Contextualization

The study of a foreign language is a fundamental tool that allows us to open doors to new cultures, experiences, and possibilities. Within the English language, the topic of 'Routines and Personal Information' is one of the first and most essential topics covered. In addition to providing a basic vocabulary for communication, this information sets the foundation for the development of future language skills, enabling students to express themselves more fully and authentically.

Mastering this topic is the cornerstone for building effective communication. It is the first step to expressing who we are, what our preferences are, and what our daily life is like. Routines and personal information are an integral part of any casual or formal conversation. Talking about ourselves and knowing about others is a direct and effective way to establish connections and create an open channel of communication.

The study of 'Routines and Personal Information' is not only useful for its practical applications but also for its broader implications. This topic helps foster a deep understanding of verb tenses usage, sentence structures, and vocabulary. Furthermore, it promotes socio-emotional skills such as empathy and respect for the individuality of others.

Practical Activity: 'My Daily Life - An Autobiographic Scrapbook'

Project Objective

The objective of this project is to facilitate the use of English to describe daily routines and personal information while promoting collaboration, creativity, and self-expression. Each group of 3 to 5 students will create an 'Autobiographic Scrapbook,' which is a visual and textual representation of their daily lives and personal information. The final product of the project will be both a physical or digital scrapbook and a written report detailing the project creation process.

Detailed Project Description

Over the course of a month, groups must work collaboratively to collect, organize, and present information about the daily routines and personal information of each group member. Each student will need to dedicate five to ten hours to participate in the project.

The Scrapbook pages should include:

1. Personal Information: Such as name, age, country of origin, family, hobbies, favorite sports, favorite food, etc.
2. Daily Routine: Details about what students do in a typical day, from the moment they wake up to bedtime.

Required Materials

• Paper, pencils, colored pens, glue, and scissors.
• Photographs, magazines, newspapers, prints, fabrics, etc., to cut and paste in the scrapbook.
• Access to a computer with internet to research and print images and to access online resources.
• A notebook or folder to compile all scrapbook pages.

Step by Step

1. Divide the class into groups of 3 to 5 students.
2. Each group should discuss and plan how they want to design and organize their scrapbook.
3. Students should then research the vocabulary and expressions needed to describe their routines and personal information, using the provided resources. They should note down all the words and phrases they plan to use.
4. Next, students should start writing their texts in English, describing their personal information and routines. Encourage them to use the vocabulary and expressions they have learned.
5. After writing their texts, students can start the creative part, designing and assembling the scrapbook pages. They can use photographs, drawings, magazine cutouts, etc., to illustrate their information.
6. Finally, all groups should present their scrapbook to the class, reading the texts they wrote and explaining the images they chose to represent their lives.

Project Deliverables

1. Scrapbook

Each group will have to deliver a complete Scrapbook, visually and textually representing the routines and personal information of each group member.

2. Report

After completing the Scrapbook, each group needs to produce a written report. The report should include:

• Introduction: Provide context for the theme. Explain its relevance and real-world application. Explain the purpose of the project and how it relates to the theme.

• Development: Explain the theory behind the project theme. Describe the activity in detail: what you did, how you did it, why you did it in a certain way, what methodology you used, what results you obtained, and your discussions on them. Include details of the scrapbook creation process, including the challenges faced and how they were overcome.

• Conclusion: Conclude the work by summarizing your main points, stating the learnings obtained, and the conclusions drawn from the project. Reflect on the experience of working in a group and talking about your own lives in English.

• Bibliography: Indicate the sources you relied on to work on the project, such as books, web pages, videos, etc.

The final project submission will be a combination of the Scrapbook and the report.