Teaching Objectives:

Grasp the simple present tense of “be”.

Properties: Tape recorder. Calendar

Language Focus:

What day is today? What day was yesterday?

I’m sorry to hear that.  I hope you’re better now.  keep healthy

Teaching Procedures:

Step 1 Leading - in

Write the days of the week on the blackboard. Ask the Ss: What day is today? What’s the date today?

Then say What day was yesterday? What was the date yesterday?

Teach the word yesterday.

Lead to the simple past tense: am, is→was

2. Ask the students to work in pairs and talk about days and dates.

(With the help of Calendars)

Step 2 Read and learn

Practise reading the sentences with the students, then ask What day is it today? What day is it tomorrow? What day was it yesterday? etc.

Get the students to look at the calendar. Ask What day is it today? etc.

Step 3 Read and learn

Play the tape for the students to listen. Ask Who’s away?

Teach the words ill and hope.

Play the tape again for the students to listen and repeat.

Ask Ss to give similar reports.

Step 4 Presentation

Ask a student Who was absent someday or didn’t hand in homework on time. Ask questions like：

Where were you yesterday? What was wrong with you?

Where is your homework? What’s wrong? …

Point out the two forms, was/were.

Help the students to answer with the simple past tense

Step 5 Read and act

Play the tape for the students to listen and repeat.

Ask the Ss to retell the main idea of the dialogue.

Explain the words and phrases: composition, remember, bit

Composition: a short piece of writing, essay

I’m sorry to hear that.

I hope you’re better now

keep healthy.

eg. It’s so hot today, keep the door and windows open.

Taking regular exercise can keep you healthy.

Put the food in the fridge and keep it fresh.

Then the students practise the dialogues in pairs.

Ask the questions:

Why wasn’t Lily at school on Thursday?

Did she hand in her composition on time?

When did she hand it in?

Get some pairs to act out the dialogue.

Step 6 Exercises in class

It____(be) Friday today. Because Lily____(be) ill yesterday, she ____(be not) at school. Today she ____ ( be ) better. She ____ (be) at school.

Key: is, was, wasn’t, is, is

Step 7 Homework

1 Write a duty report.

2. Finish off the workbook exercises.

3. Review the past tense of be