Урок "Seasons and Weather"(A demonstrative lesson)

                                           Seasons and Weather

                                            (A demonstrative lesson)

                                             Suggested Levels A2, A+

                                        Oksana Viniukova, a teacher of English

                               school # 2 specializing in English and French

                                                     Rubizhne

                                                  Luhansk region

Objectives:

- to develop students'communicative skills;

- to revise and systematize lexical material related to the topic;

- to practise "There is/there are";

- to improve students' listening, speaking and writing skills;

- to teach students to cooperate in group work;

- to develop students' quick reaction;

- to incorporate students' teamwork, independent work, creative thinking and respect to each other.

Equipment: flashcards, handouts, the box of letters,. topical pictures, a laptop, a CD-recorder.

                                                Procedure

I. Introduction

T: Good morning, boys and girls! I am glad to see you! How are you?

Ss: Good morning, teacher! We're glad to see you, too. We're fine, thank you. And you?

T: Not so bad, thanks. Today we are going to remember the names of seasons and months and to speak about the weather. In fact, it'll be our summing-up lesson on the subject. We'll try our best to show good knowledge of it. And the motto of our lesson is:

"We should be thankful together

Whatever the weather".

T: Let's say it together!

So we'll recollect everything that we've learnt about the topic and we'll do it in teams and in different ways. The first team is "Erudites". The captain of this team is...

S1: Hello, everybody!

T: The second team is "Experts". The captain of this team is...

S2: Hi, happy to see you all!

T: Well, it's time for warming-up.

II. Warming-up

T: Now we'll see how quickly you can answer my questions:

What season is it now?

What month is it now?

What day is it today?

What date is it today?

How many seasons are there in a year?

What are the autumn months?

What are the winter months?

What are the spring months?

What are the summer months?

What is the weather like today?

(Look out of the window.)

Is it sunny day today?

Is it windy?

What colour is the sky?

Are there any clouds in the sky?

Is it frosty?

What temperature is it now? Who knows?

III. Reciting Poems About Seasons

T: And now what rhymes do you remember about seasons?

S1: Every year has four seasons.

People like the seasons all.

I have got a lot of reasons

Just to love you, golden fall.

S2: The sub is shining.

The flowers are blooming.

The sky is blue.

The rains are few.

S3: It's nice, it's nice

Kids are skating on the ice,

Skiing down the snowy hills.

Reading books and watching films.

S4: Winter sleep is over

Spring then comes

With brooks and flowers

And young green grass.

S5: School is over, summer has come

Children have a lot of fun

Come on to the forest thick

Play hopscotch and hide-and-seek.

S6: All the subjects have been learnt

We are happy and sunburnt

We gather mushrooms, pick up berries,

Eat strawberries and cherries.

S7: Good-bye, teachers, good-bye, school

Come on to the swimming pool,

To the river, to the lake

Don't forget your friend to take.

T: All right, children. I see you like any weather and any season.

IV. Vocabulary Practice

T: Now some vocabulary practice. Let's play the game "Clap your hands". If the sentences are true, clap your hands. Is it clear?

- Winter comes after summer.

- Autumn is the coldest season in a year.

- Summer is warmer than spring.

- There are twelve months in a year.

- February is the shortest month in a year.

- It often snows in summer.

- Leaves are yellow in spring.

- The weather is fine today.

- The sky is blue now.

- It is rainy.

- We can ski, skate and play snowballs in winter.

T: OK! In fact, you know all about the seasons. Well done!

V. Communicative Practice

T: Let's speak about your favourite season. Everyone must tell about his/her favourite season and explain why it is so. Is everything clear? So, let's start.

S1: My favourite season is summer, because we don't go to school. We have the longest holidays and the wonderful opportunities to have a rest well. The weather is usually fine in this period.

S2: I like summer, too, because the days are long and we can be outdoors all day long. There are many flowers, vegetables, fruit, berries. And we can go to the seaside.

S3: My favourite season is winter, because I can skate and sledge, play snowballs, make a snowman.

S4: I like winter, because there are many holidays in this season. As for me, I like New Year Day. My parents give me many presents.

S5: My favourite season is autumn, because  it's a colourful season. The leaves in the trees are different colours: green, yellow, orange, red and brown.

S6: I like autumn, because it's a "tasty" season. There are a lot of vegetables and fruit. My mother usually tins vegetables and we can eat them on cold winter days.

S7: My favourite season is spring, because nature awakens from her long winter sleep. The days get longer and warmer. The leaves become green. The birds come back from warm countries.

T: So much for it! And I can't but stress here that "everything is good in its season". Do you agree with me?

Ss: Yes, we do.

VI. Writing

T: Now your task is as follows: each team will make up six words given in a jumbled form. Look at the blackboard! Guess what words are on it. A representative of each team comes up to the blackboard and writes down the words.

"Erudites"

O l d c (cold)

R a w m (warm)

S t f o r y (frosty)

N n u s y (sunny)

N i w d y (windy)

B i r t g h (bright)

"Experts"

N f e i (fine)

Y r n a i (rainy)

C o u l y d (cloudy)

S o n y w (snowy)

T o h (hot)

L o c o (cool)

 T: Now look at the box of letters on your desks. Find the names of the months and take in  circle every word and name it. I'll give you 2-3 minutes. Think it over in your teams. After that I'll come up to you and check up the task. OK?

T: The next task for two teams is to complete the sentences. You should choose a correct word given in the brackets. Now I'll give you a card for every team. You have got 5 minutes. You have to write down these sentences in your exercise-books. After that a representative of each team will read them.

HO1:

1) In...(winter, summer, autumn), I like to jump in the leaves.

2) In...(winter, summer, spring), I like to eat an ice cream in the park.

3) In...(spring, summer, winter), I like to plant new flowers in the garden.

4) In...(summer, winter, autumn), I like to swim in the lake.

5) In...(autumn, winter, summer), I like to play in the snow.

VII. Reading

T: It's time for the contest of our captains. They'll be given the cards with the task. They have to choose and read aloud the true sentences only.

HO2:

1) In winter there is a lot of snow.

2) Summer comes after winter.

3) Autumn is the warmest season of the year.

4)  Summer is warmer than spring.

5) There is five seasons in a year.

6) There is usually a lot of fruit in autumn.

7) Winter is the coldest season of the year.

8) It often snows in winter.

VIII. Listening

T: Listen to the text, name all the seasons of the year.

                                              Seasons

There are four seasons in a year. They are spring, summer, autumn and winter. In spring the days are becoming longer and warmer. The birds are coming back from the South. The sun shines brightly. You can see the first flowers in the parks and gardens.

Summer is as nice as spring. It is very warm. The sky is blue. Sometimes it rains. A light wind blows. There are many flowers everywhere. The children don't go to school in summer. They have summer holidays.

After summer comes autumn. The days are shorter than in summer. The weather is not so pleasant at all. Autumn is the season of fruit and vegetables.

Winter is the coldest season of the year. It often snows. The weather is frosty. The ground, houses and trees are white with snow. Children li winter because they can skate, ski, sledge, play snowballs in winter.

Answer the following questions:

1. How many seasons are there in a year?

2. Are the days longer in spring than in winter?

3. What is the weather like in spring?

4. Summer is as nice as spring, isn't it? Why?

5. When does autumn come?

6. What is the coldest season of the year?

7. Do children like winter? Why?

T: It's time for riddles. Listen to the riddles about different seasons and say what season each of them is about.

1. The sun shines not and high,

Baby birds now learn to fly.

Green, green leaves and tasty fruit

All the things are so good.  (Summer)

2. Winter sleep is over.

Season then comes

With brooks and flowers

And young green grass.  (Spring)

3. This is the seasons

When children can ski,

And Santa Claus brings

The bright New Year's Tree. (Winter)

4. Nature is awaking.

Birds are singing.

The sun is shining,

The bright day is ringing. (Spring)

5. Put on your jacket and jeans for all,

Now it's cold to play football!

Leaves turn orange, red and brown

And they all are falling down. (Autumn)

6. The white flies are falling,

Strong wind is blowing,

The ground is white

All day and night. (Winter)

7. The sun is shining,

The first flowers are blooming,

The sky is blue,

The rains are few. (Spring)

T: That's all right!

IX. Grammar Revision (cards)

T: Now it's time to show your grammar skills. We use "is" to speak about...(the present) and "was" when we speak about...(the past). Make up five sentences using "is" or "was" and a weather word (windy, cloudy, rainy, sunny, snowy). Work with the given cards.

Every team must finish the sentences and then read them.

HO3:

1) On Wednesday it... .

2) On Friday it... .

3) Today it... .

4) On Thursday it... .

5) On Tuesday it... .

T: Very well, thank you and, to finish it all, let's sing one of our favourite songs "12 Months in a Year".

X. Summing-up. Home Assignment

T: And now let's sum up. Our lesson is coming to its end. I think you've had a good time at the lesson. Thank you for your work. You have done a lot of different tasks. I liked your answers. And now let's see who has won. As you see, (the first/second team has won; friendship has won). You've done a very good of today. You are hardworking, smart and cute.

Your points are...

Your home task is to write an essay about your favourite season and weather and activities you like. And you have to illustrate it. Let's make an exhibition of your pictures at school in a week! As for your essay, it must be 10-12 sentences. Any questions? OK.

That's all for today. Good-bye! See you later!