**Lesson Plan: English Comprehension for Junior Secondary 3**
**Topic: Structure: Expressing Exception using "except for," "but," and "apart from"**
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**Objective:**
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
1. Understand and correctly use "except for," "but," and "apart from" to express exceptions in sentences.
2. Identify sentences that properly use exception structures.
3. Apply these structures in their writing and speaking.
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**Materials:**
- Whiteboard and markers
- Handouts with exercises
- Sample texts showing the use of "except for," "but," and "apart from"
- Audio clips with examples (optional)
- Flashcards
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**Introduction (10 minutes):**
1. **Greeting and Objective Presentation:** Greet the students and present the objectives for the day's lesson.
2. **Engage Students:** Ask students to brainstorm and share situations where they need to mention exceptions. Write some examples on the board.
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**Direct Instruction (15 minutes):**
1. **Explanation:**
- **Except for:** Used to exclude one or more items from a general statement.
- Example: Everyone attended the meeting except for John.
- **But:** Can denote an exception similar to "except for," often interchangeably used.
- Example: I like all kinds of music but rap.
- **Apart from:** Can mean "except for" and sometimes "in addition to."
- Example 1 (except): The book was interesting apart from the ending.
- Example 2 (in addition): Apart from English, she also speaks Spanish.
2. **Comparative Analysis:** Highlight the differences and similarities between "except for," "but," and "apart from."
- Use a Venn diagram to visually compare the uses.
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**Guided Practice (15 minutes):**
1. **Group Activity:** Distribute handouts with various sentences. Instruct students to work in pairs to fill in the blanks with "except for," "but," or "apart from."
- Example: Everyone was at the party, _____ the DJ who was late.
2. **Review and Correction:** Go over the answers with the class, explaining the rationale for each choice.
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**Independent Practice (20 minutes):**
1. **Writing Exercise:** Ask students to write a short paragraph about their favorite hobbies or a recent event, including at least three sentences using the target exception structures.
- Collect and review some samples publicly.
2. **Speaking Exercise:** Students pair up and share their paragraphs with each other, listening for correct usage of the target structures.
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**Extension Activity (Optional):**
1. **Listening Comprehension:** Play an audio clip that contains dialogues using the exception structures. Have students identify and transcribe the sentences they hear.
2. **Flashcards:** Create a set of flashcards with sentences missing "except for," "but," or "apart from." Have students draw a card and complete the sentences aloud.
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**Assessment and Evaluation (10 minutes):**
1. **Quiz:** A short quiz to assess understanding. Sample questions include multiple-choice, sentence completion, and error correction.
- Example: Fill in the blank - Jane ate all the cookies, _____ the chocolate ones she saved for her friend.
2. **Exit Ticket:** Each student writes one sentence using "except for," "but," or "apart from" to check immediate comprehension before leaving the class.
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**Closure (5 minutes):**
1. **Review:** Summarize the key points of the lesson. Reinforce the correct usage of "except for," "but," and "apart from."
2. **Homework:** Assign a reading passage for students to read at home, highlighting any sentences that use "except for," "but," or "apart from." They are to rewrite these sentences, ensuring understanding.
3. **Goodbye:** Conclude the lesson with a positive note and remind students of the next class's topic.
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**Notes for the Teacher:**
- Ensure to circulate the room during group and independent activities to provide assistance and clarification as needed.
- Encourage student participation and provide positive reinforcement to build confidence.
- Adjust the lesson based on the students’ pace and comprehension levels.
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End of Lesson Plan.