Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Present Continuous

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5 - 7 minutes)

The Objectives stage is essential to direct the focus of students and the teacher towards the expected learning outcomes. By clearly establishing what is expected to be achieved, students can better align their efforts and prior preparation with classroom activities, maximizing the effectiveness of class time. This section also serves to reinforce the importance of the present continuous in daily communication and English reading skills.

Main Objectives:

1. Empower students to effectively use the present continuous to describe ongoing actions.

2. Develop students' ability to identify and analyze the present continuous in texts and conversations in English.

Side Objectives:

1. Encourage active participation of students in group activities to promote the practice of the present continuous in varied contexts.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The Introduction serves to engage students and reactivate their prior knowledge about the present continuous, using problem situations that stimulate immediate application of the content. Furthermore, by contextualizing the use of the present continuous in real and everyday situations, students can realize the applicability of what they learned before and are motivated to explore the topic further in class.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Ask the students to describe what they are doing at the moment of the class, using the present continuous (for example, 'I am writing a plan for my English class').

2. Ask them to create a short story about activities they wish they were doing at the moment in a place they are not (for example, 'I am swimming in the ocean').

Contextualization

Explain the relevance of the present continuous in everyday life, such as when describing actions that are happening now, but may vary from person to person depending on time zone, location, or situation. Also highlight its importance in narratives and dialogues to give a sense of continuity and currentness. For example, in news: 'Scientists are discovering new species in the Amazon rainforest.'

Development

Duration: (70 - 80 minutes)

The Development stage is designed to allow students to practically and immersively apply their prior knowledge of the present continuous. The proposed activities encourage creativity, interaction, and effective use of the verb tense in diverse scenarios, from creating sentences in imaginary situations to describing real actions. This segment aims to solidify students' understanding through intensive and contextualized practice of the topic, preparing them to use the present continuous naturally and accurately in their communications.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - The Actions Marathon

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Practice the formation and use of the present continuous in a fun and imaginative context, in addition to promoting interaction among students.

- Description: In this activity, students will be divided into groups of up to five people. Each group will receive a list of 20 everyday actions and must create sentences in the present continuous to describe these actions. The sentences should be creative and involve situations that could be happening in different parts of the world. For example, 'She is dancing in the rainforest.'

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of no more than five students.

• Give each group a list of 20 everyday actions.

• Ask each group to create a sentence in the present continuous for each action, assuming that it could be happening in a specific location in the world.

• Each group must present their sentences to the class, which will try to guess where the action might be occurring.

• Promote a discussion on how the present continuous can be used to describe actions in different contexts.

Activity 2 - Global News in Real Time

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop speaking skills and creativity, in addition to enhancing the use of the present continuous in a realistic communication context.

- Description: Students, in groups, must create a fictional news report where the headlines describe actions happening at the moment in different parts of the world, using the present continuous. Each group will simulate a live broadcast, presenting their news to the class.

- Instructions:

• Organize the class into groups of up to five students.

• Explain that each group will be a news channel that must present 'live' news.

• Give each group a world map and ask them to choose different locations for their news.

• Students must create headlines that describe actions in the present continuous, for example: 'Firefighters are battling a huge fire in California.'

• Each group presents their news report to the class, which must evaluate the clarity and creativity of the presentations.

Activity 3 - Capturing the Present

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Practice observing and describing ongoing actions, in addition to promoting the use of the present continuous in a real and dynamic context.

- Description: In this activity, students use mobile devices to 'capture' ongoing actions in the school. They must then describe what their classmates are doing in the photos using the present continuous. The descriptions and photos are later shared on an online platform.

- Instructions:

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

• Hand a mobile device to each group.

• Students should circulate around the school and take photos of classmates performing various actions.

• Back in the classroom, each group chooses a photo and describes the action occurring in the image using the present continuous.

• The descriptions and photos are posted on a virtual class board for everyone to appreciate.

Feedback

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

The purpose of this feedback stage is to allow students to articulate and reflect on what they learned during the practical activities. Through group discussion, students have the opportunity to hear different perspectives and approaches, enriching their understanding of the use of the present continuous. This moment also serves for the teacher to assess student understanding and clarify any remaining doubts, ensuring a more solid and meaningful learning experience.

Group Discussion

To initiate the group discussion, the teacher should ask each group to share their discoveries and experiences while carrying out the activities. A general review can begin, where each group highlights the most creative sentences or the most intriguing news that they managed to elaborate. Then, the teacher can encourage students to reflect on how the use of the present continuous can vary according to context and communicative intent.

Key Questions

1. What were the biggest challenges in creating sentences in the present continuous during the activities?

2. How does the context of an action affect the choice of verb tense to be used?

3. Was there any situation in which the choice of the present continuous was not the most appropriate? Why?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The purpose of the Conclusion stage is to consolidate the knowledge acquired, ensuring that students leave the lesson with a clear and reinforced understanding of the present continuous. This stage helps students link practical activities with the theory learned, reinforcing the importance of the studied verb tense and preparing them to apply this knowledge in different contexts. Additionally, it highlights the relevance of the present continuous in daily use of the English language, motivating students to continue practicing and improving their language skills.

Summary

In this Conclusion stage, the teacher should summarize the key points discussed during the lesson, reinforcing the structures and uses of the present continuous. The use of the present continuous to describe ongoing and continuous actions, both in real and imaginary contexts, should be reviewed. The teacher should also revisit the practical activities conducted, highlighting examples of creative sentences and fictional news presented by the students.

Theory Connection

Today's lesson connected the theory of the present continuous with practice through dynamic and interactive activities. The exercises allowed students to directly apply the theoretical content in real and imaginary situations, reinforcing learning through repetitive and contextualized practice. This approach not only facilitates understanding of the topic but also highlights the relevance of the present continuous in daily communication.

Closing

Finally, it is crucial to emphasize the importance of the present continuous in spoken and written English. This verb tense is essential for describing actions that are underway, being frequently used in news, dialogues, and narratives, reinforcing the need to master it for effective communication. The ability to use the present continuous naturally and accurately is a valuable tool for students in their academic and everyday interactions.