Changing Seasons

Elementary Lesson - Teacher Page

These notes are for the teacher's use only. A separate section, which can be copied and given to students, follows these teacher notes.

Objective: To give advice & to reinforce clothing vocabulary.

Time: 60 minutes

Materials needed: Magazines or catalogues, scissors, glue, paper, & articles of clothing (if possible).

A. Warm-up (15 minutes)

Divide your class into pairs. Have them ask each other these questions:

1. What are the seasons in your country?

2. Which one is your favorite? Why?

Have them share their answers with the class.

B. Pre-reading Exercise (10 minutes)

In pairs, have the students answer these questions using the new words from the reading.

1. ________ is another name for "autumn." ---Fall
2. Rain is _____. Snow is _________. ---Cool - cold
3. Red, orange, and yellow are ________ colors. ---Brilliant
4. ________ keep my hands warm in winter. ---Mitts (or mittens)
5. A __________ is a cotton shirt with short sleeves. ---T-shirt
6. _________ are cool open shoes for hot weather. ---sandals
sandals - mitts - t-shirt - fall -cool - cold - brilliant

C. Reading (10 minutes)

There are four seasons in my country: spring, summer, fall, and winter. Spring and fall are exciting. They are the changing seasons. There is something new in the air. In spring, there is a warm, wet air. The air brings flowers and sunny days. In the fall, the days are warm, but the nights are cool. Cold days are coming soon.

In fall, leaves turn brilliant colors, then they fall to the ground. Children return to school. People start wearing warm sweaters and long pants. Fall is a wonderful time for long walks in the park. Then, the first snows fly! People wear warm coats, mitts, hats, and boots. Winter is for skiing, skating, and sitting by the fire.

Just as we tire of the cold, spring comes. The air is warmer, the days are longer, and the snow melts. Summer brings hot weather. People wear shorts, t-shirts, and sandals. Summer is for swimming, going to the beach, and playing in the park. I like the changing seasons because something better is always coming!

D. Post-reading Exercise (10 minutes)

Have the students do the reading and then answer these questions. The answers are in italics.
1. What are the four seasons?--- Spring, summer, fall, winter
2. What is another word for "fall?" ---autumn
3. What activities can you do in winter? ---Skating, skiing, sitting by the fire.
4. When do the days grow longer? ---Spring.
5. What do people wear in summer? ---Shorts, t-shirts, and sandals.
6. What activities can you do in summer? --Swimming, playing in the park, and sitting in the sun .
 

E. Giving Advice Using "Should" (5 minutes)

"Should" is a modal auxiliary verb used to express obligation (I should stop smoking) or give advice (You should stop smoking). After a modal, use the infinitive of the main verb without the "to" (I should go.).

Note to teachers: Like other modals, "should" doesn't really have different tenses (I am shoulding?). There is no -s in the third person singular (She should go.). Questions and negatives are created without do-support (Should I go? She shouldn't go. Not Do I should go?).

If your class is ready, go over creating questions and negatives using "should" as well.

F. Focused Practice (10 minutes)

Have the students work in pairs to complete these sentences with "should" and the verb in parentheses. Answers are in italics.

1. I _______ (go) to the store. --- should go
2. You ______ (buy) milk. ---should buy
3. He _______ (visit) his Grandmother. ---should visit
4. We _________(not, write) a letter. ---should write
5. They ________(never, walk) in the forest. ---should never walk
 
G. Activity (15 minutes)
Write these model sentences on the board: You should take a ______. You should take some __________.
If you can, have some articles of clothing to show the students (hats, sunhats, sunglasses, shoes, socks, etc.). Write any new words up on the board.
Tell the students that they are going on vacation. They need to pack a suitcase. Divide your class into small groups. Give each group a selection of magazines and/or catalogues. Assign a season to each group. In their groups, they should go through the magazines and cut out the clothes that would be appropriate for their assigned season. They can paste the pictures on a piece of paper.
Beside each picture, they should write a sentence like, "You should take a sunhat."
Have each group come to the front to present their "suitcase."
H. Writing Activity (optional)
Have the students write five sentences using "should" for this situation:
You are going on vacation! You are going to the North Pole!!! What should you pack?
I. Activity (optional)
Have the students try to find descriptions for these articles of clothing:
Mukluks
Parka
Toque
Where would you wear these?
 
Changing Seasons
Elementary Lesson - Student Page
A. Warm-up
Ask your partner these questions:
1. What are the seasons in your country?
2. Which one is your favorite? Why?
Share your answers with the class.
B. Pre-reading Exercise
Answer these questions using the new words from the reading.
1. ________ is another name for "autumn."
2. Rain is _____. Snow is _________.
3. Red, orange, and yellow are ________ colors.
4. ________ keep my hands warm in winter.
5. A __________ is a cotton shirt with short sleeves.
6. _________ are cool open shoes for hot weather.
 sandals - mitts - t-shirt - fall -cool - cold - brilliant
 
C. Reading
There are four seasons in my country: spring, summer, fall, and winter. Spring and fall are exciting. They are the changing seasons. There is something new in the air. In spring, there is a warm, wet air. The air brings flowers and sunny days. In the fall, the days are warm, but the nights are cool. Cold days are coming soon.
In fall, leaves turn brilliant colors, then they fall to the ground. Children return to                       school. People start wearing warm sweaters and long pants. Fall is a wonderful time                     for long walks in the park. Then, the first snows fly! People wear warm coats, mitts,                         hats, and boots. Winter is for skiing, skating, and sitting by the fire.
Just as we tire of the cold, spring comes. The air is warmer, the days are longer, and the snow melts. Summer brings hot weather. People wear shorts, t-shirts, and sandals. Summer is for swimming, going to the beach, and playing in the park. I like the changing seasons because something better is always coming!
D. Post-reading Exercise
Answer these questions after reading the passage.
1. What are the four seasons?
2. What is another word for "fall?"
3. What activities can you do in winter?
4. When do the days grow longer?
5. What do people wear in summer?
6. What activities can you do in summer?
 
E. Giving Advice Using "Should"
"Should" is a modal auxiliary verb used to express obligation (I should stop smoking) or give advice (You should stop smoking). After a modal, use the infinitive of the main verb without the "to" (I should go.).
F. Focused Practice
Work in pairs to complete these sentences with "should" and the verb in parentheses.
1. I _______ (go) to the store.
2. You ______ (buy) milk.
3. He _______ (visit) his Grandmother.
4. We _________(not, write) a letter.
5. They ________(never, walk) in the forest.
 
G. Activity
You are going on vacation! You need to pack a suitcase. Cut out the clothes for your                       trip. Paste the pictures on a piece of paper.
Beside each picture, write a sentence like this: "You should take a sunhat."
Present your "suitcase" to the class.
H. Writing Activity
Write five sentences using "should" for this situation:
You are going on vacation! You are going to the North Pole!!! What should you pack?
I. Activity
Find descriptions for these articles of clothing:
Mukluks
Parka
Toque
Where would you wear these?