S2E29 - The Storm in the Night

Objective & content

At two in the morning a storm hits the camp. George's tent leaks, so he comes into the girls' tent, where Rosie is awake and Priya is asleep, and the two of them end up holding a bending tent pole while Mr Brown checks the tents. The episode teaches when and while to join two actions (Hold it while I move the bags.). The vocabulary field is a storm in a tent (rain, thunder, pole, roof, torch, sleeping bag, zip). Learners listen, then check their understanding with the in-app quiz.

Pedagogical guide

When names one moment and while names two things happening together, so the two columns on the board are easy to fill from the script. Two lines look back at the hour before the episode (It was raining when I put my book down); they are receptive only, so use the lines from the rule table for the grammar work. Two lines use if; it is not the teaching point.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Warm-up: ask what pupils do when there is a storm at night, one sentence each with when.
2. (7 min) First listen, books closed: why does George come into the girls' tent?
3. (10 min) Second listen with the comprehension questions; pause after Look at the pole! and ask what is happening to it.
4. (10 min) Grammar: two columns, when for one moment and while for the same time, filled from the rule table lines.
5. (8 min) Vocabulary, then pairs: A gives an instruction with while and B answers I'm holding it.; then swap.
6. (5 min) Wrap-up: is Rosie frightened, and why does she not want anyone to know? One sentence with a reason from the story.

Materials & prerequisites

The episode in the PLAY app (audio, slideshow, text and quiz), a student sheet and a teacher sheet with the answer key. Learners need the present simple and the past simple of common verbs.

Curriculum alignment

Cycle 4 (5e), programme axis "Daily life: places, rhythms, seasons": a night at school camp.