אוסף אמין שנבנה מתוך ניסיון כיתתי עשיר על ידי שני מורים פעילים בהוראת אנגלית.

זה עובד. זה בדוק. פשוט, קל ובחינם.

מדריך קצר לדרך קלה לומדים בכיף לטירונים ולגיבורים שבדרך פטפוטון רגעי כיף בדרך לקריירה בחינות Teachers
Vocabulary lesson plan & materials

Animals and Pets

lesson plans, handouts, grammar, there was/there were, vocabulary, animals, houses, free time, language reception (reading), language production (speaking, writing), A1-B2

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Lesson overview

Objective, materials and classroom scope.

Objective

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to use "there was" and "there were" to describe the existence of objects or people in the past.

The source lesson is labelled Beginner to Elementary, while its two reading passages are marked A1–A2 and B1–B2. The page therefore presents the full source range as A1–B2.

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There Was / There Were

The two basic past-existence forms from the source lesson.

There was

Use with singular nouns in the past.

There was a cat in the garden.
There were

Use with plural nouns in the past.

There were birds in the sky.
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Lesson flow

The original 85-minute classroom sequence.

10 min

Warm-up

Ask students to think about their weekend: "What did you do over the weekend?" Write a few sentences on the board using "there was" and "there were" to describe events or things that happened during the weekend.

10 min

Introduction

Review the structure of "there was" and "there were". Explain that "there was" is used for singular nouns and "there were" for plural nouns in the past. Provide examples on the board.

15 min

Reading Activity

Distribute a short reading passage containing examples of "there was" and "there were". Students read individually, underline or highlight the past-tense sentences, and discuss the content as a class.

20 min

Speaking Activity

Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a picture depicting a scene from the past. Students take turns describing the picture using "there was" and "there were".

15 min

Practice Exercises

Give students handouts with sentences to complete using "there was" or "there were". Include singular and plural nouns and review the answers together.

10 min

Writing Activity

Ask students to write a short paragraph about a scene from the past using "there was" and "there were". Example: "Write about a birthday party you attended. What was there?"

5 min

Wrap-up

Summarize the key points and check that students understand "there was" and "there were" in the past tense.

4

Reading passages

Two source texts at different marked levels.

A1–A2

The Zoo Visit

Last weekend, I went to the zoo. There was a lion roaring in its enclosure. There were monkeys swinging from tree to tree, and there were colorful birds flying around.

In the reptile house, there was a snake slithering in its glass cage. There were turtles basking under a heat lamp. Outside, there was a playful dolphin leaping in the water at the marine exhibit.

Near the entrance, there was a souvenir shop. There were stuffed animals, t-shirts, and toys for sale. There was also a small café where visitors could enjoy snacks and drinks.

As I walked through the zoo, there were families laughing and taking photos. There were children excitedly pointing at the different animals. It was a wonderful day filled with amazing creatures and happy moments.

B1–B2

The Abandoned House

In a quiet neighborhood, there was an abandoned house at the end of the street. Many years ago, there were stories about a family that used to live there. There was a rumor that strange things happened in the house at night.

One day, a group of adventurous friends decided to explore the house. As they entered, there was a feeling of eerie silence. There were broken windows and old furniture covered in dust. In the living room, there was a worn-out piano that looked as if it hadn't been touched for decades. There were faded photographs on the walls, showing happy faces from the past.

As they ventured upstairs, there was a creaking sound on the wooden steps. There were several closed doors, and there was an air of mystery in each room. In one of the bedrooms, there was an open diary on a desk. It revealed the thoughts and experiences of the family that once lived there. There were tales of laughter, sadness, and dreams.

Although there were signs of neglect, there was also a sense of history in every corner of the house. The friends realized that behind the decay, there were stories waiting to be discovered. As they left the house, there was a feeling that they had stepped into a world that was frozen in time.

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Speaking & writing

Open-ended production activities from the source lesson.

Speaking Activity

Divide the class into pairs or small groups.

Provide each group with a picture depicting a scene from the past (e.g., a historical event, a party).

Students take turns describing the picture using "there was" and "there were".

Example: "There was a big crowd at the event. There were people dancing and enjoying themselves."

Writing Activity

Provide writing prompts related to scenes from the past and ask students to describe what was there using "there was" and "there were".

Example: "Write about a birthday party you attended. What was there?"

Students write short paragraphs using the target phrases.

6

Student worksheets

Three exercises from the source document.

Worksheet 1

Affirmative Sentences

Complete the following sentences with "there was" or "there were" and the appropriate word.

  1. __________ a cat in the garden.
  2. __________ two apples on the table.
  3. __________ a ball in the park.
  4. __________ a book on the shelf.
  5. __________ a tree in the yard.
Answer key
  1. There was a cat in the garden.
  2. There were two apples on the table.
  3. There was a ball in the park.
  4. There was a book on the shelf.
  5. There was a tree in the yard.
Worksheet 2

Negative Sentences

Rewrite the following sentences in the negative form using "there was not" or "there were not".

  1. There was a bird in the sky. → __________ __________ a bird in the sky.
  2. There were three balloons at the party. → __________ __________ three balloons at the party.
  3. There was a red car on the street. → __________ __________ a red car on the street.
  4. There were five candies in the jar. → __________ __________ five candies in the jar.
  5. There was a flower in the vase. → __________ __________ a flower in the vase.
Answer key
  1. There was not a bird in the sky.
  2. There were not three balloons at the party.
  3. There was not a red car on the street.
  4. There were not five candies in the jar.
  5. There was not a flower in the vase.
Worksheet 3

Interrogative Sentences

Turn the following sentences into questions using "was there" or "were there".

  1. There was a dog in the yard. → __________ __________ a dog in the yard?
  2. There were two friends at the park. → __________ __________ two friends at the park?
  3. There was a bicycle in the garage. → __________ __________ a bicycle in the garage?
  4. There were three books on the shelf. → __________ __________ three books on the shelf?
  5. There was a toy in the box. → __________ __________ a toy in the box?
Answer key
  1. Was there a dog in the yard?
  2. Were there two friends at the park?
  3. Was there a bicycle in the garage?
  4. Were there three books on the shelf?
  5. Was there a toy in the box?
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Assessment

Checks specified in the source lesson.

Observe students' participation in speaking activities, accuracy in completing exercises, and quality of their writing.

There Was / There Were · Animals and Pets · AllEnglishStudy

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