2.3.1 Present Progressive with Future Intent Lesson Plan

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

In the BrainPOP ELL movie, I’m Running a Race (L2U3L1), Ben is training for a marathon. An injury during the race prevents him from finishing, but he and Moby decide to train together for next year’s marathon! In this lesson plan, which is adaptable for grades K-8, students identify different uses of the present progressive tense, and practice using the present progressive with future intent.

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Students will:

  1. Distinguish among different uses of the present progressive tense.
  2. Complete a table with information from the movie.
  3. Respond to questions about their near future plans, and report their partners' responses.

Materials:

Preparation:

For Activity 2, prepare blank schedules for next Saturday and Sunday, and make copies, or prepare it on chart paper or on the board, to be filled in with the details of Ben’s plans.

Lesson Procedure:

  1. When is it Happening? Introduce the present progressive to talk about the future by playing the first three lines of the movie I'm Running a Race (L2U3L1). Pause the movie after the first three sentences play: I'm practicing. I'm meeting my team in the city next Sunday. We're running in the marathon. Draw students' attention to the use of the present progressive in all three sentences. Ask if they see any differences. Using the Say Something strategy, give the students one minute to discuss each question with their partners. If needed, prompt them with questions about when each sentence is happening. Elicit the conclusion that the action in the first sentence is happening right now, in the present, and the other two sentences refer to future plans. Draw students' attention to the use of the present progressive in all three sentences. Ask if they see any differences. Using the Say Something strategy, give the students one minute to discuss each question with their partners. If needed, prompt them with questions about when each sentence is happening. Elicit the conclusion that the action in the first sentence is happening right now, in the present, and the other two sentences refer to future plans.
  2. Ben's Schedule. After watching the movie I'm Running a Race (L2U3L1), have students complete a table of Ben's schedule (see Preparation). You may want to make copies of the schedule for them to complete, or write it on the board for them to copy. One suggestion is to give students the times, and have them fill in the activities as they watch the movie.
    Next, call on students to think of the question for each scheduled event, and have students ask and answer each one with a partner. For example: Question: When is Ben taking the train? Answer: Ben is taking the train at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday.

    Next Saturday
    8:00 a.m. Take the train
    9:00 a.m. Arrive in the city
    9:30 a.m. Go to my friend’s house
    1:00 p.m. Visit important things around the city
    7:00 p.m. Have dinner at a restaurant
    Next Sunday
    7:30 a.m. Meet the team
    8:00 a.m. Run the marathon
    5:00 p.m. Take the train home
  3. This Weekend. Ask students about their plans for the upcoming weekend. Have partners tell each other what they're doing, using the present progressive. Then ask volunteers to report their partner’s plans.

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Filed as:  2.3.1 - Present Prog. (Future Intent), 3-5, 6-8, BrainPOP ELL, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.1e, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1b, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.1c, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.8, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.8, K-3, Verbs