Idioms about people, animals and time for SS 1

Class: SS 1
Term: First Term
Week: 9
Age: 15 years
Duration: 60 minutes
Subject: English Language
Curriculum Theme: Grammatical Accuracy
Focal competence: Using idioms appropriately in sentences
Key competencies/values: Communication; ICT and Digital Competencies; Digital Competencies; Collaboration
Skills:

• interpret idioms

Previous Lesson: Consonants, Identification and Articulation
Topic: Idiomatic Expressions: Idioms About People, Animals And Time
Subject Matter: Idioms about people, animals and time

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Interpret idioms about people, animals, and time.
• Explain the meaning of common idiomatic expressions.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the richness and colour idioms add to the English language.
• Show interest in learning and using idiomatic expressions.

Psychomotor Domain

• Match idioms to their correct meanings.
• Use idioms correctly in simple sentences.

Social Domain

• Collaborate with peers to understand and discuss idiom meanings.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 New Revised Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• A suitable English Language textbook for SS 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work For The New Revised Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)
• Dictionary of idioms
• Course books
• Standard English dictionary
• Online resources

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Dictionary of idioms
• Course books/English Language textbook
• Flashcards with idioms and their meanings
• Whiteboard/Blackboard and markers/chalk

Rationale for the Lesson

Understanding idiomatic expressions is essential for effective communication and comprehension of native English speakers. This lesson helps students grasp the non-literal meanings of idioms, improving their vocabulary, reading comprehension, and ability to express themselves more fluently and naturally in English.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students have a basic understanding of figurative language and may have encountered simple idiomatic expressions in previous lessons or everyday conversations.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Idiomatic Expressions: Idioms About People, Animals And Time

Meaning of Idiomatic Expressions

An idiomatic expression, or idiom, is a phrase or expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the ordinary meanings of its individual words. Idioms are a common feature of everyday language and add colour and depth to communication.

For example, “kick the bucket” does not literally mean to kick a bucket; it means to die.

Idioms About People

These idioms describe characteristics, behaviours, or situations related to individuals.

1. A lone wolf – A person who prefers to act alone or is solitary by nature.
2. A wet blanket – A person who spoils other people’s fun by being negative or unenthusiastic.
3. A big shot – An important or influential person.
4. A couch potato – A lazy person who spends a lot of time watching television.
5. A busy bee – A very active and hardworking person.
6. A dark horse – A person who keeps their skills and talents secret and then surprises everyone with them.

Idioms About Animals

These idioms use animal imagery to convey a particular meaning about a situation or person.

1. Let the cat out of the bag – To accidentally reveal a secret.
2. A sacred cow – Something that is considered to be immune from criticism or questioning, often because of tradition.
3. Wolf in sheep’s clothing – A person who appears friendly or harmless but is actually dangerous or deceitful.
4. Hold your horses – To wait or slow down.
5. Eager beaver – A person who is enthusiastic and hardworking.
6. Kill two birds with one stone – To achieve two things with a single action.

Idioms About Time

These idioms relate to duration, punctuality, or how time is spent.

1. Once in a blue moon – Very rarely.
2. Kill time – To do something to pass the time while waiting.
3. In the nick of time – Just in time; at the last possible moment.
4. Turn back the clock – To return to a past time or situation.
5. Time flies – Time passes very quickly.
6. Against the clock – Rushed and short of time.

Importance of Idioms

Idioms are important because they:

1. Enhance communication by adding colour and expressiveness.
2. Reflect cultural nuances and historical contexts.
3. Are frequently used in everyday conversation, literature, and media, making their understanding crucial for comprehension.
4. Demonstrate a higher level of language proficiency when used correctly.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Pair Work, Group Work, Guided Practice, Matching Exercise.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Storytelling/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and briefly reviews the previous lesson. The teacher then tells a short story that includes a few simple idioms (e.g., “It was raining cats and dogs,” “I felt under the weather”) and asks students if they understood the literal meaning of the phrases. This leads to introducing the topic of idiomatic expressions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, recall the previous lesson, and listen attentively to the story, attempting to interpret the unusual phrases.

Learning Point: Introduction to idioms

Step 2: Explanation of Idioms

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher defines what an idiomatic expression is, emphasizing that the meaning is not literal. The teacher provides one or two simple examples not covered in the Board Summary (e.g., “break a leg” means good luck, “bite the bullet” means to endure a difficult situation).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, ask questions for clarification, and note down the definition of idioms.

Learning Point: Meaning of idioms

Step 3: Idioms About People

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Examples

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces idioms related to people from the Board Summary (e.g., “a lone wolf,” “a wet blanket,” “a big shot”). For each idiom, the teacher explains its meaning and uses it in a sentence, encouraging students to guess the meaning first.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, guess meanings, and write down the idioms and their interpretations.

Learning Point: Interpreting people idioms

Step 4: Idioms About Animals

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Examples

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces idioms related to animals (e.g., “let the cat out of the bag,” “a sacred cow,” “wolf in sheep’s clothing”). The teacher explains each idiom’s meaning and provides example sentences, inviting students to create their own.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, participate in sentence construction, and record the idioms and their meanings.

Learning Point: Interpreting animal idioms

Step 5: Idioms About Time

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Examples

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces idioms related to time (e.g., “once in a blue moon,” “kill time,” “in the nick of time”). The teacher explains each idiom’s meaning and uses it in context, ensuring students grasp the temporal aspect.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, identify the meanings, and add them to their notes.

Learning Point: Interpreting time idioms

Step 6: Idiom Matching Exercise

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Collaboration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes flashcards, some with idioms and others with their meanings. Students are guided to move around, find their matching partner (idiom to meaning), and then present their matched pair to the class. The teacher facilitates and corrects as needed.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate actively in the matching exercise, collaborating to find their partners and presenting their findings.

Learning Point: Matching idiom meanings

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is an idiomatic expression?
2. Explain the meaning of “a wet blanket.”
3. If someone “lets the cat out of the bag,” what did they do?
4. What does it mean to do something “once in a blue moon”?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding idiom meanings

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on idiomatic expressions, including the examples for people, animals, and time, into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarization

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly recaps the importance of idioms in English and encourages students to practice using them in their daily conversations and writing. The teacher reminds them that idioms add flavour to language.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and reflect on the lesson’s main points.

Learning Point: Recap of idioms

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Answer the following questions in your notebook.

1. Choose three idioms about people and use each in a meaningful sentence.
2. Choose three idioms about animals and explain their meanings.
3. Write a short paragraph (5-7 sentences) describing a busy day, using at least two idioms about time.
4. Find two new idioms (not discussed in class) related to either people, animals, or time, and write down their meanings.

Lesson Keywords

• Idiom – A group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words.
• Expression – A word or phrase.
• Figurative language – Language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation.
• Literal meaning – The exact or primary meaning of a word or expression.

Differentiation

For struggling learners, the teacher can provide a simplified list of idioms with their meanings already provided, focusing on recognition rather than recall. They can also work in pairs or small groups. Advanced learners can be challenged to create short dialogues using several idioms, or research the origin of some idioms.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding of idioms, students can search on YouTube for: idioms about people animals time SS1 English