I can jump! Can and can't
Children learn ten action verbs, then use "can" and "can't" to talk about what they, their friends and a funny robot can do.
At a glance
- From
- Level 1, Next Steps English: Week 8, Action verbs
- Grammar
- can / can't
- Key language
- run, jump, swim, climb, dance, sing, ride a bike, skip, catch, kick / I can... I can't... Can you...? Yes, I can. No, I can't.
- Children make
- A four-person class survey and sentences about abilities.
- Class size
- Works with 10 to 50 children; pair and group steps say how to scale.
Objective
Children use "can" and "can't" with action verbs to talk about abilities, and ask and answer "Can you...?"
Success criteria for children
- I can say ten action words.
- I can say what I can and can't do.
- I can ask a friend "Can you...?" and answer.
Timing: 60 minutes
| Minutes | Stage | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 6 | Warm-up: Simon says | Simon says with known commands, then new actions. |
| 6 to 16 | Action verbs | Teach ten verbs with actions; drill and mime. |
| 16 to 26 | Can and can't | Model true sentences about yourself; thumbs up and down. |
| 26 to 34 | Listening: Robo the robot | Children listen and tick what Robo can and can't do. |
| 34 to 47 | Survey: Can you...? | Ask four classmates four questions; record yes or no. |
| 47 to 55 | Writing | Write two can and two can't sentences about me. |
| 55 to 60 | Exit ticket | Ask a partner one question; teacher listens in. |
Materials
- Space to stand up and move (beside desks is fine)
- Ten verbs written on the board with a quick stick-figure drawing each
- Worksheet, pencils
- Actions (free, linked from Week 8)
- Sports (free, linked from Week 8)
- Grammar practice (free, linked from Week 8)
Step by step, with teacher talk
0 to 6 minWarm-up: Simon says
- Play "Teacher says" with stand up, sit down, touch your nose. Then add jump and dance and show the action.
"Teacher says jump! Teacher says dance! Sit down... oh, I didn't say 'Teacher says'!"
6 to 16 minAction verbs
- Say and mime each verb; children copy the word and action.
- Mime silently; children say the word. Then a child mimes for the class.
- (Mime swimming.) Am I running or swimming? (Swimming.)
16 to 26 minCan and can't
- Say true sentences with thumbs: "I can ride a bike (thumb up). I can't swim (thumb down)." Exaggerate "can't".
- Write on the board: I can swim. I can't swim. Show that the verb does not change.
- Say sentences about yourself; children guess with thumbs if they are true, then you reveal.
"Can I climb a tree? Thumbs up or down? Hmm... No, I can't! I can't climb a tree."
- "I can't swim." Do I swim? (No.)
- Do we say "I can swims"? (No, I can swim.)
26 to 34 minListening: Robo the robot
- Read the listening script below in a robot voice. First time: children do the action when Robo can, and freeze when he can't.
- Second time: children complete task 1 on the worksheet.
34 to 47 minSurvey: Can you...?
- Drill the question and short answers: "Can you skip?" "Yes, I can." "No, I can't."
- Children ask four classmates (neighbours in a big class) and tick or cross the grid in task 2.
- Ask two children to report: "Ana can swim. She can't skip."
- If the answer is "No, I can't", do you tick or cross? (Cross.)
47 to 55 minWriting
- Children complete task 3. Fast finishers write about a friend from the survey.
55 to 60 minExit ticket
- See below.
Differentiation
Support
- Keep the verb drawings on the board throughout.
- Accept "Yes" and "No" before full short answers.
- Give a sentence starter: "I can ___. I can't ___."
Stretch
- Add "very well" and "a little": "I can swim very well."
- Use "but": "I can run, but I can't swim."
- Report in the third person: "Ben can climb, but he can't dance."
Listening script
Read slowly in a robot voice. Pause after each sentence.
Hello. I am Robo. I am a robot. I live in a school.
I can run. I can jump. I can sing! La la la.
I can't swim. Water is bad for robots. I can't climb a tree. My arms are too short.
I can dance. Look at me! But I can't ride a bike.
Goodbye, children. Beep beep!
Questions
- Can Robo sing?
- Why can't Robo swim?
- Can Robo climb a tree?
- Can Robo dance?
- Can Robo ride a bike?
Printable worksheet
Prints on its own A4 page. Use Print the worksheet above, or print the whole plan and the worksheet starts on a new page. One copy per child, or one per pair to save paper.
I can! I can't!
1. Listen to Robo. Tick what he can do.
| can | can't | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. run | ||
| 2. swim | ||
| 3. sing | ||
| 4. climb a tree | ||
| 5. dance | ||
| 6. ride a bike |
2. Ask four friends: Can you...? Write a tick or a cross.
| Name | swim | skip | ride a bike | climb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
3. Write about you.
- I can .
- I can .
- I can't .
- I can't .
Answer key
Listening script questions
- Yes, he can.
- Water is bad for robots.
- No, he can't. His arms are too short.
- Yes, he can.
- No, he can't.
Worksheet
- 1: can run; can't swim; can sing; can't climb a tree; can dance; can't ride a bike.
- 2: answers will vary.
- 3: answers will vary. Check the verb has no -s and "can't" has an apostrophe.
Exit ticket
Pairs: A asks one "Can you...?" question, B answers with a full short answer, then swap. Walk a row and listen to five pairs. Tick a class list for "uses can't correctly".
Homework
Ask two people at home "Can you...?" with three verbs from the lesson. Write one sentence about each: "Grandad can sing."
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- Level 1, Week 8: Action verbs (the curriculum week this plan comes from)
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