BOOK ACTIVITY EVALUATION ADAPTATION

Book Activity 1 - Objective: appropriate, as the activity Rewriting

Work in pairs. Put these places in order helps learners to activate their prior Activity 1
from the best place to live to the worst, knowledge about the context of the Time:
and explain why. lesson. LLOs:
 a big regional town - Method: appropriate, as the activity - The learners discuss and put the
 the capital city serves as a lead-in activity. following features in order from most
 a farm - Content: not appropriate, as the important to least important when
 a seaside town objective of the lesson does not require choosing a place to live.
 the second city learners to talk about places to live.  buildings
 a village  climate
 scenery
 things to do
 traffic
 people
- Volunteers are invited to discuss their
ideas.
- The teacher introduces the general topic
of the lesson (your favourite place to
live).
Book Activity 2 - Objective: appropriate, as the activity Expanding
A student of English wrote a short helps the learner to analyse the text for Activity 2
description of her home town for her general ideas. Time:
blog. Read the blog. Match the topics - Method: appropriate, as the activity LLOs:
(a-d) with the paragraphs (1-4). serves as a cursory individual task. - The learners answer the following
a Things to see - Content: not entirely appropriate, as questions:
b What people like to do the activity helps learners to understand  What is the description about?
c Nature how the text is typically organised, but  Where can you find this piece of
d Where I'm from not other characteristics of the text. writing?
- The learners complete the activity as
presented in the book for Description 1
independently.
- The learners answer the following
questions:
 Is the language used formal or
informal?
 Does the student start describing the
more or less natural features first?
 - The learners put the paragraphs of
Description 2 in the correct order
independently.
- The teacher introduces the target writing
subskill of the lesson (writing a blog
post).
Book Activity 3 - Objective: not appropriate, as the Deleting
Complete these definitions. Use the activity does not help learners in their
adjectives in bold in the blog post. writing process.
1 If an area is __________, the air or water is
dirty and dangerous.
2 If buildings are __________, they're made
using new designs and methods.
3 If an area in a town or city is very
__________, it has lots of trees and parks
and public gardens.
4 If an area is __________, there are lots of
loud sounds there.
5 If the climate is __________, it's hot and
there's a lot of water in the air.
6 If an area is very __________, it's busy and
full of people who are enjoying
themselves.
Book Activity 4 - Objective: not appropriate, as the Deleting
Work in pairs. Discuss the questions. activity does not help learners in their
Give examples from the blog post to writing process.
explain your answers.
 Does the description make you want to
visit Hanoi? Why / Why not?
 In what ways is your home town / city
similar to—or different from—Hanoi? Use
some of the adjectives in Exercise 3 when
explaining.
Book Activity 5 - Objective: appropriate, as the activity Restructuring (combining Book Activity 5
Time: helps learners to familiarise themselves and Book Activity 6 into Activity 3)
LLOs: with the vocabulary used to describe
Look at the blog post again. Find: places.
1 two negative adjectives that are used - Method: not entirely appropriate, as
 with a bit. learners are not instructed to examine
2 two adjectives used with really. the examples of how the vocabulary is
3 four adjectives used with very. used after finding them in the text.
- Content: not appropriate, as learners
do not acquire any additional information
about the vocabulary after finding the
examples.
Book Activity 6 - Objective: appropriate, as the activity Using as it stands
Time: helps learners to put the vocabulary Activity 3
LLOs: acquired to describe places into practice. Time:
Complete the first sentence in each pair - Method: appropriate, as the activity LLOs:
with a modifier. Use the information in allows learners to put the vocabulary - The learners find examples of a bit,
the second sentence to help you. acquired into practice. really, and very in the text.
1 The river's __________ polluted. It will take - Content: appropriate, as the activity
- The learners complete the activity as
years to clean. provides learners with sufficient
provided in the book independently.
2 It's a __________ wonderful place to live. vocabulary.
The climate's good, it's by the sea—it's - The learners compare ideas with other
just great. learners, and check answers as a class.
3 This part of town can sometimes be - The teacher validates the functions of a
__________ dangerous after dark, but most bit, really, and very.
people don't have problems here.
4 It can be __________ noisy at times where I
live. It's not too bad, but sometimes I
have to close the window because of the
traffic.
5 It's a very modern city and there are
some __________ amazing new buildings. I
love the place.
6 It's on the coast, but the sea here is
always __________ cold. People never
swim there.
Book Activity 7 - Objective: appropriate, as the activity Restructuring
Time: helps learners to construct sentences Activity 4
LLOs: used in writing the text. Time:
Add very, really, or a bit to these - Method: not appropriate, as the activity LLOs:
sentences to describe places you know. instructs learners to compare ideas with - The learners complete each of the
Then tell your partner about each other learners, when there is insufficient following sentences about their favourite
place. information for a productive discussion. place to live independently, using one of
1 It's a fantastic place. the adjectives provided and one modifier.
2 It's dirty. - Content: not appropriate, as the 1 It's a __________ fantastic (wonderful,
3 The buildings are old. sentences provided may not relate to awful, ordinary) place.
4 The beaches are polluted. 2 The climate is __________ humid
learners' knowledge and experiences.
5 It's noisy at night. (freezing, mild, calm).
3 The air is __________ dirty (polluted,
clear, fresh).
4 There are many __________ old (new,
historic, modern) buildings.
5 It's __________ noisy (quiet, lively,
peaceful) at night.
- Volunteers are invited to share their ideas
with the class.
Book Activity 8 - Objective: appropriate, as the activity Using as it stands
Time: helps learners to put the language items Activity 5
LLOs: Time:
into practice.
Complete the sentences with because LLOs:
- Method: appropriate, as the activity
or so. - The learners find examples of because
1 The part of the city is new, __________ you allows learners to put the vocabulary
acquired into practice. and so in the text.
don't see any old buildings there.
- Content: appropriate, as the activity - The learners complete the activity as
2 People don't go out between twelve and
provides learners with sufficient provided in the book independently.
three __________ it's really hot.
3 The city was very polluted, __________ I vocabulary. - The learners compare ideas with other
moved to the country. learners, and check answers as a class.
4 Lots of tourists visit the museum - The teacher validates the functions of
__________ it's home to a lot of wonderful because and so.
art.
5 I moved to the coast __________ I love
walking on the beach and looking at the
sea.
6 I love my home town __________ there are
lots of parks, trees, and lakes.
Book Activity 9 - Objective: appropriate, as the activity Restructuring
Time: does not help learners to construct Activity 6
LLOs: sentences used in writing the text. Time:
Work in pairs. Take turns to add a - Method: not appropriate, as the activity LLOs:
second part to your sentences from does not allow learners to practise writing - The learners add a second part to the
Exercise 7. Use because or so. down sentences individually. sentences from Activity 3 independently,
- Content: not appropriate, as the using because or so.
sentences provided may not relate to - The learners compare ideas with other
 learners' knowledge and experiences. partners.
- Volunteers are invited to share their ideas
with the class.
There is no activity in the book serving as a Adding
guided writing activity. Activity 7
Time:
LLOs:
- The learners complete the paragraphs
provided based on the images.
- Volunteers are invited to share their ideas
with the class.
There is no activity in the book that allows Adding
learners to write an opening paragraph for Activity 8
their blog posts. Time:
LLOs:
- The learners write down the answers to
the following questions.
 Is your favourite place to live a
village, town, or city?
 Where is it? (on the mountains, by the
sea, etc.)
 Is it large or small?
 Are there many people living there?
 How long have you been living there?
- The learners write 1-2 sentences as the
opening paragraph for their blog posts.
Book Activity 10 - Objective: appropriate, as the activity Restructuring (combining Book Activity 10
Time: allows learners to prepare ideas for and Book Activity 11 into Activity 9)
LLOs: writing.
Choose your favourite town or city to - Method: not appropriate, as learners
write about. Spend five minutes are not instructed to write after gathering
thinking about what the place is like. ideas.
Write a list of the adjectives and - Content: appropriate, as gathering
modifiers that you'd like to use. ideas is a necessary preliminary step
towards free writing.
Book Activity 11 - Objective: appropriate, as the activity Using as it stands
Time: allows learners to practise writing the Activity 9
LLOs: text. Time:
Plan a blog post that describes the - Method: appropriate, as writing is LLOs:
town / city you chose in Exercise 10. regarded as a process for this activity. - The learners write down details and any
Use the topics in Exercise 2, or choose - Content: appropriate, as the activity additional information about their
other topics. Then write a post of serves as a free writing activity. favourite places to live.
around 150 words. - The learners write their blog posts.
Book Activity 12 - Objective: appropriate, as the activity Restructuring
Time: allows for peer feedback. Activity 10
LLOs: Time:
- Method: not entirely appropriate, as
Work in pairs. Exchange your posts. LLOs:
learners are not provided with sufficient
Read your partner's post and see how - The teacher provides the learners with a
well they have used adjectives and criteria to provide feedback. checklist for giving feedback.
modifiers. Can you see any ways it - Content: not appropriate, as the use of - The learners give feedback to other
could be improved? adjectives and modifiers should not be a learners' blog posts according to the
major area of consideration when giving checklist.
feedback.
There is no activity in the book to conclude Adding
the lesson. Activity 11
Time:
LLOs:
- The teacher collects the learners' writing.
- The learners answer the following
question:
 What do ‘a bit’, ‘really’ and ‘very’
mean? How are they used?
 What do ‘because’ and ‘so’ mean?
How are they used?
- The teacher reiterates how to write a blog
post to describe places.
- The learners give their thoughts on the
lesson.
Appendices:
1. Short descriptions for Activities 2, 3, and 5
Description 1
My home town (5 comments)
1 Hanoi is a big city in the north of the country and the capital city of Vietnam. I've lived here all my life, so I know it very well.
2 It's a beautiful city. It's really green. There are lots of parks, and you find trees and flowers everywhere. The climate is very hot
and humid, so everything grows really quickly.
3 The centre is really old and it has lots of historic buildings, but now you find lots of modern buildings too, because the centre is
changing fast. The city's very famous for the lake in the centre, called Hoàn Kiếm. It's a bit polluted, so nobody swims there, but
it's beautiful to look at!
4 It always feels very lively. People spend a lot of time outside, talking to neighbours, eating, studying or just going around town.
However, it can be a bit noisy at times, because a lot of people ride around on motorcycles.
Description 2
My home town (12 comments)
1 The flowers are everywhere in the spring, and the temperature rises in the summer. In the autumn, Interlaken is bright yellow
and orange throughout, and the days get shorter. In December, the town turns into a winter wonderland.
2 Interlaken is a town in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. My home town changes into different brilliant colours for all four seasons.
Growing up in Interlaken, I have seen it with my own eyes.
3 Many tourists visit Interlaken to experience adventure sports. From skydiving to surfing, there's something for everyone. For
many locals, we enjoy toboggan rides in the winter. However, outdoor activities happen far from our homes, so the town is
peaceful at night.
4 The River Aare connects the two lakes at opposite ends of the town, called Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. There are also five fairy-
tale castles on Lake Thun. Much like the castles, most homes in the villages were built long ago.
2. Materials for Activity 7
Image 1 Image 2

Con Dao is a small, remote island off the southern coast of Bairro Alto is a central district of Lisbon, Portugal. There are so
Vietnam. It's a fantastic place to live for people in need of peace many things to do and places to visit.
and quiet. Because 7__________, there are beautiful stairways along the way to
I haven't found anywhere as relaxing as Con Dao. Because there the district. If 8__________, though, you can also take Tram 28 and
are so few people living and visiting the island, 1__________. There explore all the historic neighbourhoods without getting tired.
are many interesting plants and animals here, you won't see them 6
__________, so the savoury smells of steak and grilled fish are
anywhere else. everywhere. You won't regret trying the local dishes.
2
__________, so you should take in the air as much as possible. Bairro Alto is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Lisbon, but the
What's more, because 3__________, you won't have any trouble district comes alive at night. The streets are packed with bars and
seeing coral when you go snorkelling. clubs, so 9__________. 10__________, because you wouldn't want to
Con Dao falls silent as the sun sets, so 4__________. However, the lose anything valuable in the crowd.
most exciting activity happens on the open sea. The fishers head
out when everyone else's already asleep, so 5__________.