This document outlines a 3-lesson plan aimed at developing students' awareness of controversial issues. In the first lesson, students brainstorm controversial issues and research one issue in groups. In the second lesson, each group designs an informational commercial about their issue using online tools to illustrate the problem and provide facts. The third lesson involves each group presenting their commercial and discussing effectiveness in raising awareness, with the goal of uploading the commercials online to share with a wider audience. The overarching objectives are to complete a class project on controversial issues and integrate language skills, technology, and students' realities into classroom activities.

1. Nuevas Tecnologías
educativas aplicadas a la
Enseñanza del Idioma Inglés
y al Desarrollo
Profesional del Docente
Teacher: Aurelia García
Student: Ana Gomez
Lesson plan: “Controversial issues”

2. Introduction: There are certain problems on our daily lives that are
very serious and shocking and, for that reason; most people try to avoid
them. However, teachers should draw students’ attention to those
controversial issues in order to raise their awareness and give them the
possibility to be actively involved in their social backgrounds.
 Length: 3 classes of 60 min.
 Description of the class:
 26 students of 18 years old.
 Pre-intermediate level and above.
 Students are very hard-working and critical thinkers.
 Objectives:
 To develop a class project.
 To practice students general ability to communicate.
 To raise students awareness about controversial issues in their own
background.
 To integrate students language abilities and the four macroskills in
a task-based activity.
 To integrate technology in the classroom.
 To motivate students by incorporating their realities in the
classroom activities.
 Language: present or past simple to write stories or cartoons,
descriptive language, imperatives and modals, report speech.
 Class 1:
 Presentation: The teacher writes the title “Controversial issues”
on the board and asks students what problems of their social
background they consider controversial or serious nowadays. The
teacher writes all the answers on the board drawing a diagram
around the title of the lesson. Then, she will explain some of the
most common problems in our society and around the world, such as
addictions, violence, eating disorders, etc.

3.  Time: 15 min
 Interaction: whole class
 Material: the board
 Skills: Speaking, listening and reading.
 Activity: Students are divided in 4 groups. Each group will decide
on a controversial problem such as drugs, anorexia and bulimia,
human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual abuse, homophobia,
etc. They are presented with the task they are going to perform.
They imagine they will be part of an information campaign that is
going to design a commercial to raise awareness of these important,
social problems. The first step is to look for information about the
problem they are going to deal with. The teacher gives them some
web pages to look for information but they can visit any other they
suggest.
http://www.something-fishy.org
http://www.drugstory.org/drugs_crime/crime_violence.asp
http://www.urbanministry.org/wiki/human-trafficking-definition-
prevalence-and-causes
 Time: 45 min
 Interaction: group work
 Material: web pages
 Skills: reading, speaking, and writing
 Class 2:
 Activity/ Production: After gathering information of the topic
students have chosen, each group will design the information
commercial. The ad will consist of three parts. First, as they are
difficult topics to approach, each group will present its commercial
by using a cartoon, a picture story or story book in which they
illustrate the situation, give an example and express their feelings
about it. The teacher provides the following web sites for students
to work on:
http://www.pimpampum.net/bookr
http://www.zimmertwins.com/movie/create

4. http://www.pimpampum.net/bubblr
Secondly, after presenting the topic by illustrating the situation
using a cartoon or a story, the commercial should include some
information about the social problem, such as causes, consequences,
statistics, etc. And finally, the ad should include a final message to
raise people’s awareness of the importance of the topic.
 Time: 60 min
 Interaction: group work
 Material: web pages teacher has carefully selected, information
students have gathered about their topics.
 Skills: reading and writing
 Class 3:
 Oral presentations:
Each group will present its commercial by using a power point or a
movie maker presentation.
After each group presents its commercial, students will discuss the
effectiveness of each commercial to raise awareness or not.
Students will try to upload their commercials to you tube, a blog or
slide share, for instance, to share it with a wider audience.
 Extension: students can think of other ways of raising awareness
about these serious issues such as leaflets, posters, workshops, etc;
and try to continue with their information campaign.
 Time: 60 min
 Interaction: group and whole class interaction
 Material: power point and movie maker presentations, internet
(you tube, blog, etc)
 Skills: Speaking, listening and reading.