These lesson plans' structure are based on a principled approach to technology integration, in line with models advocated by experts such as Dudeney and Hockly (2008).
The core of this model is the clear separation of the lesson into distinct phases. It moves beyond just "using tech" and instead integrates it purposefully:
Warmer (Offline): This phase activates students' prior knowledge and prepares them for the lesson without technology.
Web (Online): This is the central, technology-driven phase. All online tools and resources are consolidated here. Students use the web for authentic input (reading news articles), skill-building (learning how to write questions), and targeted practice (grammar quizzes).
What's Next (Offline): This final, non-technical phase is crucial for production and reflection. By closing the laptops, students are required to internalize and use the language and skills they practiced online, rather than simply copying or interacting with the tools. This "offline" production ensures the technology serves as a resource for learning, not just a final product.
LESSON PLAN 1: Sports News
School: Public School Nº 14 DE17
Time Allotted: 80 minutes
Communication Goal: Naming, describing, and discussing sports.
Grammar Focus:
Present Simple: (for facts, rules, and habits) "He plays tennis." "You need a helmet."
Present Continuous: (for actions in progress) "They are playing a match." "She is winning." Recycled Language: football, basketball, tennis, hockey, rugby. Target Students: 14-year-olds - Pre-Intermediate level (18 students) Materials: Whiteboard, markers, projector, computers/tablets for student groups (at least 1 per group).
WARMER (10 minutes) - Offline/Online Hybrid
Goal: To activate students' prior knowledge of sports vocabulary.
Guess the Sport (Partial Image): The teacher will project the main homepage of a sports news website (e.g., Sky Sports or The Guardian Sport).
The teacher will zoom in on a specific part of an image on the live website (e.g., just the ball, a net, a player's foot).
Students guess the sport. The teacher can progressively zoom out until students guess correctly.
Elicit Vocabulary: The teacher does this for the 5 "recycled" sports (football, basketball, etc.) and writes them on the whiteboard as students guess them. This immediately links the lesson's topic to a live web source.
Goal: To use multiple web resources to find new information, understand vocabulary and grammar, and create a digital product.
Part 1: Sport Investigators (15 min)
Task: Students get into small groups (e.g., 4-5 groups). Half of the groups are assigned to Sky Sports and the other half to The Guardian Sport.
Goal: Each group must find two "new" sports they don't know (e.g., cricket, F1, darts, snooker).
Reference: As they explore, students are instructed to use Dictionary.com or EnglishClub Vocabulary to look up the meaning of any new or difficult words they find.
Part 2: Grammar in Context (15 min)
Task: The teacher gets the class's attention and asks: "On the Sky Sports site, what is happening right now?" (e.g., "A team is playing," "A player is moving to a new club.") This elicits the Present Continuous.
The teacher then asks: "What are the rules of tennis?" (e.g., "You hit a ball," "You play on a court.") This elicits the Present Simple.
Direct Instruction: The teacher projects a grammar reference site, such as English Grammar Online (ego4u) or English-4u.
The teacher quickly reviews the rules for Simple vs. Continuous, using the sports examples from the websites. The class can do 1-2 quick interactive exercises on the grammar site to check understanding.
Part 3: Web-Based Creation (20 min)
Task: (This is the task moved from the original "What's Next"). In their groups, students must create a single presentation slide or simple digital poster (using a tool like PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Genially) about one of the new sports they researched.
Content Requirements: The slide/poster must include:
The name of the sport.
An image of the sport (copied from the news site).
Two sentences describing the sport using the Present Simple (e.g., "It is a team sport." "Players use a stick.").
Two sentences describing a current event using the Present Continuous (e.g., "In the news, the team is preparing for the final." "They are building a new stadium.").
Outcome: Each group saves their single slide, ready to present.
Goal: To present information, practice speaking, and reflect on the lesson (all without using the web).
"Sportscast" Presentations (15 min)
Activity: Laptops/computers are now closed.
Each group comes to the front and presents their single slide (which the teacher can project from one machine).
The group has 2-3 minutes to present their sport to the class, reading their sentences and describing the picture.
Active Listening: While listening, the other students must write down one new fact they learned about a sport.
Class Reflection (5 min)
Activity: The teacher leads a brief, offline discussion.
Prompting Questions:
"Which new sport was the most interesting? Why?"
"What was a good Present Simple sentence you heard?" (e.fs. "Snooker is a quiet game.")
"What was a good Present Continuous sentence you heard?" (e.g., "The F1 driver is training for a race.")
(If time) "Do you prefer to play sports or watch sports?"
LESSON PLAN 2: Creating a Magazine Article on Sports
WARMER (10 minutes) - Offline
Goal: To activate target vocabulary and grammar structures.
Image Match: The teacher pastes images of different sports on the whiteboard and writes the sport names in a jumbled list next to them.
Students come to the board to match the labels to the pictures (e.g., boxing, formula 1, cricket, volleyball).
Sentence Elicitation: The teacher points to an image (e.g., a boxer) and asks:
"What does a boxer do?" (Elicits Present Simple: "He fights," "He trains every day.")
The teacher then points to an image of a boxer in the middle of a match: "What is he doing?" (Elicits Present Continuous: "He is punching his opponent," "He is winning the match.")
The teacher repeats this for 2-3 other sports to review both tenses.
Goal: To analyze a professional interview, learn how to formulate good questions, and practice the required grammar using online tools.
Part 1: Analyze a Model (15 min)
Task: The teacher projects a sports interview article from The Guardian Sport. The class reads it together (or reads key sections).
Focus: The teacher guides a whole-class analysis, focusing only on the journalist's questions.
Guiding Questions: "What words do the questions start with (How, What, Why, Do...)?" "Which questions ask about routines (Present Simple)?" "Which questions ask about current plans (Present Continuous)?"
Part 2: Learn the Skill (10 min)
Task: The teacher says, "Let's learn how to write good interview questions."
Resource: The teacher projects a web guide, such as WikiHow's "How to Write Interview Questions", and reviews the main tips (e.g., "Ask open-ended questions," "Avoid 'yes/no' questions").
Part 3: Targeted Grammar Practice (15 min)
Task: Students get into pairs with their devices. The teacher explains they will now practice the grammar needed for their own interview questions.
Resource: The teacher directs students to grammar-focused websites, like EnglishClub or English-4u.
Activity: Each pair completes two online quizzes: one on Present Simple questions and one on Present Continuous questions.
Part 4: Find Your Star (10 min)
Task: In new pairs (one "Journalist," one "Athlete"), students use Sky Sports or The Guardian to choose one famous athlete they want to interview.
Goal: They must find the athlete's name, their sport, and one recent piece of news about them (e.g., "We chose Max Verstappen. He is leading the F1 championship."). They write this information down.
Goal: To create and perform an original interview using the language and skills from the web session.
"Laptops Closed" - Write the Script (15 min)
Activity: All computers and devices are now closed.
Working in their "Journalist/Athlete" pairs, students write a short interview script on paper.
Requirements:
The Journalist must write 5-6 open-ended questions (using the WikiHow tips).
The script must include at least two Present Simple questions and two Present Continuous questions.
The Athlete writes their answers.
"Action!" - Perform the Interview (5 min)
Activity: The teacher selects 2-3 pairs to come to the front of the class and perform their interview.
Reflection: The class gives feedback (e.g., "That was a good open-ended question," "I liked the Present Continuous answer about the next race.")
These lesson plans have been created with the assistance of Gemini AI.