Lesson Plan: Task 1

Name of class: IEP 0940 Academic Writing for University Exams IV

Number of students: around 14-15
Class date: TBA
Class time: TBA
Teacher: Melinda D. Childs
Materials: pre-made Quizlet with target unit vocabulary; matching word-definition paper strips;
model pictures; picture description task with space for planning notes listening notes, and
question-to-topic sentence prompt; post-task discussion questions

BASED ON ELLIS (2003) FRAMEWORK

Goal
To practice note-taking and active listening; to provide an opportunity to employ
content-related vocabulary related to Human Geography unit; to practice academic
writing based off notes, examples; to convert writing prompt questions to topic sentences
Input
Pictures of developed and less-developed human landscapes with vocabulary labels of
difficult objects, written text: an example sentence for post-task writing
Conditions
Information gap (e.g. split information), divergent, semi-open
Procedures
Pair work, during-task planning time, delayed feedback, group discussion/reporting
Predicted Outcomes
Product: open; listening notes; short answer (5-7 sentences) reporting on the contrast
between two human geographical landscapes
Process: negotiation for meaning of academic vocabulary related to content (linguistic),
paraphrasing and re-forming topic sentences from writing prompts (cognitive/linguistic),
contrasting two different scenes and discerning important differentiation factors
(cognitive)
LESSON PLAN OUTLINE
Time Interaction Description
Warm-up: 2-3 rounds of HG vocabulary via Quizlet to activate
schemata
Classroom management: taking attendance
Collaborative activity in small random groups, working together
to determine who has the right answer to the vocabulary
11:00 Ss-Ss question/definition
11:15 (learner Vocabulary: development, fair trade, gender empowerment,
centered human development index, less developed country (LDC),
activities) literacy rate, more developed country (MDC), primary sector,
productivity, secondary sector, structural adjustment, tertiary
sector, transnational corporation, value added
Pre-task o From The Cultural Landscape text supplement for
course (by J. Rubenstein)
stage
Pairing off pre-task activity: high-low pairs (pre-determined by
Melinda)
11:15
11:25 Students mingle to find their partnerthe other S whose
term/definition matches their own
Upon successfully locating each other, student pairs create a
sentence using their term; share/report on white board
Picture description task (info. gap): same high-low pairs as pre-task
activity
Ss sit across from each other in dyads to avoid cheating by
Ss-Ss looking at partners pictures
(learner Picture description is modeled by Mary & Melinda
centered, Ss have 3-5 minutes for planning; writing down notes to self
11:25 learner- about their pictures and how they want to describe it to their
11:55 driven) partner
4-5 minutes for description while partner is active listener/note-
taker, then switch roles for 4-5 minutes
12-15 minutes to revise their notes and use them to write answers
Task
to topic question Contrast your landscape to your partners
landscape; key component: paraphrasing question to topic
sentence
~5 min reporting to class LDC vs. MDC characteristics, lead in
to post-task activity
Ss-Ss Post task discussion: dyads combine to make small groups of 4 for
11:55- (learner- discussion questions
12:05 driven, Content based: gender empowerment in home country, LDC vs.
teacher MDC distinction contrasted to home country, primary vs.
 mediated) secondary sector jobs in home countries, HDI as an accurate
measure of development
How would you change your short-essays after what you
discussed with your groups? 5 min revision time
12:05
Ss Post-task assessment: anonymous feedback on taskquestionnaire
12:10
T-Ss
12:10
(teacher Turn over to Melinda: housekeeping, homework assignments
12:15
centered)

Primary Sector Development LDC

Literacy Rate Productivity Value Added
1 This is a country that is still developing.____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

5.____________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Country B:

1.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

5.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Compare your country to what you know about your partners country.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Secondary Sector Development MDC

Literacy Rate Value Added Productivity
1.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4.____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

5.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Country A:

1.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

5.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Compare your country to what you know about your partners country.
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________