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Exploratory Activities
(Introductory/Focus)
WATER is an integrated curriculum
presenting English as a foreign language in an interactive
way.
My students are a class of EFL(English as
a Foreign Language) children of 12 years old. Their present
English level is low intermediate.
Water is a fun and exciting subject to
explore with kids. Since they are affected by the water
every, students will love learning and experimenting with
all aspects of water.
Integrating natural science topic with
foreign language learning is challenging and fresh to L2
learners. Bearing the authentic purpose to contact the real
world, language learning is meaningful. In fact, some of the
subtopics involved in the WATER topic may have already been
covered in the Natural Science class in L1. So it might be
wonderful if a L2 class could arouse students'
internalization of that specific knowledge.
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CONCEPT/OBJECTIVE
- Arouse students' interest and
motivate them to be active learners.
1. Provide a wide variety of activities:
role-play, scientific experiments, chants,
songs, and multimedia communications.
2. Enrich learning environment by using
Internet, pictures, slide shows, movies and
tapes.
- Develop listening, speaking, reading
and writing competencies.
- Understand the relation between water
and Human life.
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Concept Development Activities
(Procedures/Activities)
The concept of water is subcategorized
into nine mini topics: Water Pressure, Weight & Volume,
Floating & Sinking, Surface Tension & Bubbles, Water
& Animals, Water & Power, The Water Cycle, Water
& Weather, and Water & Pollution.
The first lesson doesn't belong to none of
the above. In stead, it's the general introduction of the
WATER concept: Water All Around Us. It is the brainstorming
the use of water.
Guided
Practice
Water Pressure: Make two little holes in a
plastic bottle of different height. Watch which hole jets
farther water?
Weight & Volume: Archimedes and the
crown.
Floating & Sinking: Make your own
boats.
Surface Tension & Bubbles: Make your won
bubbles.
Water & Animals: Can whales live in the
water? What else mammals live in the
water?
Water and Power: Talk about the
reservoir.
Water Cycle: Where does the water come and
go?
Water and Weather: Making rain by boiling
the water in a teapot and let the steam meet ice
cube.
Water & Pollution: Project working--draw
a picture of water pollution.
Independent
Practice
Students will be encouraged to
raise fish when the topic is Water & Animal. They can
make their own water wheel when the topic is Water &
Power. They can use paper, wood to make any boat they
like.
They are required to think about what are
the reasons underlining these interesting
phenomena.
Closure
Their thinking takes the form of
discussion in a group, or do some supplementary reading, and
searching the relevant information on the
Internet.
Extensions
On the first class, students start
to make up an initial web with their concerned questions
about Water. Keep developing day by day the initial web.
Hold a complete and object of view of the concept of water
when the whole unit of WATER is over.
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Materials, Resources, Software
Web/Internet is the major information source in the
class. In addition, videos, music, tapes, and multimedia ESL
software are also assistant tools.
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Originality and Creativity
Student Products/Evaluation
Students are supposed to make up a web which shows
their own understanding of the concept of WATER and do the
presentation.
The web can either focus on characteristics of the
water or relation between the water and human's life.
The whole project will be evaluated on the basis of
originality and creativity.
Written
The web will be evaluated according to the scientific and
logical thinking, the consistency and grammatical
correctness. Students are encouraged to give detail examples
of their viewpoint.
Verbal
Courseware tools are be encouraged to use for
students' presentation. However, the way of expression,
choice of words, language sense, gestures and vocal
influence will all be considered as factors .
Kinesthetic
A lot of scientific activities and experiments are
designed for the whole unit according to different
subcategories. Notes will be taken in teachers' grade book
based on students' participation, practice ability,
quality and final results from the
experiments.
Visual
By using technology, students are encouraged to arrange
attractive visual effects. Webs should also be evaluated
according to the readability .
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