Warming up、Pre-reading、Reading、Comprehending教学实录及点评

Unit 2

Sailing the oceans 本单元的中心话题是航海和发现探索未知大陆。本单元的语言技能和语言知识也都是围绕这个话题设计。

本单元涉及的要点：

1）

了解人类早期的航海术

2）

了解历史上著名的航海家，探险家及航海事迹

3）

学习表“原因与结果”的用语

4）

学习本单元词汇

5）

进一步掌握谓语的用法

Period One: Warming up Teaching Goal：

1.

to get students evolved in the situation and prepare them for learning 2.

to arouse students’ interest on the topic Teaching Procedures: Step1. Knowing the title of this unit, ask students to brainstorm the people “sailing the oceans”. Write down as many names as possible. It can either be a pair work or individual work. Step2. Three photos are presented to Ss. Ask them if they know these people. If yes, what do they know about them. Then, detailed information will be shown to Ss. Zheng He Marco Polo James Cook

Step3. Distinguish navigators from explorers. Ss are encouraged to talk about their

understanding on the two words in the first place. Then, the explanations are given by the teacher.

Navigator

sea

find new islands or continent Explorer

land

find new places within an already identified island or continent

Note: very often navigators are also explorers.

As a practice, Ss are required to classify people mentioned into the two categories. Navigators Zheng he…

Explores Macro Polo…

If there is any question, a short discussion can be carried out.

Period Two: Reading I Teaching goal: 1.

to get students familiar with the use of some navigational instruments 2.

to get students to understand the passage through a top-down approach Teaching Procedures: Pre-reading (step 1, 2) Reading (step 3-7) Comprehending (step 8-10) Homework (step 11) Step1. A group discussion. Make a group of 4 people and discuss: how did seamen find their way before modern methods of navigation were invented? Ask students to write down their ideas, and present them to the class. Step2.

Ask students if they can identify the instruments--- compass, quadrant, astrolabe, and the sea chart.

Students are encouraged to talk about whatever they are familiar with, the name, usage, invention country etc, and guesses are also welcomed. Thus, students are highly motivated to check their answer in the coming passage. Step 3. Ss are asked to skim and scan the passage on page 1 to find the key words to fill in the diagram, in which their speed reading and main information location skill are practiced. Step 4. An easy blank fill-in exercise are used to check Ss basic understanding of the first part of the passage. Step 5. Go on with the second part of the passage. Similarly, a diagram fill-in is to be filled with the main information based on skimming and scanning. Step 6. Ss are required to match the instruments and their use, forming a basic idea about the instruments. bearing circle

compass

astrolabe

quadrant sextanta.

To set the course of the ship

b.

To measure the position of the sun

c.

To measure the position of the ship

Step 7. Detailed reading is introduced at this point. Sentences are to be judged true or

false after a detailed reading of the passage. 1)

Early sailors could use the height of the sun to work out the latitude. 2)

Seamen can’t sail the sea if they don’t know latitude and longitude.

3)

Wind could accelerate sailing speed and it always safe and easy to use. 4)

The compass always indicates the North Pole, and seamen could find the direction with its help. Step 8. Overall comprehending about this passage is to be checked in this part. First, it’s the multiple choices on the general idea and intended purpose of the passage which are the basic requirements for understanding a passage. 1) From the passage we have learned__C__.

A. why early seamen want to sail

B. that there is useful information in an encyclopedia

C. that early sailors went exploring the seas using their skills and simple instruments

D. why longitude and latitude are important to plot a ship’s position

2) The reading passage mainly wants to tell us __B_.

A. that keeping alongside the coastline is first and most useful form of exploration

B. about the skills and navigational aids early seamen used while sailing the oceans

C. the find longitude and latitude is a must to plot a ship’s position

D. how the early sailors used their skills and simple instruments Step 9. Further understanding about the passage is checked through ask and answer questions. Ss are asked to read the passage again and try to answer questions in their

own words. 1) Why are speed and time important

in working out the longitude of a ship? Suggested answer:

Because the earth moves 15 degrees westwards every hour. If you know the direction, speed and time, you can work out the longitude. 2) Why is the position of the sun and various starts useful for working out latitude? Suggested answer: Because they are fixed points in the sky and their movements in relation to the earth are already known.

Step10. More demanding and flexile exercise are designed to check Ss’

comprehending: What would you do if you came across the following problem during your voyage? What would you do if:

Plan of action

You were offshore but

you needed more food and water You want to keep a straight course You were lost with no land in sight

Suggested answer: What would you do if:

Plan of action

You were offshore but

you

Following nesting birds to

needed more food and water

shore; Look for special cloud

formation or fog over stream

You want to keep a straight course

Using a compass

You were lost with no land in sight Measure your position using the sun and starts; Look for sea birds, cloud formation or fog over stream

Step 11. Homework.

Imagine you are on a boat with 29 other people. You have a small box for your

personal things but it can only hold 10 items. What would you need for a week’s journey? Discuss with your partner and fill in the table. Category

Items

Category Items

Clothes Hygiene Shoes Tools Bedding

Medicines