3. Class profile and level:
• 3rd year of lower secondary school
• 13/14 year old students
• Class of 24 students (1 dyslexic student)
• CEFR Level: A2
4. Timetable fit and timing:
End of first term
3 h periods + 1 h for written assessment.
6. General Aims:
Foster exploration and discovery;
Encourage sts to work productively and
cooperatively;
Cultural Aims:
Sts will be familiar with some basic facts on the
history of space travel and on the current
perspectives;
Skills and Language Focus:
Vocabulary related to travel in space;
Use of WILL-future to make general predictions.
7. Method and type of activities:
Learner centered eclectic approach (focus on
communicative approach and the 4 skills approach);
Webquest;
Class Discussion;
Pair-work and group-work;
Reading comprehension exercises and
grammar exercises.
8. Teaching Aids and Technology:
IT lab;
IWB with internet connection;
Videoclips;
Pictures;
Photocopies.
10. Procedures: Lesson 1
STEP AIDS INTERACTION PROCEDURE TIME
Step
1
P
r
o
j
e
c
t
o
r
I
T
L
a
b
T<-> Sts Sts sit in pairs at one computer, while the
computers are strarting up, as a lead-in activity,
the T shows on the projector a collage with
pictures related to travels in space. T asks for
recognition, commenting and expanting on sts’
answers. This warm-up activity aims at settling sts
into the topic of the lesson, arising their interest
on space travel and eliciting vocabulary which will
be helpful in the following tasks.
10
min
Step
2
P
r
o
j
e
c
t
o
r
I
T
L
a
b
St<-> st Sts are encouraged to find out about the history
of Space Travel through a guided webquest. They
browse though a series of sites provided by the
teacher in order to complete information on a
space travel story-line handed out by the teacher
on a photocopy.
30
min
11. Procedures: Lesson 1
STEP AIDS INTERACTION PROCEDURE TIME
Step
3
Projector
IT Lab
T<-> Sts Class correction of sts’ findings. T elicits sts’
contribution and projects model answers for
everybody to check. T encourages expansion and
note-taking to improve the story-line.
10
min
Step
4
Projector
IT Lab
T-> Sts Homework assignment: sts read a text on the first
Moon Landing and complete comprehension
exercises (T/F, open questions).
5
min
Step
5
Projector T-> Sts Time filler: T shows a funny video on youtube on
the space race between the USSR and The Usa.
(Horrible Histories Episode 12, Series 5)
12. Procedures: Lesson 2
STEP AIDS INTERACTION PROCEDURE TIME
Step
1
IWB T<-> Sts Homework correction. 20
min
Step
2
IWB T-> Sts T shows a videoclip taken from The Fifth Element
showing a luxurious trip in space.
5
min
Step
3
IWB T<-> Sts T encourages class discussion on the video by
asking questions: Where do you think the Journey
is headed to? Is space travel really possible
nowadays? Would you like to go on a holiday in
space? How do you imagine a holiday in space? …
10
min
Step 3 IWB T-> Sts Listening of a recording on the Nasa and the
Johnson Space Centre in Houston. On the first
listening sts answer general questions, on the
second and third listening sts answer a T/F
exercise. Overall correction.
15
min
13. Procedures: Lesson 2
STEP AIDS INTERACTION PROCEDURE TIME
Step
4
Photocop
ies
T<-> Sts Homework assignment. Sts complete a text and
an interview filling in the blanks with the will form
of given verbs. The text is about the project of a
Hotel in Space.
5
min
14. Procedures: Lesson 3
STEP AIDS INTERACTION PROCEDURE TIME
Step 1 Photocop
ies
T<-> Sts Homework checking and correction. 15
min
Step
2
Photocop
ies
Sts<-> Sts Sts work in small groups (4 people) to complete an
application form to take part in a mission on the
moon organized by Nasa. Once they have
completed the form they have to practice a
speech to convince the teacher and the other sts
thay they are the best space crew for the mission.
15
min
Step 3 Sts<-> T, Sts Each group has approx 5 min to convince the
audience that they are worth the expedition. Each
st in the group must have a say. T votes for the
best speech and awards the winners a fake
contract with Nasa.
20
min
Step 4 Photocop
ies
T<-> Sts Homework assignment: revision exercises on will
for the test and a wordsearch on vocabulary
reated to space.
5
min
15. Assessment and Remedial Work:
Overall informal assessment of homework and
speaking and writing activities;
Informal assessment of each group based on:
discipline, participation and language accuracy;
Formative Test (Grammar exercises on will progressing
from simple to complex, T/F and matching exercises on
culture).
Remedial Work: additional homework
material and remedial test planned in
advance.
16. SEN STUDENTS:
Compensatory Tools:
Reading texts will be aligned
on the left and will be
provided in a dyslexic user
friendly script (Sans
Serif), on pale colouled
paper. Key-words will be in
bold and students will be
encouraged to use text-to-
speech devices for study
and a spell-checker for
written homework.
Dispensatory Measures:
Written homework and test
will be shorter by the 30%.
17. Follow up:
• Vocabulary and basic information on the
planets of the solar system, to provide
vocabulary in English of what they studied in
the Science course;
• Space related songs: Space Oddity by David
Bowie, Rocket Man by Elton John, Man on the
Moon by REM.
19. Space Travel Webquest:
Complete the timeline of
space travel surfing the
following websites:
• http://www.rocketmime.com/space/timeline.html
•
• http://www.thespacerace.com/
•
• http://www.spacekids.co.uk/learn/
1957
1961
1962
1963
1965
1969
1975
20. Space Travel Webquest:
Complete the timeline of
space travel surfing the
following websites:
• http://www.rocketmime.com/space/timeline.html
•
• http://www.thespacerace.com/
•
• http://www.spacekids.co.uk/learn/
1957
• USSR launches Earth satellite Sputnik 1, then Sputnik 2, which carries a small
• dog named Laika into orbit. Other animals are also used in space experiments.
1961
• April 12 Yuri Gagarin orbits the Earth once and becomes the first man in space.
• May 5 Alan B. Shepard becomes the first American in space.
1962
• John Glenn orbits the Earth three times in February.
• July 10 Telstar 1 is launched.
1963
• ValentinaTereshkova becomes the first woman in space.
1965
• March 18 Alexei Leonov spends 12 minutes outside of his Voskhod spacecraft
• performingthe first spacewalk.
1969
• On July 20 Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin become the first men to
• walk on the moon while crewmate Michael Collins orbits around the moon alone.
1975
• July 17 The end of the space race with the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. Soyuz 19
• is launched on July 15 and an Apollo craft that was launched six-and-a-half
• hours later successfully docks with the Soviet vehicle on July 17.
21. Annali della Pubblica Istruzione. Indicazioni nazioni
per il curricolo della scuola d’infanzia e del primo
ciclo d’istruzione , Firenze, Le Monnier, 2012 p. 48
22. Bibliography and web references:
• Birdsall Melanie, Cross-curricular English Activities, Mary Glasgow
Magazines, 2002;
• Bowen Philippa, Delaney Denis, High Spirits 2, Oup, 2009;
• Caon Fabio, Serragiotto Graziano, Tecnologie e didattica delle lingue, Utet,
Torino, 2012;
• Daloiso Michele, Lingue straniere e dislessia evolutiva, Utet, Torino, 2012;
• Annali della Pubblica Istruzione. Indicazioni nazioni per il curricolo della
scuola d’infanzia e del primo ciclo d’istruzione , Firenze, Le Monnier, 2012
p. 48;
• http://warmupsfollowups.blogspot.fr/2013/04/the-5th-element-space-
tourism.html
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1Im7VU-NN0
• http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/space/teacher/inde
x.asp?article=guide
