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Vocabulary Grammar Reading Listening Speaking Writing

Section 1

Teacher's Lesson Plan

Confidential

Lesson Overview

Topic

My Family — describing family members, their appearance and what they can do

Level

Learners

School students and young learners

Duration

90 minutes

Skills

Reading · Listening · Speaking · Writing (+ Vocabulary + Grammar)

Grammar

To be (present) — all persons, affirmative, negative, questions, short answers · Present Simple — daily routines · Can — abilities

Vocabulary

10 words (A1): mum · dad · brother · sister · grandma · grandpa · aunt · uncle · baby · pet

Materials

Student Handouts 1–6 (printed); whiteboard; this plan

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Understand and use 10 A1 words about family members and pets

Use to be correctly in all persons — affirmative, negative, questions and short answers

Use contractions naturally: I'm · he's · she's · it's · we're · they're · isn't · aren't

Use Present Simple to describe what family members do every day

Use can and can't to talk about family members' abilities

Ask and answer questions about family: Is she tall? How old is he? What is your mum's name?

Read a short text about a family and answer comprehension questions

Listen to a child talking about their family and complete tasks

Ask and answer questions about family in a guessing game and interview

Write 60–80 words about their own family using all three grammar structures

Before the Lesson

Print one copy of Handouts 1–6 per student. Keep the Teacher Plan separate.

Write the full to be paradigm on the board in two colours — long form AND contraction: I am / I'm · He is / He's · She is / She's · It is / It's · We are / We're · They are / They're.

Write negative contractions: is not / isn't · are not / aren't. Note: am not has no common contraction — we say I'm not.

Write the question pattern: Is she…? Are they…? How old is he? What is her name?

Write common errors: ~~He is not tall.~~ is correct but at A1 contractions are more natural — teach He isn't tall. | ~~She is a doctor?~~ → Is she a doctor?

Prepare lead-in: bring or draw a simple family tree on the board. Ask: "How many people are in your family?"

Pronunciation: grandma /ˈɡrænmɑː/, aunt /ɑːnt/ (British), uncle /ˈʌŋkəl/.

Lesson Procedure

Time

Stage

Skill

Teacher does

Students do

0–5 min

Lead-in

Speaking

Draw a simple family tree on the board. Point and say: "This is my mum. She's forty-two. She's a teacher." Ask: "How many people are in your family?" Elicit first uses of is / are.

Count family members. Say one sentence about someone in their family: "My mum is …" Class listens and responds.

5–15 min

Vocabulary

—

Present 10 words (Handout 1 Part A). Cover-and-test. Pronunciation: aunt /ɑːnt/, grandma /ˈɡrænmɑː/. Part B gap-fill. Part C optional.

Part A: read + self-test. Part B: gap-fill. Part C optional. Pair-check.

15–38 min

Grammar

—

Handout 2: to be all forms → contractions → negatives → questions → short answers → PS → can. Board everything. Exercises 1–5. Monitor for she are / he don't.

Study grammar tables. Exercises 1–5. Pair-check before class feedback.

38–50 min

Reading

Gist: "How many people are in the Webb family? Who is the youngest?" Tasks 1 and 2. After: find and underline all forms of to be.

Read "The Webb Family". Answer questions. True / False / Not Given.

50–63 min

Listening

Context: "A girl talks about her family." Read TWICE at A1 pace. 1st: MCQ. 2nd: notes.

1st listen: MCQ. 2nd listen: note completion. Compare with partner.

63–77 min

Speaking

Family guessing game + interview role-play. Monitor for to be forms and contractions. Delayed feedback.

Guess the family member. Interview about family. Group discussion.

77–90 min

Writing

Explain task: 60–80 words, all three grammar structures, 4 vocab words.

Write about their family. Self-check. Finish as homework if needed.

Teaching Notes

Handout 1 — Vocabulary

All 10 words are genuine A1 and personally meaningful. At A1, the informal words (mum, dad, grandma, grandpa) are more natural than formal equivalents and should be taught first. Concept-checks: "Is a grandma young or old?" / "Is a baby big or small?" / "What's the difference between a pet and an animal?" Pronunciation: British aunt /ɑːnt/ — not the American /ænt/. Note that pet doubles as an adjective verb in British English but teach it as a noun here (a pet = an animal you keep at home).

Handout 2 — Grammar

To be: At A1, students often mix up the forms — He are / They is are extremely common. Board the full table clearly with colours and leave it visible throughout the lesson. Key points:
— Contractions are more natural in speech and informal writing at A1. Teach them alongside the full forms.
— I'm not (not I amn't) — explain this is a special case.
— Question word order: verb before subject. Is she tall? (NOT She is tall?)
— Short answers: Yes, she is. / No, she isn't. — never just "Yes" or "No".

Present Simple at A1: keep it simple — I/we/they + verb, he/she/it + verb-s. One or two examples with family members. Students have seen this before.

Can: same form for all persons. She can swim. He can't cook. No conjugation — students are often relieved by this after to be.

Handout 3 — Reading

The text (~95 words) uses to be, Present Simple and can throughout with A1 vocabulary. It describes a family of five including a baby and a dog. Gist: the Webb family has five people and a dog. T/F/NG: 1 T · 2 F (the baby is a girl, not a boy) · 3 T · 4 NG (no mention of the dog's age) · 5 T ("Grandpa can play the guitar"). Post-reading: underline all forms of to be — students should find at least eight.

Handout 4 — Listening

The script uses to be, Present Simple and can in a natural, simple monologue at a very slow A1 pace. Read clearly with pauses. Task 1: 1-B (her dad is a doctor) · 2-C (her grandma can make very good cake) · 3-A (she has got a cat called Biscuit). Task 2: (1) forty / forty years old · (2) a doctor · (3) small and funny · (4) can make / bakes · (5) Biscuit / a cat.

Handout 5 — Speaking

Task A (guessing game) forces students to use to be questions naturally — "Is she tall? Is he old? Is it a pet?" Monitor for: correct question word order (Is she not She is?), short answers (Yes, she is), and isn't / aren't contractions. Task B (interview) activates all three structures together. The "Can they cook?" question in Task B often produces funny and memorable answers.

Handout 6 — Writing

60–80 words — appropriate for A1. The self-check asks for all three grammar structures explicitly. Encourage a clear order: introduce the person → describe them with to be → say what they do with PS → say what they can or can't do. Stronger students: add a contrast ("My grandpa is old but he can run fast!") or a question to the reader ("Is your grandma funny too?").

Listening Script — 'My Family'

Read aloud twice at a very slow, clear A1 pace — pause after every sentence. Do not show to students during the tasks.

Lily:

Hello! My name is Lily and I'm ten years old. Today I want to tell you about my family.

Lily:

My mum is called Sarah. She's thirty-eight. She's a nurse. She works every day and she's very kind.

Lily:

My dad is called Tom. He's forty. He's a doctor. He isn't at home a lot because he works very hard, but he's very funny.

Lily:

I've got one brother. His name is Sam. He's seven. He's small and funny. He can't read very well yet, but he can run very fast!

Lily:

My grandma is called Rose. She isn't young — she's sixty-five — but she's very happy and active. She can make very good cake. We love her cake!

Lily:

We've also got a pet. It's a cat and its name is Biscuit. Biscuit is white and very soft. He isn't big — he's quite small. He can't talk, of course, but he can sit on my lap and purr. I love him!

Grammar in the script:
· To be (affirmative): I'm ten · She's thirty-eight · She's a nurse · He's forty · He's a doctor · He's very funny · She's sixty-five · She's very happy · It's a cat · He isn't big — he's quite small
· To be (negative): He isn't at home a lot · She isn't young · He isn't big
· To be (question — implied in task): What is her dad? How old is her grandma?
· Present Simple: She works every day · He works very hard · She can make very good cake
· Can / can't: He can't read · he can run very fast · She can make very good cake · He can't talk · he can sit on my lap and purr

Answer Key

Handout 1 — Vocabulary

Part B (gap-fill):
1. dad 2. grandma 3. sister 4. uncle 5. baby
6. pet 7. brother 8. aunt 9. mum 10. grandpa

Part C (matching — optional):
1-f 2-g 3-h 4-e 5-i 6-j 7-b 8-a 9-d 10-c

Handout 2 — Grammar

Exercise 1 (to be — affirmative):
1. is / 's 2. are / 're 3. is / 's 4. am / 'm 5. is / 's 6. are / 're 7. is / 's 8. are / 're

Exercise 2 (to be — negative):
1. isn't 2. aren't 3. isn't 4. aren't 5. isn't 6. 'm not

Exercise 3 (to be — questions and short answers):
1. Is she a teacher? — Yes, she is. 2. Are they your brothers? — No, they aren't.
3. How old is your grandpa? — He's seventy. 4. Is your pet a cat? — No, it isn't. It's a dog.
5. Are you ten? — Yes, I am. 6. What is your aunt's name?

Exercise 4 (can / can't):
1. can 2. can't 3. Can 4. can't 5. can 6. can't

Exercise 5 (mixed — error correction):
1. My dad is a doctor. (NOT My dad are) 2. She isn't tall. (NOT She aren't) 3. Are they your cousins? (NOT Is they) 4. Yes, she is. (NOT Yes, she are.) 5. My grandma can cook well. (NOT can cooks)

Handout 3 — Reading

Task 1:
1. There are five people in the Webb family / five people and a dog.
2. She is a teacher.
3. Because the baby is very small and she cries a lot at night.
4. He can play the guitar.
5. Its name is Rex and it is big and friendly.

Task 2 (T/F/NG): 1 T 2 F (the baby is a girl) 3 T 4 NG 5 T

Handout 4 — Listening

Task 1: 1-B 2-C 3-A

Task 2:
(1) forty / forty years old (2) a doctor (3) small and funny (4) can make (very good cake) / bakes cake (5) Biscuit / a cat (called Biscuit)

My Family

Student Handouts

Name:

Date:

Class:

Handout 1

Vocabulary

Part A — Key Words

Read each word and its meaning. Then cover the right column and test yourself.

Word

What it means

mum

your mother — the woman in your family who is your parent

dad

your father — the man in your family who is your parent

brother

a boy or man who has the same parents as you

sister

a girl or woman who has the same parents as you

grandma

your mother's or father's mother — your grandmother

grandpa

your mother's or father's father — your grandfather

aunt

your parent's sister — or your uncle's wife

uncle

your parent's brother — or your aunt's husband

baby

a very young child who cannot walk or talk yet

pet

an animal that lives with you at home — for example, a cat or a dog

Part B — Fill in the Gaps

Use the words from Part A.

1.My __________________ is called Tom. He's thirty-five and he's very tall.

2.My __________________ is sixty and she's got white hair. She makes the best cake!

3.I've got one __________________ . Her name is Anna and she's twelve years old.

4.My __________________ is my dad's brother. He's very funny and I love him.

5.There's a new __________________ in our family! She's two weeks old and she's very small.

6.We've got a __________________ — a small white cat. His name is Snowball.

7.I've got a __________________ called Jack. He's nine years old and he loves football.

8.My __________________ is my mum's sister. She lives near us and we visit her every week.

9.My __________________ is called Sarah. She's a nurse and she works very hard.

10.My __________________ is seventy-two. He can play chess very well!

Part C — Match ★ For fast finishers

Match each word (1–10) to the correct meaning (a–j).

Word

1.mum ___

2.dad ___

3.brother ___

4.sister ___

5.grandma ___

6.grandpa ___

7.aunt ___

8.uncle ___

9.baby ___

10.pet ___

Meaning

a.your parent's brother

b.your parent's sister

c.an animal that lives with you at home

d.a very young child who can't walk yet

e.a girl with the same parents as you

f.your mother

g.your father

h.a boy with the same parents as you

i.your mother's or father's mother

j.your mother's or father's father

Handout 2

Grammar

Part 1 — To Be (Present)

To be tells us who someone is, what they are like, how old they are, and where they are.

Person

✓ Affirmative

✗ Negative

? Question

Short answer

I am / I'm ten.

I 'm not eleven.

Am I in your class?

Yes, you are. / No, you aren't.

you

You are / You're my friend.

You aren't my teacher.

Are you ten?

Yes, I am. / No, I'm not.

He is / He's my dad.

He isn't tall.

Is he your uncle?

Yes, he is. / No, he isn't.

she

She is / She's my mum.

She isn't a nurse.

Is she your sister?

Yes, she is. / No, she isn't.

It is / It's a cat.

It isn't big.

Is it your pet?

Yes, it is. / No, it isn't.

We are / We're a family.

We aren't twins.

Are we late?

Yes, we are. / No, we aren't.

they

They are / They're my cousins.

They aren't old.

Are they your grandparents?

Yes, they are. / No, they aren't.

Question words with to be:

How old is your grandpa? — He's seventy.
What is your mum's name? — Her name is Sarah.
Where is your uncle? — He's at work.
Who is she? — She's my aunt.

Part 2 — Present Simple (habits and facts)

Use the Present Simple to say what family members do every day.

My mum works in a hospital. My dad cooks dinner every evening.
My brother goes to school. My grandma reads books every day.
I love my family. We eat together at weekends.

Part 3 — Can (abilities)

Use can to say what someone is able to do. The form is the same for all persons — no -s!

Form

✓ Affirmative

✗ Negative

? Question / Short answer

all persons

My grandma can cook well.
He can play the guitar.

She can't drive.
I can't swim yet.

Can she sing? — Yes, she can.
Can he cook? — No, he can't.

Exercise 1 — To Be: Fill in the Gap

Write the correct form of to be. Use a contraction where possible.

1.My sister _________ eight years old. She _________ very funny.

2.My grandparents _________ from Scotland. They _________ very kind.

3.My dad _________ a doctor. He _________ tall and friendly.

4.I _________ ten years old. I _________ in Year 5.

5.Our pet _________ a rabbit. Its name _________ Fluffy.

6.My aunt and uncle _________ on holiday. They _________ in Spain.

7.My baby sister _________ one month old. She _________ very small.

8.My grandpa _________ sixty-eight but he _________ very active.

Exercise 2 — To Be: Make it Negative

Write the negative. Use isn't or aren't.

1.My mum is tall. → My mum __________________ short.

2.My brothers are at school. → My brothers __________________ at home.

3.Our dog is young. → Our dog __________________ old.

4.My grandparents are from France. → My grandparents __________________ from England.

5.My uncle is a teacher. → My uncle __________________ a doctor.

6.I am tired. → I __________________ happy today.

Exercise 3 — To Be: Write the Question

Write the question. Then write a short answer.

1.your mum / a teacher? → ________________________________________? — Yes, ________________.

2.they / your brothers? → ________________________________________? — No, ________________.

3.how old / your grandpa? → ________________________________________? — He's ________________.

4.your pet / a cat? → ________________________________________? — No, ________________.

5.you / ten years old? → ________________________________________? — Yes, ________________.

6.what / your aunt's name? → ________________________________________?

Exercise 4 — Can / Can't

Fill in can or can't.

1.My grandma _________ cook very well. She makes the best soup!

2.My baby brother _________ walk yet — he's only six months old.

3._________ your dad play the guitar? — Yes, he can!

4.My dog _________ talk, but he _________ understand me!

5.My sister _________ swim very fast. She's in the school team.

6.I _________ speak French. I only know a few words.

Exercise 5 — Find and Correct the Error

Each sentence has ONE mistake. Find it and correct it.

1. "My dad are a doctor. He works in a hospital."

Corrected: ___________________________________________________________________

2. "My sister aren't tall. She's quite short for her age."

Corrected: ___________________________________________________________________

3. "Is they your cousins?" — "Yes, they are."

Corrected: ___________________________________________________________________

4. "Is your grandma funny?" — "Yes, she are!"

Corrected: ___________________________________________________________________

5. "My grandma can cooks very well — she's brilliant!"

Corrected: ___________________________________________________________________

Handout 3

Reading

The Webb Family

Paragraph 1

My name is Tom and I'm twelve years old. There are five people in my family. My mum is called Kate. She's a teacher and she's very kind. My dad is called Dan. He's thirty-nine and he's quite funny.

Paragraph 2

I've got one sister. Her name is Amy and she's a baby — she's only three months old. She isn't big yet, but she's very loud! She cries a lot at night and my mum and dad are often tired.

Paragraph 3

My grandpa lives with us too. He's seventy and he's retired. He can play the guitar very well. He plays it every evening and I love it!

Paragraph 4

We've also got a pet dog. His name is Rex. He's big and very friendly. He can't talk but he can understand us! Rex is my best friend.

After reading: Underline all the forms of to be in the text. How many can you find?

Task 1 — Answer the Questions

Write full sentences.

1.How many people are in the Webb family?