In, at, on, between, over, under, next to…Prepositions can be challenging to teach because of their need for context. We use prepositions of location to directly refer to the world around us:

Please give me the pencil next to the book.

The book is on the table to the right of the lamp.

In the classroom, teachers often use examples like those above, using classroom objects to teach prepositions of location. However, using computer-based tools, we can give students a richer, more engaging context to learn prepositions of location.

In this week’s Teacher’s Corner we’ll practice prepositions through a virtual visit to the U.S. National Museum of Natural History. Millions of visitors every year visit the National Museum of Natural History to learn more about geology, human history, and the environment. Perhaps one of the most popular exhibits is the museum’s collection of dinosaur skeletons and fossils.

The museum has created a virtual tour of its exhibits, and now visitors around the world can tour the museum from home or from the classroom. This week, we’ll use this virtual tour to engage students while they practice prepositions of location.

Intermediate and above

• Speaking, listening (primary focus)
• Writing (secondary focus)

Students will use prepositions of location to create a scavenger hunt at the National Museum of Natural History.

• Teacher: whiteboard, or chalkboard; markers or chalk, tape
• One classroom computer, Internet connection, and projector

      o   If possible one computer per 2-3 students

      o   If no computer is available an .mp3 player will be needed to play audio

• Students: pencils or pens, writing paper

• If a computer is available, load the National Museum of Natural History Virtual Tour before class.

     o   Be sure to try the Virtual Tour before using it in class to better understand how it works.

     o   At the top right corner of the screen are the buttons: ground, first, and second. Click the button labeled: first.

§  This class activity will only use the first floor of the museum.

• If a computer is not available, print out the photos in Appendix B.

     o   This activity will use the web-based virtual tour; however the tour can be substituted with the images provided.

Part 1: Listening Activity

1.     Begin the activity by asking students if they like to go to museums.

• Elicit museum vocabulary from the students by asking: What can you see at a museum?
• Some ideas might include: paintings, art,

2.     Tell the students that today they will visit a museum in Washington, D.C.

3.     Next, give each student a copy of the National Museum of Natural History: Fill in the Blank worksheet (Appendix A).

4.     Tell the students that this is the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. and today they will listen to a description of the museum. They must listen and label the rooms correctly.

5.     Read the directions on the worksheet as a class. When students are ready, play the audio.

• If no computer or .mp3 player is available, the audio transcript in Appendix B can be read aloud.

6.     Next, check comprehension by asking the students:

• Does the museum have dinosaurs? – (Yes)
• What do visitors see when they first enter the museum? – (An elephant)

7.     As a class, check the answers to the listening activity.

8.     Finally, tell the students that the class should not just listen about the museum but take a tour!

Part 2: National Museum of Natural History: Virtual Tour

1.     On the computer screen show the students the National Museum of Natural History: Virtual Tour.

2.     Take a few moments to explore the museum as a class.

Note: each of the blue dots on the museum’s floor plan is a spot where you can look around the museum.

3.     Play the audio one more time. After each area of the museum is discussed, pause the audio and visit the room. In each room, ask the students to find the items discussed in the audio:

• The Hall of Mammals – A Giraffe (between zebras and a hippopotamus)
• Dinosaurs – A Tyrannosaurus Rex (across from the triceratops)
• Ocean Hall – A Whale (hanging from the ceiling)
• Discovery Hall – An Alligator (on the table) and a Raccoon (on the wall to the right)

4.     Once students have found all the items in the audio, return to the Hall of Mammals in the Virtual Tour.

Note: Many of the items in the museum may be new vocabulary for the students. However, the Hall of Mammals has many well know animals so is the best choice for this activity.

5.     Have a student pick an item in the Hall of Mammals but keep it secret.

6.     Have this student give clues using prepositions of location. The other students must guess the correct item. The student who guesses first chooses the next item for others to guess.

If students would like to learn more about the items at the National Museum of Natural History encourage them to visit:http://www.mnh.si.edu/explore.html

Adjective clauses function in a sentence the same way as adjectives. They explain or modify nouns or indefinite pronouns such as someone and everyone. Unlike adjectives, however, adjective clauses come after the noun or pronoun they describe. A typical adjective clause has a relative pronoun such as who/whom/which/that + subject and verb. For example:

Cell phones, which are more like computers than phones, are an important part of daily life.

Adjective clauses are used when using an adjective creates an awkward sentence structure. For example:

I am a chocolate-loving person is an awkward sentence structure. Therefore, we use an adjective clause to make the sentence easier to understand. For example: I am a person who loves chocolate.

Adjective clauses are not used when one adjective can be used to effectively express an idea. For example:

She is an intelligent person. Not She is a person who is intelligent.

Many textbook exercises have students combine sentences using adjective clauses. In this week’s Teacher’s Corner we’ll use a different approach by having the students deconstruct adjective clauses into two separate sentences. This approach gives students the opportunity to understand the relationship between two simple sentences and how they come together through the use of adjective clauses.

This week we’ll practice adjective clauses by learning about Grace Hopper, who was one of the world’s first computer scientists. Her early work on computers led to the development of the first computer programming language and helped create much of the software we use today.

Intermediate and above

• Reading, writing (primary focus)
• Speaking (secondary focus)

Students practice deconstructing sentences with adjective clauses

• Teacher: whiteboard or chalkboard; markers or chalk
• Students: pencils or pens, writing paper

• Print enough My Hero: Grace Hopper readings for each student in class.
• Print enough Adjective Clauses – Sentence Deconstruction worksheets for each student in class
• Print out a copy of the Adjective Clauses – Sentence Deconstruction Answer Key

Warm Up

1.     Begin the activity by asking the class: What is one item you cannot live without?

• Have the students call out their answers and write them down on the board.

2.     If no students answer “cell phone” (unlikely!), elicit the idea from the students.

3.     Next ask the students: Why can’t you live without your cell phone?

• Tell the students to write down all the ways they use their cell phone.

4.     Once students have made a list of all the ways they use a cell phone,

• On the board write: I can’t live without my cell phone, which I use to _____.

5.     Have students add their ideas to the sentence to create adjective clauses. Once they have created sentences, have the students form pairs/small groups and share their idea with their partner(s).

6.     After the pairs/small groups have shared their ideas, encourage them to share their ideas with the class to see which students have the most creative or unique ideas.

Reading Practice: Adjective Clauses

1.     Begin this part of the activity by asking the students: Do you have a hero?

• Elicit answers from the students about their heroes

2.     Tell the students that today they will learn about a woman who is a hero to many people. She helped to develop the technology that is used in computers and cell phones. Without her ideas, we would not have the technology we have today.

3.     Next, pass out the My Hero: Grace Hopper Reading Activity. Give the students several minutes to read the information.

• If time permits, have students take turns reading the information out loud to the class.

4.     Once students have finished reading, check their comprehension by asking:

• What computer did Grace Hopper help program? – (Mark I)
• What is the name of the computer programming language she created? – (COBOL)
• Do people still remember her? – (Yes, each year there is a conference celebrating her work)

5.     Have students read through the information again. This time have them underline each example of an adjective clause they can find.

• Once finished, have them check their answers with a partner or review as a class.

6.     Next, give each student a copy of the Adjective Clauses: Sentence Deconstructing worksheet.

7.     Have the students read each sentence and form two smaller sentences.

• Once the students have finished, review the answers as a class.

8.     Finally, have the students use the adjective clauses from the worksheet as examples to write their own descriptive sentences about someone they consider to be their hero.

9.     Once the students have completed their sentences, have students take turns reading their sentences out loud with the subject missing.

• One student should read his/her sentences while the rest of the class guesses his/her hero.

i.     For example: He is a famous football star who played for Real Madrid and LA Galaxy. – (Who is David Beckham?)

• The first student to guess correctly now reads his/her sentences aloud to the class.

Encourage students to visit the following websites and learn to code:

https://code.org/

https://csedweek.org/

Directions: Read the information below about the work of Grace Hopper. Grace was a computer scientist who created the first computer programming language. Circle or underline the adjective clauses in the paragraphs.

Technology is a part of everyday life. We use computers to do many things to make life easier and faster. Even our cell phones are a type of computer that we can use to call friends, write messages, and play games. Have you ever thought about the origins of computers? There were many early researchers who helped create the first computers, but one of the most interesting people was Grace Hopper.

Grace Hopper was a university professor who quit her job to join the Navy during World War II. She joined the Navy to serve her country by helping to develop new technology. She joined the Navy during an interesting time when computers were beginning to be built.

Grace joined a team which built one of the first computers. She was responsible for programming this computer called the Mark I. She understood how complicated it was to program a computer which required lots of math at the time. She invented a programming language that made it easier for people to program computers. Her programming language was called COBOL. Thanks to her early work, computers became easier to use. In only a few decades, computers moved from big machines the size of rooms to smaller devices that could be used by individuals. These personal computers, which were programmed using Grace Hopper’s ideas, became a part of everyday life.

Grace Hopper is my hero because she played an important role in the development of technology we use every day. Some people may think that computers and math are only for boys, but they are wrong! Grace Hopper is proof that anyone can excel in math and science. Each year, the Computer Science Education Week is held around December 9^th, which is Grace’s birthday. Her work is also celebrated every year at the Grace Hopper Celebration. This conference, which celebrates the work of women in science, is attended by people from all over the world. Each year they discuss new ideas and technology that carries on the work started by Grace Hopper.

The following sentences are from the reading My Hero: Grace Hopper. Change each of the sentences into two separate smaller sentences by making the adjective clause a separate sentence.

1. There were many early researchers who helped create the first computers.

________________________________________________________________________________

2. Grace Hopper was a university professor, who quit her job to join the Navy during World War II.

________________________________________________________________________________

3. She joined the Navy during an interesting time when computers were beginning to be built.

________________________________________________________________________________

4. Grace joined a team which built one of the first computers.

________________________________________________________________________________

5. She understood how complicated it was to program a computer which required lots of math at the time.

________________________________________________________________________________

6. She invented a programming language that made it easier for people to program computers.

________________________________________________________________________________

7. These personal computers, which were programmed using Grace Hopper’s ideas, became a part of everyday life.

________________________________________________________________________________

8. This conference, which celebrates the work of women in science, is attended by people from all over the world.

________________________________________________________________________________

The following sentences are from the reading My Hero: Grace Hopper. Change each of the sentences into two separate smaller sentences by making the adjective clause a separate sentence.

1. There were many people who helped create the first computers.

There were many people. They helped create the first computers.

2. Grace Hopper was a university professor, who quit her job to join the Navy during World War II.

Grace Hopper was a university professor. She quit her job to join the Navy during World War II.

3. She joined the Navy during an interesting time when computers were beginning to be built.

She joined the Navy during an interesting time. During this time, computers were beginning to be built.

4. Grace joined a team which built one of the first computers.

Grace joined a team. The team built one of the first computers.

5. She understood how complicated it was to program a computer which required lots of math at the time.

She understood how complicated it was to program a computer. Programming a computer required lots of math at the time.

6. She invented a programming language that made it easier for people to program computers.

She invented a programming language. The programming language made it easier for people to program computers.

7. These personal computers, which were programmed using Grace Hopper’s ideas, became a part of everyday life.

These personal computers became a part of everyday life. They were programmed using Grace Hopper’s ideas.

8. This conference, which celebrates the work of women in science, is attended by people from all over the world.

The conference is attended by people from all over the world. It celebrates the work of women in science.

Conditionals are always fun grammar to learn in class. The ability to use them to discuss unreal situations gives students a chance to discuss creative topics and ideas. The second conditional is usually constructed with:
If clause + simple past + would/could/might + base form of verb

For example:
If I traveled to the U.S., I would go to New York.

However, conditionals can be richer and more complex if we combine them with infinity of purpose. This to + verb + grammar structure is often used to answer the question “why.”

I traveled to the U.S. – Why did you travel to the U.S.?

I traveled to the U.S. to visit the Statue of Liberty.

Combining conditionals and infinity of purpose can provide students the form and structure to create complex sentences that express complete ideas.

If I traveled to the U.S., I would go to New York to visit the Statue of Liberty.

In this week’s Teacher’s Corner we’ll use both the second conditional and infinity of purpose to express complete ideas in a single sentence. Specifically, we’ll practice how to use these two grammatical structures to write a letter for a job. Which job? Astronaut!

Intermediate and above

• Writing (primary focus)
• Speaking (secondary focus)

Students will use the second conditional and infinity of purpose to discuss what they would do as an astronaut.

• Teacher: whiteboard or chalkboard; markers or chalk; tape
• Computer with Internet connection (if possible), projector
• Students: pencils or pens, writing paper

• Print out the photos in Appendix A.
• Print out one copy of the worksheet If I Were An Astronaut for each student.
• If your classroom has a computer and Internet connection, open this video before class to allow time for it to load – Life Aboard the ISS.
• Note: If your classroom does not have computer access, instead of playing the video, print out the images to show to the class.

Part 1: If I were an astronaut

• Begin the activity by playing the video: Life Aboard the ISS.
• If a computer and Internet are not available, show the pictures in Appendix A.
• After watching the video, place the students in pairs or small groups.
• Ask the students: Do you want to be an astronaut? If you were an astronaut, what would you do?
• Have them talk with their partner about their decision. Have each pair/small group create a list of things they would do as an astronaut.
• While students work in groups, on the board draw the following table:

• Next, take a vote by show of hands and ask how many students want to be astronauts.
• Ask the students: What would you do if you were an astronaut? Write some of their ideas on the board. For example:
• Fly around in space
• Take pictures of the Earth
• Travel to the Moon
• Use the ideas the students generated and place them in the table above. For example:

• Fill in the chart with ideas to help students see the differences between would, could, and might.
• Would – an action they can do as an astronaut
• Could – a possibility
• Might – a possibility with a small chance of occurring
• Take one of the ideas from the chart and write it out as a full sentence on the board.
• For example: If I were an astronaut, I could make new discoveries.
• Ask the class: Why do you want to make new discoveries?
• Elicit ideas from the class. Choose several ideas to finish the sentence.
• For example: If I were an astronaut, I could make new discoveries to help people on Earth.
• For example: If I were an astronaut, I would take pictures of Earth to show to my friends back home.
• Have students return to the list they created in step two and have them write their ideas out in the complete sentence structure:
• If I were an astronaut, I would/could, might _____ to (verb) _____.

Part 2: Astronauts Wanted!

• Give each student a copy of the If I Were An Astronaut worksheet. Inform the students that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the agency that sends astronauts to space. NASA often hires new astronauts.
• Read the instructions as a class.
• In this activity, students should circle all of the conditional and infinitive of purpose grammar structures they can find.
• Once students have finished, check the answers as a class.
• Tell the students that today they are going to write a letter to NASA describing why they would be a great astronaut, just like the one in the worksheet.
• Using their list of ideas they generated in Part 1, have the students write letters explaining why they would make a great astronaut.
• Students should list why they want to be an astronaut and why they would be a great choice.
• Once students have completed their letter, encourage them to share it with the class by reading it aloud.
• Students could also post their letters on the walls of the classroom for others to read as a fun reading activity.

If your students have access to the Internet, encourage them to learn more by visiting the following websites:

Space Station Camera
This website broadcasts a live camera feed from the International Space Station (ISS). The cameras show Earth as the space station passes overhead.

ISS Website
NASA is home to the International Space Station, which contains facts and figures about the ISS and the astronauts who have lived there.

ISS Fact Book
This book has information about all experiments conducted on the ISS. This writing may be too advanced for most students, but the book contains many pictures, charts, and maps for students to investigate.

Read the letter below. Circle the conditional and infinitive of purpose grammar structures you can find. Then write your own letter to NASA!

Dear NASA,
I am writing to be considered for your astronaut program. If I were an astronaut, I could take pictures of space to share with people on Earth. I am great at taking pictures, and my photos might help others to get interested in space. Maybe those people will become astronauts too! Also, if I were an astronaut, I would be the first person from my country in space. I would speak to students in my country to encourage them to study science. Finally, if I were an astronaut I would speak English with other astronauts to improve communication between countries. This would create friendships between nations and help to create world peace.

In typical English sentences, we may use several grammar structures at the same time. One example of a grammatical form used in conjunction with other forms is modal verbs. Modal verbs are often used to give advice or opinions. For example:

We should go to a restaurant.

However, this advice is too simple and direct. When advice is given in English, the expectation is that a reason is also provided. One grammatical structure that is often used to explain advice is an adverb clause of reason. For example:

We should go to a restaurant because we are all hungry.

When combined, these two grammatical structures can allow students to give advice and explain their reason for that advice.

In this activity, students will practice both modal verbs of advice and adverb clauses of reason. It can be difficult for students to think of advice and reasons for that advice without a clear context. In this week’s Teacher’s Corner our context is a space mission gone wrong. Students will give advice and reasons to help their team members who have been stranded on the Moon. The activity below is a modified version of a United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) teambuilding exercise.

In this activity, students are part of a space mission travelling to a science base on the Moon. During their descent to the surface of the Moon, their spacecraft crashes 80km from the Moon base. Now they must examine their supplies and decide which materials they will need to survive the 80km journey to the moon base.

The exercise was designed to test the ability of astronauts to think creatively and work together as a team. Each item in the worksheet below has a primary use but can be used in other ways as well. Encourage your students to think creatively about all of the items. For a list of suggestion on ways the items can be used, see Appendix B.

Upper intermediate and above

• Speaking (primary focus)
• Writing (secondary focus)

Students will use modal verbs and adverb clauses of reason to discuss what survival tools they will need to survive on the moon.

• Teacher: whiteboard or chalkboard; markers or chalk; tape
• Students: pencils or pens, writing paper

• Print enough Stranded on the Moon worksheets for each student in class. Print one copy each of the images in Appendix A to place on the wall or chalkboard.

Warm Up

• Place on the board the two pictures in Appendix A
• Ask students some questions to elicit the vocabulary: Astronaut, Moon
• What do you call a person who works in space? (Astronaut)
• Is this astronaut on Earth? (No)
• Where is the astronaut? (the Moon)
• Next, write on the board: An astronaut should be _____
• Ask the students what characteristics an astronaut needs. List the characteristics the students name on the board.
• An astronaut should be _____.
• Brave
• Strong
• Smart
• Once students have listed some characteristics, ask them why astronauts should have these characteristics. Tell them to form pairs or small groups and think of reasons why astronauts should have the characteristics the class listed.
• While the pairs/small groups brainstorm ideas finish the An astronaut should be ____ sentence from above with so/because _____.
• After the pairs/small groups have generated ideas, have them share ideas with the class. Write the ideas on the board. For example:
• An astronaut should be brave because they will be far from home.
• An astronaut should be smart, so they can solve problems.
• After the pairs/small groups have presented their ideas, tell them that today they are going to be astronauts! Tell them the goal of today’s activity is to see if they can be great astronauts!

Moon Mission: A Crash Landing

• Have students combine their pairs/small groups to form larger teams of 4-5 students. Tell the students that in this activity they will be astronaut teammates.  With their teammates they are travelling to the Moon.
• Explain to the students that two days ago they left Earth to travel to a research base on the Moon. As they began to land on the Moon, they lost control of the spacecraft and crashed 80km from the Moon base. Now they must use items from their crashed spacecraft to help them reach the Moon base.
• Next, give each student a copy of the Stranded on the Moon worksheet. Tell the students that first they should work alone to complete the worksheet. Remind them that good astronauts should be able to work independently, so no talking for now!
• On the worksheet are fifteen items. Students should list these items in order of importance from 1-15. One being most important and fifteen being least important. Also they should provide a reason for the rank they assign each item.
• Note: this part of the activity could take some time, if more time is needed this could be assigned as homework and the activity continued in the next class.
• For Moon facts and suggestions on how items could be used, see Appendix B.
• Encourage the students to use the grammar structures practiced in the warm up when they list the reason for each item’s rank.
• For example: We should take the oxygen tanks, so we have air to breathe.
• For items students think are unimportant, encourage them to use the negative form. For example: We should not take matches because there is no air on the Moon to make fire.
• Once students have finished their list and reasons, have them share their ideas with their team.
• Tell the team that they now must make a final team list. However, the team may only take the items listed in the top ten. They must leave five items at the crashed spacecraft. Students should use the grammar forms practiced in class to argue for the items they consider to be the most important.
• Once each team has finalized their list, have them report to Mission Control (you!) on the items they plan to take and why.
• Finally, have each team share their final list and reasons. If time permits have the whole class come together and make one final class list.

Optional Expansion Activity:

• Conditionals are another grammatical structure that pairs well with this activity. Students can present their ideas in grammatically complex ways: We should take rope, so we can tie things. If we tie the parachute with rope, we can make bags to carry items.

• This activity can be extended into a writing activity that can be done in class or as homework. Have students, alone or in teams, create a writing journal that begins with the following sentence:

With our items prepared, our team began the 80km trip to the Moon base.

Have the students describe their journey to the Moon base and how they used each item to survive!

Encourage your students to learn more by having them visit the following websites:

Apollo Archives
This website contains a collection of photographs from the NASA lunar missions.

Moon Base Alpha
In this game by NASA, players work to fix damaged equipment at a lunar research station.