LESSON PLAN - Basic Directions
Theme – Communication Skills
CAREER SKILLS – Self Development
KEY SKILLS – Communication, Problem Solving, Working With Others, Improving Own Learning and Performance
WORK RELATED LEARNING – Learning For Work
COMPETENCIES – *ai, *aii, *bi, *ci, *cii, *di, **ei, **eii, **eiii, **eiv, **evi, ***fiv, ***kiv, ****li, ****mi
SUGGESTED SUBJECT AREA – English,
Learning Outcomes
By completing this task students will be able to:
- Identify basic directions around the school and local community.
- Compare the different signage and know what the signage means.
- Through discussion, identify why these signs are important.
Preparation and Materials
- Copies of Activity Sheets 1 and 2 of “Basic Directions”.
- Noted signs that are around the school and local area. You may want to collect other directional signs from books and the internet.
- Signs of places that you would need to look or follow to get there. Show the students each one and ask them to identify the signs.
- Books on maps and directions (such as a "getting lost" book)
Method
FIRST DAY:
- Start out with a statement like "Stop! Look out the window."
- Discuss what word made them look out the window. “STOP”. Ask the students why did that word make them look out of the window.
- Tell them that stop is a direction which they must obey, or they could get hurt.
- Ask them if they know why they could get hurt. You could give the example of walking across the street with the traffic warden or explain a red traffic light.
- Now show the students Activity Sheet 1 of “Basic Directions” and have them identify the directions on the first activity sheet. Go through with them each sign what it means and ask them to write what the sign means in the space provided. Once you have gone through Activity Sheet 1 carry on to Activity Sheet 2. When you have completed both sheets you could take the students into the gym/outside and have the students walk in the direction of the sign you are holding up shouting what direction they are going. You could also play traffic lights by having the signs enlarged not talking but just holding up the enlarged cards. Red light means STOP, amber means run on the spot (to be prepared) green means GO! No exit sign means they turn to go in the opposite direction, STOP sign means stop and sit down and so on you can make the rules up.
- Read a book on directions about getting lost, and then talk about ways that they can get help if they ever do get lost.
- You can also play a game such as "Simon Says" and say everything in directions, such as "take a step backwards" or "take a step to the right".
- Eventually lead up to saying two directions like take a step forward and then take a step to the left. This is also a good lesson for communication/listening skills.
SECOND DAY:
- Review with the students’ ways to get help if they get lost, and read the book on getting lost again.
- Ask them what are some other ways that they can use to find their way around. The answers could be maps and signs.
- Finally use any other signs that you have about handicap, woman, man, school crossing, pizza place, etc. and ask them to identify them and tell where they would find each one.
Learning Outcomes: By completing this task you will be able to:
- Understand simple directions of importance.
- Identify between different types of directions and the meaning of them.
- Discuss how these directions can effect your everyday life.