We’re going there later!

In this A2 ESL lesson plan, students will watch a short video about NASA’s plans to go to the moon, and will learn to use the Present Continuous to talk about about future plans. 

Warm-up questions

The lesson starts with a couple of warm-up questions related to space exploration and NASA.

Video: We are going to the Moon

Before playing the video We are going to the Moon, the student gets familiar with the vocabulary they’re going to hear in the video (pioneer, overcome, gravity, hazard, in orbit) through a matching exercise. Then, after watching it, they answer three sets of video comprehension questions. They practice using the new vocabulary by filling in the gaps.

Grammar: The Present Continuous for future plans

A sentence is extracted from the video in order to introduce the Present Continuous with the purpose of making future plans. This use is further explained and exemplified, and the structure revised. Following the explanation, the student decides whether the present continuous in different sentences refers to present or future time. They also correct the mistakes in sentences containing the Present Continuous.

Grammar: The present continuous vs. will

The difference between the future use of the present continuous and the future will can sometimes be confusing for the student. This is explained, exemplified, and followed by exercises in which the student decides which future expression they need to use in different contexts, and changes the sentences with will to use the Present Continuous.

Wrap-up questions

The lesson ends with a discussion about the student’s future plans for the weekend, the following year, etc.