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ESL / EFL
General English
Pre-teens (9-12)
45 min

☕My Day: From Sunrise to Sunset

This lesson introduces pre-teens to the core vocabulary and grammar needed to describe their daily routines. Students will learn the Present Simple tense to talk about habits, explore a typical day of a student, and practice speaking about their own schedules through interactive activities.

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Lesson plan

Objectives

  • I can use at least 12 new verbs to describe my daily routine.
  • I can use the Present Simple tense in the first and third person to talk about habits.
  • I can ask and answer simple questions about what time I do certain activities.
  • I can identify and use time expressions like 'in the morning' and 'at night' correctly.
  • I can read and understand a short text about a typical school day.

Materials

  • Flashcards of daily actions (waking up, brushing teeth, etc.)
  • Digital or analog clock face for time practice
  • Printable routine log worksheet
  • Audio/Video clip showing a morning routine
  • Whiteboard and colored markers
  • Dice for the 'Routine Race' game

Warm-up

Begin by playing 'Mime the Action.' The teacher mimes a common morning action, like brushing teeth or eating breakfast, and students must guess the word in English. Once the word is guessed, the teacher writes it on the board. After three examples, students take turns coming to the front to mime an action from their own morning for their classmates to guess.

Presentation

Introduce the target vocabulary using a visual timeline on the board. Start with 'wake up' at 7:00 AM and end with 'go to sleep' at 9:00 PM. Explain the Present Simple structure for routines (I + verb). Highlight the 's' ending for 'he/she/it' using a character like 'Alex.' For example: 'I eat breakfast' vs 'Alex eats breakfast.' Use a clock to introduce time expressions: 'at 8 o'clock,' 'in the morning,' 'in the afternoon,' and 'in the evening.'

Guided practice

Distribute a 'Fill-in-the-Clock' worksheet. Students look at pictures of a boy named Leo and write the correct verb and time. Example: 'Leo (wash) his face at 7:15.' The teacher circulates to ensure students are adding the 's' to the verbs. After five minutes, students check their answers in pairs before reviewing as a whole class with the teacher pointing to the clock.

Freer practice

Students create their own 'Ideal Day' poster. They draw four boxes representing Morning, Afternoon, Evening, and Night. In each box, they write one sentence about what they do and draw a small picture. After finishing, they stand up and find a partner to compare. They must find one thing that is the same and one thing that is different (e.g., 'We both eat lunch at 1:00' or 'I play games but you read books').

Wrap-up

Conduct a 'Circle Summary.' Students stand in a circle. The teacher throws a soft ball to a student and asks, 'What do you do in the morning?' The student answers and throws the ball to another student, asking about the afternoon. End with a reflection: 'What was the hardest word to remember today?'

A Day in the Life of Maya

Hello! My name is Maya, and I am eleven years old. Every day, my life follows a busy but fun routine. My day starts very early. My alarm clock rings at six-thirty in the morning. I do not like to get up immediately because my bed is very warm, but I know I must go to school. First, I go to the bathroom. I wash my face with cold water to wake up, and then I brush my teeth. After that, I go back to my bedroom and put on my school uniform. My uniform is a blue shirt and grey trousers. At seven o'clock, I go to the kitchen to have breakfast with my family. My mother usually makes toast with jam or a bowl of cereal. I also drink a glass of orange juice. Talkative as she is, my little sister tells us about her dreams from the night before. At seven-thirty, I grab my school bag and walk to the bus stop. The school bus arrives at seven-forty. On the bus, I talk to my best friend, Sarah. We talk about our favorite video games or the homework we did last night. Classes start at eight-fifteen. My favorite subject is Art because I love to draw animals. We also have Math, English, and Science. At twelve o'clock, it is time for lunch. I eat in the school canteen with my friends. Sometimes I have a sandwich, and sometimes I have pasta. After lunch, we play football on the playground for twenty minutes before afternoon classes begin. School finishes at three o'clock. I go home and have a small snack, like an apple or a banana. Then, I sit at my desk and do my homework. It is important to finish my work before dinner. At six o'clock, I play with my dog, Bruno, in the garden. He is very energetic and loves to catch balls. We have dinner at seven-thirty. My dad is a great cook, and he often makes delicious soup or chicken. After dinner, I help my parents clear the table and wash the dishes. Then, I have some free time. I usually read a book or watch a short cartoon on television. At nine o'clock, I put on my pajamas. I get into bed and read for ten minutes before I turn off the light. I am usually very tired, so I fall asleep quickly. That is my daily routine!

Comprehension

  1. What time does Maya's alarm clock ring?
    Answer: Her alarm clock rings at 6:30 AM.
  2. What does Maya do to wake up in the bathroom?
    Answer: She washes her face with cold water.
  3. What does Maya wear for school?
    Answer: She wears a blue shirt and grey trousers.
  4. Who does Maya talk to on the school bus?
    Answer: She talks to her best friend, Sarah.
  5. What is Maya's favorite subject and why?
    Answer: Her favorite subject is Art because she loves to draw animals.
  6. What does Maya do for twenty minutes after lunch?
    Answer: She plays football on the playground.
  7. What is the name of Maya's dog?
    Answer: His name is Bruno.
  8. What time does Maya go to bed?
    Answer: She goes to bed at 9:00 PM.

Grammar — Present Simple for Daily Routines

We use the Present Simple to talk about things we do regularly (habits or routines). For 'I, You, We, They,' we use the base form of the verb (e.g., 'I play'). For 'He, She, It,' we usually add '-s' or '-es' to the verb (e.g., 'He plays', 'She goes'). To make a negative sentence, use 'don't' for I/You/We/They and 'doesn't' for He/She/It. Example: 'I don't like milk' or 'He doesn't like milk.' Remember, after 'doesn't,' the verb does NOT have an 's'.

  1. I ______ (wake up) at 7 o'clock every day.
    Answer: wake up
  2. My sister ______ (brush) her teeth in the morning.
    Answer: brushes
  3. They ______ (not / walk) to school; they take the bus.
    Answer: don't walk
  4. He ______ (have) breakfast with his parents.
    Answer: has
  5. We ______ (do) our homework in the afternoon.
    Answer: do
  6. Maya ______ (not / like) to get up early.
    Answer: doesn't like
  7. The dog ______ (run) in the garden after dinner.
    Answer: runs
  8. You ______ (wash) your face before you go to bed.
    Answer: wash
  9. My dad ______ (cook) dinner every night.
    Answer: cooks
  10. Does she ______ (go) to sleep at 10:00?
    Answer: go

Pronunciation

Focus: The 's' endings for 3rd person singular (/s/, /z/, /ɪz/)

Minimal pairs

  • Walks / Walls
  • Sleeps / Sleeps
  • Washes / Watches
  • Plays / Place
  • Gets / Guess
  • Drinks / Rings

Drill

Explain that 's' can sound like /s/ (like a snake), /z/ (like a bee), or /ɪz/ (an extra syllable). Class repeats after the teacher: 1. /s/: 'He eats snacks.' 2. /z/: 'She plays games.' 3. /ɪz/: 'He washes his face.' Then, say a verb (e.g., 'Closes') and have students point to a card with 'S', 'Z', or 'IZ' on it.

Conversation — Two friends are talking at the school gates on a Monday morning about their different morning routines.

Role A

You are a 'Morning Person.' You love waking up early (5:30 AM), exercising, and having a big breakfast. You want to convince your friend that waking up early is great. Suggest one morning activity they can try.

Role B

You are a 'Night Owl.' You hate mornings and wake up at the last possible minute (7:45 AM). You often forget your breakfast and feel tired. Explain why you prefer to stay up late and sleep in.

Useful phrases

  • What time do you usually...
  • I can't stand waking up early.
  • I love the morning because...
  • First, I... and then I...
  • That sounds tiring!
  • I'm always in a hurry.
  • You should try to...
  • My favorite part of the morning is...

My Daily Routine Diary

  • Write a short paragraph (50-80 words) describing your typical Saturday routine.
  • Draw a 'Routine Timeline' showing 6 major activities from your day and label them with the time.
  • Interview a family member about their routine and write down three differences between their day and yours.
  • Record a 30-second voice note describing your favorite after-school activity and send it to the teacher.
  • Complete the Present Simple sentences on page 4 of your workbook.

Vocabulary

Wake up
To stop sleeping.
"I wake up at 7 AM every morning."
Get up
To get out of bed.
"I wake up at 7:00, but I get up at 7:15."
Brush teeth
To clean your teeth with a toothbrush.
"You should brush your teeth twice a day."
Get dressed
To put on your clothes.
"I get dressed after I have a shower."
Have breakfast
To eat the first meal of the day.
"We have breakfast in the kitchen at 8:00."
Catch the bus
To get on a bus to go somewhere.
"I catch the bus at the corner of my street."
Canteen
A place in a school or office where people eat lunch.
"The school canteen serves pizza on Fridays."
Do homework
To do work given by a teacher to do at home.
"I do my math homework after school."
Have a snack
To eat a small amount of food between meals.
"The children have a snack at 4 PM."
Put on pajamas
To put on clothes for sleeping.
"I put on my pajamas before I go to bed."
Go to sleep
To start sleeping.
"I go to sleep at 9:30 PM."
Wash dishes
To clean the plates and bowls after a meal.
"I help my mom wash the dishes after dinner."

Activities

  • The Routine Interview · 12 minutes

    Students work in pairs. One student is the 'Interviewer' and the other is the 'Star.' The interviewer asks questions about the star's daily routine. After 5 minutes, they swap roles. Students must take notes to share one interesting fact with the class afterwards.

  • Find Someone Who... · 12 minutes

    Give each student a list of routines. They must walk around the room and find classmates who do those things. When they find someone, they write their name down. They must ask: 'Do you...?'

  • Routine Snapshots · 12 minutes

    In groups of three, students are given a specific person (e.g., a teacher, a professional athlete, an astronaut). They must brainstorm five things that person does every day and present it to the class without saying who the person is. The class guesses the job.

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