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Middle Grade Learner Reading Courses

ESL Lesson: Camp Somerset Part 6

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ESL Lesson: Camp Somerset Part 6

Objective:

Students will continue to improve their reading comprehension, vocabulary, and critical thinking skills through the story “Camp Somerset.”

Duration:

45 minutes

Prereading Activity (10 minutes)

Key Vocabulary:

  1. Enigmatic (adjective): mysterious and difficult to understand. * “The enigmatic man in the black sedan refused to reveal his purpose.”

  2. Nonchalant (adjective): appearing casually calm and relaxed. * “Charles tried to sound nonchalant when asking the man about his reason for visiting Camp Somerset.”

  3. Intrigued (adjective): fascinated and curious. * “Molly and her friends were intrigued by the man's mention of unexplained aerial phenomena.”

  4. Compromising (adjective): revealing an embarrassing or illegal secret.  * “Max and his friends hoped to catch the counselors in a compromising situation.”

  5. Concoction (noun): a mixture of various ingredients. * “Mindy and her friends brewed a strange concoction, hoping it would give them magical powers.”

  6. Foliage (noun): plant leaves, collectively. * “The dense foliage made it difficult to see through the forest.”

  7. Ethereal (adjective): delicate and otherworldly. * “The strange object emitted a soft, ethereal glow.”

  8. Illuminating (verb): lighting up. * “The strange light was illuminating a hidden clearing in the forest.”

Photo by Josh Hild on Unsplash

Reading Activity (20 minutes)

Chapter 6: The Adventure

The mystery of the black sedan had gripped the camp. Molly, Charles, and their friends were determined to uncover the truth behind the enigmatic man. Their plan was simple: a casual encounter, a well-placed question, and a bit of luck.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the camp, Molly and Charles positioned themselves near the lake, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man. When the black sedan finally emerged, they seized the opportunity.

"Hey, uh, excuse me," Molly stammered, her heart pounding. "We couldn't help but notice your car. It's pretty cool."

The man, startled, looked up from his paperwork. "Oh, thanks," he replied, his voice surprisingly gentle. "It's just a car."

"So, what brings you to Camp Somerset?" Charles asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

The man hesitated, then sighed. "I'm here to investigate some unusual reports. Apparently, there have been strange lights spotted in the hills at night."

Molly's eyes widened. "Lights in the hills? Like UFOs?"

The man chuckled. "Well, not exactly UFOs. More like unexplained aerial phenomena."

Intrigued, Molly and her friends decided to explore the hills themselves. They packed flashlights, snacks, and a sense of adventure, eager to uncover the secrets of the night sky.

Meanwhile, Max, Joey, and Jaime were on a mission of their own. Armed with their trusty Polaroid camera, they followed the counselors, hoping to catch them in a compromising situation. They hid in the bushes, crouched behind trees, and even snuck into the counselors' cabin, but their efforts were fruitless. The counselors seemed perfectly ordinary, their secrets well-hidden.

Mindy and her friends, on the other hand, were taking a more magical approach. They believed that the man in the black sedan was a dark warlock, and they would need powerful magic to defeat him. They spent hours practicing strange dances, chanting cryptic rhymes, and brewing concoctions of questionable ingredients.

As night fell, the group of friends ventured into the dark woods, their flashlights cutting through the dense foliage. The air was crisp and the forest was silent, save for the rustling of leaves and the distant hoot of an owl. The higher they climbed, the more breathtaking the view became. The stars twinkled above them, and the lake shimmered in the moonlight.

Suddenly, a strange light appeared in the distance, pulsing and flickering. The friends exchanged excited glances. Could this be the mysterious phenomenon the man in the black sedan had mentioned? As they drew closer, the light grew brighter, illuminating a hidden clearing. In the center of the clearing, a strange, otherworldly object hovered, emitting a soft, ethereal glow.

Post Reading Activity (15 minutes)

Warm-up (True or False):

  1. True or False? Molly and Charles were afraid to approach the man in the black sedan.

  2. True or False? Max and his friends successfully caught the counselors in a compromising situation.

Short Answer Questions:

  1. What was the man in the black sedan investigating at Camp Somerset?

  2. How did Mindy and her friends try to prepare for their encounter with the "dark warlock"?

  3. What did the group of friends discover in the hidden clearing in the woods?

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why do you think the author chose to include multiple groups of friends with different plans in this chapter? How does this add to the story?

  2. What do you think the strange, otherworldly object in the clearing might be? How do you think this discovery will impact the rest of the story?

Answer Key:

Warm-up:

  1. False

  2. False

Short Answer:

  1. Unexplained aerial phenomena (strange lights in the hills)

  2. Practicing dances, chanting rhymes, and brewing concoctions.

  3. A strange, otherworldly object hovering and emitting a soft, ethereal glow.

Discussion:

  1. Suggested Answer: To add variety and humor to the story, to show different approaches to the same mystery, and to create suspense and anticipation for the reader.

  2. Suggested Answer: This is open to interpretation, but it could be a UFO, a magical artifact, or a natural phenomenon. This discovery likely sets the stage for a major plot point and will drive the characters' actions in the following chapters.

Credits:

Story and lesson material by… Tyler Golec

Mandarin Translations by… Rosy Lien

Media Contributions by… Polina Kuzovkova, Jordan Steranka, Josh Hild and Polina Kuzovkova.