This activity gives students a chance to talk about things in their town or city. The format is somewhat malleable but the basic idea is that you use "are" to talk about some shops or landmarks in your town, then use "is" to talk about specific ones.
Basic Info
| Time: | 15 mins |
|---|---|
| Level: | Junior high grade 2 |
| Works with: | There is a good restaurant near here. |
| Class size: | Medium to large |
You will need:
- nothing
Description
- Students make groups.
- Groups decide what they want to talk about. It should be something the town has a few of. (See examples below.)
- They write out what they're going to say.
- Present. (See variations below for different ways the presentation portion can be done.
Some examples of things students might talk about are convenience stores, parks, schools, restaurants, libraries, etc. But let them choose their own and you might be surprised by their imagination!
Variations
- Presentation variation 1: Groups write down one example using "are" and give more detail about one particular one using "is". Then they present to the class. (Least interesting option.)
E.g. There are about five convenience stores in [town name]. There is one near our school. - Presentation variation 2: Groups write down one example using "are" and present to the class. The other groups are then challenged to comment on some of the individual places. (Note: you should probably give the groups some time to confer as to how to respond.)
E.g. Group: There are about five convenience stores in [town name].
Class: There is one by the station.
Class: There is a Lawson near my house. - Presentation variation 3: All groups write their "There are ~." sentence up on the blackboard. All groups are then challenged to respond to each (or three) with "There is ~." statements.
Tips
- Demonstrate how this works with the HRT.
- Give groups time to discuss/prepare answers..
Comments
This activity using "There is" and "There are" has a worksheet feel to it. But because of the group-work aspect and the fact students are creating their own statements to describe real life, it's much more meaningful, fun, and effective as a learning experience.
This activity works well with Sunshine 2 Program 5 section 1.