Identify the seasons and months (and what to expect in Alberta)
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Week of Dec. 15/25
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Lesson plan overview
| Task | To learn the names of the seasons and the months (and especially what these look like in Alberta). |
| CLB level | CLB Stage I (CLB 1-3) |
| 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 full sentences to describe each season. Learn the abbreviation for each month. Use the appropriate grammar structures and vocabulary to respond personally to the reflection questions. (Encourage students to respond in full sentences.) |
| Cultural focus | Students learn that seasons in Alberta may not correspond with “official” season start and end dates. This knowledge may help them to prepare for the province’s longer winters. |
| Specific task learning objectives | Students will learn basic vocabulary for seasons and months, including the abbreviations for months. Students will learn which months fit into which seasons in Alberta. Students will use full sentences to describe each season. Students will discuss what clothes to wear in each season. Students will reflect on the weather differences between their first country and Alberta. |
| ESL Directions original video (🎥) and audio (🔊) activities? | This lesson plan includes original video (🎥) 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 learn about seasons and the months in each season. We will also learn what each season and month looks and feels like in Alberta.
- What is a season? Can you name the seasons?
- What is a month? Can you name the months?
Skill-building activities
Skill-using tasks
FEATURED CONTENT
- Put the months of the year in order*
- Seasons and months: Fliptiles* (Vocabulary cards that will help your students to understand and complete the activities below.)
- Let’s review the vocabulary* (Pay attention to how to say the words, and what they mean.) 🔊
- Seasons and months* (A guide to the seasons and months and what these look like in Alberta.) 🎥
- Answer questions about seasons and months (with a focus on Alberta weather)* (This is an open-ended speaking activity. Ask students to respond with full sentences, if possible.)
Assessment/review tasks
- Label each season* (Ask students to use full sentences, starting with “This is …”)
- Match seasons and months* (Allow for regional differences here. For example, spring does not necessarily start on its “official” date in Alberta.)
- What season is this?* (Ask students to identify the season and to describe what they see.)
Reflection questions
- Which is your favourite season? Why is it your favourite?
- What month is your birthday? What is the weather like on your birthday in your first country? What is the weather like here on your birthday?
- What ways have you found to enjoy Alberta’s long winters?
- What signs of spring do you see in Alberta?
- How are spring, summer, fall, and winter different in your first country?
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DATES AND TIME 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 “Dates and time” folder, which includes ESL Directions activities 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 a TESL Canada certified ESL teacher in Edmonton, Alberta, I specialize in teaching online classes of beginner ESL students.
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