Nadia Laurendeau, ESL TeacherSandra Laine, service national du RÉCIT, domaine des languesCommission scolaire Marie-Victorin

LES - ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE ESL - Elementary, Cycle 3

TEACHER’S GUIDE

Overview of the Learning Situation Pedagogical Intention

Reinvest information learned about meteorological phenomena to produce a wacky weather news report using

Tellagami, My Talking Avatar or Voki.    

Vocabulary

✓ Weather

✓ Natural disasters

✓ Weather report

✓ Question words

Grammar ✓ Verbs in the simple past to be reviewed prior to doing this LES

Links with the Program

Nadia Laurendeau, ESL TeacherSandra Laine, service national du RÉCIT, domaine des languesCommission scolaire Marie-Victorin

TG - �2

Competencies

Interacts orally in English

• Participation in exchanges• Use vocabulary and useful expressions

Reinvests understanding of texts

• Demonstration of understanding• Use of knowledge from texts in a reinvestment task

Writes texts • Characteristics of a written text• Application of targeted language conventions

Nadia Laurendeau, ESL TeacherSandra Laine, service national du RÉCIT, domaine des languesCommission scolaire Marie-Victorin

TG - �3

Applications Technology Material

• Projector or IWB • Speakers • Tablets : Android

or iPad • Computers or

laptops

• Student Booklet• Dictionary• IWB presentation

OnlineiOS

Android

OnlineiOS

Android

Timeline RWT Padlet Quizlet

OnlineiOS

Android

OnlineiOS

Android

Kahoot

Voki Tellagami My Talking Avatar

OnlineiOS

Android

iOS (not working with

latest version of iOS)Android

iOS

Resources Needed

Note: These are all the tools that could be used in this LES. However, you could choose to use paper versions for some activities.

Nadia Laurendeau, ESL TeacherSandra Laine, service national du RÉCIT, domaine des languesCommission scolaire Marie-Victorin

TG - �4

Activity 1 Material Classroom Organization

Read the story to the group. You could ask students to focus on events in the story and weather vocabulary. • Explore the text while reading it (predictions,

questions, etc.) • Ask students to take notes on what they see and hear in

the book that they might want to use later.

Activity 1A- Brainstorm vocabulary from the book• Elicit vocabulary from students and write the words on

the IWB presentation. Students can add new words to page 2.

• Book “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”

• Student Booklet SB p. 2

• Projector or IWB (canvas)

Elicit vocabulary  as a group and complete the IWB presentation. (teacher-centered)

Preparation Tasks - Constructing Meaning

Before - Activate Prior Knowledge Material Classroom Organization

Present the title and the cover of the book and ask students if they know this story. They might have seen the movie.

Explain what a tall tale is and discuss what they already know. "A tall tale is a story with unbelievable elements, related as if it were true and factual. Some stories such as these are exaggerations of actual events."

Book “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” Teacher-centered

Nadia Laurendeau, ESL TeacherSandra Laine, service national du RÉCIT, domaine des languesCommission scolaire Marie-Victorin

TG - �5

Preparation Tasks - Constructing Meaning

Activity 1 Material Classroom Organization

Activity 1B - Eliciting pertinent information related to the story

• In the tall tale:

‣ Who are the main characters? ‣ Where is it taking place? ‣ What is the weather phenomenon? ‣ What happens? ‣ How do they solve the problem? ‣ When does it take place?

Activity 1C - Movie TrailerPresent a trailer of the movie and complete the student booklet.

• Projector or IWB presentation quiz 

• Student Booklet SB p. 2

• Dictionary

• Speakers • Student Booklet SB

p. 2• Link to the movie

trailer

Complete SB with a partner.

You can choose to use the IWB presentation quiz or simply ask the questions orally as a group.

Nadia Laurendeau, ESL TeacherSandra Laine, service national du RÉCIT, domaine des languesCommission scolaire Marie-Victorin

TG - �6

Activity 2 Material Classroom Organization

Create a timeline of important events in the tall tale

Creating a timeline will help students prepare their reinvestment task.Option A for regular classes Ask students as a group what they remember from the book • Place students in their pre-assigned teams if needed.• Ask students to open the QR Reader app to scan the QR

code with the access to the read-aloud book. The book is available if needed as a resource. (10 min)

• Present the task: Create a timeline of important events in the story.

• Ask students to talk about the important events of the story (15 min): 5 elements Beginning (introduction), Problem (conflict), Turning Point (climax), Solution(resolution) End (conclusion).

• As a group, with the online Timeline RWT tool. Write the information found about the 5 elements.

• Print or keep the document for further use as a resource or ask students to copy information in their booklet.

• Projector or IWB presentation

• Student Booklet SB p. 3

• Tablets or computers• Timeline RWT online

access

• QR code with link to the read-aloud book

recit.org/ul/pfw

Teacher centered or in teams If needed, form teams ahead of time.

Preparation Tasks - Constructing Meaning

Nadia Laurendeau, ESL TeacherSandra Laine, service national du RÉCIT, domaine des languesCommission scolaire Marie-Victorin

TG - �7

Activity 2 Material Classroom Organization

Option B for intensive classes or strong students

• Ask students as a group what they remember from the book if needed.

• Ask students to open the QR Reader app to scan the QR code with the access to the read-aloud book. The book is available if needed as a resource. (10 min)

• Present the task: Create a timeline of important events in the story

• Ask students to talk about the important events and write them in the timeline on page 3 of their student booklet (15 min) 5 elements Beginning (introduction), Problem (conflict), Turning Point (climax), Solution(resolution) End (conclusion).

• Present the Timeline app (5 min)• There is a tutorial available on the iPad with the QR code

page• Ask students to create the timeline using the Timeline

RWT app (also available online)

Timeline RWT app or online access.

Annex: Rubric C1

Assign roles: A) organize video use, create account, QR code.B) select or take photos that represent the eventC) timeline (insert photos and text)

Functional language - teamwork C1Timeline tips: Short description- key event

Full Description - vocabulary related to the event (setting, characters, weather, etc.)

Preparation Tasks

Nadia Laurendeau, ESL TeacherSandra Laine, service national du RÉCIT, domaine des languesCommission scolaire Marie-Victorin

TG - �8

Activity 3 Material Classroom Organization

Activity 3A - What Is a Weather Report?

Watch these weather news reports as a class. This activity will demonstrate what is a weather news report to prepare for the next task. Strategy: Attention

Activity 3B - Become an ExpertThis activity might need more guidance by the teacher depending on the level of the students.

Finding Information• Assign a weather phenomenon to each team (tornado,

volcano, sandstorm, tsunami)• Because there are four proposed subjects, more than

one team will have the same one. Other weather phenomena are available as a resource if needed.

• Each team of 3 students (or depending on the number of devices available) uses an iPad or computer to find information about the meteorological phenomenon they were assigned. The goal is to take notes on general information they could use in the next tasks when they have to create a wacky weather report. Strategy: Take notes (25 minutes)

Weather News Report Report 1Report 2

• Projector or IWB presentation

• Tablets or computers• Student Booklet SB

p. 4• Links to websites on

a Padlet

• Class list• Projector or IWB

Organize teams depending on the number of iPads or computers in the class.

P.S.: When choosing the “expert groupings,” it would be important to mix the level of students so stronger student can help weaker students understand the texts.

They need to find information to become “experts” on their assigned subject. (25 minutes)

Preparation Tasks

Nadia Laurendeau, ESL TeacherSandra Laine, service national du RÉCIT, domaine des languesCommission scolaire Marie-Victorin

TG - �9

Activity 3 Material Classroom Organization

Sharing Your ExpertiseThis activity might need more guidance by the teacher depending on the level of the students.

• Assign a number from 1 to 3 to each student in a team. Depending on the number of technological tools and the number of students, this grouping of 3 could change and might have to juggle to organize the different groups so that every student gets the information.

• When ready to share, ask the same numbers to group together. This means that each natural phenomenon will be represented in each group.In rotation, one student from each team becomes an expert and explains the findings from their research. The other students listen and take notes in their student booklet. (25 minutes) Strategy: take notes

Note: What is important is that each team will be able to take notes about all the phenomena. If it’s impossible and a student is missing the information on the phenomenon he wants to use, he can go get it from a student at a later time.

• Tablets or computers • Student Booklet p.4 To prepare for the expert

sharing time with other groups, students practice with their expert team (5 mins) what they will be saying when it’s their turn.

Preparation Tasks

Nadia Laurendeau, ESL TeacherSandra Laine, service national du RÉCIT, domaine des languesCommission scolaire Marie-Victorin

TG - �10

Activity 4 Material Classroom Organization

Review Vocabulary About Weather Phenomena

Quizlet activity.

In pairs, ask students to use an iPad or a computer to review the vocabulary and discuss the possible answers with their partner. They can play the different games that are offered in the app.

Prompts for the discussion

I think this is……..I agree/I disagreeI also think this is a ………..

Quizlet

recit.org/ul/phf

• Projector or IWB

presentation • Tablets or computers

Preparation Tasks

Nadia Laurendeau, ESL TeacherSandra Laine, service national du RÉCIT, domaine des languesCommission scolaire Marie-Victorin

TG - �11

Activity 5 Material Classroom Organization

Demonstration of Understanding

Students will read a news report about a wacky weather phenomenon: a soccer ball hurricane.

They will read and answer questions to demonstrate their understanding to get prepared for their reinvestment task.

Student Booklet p.5Individual

Preparation Tasks

Nadia Laurendeau, ESL TeacherSandra Laine, service national du RÉCIT, domaine des languesCommission scolaire Marie-Victorin

TG - �12

Activity 6 Material Classroom Organization

Forces of Nature

Use Kahoot to review the different natural phenomena that they discover in their reading and sharing activity. Students will answer as a team.

Link to the Kahoot

• Projector or IWB • Tablets or computers

Group students according to the number of devices available.

Note: If you have a Kahoot account, you can edit the quiz.

Carrying Out the Tasks

Activity 7 Material Classroom Organization

Prior to this activity, each student chooses the weather phenomenon they would like to use in their wacky news report. They write it on the class list so the teacher can prepare the texts they will use for the next class. If you have a bilingual or strong student, a challenge would be to ask to use a different phenomenon and/or he finds the information himself.

Plan textEach student plans their text using keywords according to the subject they chose.

Student Booklet p.6

Individual

Nadia Laurendeau, ESL TeacherSandra Laine, service national du RÉCIT, domaine des languesCommission scolaire Marie-Victorin

TG - �13

Carrying Out the Tasks

Activity 8 Material Classroom Organization

Write a Wacky News Report

Students write individually their Wacky Weather News Report in their student booklet and use there checklist to review their text.

Student booklet p.7 Individual

Activity 9 Material Classroom Organization

Record a Wacky News Report When ready, students prepare the digital version of their wacky weather news report using one of the suggested app.

Step 1: Choose a background of their choice: using Pixabay, drawing on a paper and taking a picture or using a drawing app. Step 2: Choose and customize an avatar in the chosen app. Step 3: Practice reading the text before without the device. Step 4: Record the news report when ready.

• Tablets or computer • Headsets

Present the chosen app to students before they start recording their productions.

*Limit time to choose a background and their avatar.

Individually

Nadia Laurendeau, ESL TeacherSandra Laine, service national du RÉCIT, domaine des languesCommission scolaire Marie-Victorin

TG - �14

Integration Tasks

Activity 10 Material Classroom Organization

Who has the wackiest news report?

• Present the different wacky news report created by students to the class.

• Ask students to vote for the wackiest news report!

Projector or IWB Speakers

Whole class

Extra Activity Material Classroom Organization

For students who are finished before others. Activity: Describe what you see on these images using the vocabulary in their student booklet.

Student Booklet p.8 Individual