Our park, our problem: first conditional discussion
Students read a short school-website article about litter in a local park, practise the first conditional and "unless", then debate and agree the best solution as a group.
At a glance
- From
- Level 3, Bridge English: Week 15, The environment
- Grammar
- first conditional; unless
- Key language
- If we put more bins in the park, people will use them. / Unless we act now, it will get worse. / I agree / I'm not sure / That's a good point, but...
- Children make
- A group ranking of solutions and a 60-word proposal.
- Class size
- Works with 10 to 50 children; pair and group steps say how to scale.
Objective
Students use the first conditional and unless to discuss the results of possible actions, and reach a group decision politely.
Success criteria for children
- I can use If + present, will + verb.
- I can use unless correctly.
- I can agree and disagree politely and help my group decide.
Timing: 60 minutes
| Minutes | Stage | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 6 | Warm-up: chain story | Conditional chain: If it rains tomorrow, I will... |
| 6 to 15 | Form and meaning | If + present simple, will + verb; unless = if not. |
| 15 to 25 | Reading: Our park, our problem | Read the article; answer questions; find conditionals. |
| 25 to 33 | Practice | Worksheet tasks 1 and 2. |
| 33 to 48 | Discussion: rank the solutions | Groups of four rank six solutions using first conditionals. |
| 48 to 60 | Writing and exit ticket | 60-word proposal to the head teacher; exit ticket. |
Materials
- Six solution cards (or write them on the board): more bins, a clean-up day, posters, fines, a recycling point, a school litter team
- Worksheet, pens
- About the Earth (A2) (free, linked from Week 15)
- Conditionals (free, linked from Week 15)
Step by step, with teacher talk
0 to 6 minWarm-up: chain story
- Start: "If it rains tomorrow, I'll stay at home." Next student: "If I stay at home, I'll watch a film." Continue down a row.
6 to 15 minForm and meaning
- Write two chain sentences on the board. Underline the present in the if-clause and will in the result.
- Introduce unless: "Unless we act, the park will get dirtier." = "If we don't act..."
- "If it rains, I'll stay home." Is it raining now? (No, it is a possible future.)
- Do we say "If it will rain"? (No, if it rains.)
- "Unless you hurry, you'll be late." Should I hurry? (Yes.)
15 to 25 minReading: Our park, our problem
- Students read the article and answer the questions in pairs. They underline every if and unless sentence.
25 to 33 minPractice
- Students complete the chain and the unless sentences. Check together.
33 to 48 minDiscussion: rank the solutions
- Teach three phrases: "That's a good point, but...", "What do you think?", "So, do we agree that...?"
- Groups rank the six solutions from best to worst. They must give a conditional reason for their top and bottom choices.
- Each group reports: "We think a clean-up day is best, because if students help, they will care more."
"There's no right answer. You must agree as a group, and everyone must speak."
48 to 60 minWriting and exit ticket
- Students write the proposal in task 3, then complete the exit ticket below.
Differentiation
Support
- Give if-clause and result halves to match before writing their own.
- In the discussion, each student is responsible for one card only.
Stretch
- Add "as soon as" and "when" in future sentences.
- Chair the group discussion and summarise the decision.
- Write a counter-argument to the most popular solution.
Reading passage
An invented school-website article written for this lesson.
Every day after school, more than a hundred students walk through Mill Park. And every day, more rubbish is left behind: crisp packets, cans and plastic bottles. Last week the eco club counted 214 pieces of litter on the path to the school gate.
"The ducks are eating plastic," says Zara, 12, from the eco club. "If we don't do something, an animal will get hurt." The park has only two bins, and they are full by lunchtime.
The eco club has two ideas. First, they want the council to put in more bins and a recycling point. "If there are more bins, people will use them," says Zara. Second, they want to hold a clean-up day every month. "If students help to clean it, they will care more about it."
Not everyone agrees. Mr Price, the park keeper, says more bins are not enough. "Unless people change their habits, the park will stay dirty." What do you think? Tell the eco club at lunchtime on Friday.
Questions
- How many pieces of litter did the eco club count?
- Why is Zara worried about the ducks?
- What are the eco club's two ideas?
- Why doesn't Mr Price think bins are enough?
- Rewrite Mr Price's sentence with "if".
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.
If we act...
1. Continue the chain. Use the end of each sentence to start the next.
- If we put more bins in the park, people .
- If people use the bins, .
- If the park is cleaner, .
2. Complete with if or unless.
- we recycle more, we'll save energy.
- The park will stay dirty people change their habits.
- you see litter, will you pick it up?
- We won't win the eco award everyone helps.
3. Write a 60-word proposal to the head teacher. Say your best idea and what will happen if the school does it.
Dear ,
Answer key
Reading passage questions
- 214.
- They are eating plastic, and an animal could get hurt.
- More bins and a recycling point; a monthly clean-up day.
- He thinks people must change their habits too.
- If people don't change their habits, the park will stay dirty.
Worksheet
- 1: answers will vary, for example: ...will use them. / ...there will be less litter on the ground. / ...more families will visit it.
- 2: If; unless; If; unless.
- 3: answers will vary. Check at least two first conditional sentences with no "will" after if.
Exit ticket
Finish two sentences: "If our school plants more trees, ..." and "Unless we save water, ..."
Homework
Count the bins and the litter on your way home (stay safe, just look). Write three first conditional sentences about how to improve your street.
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- Level 3, Week 15: The environment (the curriculum week this plan comes from)
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