**Lesson Plan**
**Subject:** English Comprehension
**Grade:** Junior Secondary 1
**Topic:** Introduction to Vowel Contrast: /æ/, /ɑː/, /ɒ/, /ɔː/
**Duration:** 40 minutes
**Objective:**
1. Students will be able to identify and produce the vowel sounds /æ/, /ɑː/, /ɒ/, and /ɔː/.
2. Students will understand the difference between these vowel sounds through listening, speaking, and practice exercises.
3. Students will enhance their comprehension skills by recognizing these vowel sounds in context.
**Materials Needed:**
- Audio recordings of words containing /æ/, /ɑː/, /ɒ/, and /ɔː/.
- Flashcards with sample words.
- Whiteboard and markers.
- Worksheet with practice exercises.
- Projector or speakers for audio playback.
**Lesson Procedure:**
**1. Warm-up Activity (5 minutes):**
- Begin with a brief discussion about vowels and their importance in forming words and sentences.
- Introduce the four target vowel sounds for the lesson: /æ/ as in 'cat', /ɑː/ as in 'car', /ɒ/ as in 'hot', and /ɔː/ as in 'door'.
- Use visual aids (flashcards) for each vowel sound with corresponding example words and images.
**2. Introduction and Explanation (10 minutes):**
- Play audio recordings of each vowel sound several times, asking students to listen carefully.
- Write the phonetic symbols /æ/, /ɑː/, /ɒ/, and /ɔː/ on the board and give more examples of words with these sounds.
Example words:
- /æ/: cat, bat, hat
- /ɑː/: car, star, park
- /ɒ/: hot, pot, not
- /ɔː/: door, four, more
- Demonstrate the mouth position and tongue placement for each vowel sound. Encourage students to mimic and practice these sounds.
**3. Group Practice (10 minutes):**
- Divide students into small groups.
- Hand out flashcards with different words. Ask each group to categorize the words based on the vowel sounds.
- Move around the room to monitor progress and provide assistance as needed.
**4. Listening Exercise (5 minutes):**
- Play another set of audio recordings, this time with sentences containing the target vowel sounds.
- Ask students to raise their hands when they hear words with the specific vowel sounds you've been practicing.
**5. Individual Practice (5 minutes):**
- Distribute the worksheet with practice exercises including matching words to their vowel sounds and filling in the blanks with appropriate words.
**6. Conclusion and Recap (5 minutes):**
- Recap the key points of the lesson. Ask volunteers to share what they learned.
- Conduct a quick Q&A session to reinforce their understanding.
- Assign a short homework exercise: students should find three new words for each vowel sound to bring to the next class.
**Assessment:**
- Observe student participation during group activities.
- Review the worksheet answers to gauge individual understanding.
- Listening for correct pronunciation during class discussions.
**Homework:**
- Find three new words for each vowel sound (/æ/, /ɑː/, /ɒ/, and /ɔː/) and write a sentence using each word.