Instructor: Andrea Dennis

Grade: 9 ESL

Subject: English Language and

Writing

Date: September 25th October 28th

Unit: Famous People

Based on New Parade Level 6
Unit 1: Famous People

Duration: 4.5 weeks

Learning Outcomes (based on the New Brunswick Curriculum):

4. Students will be expected to select, read, and view with understanding a range of
literature, information, media, and visual texts.
5. Students will be expected to interpret, select, and combine information, using a
variety of strategies, resources, and technologies.
9. Students will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently, using a
variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes
Learning Strategies and Thinking Skills:
To use music and rhythm
To understand chronological order
To skim articles for information
To sequence events in timeline form
To conduct a research project on a famous person
Communication Objectives:
To discuss favorite performers
To discuss famous people
To talk about events in the past
To read a short biography
To complete timelines
To research the life of a famous person
To write interview questions
To ask and answer questions
Language Objectives:
To use regular and irregular past tense forms
To use appropriate question forms
To pronounce past tense endings /t/, /d/, /id/
Cross Curricular Connections:
Language Arts to read short biographies; to research the life of a famous person; to
write an interview
Social Studies to learn about famous people, historical and current; to make
biographical timelines
Drama to act out dialogues; to act out an interview
Music to discuss music and popular musicians
Outline of Major Topics and Lessons

 Topic 1- Introduction to Unit (1 Day)

-Show pictures of famous people (Justin Bieber, Jackie Chan, Lebron James etc..)
-What do these people have in common?
-Introduce vocabulary
-Discussion questions in Activity Book (pg. 2)
-Read the conversation in Activity Book (pg. 2)
-Listen to the song in Activity Book (pg. 3)
Topic 2- Biographies (2 Days)
-Explain the concept of a biography ( a story about someones life)
-Discussion question What would be in a biography?
-Introduce Jim Henson
-Show Muppet clips on YouTube
-Partner Activity- Read Jim Hensons biography and answer questions in Activity Book
(pg.4 & 5)
-Introduce Sally Ride
-Show Sally Ride: Americas First Woman in Space video on YouTube
-Listen to Sally Rides biography and fill in the dates/ answer questions in Activity
book (pg. 6)
Topic 3- Interviews (2 Days)
-Show Sophia Grace & Rosie at the Grammys You Tube
-Partner Activity- Think of 5 questions, ask each other the questions in Workbook (pg.
7)
-Answer Questions, Read and Match the interview questions in Workbook (pg. 1)
Topic 4- Grammar (2-4 days)
-Review what a verb is
-Give students note sheet Learning About Verb Tenses: Simple Present, Past, and
Future Tenses from www.abcteach.com
-Review/Introduce past & present tense verbs (assess student knowledge)
-Introduce future tense
-Give students practice sheets 1,2,3 from www.acbteach.com
-Introduce irregular past tense
-Discuss irregular words we know (say/said etc.)
Topic 4- Timelines (2 days)
-Recap the listening activity about Sally Ride, explain what a timeline is using the
listening activity as an example.
-Nelly Bly Reading
-Read the biography, fill out the timeline in Workbook (pg. 3)
-Neil Armstrong Reading
-Show First Man on The Moon on YouTube
Read the biography in pairs, fill out the timeline in Workbook (pg. 8)
Create a Timeline Project (5 days)
In pairs, students choose a famous person who they are interested in. The students

will research the lives of the famous person and choose 5 significant events (dates
and descriptions) of that persons life. Students will then place those events in
chronological on a timeline and create a poster. Students will be graded on team
work/use of class time, the physical appearance of their timeline poster, and their
grammar.
2 days in the computer room
3 days in the classroom
Interview a Celebrity Skit (5 days)
In pairs, students will create an interview about the famous person they chose (from
the timeline project). They may use the information they found in their timeline
research to create 10 questions an interview might ask that famous person and 10
answers that famous person might give. Students will then perform the interview in
front of the class, one student being the interviewer and the other being the famous
person. Students will be graded on the questions they created, their speaking, and
their use of past tense.
2 days of interview writing
1 day of speaking practice
2 days of performers
Unit Test Review (2 days)
Review Games and Practice Test
Unit Test (1 day)
Grammar questions
Sample Interview Questions
Reading a passage and filling in a timeline
Key Vocabulary
career, event, hit song, musical group, musician, performance, TV set, born, became,
began, buy/bought, completed, created, entertain, get/got, excited, famous, favorite,
programs, biography, interview, timeline
Differentiated Flexible Learning Activities:
(guided instruction, practice, reinforcement, consolidation, extension of key ideas,
independent work)

Guided Instruction Explanations of key ideas, vocabulary and new concepts

Independent Work- Readings, Worksheets
Partner Work- Readings, projects
Reinforcement-Reviews
Consolidation- Create A Timeline Project, Unit Test
Extension of Key Ideas- Interview A Celebrity Skit
Modified Activities:
Student(s)
9(1) Cindy, Shan Shan,

Modification Needed
Extra guidance in readings

Lara
9(2) Max, Jack, Bieber

Individual instruction in grammar

Support and encouragement throughout projects

Check for Understanding (Formative Assessment)

Unit Projects (Create a Timeline/Interview a Celebrity)
Unit Test
Major Vocabulary
Grammar (past, present, future tense)
Listening (interview)
Reading (multiple choice questions)
Writing (timeline)
Modifications:
Unit Test:
9(1) Cindy, Shan Shan, Lara
9(2) Max, Jack, Bieber
Script of the listening portion
3 options instead of 4 in multiple choice
Professional Targets
Use student interests in pop culture to create an engaging unit
Reflection on Lesson and Suggestions for Improvement
-Unit readings became mundane for students, cut the Nelly Bly reading (least relatable)
-Students need more public speaking activities (voice projection)