E9 M - Plan a class-trip day programme

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E9 M - Plan a class-trip day programme

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E9 M - Plan a class-trip day programme

Mini-description: Develop a realistic day programme for a fictional class trip. Use opening times, a map or journey planner, transport information and different interests. Then present and defend your plan in English.

Level: English as a first foreign language, Year 9, Baden-Württemberg, M-level. The language is B1-oriented: you work with longer short texts, natural but moderate listening, several speakers, discussion, negotiation and coherent writing.

Einleitung

Mission: Your class has one day in London. You start and finish at King's Cross. Your team must choose places, check time limits, plan transport, build in a buffer and agree on a programme that works for the whole group.

Learning route: English first → understand → respond → ask → hint → improve → use again.

Important: The people in this course are fictional. Do not use private social-media data. Audio or video recording is voluntary and should stay private unless your teacher has agreed another safe solution. Do not upload personal data to external AI tools. If you use AI for ideas or feedback, check facts and sources and keep your own wording and decisions.

Media warm-up: Look at the Underground sign. In pairs, say three things you already know about travelling in London. Then add one question you want to answer today.

Video laden

YouTube

YouTube sammelt möglicherweise persönliche Daten. Datenschutzrichtlinie

Fortfahren Ausblenden

Viewing task: Watch part of the TfL video. Note two tools or strategies that can make a journey easier. Compare your notes with a partner. Do not try to understand every word.

I-can goals

By the end, you can say:

1. I can read opening times, simple maps and transport information.
2. I can compare options and explain advantages and disadvantages.
3. I can negotiate a plan with my group and react to new problems.
4. I can present a clear day programme with times, transport and reasons.
5. I can write a coherent planning message or short report.
6. I can mediate key information between German and English without translating every word.
7. I can check whether information from websites or AI is reliable enough to use.

Activate your prior knowledge

Answer in English first:

1. What can make a class-trip plan unrealistic?
2. Which is more important for a group: the fastest route, the cheapest route or the route with the fewest changes?
3. How much buffer time would you add before the final meeting point?

Deutsch-Hilfe
Denke an Öffnungszeiten, Fahrzeit, Wege zu Fuß, Pausen, Gruppeninteressen, Barrierefreiheit und Zeitpuffer. Übersetze nicht alles; nutze nur die Hilfe, die Du wirklich brauchst.

Understand the planning pack

Real-world anchor, checked for this course: The British Museum currently lists daily opening hours of 10:00–17:00, with later Friday opening. Tower Bridge lists daily opening hours of 09:30–18:00, with last entry at 17:00. TfL offers an official journey planner with options such as fewest changes, least walking and step-free access. Always check current information again before a real trip.

Classroom data: The travel minutes and visit times below are a stable fictional planning set. They are plausible for the task, but they are not live transport data.

Fictional group profiles

1. Maya: likes history and objects with stories; dislikes long shopping stops.
2. Leo: likes engineering, city views and taking photos.
3. Aisha: likes food, street life and short creative tasks; she wants enough time for lunch.
4. Noah: enjoys museums but prefers fewer transport changes and regular breaks.

Group rule: Your final plan must give every profile at least one clear reason to support it.

Place cards

A – British Museum
Interest: history, global cultures, objects.
Real opening time used in this course: 10:00–17:00.
Suggested classroom visit: 90 minutes.
Planning clue: free general entry, but advance booking is recommended by the museum.

Media task: Look at the Great Court. Give one reason why a class may need a meeting point inside a large museum.

B – Covent Garden
Interest: food, market atmosphere, street life, shopping.
Classroom visit window: 10:00–18:00.
Suggested classroom visit: 60 minutes.
Planning clue: no ticket is needed for the public area in this task.

C – Tower Bridge
Interest: engineering, views, London landmarks.
Real opening time used in this course: 09:30–18:00; last entry 17:00.
Suggested classroom visit: 75 minutes.
Planning clue: your fictional class has pre-booked group tickets.

Video laden

YouTube

YouTube sammelt möglicherweise persönliche Daten. Datenschutzrichtlinie

Fortfahren Ausblenden

Viewing task: Watch a short section. Write down one engineering detail and one question you would ask a guide.

D – Riverside photo walk
Interest: views, photography, relaxed talking time.
Classroom visit window: 09:00–18:00.
Suggested classroom visit: 45 minutes.
Planning clue: outdoor stops need a weather backup.

Travel-time matrix: classroom data

From → to	Suggested mode	Planning time
King's Cross → British Museum	bus + short walk	25 min
King's Cross → Covent Garden	Tube + walk	25 min
British Museum → Covent Garden	walk	15 min
Covent Garden → Tower Bridge	Tube + walk	30 min
British Museum → Tower Bridge	Tube + walk	35 min
Tower Bridge → Riverside photo walk	walk	10 min
Riverside photo walk → King's Cross	Tube	30 min
Tower Bridge → King's Cross	Tube	30 min

Fixed constraints: Start at King's Cross at 09:15. Take a 45-minute lunch between 12:00 and 14:00. Include at least one 15-minute buffer. Be back at King's Cross by 17:30.

Real planning link: TfL Journey Planner. For a real trip, check live disruption information and accessibility needs. Use place names only; never enter a private home address for this school task.

Video laden

YouTube

YouTube sammelt möglicherweise persönliche Daten. Datenschutzrichtlinie

Fortfahren Ausblenden

Listening/Viewing task: Listen for route words such as line, station, change, platform and exit. After watching, explain one Tube tip in your own words.

Reading: Can this plan work?

Draft plan from Team Blue

We meet at King's Cross at 09:15 and travel to the British Museum. We arrive at 09:40, but the museum opens at 10:00, so we use the waiting time for a short breakfast break. We visit from 10:00 to 11:30. Then we walk to Covent Garden and have lunch from 12:00 to 12:45. After 45 minutes to explore the area, we travel to Tower Bridge at 13:30. We arrive at 14:00 and visit until 15:15. Next, we take a short riverside photo walk. At 16:00 we start our return journey. We plan 30 minutes for the Tube and keep the remaining time as a buffer. We are back at King's Cross before 17:30.

Reading check:

1. Find two constraints the plan respects.
2. Find one part that could fail if transport is delayed.
3. Which fictional student profile is best served by each stop?
4. Suggest one improvement without making the day longer.

Deutsch-Hilfe
Suche nicht nach einer Wort-für-Wort-Übersetzung. Markiere zuerst Zeiten, Orte, Verkehrsmittel und Begründungen. Prüfe danach: passt die Reihenfolge, gibt es genug Pause, ist der Rückweg abgesichert?

Context vocabulary

English	Meaning in this task	Useful chunk
opening hours	times when a place is open	check the opening hours
journey	travel from one place to another	plan the journey
change	move to another line or vehicle	one change
walking time	minutes needed on foot	allow ten minutes of walking time
meeting point	agreed place for the group	meet at the main entrance
time slot	fixed period for a visit	book a time slot
buffer	extra time for delays	add a fifteen-minute buffer
realistic	possible with the available time	a realistic schedule
priority	something especially important	our main priority is...
compromise	solution that partly satisfies different wishes	find a compromise
delay	something happens later than planned	in case of a delay
backup plan	alternative if the first plan fails	use our backup plan

Use again: Choose four chunks and use them in new sentences about the London task.

Pronunciation and fluency

The goal is clear, understandable English, not accent-free English.

Practise in thought groups:

1. We could TAKE the Tube / because it SAVES time.
2. Our MAIN priority / is to be BACK by five thirty.
3. If the bus is LATE / we can SKIP the photo stop.
4. I see your POINT / but we also need a BREAK.

Fluency routine: Read once slowly. Read again in chunks. Then look away and say the idea naturally. Finally, use the same pattern with a new place.

Functional grammar for planning

Use modals and conditionals to make decisions.

Function	Pattern	Example
obligation	must / have to	We have to be back by 17:30.
suggestion	could / should	We could walk to Covent Garden.
comparison	faster than / more useful than	The Tube is faster than walking here.
consequence	if + present, will / can	If the train is late, we can shorten the visit.
reason	because / so	We need a buffer because delays are possible.

Micro-task: Improve this weak sentence: Tower Bridge good. We go. Make it a B1 planning sentence with a reason and a time link.

Speaking: negotiate your class-trip plan

Work in groups of three or four. Each person first chooses one priority. Then negotiate one shared plan.

Useful language:

1. I suggest ... because ...
2. That could work, but ...
3. What if we ...?
4. Which option gives us more buffer time?
5. I agree up to a point. However, ...
6. Can we find a compromise?
7. So, are we agreed on ...?

Spontaneous challenge: After two minutes, your teacher gives your group one event card:

1. The Tube journey takes 15 minutes longer.
2. One student needs a route with fewer stairs.
3. It starts raining before the photo walk.
4. Your Tower Bridge slot moves 30 minutes later.

React in English and revise your plan.

Writing: send the final programme

Write a coherent planning message of about 140–180 words. Include:

1. the meeting time and end time,
2. three stops,
3. transport between stops,
4. lunch and one buffer,
5. two reasons linked to group interests,
6. one backup idea.

Model opening: Hi everyone, here is our plan for the class-trip day. We will meet at King's Cross at 09:15. First, ...

Do not copy the model plan. Keep your own route decisions and wording.

Mediation

Read the German information and give the key points in English to a fictional exchange student. Do not translate sentence by sentence.

Die Gruppe muss spätestens um 17:30 Uhr wieder am Bahnhof sein. Für das Mittagessen sind 45 Minuten vorgesehen. Bei starkem Regen soll der Fotospaziergang durch eine zusätzliche Museumspause ersetzt werden. Die Gruppe soll mindestens 15 Minuten Zeitpuffer einplanen.

Your task: Give a short spoken or written English message with only the information the exchange student needs.

Help levels

Hint 1 – keywords: start time, opening hours, travel time, lunch, buffer, return time.

Hint 2 – sentence frames:

1. We should visit ... first because ...
2. It takes about ... minutes to get from ... to ...
3. We need to leave at ... so that ...
4. If ... happens, we can ...

Hint 3 – planning grid:

Time	Place/action	Transport	Reason/constraint
09:15	King's Cross	—	start
...	...	...	...

Deutsch-Hilfe
Wenn Du festhängst, plane zuerst nur mit Zeiten. Ergänze danach Orte und Verkehrsmittel. Zum Schluss fügst Du Begründungen hinzu. So bleibt die Aufgabe übersichtlich.

Feedback and improve

Use the rule: two strengths + one next step.

Peer feedback:

1. Is the plan realistic from start to finish?
2. Are opening times and travel times used correctly?
3. Does every fictional profile have at least one reason to support the plan?
4. Are reasons clear, not just lists of places?
5. Is there a buffer and a backup?
6. Is the English easy to follow?

Improve: Change at least two parts of your first version after feedback. Keep your original draft so you can see your progress.

Error analysis

Correct and explain the problem:

1. We arrive to the museum at ten. → We arrive at the museum at ten.
2. We go with the Tube. → We go by Tube. / We take the Tube.
3. If the bus will be late, we skip the stop. → If the bus is late, we can skip the stop.
4. Tower Bridge is more near. → Tower Bridge is nearer. / Tower Bridge is closer.

Use again: Make one new sentence with arrive at, one with by Tube, and one first conditional.

Transfer: a new city, same skills

Choose another English-speaking city such as Edinburgh, Dublin or New York City. Use a real map and current official opening/transport information to sketch a new three-stop day. Record the sources and the date you checked them.

Source rule: For real planning, prefer official transport and attraction websites. If AI suggests a fact, verify it before using it. Never treat an AI answer as a live timetable.

Can-do check

Rate yourself: Yes / Nearly / Not yet.

1. I can find the important information in opening times and journey information.
2. I can compare two route options.
3. I can ask for clarification during group work.
4. I can give reasons and react to a problem.
5. I can present a coherent schedule.
6. I can mediate key information without translating everything.
7. I can improve my own text after feedback.
8. I can check sources before I trust planning information.

Next step: If you marked Nearly or Not yet, choose one skill and repeat the related task with a different route.

Follow-up course

Continue with E9 M - Handle problems during a class trip: missed connections, changed opening hours, asking staff for help and updating a group plan politely.

Verified sources for the real-world anchors

1. British Museum – Visit: opening hours, entry and visitor information.
2. Tower Bridge – Plan your visit: opening hours and visitor information.
3. Transport for London – Journey Planner: routes, transport modes and accessibility options.
4. Transport for London – Visiting London: travel information for visitors.

Media note: The still images used above are Wikimedia Commons files. Check the file page for author, licence and attribution details when reusing an image outside MOOCwiki. The embedded videos are used as learning sources; no Sofatutor content is used.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

Why do you add buffer time to a day programme? (To deal with possible delays) (!To make every visit longer) (!To avoid choosing a meeting point) (!To replace opening hours)

What must the group do by 17:30 in the classroom task? (Be back at King's Cross) (!Enter the British Museum) (!Start lunch) (!Arrive at Covent Garden)

Which phrase is best for making a polite suggestion? (We could take the Tube.) (!We taking Tube.) (!Tube now.) (!You must my plan.)

Which place best matches an interest in engineering and city views? (Tower Bridge) (!Covent Garden) (!King's Cross waiting area) (!Lunch break)

What should you do before using an AI-generated opening time in a real plan? (Check it with a reliable current source) (!Copy it without checking) (!Remove the source) (!Treat it as a live timetable)

Which sentence uses the first conditional correctly? (If the bus is late, we can shorten the visit.) (!If the bus will late, we shorten.) (!If bus late, will shortening.) (!If the bus late, we coulded shorten.)

What is the main aim of mediation in this course? (Share the key information for the listener) (!Translate every word) (!Use only German) (!Add new facts)

Which item is a fixed constraint in the classroom planning pack? (A forty-five-minute lunch) (!A two-hour shopping stop) (!A taxi between all places) (!A visit after 19:00)

What makes group negotiation successful? (Giving reasons and finding a compromise) (!Repeating one idea louder) (!Ignoring other interests) (!Listing places without times)

What is the best goal for pronunciation in this course? (Clear and understandable English) (!A perfect imitation of one accent) (!Speaking as fast as possible) (!Never pausing)

Memory

buffer	extra time for delays
meeting point	agreed place for the group
opening hours	times when a place is open
compromise	solution between different wishes
journey	travel from one place to another
backup plan	alternative if the first plan fails

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
Opening hours	Check when a place can be visited
Travel time	Add the minutes between two stops
Lunch break	Reserve time for food and rest
Buffer	Protect the plan against small delays
Backup plan	Prepare an alternative for a problem

Kreuzworträtsel

buffer	What extra time helps you deal with delays?
journey	What word means travel from one place to another?
museum	Which type of place shows collections and objects?
bridge	What structure crosses a river?
ticket	What may show that you have paid or booked entry?
backup	What word completes the phrase plan for an alternative?

Lückentext

Vervollständige den Text.

A realistic class-trip plan begins with clear . Before choosing a route, you should check the of each place. The minutes between two stops are the . Extra minutes for small delays are called a . In a group discussion, you should give reasons and look for a . If the first idea fails, you need a . For real travel, information from AI should be checked with a reliable . At the end, your English should be clear and .

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

1. Class trip vocabulary: Create eight useful planning flashcards with one English example sentence each.
2. Meeting point: Draw or describe a clear fictional meeting point at one London stop and explain why it works.
3. Opening hours: Compare the opening times of two attractions and write three planning sentences.
4. Travel time: Turn the classroom travel matrix into a simple timeline with start and arrival times.

Standard

1. Class trip discussion: Record a voluntary private two-minute group discussion in which you compare two route options. If you do not want to record, perform it live instead.
2. London day programme: Design your own three-stop London plan and include lunch, a buffer and one backup.
3. Mediation: Explain the German safety note from the course to a fictional English-speaking student in 60–80 words.
4. Travel presentation: Give a two-minute English presentation of your group plan and answer one spontaneous question.

Schwer

1. Route redesign: Change your plan after two event cards and explain which compromises you made.
2. Source check: Compare an attraction's official website with an AI-generated summary. Identify what must be verified and document your sources.
3. Accessible travel: Build a version of the day programme that reduces stairs and unnecessary changes using official journey-planning options.
4. Transfer project: Plan a similar day in another English-speaking city using current official sources and explain which planning principles transferred from London.

Lernkontrolle

1. Realistic planning: You receive a new set of three opening times and four travel times. Build a workable schedule and justify your order.
2. Decision making: Two classmates want different activities. Write a short compromise that respects both interests and the time limit.
3. Problem solving: A 20-minute delay occurs after lunch. Adapt the rest of the programme and explain what you changed and why.
4. Source evaluation: Compare two short information sources about one attraction. Decide which details are safe to use for planning and explain your criteria.
5. Mediation and transfer: Read a short German travel notice and explain the relevant points in English to a fictional exchange student.
6. Presentation response: Present your route briefly, then respond to a follow-up question that challenges one decision.

Lernnachweis

Für einen Lernnachweis zu diesem Thema ist wichtig:

1. Du entwirfst einen realistischen Tagesplan mit Start, Ende, drei Stationen, Transport, Mittagspause und Zeitpuffer.
2. Du nutzt Öffnungszeiten und Fahrzeiten korrekt und nachvollziehbar.
3. Du begründest Entscheidungen auf Englisch mit Interessen, Zeit und praktischen Einschränkungen.
4. Du reagierst auf mindestens ein unerwartetes Problem und passt den Plan sinnvoll an.
5. Du verwendest B1-orientierte Redemittel zum Vergleichen, Verhandeln und Begründen.
6. Du schreibst einen kohärenten englischen Planungstext und überarbeitest ihn nach Feedback.
7. Du kannst wesentliche Informationen zwischen Deutsch und Englisch sinngemäß vermitteln.
8. Du dokumentierst bei realen Daten verlässliche Quellen und prüfst KI-Angaben, statt sie ungeprüft zu übernehmen.
9. Verständlichkeit zählt stärker als Akzentfreiheit; die eigene sprachliche Leistung bleibt erkennbar.

Verknüpfte Lernbereiche

E9 M - Plan a class-trip day programme English language teaching Travel English Reading comprehension Listening comprehension Speaking Writing Mediation Functional grammar Source evaluation London