Unit 2: Vocabulary: School Subjects, Facilities and Activities : cours 1 Bac SM

1Course Objectives

This section outlines what students are expected to achieve by the end of Unit 2. These objectives frame the entire learning journey and serve as a checklist for self-assessment.

By the End of Unit 2, You Will Be Able To

Objective 1

Identify and name common school subjects across four main categories: sciences (e.g., Physics, Biology), languages (e.g., English, French, Arabic), humanities (e.g., History, Geography, Islamic Education), and practical subjects (e.g., Physical Education, Art, Computer Science).

Objective 2

Recognize and describe school facilities — such as the library, laboratory, gymnasium, and cafeteria — and explain their specific purposes within a school environment.

Objective 3

Distinguish between academic and extracurricular activities and apply the correct vocabulary for each type, understanding that academic activities relate to classroom learning while extracurricular activities take place outside of regular lessons.

Objective 4

Use appropriate collocations naturally in context, such as do homework, take notes, join a club, attend a lecture, and sit an exam, avoiding common word-combination errors.

Objective 5

Produce grammatically correct sentences and short paragraphs about school life, using the vocabulary and structures encountered in this unit to describe your school, subjects, and daily activities.

Objective 6

Prepare for vocabulary tasks in the Regional Exam related to the theme of Education and School Life, including gap-fill exercises, matching tasks, and short descriptive writing.

These six objectives are interconnected : mastering the vocabulary of school subjects (Objective 1) feeds directly into describing facilities (Objective 2) and activities (Objective 3). Using correct collocations (Objective 4) then allows you to build accurate sentences (Objective 5), which prepares you for exam performance (Objective 6). Think of these objectives as a progressive staircase — each step builds on the one before it.

$Objective$	$Core Skill$	$Exam Relevance$
$1 — School Subjects$	$Vocabulary recognition and categorisation$	$Gap-fill, labelling tasks$
$2 — School Facilities$	$Descriptive vocabulary and purpose clauses$	$Short-answer and matching tasks$
$3 — Academic vs. Extracurricular$	$Distinction and classification$	$True/False, multiple choice$
$4 — Collocations$	$Natural word pairing and usage$	$Error correction, sentence completion$
$5 — Sentences and Paragraphs$	$Writing accuracy and coherence$	$Guided writing, paragraph tasks$
$6 — Exam Readiness$	$Applying all skills under timed conditions$	$Regional Exam vocabulary section$

Overview of Unit 2 objectives, the core skill each develops, and its direct relevance to the Regional Exam.

Self Assessment Tip

After completing the unit, return to this list and tick each objective you feel confident about. If any objective still feels unclear, revisit the relevant section before your exam.

2Essential Prerequisites

Before starting this unit, students should already be comfortable with a set of basic English structures. Reviewing these prerequisites ensures smooth engagement with new vocabulary.

Common Noun

A word that names a general person, place, thing, or idea. Examples from the school context: book, student, teacher, classroom, subject.

Action Verb

A word that describes what someone does. In school settings: learn, read, study, attend, conduct, write, practise.

Descriptive Adjective

A word that modifies a noun. Examples: difficult (subject), large (facility), creative (activity), interesting (lesson).

Core Everyday Vocabulary

Nouns

book, pen, notebook, student, teacher, lesson, subject, school, classroom, board, exercise, homework

Verbs

learn, read, write, study, attend, practise, conduct, present, participate, revise

Adjectives

difficult, easy, interesting, boring, useful, compulsory, optional, practical, theoretical

Two tenses are essential for describing school life accurately: the Simple Present (for habits, routines, and general facts) and the Present Continuous (for actions happening right now or around the time of speaking). Knowing when to use each tense prevents common errors when talking about subjects, facilities, and activities.

$Tense$	$Structure$	$Use$	$School Example$
$Simple Present$	$Subject + base verb (+ -s/-es for he/she/it)$	$Habits, routines, general truths$	$I attend classes every day. / She studies Mathematics.$
$Present Continuous$	$Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing$	$Actions happening now or currently$	$We are conducting an experiment now. / He is reading a textbook.$

Simple Present vs. Present Continuous — key contrast for describing school life.

Subject Verb Agreement Rules

He / She / It

Add -s or -es to the verb in the Simple Present: 'He studies history.' / 'She watches an experiment.' / 'It begins at 8 a.m.'

I / You / We / They

Use the base form of the verb: 'They play football after school.' / 'We attend three sessions per week.'

Spelling note

Verbs ending in -y preceded by a consonant change to -ies: study \to studies; carry \to carries.

Prepositions of place and time are crucial for locating activities and describing timetables. The three main prepositions to master at this level are in, on, and at, alongside between, after, and before for time sequences.

$Preposition$	$Use$	$Example$
$in$	$Enclosed spaces; longer time periods (months, years)$	$in the classroom / in the laboratory / in September$
$on$	$Surfaces; specific days$	$on the board / on Monday / on the school day$
$at$	$Specific places seen as points; precise times$	$at school / at the library / at 9 o'clock$
$after$	$Following an event or time$	$after school / after the lesson$
$before$	$Preceding an event or time$	$before class / before the exam$
$between$	$In the middle of two points$	$between two classes / between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.$

Prepositions of place and time most frequently used when discussing school subjects, facilities, and activities.

Forming simple questions correctly allows students to ask about school life naturally. Two main question structures are required at this level: Wh- questions (who, what, where, when, which, why, how) and Yes/No questions using the auxiliary verbs do/does or am/is/are .

Question Formation Patterns

Wh- question (Simple Present)

Wh- word + do/does + subject + base verb? \to 'What is your favourite subject?' / 'Where do you have lunch?' / 'Which facility do you use most?'

Yes/No question (Simple Present)

Do/Does + subject + base verb? \to 'Do you attend the science club?' / 'Does she study Physics?'

Yes/No question (Present Continuous)

Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing? \to 'Are you studying for the test?' / 'Is the teacher conducting an experiment?'

Quick Self Check Exercise

Statement

Choose the correct option to complete each sentence, then identify the grammar rule applied.

Data

She _____ (study / studies) Biology every Tuesday. They _____ (are playing / play) basketball right now. We have Art class _____ (in / on / at) Monday._____ do you have lunch? (Where / When / What) The students _____ (is / are) working in the computer lab at the moment.

Method

Apply subject-verb agreement, tense selection, preposition rules, and question word choice.

Solution

studies — third person singular (she) \to add -s in Simple Present. are playing — the action is happening right now \to Present Continuous. on — specific day of the week \to preposition 'on'. Where — the answer is a place ('in the canteen') \to use 'Where'. are — subject is plural (the students) \to use 'are' + verb-ing.

Interpretation

Mastering these five grammar points gives you the tools to understand and use all the school vocabulary introduced in Unit 2 with confidence and accuracy.

Plan du chapitre

Sur cette page

1Course Objectives
2Essential Prerequisites

Dans la classe

3Key Definitions: Subject, Facility, Activity and Collocation
4School Subjects: Categories and Vocabulary
5School Facilities: Vocabulary, Purpose and Function
6School Activities: Academic and Extracurricular Vocabulary
7Rules and Collocations to Master
8Exam Strategies: How to Tackle Vocabulary Questions
9Guided Application: Describing School Life
10Summary: Essential Vocabulary and Rules at a Glance