Practise the past forms of the verbs using the word cards. Have the students read the cards and then make a sentence using the verb and starting with 'yesterday', eg Yesterday my friend came to see me.

Give the students time to look at the pictures on screen, or on page 17 of Blue Skies Students' Book 4. Read the words (or use Blue Skies audio cassette 4) while the students follow on screen or in their books. Have individuals read a verse each. Read the poem again, pausing after each verse. Ask these questions:

Verse 1: What was he doing? (He was painting the fence.)
Who painted the fence? (Peter painted it.)
Verse 2: What was he doing? (He was cutting the grass.)
Who cut the grass? (Katy cut it.)
Verse 3: What was he doing? (He was sweeping the yard.)
Who swept the yard? (Susan swept it.)

Have five students volunteer to be the boy, Peter, Katy, Susan, and Mum. They perform the actions while the class reads the poem. Divide the class into four groups. Each group reads one verse.

Have volunteers come out and mime an action. Ask the class 'What was he/she doing?' to elicit, eg She was painting a fence.

1. Write

Hand out the writing activity, taken from page 15 of Blue Skies Workbook 4. Complete the poem orally. The students then write the words. Have the students read the completed poem.

2. Wiz was climbing a tree when he fell

Have students study the examples in the Language Reference on screen, or on page 93 of Blue Skies Students' Book 4. Hand out the writing activity, taken from page 43 of Blue Skies Workbook 4. Then have students complete the dialogue. Students compare their answers in pairs. Finally, have pairs read it as a dialogue. (Answers: Were / was; Were / wasn't; was; Was / wasn't).