Small things and lesson plans: “spin” is the word

Small things and lesson plans: “spin” is the word

I am a great believer in small things. Small things possess a lot of potential, and this is magic. A small thing can be a single concept examined in as many ways as one can imagine in one’s mind’s eye.

Let us, for the sake of illustration, take the concept of “spin”. I had never bargained for this

Spinning by firelight The boyhood of George Washington Gray, 1894  Henry Ossawa Tanner

while trying to prepare a first-time lesson plan for an online student.  For me “spin” evoked spinning car wheels, spinning tops, spinning dancers but not spinning wheels for spinning yarn!

So here are some suggestions about a lesson plan though of course examples and language production expectations will vary depending on the students’ level. One more word of warning: I always overshoot the time limit of a teaching session. (It’s a leftover fear of my early days of teaching: what if I run out of ideas before the lesson is over?)

To begin with, show the painting and try to elicit as much as you can about the setting, the era, the thoughts of the people portrayed in it. I suppose it is rather unlikely that the students will know the word “spinning wheel” or its use for that matter, so you can explain all about it. You could use the familiar image from Sleeping Beauty, which most students will have seen before.

Next provide some examples of the different nuances of meaning as well as some idiomatic expressions with the word:

·       The woman quickly spun around and pulled out a short sword.

·       Her head was spinning and it wasn't from any of the alcohol she had consumed earlier.

·       I must say my head is spinning as I contemplate these troublesome questions.

·       Aunt Betty often offered to spin neighbours' wool for them as a source of extra income.

·       Unlike insects, spiders spin silks throughout their lives.

give sth a particular emphasis or bias

·       They spin the story from an African American perspective, making us the centre, not the periphery of the story.

·       This time, they try to spin the story as a ‘legal way to download music.

IDIOMS

·       spin a yard=tell a long far-fetched story

The Oscar-nominated Perlman, who's worked extensively in children's TV, manages to spin a yarn about bullying that's both entertaining and thoughtful.

·       spin one’s wheels=waste one’s time or effort

So for at least five of the last eight years, I was just spinning my wheels.

And since everyone is entitled to a bit of fun, you can play the following song:

You Spin Me Round

Dead or Alive

If I, I get to know your name

Well if I, could trace your private number, baby

All I know is that to me

You look like you're lots of fun

Open up your lovin' arms

I want some, want some

I set my sights on you (and no one else will do)

And I, I've got to have my way now, baby

All I know is that to me

You look like you're having fun

Open up your lovin' arms

Watch out here I come

You spin me right round, baby

Right round like a record, baby

Right round round round

You spin me right round, baby

Right round like a record, baby

Right round round round

I got to be your friend now, baby

And I would like to move in just a little bit closer

All I know is that to me

You look like you're lots of fun

Open up your lovin' arms

Watch out, here I come

You spin…

Finally, ask the students to write a short story about spinning in whatever sense of the word they choose – ideally including as many different shades of its meaning as possible.

Also while you are at it, better not miss the opportunity to assign some dictionary work on the difference between set eyes on and set one’s sights on (the latter is in the song). 

Hope you have fun and perhaps you can add a new spin on this lesson plan!