"I Must Have It! Little Princess" Listening

Lesson Plan: "I Must Have It! Little Princess" (A1/A2, 8–10 years old)

Level: A1/A2
Age: 8–10 years old
Duration: 45 minutes
Topic: Winter fun and expressing wants (using "I want…", "I need…")
Aims:

• To introduce and practice vocabulary related to winter activities (sledge, snowman, carrot, brakes, cushion, etc.).
• To develop listening skills by understanding a short animated episode.
• To practice speaking about preferences and wants using "I want…" and "I need…".
• To encourage creative thinking and interaction through role-play and discussion.
  Materials:
• Video clip from "Little Princess" (Episode 1, 4:25) – YouTube link.
• Flashcards (Quizlet) – Pre-listening.
• Controlled practice (Wordwall) – Listening.
• Semi-controlled practice (LearningApps) – Gap-fill.
• Speaking semi-controlled practice (Wordwall) – Speaking.
• Freer practice (Wordwall) – Speaking.
• Pictures of a sledge, snowman, carrot, etc. (for visuals).
• Whiteboard/projector, markers, small toys (e.g., a toy sledge or teddy bear for Gilbert).

Lesson Structure

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Aim: To engage students, introduce the topic of winter fun, and activate prior knowledge.

• Activity:
  • Greet the children warmly: "Hello, my little friends! Do you like winter? ❄️ What do you do in winter? Do you play in the snow?"
  • Show pictures of winter activities (building a snowman, sledging, playing with snow). Ask: "What is this? Do you like to do this?"
  • Introduce the context: "Today we’ll watch a funny cartoon about a Little Princess. She loves playing in the snow! Let’s see what she wants!"
• Interaction: T-S (Teacher-Students), encourage whole-class responses.

2. Pre-Listening (5 minutes)

Aim: To introduce key vocabulary and prepare students for listening.

• Activity: Use Quizlet flashcards link to teach vocabulary: sledge, snowman, carrot, cushion, brakes, fast, slow, big, small, new, old.
  • Show each flashcard and say the word: "This is a sledge! What is it?"
  • Use actions and visuals: for "sledge," pretend to slide down a hill; for "snowman," pretend to roll a snowball.
  • Play a quick game: "Show me!" — show a flashcard, and kids point to the correct picture or mime the word (e.g., pretend to ride a sledge for "sledge").
• Interaction: T-S, S-S (pair work for miming).
• Feedback: Praise: "Well done, my snow champions! You’re ready to watch the cartoon!"

3. Listening: Controlled Practice (10 minutes)

Aim: To develop listening skills and check comprehension of the video.

• Activity:
  • First listening (gist): Play the video clip (0:00–4:25) link. Before playing, set a simple task: "Does the Princess get a new sledge? Yes or No?"
    • Answer: No (at this point, her dad says her old sledge is good enough).
  • Second listening (details): Use the Wordwall activity link. Students match phrases to pictures or characters (e.g., "I need a carrot!" to a snowman picture, "It’s too slow" to the sledge).
    • Example questions: "Who says ‘I need a carrot’? What does the Princess say about her sledge?"
• Interaction: Individual work, then whole-class checking.
• Feedback: "Great listening, my little detectives! The Princess wants a new sledge, but her dad says no. Let’s find out more!"

4. Listening: Semi-Controlled Practice (Gap-Fill) (8 minutes)

Aim: To focus on specific language from the video and reinforce vocabulary.

• Activity: Use the LearningApps gap-fill activity link. Students listen to the audio again (or teacher reads the script) and fill in the blanks.
  • Example: "What a ___ morning! I wonder if the princess is playing in the snow." (Answer: lovely).
  • Key words to focus on: lovely, snowman, s --

ledge, cushion, already, wrong.

• Support: Pause the audio after each sentence to give time to think. For weaker students, provide a word bank on the board (e.g., lovely, snowman, sledge).
• Interaction: Individual work, then pair checking ("Check with your friend! Do you have the same answers?").
• Feedback: "Fantastic work, my snowflakes! You heard so many words! Now let’s talk like the Princess!"

5. Speaking: Semi-Controlled Practice (7 minutes)

Aim: To practice speaking using target structures ("I want…", "I need…") in a controlled way.

• Activity: Use the Wordwall activity link. Students answer questions based on the episode, using sentence starters.
  • Example questions:
    • "What does the Princess want?" → "She wants a new sledge."
    • "What does the snowman need?" → "He needs a carrot."
  • Model first: "I want a new toy! What do you want?"
  • Add a fun twist: Use a toy (e.g., a teddy bear for Gilbert) and ask: "What does Gilbert want? Does he want a new sledge?"
• Interaction: T-S, then S-S (pair work).
• Feedback: "Wow, you speak like the Princess! I love how you said ‘I want a new sledge’! Let’s try more speaking now."

6. Speaking: Freer Practice (8 minutes)

Aim: To encourage creative speaking and use the target language in a more natural context.

• Activity: Use the Wordwall activity link for a role-play. Students imagine they are the Little Princess or her dad (King).
  • Scenario: "You are the Princess. You want a new sledge! Tell your dad why. Or you are the dad — say why the old sledge is good."
  • Example:
    • Student 1 (Princess): "I want a new sledge! My sledge is too slow."
    • Student 2 (Dad): "No, your sledge is big enough. It’s fast!"
  • Add creativity: "What else do you want for winter fun? A new snowman? A carrot? A shiny bell?"
• Interaction: S-S (pair work), then a few pairs perform for the class.
• Feedback: "Amazing, my little stars! You sounded just like the Princess and her dad! I loved how you said ‘It’s too slow’!"

7. Wrap-Up (2 minutes)

Aim: To consolidate learning and end on a positive note.

• Activity:
  • Quick review: "What did the Princess want? Did she get it? What words do we know now? Sledge, snowman, carrot — great!"
  • Fun question: "Do you want a new sledge like the Princess? Or do you like your old toys?"
  • Praise and goodbye: "You were amazing today, my winter friends! See you next time for more fun! ❄️"
• Interaction: T-S, whole-class discussion.

Teacher’s Notes

• Classroom Management: For 8–10-year-olds, keep activities short and varied to maintain attention. Use lots of visuals (pictures, toys) and gestures to support understanding.
• Differentiation: For A1 students, provide more support (e.g., word banks, modeling). For A2 students, encourage more independent speaking in the freer practice.
• CELTA Standards:
  • Clear staging: pre-listening → listening (controlled → semi-controlled) → speaking (semi-controlled → freer).
  • Focus on learner-centered activities: children are active through games, pair work, and role-play.
  • Positive reinforcement: lots of praise ("Well done, my snowflakes!") to build confidence.
  • Language focus: target structures "I want…" and "I need…" are modeled and practiced in context.