Language Focus: beginning, at the beginning of, square, hardly

Teaching Objectives:

1. Understand the text.

2. Learn some useful words and phrases.

Properties: Recorder; Overhead Projector; Pictures.

Teaching Procedures:

I. Duty report.

II. Revision

Get the students to revise some numbers first, then give them a dictation: 

III. Leading in

Ask: Do you have a watch? Please look at your watch for one second. Can you guess how many babies will be born?

Maybe they can’t answer it. Then tell them: In one second, there will be 4 babies come to our world.

Ask another question: In most of your families, there is only one child in every one family. Do you know why?

Then say: Today we're going to read about the world’s population. The world’s population is growing very fast. It is a big and serious problem. Can you tell me the reasons? Let the students discuss and help them answer with: “There isn't enough food, work for too many people. There aren't enough houses…” etc.

Let the students read the questions at the top of the page, get them to know very clearly, then ask them to read the passage quickly. And answer the questions.

IV. Reading

Get the students to look at the questions below:

1. How many babies are born in one hour?

2. What do you think is the greatest challenge of the world today?

3. How is the world’s population growing?

4. When was the population over 6 billion?

5. What will happen in about 600 years?

Let the Ss read the passage more carefully, try to find all the answers in the reading. Discuss the answers with the classmates. The students should understand the meaning of the words such as: earth, mouth, space and century from the context. Let them note the use of comparative of adjectives and adverbs in the passage. Finally check the answers with the whole class.

V. Practice

Let the students know some knowledge about the city’s population.

New York has a larger population than any other American city. In 1970, its population was about 8,000,000.

Chicago has the second largest population. More than 3,000,000 people lived in Chicago in 1970.

The third largest city is Los Angeles with the population of 2,810,000. Philadelphia is the fourth largest city. More than 2,000,000 people live in Philadelphia, the first capital of the United States.

New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia are all larger than the nation's capital city, Washington D. C. The population of Washington is more than 700,000, but several cities have a larger population than that. Washington is one of the most beautiful American cities, but it is only the ninth city in size.

注解

（1）Chicago 芝加哥

（2）Los Angeles 洛杉矶

（3）Philadelphia 费城

（4）nation n. 国家

（5）Washington D. C. 华盛顿特区

Then ask these questions:

（1）Which city has the largest population in the United States?

（2）What do you think the large population can bring to us?

VI. Language Focus

Get the students to know how to use the following word and expressions.

1. room: I’m afraid, there is no room ( space ) for us on the bus.

This big bag takes up too much room.

Let me make room for our teacher.

2. hour after hour: The clock goes on striking hour after hour.

Peter stayed in bed day after day.

Year after year went by, she still didn't receive her son's news.

VII. Workbook

Do Exercises 2 and 3 individually, then check the answers with the whole class.

The answers to Exercise 2: about, not, Multiply by. Hour after hour, fast, developing, problem, developed, slow down.

The answers to Exercise 3: 1. hardly 2. at the beginning of 3. path 4. worth 5. Beg your pardon