Unit 11 — Plans for the Summer

Track E · Klasse 7 · Niveau E

Template: Activate → Input → Practise → Produce → Reflect.
Niveau: E. class test (“Klassenarbeit”) at Niveau E.

Learning objectives Link to heading

  • I can listen to a short conversation about summer plans and pick out arrangements, intentions, and spontaneous decisions.
  • I can choose between will, going to, and present continuous to talk about the future.
  • I can hold a 2-minute conversation about my summer plan with a partner.

Bildungsplan alignment Link to heading

  • 3.2.1 Themen — leisure, family life, travel.
  • 3.2.3.1 Hör-/Hörsehverstehen — short dialogue.
  • 3.2.3.3 Sprechen – an Gesprächen teilnehmen — short exchange about plans.
  • 3.2.3.5 Schreiben — short personal text.
  • 3.2.3.8 Grammatik — future forms in contrast.

Lead-in story Link to heading

Aisha asked the class: What are you doing this summer? Ben said two weeks at my grandma’s farm. Marius said nothing special. Aisha said that counts as something special if you do it on purpose. Ms. Reyes wrote on the board: A plan is a sentence in the future tense.

1. Activate Link to heading

Three boxes. In your notebook, write three boxes:

  • Already arranged (tickets booked, family plan)
  • Probably going to (you intend to but it is not booked)
  • Maybe / on the spot (a spontaneous decision)

Fill each box with one thing about your summer.

2. Input Link to heading

Listening — Three Plans Link to heading

Aisha. What are you doing this summer?
Ben. I’m spending two weeks at my grandma’s farm. We’re going to fix her old greenhouse.
Marius. I’m not doing anything special. My family will be here all summer. I’ll probably read a lot and finally learn to ride a skateboard.
Aisha. That counts as something special, Marius. Most people only plan trips. You’re planning a skill.

Language focus — three futures Link to heading

FormUseExample
present continuousfixed arrangement (often with another person, time, or place set)I’m meeting Lisa at five.
be going tointention or visible evidenceWe’re going to fix the greenhouse.
willspontaneous decision; prediction; promiseI’ll read for an hour.

Timetables: present simple (The train leaves at 8:14).

Pick one and stick with it. A common Niveau-M error is mixing forms inside a single sentence — “I’m going to will see her”. Choose the form that matches the meaning, then commit.

Time clauses Link to heading

After when, as soon as, before, after, until: use present simple, not will.

  • I’ll text you when I arrive. (not when I will arrive)
  • We won’t leave before we have breakfast.

3. Practise Link to heading

Niveau G — controlled Link to heading

A. Future-form gap-fill.

  1. Look at those clouds — it __________ (rain).
  2. I __________ (visit) my cousin tomorrow; we already booked the tickets.
  3. I’m thirsty. I __________ (get) a glass of water.

B. Time clauses.

  1. I’ll call you __________ (when / will arrive) home.
  2. We won’t go __________ (until / will finish) our homework.

Niveau M — productive Link to heading

C. Build the future form.

  1. (arrangement: cinema with Lisa, Friday 7 pm) → ___
  2. (intention: improve maths grade) → ___
  3. (spontaneous: offer to help carry shopping) → ___

D. Conversation starters. Write three questions for a partner about their summer using three different future forms.

Answer key

Niveau G

A. 1. is going to rain, 2. am visiting, 3. will get.
B. 4. when I arrive, 5. until we finish.

Niveau M

  1. I’m seeing Lisa at the cinema on Friday at seven.\
  2. I’m going to improve my maths grade.\
  3. I’ll help you with that.
    D. Open. Look for a mix of Are you doing …?, Are you going to …?, Will you …?.

4. Produce Link to heading

Pair speaking — Summer Plan Swap. With a partner, take turns interviewing each other about the summer.

  • One question with present continuous (arrangement).
  • One question with going to (intention).
  • One question with will (prediction or spontaneous offer).

Two minutes each direction. Be ready to report your partner’s plans to another pair.

5. Reflect Link to heading

  • I can pick out arrangements, intentions, and spontaneous decisions in a dialogue.
  • I can match the right future form to its meaning.
  • I can hold a 2-minute summer-plan conversation.

One sentence in your notebook: What is one summer plan I want to make real this week — booking, asking, deciding?

Exam example Link to heading

class test ("Klassenarbeit") — Niveau E (45 minutes)
Materials allowed. A monolingual dictionary (Niveau M only).
Time. 45 minutes.
Total. 60 points.

Task 1 — Listening (12 BE) Link to heading

The teacher reads aloud the dialogue Three Plans. Answer in full sentences.

Aisha. What are you doing this summer?
Ben. I’m spending two weeks at my grandma’s farm. We’re going to fix her old greenhouse.
Marius. I’m not doing anything special. My family will be here all summer. I’ll probably read a lot and finally learn to ride a skateboard.
Aisha. That counts as something special, Marius. Most people only plan trips. You’re planning a skill.

  1. What is Ben doing this summer? (3)
  2. Where is Marius going? (2)
  3. What does Marius plan to do at home? (3)
  4. Why does Aisha think Marius’s plan is “special”? (4)

Task 2 — Use of English (15 BE) Link to heading

A. Future forms (10 BE). Choose the better option: will, going to, or present continuous.

  1. We __________ (visit / are visiting) my aunt next weekend; the tickets are booked.
  2. Look at those clouds. It __________ (will rain / is going to rain).
  3. I’m bored. I __________ (will read / am going to read) for an hour.
  4. I __________ (am meeting / will meet) Lisa at five — I told her yesterday.
  5. The train __________ (leaves / is going to leave) at 8:14 every morning. (timetable)

B. Time clauses (5 BE). Combine using when, as soon as, or before + present simple.

  1. I will text you. I will arrive. → I’ll text you ___ .
  2. We will leave the house. We won’t have breakfast. → We won’t leave ___ .
  3. Mum will pick us up. The class will end. → Mum will pick us up ___ .

Task 3 — Mediation (10 BE) Link to heading

Your German pen-pal sends you this short message:

“Mein Bruder fährt im Sommer mit Freunden mit dem Zug nach Italien. Sie wollen Interrail machen — drei Wochen, sieben Länder. Mama sagt, das ist viel zu jung dafür.”

Write three sentences in English to your English-speaking friend explaining what your pen-pal’s brother is planning and what the parent thinks. Do not translate every word.

Task 4 — Writing (23 BE) Link to heading

Write 100–120 words about your summer plan — real or imagined. Cover:

  • one thing you have already arranged (use present continuous or going to),
  • one thing you might decide on the spot (use will),
  • one skill you would like to practise (use would like to).
Expected answer key — class test ("Klassenarbeit")

Task 1 (12 BE).\

  1. He is spending two weeks at his grandmother’s farm and helping to fix her old greenhouse. (3)
  2. He is staying at home for the whole summer. (2)
  3. He plans to read a lot and learn to skateboard. (3)
  4. Sample: Most people plan a trip — Marius is planning a skill, which is more lasting and personal. (4)

Task 2 (15 BE).
A. 1. are visiting, 2. is going to rain, 3. will read, 4. am meeting, 5. leaves.
B. 6. … as soon as I arrive. 7. … before we have breakfast. 8. … when the class ends.

Task 3 (10 BE). Sample: “My pen-pal’s brother is going Interrailing this summer — three weeks, seven countries, by train, with friends. Their mum thinks he’s much too young for that kind of trip.” Award for: gist (4), addressee-fit (2), grammar (4).

Task 4 (23 BE). Inhalt 12 / Sprache 11.

Rubric — grading scale (Notenschlüssel)
Punkte (von 60)Note
56–601
30–394

Downloads Link to heading

**Slide deck timing.** 45 minutes total.
  • Title + Lead-in (3 min). Three boxes on the board: already / probably / on the spot.
  • Activate (5 min). Each student fills the three boxes silently.
  • Input (15 min). Read Three Plans twice. Walk through the three-future table; mention timetable as a fourth case.
  • Practise (8 min). Niveau split.
  • Produce (12 min). Pair speaking, then report-back.
  • Reflect (2 min).

Differentiation. Niveau G: provide a future-form decision card (arrangement → present cont., intention → going to, spontaneous → will). Above Niveau M: require one unless-clause inside the report-back.

Common pitfalls Link to heading

  • Mixing two future forms in one verb phrase. I’m going to will see → ✗.
  • will in time clauses. when I will arrive → ✗ / when I arrive → ✓.
  • Translating German werden always with will — sometimes English uses going to or present continuous instead.
  • I will to call you → ✗ — will takes the base verb only.

Further reading / listening Link to heading

Downloads

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