INVENTIONS AROUND US

Module:Change

Unit: Changes in Things

Key Stage 2 Learning Targets

To develop an ever-improving capability to use English

~ to converse about feelings, interests, preferences, ideas, experiences and plans (I.D.b )

~ to provide or find out, organize and present information on familiar topics (K.D.a )

~ to respond to characters and events in imaginative and other narrative text through oral, written and performative means such as making predictions, making inferences and making evaluative comments (E.D.b )

Programme Outline

Do you remember Thomas Edison’s story in “ We Are Inventors!”? Do you know who won the Invention Contest? Kylie won first prize and Robin got a third!In this programme, Thomas Edison meetsa young inventor, Tracy. She takes him toJimmy’s shop. Theyare delighted to see many old and new inventionsthere. However,there isoneinvention - a mega iron missing.This mega iron was invented by Kim’s family. What a coincidence! Thomas Edison wants totella story about Kim’s family, too.Kim, Kitty and their motherlove to invent things. They inventthe‘mega iron’that makesclothes flat and smooth. Kim and Kittymakean auto pet feeder, an auto fish feeder and an auto watering can, too.Unfortunately, Kim’s family makes some mistakesone day. As a result, theirinventions donot work very well. What are their mistakes? Can they learn from their mistakes?

Communicative functions

1. Draw attention to people and things and describe them briefly

2. Express concern and sympathy

3. Describe the manner and frequency with which people carry out actions and the purposes and results of these actions

Pre-viewing Activities

  1. Introduce the programme title ‘Inventions Around Us’.Teachers can point outsome examples such as a television set, a telephone, a calculator, etc. Write the names on the blackboard for reference.
  2. Encourage pupilsto guess if thoseinventions may have a different look in the old days. Brainstorm ideas.
  3. Introduce the outline of the story.
  4. Introduce the inventionsof Kim’s family - the mega iron, the auto fish feeder, the auto dog feeder and the auto watering can.
  5. Remind pupils to listen carefully to whatKim’s family said about their own mistakes in the programme. Highlight the target language:‘I’ve put’,‘I’ve forgotten’,‘I haven’t put’,‘I haven’t cleaned’, etc.
  6. Explainbriefly to pupils the structure of present perfect tense and its usage.

While-viewing Activity

Have COPYMASTER 1 ready for pupils. Ask them to lookcarefully at the inventionsin Jimmy’s shop. Askpupils to put a letter ‘O’(for OLD) in the bracket for the old inventions. For the new inventions, pupils can write a letter ‘N’ (for NEW).

Answers:

1.

( N )( O )

2.

( O ) ( N )

3.

( N ) ( O )

4.

( O ) ( N )

Post-viewing Activities

1. In COPYMASTER 2 (Part 1),pupils are going towrite the names for some inventions.Pupils can choose from the words provided.

Answers:1. A computer

2. A typewriter

3.A mobilephone

4. A telephone

5.A colourtelevision set

6. A black and whitetelevision set

7.An electric toothbrush

8.A toothbrush

2. InCOPYMASTER 3 (Part 2a),pupilshave to imagine that they are Kim in the programme. They needto take care of the pets and plants. Tellthem tothink before they complete the sentences.

Answers: 1.This is a dog feeder. You have to put enoughdog food in it.

2.This is a watering can. You have to put enoughwaterin it.

3.This is a fish tank. You have to clean it when it gets dirty.

3. InCOPYMASTER 3 (Part 2b), pupils fill in the blankswith the help of the words provided. To facilitate better understanding, teachersmay replay the segment where Uncle Sam comes round to Kim’s home. Pupils can listen again to what Kim’s family said about theirown mistakes.

Answers:

1.Mother: Oh, the fish tank.

I haven’t cleaned the fish tank for while.

2. Kitty: I’ve forgotten about my dog.

I haven’t put enough dog food into thefeeder.

3.Kim: I haven’tputenough water into the watering can.

COPYMASTER 1

While-viewing Activity

There aremany old and newinventions in Jimmy’s shop. Write a letter(O)(for OLD) in the bracket for the old inventions.Write a letter ( N)(for NEW)for the new inventions.Two have been done for you.

1.

( N )( O )

2.

( ) ( )

3.

( ) ( )

COPYMASTER 1

4.

( ) ( )

COPYMASTER 2

Post-viewing Activities

Part 1

Look at the pictures of some old and new inventions. Write the names under the right pictures.

A toothbrushA computer A colourtelevision set

An electric toothbrushA typewriterA telephone

A black and white televisionsetA mobilephone A calculator


1. ______/
2. ______

3. ______/
4. ______

COPYMASTER 2


5. ______/
6. ______

7. ______/
8. ______

COPYMASTER 3

Part 2a

Imagine that you are Kim. You have to take care of your pets and plants. Complete the sentences with the most suitable word(s).

1. This is a dog feeder. You have to put enough______in it.

2. This is a watering can. You have to put enough______in it.

3. This is a fish tank. You have to______it when it gets dirty.

COPYMASTER 3

Part 2b

Kim’s family has not takengood care of their pets and plants.What have they done wrong?You can choose from the words below and fill in the blanks.

haven’t put have puthaven’t put

haven’t cleaned have cleaned haven’t forgotten

1.Mother: I ______the fish tank for a while.

2. Kitty:I’ve forgottenabout the dog food.

I ______enough dog food into the feeder.

3. Kim: I ______enough water into the watering can.

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