Giáo án Looking back

Ss activate prior knowledge of the unit and recall the idea of focusing one part of a sentence.

T asks Ss to think about a plan they made recently (a study plan, a trip, a weekend activity). T writes on the board: 'Lan made the plan.' T asks: 'Who made the plan? Can you say it in another way that puts Lan first?' Ss answer in pairs for 1 minute, then T introduces the topic: 'Today we review how to highlight one part of a sentence and how to sound polite when we invite, suggest or request.'

Ss give the target idea in their own words, for example: 'We can say: It was Lan who made the plan.' The key idea recorded on the board: a cleft sentence highlights one part of the sentence, and the original event, tense and actor stay the same.

Ss review cleft sentences that focus on a person, a time, an object or a place, and identify which relative word to use (who or that).

(Period 1) T presents the grammar rules on the slide and models three examples:

• Focus on a person: Lan made the plan → It was Lan who made the plan.
• Focus on time: Lan made the plan on Monday → It was on Monday that Lan made it.
• Focus on an object: The calendar helped me → It was the calendar that helped me.
  T highlights three rules: (1) 'who' is possible for a person; 'that' works for all common focuses; (2) keep the original event, tense and actor unchanged; (3) do not use a cleft to imply an unsupported contrast. Ss complete Phiếu học tập số 1 in pairs, Part A (transform 3 sentences).

Ss complete Phiếu học tập số 1, Part A, with these answers:

• Nam taught Mai → It was Nam who taught Mai.
• We met in the library → It was in the library that we met.
• She paid yesterday → It was yesterday that she paid.
  Key rules recorded: It was + focus + who/that; use who for a person; keep tense and actor the same.

Ss recognise and produce the fall-rise contour used in invitations, suggestions and polite requests.

(Period 1) T presents three phrases on the slide with arrows:

• Would you like to join our workshop? ↘↗
• Why don't we practise together? ↘↗
• Could you show me the timetable? ↘↗
  T models each phrase twice: first slowly, then at a natural pace. T explains that the printed focus is a friendly fall-rise contour, and that other natural polite contours can be valid in context. T models 'a fall then a rise' without stretching every syllable. Ss practise chorally and then in pairs, marking the stressed words with coloured pens.

Ss can read the three phrases with a fall-rise contour on the stressed words (join, together, timetable), with clear meaning and natural rhythm. Key note recorded: meaning, tone and wording work together.

Ss understand the steps of weekly budget planning and use the topic vocabulary (budget, priority, manage, self-motivated, self-study, independent) in context.

(Period 2) T reads the budget steps aloud and writes them on the board:

1. Write down the money actually available, not money you hope to receive.
2. List necessary travel and school costs.
3. Set aside a small reserve if possible.
4. Decide what remains for optional spending.
5. Record purchases during the week.
6. Compare the record with the plan and adjust the next week.
   T uses the fictional example: from 200,000 đồng, allow 80,000 for travel, 50,000 for school materials, 20,000 for a reserve and 50,000 for optional spending. T asks Ss to add the four amounts to check the total. T introduces the follow-up: 'What if travel costs rise?' Ss look at Phiếu học tập số 2 and check the vocabulary: independent (tự lập), self-study (tự học), budget (ngân sách), priority (việc ưu tiên), manage (quản lí), self-motivated (có động lực tự thân).

Ss can state the six steps in order and check that 80,000 + 50,000 + 20,000 + 50,000 = 200,000 đồng. Ss answer the follow-up: 'Revise the budget and seek appropriate advice before cutting essential travel or assuming extra money will appear.' Key idea recorded: responsible planning, not a competition to spend the least.

Ss consolidate cleft sentences, topic vocabulary and polite intonation through the exercises from the unit.

Ss complete the exercises below, first individually (Exercises 1–8), then in pairs for the vocabulary matching (Exercise 9) and the intonation practice (Exercise 10). Phiếu học tập số 1, Part B, contains Exercises 1–8. Exercise 10 is a pair speaking task.

1. Focus on Lan: ___ Lan who made the plan. A. It were; B. Was it; C. It was; D. There was.
2. Focus on time: It was on Monday ___ she called. A. where to; B. that; C. who; D. whose.
3. Choose the cleft focusing on the tool. A. It was the calendar that helped me.; B. It was I who used the calendar.; C. It was yesterday that I planned.; D. The calendar helped me.
4. Choose the equivalent of 'Nam taught Mai.' A. It was Mai who taught Nam.; B. It was Nam who was taught by Mai.; C. It is Nam who will teach Mai.; D. It was Nam who taught Mai.
5. It is my sister ___ usually checks the list. A. whose; B. where; C. who; D. which.
6. Focus on place: It was ___ that we met. A. where in; B. in the library; C. who the library; D. the library who.
7. Choose a correct object focus. A. It was a weekly budget that I prepared.; B. It was a weekly budget who I prepared.; C. It was I which prepared a budget.; D. It was prepared that a weekly budget.
8. 'It was yesterday that she paid' emphasises ___. A. the payer; B. the amount; C. the method; D. the time.
9. Match each topic expression with its meaning: independent; self-study; budget; priority; manage; self-motivated.
10. Read the three phrases from the intonation section aloud twice: first slowly, then at a natural pace. Explain the focus and demonstrate it.

Answers:

1. C (It was introduces a past cleft.)
2. B (That introduces the remainder after a time focus.)
3. A (The focused noun phrase is the calendar.)
4. D (Actor, receiver and past event remain unchanged.)
5. C (Who refers to the focused person.)
6. B (A prepositional place phrase can be focused.)
7. A (That introduces the object-focus remainder.)
8. D (Yesterday is the highlighted constituent.)
9. independent – tự lập; self-study – tự học; budget – ngân sách; priority – việc ưu tiên; manage – quản lí; self-motivated – có động lực tự thân.
10. Teacher scoring scale (10 points): focus on the fall-rise contour in invitations, suggestions and polite requests (4 points; 2 points if the contour is inconsistent); pronunciation of all sounds and syllables, with clear meaning (3 points; 1–2 points if a few parts are hard to hear); rhythm and intonation at natural pace (3 points).

Ss apply the budget steps, the cleft sentences and the polite intonation in a new, connected product that is realistic and responsible.

Working in groups of four, Ss create a short poster called 'Our Weekly Budget Plan' using the fictional example or their own realistic figures (no account details or passwords). The poster must include: (1) the money available for the week, (2) the four categories (travel, school materials, reserve, optional spending), (3) at least two cleft sentences that highlight a key decision, for example: 'It was travel costs that we planned first.' (4) one polite invitation or suggestion for a classmate, read with the fall-rise contour, for example: 'Why don't we check the record together?' Groups present in 2 minutes. Ss use the vocabulary: budget, priority, manage, self-motivated, self-study, independent. Homework: each student records purchases for one week and writes a short reflection.

A group poster in English with: a table of the four amounts (80,000 đồng for travel; 50,000 đồng for school materials; 20,000 đồng for a reserve; 50,000 đồng for optional spending; total 200,000 đồng), two correct cleft sentences, one polite suggestion with a fall-rise contour, and one sentence using 'priority' or 'manage'. The poster should follow the six budget steps in order.