2.4.4 Modals: Should / Ought to / Had better Lesson Plan

Lesson Procedure:

1. What’s Your Advice? After watching the movie I Should Rest (L2U4L4), ask pairs of students to make a list of all the problems and symptoms they remember that Ben had. Then make a master list on the board, with their input. The symptoms from the movie are listed below. Divide the class into three groups for a Roundtable activity. Give one of the writing prompts to each group, and assign them one of Ben's problems. Instruct them to pass the paper around for each member to add a piece of advice. It could be from the movie, or other ideas they might have. When they can't think of any more advice, give them a different problem from the list. To go over the activity, select a problem and have each group read their advice.
   Ben's symptoms: He thinks he might be sick. / Every part of his body hurts. / His nose is running. / He has a terrible headache. / He's thirsty. / His stomach hurts. / He isn't hungry. / He can't eat anything. / He has a fever. / He's tired.
   As an extension, pairs role play a doctor and a patient. The patient says what his/her problem is and asks for advice. The doctor offers advice using a modal. Pairs practice, and then exchange roles and cards. Each pair performs their mini-dialogues for the rest of the class.
2. Write and Reenact. Have students work in pairs to write a dialogue between Ben and Moby, or Ben and the doctor, based on the movie. They can watch the movie again to take notes about Ben's problems and the advice he gets. Give them time to write, review and edit, and then practice their dialogues. The next day, have the students perform the dialogues for the class.
3. Problem or Advice? Have students complete the Hear It, Say It feature with a partner. Each line from the movie is either a problem or a piece of advice. The students must decide which one each sentence is, and either respond verbally to the problems with appropriate advice, or respond to the advice with the missing problem. Instruct them to record their answers and listen back to each before proceeding to the next line. Before beginning, partners must decide which of them will respond to the problems with advice, and which will respond to the advice with the missing problems. Encourage students to use the modals should, ought to, and had better.