Incredible plants
Cambridge Primary English Grade 5 · Unit 5: Plants · Lesson 15 · Term 2 · Marshall Cavendish
Also known as: Past continuous · Diary
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Lesson idea
Zak's diary describes a trek in Sarawak to find the giant, smelly Rafflesia, and we learn diary features and background actions.
Lesson vocabulary: bloom: to produce flowers · carnivorous: able to trap and eat small animals · diameter: a line across a circle through the centre · rumble: a deep continuous sound · stink: a strong unpleasant smell · trek: a long hard journey on foot · deluge: a very heavy fall of rain
Key points
- We use the past continuous for background actions that were interrupted.
- We use fewer when we are counting and some when we don't say how many.
- A diary is in the first person, with a date, and mostly in the past tense.
Lesson questions (15)
- Where is Zak on holiday?
Answer: Sarawak - Who took them through the rainforest?
Answer: Din - What did they eat for breakfast?
Answer: Sarawak laksa - What is the Rafflesia also called?
Answer: The corpse flower - What does the Rafflesia smell like?
Answer: Rotting meat - Why does the Rafflesia smell so bad?
Answer: It attracts flies and beetles to pollinate it - How wide was the Rafflesia?
Answer: About a metre - How long does the bloom last?
Answer: About a week - Why is the Rafflesia endangered?
Answer: Its forest home is being destroyed - What happened on the way back to the car?
Answer: A deluge of heavy rain hit them - What are pitcher plants?
Answer: Carnivorous plants that eat insects - Where will Zak fly back to?
Answer: Singapore - Complete: I was getting sweaty when he suddenly ___ "Here we are!"
Answer: said - Complete: There are ___ and fewer of them.
Answer: fewer - In "I was eating my lunch when the volcano erupted", what is the background action?
Answer: I was eating my lunch
About this lesson
“Incredible plants” is from Cambridge Primary English Grade 5 (Unit 5: Plants) and has 15 questions with answers. Sample questions: “Where is Zak on holiday?” and “Who took them through the rainforest?”. Every question can be played in any Hessa Play game or activity.
How to use it in class
- Show the question on the board and let students think before the options appear.
- Split the class into two teams; every correct answer earns a point.
- Display it on the smart board, send it as homework by link, or play it solo or in two teams.
Related lessons
Questions about this lesson
What is the difference between fewer and less?
fewer is used with countable nouns, and some or less with uncountable nouns.
How do we write a diary?
Using I, with the date, and mostly in the past.
When do we use the past continuous for background?
To describe an event that was in progress when another event interrupted it.
Do students need an account to play this lesson?
No. The teacher shares the lesson link; the student types a first name and plays on a phone or computer, and the score reaches the teacher.
Which games suit this lesson?
You can play it in The Hunter, Complete the sentence, Match Up, Matching pairs and the other games and activities on Hessa Play.