A Car to Take You Far

A WebQuest for Beginning ESL Adult Learners

Leecy Wise (leecy@pinons.org)

 

INTRODUCTION | TASK | PROCESS | RESOURCES |EVALUATION | CONCLUSION | TEACHER NOTES

 

Introduction

People use cars every day. You or your friends have a car. In this project, you will learn the parts of cars. You will talk about cars with others.

 

Task

In this project, you will do many things. You will work in class and on the Internet. Here are the things that you will do.

  1. You will name the parts of cars in pictures.
  2. You will complete sentences using car vocabulary.
  3. You will talk with a friend about cars.
  4. You will record the conversation.
  5. You will dictate sentences and write sentences that you hear.
  6. You will change your conversation to the past.
  7. You will write a conversation about cars and travel.

Process

 These are the steps you will use.
  1. Go to http://www.languageguide.org/im/car/eng/. Move the computer mouse around the page. Move the mouse into each of the circles. When you do, a voice will tell you the name of the car part connected to the circle. Repeat the words you hear. Next look at Handout 1 while listening to the words again. As you hear each word, locate it on Handout 1. Next, close your eyes and visualize the written word. Write the word yourself on the handout as you say the word slowly.
  2. Next, go to Handout 2A and Handout 2B. On the handouts, label the car parts. Find the words from Handout 1, and make sure to write them correctly in the boxes.
  3. Create a concentration game using pictures and the names of car parts. Your teacher will show you how. Play the game with other students or with your family.
  4. Open Handout 3. Complete the sentences about someone’s car.
  5. Click on the headphone pictures to hear a conversation. Listen to the conversation. Use Handout 4 to read the conversation.

Part I Part II
(Recorded by Vicky Lara)

  1. Memorize the conversation. Practice the conversation with another student or your teacher. Exchange parts in the conversation. Each person should have a chance to say each part.
  2. Record the conversation when you are ready. Your teacher will show you how.

  3. Write Part I of the conversation putting the verbs in the past tense. Change the other words as you need to (Example: I'm taking a trip next month with my family changes to I took a trip last month with my family.) Check your changes.

  4. Dictate the conversation to a partner. Check your writing.

  5. Work with a partner. Write a new conversation using your words and using verbs in the past tense. Call it Conversation II.

 NOTE: Use the Rubrics pages to check your progress.

Resources

 ONLINE

  1. http://www.languageguide.org/im/car/eng/ - The Car (car vocabulary)
  2. Handout 1: Vocabulary List
  3. Handout 2A and Handout 2B: Name the Parts
  4. Handout 3: Sentence Completion
  5. Handout 4: Conversation
  6. Handout 5: Rubrics

 

DOWNLOAD

  1. Handout 1: Vocabulary List
  2. Handout 2A and Handout 2B: Name the Parts
  3. Handout 3: Sentence Completion
  4. Handout 4: Conversation
  5. Handout 5: Rubrics

 

Evaluation

Click on the word Rubrics to check your work as you go along. You will see a page with information on each activity:

 

  1. Name the parts in the picture.
  2. Concentration game cards
  3. Completed sentences
  4. Recorded conversation I
  5. Dictated conversation
  6. Written conversation II

 

Conclusion

Now you know how to talk about cars. I hope you plan a good trip on your next vacation!

 

Teacher Notes

This is a project for beginning ESL adult learners.

 

Since this project is for a beginning student, go over each part with students as a group before having them work alone or in pairs. Clarify any confusion about the steps they need to take and about the vocabulary in the instructions. Show them how to click on links and use the sites. The handouts and rubrics listed in the Resources section can be viewed both online or downloaded.

 

Tech Tip: Instead of drawing the pictures of the names they learn, students can right-click the image on the screen, copy the image, and paste it into a Word document. They can then label the parts in the Word document.

 

Additional Sites (Including some for Spanish speakers)

 

Following are some great sites for additional practice with car-related terms and situations. Some have terms used in other parts of the world, so teachers will need to explain unfamiliar terms to students. The reading levels for some of the sites are advanced, but these include pictures that students can learn from.

 

 

Instructions for Creating a Concentration Game

Extension

  • Have students create a picture dictionary of terms using Google or other images inserted into a table created in Word.

  • Have students write a simple definition for each term.

  • Have students match terms with definitions instead of pictures in a concentration game.

Add additional intelligences to the project. For example, mathematical intelligences can be used for mileage, car- or travel-related purchases, and gas consumption; existential and naturalistic intelligences can be engaged through discussions about consumer concerns, pollution, and other issues related to cars and travel; musical intelligences can be engaged through listening to the many songs about cars or even writing lyrics to simple tunes.