Creepy Creatures

C OMPLEX TASK LESSON PLAN

Dominique Roy

EDTL 636
McGill University

October 2016

Name
School
Level and number of students
Description of students

Previous lessons

Anticipated problems and

solutions

Next lesson(s)

Dominique Roy
cole Secondaire Edouard Montpetit
Secondary 1 Core ESL & SAPDE, 25 students (7 groups)
Students are attending a Francophone Secondary school in East
Mercier, Montreal. They come from various backgrounds and
their first languages vary, although most are Francophone.
Majority of the students have beginner level of English
proficiency.
Students have been exploring the topic of creepy crawlers
(insects and bugs), their properties and nutritional values. They
have been studying Simple Present grammar form and
vocabulary words seen throughout their two text books in
relation to themselves and to creepy creatures/crawlers
It might be difficult for the students to relate personally to this
topic since it is only through novels, movies, video games and
Halloween that will have encountered the idea of mythical
creatures/monsters. However, the hook video will help them to
see how these creatures have developed into their more magical
status they now have.
Students will start a unit on Creepy Creatures in theme with
Halloween. They will explore the mythical and folklore
creatures.

Title of lesson: Creepy Creatures

Goal of lesson: By the end of the lesson students will:
- become familiar with mythical/folklore creatures
- practice sharing their ideas and opinions orally in a respectful way
- be able to write a descriptive article on a fictional creature
- be able to use Cognate strategy in order to recognize vocabulary in a text
therefore activating prior knowledge
Brief description of lesson: To hook the students on the subject of their upcoming lessons, they
will watch a short YouTube video on the history of Halloween. After which they will discuss their
thoughts, feelings and experiences in regards to the video/Halloween to promote their connection
with mythical/folklore creatures. They will use a spider map to help organize new information
about creatures they will encounter and in creating their own for their reinvestment task. They will
learn the reading strategy Cognates and apply it when reading a text about various
folklore/mythical creatures and finally, create their own mythical/folklore creature and write an
article about it using the various categories seen in the text they will have read.
Educational aim of a
Broad Area of
Learning

Mythical/Folklore Creatures: Learning the history and criteria in any

development of a character
Competency 2: Reinvests understanding of texts

ESL competencies
targeted
Evaluation (self, peer
or teacher)

Related Content
(Culture, Functional
Language, Vocabulary,
Grammar, Strategies,
Processes, Texts) that
students need to carry
out activities in lesson
Materials and sources

Teacher will evaluate the final reinvestment of the knowledge from the
text using a C2 evaluation rubric. The targeted criteria will be: evidence
of the comprehension of text and sufficient amount of knowledge
reinvested from the text.

Functional Language: Feelings, Interests, Likes, Dislikes, Opinions

Vocabulary: pre-taught before reading
Reading strategy: Cognates
Processes: Response Process (in order to complete a reinvestment task);
Writing Process (First draft self-correction teachers consultation
final copy) in case C3 is also evaluated.
1. Youtube Video (Hook) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHQZErtwA3E
2. Annex 1 Text Creature Culture.
Gauthier C., Gauthier G., and Sandfblom L. (2015). Jump In: English as
a second language: secondary cycle 1, year one: student workbook, 2d
ed. Les Editions CEC.
3. Annex 2 Questions
4. Annex 3 Spider-web Organizer
5. Annex 4 Evaluation rubric
6. Annex 5 Cognate strategy handout
7. Annex 6 Reinvestment task instructions
8. Smart Board
9. Laptop
10. Cognate cards

PREPARING TO LEARN
ACTIVITY
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITY
(role of Teacher and Students)

RATIONALE
EVALUATION
COMPETENCIES

1. Introducing the
lesson
Video
3 minutes

T. shows students a YouTube Video

about the History of Halloween and then
we will discuss creatures associated with
Halloween.

2. Mini discussion
T. leads a discussion on students
(How does
impressions of the video, their feelings
Halloween make you and their prior knowledge.
feel? What are your
favourite
creatures/costumes
found on Halloween?
What do you know
about these
creatures/monsters)
7 minute

This is the hook activity.

The topic of the video helps students
situate themselves in regards to the
upcoming theme on which the
following activities will be based.
Students are encouraged to orally
express their feelings, opinions and
expressions.

CARRYING OUT LEARNING (DURING)

3. Teaching students
Cognate strategy
20 minutes

T. explains cognates as words in two

languages that share a similar meaning,
spelling, and pronunciation. T. will hand
out 2 lists of cognates (Annex 5) in both
languages and have students match them
in partners. Together, T. & students will
correct them on the board.
After the activity has been completed, T.
will hand out a short text for the students
to read (Annex 6) using the cognate
strategy learnt.

4. Reading activity
45 minutes

T. tells students to read the text in their

Jump In Textbook (Annex 1). After
reading it once, they will read it a second
time and fill out a chart (Annex 8) found
on the following pages of their textbook.
Students will then read the text a third
time in order to answer 15 comprehension
questions (Annex 2)

Allowing students to practice the

strategy on a simple activity allows
strategy allows them to understand
exactly how the strategy works. A
pre-reading strategy helps students
connect to their prior knowledge on
the topic and facilitate the text
comprehension later.

Through the use of the chart,

students learn to organize
information found in a way that will
aid in their reinvestment task.
Students that reading and re-reading
texts, the use of chart organizers and

reading strategies help with their

comprehension skills.

5. Comparing
Activity
5 minutes

T. will have put up signs around the room

with the various creatures/monsters found
in their text. Having already chosen a
creature/monster and filled out
information in their chart regarding that
creature/monster, they will go to the spot
in the classroom with the name of their
chosen creature/monster. Once there,
students will compare information from
their chart and add any additional
information they may have forgotten.
Once the timer goes off, students are
expected to sit back in their spots.

Orally discussing the information

and comparing notes about their
chosen character, allows students to
gain a further understanding and
have stronger peers help the weaker
ones.

6. Share
7 minutes

With T. guidance, students will discuss

the reasons for which they chose a
particular creature/monster.

Through a classroom discussion,

students are able to compare their
reasons for their chose with other
students, building on knowledge for
when their reinvestment task.

Students will invent their own

creature/monster and write a brochure
providing an audience with information
about this creature/monster and ways in
which to destroy it with the help of the

T. will evaluate students work

according to the rubric provided to
the students.

REINVESTMENT
9. Reinvestment task
(Mythical Creature
Creation)
75 minutes

content and the elements found in the

Jump In textbook text they read.
They will fill out the spider map
(Annex 3) in order to help them organize
their thoughts while creating their
creature.
T. reminds the students to include all the
necessary elements that are listed in the
rubric.

The reinvestment task allows

students examine the aspects that go
into a description of character
whether fictional or non-fictional.
Through the knowledge, and
elements of the text read previously
and the discussions, they will recreate their own.
Through the use of the spider chart,
this enables the students to organize
their thoughts and provides the T.
with time to help in their creative
process.

Annex 1

Annex 2
On a separate sheet of paper answer the following questions (write full sentences in part 1 and use
bullet point form in parts 2 and 3):

Part 1 Exploring the text

True or False Write T or F next to the sentences.
1. Mummies stay in tombs or temple complexes.
2. Werewolves stay in the jungle.
3. Ghosts (or revenants) are bones of dead people.
4. Zombies originate from Canadian culture.
5. Trolls have a very powerful digestive system
Write Full Sentences.
1. How can you kill a Werewolf?
2. How can you destroy a Vampire?
3. What are Mummies?

Part 2 Connecting with the text

Write in bullet form
1. What is your reaction to the text?
2. Where have you seen or encountered monsters/creatures like these before?
3. If you had to be one creature and not a human, which one from the text would you be? Why?
4. Would you be afraid to go into a cemetery now that you know what creatures might live there?
5. Would you recommend a friend read this text? Why or why not?

Part 3 Generalize beyond the text

Write sentences.

Eg. I think a Zombie could be real because it ___________ .

1. Do you think these creatures could ever become real? Why or why not?
2. Do you think a vampire and a werewolf, or a zombie and a troll could become a couple? Why or why
not?
3.
4.
5.

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Annex 3

Name _______________________________________

Date ______________

Spider Map
Write main ideas on the slanted lines that connect to the circle.
Write details on the branches.

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Annex 4

Evaluation rubric
Task
Requiremen
ts/Points

Select relevant
information/ideas
from the text

The student writes a

sophisticated brochure
providing helpful
information about a
creature/monster they
have invented.

The student writes a solid

brochure providing
helpful information
about a creature/monster
they have invented.

The student writes

an acceptable
brochure providing
helpful information
about a
creature/monster
they have invented.

The students
brochure is
confusing and
poorly informs the
audience

The brochure/text is
incomplete
OR
The text presents
little content related
to the provided text
OR
Most content is
patchwork and
copied
OR
Unable to
understand content
due to grammar and
vocabulary mistakes

And
Use the
information/ideas
and own words to
write a text that is
adapted to the
purpose of this
assignment

Total:

Content errors or slips, if

any, are rare and have no
impact on the text.
Text includes all or most
of the following:
- Accurate content:
physical description, eating
habits, living situation,
characteristics and a
helpful hint on how to
destroy it.
- Content that is not
patchwork or copied
- Proper use of grammar
and vocabulary

Content errors and/or

slips are rare and have
minor impact on the text.
Text includes all or most
of the following:
- Accurate content:
physical description, eating
habits, living situation,
characteristics and a
helpful hint on how to
destroy it.
- A small amount of
content that is patchwork
or copied
- Few grammar and
vocabulary mistakes

Content errors
and/or slips are rare
and have moderate
impact on the text.
Text includes all or
most of the following:
- Some missing
content: physical
description, eating
habits, living situation,
characteristics and a
helpful hint on how to
destroy it.
- A small amount of
content that is
patchwork and/or
copied
- Some grammar and
vocabulary mistakes

Content errors
and/or slips have a
major impact on
the text.
Text includes one
or more of the
following:
- Many
inaccuracies and
content missing
- Some content that
is patchwork and/or
copied
- Many grammar
and vocabulary
mistakes

/12 = ________%

Annex 5

12

Cognates
Cognates are words in two languages that share a similar meaning, spelling, and pronunciation.
Word Sort
In partners, you will pair an English cognate word with the French cognate word. For example:
English French
family famille
center centre
radio radio
class
classe
desert dessert
magic magie, magique
gorilla gorille
Once finished, together we will write the answers on the smart board.

Annex 6

13

Applying the strategy to reading

Instructions : Read the following paragraph and circle the words that you think are cognates.

My name is Nina Pelletier. I was born on January 28th, 2000. My family

is from New Brunswick. I am 13 years old. I like to go to the supermarket
with my mom since I choose what we buy. I love bananas.
This week, I celebrate my birthday. My favourite colour is blue. My
party is decorated with blue balloons and I have a banana cake. It is perfect.

Instructions : Now, write all the cognates you have found.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13
Annex 6

14

Reinvestment task instructions

Imagine you are making a video game creator. Your boss has just told you are to make a new
fantasy video game and you need to come up with a brand new creature. Like in all video games, there
needs to be a description about this new character. You will have to draw and write about this new
creature. Make sure that you include:
-

origin

food

habitat

characteristics

how to destroy it

follow the same structure found in the text Creature Culture,

use Simple Present tense where appropriate,

write 2 full simple sentences for each category

use your Spider Maps as help

You need to

Annex 8

15

16

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Text Difficulty/Facility
Due to the previous lesson themes and content, and vocabulary already having been studied,
there are aspects of this text that facilitated. Having already been taught and continuously revisited, the
grammar tense found in the text Simple Present should be understood. The entire text has been all in
the simple present which they have learnt (eg. They are powerful and travel faster than light). Found at
the end of paragraph 4. Furthermore, due to both the students prior knowledge on the subject and our
previous lessons discussing similar themes, the text demonstrates fairly concrete explanations without
inferencing (eg. How to Stop Them: Mummies: Unwrap the linens around a mummy and it turns into a
pile of dirt or sand). Found in paragraph 5. The grammar and lack of inferencing will facilitate the
understanding of the text.
There are a few factors that will make the text difficult for students. While new vocabulary has
already been taught and learned, there still remains multiple new words to be found in the text that are
not cognates - (eg. Folklore), found in paragraph 1. However, with the aid of word boxes and in-class
dictionaries, this should be overcome. An additional difficulty is the lack of extra textual support. While
there are a few pictures, for the group with whom I am aiming this Complex Task, they could benefit
from many pictures. The length of the text (number of words) and the size of the font could also prove to
be a difficulty factor. See text (Annex 1) for examples.

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