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Lesson plan based on the application of Crossword Puzzle Maker Web 2.0 tool
Lesson plan based on the application of Crossword Puzzle Maker Web 2.0 tool
Private school in Buenos Aires City
Age: Eleven years old
Group: 18 students
Grade: 6th
Level: A2
Topic of the unit: Travelling
Communicative goal: Describing means of transport
Revision of grammar structures: Simple noun phrases
New vocabulary: Tram, ferry, yacht, coach, helicopter, ship, motorbike.
Recycled vocabulary: Bus, bike, horse, plane, boat, train.
Time: 80 minutes
Since the beginning of the year, students have been working with online dictionaries such as: http://www.wordreference.com/ ; https://www.macmillandictionary.com/ ; https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/ ; The previous lesson students have been introduced to the new unit and they have read an interview -How do you get to school? -and done some reading comprehension activities.
Warm-up
Activity 1: Activation of recycled vocabulary and introduction of the new items.
Students answer the following question orally: When was the last time you had an interesting journey? Why? While shearing students share the experiencies, the teacher writes on the board the means of transport mentioned and finally asks what those words have in common. Teacher writes the title on the blackboard and asks students to mention other means that they already know. The teacher can also provide clues to trigger specific vocabulary items.Means of transport: yacht, coach, bus, bike, horse, plane, helicopter, ferry, ship, boat, train, tram, motorbike.
Note: Some students might have travelled abroad and can talk about means of transport that are not common here in Argentina. Heterogeneous groups have lots of different experiences to share. This is a good topic to encourage intercultural reflection as well. Students can compare their own culture with other cultures and different realities.
The teacher should ask students to describe means of transport by naming its main characteristics and parts. Interesting vocabulary or ideas will be written on the board too. E.G. Pleasure, long/short distances, seats, wings, electricity, island, metal trucks, passengers
Activity 2: Guessing game (six groups of three students)
Students choose a means of transport and -orally- give the rest of the groups provide clues to guess which one they have chosen.
Web
Activity 1: Creating a printed crossword about means of transport in pairs.
The teacher gives instructions and uses an interactive whiteboard to show a brief tutorial about how to use the tool. The teacher monitors students´ work and is available to help students with technical problems.
a) Use online dictionaries to look up the vocabulary items from the warm-up moment.
b) In a word document copy and paste the definitions and the dictionaries consulted. Then, modify the sentences to create the hints of the crossword or read the definitions carefully to have a general idea and write the hints with your own words.
c) Visit the web http://www.printablecrosswordmaker.com/ , use the tool the create a crossword, ask for teacher revision before printing.
d) Write down the answers for later in a strip of paper and print the crossword.
Fast finishers can look for interesting google images that shows the content of the crossword and send them to the teacher by email. They will be used in the future as flashcards.
Activity 2: Eliciting the grammar function of the hints.
The teacher will try to elicit pre-modifiers (adjectives); post modifiers (defining relative clauses/prepositional phrases-with); the phrase: use something for something/doing something.
Students look for similarities among the HINTS they have created. They will copy some examples on the board and they should pay attention to the order of the words.
Students should name the words that are repeated. Teacher asks:
What do we want to express when we use the following words or phrases: with, that, which, large/small/electric vehicle, use something for something?
e.g. We use for + the -ing form of a verb to talk about the function/ purpose of something.
What´s next?
Activity 1: Solving crosswords
The pairs exchange crosswords and do them. After that, they check and paste the crosswords on their folders.
Activity 2: Connecting new knowledge with feelings
Answer the following questions: What is your favourite way to travel? Why?
Activity 3: Reflection on the communicative goal. Matching.
Fill in the blanks with the correct option 1-4.
Which option is used for:
1. saying what parts the vehicle has?
2. talking about the function or purpose of something?
3. providing essential information about the thing that is previously mentioned?
4. describing qualities or characteristics of the following vehicle?
A boat with sails 1. People use the sails for races 2 or they use the sails for sailing 2
People use this small vehicle for travelling. 2
A boat that regularly carries people. 3
A bus with comfortable seats. 3
An electric vehicle 1 which moves along the street on metal tracks. 3
Crossword - Evaluation Rubric
Note: Grammar structures for descriptions: Pre-modifiers (adjectives); Classifiers (nouns); Post-modifiers (which/that relative clauses); Post-modifiers (Prepositional phrases)
How the use of technology would make a difference?
How the use of technology would make a difference?
According to Puentedura (2006) and his SAMR model, Printable Crossword Puzzle Maker web 2.0 is on the first level of the four-step ladder that leads to a successful integration of the ICT in the teaching learning practice. Instead of drawing a crossword on a sheet of paper and writing the hints by hand, teachers can use this tool to save time and get a final product with a more professional look. In this case, technology acts as a direct substitute, with no functional improvement. Students cannot interact with the tool to solve the crossword online. This tool is just to create printable crosswords or wordseachers to be solved with a pencil in hand.
Plan Nacional de Educación Digital (PLANIED) which aims at promoting digital literacies in the school system has been taken into account to plan this lesson. In PLANIED, six dimensions were identified in terms of what is needed to be digitally competent in today´s society. The first one, creativity and innovation, requires students to create and construct knowledge using ICT tools. In this lesson students must create crosswords and show their creativity in the hints. They should be creative enough to make the hints not too difficult, not too easy, having into account their experiences in journeys as a whole group. For that reason, the warm-up section is very important.
Having into account The Triple E framework by Kolb, L. (2017), teachers can measure if the mentioned 2.0 web tool helps students meeting thier learning goals or not. This framework is based on three components: engagement in learning goals, enhancement and extension of learning goals. Let´s imagine that this is the first time students work with this innovative tool instead of drawing crosswords in the traditional way. Printable Crossword Puzzle Maker is very userfriendly and it can assist students by providing a template to fill in, so it facilitates students to focus on language and avoid students struggling to draw the crosswords neatly on a sheet of paper. Later on and thanks to Printable Crossword Puzzle Maker learners will be able to create their own crosswords with interesting words they have read in literature or some other words learnt in other English lessons. They can exchange their crosswords with their partners as a vocabulary revision too. They can learn and have fun at the same time. Printable Crossword Puzzle Maker is motivating for learners because they can choose the content, a content that is relevant and meaningful for them. If this helps them to remember, they will use this technique to study other subjects. They can even use them to have fun with siblings or friends after school. The creative use of Printable Crossword Puzzle Maker at school implies a baby step towards the autonomous use of ICT. In the end, students will have learnt not only English but also, they will have developed some useful skills required to be digitally competent in today´s society.
References
- Kolb, L. (2017). Learning first, Technology Second. Arlington, VA: ISTE.
- Puentedura, R. (2006). Transformation, Technology, and Education. Retrieved in September 2018 from http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/archives/2014/06/29/LearningTechnologySAMRModel.pdf
- Ripani, F. (2016) Orientacions Pedagógicas. Ministerio de Educación y Deportes. Retrived in October 2018 from https://www.argentina.gob.ar/sites/default/files/orientaciones_pedagogicas_0.pdf
Tutorial on Printable Crossword Puzzle Maker Web 2.0 Tool
Tutorial on Printable Crossword Puzzle Maker Web 2.0 Tool
Printable Crossword Puzzle Maker Description
Printable Crossword Puzzle Maker 2.0 Web is a very user-friendly tool to create crossword puzzles and word searches. All of them are made with printable formats. Answer sheets can be printed from the website as well.
It is free software with a simple and intuitive interface and can be used in education, due to anonymous access and not requiring account signup to use it.
What can you do with Printable Crossword Puzzle Maker and how?
You can build:
- Crossword puzzles from a list of words and hints
- Word searches from a reading assignment or a list of words.
Crossword with answers
Word search without answers
Both are made with printable formats. Worksheets for students and the answer sheets for teachers can be printed from the website.
Besides, you can use the side navigation to see pre-made puzzles by age and difficulty or browse them by subject.
Eight-step Tutorial
Today we are going to make a crossword puzzle.
1. Visit http://www.printablecrosswordmaker.com/
2. Click on “Make a Crossword puzzle” on the menu bar
3. Enter a title
4. Enter some instructions
5. Enter a list of words with hints that give clues for each word.
6. Click on “Create Crossword Puzzle” at the bottom of the page.
7. 7.1. Right click on the crossword and select “Print” (Ctrl+P)
7.2 Click on “Answer” at the bottom of the page to see the answers.
8. Click on “Print” on the side bar.
Why is Printable Crossword Puzzle Maker useful in education?
It is said that most teachers in Argentina work in the morning and in the afternoon shift. Many of them work at least in two schools and almost all of them spend lots of time travelling, planning and creating or adapting material for their students at home. For that reason, Printable Crossword Puzzle Maker is extremely useful. It saves time and gives teachers the possibility of creating their own resources. Teachers can choose content that meets the needs of their groups of students -interests, ages and levels.
Sometimes, teachers decide to skip some units on the spur of the moment and start working with a specific unit because it deals with a topic that students are really into and they have naturally started talking about it. A new movie, the lasted video game or an amazing holiday can start an animated conversation or debate in class. In this case, teachers can use their smart phones, create a crossword during the break time with some interesting vocabulary and print it for the following lesson.
In the opinion of Sharma & Barret in Blended Learning (2007), technology has definitely changed forever what we do as language teachers. Nowadays, teachers should not only teach English but the potential of technology to improve communication skills. Our role as teachers has changed and is not focused on just providing input but facilitating learning. That is why teachers should monitor activities while learners are working with technology to construct their knowledge and teachers must ensure that those learning opportunities are maximized.
The autonomous use of web 2.0 is vital to be a competent citizen today and in the future. For that reason, user-friendly and free tools such as Printable Crossword Puzzle Maker web 2.0 are ideal to start introducing technology in the teaching and learning practice.
According to Stephen Bax (2003), when technology is used in a wholly appropriate way, and is so taken for granted that it becomes “invisible”. This is called the “normalization of technology.” Some teachers are resistant to the change technology brings to teaching and to their own lives, but it is inevitable. If new technologies lead to better learning outcomes, then Printable Crossword Puzzle Maker web 2.0 is a good tool to start experimenting with.
References
· Bax, S. (2003) CALL -past, present and future. System 31, 13-28
· Barrett B. & Sharma, P.( 2007). Blended Learning: using technology in and beyond the language classroom. Oxford: Macmillan.
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