Teaching English to young learners requires creativity and fun, and what better way to do that than with a catchy tune? The ‘Do You Like Broccoli Ice Cream?’ song from Super Simple Learning is a fantastic resource for engaging young ESL students. This lesson plan will guide you through using this super simple learning song to create an interactive and effective lesson focused on food vocabulary and basic sentence structures.
Lesson Plan: Broccoli Ice Cream – A Super Simple Learning Approach
This lesson plan leverages the infectious ‘Do You Like Broccoli Ice Cream?’ song by Super Simple Learning to introduce and reinforce food vocabulary and the fundamental question structure “Do you like…?” with beginner level English language learners aged 5-7.
Aims:
- Vocabulary Expansion: To revise and expand food vocabulary in an engaging context. This lesson provides both receptive and productive practice of food words, making learning memorable and fun.
- Structure Practice: To introduce and practice the question structure ‘Do you like…?’ and short answers ‘Yes, I do’ and ‘No, I don’t.’ The repetitive nature of the song aids in natural acquisition of these key grammatical structures.
- Engaging Learning: To create a fun and interactive learning environment that utilizes music and creativity to enhance language learning. Song-based learning, especially with Super Simple Learning songs, has been proven effective in capturing children’s attention and promoting language retention.
Materials:
- Song: ‘Do You Like Broccoli Ice Cream?’ by Super Simple Songs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOCroTBFlFw). Access to YouTube is required for classroom playback.
- Food Flashcards: Flashcards depicting food items mentioned in the song and potentially a few additional simple food words. These are often available on the Super Simple Learning website or can be easily created or downloaded from various educational resources.
- Paper and coloring materials for a drawing activity.
Procedure:
-
Vocabulary Introduction (10 minutes):
- Begin by gathering students in a circle. Display food flashcards one by one, clearly enunciating each food item. Elicit responses from students, encouraging them to name the foods if they know them.
- Place the flashcards in the center of the circle, ensuring all students have a clear view. Explain that they will hear these words in a song and their task is to point to the flashcard when they hear the food name.
-
First Song Exposure (10 minutes):
- Play the ‘Do You Like Broccoli Ice Cream?’ song for the first time. Model pointing to the correct flashcard as each food item is sung.
- Encourage students to join in by pointing to the flashcards as they hear the words. This activity helps them connect the spoken word with the visual representation and begin to recognize the vocabulary in context.
-
Interactive Singing and Actions (10 minutes):
- Play the song again, this time encouraging students to sing along. Use exaggerated gestures and facial expressions to demonstrate ‘Yes, I do!’ (enthusiastic thumbs up, smile) and ‘No, I don’t! Yucky!’ (thumbs down, disgusted face).
- Encourage students to mimic these actions while singing. This kinesthetic element enhances engagement and reinforces the meaning of the short answers in a fun and memorable way.
-
Creative Food Activity (10 minutes):
- Transition students to their tables. Introduce the concept of “silly foods” by presenting a drawn example (e.g., “banana soup” or “pizza juice”). Ask students “Do you like (banana soup)?” and elicit responses.
- Distribute paper and coloring materials. Instruct students to draw their own “silly food” creations. As they draw, circulate and ask questions like “What is it?”, “What color is it?”, “Do you like it?”. This encourages communicative practice in a personalized and creative context.
-
Sharing and Song Repetition (5 minutes):
- Once drawings are nearing completion, ask each student to present their “silly food” to the class, saying what it is (e.g., “This is apple milk”).
- Sing the ‘Broccoli Ice Cream’ song one last time. This time, when it gets to the food items part, use the students’ drawings! Start with your example, then point to each student to hold up their picture as the class sings about their silly food creation.
Funny broccoli ice cream cartoon, a visual aid for Super Simple Learning's 'Do You Like Broccoli Ice Cream?' ESL lesson.
Conclusion:
This ‘Broccoli Ice Cream’ lesson plan offers a super simple yet highly effective method for teaching basic English vocabulary and sentence structures to young learners. By utilizing the catchy Super Simple Learning song, teachers can create an engaging, interactive, and memorable learning experience. The combination of music, movement, and creative activities ensures that students are not only learning but also having fun, which is crucial for successful language acquisition at a young age. What are your go-to Super Simple Learning songs for your ESL classroom? Sharing your favorites can help other educators discover more fantastic resources!
