Reading eLesson

Week starting 25 February 2013

Where on earth are we?

Language
Vocabulary connected with navigational devices, particularly GPS and stick charts; past simple passive

Level
Pre-intermediate to intermediate (equivalent to CEF level B1B2)

Comment
This eLesson looks at examples of old and new navigational instruments.

How to use the lesson

1 Set the context for the reading: navigational tools. You could ask students how they usually find their way when they visit somewhere different. You could ask them how often they get lost when they visit somewhere new and find out whether they have a good sense of direction or not. This could be done as a whole class activity or in pairs / small groups followed by class feedback. Show students a few pictures of navigational instruments and ask them, in pairs / groups to think of other things people use to find their way. Elicit ideas, writing them on the board if appropriate. Students then read the text to see how many of their ideas are talked about. Set a brief time limit, eg 12 minutes depending on students level, to encourage fast reading. When the time limit is up, take feedback and tick the ideas mentioned in the text on the board if appropriate. Exercise 1 gives students practice in reading for detailed comprehension. If you feel your students might have problems with any of the words, refer them to the Glossary if appropriate. Students could compare their answers in pairs. In class feedback ask students to justify their answers with reference to the text. Exercise 2 focuses on vocabulary from the text. Students could try to complete the sentences first alone or in pairs. Take feedback. If appropriate for your students, you could highlight the fact that feature, ancient, compass, precious and current have the stress on the first syllable and unique and precise have the stress on the second syllable. Exercise 3 provides practice of the words in exercise 2. If appropriate students could check answers in pairs before going through them as a class. Students then ask and answer the questions in pairs. Monitor pairs and help if needed before taking feedback. Exercise 4 focuses on the past simple passive. If appropriate, tell students that the passive voice is used to focus on the action and not the person who the action. It is also used when we do not know who does the action or it is unimportant. Students then put the verbs given into the correct form and check in pairs if appropriate. Take feedback. Exercise 5 focuses on the different ways to pronounce the -ed ending past participles. Depending on the level of the students, this could be done either as a whole class activity or in pairs / small groups. In feedback it would be useful to drill the words. You could have a poster for each sound and ask students to find further examples from the text. Exercise 6 gives students personalised speaking practice about navigational instruments. Set the discussion task for small groups if appropriate. Take feedback.

This page has been downloaded from www.macmillanglobal.com It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright Macmillan Publishers Limited 2013.

Reading eLesson
Answer key
1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 2 1 2 3 4 3 1 2 3 4 4 1 2 3 4 5

Week starting 25 February 2013

F (they have been able to use it since the 1980s) T F (they show location and give the speed travelled at) T F (they used stick charts which maps the seas movement and location of islands) T T

ancient precious precise feature

5 compass 6 current 7 unique

precious unique ancient compass

5 current 6 feature 7 precise

was invented was used were made was designed were built

5 1 created /d/

2 followed /d/

3 developed /t/

6 Students own answers. Possible future uses for GPS systems: in farming to programme tractors to follow a set route when ploughing, sowing seeds, etc. to track the location of your children, as well as farm and domestic animals. to locate public transport and show passengers who are waiting where their train or bus is.

Related websites
The following websites might be useful for either you or your students. http://www.gps.gov/multimedia/poster/ (Educational poster How GPS works) http://www.juicygeography.co.uk/gpsschool.htm (Teaching ideas for GPS) http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Global-Positioning-System-Movie-Quiz-and-extras6077230/ (Teaching resource: GPS) http://education.nationalgeographic.com/archive/xpeditions/lessons/02/g68/animalnav.html?ar _a=1 (How do we find out way?) http://www.geographical.co.uk/Magazine/Natural_navigation_-_May_10.html (Following natures signposts) http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/407011/navigation (Navigation) http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/aoa/n/navigation_chart_ma ttang.aspx (Stick charts) http://www.science-teachers.com/north_star.htm (Navigating by the North Star)

This page has been downloaded from www.macmillanglobal.com It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright Macmillan Publishers Limited 2013.