Parts of the Body (beginner language learner)

Being able to identify your body in your second language can be crucial for many learners.  This can help them explain to someone what is hurting in a case of an emergency.  Being able to identify parts of your body is also another small step towards becoming fluent in a language.

However, the parts of the body can be daunting if taught all at once.  This topic is best done when broken down into smaller sections.

Vocabulary

• Face
• Hands
• Head
• Leg
• Foot/feet
• Ears
• Eyes
• Nose
• Mouth
• Elbow
• Knees
• Wrist
• Neck
• Shoulder
• Stomach/abdomen
• Back
• Ankle

Grammar Structure

• What is this?
• This is my _________________?
• Where does it hurt?
• My ___________________ hurts.

Warm Up

Label the Body

• Procedure: In students first language, have them label a body (a student, a poster, a drawing, etc.).

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes

• Procedure: Teach students the song, “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”.  “Head, shoulder, knees, and toes, Knees and toes. (x2) Eyes, and ears, and mouth, and nose. Head, shoulder, knees, and toes.”

Practice

Draw the Monster’s Face

• Procedure: Each student has a pencil and blank sheet of paper.  The teacher reads a description of a monster’s face (for example: 3 eyes, huge nose, sharp, pointed teeth, etc.).  Students draw the face and then show it at the end.
• Management tip: Draw first and if you want them to color, have them do it at the end for like 5 minutes (set a time!).
• Modifications:
• Students draw the whole body of the monster, famous person, picture, animal, etc.
• Work in partners instead of whole class doing the same drawing.

Simon Says

• Procedure: Teacher lead the class in Simon Says (for example: Simon says touch your nose, touch your ear, etc.).  Simon Says is a game where a leader tells participants to do something, BUT participants must only do the action that starts with “Simon says…”.  If participants do an action that does NOT start with “Simon says…” then they are out.
• Management tip: Once students are out, have the do an independent activity (such as a worksheet) at their desk or help monitor the Simon Says game.

Concentration

• Procedure: Students are put into small groups with a set of cards with the terms and pictures of the terms on it.  The cards are shuffled (mixed up) and placed face down.  Each player takes a turn turning over two cards at a time.  They get a point if one of the cards has a term that matches the picture of the other card.  This continues until there are no more cards.  The player with the most matches wins.

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Trace Me

• Procedure: One student lays down on a piece of paper bigger than their body.  Another student traces the student who is laying down.  Then students draw and label the parts of the body.
• Management tip: Have students do this in pairs or small groups.

Label a Classmate

• Procedure:  One student is chosen to stand in front of the class.  The other students are given a small piece of paper with a part of the body on it and tape on the back.  The students tape the label to the correct body part of the student in front of the class.
• Management tip: Have students take turns checking to make sure the labels are placed correctly throughout the activity.  For example, have the first student check the next two, then change the “checker”. 

Production

Follow Directions

• Procedure: Students read or listen to a description and they draw what they hear.
• Modification:
• Students must label, match, or color what is described. (These modifications are all for if you have a worksheet)
• Students are shown a picture and they must write a description of what they see.  (The boy has two eyes, one nose, and one mouth.  Etc.)

Label the Body

• Procedure: Students are given a worksheet that has the body on it with blank lines next to what needs to be labeled.  Students label the body parts.
• Management tip: Provide students with a word bank to choose words from on the worksheet.

Listen to me

• Procedure: Teacher interviews each student or small groups of students and asks them to point to a specific body part on their own body.
• Management tip: If interviewing small groups of students have them stand in a circle facing out and/or close their eyes so they can not cheat off of each other.