8TH GRADE. UNIT 1. SCHOOL TRADITIONS

UNIT OBJECTIVES

By the end of the unit Ss will

• be able to use the active vocabulary of the unit

• be able to differentiate between the verb + gerund and verb + infinitive patterns and use them and the modal verbs need, should, ought to in speech

• have practised reading and listening about the first school day, school traditions, special days and celebrations, school values, school clubs and societies, school trips, a British award for young people

• be able to ask for and share information about school traditions and special days, to discuss the image of the school

• be able to recommend a school club / society, to describe the first school day, their school trip, their preparation and participation in a school event

• be able to write a formal and informal invitation email. 

COMMUNICATIVE AREA

1) describing: the first school day, a school trip, school special days and traditional ways to celebrate them;

2) discussing the importance of school traditions;

3) asking and answering questions about school traditions;

4) recommending a school club or society;

5) choosing a school club or society;

6) writing an invitation email to a school's anniversary day.

VOCABULARY

achieve, achievement, aim, be held, behaviour, ceremony, chill out, club, curriculum, develop, encourage, excellent academic performance, extra-curricular, facilities, get to know, get used to, head for, jump at, jump for joy, jump ship, look for, mark (the occasion), miss the boat, necessary, opportunity, strength, success, passion, range, receive, set off, set up, society, special, succeed, the same as, typical, value, variety, various, welcoming speech, different word-building patterns;

PRONUNCIATION

1) new vocabulary;

2) rhythm and intonation: fillers and connectors; 

GRAMMAR

1) modal verbs need, should, ought to

2) Infinitive and Gerund

3) Past / Present / Future Simple Active; Present / Past Simple Passive; Present Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous, Past / Present Continuous (revision)

LISTENING

1) bridge panel discussions at a school's English club about school traditions (part I, Il); 

2) a conversation between George and Alan about school clubs; 

3) two students describing school events; 

4) Kate interviewing people for a school website; 

5) a news programme about St Andrew's Day celebration in Eton;

READING

1) quotes about: - the first school day, - school; 

2) Kate's blog about her first school day;

3) an article about: - the first school day in Belarus, - summer school trips, - Eton; 

4) a page from a British school site about: - the school, - its clubs and societies; 

5) clubs adverts; 

6) information about: Buckswood Saturday Morning School, DofE Award; 

7) two students describing school events; 

8) two invitation emails; 

9) a story about a DoE Award expedition

SPEAKING

1) discussing: the meaning of quotes, the image of a good school; 

2) describing: - school values, - a school club; 

3) a bridge panel about school traditions in Belarus; 

4) a role-play of a conversation: - about school clubs and societies, - to invite a friend to join a club; 

5) recommending a club or society; 

6) an interview about: a DofE Award, school traditional events and celebrations

WRITING

1) a blog comment on the first school day; 

2) a list of school values; 

3) one's own profile; 

4) an advert for a club or society; 

5) a description of a school trip; 

6) a story about one's preparation and participation in a school event; 

7) an invitation to a school's big event.