Purpose: Run a complete lesson using Chapter 4 and the Student Self-Study page as the student material.
Recommended Level: A2–B1 | Lesson Length: 30–45 minutes (with options to expand to 60+)
1) Lesson Overview
- Theme: responsibility, teamwork, leadership, and handling change when the workload increases.
- Skills: Listening, reading, speaking (opinions + inference), short writing.
- Outcome: Student can explain the ranch staffing problem (Miller leaving, Tex becoming sheriff) and discuss how people respond when they are “stretched thin.”
Tutor tip: Keep the story page open (audio + text) in one tab and the Student Self-Study page open in another tab.
2) Materials
- Chapter 4 page (audio + story text)
- Student Self-Study lesson page (vocab + questions + prompts)
- Optional: student notebook / Google Doc for writing task
- Optional: Tutor Note on using the Student Writing Workbook
3) 30–45 Minute Lesson Flow
A) Warm-Up (3–5 minutes)
Ask 2–3 questions. Keep it conversational.
- Have you ever lost a teammate at work or school? What changed?
- What happens when a group is “short-staffed”?
- What jobs help keep a town safe and organized?
Goal: Activate topic language (responsibility, shortage, teamwork, safety, leadership).
B) Pre-Teach Vocabulary (5–7 minutes)
Choose 6–8 items only. Quick definition + student sentence.
| Target Word/Phrase | Simple Meaning | Quick Prompt (Tutor Use) |
|---|---|---|
| situation | a problem that needs attention | “What kind of situations happen at work or school?” |
| lonesome | lonely | “When do people feel lonesome?” |
| trail drive | a long cattle drive (moving cattle over distance) | “Why do ranchers move cattle long distances?” |
| cook (chuck wagon cook) | the person who prepares meals for the crew | “Why is a good cook important on a ranch?” |
| branding | marking cattle (often with a hot iron) to show ownership | “Why do ranchers brand cattle?” |
| scattered | spread out in many places | “What can be scattered (not only cattle)?” |
| greenhorn | a beginner; someone inexperienced | “Were you ever a greenhorn at something?” |
| stretched (thin) | having too much to do with too few people | “When do you feel stretched thin?” |
| lawman | a sheriff or police officer | “What does a lawman do?” |
| badge | a metal sign of authority for a law officer | “What does a badge represent?” |
| rough bunch | a group of people who cause trouble | “What does a rough bunch do?” |
| merchant / mercantile | a shopkeeper / a general store | “What can you buy at a mercantile?” |
| grit | courage and determination | “Name someone with grit. Why?” |
| weak spot | a place where problems can happen more easily | “What is a weak spot in a plan?” |
Pronunciation tip: Drill “situation,” “lonesome,” “branding,” “greenhorn,” “mercantile,” and “stretched thin.” Model → student repeat → short sentence.
C) First Listening (Big Idea) (4–6 minutes)
- Open the Chapter 4 page.
- Student listens once without reading (or reads minimally).
- Ask: “In one sentence, what is this chapter mainly about?”
Expected big idea: The ranch is facing a shortage because Miller is leaving and Tex is becoming sheriff, so Jake, Mary, Caldwell, and Boone prepare to carry extra responsibility.
D) Read While Listening (8–12 minutes)
- Play audio again while the student reads along.
- Pause briefly after these moments:
- Caldwell says, “We’ve got ourselves a situation.”
- Miller plans to leave for a trail drive (loss of the cook).
- Mary offers to cook for the crew temporarily.
- Jake explains Tex is taking a badge in town (new sheriff).
- The town trouble: Saturday-night violence near the mercantile.
- The ending: Boone on the porch and the lonely coyote call.
Mini-checks while pausing: “What changed?” “Why is this a problem?” “What solution do they suggest?”
E) Comprehension Q&A (6–10 minutes)
Use the student page questions. Student answers aloud first.
- If the student struggles, ask smaller guiding questions.
- Encourage complete sentences, but don’t over-correct.
Helpful follow-ups: “What details show pressure on the ranch?” “Who responds calmly, and how?”
F) Key Phrase Practice (3–5 minutes)
Use 3–5 phrases. Repeat twice, then have the student use one in a new sentence.
- “We’ve got ourselves a situation.”
- “Trail cooks don’t grow on juniper bushes.”
- “I just do what needs doin’.”
- “But we’ll get through. We always do.”
- “Trouble has a nose for weak spots.”
- “Looks like you and I got double shifts for a spell.”
G) Speaking Output (10–15 minutes)
Choose 2–3 prompts depending on time. Aim for 1–2 minutes per answer.
- Have you ever had to take on “double shifts” (extra responsibilities)? What happened?
- Is it better to leave a job for personal reasons (like missing home), or stay and help the team? Explain.
- Why do you think a town needs a good sheriff? What happens when people feel unsafe?
- Mary says, “I just do what needs doin’.” Do you agree with that attitude? Why or why not?
- What do you think the coyote symbolizes at the end of the chapter?
Fluency trick: After the student answers, ask: “Tell me again, but simpler.” Then: “Tell me again with more details.”
H) Writing Task (Homework or In-Class) (5–10 minutes)
If there’s time, do it in class. If not, assign as homework.
- Option A: Summary – Write 6–10 sentences summarizing what happens in Chapter 4.
- Option B: Personal Reflection – Write about a time you felt “stretched thin” and how you handled it.
- Option C: Continue the Story – Write what happens the next morning when Jake plans the work with a smaller crew.
4) Optional Expansions (for 60+ minutes)
A) Role-play (5–10 minutes)
- Scene 1: Caldwell tells Jake the ranch is short-staffed; Jake proposes a new plan.
- Scene 2: Mary volunteers to cook until they find a replacement.
- Scene 3: Jake explains town trouble and Tex’s new role as sheriff.
- Goal: Use calm problem-solving language: “Here’s the situation…,” “We’ll manage…,” “Let’s make a plan…,” “We’ll get through.”
B) Retell Challenge (5–10 minutes)
Student retells using this structure:
- Setting (evening coffee in the ranch house)
- Problem #1 (Miller leaving)
- Problem #2 (Tex becoming sheriff / town trouble)
- Plan (shuffle jobs; Mary cooks; watch weak spots)
- Ending image (Boone + the lonely coyote call)
C) Light Grammar Focus (Optional, 5 minutes)
- Future plans: “Miller is fixin’ to…” / “Tex is takin’…” (informal future intention).
- Cause & effect: “Because Miller leaves, the ranch is stretched thin.”
- Modals for advice: “We should shuffle the men.” “You need to keep an eye on the herd.”
5) Simple Wrap-Up Script (1–2 minutes)
Wrap-up: “Today’s chapter shows how a team responds when things get harder. Instead of panic, they make a plan and share responsibility.”
Final question: “What is the biggest ‘weak spot’ in the ranch situation, and what is one smart solution?”