When I Was a Kid (Childhood Story / Individual Practice) Lesson 11

Unit: Childhood Memories and Educational Background

🎯 Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Read and understand a short text about childhood memories.
2. Identify the main idea and supporting details of a reading passage.
3. Learn and use new vocabulary related to childhood experiences.
4. Talk about childhood memories using the Simple Past Tense.
5. Answer comprehension questions based on a reading text.
6. Describe their educational background, major, and field of study in English.
7. Share personal experiences confidently in spoken and written English.

 

Introduction

Everyone has memories from childhood. Some memories are funny, exciting, surprising, or even a little embarrassing. Talking about childhood is one of the most common topics in everyday English conversations because it helps people know each other better.

When discussing childhood experiences, we usually use the Simple Past Tense, since the events happened in the past.

For example:

• I played football every afternoon.
• My family lived in a small village.
• We visited our grandparents every weekend.
• I loved reading comic books.
• My brother taught me how to ride a bicycle.

Reading stories about childhood not only improves reading comprehension but also helps learners understand how English speakers describe past events naturally.

 

🧠 Reading Section

My Childhood Memory

Text

When I was a kid, I loved spending time in my grandmother's garden. Every afternoon, I would water the flowers and play with my little cat named Mimi. My grandmother always told me stories about her childhood, and I listened carefully while eating mangoes from the tree behind her house.

I remember one funny moment— I tried to climb the mango tree to pick some fruit, but I got stuck halfway! My grandmother laughed and helped me get down safely. That day taught me to be brave but careful.

Now, when I think about my childhood, I realize how happy and simple life was back then.

 

Understanding the Text

The story tells us about someone's happy childhood memories.

The writer often spent time with his or her grandmother. Instead of spending time playing video games or using smartphones, the writer enjoyed simple outdoor activities such as watering flowers, playing with a cat, and eating fresh mangoes.

One day, the writer tried to climb a mango tree but got stuck. Fortunately, the grandmother helped safely. From this experience, the writer learned an important lesson: being brave is good, but we must also be careful.

The final paragraph expresses nostalgia. The writer realizes that childhood was full of happiness and simplicity.

 

Main Idea

The writer shares a happy childhood memory and the valuable lesson learned from it.

 

Supporting Details

Several details support the main idea:

• The writer spent afternoons in the grandmother's garden.
• The writer watered flowers.
• The writer played with a cat named Mimi.
• The grandmother told interesting stories.
• The writer climbed a mango tree.
• The writer became stuck.
• The grandmother helped.
• The experience taught the writer to be brave and careful.

 

Grammar Focus

This passage mainly uses the Simple Past Tense.

Examples:

Sentence	Verb
I loved spending time...	loved
I played with my cat.	played
My grandmother told me stories.	told
I listened carefully.	listened
I tried to climb the tree.	tried
I got stuck.	got
She helped me.	helped
Life was simple.	was

Notice that regular verbs end with -ed, while irregular verbs have different forms.

Examples:

Verb 1	Verb 2
play	played
water	watered
listen	listened
help	helped
love	loved
tell	told
get	got
be	was/were

 

Language Focus

The story also uses the expression:

When I was a kid...

This expression means:

"Ketika saya masih kecil."

Other examples include:

• When I was a child, I liked drawing.
• When I was young, I lived in Makassar.
• When I was in elementary school, I played soccer every day.
• When I was ten years old, I learned to swim.

 

Vocabulary

Word	Meaning	Example Sentence
spend time	menghabiskan waktu	I spend time with my family every weekend.
water (v)	menyiram	She waters the flowers every morning.
garden	kebun	My grandmother has a beautiful garden.
mango tree	pohon mangga	The mango tree is very tall.
stuck	tersangkut	My foot got stuck in the mud.
brave	berani	The firefighter is very brave.
careful	hati-hati	Please be careful when crossing the road.
childhood	masa kecil	My childhood was full of happy memories.
realize	menyadari	I realized my mistake yesterday.
safely	dengan selamat	The children arrived home safely.

 

Useful Expressions

Here are some useful expressions for talking about childhood.

Talking about activities

• I used to play outside.
• I often visited my grandparents.
• I liked reading comics.
• I collected marbles.
• I rode my bicycle every afternoon.
• I watched cartoons every Sunday.

Talking about memories

• I remember...
• I will never forget...
• One day...
• It was a wonderful experience.
• It was a funny moment.
• It was an unforgettable memory.

Talking about lessons

• It taught me to be patient.
• I learned to be responsible.
• It made me more confident.
• I became more independent.
• I learned to appreciate my family.

 

Additional Example

My Favorite Childhood Memory

When I was eight years old, my family lived in a small village. Every evening, my friends and I played soccer in a large field near our house. Sometimes we climbed trees, caught butterflies, or flew kites together.

One rainy afternoon, we decided to play football even though the field was muddy. We slipped many times and laughed loudly. When we returned home, our clothes were dirty, but our parents smiled because they knew we had enjoyed ourselves.

Looking back, I think those days were some of the happiest moments of my life.

 

Reading Strategies

When reading an English text, follow these steps:

Step 1

Read the title.

The title gives clues about the topic.

Step 2

Read the first paragraph carefully.

Usually, the main topic appears here.

Step 3

Underline unfamiliar words.

Try to guess the meaning from the context before opening a dictionary.

Step 4

Read the questions.

Knowing the questions first helps you find the important information.

Step 5

Read the text again.

Pay attention to names, places, times, and important events.

 

Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions based on the text.

1. Where did the writer spend time as a kid?

Answer:
The writer spent time in the grandmother's garden.

 

2. What animal did the writer play with?

Answer:
The writer played with a little cat named Mimi.

 

3. What happened when the writer climbed the mango tree?

Answer:
The writer got stuck halfway up the tree.

 

4. What lesson did the writer learn?

Answer:
The writer learned to be brave but careful.

 

5. How does the writer feel about childhood?

Answer:
The writer feels that childhood was happy, simple, and full of beautiful memories.

 

Speaking Practice

Work with a partner.

Ask and answer these questions.

• Where did you grow up?
• Who was your best childhood friend?
• What games did you play?
• What was your favorite toy?
• Did you have a pet?
• What was your funniest childhood memory?
• What did your parents usually teach you?
• What lesson did you learn from your childhood?

Example:

A: Where did you grow up?

B: I grew up in a small town in South Sulawesi.

A: What games did you play?

B: I played hide-and-seek and football with my friends.

 

Writing Practice

Write one paragraph about your childhood using the following questions.

• Where did you live?
• Who did you spend time with?
• What games did you play?
• What was your favorite activity?
• What funny experience do you remember?
• What lesson did you learn?

Example:

When I was a child, I lived in a small village. Every afternoon, I played football with my friends. My grandmother often cooked delicious food for us. One day, I fell into a small river while catching fish. Although I was embarrassed, I learned to be more careful. Those memories always make me smile.

 

Mini Project

Interview one classmate about his or her childhood.

Use the following questions.

1. Where did you grow up?
2. What was your favorite game?
3. Who was your best friend?
4. What did you usually do after school?
5. What is your happiest childhood memory?
6. What lesson did you learn?

Then write a short report about your partner's childhood in approximately 100 words.

 

Reflection

After completing this lesson, think about the following questions.

• What new vocabulary did you learn?
• Which part of the story did you like most?
• Can you describe your own childhood in English?
• Can you identify verbs in the Simple Past Tense?
• What valuable lesson have you learned from your childhood experiences?

 

Reading about childhood memories helps learners develop reading comprehension while enriching vocabulary related to daily life, family, and personal experiences. The story My Childhood Memory illustrates how simple activities—such as spending time in a grandmother's garden, watering flowers, playing with a pet, and listening to family stories—can become meaningful memories. Through the text, learners also practice recognizing the Simple Past Tense, understanding the main idea and supporting details, and expressing personal reflections. By discussing their own childhood experiences and educational background, students become more confident in using English to communicate about themselves in authentic and meaningful contexts.

 

🧠 1. Reading Section: My Childhood Memory

Text:

When I was a kid, I loved spending time in my grandmother’s garden. Every afternoon, I would water the flowers and play with my little cat named Mimi. My grandmother always told me stories about her childhood, and I listened carefully while eating mangoes from the tree behind her house.

I remember one funny moment — I tried to climb the mango tree to pick some fruit, but I got stuck halfway! My grandmother laughed and helped me get down safely. That day taught me to be brave but careful.

Now, when I think about my childhood, I realize how happy and simple life was back then.

Vocabulary:

Word	Meaning
spend time	menghabiskan waktu
water (v)	menyiram
mango tree	pohon mangga
stuck	terjebak / tersangkut
brave	berani
careful	hati-hati

Comprehension Questions:

1.      Where did the writer spend time as a kid?

2.      What animal did the writer play with?

3.      What happened when the writer tried to climb the mango tree?

4.      What lesson did the writer learn from that experience?

5.      How does the writer feel about their childhood?

 

Talking About Childhood, Educational Background, and Major

💬 2. Grammar Focus: Simple Past Tense

Learning Objectives

After studying this section, students are expected to:

• Understand the function of the Simple Past Tense.
• Identify regular and irregular verbs.
• Make positive, negative, and interrogative sentences using the Simple Past Tense.
• Talk about past experiences correctly.
• Use time expressions related to the past naturally.

 

What is the Simple Past Tense?

The Simple Past Tense is one of the most frequently used tenses in English. It is used to describe actions, events, situations, or conditions that happened and finished in the past.

The exact time may be mentioned (for example: last week, yesterday, two years ago) or understood from the context.

Examples:

• I visited my grandmother last weekend.
• She watched television yesterday.
• We played football after school.
• They studied together last night.
• My brother bought a new laptop last month.

All of these activities happened in the past and have already finished.

 

Functions of the Simple Past Tense

The Simple Past Tense is commonly used to:

1. Describe Past Activities

Examples:

• I walked to school every morning.
• My mother cooked delicious food.
• We visited Bali during our holiday.

 

2. Tell Stories

Examples:

• Once upon a time, there was a king.
• The rabbit ran very fast.
• The turtle won the race.

 

3. Talk About Childhood

Examples:

• I played hide-and-seek.
• My sister collected dolls.
• We climbed trees every afternoon.

 

4. Explain Finished Events

Examples:

• The meeting started at nine.
• The class ended at eleven.
• We arrived home safely.

 

Formula

Positive Sentence

Subject + Verb 2 + Object/Complement

Examples:

• I played football yesterday.
• She visited her aunt.
• They studied English.
• We watched a movie.

 

Negative Sentence

Subject + did not (didn't) + Verb 1

Examples:

• I didn't watch TV.
• She didn't come yesterday.
• We didn't study last night.
• They didn't play basketball.

Notice that after didn't, the verb returns to Verb 1.

 

Interrogative Sentence

Did + Subject + Verb 1...?

Examples:

• Did you play football yesterday?
• Did she visit her grandmother?
• Did they arrive on time?

Answers:

Yes, I did.

No, I didn't.

 

Regular Verbs

Regular verbs form the past tense by adding -ed.

Verb 1	Verb 2
play	played
watch	watched
clean	cleaned
visit	visited
cook	cooked
study	studied
walk	walked
help	helped

Examples:

• I cleaned my room yesterday.
• We watched cartoons.
• She studied English.

 

Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs change their forms.

Verb 1	Verb 2
go	went
come	came
eat	ate
drink	drank
take	took
see	saw
buy	bought
teach	taught
speak	spoke
write	wrote
ride	rode
have	had

Examples:

• I went to school.
• My father taught me English.
• She bought a new bag.
• We ate fried rice.

 

Using "Be" in the Past

The verb be changes into was or were.

Subject	Be
I	was
He	was
She	was
It	was
You	were
We	were
They	were

Examples:

• I was very happy.
• She was at home.
• They were my classmates.
• We were young.

 

Time Expressions

The Simple Past Tense is often used with:

• yesterday
• last night
• last week
• last month
• last year
• two days ago
• five years ago
• in 2020
• when I was a child

Examples:

• I visited Bali last year.
• She called me yesterday.
• We graduated in 2023.
• He came two hours ago.

 

Practice

Change the verbs into the correct past form.

1. I (go) to the beach when I was seven years old.
   → went
2. My father (teach) me how to ride a bike.
   → taught
3. We (watch) cartoons every Sunday morning.
   → watched
4. My friends (be) very funny and kind.
   → were

 

More Practice

Complete the sentences.

1. My sister ______ (buy) a new dress.
2. We ______ (eat) lunch together.
3. I ______ (see) my teacher yesterday.
4. My parents ______ (travel) to Makassar.
5. My grandmother ______ (tell) many stories.

 

Common Mistakes

Incorrect:

❌ I goed to school.

Correct:

✔ I went to school.

 

Incorrect:

❌ She didn't went home.

Correct:

✔ She didn't go home.

 

Incorrect:

❌ Did you watched TV?

Correct:

✔ Did you watch TV?

 

Incorrect:

❌ We was happy.

Correct:

✔ We were happy.

 

🎓 3. Some Major and Field of Study

Introduction

When meeting new people at university, one of the most common questions is:

"What is your major?"

A major is the main subject that a student studies at university.

A field of study refers to the broader academic discipline or area of knowledge related to the major.

Knowing how to introduce your major in English is useful for interviews, presentations, scholarship applications, academic conferences, and international communication.

 

Examples of Majors

Major	Field of Study
English Education	Teaching, Linguistics, Literature
Computer Science	Programming, Networking, Artificial Intelligence
Nursing	Health Care, Human Anatomy, Medical Practice
Agriculture	Plant Science, Agribusiness, Soil Science
Economics	Business, Finance, Development Studies
Accounting	Auditing, Taxation, Financial Reporting
Law	Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Civil Law
Civil Engineering	Construction, Transportation, Structural Design
Informatics	Software Development, Data Science, Cybersecurity
Psychology	Human Behavior, Counseling, Mental Health

 

Useful Expressions

• I am majoring in...
• My major is...
• I study...
• My favorite subject is...
• I enjoy learning...
• In the future, I want to become...

 

Example 1

I am majoring in English Education.

I study teaching methods, linguistics, grammar, speaking, reading, writing, and literature.

My favorite subject is Speaking because I like communicating with people.

In the future, I want to become an English lecturer.

 

Example 2

I am a Computer Science student.

I learn programming, artificial intelligence, networking, and database systems.

I enjoy coding because it helps me solve problems creatively.

After graduation, I want to work as a software engineer.

 

Activity

Write a paragraph about your major.

Include:

• your major
• your university
• favorite subjects
• skills
• future career

 

🧾 4. Educational Background

What is an Educational Background?

An educational background is a summary of schools or institutions a person has attended. It is an important part of a résumé (CV), scholarship application, job application, or professional profile.

A clear educational background helps employers and institutions understand a person's academic journey.

 

Example Resume

Name: Rina Suryani

Date of Birth: April 4, 2003

Address: Jl. Merdeka No. 25, Polewali

Educational Background

• Elementary School: SDN 1 Polewali (2009–2015)
• Junior High School: SMPN 2 Polewali (2015–2018)
• Senior High School: SMAN 1 Polewali (2018–2021)
• University:
  Universitas Al Asyariah Mandar
  English Education
  (2021–Present)

 

Useful Vocabulary

English	Indonesian
Elementary School	Sekolah Dasar
Junior High School	Sekolah Menengah Pertama
Senior High School	Sekolah Menengah Atas
University	Universitas
Faculty	Fakultas
Department	Jurusan
Major	Program Studi
Graduation	Kelulusan
Present	Sekarang

 

Practice

Write your own educational background.

Include:

• Elementary School
• Junior High School
• Senior High School
• University

Then practice introducing yourself aloud in front of the class.

 

💡 5. Speaking Practice

Tell Your Childhood Story

One of the easiest conversation topics in English is talking about childhood memories.

Use the following guiding questions.

1. Where did you grow up?
2. What games did you play?
3. Who were your best friends?
4. What food did you like?
5. What funny experience do you remember?
6. What lesson did you learn?

 

Sample Story 1

When I was a kid, I lived in a small village. Every afternoon, I played football with my friends near my house. Sometimes we climbed mango trees and caught fish in the river.

One day, I accidentally fell into the river while trying to catch a fish. My friends laughed, but they also helped me. Although I was embarrassed, I learned to be more careful.

 

Sample Story 2

When I was in elementary school, I loved reading comic books. I usually borrowed comics from my cousin every weekend. My favorite character was Doraemon because he always helped his friends.

One day, I forgot to return the comic book, and my cousin became worried. After that, I learned to be responsible for borrowing other people's belongings.

 

Speaking Tips

When telling a story:

• Speak slowly.
• Use Simple Past Tense.
• Make eye contact.
• Smile naturally.
• Speak loudly and clearly.
• Use transition words such as first, then, after that, finally, and in the end.

 

Pair Work

Work with a partner.

Take turns asking and answering these questions.

• Where did you grow up?
• What games did you play?
• What was your favorite food?
• Who was your best friend?
• What did you learn from childhood?

After listening, introduce your partner's story to the class.

The Simple Past Tense enables learners to describe completed actions, memorable experiences, and personal histories accurately. By mastering both regular and irregular verb forms, students can confidently share stories about their childhood and everyday experiences. In addition, introducing one's major, field of study, and educational background equips learners with essential language for academic and professional settings, such as interviews, presentations, and networking. Through reading, writing, and speaking activities in this unit, students strengthen not only their grammatical competence but also their ability to communicate meaningful information about themselves in clear, fluent, and natural English.

 

💬 2. Grammar Focus: Simple Past Tense

We use the Simple Past Tense to talk about events that happened in the past.

Formula:
✅ Subject + Verb (past form) + Object / Complement

Examples:

·         I played with my friends every day.

·         She visited her grandmother last week.

·         We were happy when we were kids.

Practice:
Change the verbs into the correct past form.

1.      I (go) to the beach when I was 7 years old.

2.      My father (teach) me how to ride a bike.

3.      We (watch) cartoons every Sunday morning.

4.      My friends (be) very funny and kind.

 

🎓 3. Some Major and Field of Study

Here are some examples of Majors and their Fields of Study in English:

Major	Field of Study
English Education	Teaching, Linguistics, Literature
Computer Science	Programming, Networking, Artificial Intelligence
Nursing	Health Care, Human Anatomy, Medical Practice
Agriculture	Plant Science, Agribusiness, Soil Management
Economics	Business, Finance, Development Studies

Activity:
Write a short paragraph about your major.
Example:

I am majoring in English Education. I study how to teach English to students effectively. My favorite subjects are Speaking and Linguistics. In the future, I want to be a professional English teacher who inspires others to learn the language.

 

🧾 4. Educational Background (Resume Practice)

Example Resume Section:

Name: Rina Suryani
Date of Birth: April 4, 2003
Address: Jl. Merdeka No. 25, Polewali
Educational Background:

·         Elementary School: SDN 1 Polewali (2009–2015)

·         Junior High School: SMPN 2 Polewali (2015–2018)

·         Senior High School: SMAN 1 Polewali (2018–2021)

·         University: Universitas Al Asyariah Mandar – English Education (2021–Present)

Task:
Write your own short resume (Educational Background only). Practice reading it aloud with your classmates.

 

💡 5. Speaking Practice: Tell Your Childhood Story

Use these guiding questions to tell your own story:

1.      Where did you grow up?

2.      What did you like to do when you were a kid?

3.      Who was your best friend?

4.      What was your favorite food or game?

5.      Do you have a funny or memorable childhood story?

Example Answer:

When I was a kid, I lived in a small village. I liked to fly kites and swim in the river with my friends. One day, my kite got stuck in a tree, and I cried so hard! My father helped me get it down, and I was so happy. That’s one of my favorite childhood memories.

 

✏️ 6. Assignment

Write a short essay (around 100–150 words) with the title “My Childhood Story.”
Include:

·         Your favorite activity as a child

·         A memorable or funny experience

·         What you learned from that experience

 

🌈 Reflection

Childhood memories are not just stories — they are lessons that shape who we are today. By sharing our childhood stories in English, we practice grammar, vocabulary, and speaking with emotion and confidence.