Unit 4: Travel and Culture
Objective:
By the end of this unit, students will:
- Discuss past travel experiences, future plans, and dream vacations confidently.
- Use vocabulary related to transportation, destinations, and travel arrangements effectively.
- Understand travel brochures and simple travel stories.
- Engage in meaningful conversations about travel preferences and arrangements.
- Plan and write about a detailed dream vacation itinerary.
Duration:
180 minutes, divided into four 45-minute sessions.
Materials Needed:
- Pictures or visuals of transportation modes and tourist destinations.
- Sample travel brochures, itineraries, and simple travel stories.
- Audio recordings of travel-related dialogues.
- Travel-related graphic organizers (e.g., itinerary templates).
Exploring Travel Experiences
Session 1: Vocabulary and Speaking Practice (45 minutes)
- Warm-Up (5 minutes):
- Start with a whole-class discussion about memorable travel experiences.
- Prompt students with questions like:
- “Where did you go?”
- “What did you enjoy most about the trip?”
- “Would you go back there?”
- Teaching Vocabulary (15 minutes):
- Introduce key vocabulary with visuals:
- Modes of transportation (e.g., “by plane,” “by train,” “by ferry”).
- Tourist destinations (e.g., “mountains,” “beach,” “historical landmarks”).
- Common travel phrases (e.g., “book a ticket,” “make a reservation”).
- Practice pronunciation, provide examples in context, and highlight collocations (e.g., “catch a flight,” “explore a city”).
- Introduce key vocabulary with visuals:
- Speaking Practice (15 minutes):
- Pair students to discuss past travel experiences or future travel plans.
- Encourage use of new vocabulary with sentence starters like:
- “I traveled to __ by __, and I loved __.”
- “I’d like to visit __ because __.”
- Writing Task (10 minutes):
- Students write a short description of their dream travel destination and three reasons why they want to visit.
- Provide prompts such as:
- “My dream destination is __.”
- “I want to go there because __.”
Session 2: Reading and Listening (45 minutes)
- Reading Activity (15 minutes):
- Distribute travel brochures or short travel stories.
- Assign tasks such as:
- Underlining key information (e.g., destinations, activities).
- Completing a graphic organizer about what the traveler did, saw, or experienced.
- Listening Exercise (15 minutes):
- Play an audio dialogue about travel arrangements (e.g., booking a trip, discussing itineraries).
- Students note details such as:
- Destination.
- Activities planned.
- Mode of transportation.
- Discussion (15 minutes):
- Facilitate a class discussion comparing destinations and travel styles from the reading and listening materials.
- Questions to prompt discussion:
- “Which place sounded the most exciting?”
- “Which activity would you like to try?”
Planning a Dream Vacation
Session 3: Speaking Practice and Vocabulary Review (45 minutes)
- Speaking Practice (20 minutes):
- In small groups, students discuss their dream vacation plans, including:
- Where they would go.
- How they would travel.
- Activities they would do.
- Encourage asking follow-up questions like:
- “Why did you choose this destination?”
- “What’s the first thing you would do there?”
- In small groups, students discuss their dream vacation plans, including:
- Vocabulary Review (15 minutes):
- Play a quick quiz or game (e.g., Pictionary or matching) to review travel-related vocabulary.
- Include challenging words or phrases for reinforcement.
- Writing Task (10 minutes):
- Students begin planning a detailed dream vacation itinerary.
- Provide a structured template with sections for transportation, accommodation, activities, and food
Session 4: Writing Task and Review (45 minutes)
- Writing Task (20 minutes):
- Students write a descriptive essay about their dream vacation, including:
- Destination details.
- Reasons for choosing it.
- Specific plans for transportation, accommodation, and activities.
- Encourage the use of descriptive language and travel-related vocabulary.
- Students write a descriptive essay about their dream vacation, including:
- Peer Review (15 minutes):
- Exchange essays for peer feedback using a checklist to assess:
- Vocabulary use.
- Clarity and coherence.
- Creativity and level of detail.
- Exchange essays for peer feedback using a checklist to assess:
- Review and Reflection (10 minutes):
- Wrap up the unit with a reflection:
- “What did you enjoy most about planning your dream vacation?”
- “Which new destination would you like to visit after learning about your classmates’ ideas?”
- Review the key vocabulary and phrases from the unit.
- Wrap up the unit with a reflection:
Homework:
- Research Task: Choose a real destination and write a travel report including:
- Key attractions.
- Recommended activities.
- Transportation and accommodation options.
- Listening Practice: Watch a travel vlog in English and summarize what the vlogger experienced.
Assessment:
- Speaking: Evaluate fluency, vocabulary usage, and participation in discussions.
- Listening and Reading: Assess comprehension using targeted questions and activities.
- Writing: Review clarity, coherence, and use of descriptive language in written tasks.