Makingadifference（TheFirstPeriod）

详细内容

puter. He devotes himself to science and achieves great suess. In 2002, he visited our country and spoke to many university students. There is no doubt that his unyielding spirit is encouraging thousands of millions of people. His words, “people of- ten think that science is a number of ‘true’ facts that never change…and even the best theory can turn out to be wrong.”. Shorten the distance between science and all of us. While reading the whole text and doing the exercises before and after the text, the students will learn the fine quality of the great scientist, as well as learning plenty of useful words and expressions. Meanwhile their reading ability will be improved as well. Word study and Grammar are dealt with in the third period. Especially in Grammar a lot of exercises about infinitive are designed. After doing them, this part will surely be well mastered by the students. The fourth period deals with integrating skills. In the reading passage, the question "how to make a scientist" will be answered. It tells us that if knowledge is power, then perhaps creativity can be described as the ability to use that power. Scientists must be creative and use their imagination all the time. In the end, the students are required to write about their favourite scientist. After learning all the con- tents of this unit, the students are sure to write the passage well. In the fifth period, we'll deal with the grammar--the Infinitive.
Ⅱ.Teaching Goals
1. Talk about science and scientists.
2. Practise describing people and debating.
3. Learn more about the Infinitive.
4. Write a descriptive paragraph.
Ⅲ. Teaching Time: Five periods
IV. Background Information
1. THE BEGINNING OF TIME AND A REMARKABLE MAN CALLED STEPHEN HAWKING
If you have ever thought about how the universe began and whether time has a beginning or an ending, then you should know about a 55-year-old Englishman called Stephen Hawking.
Why? Because he is considered to be one of the brainiest men in the world and to be the modern suessor of Albert Einstein.
Stephen has spent his life studying and thinking about the origins of the universe and how it can be explained by using the modern theories of physics such as Relativity and Quantum Mechanics. His discoveries and his scientific proposals have been revolutionary. People call him a genius.
Just as amazing is the fact that since his early twenties, he has been suffering from an incurable disease of the nervous system which has affected his movements and his speech. But, fortunately, although he must use a wheelchair and other technical aids to do things, his brain functions perfectly. In- deed, it functions better than the vast majority of people’s. So, in spite of a severe disability, he has made tremendous contributions to our understanding of our universe.
So, what does Stephen think about the beginnings of our world? Well, he thinks (along with others) that it began around fifteen billion years ago. He also thinks that our universe was probably created by an enormous explosion, a “Big Bang”. This is a view held by many cosmologists (scientists who study the universe).
But scientists hold different views about what the universe was like before the Big Bang. Some people think that there is no way that modern physics can explain or predict anything before the Big Bang. Many other people think that the Big Bang must have been the work of God.
Stephen Hawking has his own view on what the universe was like before the Big Bang. He has suggested that, yes, we can say that the universe and time began at one particular point (a Big Bang). But, this one point was just an ordinary point in time like, say, the north pole is a point on the smooth surface of the earth. It was not a point of real beginning, just a point.
Stephen believes that if we can use our present knowledge of the laws of physics to understand how the universe began, then we will not have to believe that a “God” or a spiritual force made the Big Bang.
What do you think about our beginnings? If you would like to read more about Stephen's ideas on the origins of the universe, then you should read his best seller A Brief History of Time.
In spite of his difficult illness and his confinement to a wheelchair, Stephen Hawking works as a Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge; holding the same position held by another famous scientist, Isaac Newton, in1663. It may be that the name Hawking could bee just as well known in history as that of his famous predecessor.
2. Stephen Hawking in China
Stephen Hawking, the disabled author of A Brief History of Time is launching his second journey to China in Hangzhou of Zhejiang Province. His first visit was over 10 years ago.
The great theoretical scientist has been invited to attend a state-of-the-art mathematics research institute at Zhejiang University, Hangzhou-based Dushi Kuaibao reported.
On Sunday evening, he made his debut at a press conference held at Shangri-La hotel, Hangzhou. Hawking appeared at about 5:00 p.m. with his wife.
The 50-year-old man answered a total of nine questions with the help of his puter.
“Experts in theoretical science are dispersed around the world, but we need munication. I am very glad that the world's first-class conference is being held in China this time,” he said.
“I find the real universe much more interesting than the one in the film Star Wars,” Hawking joked. “I encourage young people to study theoretical physics first if they are interested in it.”
Stephen Hawking has worked on the basic laws which govern the universe. With Roger Penrose he showed that Einstein's General Theory of Relativity implied space and time would have a beginning in the Big Bang and an end in black holes. These results indicated it was necessary to unify General Relativity with Quantum Theory, the other great scientific development of the first half of the 20th century.
One consequence of such a unification theory would be that black holes would not be pletely black, but emit radiation and eventually evaporate and disappear. Another conjecture is that the universe has no edge or boundary in imaginary time. This would imply that the way the universe began was pletely determined by the laws of science.
But the talented man who has produced such rich work suffers serious Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). He is one of the350 000 sufferers in the world. The disease kills over 100 000 people every year.
“I like life and I love life, my family and music give me the greatest happiness, ”smiled Hawking, who can only move three fingers.
In the ing year, Hawking said he is scheduled to write a new edition of A Brief History of Time for young children.
“A Brief History of Time is my first book for mon people. But I later found that I could write it in a more simple way,” he answered. “So I decided to rewrite it so that all people can read it easily. ”

The First Period
Teaching Aims:
1. Learn and master the following words: inspiration, perspiration, undertake, analysics, obvious, within, quote
2. Talk about science and scientists.
3. Listen to the description of some scientists.
4. Do some speaking, describing people and debating.
Teaching Important Points:
1. Train the students' listening ability by listening practice.
2. Train the students' speaking ability by talking about science and scientists, describing people and debating.
Teaching Difficult Points:
1. How to improve the students' listening ability.
2. How to help the students finish the task of speaking.
Teaching Methods:
1. Warming up to arouse the students' interest in science.
2. Listening-and-answering activity to help the students go through the listening material.
3. Individual, pair or group work to make every student work in class.
Teaching Aids:
1. a multimedia
2. a tape recorder
3. the blackboard
Teaching Procedures :
Step I Greetings
T : Good morning/afternoon, everyone.
Ss: Good morning/afternoon, Miss/ Mr. X.
Step II Warming up
T: There are many outstanding scientists in the world, who made great contributions to society and science. Now please make a list of the names of some scientists and their contributions. Write them down on a piece of paper. After a while, l’ll collect your answers.
(Teacher goes among the students. After a while, collect their lists of names and contributions. )
T: What great scientists do you know? And what are they famous for? Wang Bin.
S: Maria Curie is famous for her discoveries of radium and polonium and Zhang Heng is famous for his seismograph.
S: Thomas Alva Edison is famous for the invention of the light bulb.
S:…
(While the students answer the questions, teacher can write the names of some scientists and their discoveries or inventions on the blackboard. )
(Bb: Scientists Contributions Maria Curie Radium/Polonium Zhang Heng Seismograph Charles Darwin The Theory of Evolution Thomas Alva Edison The light bulb Albert Einstein The Theory of Relativity … … )
T. Well done. I think you are all interested in science and scientists. What do you think makes a suessful scientist? Have a discussion and make a list of what you have already known and what you would like to know. Discuss it in pairs or in groups of four. After a while, I'll ask some of you to report the results of your discussion.
(Three minutes later, teacher begins to collect the results of their discussion. )
T: Who’d like to tell me what makes a suessful scientist? Any volunteers?
S. I think it is the way he uses his tools that makes a suessful scientist.
S: I think a suessful scientist must have much imagination and intelligence and he must be creative and hard-working.
S. I think a suessful scientist must be confident, curious and careful. But what I’d like to know is what made him/her interested in science.
(While the students report their results, teacher can write some words describing a suessful scientist on the blackboard. )
(Bb: creative, hard-working, curious, careful, confident)
T: Now I'll show you the photos of some famous scientists. You should try to tell us who they are.
(Show the screen. )

　 （1）　　　　　　　　　　　（2）　　　　　　　　　　　　　（3）
T: Look at the photos on the screen. And tell me who they are. Who is the person in Picture 17
S: Albert Einstein.
T. Right. Can you say the name of the person in Picture 2,Ma Haoran?
S: I think it's Madame Curie.
T: Yeah. Sit down, please. The third picture?
S: Galileo Galilei.
T: Right or wrong?
Ss: Wrong. It is Thomas Alva Edison in Picture 3.
T: Good. They are all very famous in the world. You must have read some quotes from them. For example, never leave that until tomorrow, which you can do today, which is from Benjamin Franklin. Now look at the quotes on the screen.
(Show the quotes on the screen. )
Some quotes from famous scientists:
1. Genius is one percent inspiration and niy-nine percent perspiration.
2. Imagination is more important than knowledge.
3. Nothing in the world is to be feared; it is on!y to be understood:
T: Whom do you think these quotes are from and do you know what they mean? Discuss these questions in groups of four and tell us whether you agree with what they said. You’re given five minutes to have your discussion.
(Teacher may go among the students and join them in their discussion.)
T: (Five minutes later.) What’s the meaning of the first quote, Wu Liping?
S: I think it means that if we make great efforts to do something, we'll sueed. And no matter how clever he is, a person will fail if he doesn’t try his best.
T: Very good. Who do you think said this quote?
S: I think it was Thomas Alva Edison who said it. In Chinese, it means“天才就是百分之九十九的汗水加上百分之一的灵感”
T: Do you agree with it?
Ss: Yes.
(Teacher asks two other students to explain the other quotes and tell who said them.)
S. “想象力比知识更重要”。（Albert Einstein）
If you want to sueed, it's more important for you to have imagination than knowledge.
S:生活中没有什么可怕的东西，只有需要理解的东西。（Maria Curie）
There are only things to be understood in the world, while there is nothing to be feared.
T: Do you know any other quotes about science and thinking?
(One student stands up.)
S: I'd like to have a try. Wisdom is only found in truth.－Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
S: Knowledge is power.－Francis Bacon
…
(Ask the students to open the books at Page 1 and let them have a discussion about the quotes and pictures in Warming up.)
T: (A few minutes later.)We have learnt some quotes now. If you want to know more about quotes about science and thinking, you can collect more information in the library or on the Inter after class.
Step Ⅲ Listening
T: OK. Now let's do some listening practice on Page 2. Today we are going to listen to the descriptions of some famous scientists. Before listening to the tape, please read the requirements by yourself quickly. When I play the tape for the first time, you just listen to get the general idea. The second time I play the tape, you should try to finish the exercise. The last time, check your answers. Are you clear?
Ss: Yes.
T: OK. Let’s begin. Please listen carefully.
(Teacher plays the tape for the students to listen and pauses the tape for the students to write down their answers when necessary. In the end, check the answers with the whole class and give some explanations or play the tape again if necessary. )
Step IV Speaking
T: Now let's look at the speaking part on Page 2. Work in groups of five. Each group member represents a branch of science, for example, biology, maths, chemistry, physics, puter science. You are going to debate each other to see which branch of science is the most important and useful for society. First you should decide who will represent each branch and then prepare your role card and them begin to debate. Are you clear?
Ss: Yes.
T: You can use the expressions at the bottom of this page when you debate each other. They are very helpful.
(Five minutes later, teacher checks their debate.)
T: Which group would like to give a performance? Please e to the blackboard.
(One of the groups e to the blackboard and begin their debate.)
S: I think that biology is the most important and useful science because it is essential to protecting the ecological balance and environment. People can’t live without living things. Furthermore, biology goes hand in hand with our life. If there were no science of biology, there would not be medicine. In a word, biology is the most important and useful.
S: Well, maybe, but I think that chemistry is the most important and useful, because chemistry is the key to the progress of the human being. Besides, it is chemical reaction that produces many new things.
S: It is hard to say. There are many physical products. And physics is widely used in many fields, such as medicine, industry and agriculture. There would be no life without physics. So I think physics is the most important and useful science.
S: That's true. But maths is the basic science. You can't learn physics or chemistry well without a good knowledge of maths. Maths is a tool in science and engineering. Therefore, maths is the most important and useful science. What's your idea?
S: Well, there is no doubt that maths is an important and useful science. In my opinion, the most important and useful science should be puter science in our modern information society. The puter is now an indispensable tool in many fields. It can settle all kinds of problems at a high speed and can help people work easily. So I think puter science is the most important and useful science.
Step V Summary and Homework
T: Today we've done some listening and speaking. We have also talked about science and scientists. After class, please search more information about science and scientists on the Inter or in the library. And don't fet to preview the reading material “No Boundaries”. So much for today. Class is over.
Step Ⅵ The Design of the Writing on the Blackboard

Unit1 Making a difference
The First Period
Scientists Contributions
Maria Curie Radium/Polonium
Zhang Heng Seismograph
Charles Darwin The Theory of Evolution
Thomas Alva Edison The light bulb
Albert Einstein The Theory of Relativity
… …
Some words describing scientists:
creative, hard-working, curious, careful,
confident…
Step Ⅶ Record after Teaching