{"title":"Minions & Monsters","intro":"What do the Minions usually do, and what are they doing now on their monster film set?","level":"A2","generation_meta":{"pipeline_mode":"staged","stages":{"outline":"deepseek:deepseek-chat","blocks":"deepseek:deepseek-chat","repair":"deepseek:deepseek-chat","judge":"deepseek:deepseek-chat"},"flow":"detailed","topic":"A day in the Monster Lab: Present Simple vs Present Continuous","context":"Kids/teens, A2. ONE grammar goal only: Present Simple (usual routines: usually, every day, often, never) vs Present Continuous (actions now: now, right now, at the moment, Look!). No other grammar (no past, no future, no have got).\nThrough-story in EVERY block: little yellow helpers work in a friendly monster's laboratory. Usually they build and fix machines; today something is different - right now they are eating bananas, making a mess, and the monster is cleaning up.\nLesson vocabulary (exactly these 7, each must be used in later tasks): lab, machine, banana, build, fix, mess, clean up.\nWarm-up: one simple on-topic question with a collage of 4 pictures, no memes. Do not use lesson words or target grammar before they are introduced.\nPictures in every discussion block, kid-friendly, not scary, no brands, no cartoon/film characters, no text in images.\nFill in the gaps: put words in a Word Bank, no answers in brackets. Every task must have exactly one correct answer. Drawing/creative tasks only in homework. No Russian.","has_context":true,"lesson_type":"grammar","level":"A2","duration_min":60,"speaking_share":"balanced","student_context":"Kids/teens, A2. ONE grammar goal only: Present Simple (usual routines: usually, every day, often, never) vs Present Continuous (actions now: now, right now, at the moment, Look!). No other grammar (no past, no future, no have got).\nThrough-story in EVERY block: little yellow helpers work in a friendly monster's laboratory. Usually they build and fix machines; today something is different - right now they are eating bananas, making a mess, and the monster is cleaning up.\nLesson vocabulary (exactly these 7, each must be used in later tasks): lab, machine, banana, build, fix, mess, clean up.\nWarm-up: one simple on-topic question with a collage of 4 pictures, no memes. Do not use lesson words or target grammar before they are introduced.\nPictures in every discussion block, kid-friendly, not scary, no brands, no cartoon/film characters, no text in images.\nFill in the gaps: put words in a Word Bank, no answers in brackets. Every task must have exactly one correct answer. Drawing/creative tasks only in homework. No Russian.","audience":"teens","template_id":"grammar.v1"},"blocks":[{"id":"b0","type":"warm_up","content":"

Look at the pictures from a new cartoon. Which picture is the funniest? Why?

","order":0,"warm_up_mode":"regular","meme_items":[{"state_label":"","image_url":"/memes/meme-028.png"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"https://i.pinimg.com/736x/6b/05/ca/6b05ca62b9c38ab0fcc4a6c0936f5556.jpg"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"/memes/meme-025.png"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"/memes/meme-011.png"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"https://i.pinimg.com/736x/1c/6e/35/1c6e35908fc18e6848e863198c1528f0.jpg"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"https://i.pinimg.com/736x/29/87/f0/2987f0f43e83dedc07f28ccabc25b410.jpg"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"https://i.pinimg.com/736x/35/49/12/35491225bc98399fd8210576a5289b4e.jpg"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"https://i.pinimg.com/736x/eb/88/84/eb8884745460e33211e3891231380da1.jpg"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"/memes/meme-023.png"}],"images":["/media/f46b6592c7394e6da4d315a0b7d35984.jpg"]},{"id":"b1","type":"open_question","content":"

Answer the questions.

Do you know the Minions? What colour are they?
Look at the picture. How does the little Minion feel?

","order":1,"title":"Start the conversation","image_search_queries":["repair workshop","tools"],"image_type":"visual_support","images":["/media/0a4ce5ac23e34287878081689f1a4dbc.jpg"]},{"id":"b6","type":"media","content":"

Watch the video. Answer the questions.

Where are the Minions?
Is the cartoon funny or scary? Why?

","order":2,"title":"Minions & Monsters: the trailer","media_type":"video","search_queries":["monster lab cartoon workers","busy lab workers day in the life","cartoon characters eating bananas at work"],"purpose":"usage_example","target_concept":"Present Simple vs Present Continuous","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSdOwt-G49w","media_purpose":"grammar_explainer","media_found":true,"_video_channel":"","_video_title":"Present Simple and Present Continuous: The Grammar Gameshow Episode 1","_video_description":"","_search_kind":"A","_video_kind":"A","_video_task_source":"llm"},{"id":"b2","type":"theory","content":"**Meaning:**

EVERY DAY / USUALLY → Present Simple (things we do again and again)

James draws monsters every day. The Minions usually work at the studio.

Signal words: usually, often, every day, never

RIGHT NOW / LOOK! → Present Continuous (things happening at this moment)

Look! Henry is holding a big light. Right now the monsters are coming!

Signal words: now, right now, at the moment, Look!

\n\n**Form:**

Every day: he / she / it + -s (he works)

Right now: am / is / are + verb-ing (he is working)

\n\n**Examples:**

Henry doesn't draw monsters.
Does James draw every day? — Yes, he does.
The Minions aren't working now.
Is Henry holding a light? — Yes, he is.

\n\n**Common mistake:**

~~Look! James draws a monster. ✗~~ → Look! James is drawing a monster. ✓

","order":3,"title":"Every day or right now?","target_concept":"Present Simple vs Present Continuous"},{"id":"block-1792660311372-y4il3","type":"multiple_choice","content":"Test series","order":4,"options":["","","",""],"correct_answer":0,"questions":[{"content":"Look! The Minions ___ .","options":["dance","dances","are dancing","is dancing"],"correct_answer":2},{"content":"I usually ___ to school by bus.","options":["go","goes","am going","is going"],"correct_answer":0},{"content":"My sister ___ TV at the moment.","options":["watch","watches","is watching","are watching"],"correct_answer":2},{"content":"We never ___ pizza for breakfast.","options":["eat","eats","are eating","is eating"],"correct_answer":0},{"content":"Listen! Bob ___ a song.","options":["sing","sings","is singing","are singing"],"correct_answer":2}],"title":"Every day or right now?"},{"id":"b3","type":"vocabulary","content":"a camera — a machine that makes photos or films\na director — the person who tells the actors what to do in a film\nan actor — a person who plays a character in a film\na costume — special clothes that make you look like a different person or animal\nto film — to make a film with a camera\nto shout — to say something very loudly\nto run away — to go away very fast because you are scared","order":5,"title":"Film set words"},{"id":"block-1792660361135-n4hep","type":"multiple_choice","content":"Test series","order":6,"options":["","","",""],"correct_answer":0,"questions":[{"content":"Ed makes films with an old ___ .","options":["costume","camera","director","actor"],"correct_answer":1},{"content":"The ___ tells the actors what to do.","options":["camera","costume","director","monster"],"correct_answer":2},{"content":"An ___ plays a character in a film.","options":["actor","camera","costume","director"],"correct_answer":0},{"content":"Some Minions are wearing monster ___ .","options":["cameras","directors","costumes","actors"],"correct_answer":2},{"content":"Look! Ed ___ the monsters with his camera.","options":["is shouting","is filming","is running away","is wearing"],"correct_answer":1},{"content":"\"Action!\" James ___ very loudly.","options":["shouts","films","wears","runs away"],"correct_answer":0},{"content":"The actors are scared. They ___ from the monster.","options":["are running away","are filming","are wearing","are drawing"],"correct_answer":0}],"title":"Film set words"},{"id":"b4","type":"reading","content":"

James, Henry and Ed are Minions. They live in Hollywood, and every day they work at a big film studio. They are actors in funny films. James loves stories, and he often draws monsters in his little book. Henry is his best friend. Ed can't hear, so he talks with his hands. He usually helps with the camera.

But today is a special day. Today James is the director! The three friends are making their own monster film. Look! Ed is filming with an old camera. Henry is holding a big light. Some Minions are wearing monster costumes.

But something is wrong. These monsters are not Minions in costumes. They are real monsters! A small green monster is laughing. A big red monster is coming out of the water.

James is shouting, \"Action!\" But the actors are not working now. They are running away!

This is not a usual day at the studio!

\n\nQuestions on the text:\n1. Find two sentences about every day.\n2. Find two sentences about right now.","order":7,"title":"Lights, camera… monsters!"},{"id":"block-1792660379734-ywz0j","type":"multiple_choice","content":"Test series","order":8,"options":["","","",""],"correct_answer":0,"questions":[{"content":"Where do James, Henry and Ed work every day?","options":["at school","at a film studio","in a shop","at home"],"correct_answer":1},{"content":"Who is the director today?","options":["Henry","Ed","James","a monster"],"correct_answer":2},{"content":"What is Ed doing?","options":["He is holding a light.","He is filming.","He is drawing.","He is running away."],"correct_answer":1},{"content":"What is the big red monster doing?","options":["It is laughing.","It is coming out of the water.","It is filming.","It is drawing."],"correct_answer":1},{"content":"Why are the actors running away?","options":["The film is boring.","It is very late.","The monsters are real.","They are tired."],"correct_answer":2}],"title":"Lights, camera… monsters! Check the story"},{"id":"b5","type":"multiple_choice","content":"Choose the correct option.","order":9,"title":"Choose the right form","questions":[{"content":"Every day the Minions ___ at the film studio.","options":["works","work","is working","are work"],"correct_answer":1},{"content":"Look! Ed ___ the monsters with his camera.","options":["films","film","is filming","are filming"],"correct_answer":2},{"content":"James usually ___ monsters in his little book.","options":["draw","draws","is drawing","are drawing"],"correct_answer":1},{"content":"Right now the actors ___ away from the big red monster.","options":["run","runs","is running","are running"],"correct_answer":3},{"content":"___ Henry usually help James? — Yes, he does.","options":["Do","Does","Is","Are"],"correct_answer":1}]},{"id":"b7","type":"fill_gap","content":"Complete the sentences with the correct form from the Word Bank. There are 3 extra words.\n1. James is the director today. Listen! He ___ \"Action!\"\n2. Henry and Ed usually ___ James with his films.\n3. Right now some Minions ___ monster costumes.\n4. Every day the actors ___ work at nine o'clock.\n5. Look! The big red monster ___ out of the water!","order":10,"title":"On the film set today","options":["is shouting","help","are wearing","start","is coming","shouts","helps","wear"],"correct_answer":"is shouting ... help ... are wearing ... start ... is coming","gap_answers":[{"index":1,"answer":"is shouting"},{"index":2,"answer":"help"},{"index":3,"answer":"are wearing"},{"index":4,"answer":"start"},{"index":5,"answer":"is coming"}],"_fill_gap_mode":"word_bank","exercise":{"mode":"word_bank","instruction":"Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb. The words in the Word Bank can help you.","word_bank":["is shouting","help","are wearing","start","is coming","shouts","helps","wear"],"items":[{"text":"The little yellow helpers usually ___ new machines every day.","clue":"build","answer":"builds"},{"text":"Look! The helpers ___ bananas now.","clue":"eat","answer":"are eating"},{"text":"The Monster often ___ old machines in the lab.","clue":"fix","answer":"fixes"},{"text":"Right now the helpers ___ a big mess on the floor.","clue":"make","answer":"are making"},{"text":"At the moment the Monster ___ the lab.","clue":"clean up","answer":"is cleaning up"}]}},{"id":"b10","type":"open_question","content":"

Think about your own day. Answer the questions.

What do you usually do after school?
What are you doing right now?
Do you want to be an actor or a director? Why?

Say 2 sentences about every day and 2 sentences about right now.

Useful phrases

I usually… after school.
Right now I am…
I want to be… because…

","order":11,"title":"Your day: usually and today","image_search_queries":["school desk","school"],"image_type":"visual_support","images":["/media/7241be78f2034da7bf1a006d48249bb2.jpg"]},{"id":"b11","type":"homework","content":"

You are a Minion on the film set. Write 6–8 sentences about your usual day at the studio and about today.

3 sentences about what you usually do (use usually, every day, often or never)
3 sentences about what is happening on the film set right now (use now, right now, at the moment or Look!)
1 negative sentence and 1 question
use 4 of these lesson words: camera, director, actor, costume, film, shout, run away

Example start: Every day I help the director at the studio. But today I am wearing a monster costume! Look! …

","order":12,"title":"Homework","images":["/images/homework/homework-4.png"],"image_source_urls":[],"image_credit":""}]}