Didactic Sequence 3 Our Environment

Start up activities

Look at the pictures below and discuss with your partner. Are these the Rocky Mountains, the Himalayas or the Sierra Nevada´s mountains?

Activity 1: Figure it out.

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Development activities

These are the Sierra Nevada´s Mountains. Read the following information about the Sierra Nevada´s Mountains and answer the comprehension questions.

Activity1b: Reading

The Sierra Nevada, snowy mountain range is a mountain

range in the U.S. states of California and Nevada,

between the California Central Valley and the Basin and

Range Province. The Sierra run 400 miles (640 km)

north-to-south, and are approximately 70 miles (110

km) across east-to-west.

The world´s tallest trees grow here and they are called

Giant sequoias.

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This is a piece of one of the largest and longest-lived life forms on Earth. The giant sequoia tree from which this slice comes survived for over 1,300 years. The full height of the tree, exceeded 300 feet.

Several factors contribute to the long life of the giant sequoia. Its unusually thick bark is fire-resistant; the trees actually depend on fires to thin out the firs and pines that would otherwise eventually take over. Giant sequoia seeds do well in a fire-mineralized soil and are shed in greatest numbers after a fire. The tree also contains a natural wood preservative, and is very resistant to disease. No one knows how long a sequoia can live. Many trees in Sequoia National Park, in California, are more than 3 ,000 years old, still growing vigorously and producing abundant seeds every year.

This sequoia slice offers a lesson in how to discover the age of a tree. Around the central point of the slice are concentric rings, some of which are invisible to the naked eye. Each of these represents one year's growth. To make the immense age of the tree more vivid, we have placed marks on some of the growth rings, each corresponding to a significant historical event. Even 1,000 years ago, represented by the fourth mark from the center, this was a very big tree.

These rare and remarkable trees are a natural treasure. Most of them are in Sequoia and Kings Canyon

National Parks or under other government protection. Today, it is illegal to cut them down.

Growth rings

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1. How long is the Sierra Nevada form north to south and from east to west?

2. Which is the name of the largest tree in California?

3. Name some factors of these trees that make them live for many years.

4. How can scientist know the age of a tree?

5. Are people authorized to cut these trees?

The five marvelous places of ____________________

Reasons

1. Most important church:

2. Beautiful natural feature :

3. Ancient city or monument::

4. Interesting museum:

5. Popular touristic attraction:

Evaluation

Activity: 1 Product: Comprehension questions and speaking chart.

Points:

Knowledge

Factual Procedural Attitude

Identifies main ideas and unknown vocabulary from a text.

Discusses about environmental issues, chooses and compares different places.

Behaves and shows positive attitude.

Self-evaluation

C MC NYC Obtained Points:

Now, let´s talk about the five marvelous places in our country or city. Complete these chart and discuss in groups your 5 marvelous places. Explain your reasons and share your answers.

Activity 1c :Speaking

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Name of the natural feature

How large is it?

How hot does it get?

Which animals can you find?

Questions with How + adjective…..?

How + adjective

How high is the Pico de Orizaba Volcano? How long is the Nile River? How wide is the Grand Canyon? How deep is the Pacific Ocean? How large is the Sahara Desert? How hot does it get in the Sonoran Desert?

It´s 5, 636 meters high. It´s 6, 695 kilometers long. It´s about 29 kilometers wide. It´s about 11,000 meters deep. 9,400,000 square kilometers. It can reach to 98 degrees in January.

Read and analyze the following structures to make questions using How + an adjective.

Activity 2b: Grammar Presentation

Listen and complete the following chart.

Activity 2: Listening

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1.- Mount Aconcagua / 6,962 meters high. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ? It’s_______________________________________________________________________________________________ 2.- Lake Baikal/ 1, 741 meters deep. _________________________________________________________________________________________________? It´s _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3.- Grand Canyon/ 29 kilometers wide. _________________________________________________________________________________________________? It´s ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4.- Machenzie River/4,241 kilometers long. _________________________________________________________________________________________________? It´s _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Make questions using the information below. Use How + adjective. Then answer the questions. Practice them with a classmate.

Activity 2c: Grammar Practice

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STUDENT X

You are missing some information about the highest mountains in the world but your partner does have. Ask Student Y questions using how + adj. to complete your chart How high is/are ____________mountain (s) ? It´s/They´re _________________________ high. Where is/are they ________________ located? It´s/They´re located in __________________.

Rank Mountain Height (m)[2]

Height (ft) Range Location

1 -Mount Everest/ -Sagarmatha / -Chomolungma

8,848 29,029 Mahalangur Himalaya

2 - K2/

-Qogir/ - Godwin Austen

28,251 Baltoro Karakoram

3 Kangchenjunga

8,586 28,169 Kangchenjunga Himalaya

4 Lhotse

8,516 27,940

5 Makalu 8,485

27,838 Mahalangur Himalaya

6 Cho Oyu

26,864 Mahalangur Himalaya

7 Dhaulagiri I

8,167 26,795 Dhaulagiri Himalaya

8 Manaslu

8,163 26,781

9 Nanga Parbat

8,126 26,660 Nanga Parbat Himalaya

10 Annapurna I

26,545 Annapurna Himalaya

Work in pairs. Ask your partner questions to complete your chart. NOTE: You will find difficult words to pronounce. Ask your teacher for help if necessary.

Activity 2d: Speaking and Grammar Practice.

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STUDENT Y

You are missing some information about the highest mountains in the world but your partner does have. Ask Student X questions using how + adj. to complete your chart. How high is/are ____________mountain(s)? It´s/They´re _________________________ high. Where is/are they ________________ located? It´s/They´re located in __________________.

Rank Mountain Height (m)[2]

Height (ft) Range Location

1 -Mount Everest/ -Sagarmatha / -Chomolungma

8,848[7] 29,029

2 - K2/

-Qogir/ - Godwin Austen

8,611 28,251 Baltoro Karakoram

3 Kangchenjunga

28,169 Kangchenjunga Himalaya

4 Lhotse

8,516 27,940 Mahalangur Himalaya

5 Makalu

8,485 27,838

6 Cho Oyu

8,188 26,864 Mahalangur Himalaya

7 Dhaulagiri I

26,795 Dhaulagiri Himalaya

8 Manaslu

8,163 26,781 Manaslu Himalaya

9 Nanga Parbat

8,126 26,660

10 Annapurna I

8,091 26,545 Annapurna Himalaya

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1.- ___ 2.- ____ 3.- ___ Recommendations for:

Situation 1

Situation 2

Situation 3

Evaluation

Activity: 2 Product: Questions using How + adjectives and filled chart

Points:

Knowledge

Factual Procedural Attitude

Recognizes the use of questions formed by how+adjectives.

Applies the structure seen to complete a chart about the highest mountains in the world.

Deals effectively with real communicative situation.

Self-evaluation

C MC NYC Obtained Points:

a) Listen to people talking and try to match each situation with the correct sign. b) Listen again and discuss in small groups each situation. Write some recommendations. c) Share your answers.

Activity 3: Listening

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Imperatives are verbs used for different reasons, such as telling people what to do, giving instructions and advice, making recommendations and suggestions, and for making offers. Look at the examples. Come in and sit down, please. Don't open the window, it's cold. Put the coin in the slot and press the red button. Don't ask her, she doesn't know. See the doctor, it's the best thing. Have a bit more wine.

A. Read the following driving information and circle the verbs used as imperatives. B. Then, draw a checkmark in the blanks if you or someone in your family follows these tips.

Discuss and share your answers.

Activity: 3b Grammar Presentation

SOLUTION TO POLLUTION: TIPS FOR DRIVERS

The following are tips for drivers to reduce air pollution:

___Avoid waiting in long drive-through lines.

___Keep your vehicle well maintained.

___Change air and oil filters regularly.

___Keep tires properly inflated and aligned.

___Repair all vehicle leaks.

___Make an appointment with a repair tech if Check Engine light is

illuminated.

___Fill gas tank during cooler evening hours to reduce evaporation.

___Avoid spilling gas and don't "top off" the tank.

___Replace gas tank cap tightly.

___Recycle used Motor Oil, Antifreeze, and Oil Filters.

___Recycle batteries.

___Recycle tires.

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________________________________________ ________________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

Look at the pictures and discuss with a partner what you think the picture is trying to express. Write notes in the bottom and include imperatives.

Activity:3c Analyzing and Discussing

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1. To dress it, pull it over your head.

2. To inflate it, pull the red tags.

3. Clip on the waist band and pull them tight.

4. Bring the two ends together and adjust it to your body.

5. To unfasten it, pull the upper part.

6. We will now give you some information.

7. I would like to welcome you aboard . . .

Evaluation

Activity: 3 Product: Imperatives exercises and pronunciation exercise.

Points:

Knowledge

Factual Procedural Attitude

Recognizes imperatives in real conversations and in written texts.

Produces oral communication to talk about imperatives and environmental issues.

Participates actively in group discussion.

Self-evaluation

C MC NYC Obtained Points:

There are some words that are pronounced together. For example : Slip it over your head.

Read the following instructions given by a flight attendant. Draw a to connect the words that are pronounced together and practice with a partner. Then, decide which of the sentences contain imperatives.

Activity 3d: Pronunciation

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Student 1

You have to read and explain the following situations.

Describe an animal that lives in the wild in your country. You should say: -What it looks like. -What its habits are. -How it interacts with people. And say if you think there will be more or less of this animal in the future and why .

Student 2

You have to read and explain the following situations.

Describe an impressive natural feature in your country that you have seen or know about: You should say: - Where it is. - What kind of place it is surrounded by. - What it looks like. And say what is impressive about it.

Pair work. Read the following situations and talk with a partner. Then, discuss in the class the different situations you talked about.

Activity:4 Speaking

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Describe an ecological problem in your country: You should say: - What the problem is. - Why it happens. - How it can be solved. And say if you think it will be solved in the near future or not, and why.

Describe your favorite season in your country. You should say: - When that season is from and to. - What the weather is like. - How it is different from the other seasons in your country. And say what you are planning to do when that season next comes.

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Grammar Practice. Now that you have already discussed with your partner about an ecological problem in your country in activity four, you are going to make three signs that may help prevent this ecological problem . Make a drawing and write imperatives in a short sentence.

Activity:4 a

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Closing activity Look at these examples

Candywrapper Handbags

Recycled Soda bottle

Evaluation

Activity: 4 Product: Speaking about environmental issues.

Points:

Knowledge

Factual Procedural Attitude

Identifies specific environmental situations in our country.

Compares different situations regarding to the environment .

Shows initiative and interest when working in pairs.

Self-evaluation

C MC NYC Obtained Points:

In order to help our environment, we are going to recycle material. Work in teams of 4 and use your imagination and creativity to create something made up of recycled material. Search for information if necessary. Present your project to the rest of your classmates and explain how you created it (use imperatives). Decide and vote for the best project.

Activity: 5 Project Presentation

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Evaluation

Activity: 5 Product: Object made by recycled paper.

Value:

Knowledge

Factual Procedural Attitude

Lists different objects made of recycled material.

Applies their knowledge to create an object made with recycled material and presents to the rest of the classmates.

Shows creativity and positivism to work in a group project.

Self- evaluation C MC NYC

Obtained Value:

Evaluation

Activity:6 Product: Power point presentation.

Points:

Knwledge

Factual Procedural Attitude

Identifies ecological problems to promote a school ecological project.

Applies knowledge to preserve and protect his/her school environment.

Appreciates how the natural world sustains us and promotes the environment and social well-being of his/her school community.

Self- evaluation C MC NC

Obtained points:

In your Written English II subject, you are developing a project in which you will create something for your school to help the environment. For example the school composting, the signs to use light bulbs correctly, the recycling trashcans or the school gardening of organic vegetables. You can use these ideas or others from your own. In this subject, instead of presenting a written report, you will do it orally. Prepare a power point presentation and talk about your project. This will be graded at the end of the semester.

Activity: 6 Project Final Presentation