Teaching Future Continuous for Plans and Intentions

Level: Pre-A1, A1

Age: Teenagers

Teaching Duration: 60 minutes

Step 1:

Lead-in Questions:

1. Where are you going for your next holiday?

2. What are you going to do on your holiday?

3. What are you going to eat?

4. Is there a place you are going to visit?

5. Who are you going to spend your holiday with?

Step 2:

Reading:

1)

Dear Teacher,

Hello! My name is Mia. I am very excited about my holiday plans. I am going to go to the beach with my family. We are going to swim and play in the sand. I am not going to eat ice cream because I don't like it. It will be so much fun!

Love,

Mia

2)

Dear Teacher,

Hi, my name is Jake. I can't wait for my holiday! I am going to visit my grandparents. We are going to have a picnic in the park. I am going to eat sandwiches and fruits. I am not going to take a walk because I want to play more. It's going to be a great day!

From,

Jake

3)

Dear Teacher,

Hi! I'm Ben. I want to tell you about my holiday plans. I am going to stay at home and play with my toys. I am going to watch cartoons on TV. I am not going to eat pizza for dinner because I like spaghetti more. It's going to be a relaxing and happy holiday!

Best,

Ben

Step 3:

Comprehension Questions:

1. Mia's Letter:

• Question 1: Where is Mia going for her holiday?
• Question 2: Why is Mia excited about her holiday plans?
• Question 3: Does Mia plan to eat ice cream during her vacation? Why or why not?

2. Jake's Letter:

• Question 1: Who is Jake going to visit during his holiday?
• Question 2: What are Jake's plans for the day when he visits his grandparents?
• Question 3: Why is Jake not going to take a walk in the park?

3. Ben's Letter:

• Question 1: Where does Ben plan to spend his holiday?
• Question 2: What activities does Ben want to do at home during his holiday?
• Question 3: Why is Ben not going to eat pizza for dinner?

Step 4: Concept Checking Questions for "Be Going To":

1. Understanding Plans:

• Question 1: What do Mia, Jake, and Ben talk about in their letters? Is it about the past, present, or future?
• Question 2: Can you find a sentence where Mia says what she is going to do?

2. Saying No to Plans:

• Question 3: According to Ben's letter, is there something he doesn't want to do during his holiday? What is it?
• Question 4: How can we say we don't want to do something using "be going to"?

Step 5:

Grammar Box: Be Going To for Plans and Intentions

1. Pattern in Mia's Letter:

• Mia uses "I am going to" to talk about her plans, like "I am going to go to the beach."

2. Jake's Use of 'Be Going To':

• Jake employs the pattern "We are going to" when discussing his plans, for instance, "We are going to have a picnic in the park."

3. Ben's Expression of Intentions:

• Ben expresses his intentions using "I am going to," as seen in the statement "I am going to stay at home and play with my toys."

Super Brief Explanation:

• "Be going to" is used to express plans and intentions. It follows the pattern of the subject + am/is/are + going to + verb. In Mia's case, she says "I am going to go," Jake uses "We are going to have," and Ben expresses intentions with "I am going to stay."

Step 6:

Exercise: Complete the Sentences with "Be Going To"

1. Ben ______________ play video games tomorrow. ✓
2. We ______________ have a picnic in the park on Saturday. ✗
3. She ______________ visit her grandparents next month. ✓
4. I ______________ eat vegetables for dinner tonight. ✗
5. The students ______________ study for the exam this weekend. ✓
6. They ______________ not buy a new car. ✗
7. It ______________ rain later in the evening. ✓
8. He ______________ not come to the party. ✗
9. We ______________ watch a movie tonight. ✓
10. Maria and Tom ______________ not travel abroad next year. ✗

Answers:

1. Ben is going to play video games tomorrow. ✓
2. We aren't going to have a picnic in the park on Saturday. ✗
3. She is going to visit her grandparents next month. ✓
4. I am not going to eat vegetables for dinner tonight. ✗
5. The students are going to study for the exam this weekend. ✓
6. They are not going to buy a new car. ✗
7. It is going to rain later in the evening. ✓
8. He is not going to come to the party. ✗
9. We are going to watch a movie tonight. ✓
10. Maria and Tom are not going to travel abroad next year. ✗

Step 7:

Activity: Making Plans with Friends

1. 1 Divide the class into pairs or small groups.

2. 
   

3. 2 Provide each group with a set of cards containing different activities and destinations. For example:

• Activity Cards: eat pizza, watch a movie, play soccer, go shopping, have a picnic.
• Destination Cards: the beach, the park, a friend's house, the mall, a restaurant.

4. Activity Cards:

   Activity
   Eat pizza
   Watch a movie
   Play soccer
   Go shopping
   Have a picnic

   Destination Cards:

   Destination
   The beach
   The park
   A friend's house
   The mall
   A restaurant

5. 
   

6. 3 Each student takes turns choosing one activity card and one destination card without showing them to their partner/group.

7. 
   

8. 4 Students use "be going to" to create a sentence about their future plans. For example:

   • "I am going to eat pizza at the beach."
   • "We are going to play soccer at a friend's house."

9. 
   

10. 5 Encourage students to ask follow-up questions using "be going to." For example:

    • "Are you going to watch a movie too?"
    • "Is she going to join us for a picnic?"

11. 
    

12. 6 After practicing with the original cards, have students switch cards and repeat the activity with new combinations.

Note: This activity not only helps students practice using "be going to" in a communicative context but also encourages interaction and engagement as they make plans together. The emphasis is on meaningful communication and applying the language in a realistic scenario.