English Standard Four – Unit 1 – Lesson 18: Describing Objects by Material and Texture

Main Competence: Demonstrate mastery of basic English language skills.

Specific Competence: Develop vocabulary by relating words with objects in the environment.

Main Activity: Describe objects found in the environment by their material and texture.

Specific Activity: Describe familiar objects using words that show the materials they are made of and how their surfaces feel.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the 40-minute lesson, a pupil should be able to:

• Identify common materials used to make familiar objects.
• Use words to describe the texture of familiar objects.
• Construct simple sentences describing objects by material and texture.

Key Vocabulary

Materials: wood, plastic, metal, glass, cotton, leather, paper. Texture: smooth, rough, soft, hard, rough, slippery.

Lesson Development

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

A teacher to show pupils familiar objects made of different materials and ask what each object is made of and how it feels when touched.

Pupils to observe and, where appropriate, touch the objects and say what they are made of and how they feel.

2. Competence Development (15 minutes)

A teacher to introduce and explain material words such as wood, plastic, metal, glass and cotton, and texture words such as smooth, rough, soft and hard; then model simple descriptive sentences.

Pupils to repeat the vocabulary, sort or compare objects by material and texture, and practise describing them orally.

Examples:

• The table is made of wood.
• The bottle is made of plastic.
• The spoon is made of metal.
• The glass is smooth and hard.
• The cotton cloth is soft.
• The tree bark is rough.

3. Design (10 minutes)

A teacher to guide pupils to select familiar objects and plan descriptions stating the material each is made of and its texture.

Pupils to select objects and organise suitable words to describe their materials and textures.

4. Realisation (10 minutes)

A teacher to ask pupils to write simple sentences describing selected objects by material and texture, invite pupils to read their sentences and guide corrections.

Pupils to write and read sentences describing objects by the materials they are made of and how they feel.

Assessment

• Name two materials used to make objects.
• Describe the texture of one familiar object.
• Write two simple sentences describing objects by material and texture.

Teaching and Learning Materials

TIE English Standard Four Pupil’s Book, real objects or pictures showing objects made of wood, plastic, metal, glass, cotton and other materials, objects with different textures, English dictionaries, chalkboard and chalk or whiteboard and markers, and pupils’ exercise books.

Reference

Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE). (2024). English Pupil’s Book for Standard Four (Third Edition), Unit 1.