My town

Objective & content

This sheet on the town teaches the places in a town, such as library, bakery, post office, station and bus stop, the words that say where they are (next to, opposite, between, behind, in front of, on the corner of) and simple directions (go straight on, turn left, cross the road). Pupils read Grace's text about her small town in the north of England, then use the words. By the end, they can name the places in a town, say where they are and give simple directions.

Pedagogical guide

Page 1 is Grace's text: she says where the places are in her town, then gives the way from the station to her house. Twelve multiple-choice questions follow. Page 2 names twelve places and six directions from pictures; each word box holds two extra words, so pupils must choose. Page 3 has eight sentences where pupils unscramble the word in brackets (KYBARE, NABK), then six sentences about where the places are in Grace's town, with a word box. The last task is Grace's message to her friend Kofi with the way to the swimming pool: eleven three-way choices, where the words around each bracket decide the answer (turn ... left, in front of). Every task tests words only, and no map is needed. The text uses the present simple, there is / there are and imperatives: there is no past tense on the sheet.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Ask pupils which places there are in their town; write the English words on the board.
2. (10 min) Read Grace's text aloud; pupils answer the questions.
3. (8 min) Page 2: pupils write the places and the directions under the pictures, then compare in pairs.
4. (8 min) Page 3: pupils unscramble the words, then complete the sentences about Grace's town.
5. (8 min) Pupils read Grace's message to Kofi and circle the right words.
6. (5 min) Check with the answer key on pages 4 and 5.

Adaptations

[S] Draw a simple street plan on the board and move a magnet as the class reads the directions.

[A] Pupils say where three places are in their own town ("The bakery is next to the bank").

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of pages 1 to 3 per pupil; a board and a magnet for the street plan. Pages 4 and 5 are the answer key and teacher notes: keep them. Pupils need the present simple, there is / there are and simple imperatives. To take it further, pupils draw a plan of their street and give a partner the way from school to their house.