PLANTS TEACHER GUIDE
About Focus on English
The Focus on English series is designed to provide an English language scaffold for new learners of English in New Zealand schools and supports the curriculum in mathematics, science and social studies for years 7 to 10.
High-frequency vocabulary, technical terms and basic language features are taught in contexts that support learning in science, mathematics and social studies at curriculum levels 3–4.
There are six topics in the series:
1. Animals – English for science
2. Shapes – English for mathematics
3. Plants – English for science
4. Measurement – English for mathematics
5. Weather – English for science
6. Conservation – English for science
(Download the Focus on English activity spreadsheet if you would like to search/sort all activities in the Focus on English series.)
All activities are designed to be used with teacher input. It is recommended that teachers follow the sequence of activities in a subtopic to teach the target vocabulary.
In each subtopic, students:
· listen, look, read and talk to establish familiarity with the context
· are introduced to 20 target words
· practise recognising and producing the written and spoken forms of each word
· relate form and meaning
· practise recognising the environment in which the words usually occur
· use the words in new contexts.
About this teacher guide
This document contains the teacher guide pages for all activities in the Plants topic.
Click on the hyperlinks to access:
· a PDF of each activity (teacher guide plus student worksheet)
· audio file(s) where available for student support
· additional resources where available.
Plants topic objective
· Recognise and use specialist and general vocabulary relevant in the study of plants.
· Read and listen in order to understand and respond to simple texts about plants.
· Talk about plants.
· Write simple texts about plants.
· Recognise and respond to simple question forms.
2
ESOL Online – Focus on English – 1. Animals
3.1 Introducing growth 1
3.2 Target vocabulary – growth 2
3.3 Organising target vocabulary – growth 3
3.4 Pronouncing target vocabulary – growth 4
3.5 Familiarisation with target vocabulary – growth 5
3.6 Matching words and pictures 6
3.7 Listening to pictures – vegetables 7
3.8 Growth puzzle 8
3.9 Using target vocabulary - growth 9
3.10 Differences between plants and animals 10
3.11 Similarities between plants and animals 11
3.12 They = plants and animals 12
3.13 Seed dispersal 13
3.14 Seeds 14
3.15 Introducing life cycles 15
3.16 Target vocabulary – life cycles 16
3.17 Spelling target vocabulary – life cycles 17
3.18 Pronouncing target vocabulary – life cycles 18
3.19 Familiarisation with target vocabulary – life cycles 19
3.20 Classroom instructions 20
3.21 Life cycles target vocabulary – same or different? 21
3.22 Plural forms 22
3.23 One more sentence 23
3.24 Revising flowering plants 24
3.25 Life cycle of a bean 25
3.26 Life cycle song 26
3.27 Labelling plants 27
3.28 Listening to pictures – sunflowers 28
3.29 Life cycle of a coconut 29
3.30 Introducing habitats 30
3.31 Cherry tree seasonal cycle 31
3.32 Target vocabulary – habitats 32
3.33 Habitats puzzle 33
3.34 Pronouncing target vocabulary – habitats 34
3.35 Familiarisation with target vocabulary – habitats 35
3.36 Habitats target vocabulary – same or different? 36
3.37 Recognising target vocabulary – habitats 37
3.38 Writing target vocabulary – habitats 38
3.39 Introducing trees 39
3.40 Looking at leaves 40
3.41 Describing leaves 41
3.42 Describing trees 42
3.43 Listening to pictures – native trees 43
3.44 Drawing trees 44
3.45 Using plants 45
3.46 ‘Wh’, ‘is’ and ‘do’ questions 46
3.47 Writing questions 47
3.48 Questions about pine trees 48
3.49 Uses of plants 49
3.50 Writing answers 50
3.51 Using bamboo 51
ESOL Online – Focus on English – 3. Plants
3.1 Introducing growth
Topic: Plants
Subtopic: Growth
Activity type/skill: Orientation
Literacy focus: Vocabulary
Objective
· Provide orientation to the subtopic.
· Make links to prior knowledge.
· Link to the science curriculum.
· Introduce technical vocabulary.
· Present target vocabulary in context.
What you need
· Student worksheet
· Audio track 3.1
· Plants vegetable cards
What to do
1. Look at the first two pages of the student worksheet. Talk about the pictures to draw out students’ existing knowledge.
2. Play track 3.1 (Track 1 for this topic). Have students listen and look at the pictures and then talk about the text and pictures
3. Look at the third page of the student worksheet and talk about how a plant grows. Have students label the roots, soil, leaves, stems, flowers and seeds on the drawing of the dandelion.
4. Have students dig up a weed, preferably one with a flower, from the school grounds or bring one to school. Have students draw their weed and label it.
5. Working in pairs, take turns to describe the weed.
Extending the activity
· Cut out the coloured vegetable cards.
· Have students sort the cards into categories and justify their choices, for example:
- plant parts (root, stem, leaf, flower)
- plants we eat cooked/plants we eat raw
- plants with names starting with the same letter
- plants that are the same colour.
· Play card games with the vegetable cards regularly as you work through this topic.
3.2 Target vocabulary – growth
Topic: Plants
Subtopic: Growth
Activity type/skill: Word list
Literacy focus: Vocabulary
Objective
· Introduce target vocabulary.
· Experience spoken and written forms and their usage.
What you need
· Student worksheet
· Audio track 3.2
What to do
1. Play track 3.2 (Track 2 for this topic) and have students look at both pages of the student worksheet as they hear each word and its extensions (tense variations and plurals) and the word in a defining context.
air / branch / carry / drop / enoughflower / fruit / gas / hold (up) / leaf
light / root / seed / soil / space
system / tube / turn / waste / wind
2. Have students listen again and repeat the words.
3. Have students copy the words in the spaces.
4. Point out plurals (for example, ‘Roots hold a plant in the soil’) and changed verb forms (‘If something holds up something, it supports it’).
Extending the activity
· Use the lists for revision and reference.
3.3 Organising target vocabulary – growth
Topic: Plants
Subtopic: Growth
Activity type/skill: Jumbled words
Literacy focus: Vocabulary
Objective
· Spell the words.
· Practise alphabetical order.
What you need
· Student worksheet
What to do
1. Have students look at the jumbled words at the top of the worksheet.
2. Show students how to unjumble a word.
3. Have students unjumble each word and write it in the first column.
4. Working in pairs, have students check each other’s work.
5. Ask students to write the words in alphabetical order in the second column.
Extending the activity
· Give students more words to unjumble.
· Have students jumble words for others to unjumble.
3.4 Pronouncing target vocabulary – growth
Topic: Plants
Subtopic: Growth
Activity type/skill: Pronunciation
Literacy focus: Vocabulary
Objective
· Pronounce words.
· Identify the sound of words.
What you need
· Student worksheet
· Plants vocab cards
What to do
1. Have students look at the words at the bottom of the worksheet or the plants vocab card.
2. Say the words and ask students to circle them.
3. Say the words and ask students to repeat them.
4. Tap out the rhythm of words.
5. Point to words at random and ask students to say them.
6. Have students point to words for other students to say.
3.5 Familiarisation with target vocabulary – growth
Topic: Plants
Subtopic: Growth
Activity type/skill: Word cards
Literacy focus: Vocabulary
Objective
· Gain familiarity with spoken and written forms of words.
What you need
· Student worksheet
· Scissors
What to do
1. Have students cut out the 20 word cards on the student worksheet and place them face up in front of them.
2. Have students point to each word as you say them in random order.
3. Have students sort words into categories, for example:
· the same number of syllables
· the same initial sound
· the same final sound
· the same medial vowel sound
· the same sound for the letter ‘a’.
4. Have students:
· place the cards face down
· pick up a card, say and spell it
· turn the card over and say and spell it from memory.
Extending the activity
· Have students store the cards and use them daily for revision.
· Use this set of cards with other vocab cards to play sound dominoes, matching final and initial sounds.
3.6 Matching words and pictures
Topic: Plants
Subtopic: Growth
Activity type/skill: Forming plurals
Literacy focus: Vocabulary
Objective
· Recognise and understand the meaning of plural forms.
What you need
· Student worksheet
What to do
1. Talk with the students about the way plurals are formed in English. Have them explain to you how plurals are formed in their own language(s) and decide in what ways English is different.
2. Look at the student worksheet and explain that they will have to look at each picture, decide which word or phrase describes it and write the correct label under the picture.
Answers:
flowers / tube / root systemsseeds / gases / leaves
3.7 Listening to pictures – vegetables
Topic: Plants
Subtopic: Growth
Activity type/skill: Word/picture matching
Literacy focus: Vocabulary
Objective
· Recognise target vocabulary in a new context.
· Listen to extended texts.
What you need
· Student worksheet
· Audio track 3.7
· Plants vegetable cards
What to do
1. Look at the pictures on the student worksheet and talk about the vegetables:
· What part is eaten?
· Do the learners eat them?
· Do they grow in the learners’ countries?
2. Explain that that they will hear a description of the pictures and need to write a number in each circle.
3. Play track 3.7 (Track 3 for this topic).
4. Compare answers.
Answers:
8 / 24 / 7
5 / 3
6 / 1
Extending the activity
· Put the cut-out coloured vegetable cards on a table. One student must describe a card without giving the name of the vegetable. The others must guess which card they are talking about. The person who guesses correctly describes the next vegetable.
· Play card games with the vegetable cards regularly as you work through this topic.
3.8 Growth puzzle
Topic: Plants
Subtopic: Growth
Activity type/skill: Crossword
Literacy focus: Vocabulary
Objective
· Experience the targeted words in a new context.
· Spell the targeted words accurately.
What you need
· Student worksheet
What to do
1. Have students fill in the answers on the student worksheet – both in the spaces in the clues and in the crossword itself. Assist them with plurals and changing verb forms.
Answers:
3.9 Using target vocabulary - growth
Topic: Plants
Subtopic: Growth
Activity type/skill: Quiz
Literacy focus: Vocabulary
Objective
· Recall and use vocabulary relating to plants.
· Use vocabulary in a meaningful science context.
What you need
· Student worksheet
What to do
1. Look at the student worksheet.
2. Have students complete the quiz in pairs in competition with other pairs. They need to discuss each question and must reach consensus on their answer. They may challenge and be challenged to defend answers to some questions. If they can justify their answer, it is acceptable.
3. Compare answers.
Answers:
1. T
2. F
3. F
4. T
5. F
6. F
7. F
8. F
9. F
10. T
11. T
12. T
13. F
14. T
15. F
Extending the activity
· Get the students to make up questions about plants and quiz each other.
3.10 Differences between plants and animals
Topic: Plants
Subtopic: Growth
Activity type/skill: Text prediction
Literacy focus: Reading
Genre: Information reports
Objective
· Recall vocabulary relating to plants.
· Predict what might be in a text about plants and animals.
· Make links with prior knowledge.
· Categorise information.
What you need
· Student worksheet
What to do
1. Look at the pictures on the student worksheet and ask students how they can tell something is a living thing and not a machine.
2. Discuss the difference between plants and animals. Help students define a plant and an animal. If necessary, lead the students’ discussion to the basic differences such as the amount of movement and degree of sensitivity, the ability of plants to make their own food. Accept their word choices but offer them the technical words (for example, respiration) after they have produced the idea.
3. Talk again about the characteristics of and differences between plants and animals and fill in the chart. Check that most of the characteristics are covered.
Answers:
Animals / Animals and plants / Plantsbreathe/respire
can move about freely / move / move very slowly in one place
cannot make their own food / need food / make their own food
excrete waste
grow
sensitive to their environment
reproduce
Extending the activity
· Play ‘20 Questions’ in which one student must think of an animal or plant and the others must guess what they are thinking of by asking up to 20 questions that only have the answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
· Find books about plants in the library and science department.
3.11 Similarities between plants and animals
Topic: Plants
Subtopic: Growth
Activity type/skill: Text organisation
Literacy focus: Reading
Genre: Information reports
Objective
· Recognise the structure of an information report.
What you need
· Student worksheet
What to do
1. Look at the two pages of the student worksheet. As a group, revise and identify the parts of an information report – title, classification, description with details grouped under topics.