General Description

Specific tasks

Specific linguistic aptitudes and/or target lexicon

Cross-disciplinary activities & competences

Week 1

Creation of Voicethread Presentations

Sts writing their individual presentations (name, age, something unique…)

Sts photos are taken

Sts record orally their prepared text

Introducing one’s self; giving simple information: age, likes and dislikes, family relationships, physical descriptions …

ICT: Use of audio recorder (diction when using a microphone, etc.)

Interpersonal: Introductions

Week 2

Listening to partner schools' video presentations

Information gathering

Sts watch partners' video presentations

In groups, students compare information (similarities & differences) between groups

Listening for specific information; comprehension of physical descriptions, use of comparatives (more, less, etc.)

Geography: students locate partner school on map; compare with ubication of last year's partner school; learn expansive circles (city, state, country, continent)

Intercultural competences (getting to know the other)

Week 3

Use of flashcards to present specific target language

Creation of posters about partner schools (what we know, what we want to ask, etc.)

Avatar pictures are used for listening/comprehending & giving physical descriptions (coupled with games like 'Last One Out', Matching pairs, etc.)

Information gathered from video presentations + previous knowledge is used to create posters about partner school

Specific questions to ask in videoconference are written as a group

Specific lexicon related to physical descriptions: fat, thin, tall, short, tired, energetic, etc.

Use of greetings, asking simple questions

Physical education: students learn about types of physical activities needed for healthy body

Intercultural competences; interest in others

Week 4

Short videoconference in small groups.

Practice of greetings. Volunteers ask previously decided questions. Whole group answers.

Viewing of machinima clip to introduce healthy/unhealthy habits

Creation of poster of good/bad habits

Videoconference:

Practice of greetings. Volunteers ask previously decided questions. Whole group answers.

Viewing of machinima clip: Different avatars make statements (e.g. smoking is a healthy habit). Students respond true/false

Compiling of information good/bad habits for poster (from machinima + own contributions)

Oral comprehension and recognition of different intonations/accents

Oral comprehension aided by visual and textual imagery

Use of greetings, asking simple questions, polite responses

Social Studies: Sts visit local market to buy 'healthy' snacks.

Intercultural competences; showing interest in others, relating previous knowledge with new knowledge about other cultures

ICT: Use of social media for communicative purpose; use of videocameras, use of microphones

Week 5

Vocabulary introduced through flashcards.

Poster made to show connections between good/bad habits and consequences

Vocabulary related to the case studies are presented through flashcards.

Flashcards used for games and to make connections between good/bad habits and consequences (creation of poster which stays in classroom as visual aide for further activities)

New lexicon related to topic: lice, backache, bad teeth, bad posture, etc.

Comprehension of causal conjunctions, e.g. ‘because’.

Catalan: Students create dossier in Catalan language around trip to market (personal experience, identified fruits and vegetables, etc.)

Maths:

Students make a preliminary budget of anticipated amount to spend on healthy snacks. Calculate amount spent upon return. Calculate amount left over (maths done through English).

Week 6

Revision of introductory machinima (what do scientists do when they observe human behavior?).

Example of how to fill in simple report

Small groups assigned to case for observation

Sts revise how scientists work.

Sts are shown how to observe and fill in simple report.

Small groups of students observe 1 of 3 cases and fill in the information in 'report'. Students compare and correct their answers with other groups.

Oral comprehension skills (guessing gist from context and visual cues)

Making connections between oral input and written text; recognition of target lexicon (oral & written)

ICT: Students manipulate video clips in laptop computers (stop, rewind, repetition, etc.)

Reasoning: Students must relate oral statements to listed facts and be able to recognize that text lists are not in order nor do all written items appear in oral text.

Week 7

Viewing of case studies

Videoconference 2 (information exchange)

Viewing of case studies (whole class)

'Experts' from each case help comprehension of behaviour for rest of class

Videoconference 2 (information exchange). Information in the three cases was slightly different (not contradictory, rather complementary information). Students take turns filling in partners on information gaps (use of hand-out as aid)..

Greetings, giving information, asking for clarification, polite responses

Intercultural competences; showing interest in others, relating previous knowledge with new knowledge about other cultures

ICT: Use of social media for communicative purpose; use of videocameras, use of microphones

Week 8

Students fill in 'final report' about avatar behavior.

Sts make link between cause and effect.

Sts make suggestions for better health

Through comparison of all the information gathered (revised 3x in small groups, whole groups and international groups), students fill in 'final report' regarding avatar's habits and subsequent health problems.

Based on final report, students make suggestions for their case avatar in order to improve health.

Making suggestions (use of modal auxiliary ‘should’)

Revision of target lexicon; experimenting with new language possibilities (language creativity & risk—taking through open-ended questions)

Interpersonal competences: Empathy for others

Social Science: Understanding the relationship between habits and physical results (e.g. bad posture causes bad posture).

Week 9

Sts view machinima. Scientist avatars give results

Scientist avatars give oral report of actions taken (based on suggestions) and results of actions.

Oral comprehension of cause-effect explanations; connection to written text (hand-out).

Social Science: Understanding the relationship between habits and physical results (e.g. bad posture causes bad posture) and comprehending the effect of behaviour change.

Week 10

Machinima featuring scientist avatars in 'talk show'. Avatars interview students about healthy habits

Final written evaluation

Through interview questions (escalating in difficulty) avatars 'interview' students about what they have learnt. Students answers are recorded as if taking part in talk show.

Students show their level of comprehension of written text, with use of images. Students show if they can categorize information (problem, good habit, bad habit, etc.). Students show their understanding of causal relationships through multiple choice questions. Open-ended question for suggestions.

Oral comprehension of direct questions; giving simple answers. Explaining causal relationships. Reading of target lexicon, use of relative conjunction (because), making suggestions.