Lesson Plan | Teachy Methodology | Past Continuous

Objectives

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

The purpose of this stage is to introduce students to the main and secondary objectives of the lesson, establishing a clear foundation for understanding the use of the past continuous. This section also prepares students for the practical application of the content, encouraging their active and collaborative participation during the lesson.

Main Objectives

1. Reinforce students' understanding of the use of the past continuous in English.

2. Demonstrate the practical application of the past continuous, connecting it to real and contemporary situations.

Side Objectives

1. Encourage students' ability to create narratives using the past continuous.
2. Promote interaction and collaboration among students through digital activities.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The purpose of this stage is to introduce students to the main and secondary objectives of the lesson, establishing a clear foundation for understanding the use of the past continuous. This section also prepares students for the practical application of the content, encouraging their active and collaborative participation during the lesson.

Warming Up

To start the lesson on the past continuous, ask students to use their phones to find an interesting or curious fact related to the use of the past continuous in English. This may include famous quotes, examples of use in movies, songs, or TV series. After they find something, ask them to share it with the class, explaining the context in which the past continuous was used.

Initial Reflections

1. Who was able to find an example of the past continuous in movies or TV series? Can you share the context and the sentence?

2. Did anyone find a song that uses the past continuous in its lyrics? What is the sentence and what was happening in the song?

3. Can you mention everyday situations where we would use the past continuous to describe an action?

4. What is the difference between the use of the simple past and the past continuous? Can you give examples?

5. How can we use the past continuous to describe historical events in a more detailed manner?

Development

Duration: 70 - 75 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to deepen the understanding of the past continuous through practical and creative activities, contextualized in the students' modern reality. This allows for an active and engaging learning experience where students take the lead in the practical application of the studied content.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended that only one of the suggested activities be carried out

Activity 1 - Influencers of the Past 📸

> Duration: 60 - 70 minutes

- Objective: Develop the ability to use the past continuous while connecting learning to a historical context, encouraging creativity and critical thinking.

- Description: Students should imagine they are digital influencers living in a historical period. Each group will choose a historical period (e.g., Industrial Revolution, Ancient Egypt) and create a series of posts for a social media platform (they can use Instagram or TikTok) using the past continuous to describe events and everyday situations of that time.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group must choose a specific historical period.

• Students will have to create a fictional profile on a presentation platform (e.g., Canva, Google Slides) to represent their historical digital influencer.

• Create 3 to 5 posts including images (they can be drawn, photos from museums or from the internet) and descriptions using the past continuous.

• For example, a post from the Industrial Revolution period could be: 'While I was working in the factory, I saw the invention of the new steam engine.'

• Groups must present their posts to the class, explaining the historical context and the use of verbs in the past continuous.

Activity 2 - Interactive Stories 🌐

> Duration: 60 - 70 minutes

- Objective: Enhance the ability to construct narratives using the past continuous, promoting collaboration, creativity, and the use of technology.

- Description: Students will create interactive stories on a digital story creation platform (e.g., Storyjumper, Google Forms). Each group will develop a narrative where readers can choose different paths, all described using the past continuous. The story should be based on a modern scenario, such as a travel adventure or a school day.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Choose a modern theme (e.g., travel, school day, birthday party).

• Use a digital story creation platform to develop the narrative.

• The story must present multiple options for the reader, each leading to a different unfolding of the story.

• Ensure that each part of the narrative uses the past continuous (e.g., 'While I was walking to the park, I saw a strange animal.' and 'As we were celebrating her birthday, the lights went out.').

• Groups must share their stories with the class and allow classmates to navigate through the options.

Activity 3 - Grammar CSI: Investigation 📚

> Duration: 60 - 70 minutes

- Objective: Develop the ability to use the past continuous in a detailed and investigative context while promoting teamwork and presentation skills.

- Description: Students will act as investigators in a fictional crime scene. Each group must create a detailed report on what 'was happening' at the time of the crime, using the past continuous to describe the actions of the characters and the environment.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Provide a basic description of a fictional crime scene (e.g., a robbery at a museum, a bank heist).

• Each group must create fictional characters involved in the scene and detail what each was doing at the time of the crime.

• Use the past continuous to describe all actions and situations (e.g., 'The guard was patrolling the hallway when the alarm went off.').

• Groups should compile their descriptions into a digital report, using tools like Google Docs or Microsoft Word.

• Present the reports to the class, explaining the conclusions and the use of verbs in the past continuous.

Feedback

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The purpose of this stage is to provide a moment of reflection and sharing, where students can consolidate the knowledge gained from performing the activities. Additionally, the 360-degree feedback allows for a constructive exchange of impressions and suggestions among peers, promoting collaborative and continuous learning.

Group Discussion

Facilitate an open discussion with all students, where each group has the opportunity to share what they learned from engaging in the proposed activities. Use the following outline to guide the discussion:

Introduction: Ask the groups how their experience was working together and creating content using the past continuous. Examples: Request that each group briefly present an example of one of their posts, stories, or investigation reports, highlighting the use of the past continuous. Reflection: Encourage students to reflect on what they learned about the use of the past continuous and how it can be applied in different contexts, both historical and modern.

Reflections

1. How did the activity help you better understand the use of the past continuous in English? 2. What challenges did you encounter when using the past continuous in your posts, stories, or reports? 3. In what ways can you apply the past continuous in your future writing in English, whether in school or outside of it?

360° Feedback

Instruct students to participate in a 360-degree feedback step, where each one must provide and receive feedback from their group peers. Explain the importance of being constructive and respectful, highlighting some points to guide the feedback:

Positive: What did you find most interesting or creative about your peer's contribution? Improvement: What could be done differently or better in future activities? Reflection: How did working in a group help to better understand the studied content?

Conclusion

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

📝 Purpose: Provide a moment of reflection and synthesis of the learned content, reinforcing the connection between classroom learning and its practical use in the modern world. This final step aims to consolidate knowledge and encourage students to apply the past continuous in multiple contexts, ensuring a deep and lasting understanding.

Summary

🤓 Fun Summary: Imagine you are a time detective, traveling through different eras and recording everything that is happening around you. Today, you learned to use the Past Continuous to describe these adventures accurately, like 'I was investigating an intriguing case when I found a secret clue.' With these new skills, you are ready to create stories, solve mysteries, and even become a historical influencer! 🌟

World Connection

📲 In the Current World: In a world where social media and instant information are the norm, being able to tell engaging stories is essential. The use of the past continuous allows for detailing events and actions dynamically, whether in posts, blogs, or even podcasts. Understanding and applying this grammatical structure connects you directly to the universe of modern narratives and how we consume and share information today.

Practical Application

🌐 Everyday Applications: Using the past continuous allows for expressing situations in a richer and more detailed way, essential for written and oral communication. Whether narrating an event that happened during a vacation, describing scenes for a YouTube video, or writing posts on social media, this skill is indispensable for effective and engaging communication in English.