LESSON OVERVIEW

This new worksheet instead of being based on TED Talks is based on TV series from Science Channel called How It’s Made. The lesson focuses on Present Simple Passive Voice and lets students learn how to use the passive voice to describe processes.

WARM-UP

At the beginning, there is an introductory task that brings students closer to the topic of food production. This is followed by a video which students need to watch to identify the steps in the bubble gum production process. The video includes some vocabulary from the manufacturing industry, such as extruder. However, the video can be understood without knowing these specific words. Make sure that students understand the meaning of the sentences describing this process (exercise 2). You may watch it twice if needed.

GRAMMAR – PASSIVE VOICE

Next, there is a brief table with some explanation of passive voice and its comparison with active voice. It is designed in such a way that students must deduce the rules and forms from examples. If you prefer explaining this grammar point on your own way then skip that task or leave it for reference. Exercise 4 refers to the bubble gum production process. In this task, students need to transform the steps from exercise 2 into the passive.

PASSIVE VOICE SPEAKING PRACTICE

The last two activities are less controlled production tasks. In ex. 5, each student receives either Process A or Process B (TV page 3) and based on active sentences they need to explain the process using passive voice. You may need to show students how it should be done. Some of the steps require students to create new sentences rather than just transforming what they get. The last task is a free production activity, there is a list of some common processes which need to be described using passive voice where applicable.

Remember that processes in exercises 4 and 5 were prepared for adult professionals and relate to technology and work environment. If you teach young adults, check whether they are familiar with such processes or just add some other simpler ones.