● Target Audience:

Idioms  

● Grade: ​6th​​ Grade

● Time: ​50 minutes
● Language Background: ​Any
●Proficiency Level: ​Intermediate, Advanced
● Linguistics Need:​ Pragmatics- Idioms; this need was identified through conversing with the
students and questions that students brought up for clarification.
● Objectives
1. Students will be able to show their understanding of several idioms by using them correctly in
sentences.
● Teaching Materials (In Class)
- Notecards

Step  Teaching & Learning Activities  Notes  Time 

Teacher 1: “I’m so hungry! I haven’t eaten

anything all day!”
Teacher 2: “I’m so hungry, I could eat a cow!
Introduction  T1: “WHAT?!”
5 min.
Teachers engage students in a short
conversation about why T1 would be confused
and define idioms.

Teachers pass out notecards

“Take a few minutes to find an idiom you like,
whether you use the internet or use your
memory. After writing your idiom on the board
and confirming that it’s the only one ​(this
prevents double cards)​, please write your idiom
of choice on the notecard and a description. The
description can either be copied directly from
Activity  Need: 
somewhere or your own wording. Please do not 10 min
Preparation  Notecards
write words included in the idiom as part of the
description”

Time constraint alternative:​ teachers preset

the idioms on the cards, but still have the
students fill out the definitions.
Unlimited time alternative:​ students can make
multiple idiom cards.
 Teachers explain how to play

The Name of the 

Game 
The students are divided into two teams and the
game is played in three rounds. In every round,
each student takes a turn drawing a card. The
student must then get their peers (preferably
their own teammates) to guess the idiom on the
card in various ways. Need: 
Activity Student made 20 min
Round 1​: Explain the idiom without using words in  notecards
the idiom. This may be done by reading the written 
definition verbatim or explaining their own 
understanding of the idiom. 
Round 2​: Charades.  
Round 3​: The student may only use one word to 
describe the idiom written on the card. 
 
If the students think the card is too hard, they
may put the card at the bottom of the deck but
must pass the deck to the next person.

Teachers score final points and applaud the

Activity Wrap Up 5 min
winners.

“Using a pen and paper, please write three

Reflection &  idioms that you’ve learned today in a sentence Students need: 
5 min
Practice  and explain the true meaning of the sentence Paper & Pencils
underneath.”

Have a discussion with your elbow partner about

what you’ve learned. Why do you think idioms
Extra Time  ~
are Use at least two idioms you’ve learned in
this conversation.

Student Learning:​ To assess if our students understood the idea of idioms, we will collect their
papers to read the phrases and definitions they wrote. If the class allows for extra time, we will listen
in on students’ conversations to confirm that they have understood the material.