Unit 11 — Clothes and Colours
Track E · Klasse 5 · Niveau E
Learning objectives Link to heading
- I can name 12 items of clothing and 10 colours.
- I can describe what someone is wearing using present continuous.
- I can use comparative the same … as / different from.
Bildungsplan alignment Link to heading
- 3.1.1 Soziokulturelles Orientierungswissen / Themen
- 3.1.3.3 Sprechen – an Gesprächen teilnehmen
- 3.1.3.5 Schreiben
- 3.1.3.7 Verfügen über sprachliche Mittel – Wortschatz
- 3.1.3.8 Verfügen über sprachliche Mittel – Grammatik
(Source: https://www.bildungsplaene-bw.de/,Lde/LS/BP2016BW/ALLG/SEK1/E1)
Lead-in story Link to heading
Theo’s blue jumper has gone missing. He looks under the bed, in the wardrobe, behind the door. Frida the fox steps quietly out of the wardrobe wearing a small blue jumper that fits her remarkably well. “Foxes,” she says, “appreciate clean wool.” Theo opens his mouth to protest, then closes it. He has been raised well.
1. Activate Link to heading
Colour shout. Teacher points; class shouts the colour. 30 seconds, fast pace.
2. Input Link to heading
Vocabulary — clothes and colours Link to heading
Clothes: T-shirt, shirt, jumper, jacket, coat, trousers, jeans, shorts, skirt, dress, shoes, trainers, boots, socks, hat, scarf, gloves. Colours: red, blue, green, yellow, black, white, grey, brown, orange, pink, purple, navy, beige.
Grammar — present continuous for outfits Link to heading
- Mia is wearing a yellow jumper and blue jeans.
- I am wearing a black T-shirt today.
- Theo is not wearing a coat.
- Are you wearing your new shoes?
Comparative phrases Link to heading
- the same colour as: My T-shirt is the same colour as your scarf.
- different from: My shoes are different from yours.
- bigger / smaller than: His shoes are bigger than mine.
3. Practise Link to heading
Niveau E — controlled Link to heading
- Build present continuous: I __________ (wear) blue jeans. Mia __________ (wear) a green jacket.
- Compare: my hat / your scarf — same colour → ___ ; his shoes / mine — bigger → ___ .
Niveau E — productive Link to heading
- Describe a partner in 4 sentences. Add one comparison.
- Negative + question: I’m not wearing …; Are you wearing …? — three each.
4. Produce Link to heading
Description game. In pairs, A closes their eyes; B describes a third classmate’s outfit (4 sentences minimum, one comparison). A guesses who.
Sample Link to heading
— She is wearing a red T-shirt and black jeans. Her shoes are white. Her scarf is the same colour as her T-shirt. — Lina!
5. Reflect Link to heading
- I can name 12 clothes and 10 colours.
- I can use present continuous for outfits.
- I can compare two items with same … as, different from.
One thing in your notebook: Write one sentence that uses something you learned in this Unit.
Exam example Link to heading
Task 1 — Listening (8 BE) Link to heading
Listen twice.
“Mia is wearing a yellow jumper, blue jeans, and white trainers. Theo is wearing a green T-shirt, black shorts, and brown sandals. Lina is wearing the same colour scarf as Mia’s jumper.”
- Mia jumper: ___ . 2. Mia shoes: ___ . 3. Theo T-shirt: ___ . 4. Lina’s scarf colour: ___ .
Task 2 — Reading (8 BE) Link to heading
Read.
“On the school trip we must wear comfortable shoes, a warm jumper, and a rain jacket. No skirts, no flip-flops. Pack one extra pair of socks in your rucksack.”
- Shoes: ___ . 2. Jumper: ___ . 3. Bring: ___ . 4. Don’t wear: ___ .
Task 3 — Use of English (8 BE) Link to heading
Build the present continuous.
- (I / wear / blue / jeans) → ___
- (Mia / wear / red / dress) → ___
- (we / wear / school / uniform) → ___
- (Theo / not / wear / hat) → ___
Task 4 — Writing (6 BE) Link to heading
Describe what three classmates are wearing today. Use present continuous and one comparison.
Downloads Link to heading
Differentiation — support (below Niveau E).
Give describers a “guess-who” frame card to fill in before they speak. They copy the four lines and slot in words from the Input vocabulary:
- This person is wearing a __________ (colour) __________ (clothes item).
- He / She is also wearing __________ and __________ .
- His / Her shoes are __________ .
- His / Her __________ is the same colour as his / her __________ . (your comparison)
Tip: point at the word lists in section 2 if you get stuck, then read your four lines aloud to your partner.
Extension (above Niveau E / Oberstufe).
After the guessing game, become a “colour reporter”: choose one classmate’s outfit and write a short paragraph arguing which two colours work best together and why, using at least one comparison (warmer than, darker than, goes better with) and one reason clause (because …). Then extend it: explain how you would change one item to make the outfit suitable for a different situation — a job interview, a football match, or a winter hike — and justify each choice in full sentences.
Common pitfalls Link to heading
- She wear a red dress → ✗ / She is wearing → ✓.
- pant (US, underwear) vs. trousers (BrE, outerwear).
- L1 trap: German Hose (singular) is English trousers (plural).
Further reading / listening Link to heading
- BBC Learning English — Clothes vocabulary.
- British Council Kids — Clothes games and songs.
Downloads
Listen
The vocabulary, dialogues and reading texts of this unit as audio, spoken by a native voice. The spoken text is shown beneath each clip.
Show text
"Mia is wearing a yellow jumper, blue jeans, and white trainers. Theo is wearing a green T-shirt, black shorts, and brown sandals."
Show text
"Today is a school trip day. We must wear comfortable shoes, a warm jumper, and a rain jacket. No skirts, no flip-flops."