Reviewing Tenses

Curriculum Area and Level

Curriculum Area: English Language Arts Level: 8th Grade (US Education Standards)

Objective

Students will review and apply various verb tenses (present simple, present continuous, past simple, present perfect) through engaging activities and exercises from the Headway Upper Intermediate textbook.

Materials Needed

• Headway Upper Intermediate textbook
• Whiteboard and markers
• Student notebooks
• Handouts with exercises (prepared beforehand)
• Timer

Lesson Plan

Introduction (5 minutes)

1. Greeting and Settling In:

   • Welcome the students and take attendance.
   • Ensure all students have their textbooks and notebooks ready.

2. Objective Overview:

   • Briefly explain the day's objective: to review and practice the four main tenses.
   • Highlight the importance of mastering tenses for effective communication.

Warm-Up Activity (10 minutes)

1. Quick Tense Review:
   • Write the four tenses on the whiteboard: Present Simple, Present Continuous, Past Simple, Present Perfect.
   • Ask students to provide an example sentence for each tense, writing them on the board.
   • Discuss the structure and usage of each tense.

Main Activity (25 minutes)

1. Textbook Exercises (Headway Upper Intermediate):

   • Direct students to specific exercises in the textbook:
     • Present Simple and Present Continuous (pg. 45, Exercise 2)
     • Past Simple (pg. 50, Exercise 5)
     • Present Perfect (pg. 55, Exercise 8)

2. Pair Work:

   • Have students pair up and complete the exercises together.
   • Encourage students to discuss their answers and help each other.
   • Walk around the classroom to assist as needed.

3. Class Discussion:

   • Once the pairs have completed the exercises, bring the class together.
   • Go through the answers as a class, discussing any mistakes or misunderstandings.

Creative Application (10 minutes)

1. Story Building:
   • Hand out story prompts that require the use of different tenses.
   • Each student writes one sentence to build the story, passing the paper to their neighbor after each sentence.
   • Rotate until each story has used all four tenses.
   • Select a few stories to be read aloud and discuss the use of tenses.

Review and Wrap-Up (5 minutes)

1. Quick Review:

   • Summarize the key points covered during the lesson.
   • Ask a few questions to reinforce the learning.
     • Example: "Can anyone give me an example of a present perfect sentence?"

2. Homework Assignment:

   • Assign a short writing task where students must write a paragraph using all four tenses. This will be reviewed in the next class.

3. Closing Notes:

   • Thank students for their participation and remind them of the importance of practicing tenses regularly.

Assessment

• Observe student participation during pair work and class discussion.
• Evaluate the stories for proper tense usage.
• Review homework for understanding and correct use of tenses.

Notes for Teacher

• Be prepared to offer additional examples if students struggle with any of the tenses.
• Encourage students to think critically about why a particular tense is used in each context.
• Use positive reinforcement to build confidence in their grammar skills.

This lesson plan not only reviews verb tenses but also integrates interactive and engaging activities to ensure students remain interested and motivated throughout the class.