Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8, K-3

In the BrainPOP ELL movie, Ben Needs Help (L1U2L5), Ben needs Moby’s help moving boxes. But when Moby claims he’s too busy, Ben doesn’t take no for an answer. In this lesson plan, adaptable for grades K-8, students use the present progressive and stative verbs to predict dialogue in the movie, and to sequence and write captions for the movie’s storyboard.

 

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Students will:

  1. Predict Ben’s dialogue in the movie Ben Needs Help (L1U2L5).
  2. Write captions for the images in the movie’s storyboard.
  3. Sequence the images from the storyboard and explain their choices to the class.

Materials:

Preparation:

  • Make a copy of the Ben Needs Help! Storyboard  for each student.
  • For the Sequencing Storyboards activity, cut up the pictures in advance. Make sure to separate them into a set of 12 pictures for each student in the class.

Lesson Procedure:

  1. What is Ben Saying? For the first viewing of Ben Needs Help (L1U2L5), show the movie with the sound and closed captioning turned off. Pause the movie periodically and ask students to write what they think Ben is saying or asking. If needed, remind them about the present progressive tense in affirmative, negative, and question form, as well as stative verbs. Have students work in pairs to discuss what they think. Then ask them to share their ideas with the class.
  2. Storyboards. As a post-movie activity, distribute the Ben Needs Help! Storyboard to the class. In pairs, ask students to discuss what Ben is saying, and then write captions for the images. They may watch the movie again, and copy what Ben says, or they may write new captions. Ask volunteers to share their storyboards, and then display them in the room.
  3. Sequencing Stoyboards. You can also use the Ben Needs Help! Storyboards in a sequencing activity. Cut out the individual panels and distribute sets of the 12 panels to each student to sequence in the order that makes sense to them. It can be the order of the movie, or a different order, as long as they can explain their sequence. After deciding on their sequence, have them glue the pictures on another piece of paper or cardstock, and then write captions. If needed, remind them about the present progressive tense in affirmative, negative, and question form, as well as stative verbs. Have the students practice describing and explaining their storyboards to a partner, and then ask them to share their storyboards with the class.