to the low-

intermediate group and handout C to high-intermediate group.
iii. Before they start doing the exercise write the words skilled, to dwell,
and point out on the board and ask them whether the words are
familiar to them. If yes, ask students to explain and make up sentences
with those words. If not, explain them, but ask students to use them in
sentences.
iv. Make sure they have written the words in their vocabulary.
v. Afterwards, give students 5 minutes to read the passages carefully
and put them in the right order to complete the story.
vi. After they finish the task ask a volunteer from each group to read
their versions and compare the answers.
vii. Discuss any mistakes that may occur while reading with the whole
class.

PRACTICE/COLLABORATION

1. “Find the animal”  LO5(_10_ minutes)

a. Whole Class:
i. Tell the students now they are going to do a listening activity.
ii. Distribute the handouts (See Appendixes 6A, 6B, 6C).
iii. Tell them they are going to listen to the recording twice. For the first
time they are going to listen and take notes, and for the second time
they are going to listen and answer to the questions.
iv. Urge them to write any unknown word they will come across while
listening in order to discuss them together after the exercise.
v. After they finish, ask one student at a time to come to the board and to
write the correct answer.
vi. Together check the spelling, and if there is any mistake ask the whole
class to help and do peer checking.
vii. Now discuss the unknown words together.
viii. If needed use the words and make up sentences or phrases with the
whole class.
ix. Remind them to write the new words into their dictionaries.

WRAP-UP/REVIEW/CONNECTIONS

1. “Scrambled words”  LO6(_10_ minutes)

a. Whole Class: tell students now they are going to unscramble the names of
animals
i. Distribute the handouts and tell them to do it individually in order for
them to check their progress. (See Appendixes 8A, 8B, 8C)
ii. Give them 5 minutes to complete the task.
iii. After everybody finishes ask them to read in turns and spell the words
out loud without looking at the copybook.
iv. As Ss spell orally write whatever letters you hear on the board
v. Tell the others to correct if they hear any mistakes.
 Lesson Plan

vi. Again ask Ss to write the unknown words or expressions in their

dictionaries.
2. “Homework”  (_5_ minutes)
i. For the next class ask students to make up a story using the
vocabulary on animals covered during the class and write everything
present or past simple tense.
 Lesson Plan

Reference:

1.(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-1/exercise-

english-240.php

2.SixPix ESL Listening Game. (n.d.). Retrieved April 27, 2016, from
http://www.elllo.org/english/Games/G026-WildLife.html

3.Story Arts | Storytelling in the Classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2016, from
https://www.storyarts.org/library/aesops/stories/tortoise.html
 Lesson Plan

Appendix 1
 Lesson Plan

Appendix 2: word-map

A)

Tiger

B)

Dolphin
 Lesson Plan

c)

Owl
 Lesson Plan

Appendix 3.

Reindeer Mosquito

Swallow Rhinoceros

Hippopotamus Crane

Sparrow Tortoise
 Lesson Plan

Appendix 4A for elementary students:

Read the passage and change the words written in italics into past simple tense.

A speedy hare always brags about how fast he can run. Tired of hearing him boast, Slow and
Steady, the tortoise, challenges him to a race. All the animals in the forest come to watch.

Hare runs down the road for a while and then pauses to rest. He looks back at Slow and Steady
and cries out, "How do you expect to win this race when you are walking along at your slow,
slow pace?"

Hare stretches himself out alongside the road and falls asleep, thinking, that there is plenty of
time to relax. Slow and Steady walks and walks. He never, ever stops until he comes to the finish
line. The gathered animals cheer so loudly for Tortoise, that they wake up Hare. Hare stretches
and yawns and begins to run again, but it is too late. Tortoise is over the line. After that, Hare
always reminds himself, "Don't brag about your lightning pace, for Slow and Steady won the
race!"

Appendix 4B for low-intermediate students:

Read the passage and change the present tense into past simple tense.

A speedy hare always brags about how fast he can run. Tired of hearing him boast, Slow and
Steady, the tortoise, challenges him to a race. All the animals in the forest gather to watch.

Hare runs down the road for a while and then pauses to rest. He looks back at Slow and Steady
and cries out, "How do you expect to win this race when you are walking along at your slow,
slow pace?"

Hare stretches himself out alongside the road and falls asleep, thinking, that there is plenty of
time to relax. Slow and Steady walks and walks. He never, ever stops until he comes to the finish
line. The gathered animals cheer so loudly for Tortoise, that they wake up Hare. Hare stretches
and yawns and begins to run again, but it is too late. Tortoise is over the line. After that, Hare
always reminds himself, "Don't brag about your lightning pace, for Slow and Steady won the
race!"

4C for the high-intermediate students:

Read the passage and fill in the gaps with the verbs given below. You need to put the verbs
first into present tense, then change them into past. Note the same verb can be used more
than once.
 Lesson Plan

A speedy hare always _____ about how fast he can run. Tired of hearing him boast, Slow and
Steady, the tortoise, __________ him to a race. All the animals in the forest ______ to watch.

Hare _______ down the road for a while and then ___________ to rest. He _________ at Slow
and Steady and ________, "How do you expect to win this race when you are walking along at
your slow, slow pace?"

Hare _________ himself out alongside the road and ________, thinking, that there
________plenty of time to relax. Slow and Steady ______ and_______. He never, ever
________ until he ________ to the finish line. The gathered animals ___________ so loudly for
Tortoise, that they ____________ Hare. Hare ____________ and _________ and _________to
run again, but it __________ too late. Tortoise _________ over the line. After that, Hare always
__________ himself, "Don't brag about your lightning pace, for Slow and Steady won the race!"

Verbs: (to pause, to stop, to gather, to yawn, to run , to brag, to cheer, to look back, to fall asleep,
to cry out, to expect, to stretch, to be, to walk, to challenge, to come, to wake up, to begin, to
remind).
 Lesson Plan

Appendix 5 for the teacher:

Lions

Lions are a species of big cats that are now endangered. Although lions used to live in
many places in the world, such as Africa, India, and even parts of southern Europe, they now
mostly inhabit only Sub-Saharan Africa. Lions have been called “the king of the jungle” even
though they do not live in any jungle areas. In any case, lions are very dangerous and skilled
hunters who are feared by their enemies. They are very clever and have sharp teeth and claws.
They can also work together in groups to quickly track and kill their prey.

Male lions can weigh over 250 kilograms and their height can be upwards of 123
centimeters. One lion named “Simba”, who lived at the London Zoo, weighed in at 375
kilograms! Female lions usually weigh somewhere between 120 to 182 kilograms. This size and
weight can often depend on where they dwell. For example, lions from the south of Africa
usually weigh a bit more than those in eastern Africa.

Lions often live in packs. These are called “prides” and they consist of about five to ten
female lions (called “lionesses”) with their cubs. The lions reproduce and have children with the
lionesses. They all live together with the pride. The lions in a pride are referred to as “residents”.
A normal pride usually has about two male residents. Interestingly enough, lions can use their
tails to signal their pack. They can use their tails to point out a new direction for the rest of the
pride to follow.
 Lesson Plan

Appendix 5A for elementary students:

Read the passages and put them in the right order to complete the story.

Lions

Lions often live in packs. These are called “prides” and they consist of about five to ten
female lions (called “lionesses”) with their cubs. The lions reproduce and have children with the
lionesses. They all live together with the pride. The lions in a pride are referred to as “residents”.
A normal pride usually has about two male residents. Interestingly enough, lions can use their
tails to signal their pack. They can use their tails to point out a new direction for the rest of the
pride to follow.

Male lions can weigh over 250 kilograms and their height can be upwards of 123
centimeters. One lion named “Simba”, who lived at the London Zoo, weighed in at 375
kilograms! Female lions usually weigh somewhere between 120 to 182 kilograms. This size and
weight can often depend on where they dwell. For example, lions from the south of Africa
usually weigh a bit more than those in eastern Africa.

Lions are a species of big cats that are now endangered. Although lions used to live in many
places in the world, such as Africa, India, and even parts of southern Europe, they now mostly
inhabit only Sub-Saharan Africa. Lions have been called “the king of the jungle” even though
they do not live in any jungle areas. In any case, lions are very dangerous and skilled hunters
who are feared by their enemies. They are very clever and have sharp teeth and claws. They can
also work together in groups to quickly track and kill their prey.
 Lesson Plan

Appendix 5B for low-intermediate students:

Read the passages and match the sentences with their paragraphs

1. Lions often live in packs. These are called “prides” and they consist of about five to ten female
lions (called “lionesses”) with their cubs.

2. Lions are a species of big cats that are now endangered. Although lions used to live in many
places in the world, such as Africa, India, and even parts of southern Europe, they now mostly
inhabit only Sub-Saharan Africa.

3. Male lions can weigh over 250 kilograms and their height can be upwards of 123 centimeters.

a. Lions have been called “the king of the jungle” even though they do not live in any
jungle areas. In any case, lions are very dangerous and skilled hunters who are feared by
their enemies. They are very clever and have sharp teeth and claws. They can also work
together in groups to quickly track and kill their prey.
b. One lion named “Simba”, who lived at the London Zoo, weighed in at 375 kilograms!
Female lions usually weigh somewhere between 120 to 182 kilograms. This size and
weight can often depend on where they dwell. For example, lions from the south of
Africa usually weigh a bit more than those in eastern Africa.
c. The lions reproduce and have children with the lionesses. They all live together with the
pride. The lions in a pride are referred to as “residents”. A normal pride usually has about
two male residents. Interestingly enough, lions can use their tails to signal their pack.
They can use their tails to point out a new direction for the rest of the pride to follow.
 Lesson Plan

Appendix 5C for the high-intermediate students:

Read the passages and put them in the right order to complete the story.

Lions

The lions in a pride are referred to as “residents”. A normal pride usually has about two
male residents. Interestingly enough, lions can use their tails to signal their pack. They can use
their tails to point out a new direction for the rest of the pride to follow.

In any case, lions are very dangerous and skilled hunters who are feared by their enemies.
They are very clever and have sharp teeth and claws. They can also work together in groups to
quickly track and kill their prey.

Female lions usually weigh somewhere between 120 to 182 kilograms. This size and
weight can often depend on where they dwell. For example, lions from the south of Africa
usually weigh a bit more than those in eastern Africa.

Lions often live in packs. These are called “prides” and they consist of about five to ten
female lions (called “lionesses”) with their cubs. The lions reproduce and have children with the
lionesses. They all live together with the pride.

Male lions can weigh over 250 kilograms and their height can be upwards of 123
centimeters. One lion named “Simba”, who lived at the London Zoo, weighed in at 375
kilograms!

Lions are a species of big cats that are now endangered. Although lions used to live in
many places in the world, such as Africa, India, and even parts of southern Europe, they now
mostly inhabit only Sub-Saharan Africa. Lions have been called “the king of the jungle” even
though they do not live in any jungle areas.
 Lesson Plan

Appendix 6: transcript of the listening

Nobody likes this animal because they bite. Now, it's not the worst bite in the world but
the problem with their bite is that it makes you itch after they bite you. Some people get a red
spot and they itch for days.

Most people love this animal because they think it's so cute. They love to eat leaves and
plants. They're vegetarians and these small little animals are sometimes kept as pets.

This animal is an amphibian which means that it can live in both water and on land. It
looks like it has wings but I don't think it can fly and I also don't think it could climb a tree.

There are a lot of children’s books written about these insects because they go through so
many changes in their life. When they're born they are very small and they love to eat and eat
and eat and get big and fat. And eventually they'll be able to fly but this one can't fly yet.
 Lesson Plan

Appendix 7A elementary students:

Listen to each passage and circle the correct picture according to the recording and the
question. After circling write the name of the animal under the picture.

1. From which of these animal’s bite people get red spots on their skin?

a) b) c)

2. Which of these animals sometimes are kept as pets?

a) b) c)

3. Which of these animals can live in the water as well as on land?

a) b) c)
c) cc

4. Which of these animals cannot fly and is fat?

a) b) c)
 Lesson Plan

Appendix 7B for low-intermediate students:

Listen to each passage and circle the picture according to the recording. After circling
write the name of the animal under the picture.

1.

a) b) c)

2.

a) b) c)

3.

a) b) c)

4.

a) b) c)
 Lesson Plan

Appendix 7C for high-intermediate students

Listen to the recording and try to guess and write down the animals which are described in
the recording.

1.____________________________________________________________________________
2.____________________________________________________________________________
3.____________________________________________________________________________
4.____________________________________________________________________________
 Lesson Plan

Appendix 8A for elementary students:

Unscramble the words using the given hints. Note that the first and the last letters of each
word remain correct.

1. Has the longest neck: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (G I A E F R F )

2. A big brown monkey: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (G L I R L O A)

3. Has black and white stripes: _ _ _ _ _ ( Z R E B A )

4. Alligator's cousin: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (C O R O C L I D E)

5. A small, irritating insect: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (M T Q O O S I U)

6. Has its house on its back: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (T R S O I T O E)

7. Bird that repeats and imitates: _ _ _ _ _ _ ( P R R A O T)

8. Australian jumper: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (K R G A A O N O)

9. Small than a whale: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ( D H L I O P N )

10. Black and white, eats bamboo: _ _ _ _ _ (P D N A A )

11. Wild Australian dog: _ _ _ _ _ ( D G N I O )

12. A large herbivorous mammal _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (H M O P I P T O P U A S)

13. The symbol of the USA: _ _ _ _ _ ( E LA G E )

14. Grey, with two horns: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ( R O R O C I N H E S )

15. The king of the jungle: _ _ _ _ ( L O I N )

16. Has yellow and black stripes: _ _ _ _ _ ( T GI E R )

17. Friendly, lives in the sea: _ _ _ _ _ (W L H A E)

18. A bird with long legs and neck: _ _ _ _ _ ( C A N R E)

19. Large deer with horns (antlers): _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ( R N E I E D E R)

20. A small bird which makes a nest on the rooftops: _ _ _ _ _ _ ( S L W L A O)

 Lesson Plan

Appendix 8B for low-intermediate students:

Unscramble the words using the given hints.

1. Has the longest neck: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ( E I A G F R F )

2. A big brown monkey: _ _ _ _ _ _ _( L I A R L O G )

3. Has black and white stripes: _ _ _ _ _( R E B A Z )

4. Alligator's cousin: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _( C O R O E C L I D )

5. A small, irritating insect: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ( T Q O O S M U I )

6. Has its house on its back: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _( R E S O T I T O )

7. Bird that repeats and imitates: _ _ _ _ _ _ ( R R A T O P )

8. Australian jumper: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _( R G A A O K O N )

9. Smaller than a whale: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ( D H L I O P N )

10. Black and white, eats bamboo: _ _ _ _ _( A A P N D )

11. Wild Australian dog: _ _ _ _ _( N D G I O )

12. A large herbivorous mammal _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (P H I O P T O S P M U A)

13. The symbol of the USA: _ _ _ _ _ ( A L E G E )

14. Grey, with two horns: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ( O R C I O R N H E S )

15. The king of the jungle: _ _ _ _ ( O I N L )

16. Has yellow and black stripes: _ _ _ _ _ ( I T ER G )

17. Friendly, lives in the sea: _ _ _ _ _( W E L H A )

18. A bird with long legs and neck: _ _ _ _ _ ( R C E N A)

19. Large deer with horns (antlers): _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ( N R E I E D R E)

20. A small bird which makes a nest on the rooftops: _ _ _ _ _ _ ( L S W O L A)

 Lesson Plan

Appendix 8C for high-intermediate students

Complete the words according to the given hints.

1. Has the longest neck: G _ _ _ _ _ _

2. A big brown monkey: G _ _ _ _ _ _

3. Has black and white stripes: Z _ _ _ _

4. Alligator's cousin: C _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

5. A small, irritating insect: M _ _ _ _ _ _ _

6. Has its house on its back: T _ _ _ _ _ _ _

7. Bird that repeats and imitates: P _ _ _ _ _

8. Australian jumper: K _ _ _ _ _ _ _

9. Smaller than a whale: D _ _ _ _ _ _

10. Black and white, eats bamboo: P _ _ _ _

11. Wild Australian dog: D _ _ _ _

12. A large herbivorous mammal H _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

13. The symbol of the USA: E _ _ _ _

14. Grey, with two horns: R _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

15. The king of the jungle: L _ _ _

16. Has yellow and black stripes: T _ _ _ _

17. Friendly, lives in the sea: W _ _ _ _

18. A bird with long legs and neck: C _ _ _ _

19. Large deer with horns (antlers): R _ _ _ _ _ _ _

20. A small bird which makes a nest on the rooftops: S _ _ _ _ _