As a Middle or HighSchoolEnglish teacher or a teacher of English as a second language, you can use this set of computer-based tools to teach tenses using climate literature.
Global warming is causing glaciers to melt thus causing a water crisis. Satellite imagery is used to record and measure these climate induced changes on the Earth’s surface over time. This lesson plan includes a reading resource that reports on the rapid melting of Himalayan glaciers over the past 40 years due to global warming. In the context of this lesson plan, this text can be used to identify different types of verb tenses and discuss their usage in English language.
The use of this lesson plan allows you to integrate the teaching of a climate science topic with a core topic in English.
A teacher-contributed lesson plan idea by Swaroop Gokhale and Sriparna Paulchoudhury, Vidya Valley School, Pune, India.
Questions
Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:
What are the verb tenses in the English Language?
How are the different types of tenses used in the English language?
Identify the different types of tenses in a sample text about climate change.
Image: Changri Nup Glacier in Nepal. Much of it is covered by rocky debris. The peak of Mt. Everest is in the background at left.
An article on global warming induced melting of Himalayan glaciers that can be used as a sample text to peruse for identification of the different verb forms.
Note: An answer key for this text can be accessed here.
Step-by-Step User Guide
Questions/Assignments
Learning Outcomes
Additional Resources
Credits
Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
Step 1: Topic introduction and discussion
Use the video lecture, ‘Using Timelines to Teach Verb Tenses’ by Dr. Dianne Tyers, Advance Consulting for Education (ACE), to introduce your students to verb tenses in English language.
Use the simple timelines described in the video lecture to explain how each of the tenses-past, present and future- can be used.
Use the lecture to also elaborate on the different sub-types of tenses-simple, continuous (progressive), and perfect- and their usage in English language.
Step 2: Apply the learning by perusing a sample text on climate change
Use the reading, ‘Himalayan glaciers melting at alarming rate, spy satellites show’, by Stephen Leahy, National Geographic, to enable your students to apply their learning of tenses and their sub-types by examining this sample text and identifying them, as a classroom activity.
Give your students handouts of the article and ask them to read it in pairs. Instruct them to highlight the verbs in the text and identify their tenses.
As supporting material, an answer key is provided here for this sample text.
Note: An answer key for this text can be accessed here.
Suggested questions/assignments for learning evaluation :
What are the verb tenses in the English Language?
How are the different types of tenses used in the English language?
Identify the different types of tenses in a sample text about climate change.
The tools in this lesson plan will enable students to:
learn basic English grammar.
use tenses in English language.
learn about climate change.
If you or your students would like to explore the topic further, these additional resources will be useful.
An article on the migration of poor farmers due to climate change that can be used as a sample text for identification of the different verb forms. This additional reading and identification of tenses in the text could be used as a homework assignment.
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