Introduction
The Day It Rained Hearts is a charming children’s book by Felicia Bond, perfect for an ESL lesson plan focused on storytelling, creativity, and imagination. This lesson plan aims to engage students in language learning through a heartwarming story about a girl who collects hearts that fall from the sky during a rainstorm. The book provides an excellent opportunity for ESL students to explore vocabulary related to weather, emotions, and creative expressions. Additionally, it fosters critical thinking skills as students imagine what they would do if it rained objects other than water. Through this lesson, students will enhance their language abilities while also nurturing their imagination and creativity.
Vocabulary Building
Vocab
Vocab |
Definition |
|---|---|
Heartfelt |
sincere and deeply felt |
Adore |
to love and have a strong liking for someone or something |
Downpour |
a heavy rainstorm |
Cherish |
(verb) to hold dear; to feel or show affection for something/someone |
Whimsical |
playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way. |
Contextual Usage
– The children expressed their **adoration** for the colorful hearts that appeared during the story.
– After the **downpour** of rain, Cornelia collected all the heart-shaped objects that fell from the sky.
ESL Warm-up Activity
To kick off the ESL lesson on “The Day It Rained Hearts,” start with a captivating warm-up activity. Begin by showing images of different weather conditions and asking students to describe each one using adjectives and emotions. Then, introduce the story’s theme by displaying heart-shaped objects and discussing what these symbols represent in various cultures. This interactive warm-up will capture students’ attention while incorporating language elements related to weather, emotions, and creativity, setting a perfect tone for the upcoming lesson.
Main ESL Lesson Activities
Vocabulary Activity: Expression Through Art
Start by discussing the emotions associated with different weather conditions, using vocabulary words such as “whimsical” and “heartfelt.” Then, have students create their own heart-themed artwork while expressing associated emotions through their pieces. Encourage students to explain their artwork using the newly learned vocabulary.
Listening Exercise: Weather Emotions Storytelling
Play a weather-related audio clip or read a short story aloud. Ask students to identify and express the emotions felt by the characters during specific weather events. This activity promotes listening skills and vocabulary use in context.
Roleplay Activity: Changing Weather Conversations
Divide students into pairs or small groups and provide them with different weather scenarios. Each group must roleplay conversations related to those scenarios, incorporating newly learned weather and emotion vocabulary.
Reading and Writing Task: Heartfelt Stories
Ask students to write a short creative story incorporating various weather conditions, heart shapes, and expressive emotions. Afterward, encourage them to share their stories in pairs or small groups for further discussion and language practice.
ESL Homework Assignment
For homework, students can continue to explore the theme of weather and emotions by creating a collage or drawing that represents different weather conditions and how they make them feel. Additionally, they can write a short story incorporating the new vocabulary learned during the lesson, with an emphasis on describing emotional responses to varying weather patterns. This assignment reinforces the lesson content while promoting creativity and language practice at home.
Conclusion
Key Points
Throughout this ESL lesson plan, students delved into vocabulary related to weather and emotions, engaged in creative activities, and practiced language skills through storytelling and expressive art.
Reflection
Encourage students to reflect on how the newly acquired vocabulary and language skills can be applied in their day-to-day communication. Prompt them to consider how understanding emotions and being able to articulate them can enhance their language development and interpersonal interactions.
Why this topic is great for ESL learning
Enhanced Vocabulary Acquisition
The Day It Rained Hearts offers a rich selection of weather and emotion-related vocabulary, allowing ESL learners to expand their language skills in a context that is engaging and relevant to everyday experiences.
Promotion of Creativity and Imagination
This topic encourages creativity through storytelling, art, and roleplay activities. ESL students are engaged in imaginative exercises that foster language development while nurturing their creative abilities.
