Learn about a Canadian version of a famous folk song
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Week of Feb. 2/26
This simplified version of information in Canada’s citizenship guide focuses on several of the first Europeans to explore Canada.
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Lesson plan overview
| Task | To learn about a famous Canadian song and to practice singing it. |
| CLB level | CLB Stage I (CLB 3-4) |
| Delivery method | Online |
| Class size | 10-15 students (vary the number of activities according to your class size) |
| Estimated time | 1.5 hours (depending on class size) |
| CLB Skills and Competencies | Speaking: Interacting with others Sharing information Listening: Interacting with others Comprehending information Reading: Comprehending information |
| Language focus | Learn the vocabulary needed to understand this topic. Use an optional activity to identify the parts of speech of the lesson’s vocabulary words. Use the appropriate grammar structures and vocabulary to respond personally to the reflection questions. (Encourage students to respond in full sentences.) |
| Cultural focus | Students will understand the significance of this song for Canadians. |
| Specific task learning objectives | Students learn the Canadian version of a famous folk song. Students understand the song lyrics. Students participate in a sing-along. |
| ESL Directions original video (🎥) and audio (🔊) activities? | This lesson includes original audio (🔊) activities. |
| Resource attribution | ESL Directions original resources are marked below with an asterisk (*). Feel free to use these, but please give credit to ESL Directions. |
Lesson plan
Warm-up: Introducing the topic and defining our terms
- Today, we’re going to talk about the Canadian version of a famous folk song.
- What is a folk song?
- Do you have well-known folk songs in your country? What are these songs about?
- What is the difference between a national anthem and a beloved national song?
Skill-building activities
- Luje Towers, “This land is your land, this land is my land” video (First, play the song several times and read the words.)
- Vocabulary flashcards*
- Let’s listen to the vocabulary again* (Think about how to say the words and what they mean. This activity also includes an optional exercise focusing on parts of speech.) 🔊
- History of this song* (Image frame sequence.)
- Map showing locations mentioned in the song* (Click on the locations to see images.)
Skill-using tasks
FEATURED CONTENT
Assessment/review tasks
- Academy of Hard Knocks: Sing-along* (Encourage the class to sing along with the video. Start with two or three students and gradually add people until everyone gets a chance to sing.)
- Memory Lane widget (Find out what students remember from the lesson.)
Reflection questions
- Is music important to you?
- What kind of music do you listen to?
- Do you ever listen to live music?
- Do you listen to music that is popular in your home country?
- What kind of music do your children listen to? Do you like it?
RELATED PAGES
“Four strong winds”
The lesson focuses on the Alberta folk song “Four Strong Winds.” The lesson aims to enhance understanding of Alberta and Canadian…
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Canada Day: Learning to sing “O Canada”
This lesson plan teaches beginning ESL students how to sing “O Canada.” The plan includes vocabulary building, understanding the anthem’s meaning,…
Keep readingCANADA YOUTUBE PLAYLIST
Click the small arrow at the top right of this video to play the videos or go to the YouTube Canada Playlist.
CANADA WORDWALL ACTIVITIES
Wordwall is a very useful interactive lesson-creation site. If you sign up for a free Wordwall account, you will be able to see our “Canada” folder, which includes ESL Directions activities that you can add to your lessons.
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ESL teacher, movie buff, constant reader, and former editor and communications pro. Now a graduate of the Teaching English as a Second Language program at the University of Manitoba and an ESL teacher in Edmonton, Alberta, I specialize in teaching online classes of beginner ESL students.
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