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Teacher: Karen Bergendorf
Skill Level: Advanced Students/College aged students
Topic: Using coordinating and subordinating conjunctions to connect ideas
Time of Lesson: 60 minutes

Teaching Point/Objectives:

• Students will able to recognize coordinating junctions (and + too, so, either, neither) and subordinating conjunctions (because and even though/although).
• Students will able to use coordinating junctions (and + too, so, either, neither) and subordinating conjunctions (because and even though/although) by successfully choosing the correct conjunction in written exercises.
• Students will able to use coordinating junctions (and + too, so, either, neither) and subordinating conjunctions (because and even though/although) by successfully writing the correct conjunction in answers to questions after listening to a simple story.

Materials Needed:

• Book "The Lotus Seed"
• Connecting Ideas worksheet
• Scotch tape

Learning/Teaching Activities

WARM UP AND REVIEW:

1.<< ANYTIME WE CAN BEGIN TO LEARN HOW TO CONNECT MANY OF OUR SHORTER IDEAS AND PIECES OF SPEECH, WE MAKE THE PROGRESSION INTO MORE SOPHISTICATED, ADVANCED SPEECH AND WRITING.

There are many ways in English to express the connecting of ideas. In past lessons we talked about four words used as conjunctions that connect smaller ideas or sentences into larger more complicated ones. Those words JOIN ideas together.

Activity:

1. Write "and," "but," "or," "so" on the board. Ask the students to write a sentence using the following criteria.

a.Use "and" joining 2 complete sentences.
b.Use "and" joining 2 nouns in a single sentence.
c.Use "and" joining 2 verbs in a single sentence.
d.Use "but" joining 2 sentences.
e.Use "or" joining 2 sentences.
f. Use "so" joining 2 sentences.

CONNECTING IDEAS LESSON PLAN
Page Two

Before they begin writing, review the rules on page 222, 223, 224 about commas. Have a student read the rule and explain why the rule is used. << IF THERE ARE 2 INDEPENDENT CLAUSES [OR COMPLETE SENTENCES] WE MUST HAVE A COMMA! IF NO COMMA, IT WOULD BE A RUN-ON SENTENCE; VERY SERIOUS ERROR AND STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW THAT FOR THE TOEFL TEST. >>

(When and connects two independent clauses, a comma is usually used [p. 222]. Sometimes the comma is omitted when and connects two very short independent clauses. [p. 223]. Commas are usually used when but or or connects two complete sentences; sometimes with but a period is used instead of a comma.)

Let the students write the sentences they make up on the board themselves. Have them read the sentence and explain how it follows the directions I gave them (a-f above).

PRESENTATION:

1.<< LET'S GO ON NOW TO SOME OTHER WORDS THAT CONNECT IDEAS. ON PAGE 230 OF YOUR BOOK WE BEGIN WITH USING AND PLUS TO, SO, EITHER AND NEITHER. >>

Read first sentence in table, pointing out differences of position of the auxiliary very when using too and when using so. Read over rule with them.

Activity:

Exercise 11: Read example and write sentences on board and pointing out (and writing above auxiliary verb). Then have students read #3, #4, #5, #8, #10, and #12, to follow with the first rule.

2.<< EITHER/NEITHER: WHEN YOU HEAR THESE TWO WORDS YOU KNOW YOU WILL BE MAKING A CHOICE BETWEEN 2 THINGS. >>

Read sentence in the table, pointing out differences of po position of auxiliary verb when using either and neither.

Activity:

Exercise 11: Do #2 with class. Then have students complete #6, #7, #9, #11, #13.

3.Exercise 13: Practice the first three examples with a student. Then let give the students 2 minutes to fill in the rest of the blanks. Then chose pair of students to read the answers aloud.

CONNECTING IDEAS LESSON PLAN
Page Three

CONNECTING WITH "BECAUSE"

1.<< "Because" IS ANOTHER KIND OF CONJUNCTION. IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT IT: 1) INTRODUCES WHAT WE CALL AN "adverb clause" THAT EXPLAINS THE REASON WHY SOMETHING IS THE WAY IT IS; 2) EXPRESSES A CAUSE AND REASON FOR SOMETHING; 3) EXPRESSES AN EXPECTED RESULT.

Use Exercise 15 Sample #1. Write on the board.

We didn't have class because the teacher was absent. Because the teacher was absent, we didn't have class.

<< WHAT PARTS OF SPEECH MAKE UP AN ADVERB CLAUSE?>>

Conjunction + subject + verb (have student mark on the sentences on the board those parts of speech).

<< YOU CAN SEE THE ADVERB CLAUSE CAN COME AT THE BEGINNING OR END OF THE SENTENCE. BUT THERE IS ONE DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN. WHAT IS THAT?>> (Let students find the comma.)

Exercise 15: Have students read the sentences silently together. Then call on students to answer for the class.

Exercise 16: Have students work in pairs and complete this exercise.

CONNECTING WITH "EVEN THOUGH AND ALTHOUGH"

1.<< SIMILAR CONJUNCTIONS ARE "even though" AND "although." THEY ALSO: 1) INTRODUCE AN ADVERB CLAUSE. 2) EXPRESS OPPOSITION; 3) EXPRESS AN UNEXPECTED RESULT. WHEN YOU HEAR EITHER WORD, IT IS A SIGNAL THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED JUST THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU EXPECTED. >>

<> Write on the board and let students fill in the blank.

<< LET'S LOOK AT EXERCISE #18. (READ SAMPLE WITH STUDENTS) #3 AND #6 TOGETHER. >>

<< "Although" INTRODUCES A FACT THAT IS IN CONTRAST TO THE STATEMENT IN THE MAIN CLAUSE. "Because" INTRODUCES THE CAUSE OF THIS SAME FACT. >>

Activity

1.Have students list 2 things they enjoy doing.

After they have written their sentences, I will put up my sentence. "I like to play tennis because I feel healthy when I play."

CONNECTING IDEAS LESSON PLAN
Page Four

Now working with a partner, have each student tell WHY they like the first two things they listed. They need to use "because" in expressing the reason.

2.Have students list 2 things they wish they had done but never have tried. These need to be in complete sentences.

After they have written their sentences, I will put up my sentence. "I have never flown in a helicopter." "Even though I think it would be exciting, I have never flown in a helicopter!"

Activity

1.<< I HAVE BROUGHT A VERY SPECIAL BOOK TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY. THE TITLE IS "The Lotus Seed." THIS STORY IS ABOUT A WOMAN IN VIET NAM NAMED BA. PLEASE LISTEN CAREFULLY AND LOOK AT THE PICTURES. AFTER THE STORY IS OVER I WILL ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS. >>

(There is an explanation of the story in the back of the book; read that explanation first. This is a "big" book so it is easy for the students to see the pictures and words.)

2.Read the story showing the pictures. After the story is completed, ask the students if there is any question on vocabulary. Ask a student (or two) to summarize what happened in the story to ensure they understood the meaning.

3.Then give the students the "Connecting Ideas" handout. The bottom half contains the questions to the story. Read the instructions and questions through with the students. Do the first question with them.

4.Then read the story again page by page giving the students time to write their answers.

After the story is complete a second time, call on students to read the answers they have written. If the first student doesn't use "because" or "although/even though" in the answer, remind them of the assignment. (Give them time to adjust their answers if necessary).

EVALUATION:

When I taught this lesson at the ELC I spent too much time on the review part of the lesson. But I did need to find out how much they understood from the beginning part of the chapter so I'd know whether to go on with the other connecting conjunctions. (I only observed Tuesday and Thursday and didn't know what happened the other days when I wasn't there.)

I was running out of time at the end of the lesson and wanted to read them the book and have them do that exercise, so I skipped the personal exercise where they wrote 2 things they liked. That was a mistake. It would have helped warm them up to the book activity. So next time I won't leave out that step. I can seen it would have made a smoother transition.

I didn't have much time to present this lesson plan in class last week, so I didn't get much feedback to make any changes.

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