Lesson Plan Advanced Reading

Class being taught: EIL (Advanced low)

Sponsor Teacher Bro. Andersen

Prepared on 5/4/2016
To be used on 5/6/2016

Pre-Assessment
As a pre-assessment activity I would check how well the students are at
reading quickly (skimming / scanning).
Description of the target student population:
The students for whom this lesson is designed are EIL students at the
advanced level on the ACTFL scale. Advanced Low speech is typically
marked by a certain grammatical roughness (e.g., inconsistent control of
verb endings), but the overall performance of the Advanced-level tasks
is sustained, albeit minimally. The vocabulary of Advanced Low
speakers often lacks specificity. Nevertheless, Advanced Low speakers
are able to use communicative strategies such as rephrasing and
circumlocution.
Course Objective
Noun Clauses (Grammar, Vocabulary and reading)

Materials
Pencils
Markers
Scratch paper
Technology Component
Laptop
Projector

Lesson Objective(s) The students will be able to

Identify the noun clauses in academic readings
Demonstrate their knowledge of noun clauses formation
Analyze academic text and Identify clause markers
Overview
Warm up reading activity
Practice activities:
Bottom Activity: The Power of Hot Meal
Development practice (Assessment):
Is a raw-food diet better for us? (Reading)
Introduction of new materials If and
Whether (exercises)
Warm up (2-3 mins):

Vocabulary:
1. A noun clause can replace a noun or a noun phrase in a
sentence. That can introduce a noun clause.
2. Neuron: A cell that sends messages to and from the brain.
3. Biological anthropologist: A scientist who studies the
physical and social development of humans and animals.
Neuroscientist: A scientist who studies the brain.

As a warm up activity I would separate the class into groups of 2 to 3 (depending on the number of students).
I would give them a specific number to avoid having them pairing up with the same students. Once in their
groups I would ask to define Noun clause. Ill give them about 1 minute to come up with answer and then I
will introduce the topic Noun Clause with the instructions as seen below.
Instruction (15-20 mins):
For the instructional part of my lesson plan I planned to discuss and explain to my students 5 key elements to
understand noun clause formation and its use. I will also write on the board clear examples as found below to
emphasize on the form of noun clause. I would then give a list of verbs that have a high percentage to be
followed by a noun clause. It will give my students a broader idea about noun clause formation and when it
occurs in an academic text. I would also focus on the verb be + certain adjectives to indicate that noun
clauses can also be found after the verb be. I will finally introduce the last key element of Noun clauses that
in speaking and informal writing that is sometimes omitted.
1. Remember a clause always has a subject and + a verb.
Example: Gina knows that her food will go bad.

2. Certain verbs that involve thinking or mental activity are often followed by noun clauses:
Agree, feel, hope, realize, believe, find out, know, show, discover, forget, notice, and think.
Examples: I thought that you knew the answer
Do you feel that youre working too hard?
3. A noun clause can follow be + certain adjectives:
Afraid, glad, sorry, true, certain, interesting, sure, upset, concerned, lucky, surprised, worried
4. A noun clause can be used after the verb be.
Examples: The problem is that I dont have my keys.
5. In speaking and informal writing, that is often omitted.
Examples: I realized that I needed some help.
I realized I needed some help.
Practice (15 mins):
Once the instructional part done, I would have my tutees read a passage from an academic text found in the
textbook Grammar Explore 3B that talks about human brain growth. However, I would have them looking
specifically for noun clauses (bottom up) and complete the first task below. Once they found all the noun
clauses I would have them read the questions below and read the text again.
Task 1
1.
2.
3.
4.

Research shows
our brains grew most rapidly about 1.8 million years ago.
Researches are trying to explain
this happened.
Other scientists wonder
the cooking theory is right.
Some of them arent sure
people were cooking over one million years ago.

Reflective questions:
1. What is one advantage of cooking food?
2. Why doesnt a raw-food diet support brain growth?
3. Why do some scientists doubt the cooking theory?

The Power of a Hot Meal

The human brain is considerably larger than the brain of most animals. In fact, our brains have about three
times as many neurons as those of gorillas and chimpanzees. Scientists believe that the human brain grew
faster than the brains of other animals. Research shows that our brains grew most rapidly about 1.8
million years ago. Researchers are trying to explain why this happened.
Biological anthropologist Dr. Richard Wrangham thinks that the brain began to grow rapidly when
humans first learned to cook. Cooking made it easier and faster for humans to digest food and gain energy.
Neuroscientist Suzanna Herculano-Houzel supports the cooking theory. One of her studies looked at the effect
of raw food on the body. Her findings showed that a raw-food diet doesnt provide enough energy for
significant growth.
Other scientists wonder if the cooking theory is right. Some of them arent sure whether or not people were
cooking over one million years ago. Thats because there is no evidence of fire being used for food
preparation until much later. Scientists also point out the importance of the greater variety of foods that early
humans began to eat, which included more protein and fat.
Perhaps we will never know exactly what caused the rapid growth of the brain. However, continuing
scientific research brings us closer to the truth all the time.

Development (Reading, 5-10 mins):

Now that my students are familiar with noun clauses and have a clear understanding of the text above I will
assess their knowledge by having them read the following paragraph about raw-food diets. Then I would have
them underline the noun clauses in the paragraph below (5-10 mins):

Is a raw-food diet better for us?

Some people feel that we should eat the way our ancestor did. In other words, they believe that raw food is
healthier for human beings. People that think like this eat only raw food, including some meats. Often they
believe that raw-food diet is better for the environment. Some hope they will lose weight by eating only raw
food. But not everyone agrees.
If youre healthy, this is a terrible idea, said neuroscientist Suzana Herculano-Houzel. The problem is that
humans have to eat lots of raw food to get all the necessary nutrients. That takes a lot of time. Also, people
forget that our bodies have changed over time. Thus, we may not be able to eat exactly as our ancestors did.
However, it is true that many diets of the past were healthier. We probably should try to eat more simply as
our ancestors did. For example, we can avoid food that is processed. Most people agree that we should eat
more vegetables. Some people are also certain that diet of different-colored foods (red radishes, green
spinach, blueberries) is especially beneficial.
Instruction of New materials (5-10 mins):
The following instructions will be easy for students to assimilate since they are already familiar with noun
clauses. The following instructions focus on using if and whether as clause markers. Students will be
identifying noun clauses with the clause markers if and whether before they come to class. Below, are the
instructions:
Noun Clauses with If and Whether
1. Use if or whether to express a Yes/No question as a noun clause. A noun clause with if or whether can
be part of a statement or a question:
Example: Yes/No Does he have my number?
Im not sure if he has my number.
Do you know whether he has my number?
2. Use statement word order after if or whether. Do not use the question word order.
Correct: Do you know whether he is coming?
Incorrect: Do you know whether is he coming?
3. Use whether, not if, after a verb + preposition.
Examples:
Correct: She talked about whether she should move.
Incorrect: She talked about if she move.
4. When if or whether begins a noun clause, or not is sometimes added to the end of the clause. It is
possible to add to the end or not directly after whether, but not after if.
Examples:
I didnt notice if the car was locked or not.
I didnt notice whether the car was locked or not.
Correct: I dont know whether or not I passed the test.

Incorrect: I dont know if or not I passed the test.

Read the text about prehistoric peoples use of spices. Find and correct five more errors with noun clauses.
(Top down).

Ancient Foodies?
Researchers have found if (that) ancient Europeans were cooking with garlic mustard seeds over 5000 years
ago. The findings come from archeological sites in Denmark and Germany, where the seeds were found inside
pieces of pottery. Archeologists think people used the seeds in their cooking. Because the seeds have no
nutritional value, archaeologists are convinced that (they) were used to add flavor to other foods.
The researchers have explained why are their findings important. Although other examples of ancient spices
have been found, these seeds are the first to be linked to cooking. In earlier studies, scientists werent sure if
(whether) or not these spices had been used in cooking. Experts believed that prehistoric people simply ate
the food for energy without caring about its taste. Until the garlic mustard seed discovery, they had no idea
how much did early humans think about their food preparation. Now scientists realize that flavor was
important to people long ago. In the future, researchers would like to find out what other spices did early
humans use, but it wont be an easy task.
Once the all the mistakes are found, use noun clauses with phrases in the box to answer the questions and
share your answers with a partner.
Example:
I think (that)
I believe (that)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Im (not) concerned (that)

Im (not) sure (that)

I dont know if / whether.

I wonder if/whether.

Is solar cooking a good idea?

Why do you believe that some people choose to become vegetarians?
Are you worried about our food varieties disappearing?
Are you concerned about eating food that has chemicals in it?
A lot of food is wasted. Do you think this is a big problem? Why, or why not?

Assignment/Practice (Recycling) (20 mins):

Write & Speak:
1. Write a sentence combining words from the first column with a noun clause in the second. Express
your opinions.
I (dont) agree
our ancestors had a better diet.
I (dont) believe
eating raw food is healthier.
I (dont) feel
cooked food tastes better than raw food.
Im (not) surprised
a raw-food diet is a good way to lose weight.
Summary
This lesson plan is focused on Noun Clauses and is designed for Advanced Low students based on the ACTFL
chart. The students will familiarize themselves with different strategies such as bottom up and top down. The
students will be able to demonstrate, identify noun clauses in academic text. They will develop reading,
listening, writing and speaking skills.

Contingency Plan
As a contingency plan I would have the students watch videos on YouTube about Noun Clauses. Once they
watched the videos they would do the exercises in chapter 14 in their copybook.
Noun Clauses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcYJ77H9Xow
Clause Markers If and Whether :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Klnroe1UBRs
Self-assessment
Making this lesson plan was quite a difficult task for the simple reason that I was trying to integrate several
skills and strategies in reading. I based my lesson plan on noun clauses because at the moment Im tutoring 2
EIL students that are struggling with it. However, Ive noticed that teaching Noun clauses requires reading
and vocabulary. I used the Grammar Explorer 3B textbook to find adequate and appropriate readings and
practice tasks. Ive learned that strategies overlap and need each other to accomplish their respective tasks.
Ive increased my knowledge about noun clauses and now I adopt a very different approach when I read
academic texts. I now have a better vision of the structure of academic texts. As hard as it might be to believe
but academic readings are easy to read once you understand the structure and its functions.