ESL Uncaged

Advanced lesson plan (B2 and above): Is laughter really the best medicine? -  BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Laughter is a behaviour we share with chimpanzees, gorillas, mice and even parrots. We laugh to show amusement and agreement. But is it really as good for our health as the old adage would have us believe? In this B2+ worksheet, students will  Study a video about the science of laughter Learn six laughter-related  idioms Discuss three phrasal verbs: laugh at , laugh with , laugh off See advanced adjectives to describe a group of laughing friends  Read and answer questions about "laughing yoga" Differentiate between to + infinitive  vs.  the gerund  after certain phrases  Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee! Click  HERE   f or the worksheet answers  Lesson objectives: 1) To match six pictures with LAUGH-related phrasal verbs (to l...

Advanced lesson plan (B2 and above): What causes your leg to fall asleep? -   BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content If you've ever sat cross-legged for too long, you'll know how quickly your leg can lose sensation. Inevitably, that numbness is followed by an oh-so painful case of pins and needles as your leg "wakes up".  In this B2+ worksheet, students will  Study a video about the science of pins and needles Learn six leg-related  idioms Match six pictures with  phrasal verbs based on STEP See  pun-ny leg-related jokes  Read and answer questions about innervated prosthetic legs Learn how to use the verb "wish" in unreal and real situations Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee! Click  HERE   f or the worksheet answers  Lesson objectives: 1) To match six pictures with STEP-related phrasal verbs (to step down, to step in, step on it, step back, to step...

Advanced lesson plan (B2 and above): What is Dolly the Sheep's scientific legacy? -  BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content When the news broke in 1996 that scientists had cloned a sheep, dire and fantastic predictions were made: humans would be cloned, lost children rebirthed and diseases cured. Now, 25 years later, we are asking: what is Dolly the Sheep's scientific legacy?  In this FREE B2+ worksheet, students will  Study a video about Dolly the Sheep Learn six sheep-related  idioms Complete sheep-related sentences using either the definite or indefinite articles See  pun-ny sheep jokes   Read and answer questions about stem cell research Practise using prepositions to complete a spot-the-difference exercise Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee! Click  HERE   f or the worksheet answers. Lesson objectives: 1) To practise using prepositions to complete a spot-...

Advanced lesson plan (B2 and above): Can dogs smell cancer in humans? -  BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content It's no secret that our four-legged friends are highly attuned to us. Dogs can tell when we are sad or scared, and they can alert us to the presence of intruders. In recent decades, scientists have found they can even detect the odours cancerous cells give off.  In this B2+ worksheet, students will  Study a video about a cancer survivor whose dog saved her life Match action shots of dogs to six phrasal verbs (to GET away with, to GET up, to GET rid of, etc.) Create dog-related sentences containing causative verbs "to get" and "to have" ( get/have + object + past participle) Learn six nose-related idioms See advanced adjectives used to describe a pet dog Read an article about the science of cancer-smelling canines Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee! Lesson objectives: 1...

Advanced lesson plan (B2 and above): Is fire a solid, a liquid or a gas? -    BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Remember the last time you sat around a camp fire. Did you wonder what caused that crackling sound? Or why the flames were thin on top and fat at the bottom? Normally, we are too busy chatting, laughing and toasting marshmallows to care.  In this B2+ worksheet, students will  Study a video about the science of campfires; Learn fire-related idioms;  Do a short exercise about quantifiers (much, many, a lot of, a few);  Find the correct punchlines for pun-ny jokes about fire; Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee!     Lesson objectives: 1) To find two nouns and three adjectives from a vocabulary list that do NOT  describe a photo of a burning forest. 2) To complete a short exercise about quantifiers (i.e. much, many, a lot of, a few). 3) To...

Advanced lesson plan (B2 and above): Why the human back is a design disaster -    BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Back pain is a uniquely human complaint. It is the price of standing up straight. One scientist said balancing our big heads on top of our vertebrae is like trying to stack 26 teacups and saucers. In short, the human back is an engineering nightmare. In this B2+ worksheet, students will  Learn back-related idioms;  Do a short exercise about transport prepositions;  Match six phrasal verbs (to BACK out of something, to BACK into something, to BACK down etc.) with corresponding pictures  Study a video and article about back pain.  Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee!     Lesson objectives: 1) To match phrasal verbs with pictures (to BACK away, to BACK down, to BACK something up, etc.) 2) To complete a short exercise about transport prepos...

Advanced lesson plan (B2 and above): What do your fingerprints say about you? -  BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Police have long been able to identify suspects from their fingerprints. Now, scientists are pioneering a technique that tells police what suspects were touching before the crime - be it drugs, food, petrol or any number of other substances that could help detectives piece together a profile. In this B2+ worksheet, students will learn finger-related idioms; they will revise subject, object and reflexive pronouns; and they will match common hand gestures with their names. They will also put their comprehension skills to work on an article and video about how scientists are pioneering new fingerprint technology. Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee!     Lesson objectives: 1) To match six hand gestures with their names (to flip someone the bird, to do jazz hands, to give...

Advanced lesson plan (B2 and above): How eggs are used to make flu vaccines -   BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Could an egg save your life? Is it possible to hatch a supermarket egg? Can you make cakes without eggs? Find out the answers to all these questions and more in this week's lesson plan! Plus, six egg-related idioms, an exercise involving the subjunctive form of "to be" and some egg-related puns. Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee!    Lesson objectives: 1) Understand colloquial language/puns related to eggs through the study of jokes and idioms 2) Practise explaining scientific concepts and stepwise processes (the production of flu vaccines) using adverbs of sequence (firstly, next, after, then, lastly) 3) Understand how to use "to be" in the subjunctive mood 4) Express one's own opinion about an ethical issue (eating eggs) in response to a text about hatchin...

Advanced lesson plan (B2 and above): The language of pain -  BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content OUCH! How would we describe an ear ache, an ant bite, giving birth or being kicked in the testicles? It can be difficult even in your native language.  Fortunately, doctors in pain clinics have designed the McGill Pain Questionnaire to help patients put their feelings into words - a tool we can also use as ESL teachers. In this B2+ worksheet, students will learn lots of vocabulary related to pain, as well as studying a Ted-Ed video about the nervous system and an article about fibromyalgia. Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee! Lesson activities: 1) To warm up, students will read a short extract from Elaine Scarry's 1987 book The Body in Pain . They will have to match underlined words with their definitions.  Key vocabulary: fragmentary, coax, bypass, perceive, amplify, unreliable narrator. 2...

Advanced lesson plan (B2+): Why don't country flags use the colour purple? - BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content    A nation's flag symbolises the homeland of millions of people. But why, of the 195 national flags currently in existence, do only two countries (Dominica and Nicaragua) feature the colour purple? Find out in this week's B2+ worksheet. In addition, students will learn six flag-related idioms, read an article about the British Union Jack and give a short presentation on the history of their own nation's flag.  Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee!   Lesson activities: 1) To warm up, students will match 12 flags with the correct countries, as well as naming two things they associate with each of the countries. They will then match four "pun-ny" jokes about flags with the correct punchlines. Key vocabulary: pole, plus, hang out, to wave. 2) Students will watch a s...

  Advanced lesson plan (B2 and above): How to navigate using the stars -  BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Could you find your way if you had nothing but a blanket of stars above your head to go by? In this B2+ worksheet, students will learn how constellations correlate with north, south, east and west. They will also read a poem about the night sky, see six star-related idioms and learn about how birds use the stars to navigate. Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee!   Lesson activities: 1) To warm up, students will read the poem 'Distances' by William Stanley Braithwaite and discuss their intepretations.  Key vocabulary: dispassionate, flesh, bond. 2) Students will study a video (7:38) about the how to navigate using constellations.  Key vocabulary: Orion, nebula, horizon, equator, to keep track of. 3) Next, they will see  six star-related idioms/phrases: Reach fo...

Advanced lesson plan (B2 and above): Why do we dream? -  BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Mr Sandman, bring me a worksheet about dreams! In this B2/C1 worksheet, students will learn about the science of dreams, study six dream-related idioms and read an article about predictive dreaming. Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee! Lesson activities: 1) To warm up, students will read the poem 'A Dream Within A Dream' by Edgar Allan Poe and discuss their intepretations. Key vocabulary: surf, grains, grasp, clasp, creep. 2) Students will watch a short video (6:31) about the science of dreams.  Key vocabulary: REM, chemicals, lucid dreaming. 3) Next, they will see  six dream-related idioms/phrases: sweet dreams, pipe dream, to daydream, beyond one's wildest dreams, a dream job, living in a dream world.  Students will get a chance to see the idioms in sentences, and to create thei...

  Advanced lesson plan (B2): Why are planes painted white? -   BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Ever wondered why planes are nearly always painted white? In this FREE B2/C1 worksheet, students will find out why white is the bigwig of the aeronautical world. They will also learn vocabulary related to planes and idioms about flying. Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee!   Lesson activities: 1) To warm up, students will label an image of the inside of a plane. Then, they will match three pun-ny jokes about clowns with their punchlines. Key vocabulary: to take off, to land, altitude, flight attendant, head rest, arm rest. 2) Students will watch a video (6:02) entitled "Why are planes usually painted white?" and answer the comprehension questions.  Key vocabulary: paint job, false economy, first-world problems. 3) Next, students will see  six flying-related idioms: to fly in...

Advanced lesson plan (B2): Why are we afraid of clowns? -  BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Give your students a fright this Halloween with a creepy lesson plan about clowns! In this B2/C1 worksheet, students will learn how clowns morphed from friendly sideshow goofballs to the terrifying villains of blockbuster horror films.  Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee!   Lesson activities: 1) To warm up, students will match six pun-ny jokes about clowns with their punchlines. They will discuss their earliest memories of clowns and their own feelings about them.  Key vocabulary: juggler, to crack someone up, to have big shoes to fill.  2) Students will watch a video (10:37) entitled "Why are we afraid of clowns?" and answer the comprehension questions.  Key vocabulary: slapstick comedy, trope, down-and-out, steep price.  3) Next, students will see  six clown-rela...

    Advanced lesson plan (B2 and above): How to make a decision -  BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Ever found it difficult to choose between two paths? This week, we're talking about those crossroads moments in life... In this B2+ worksheet, students will discuss Robert Frost's famous poem, 'The Road Not Taken', look at idioms related to decision-making and watch a video about how to make difficult choices. Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee!   Lesson activities: 1) To begin, students will read possibly the most famous poem in the English language: The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost, and discuss their interpretations. 2) Students will learn  six decision-making idioms/phrases: my way or the highway; to sit on the fence; to take a back seat; the lesser of two evils; all things considered; to flip flop/ They will then answer questions containing these phrases.  3) Ne...

  Advanced lesson plan (B1 and above): Why elephants never forget - BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Elephants have famously long memories: they can remember people who have hurt them and helped them many decades after the event.  In this B1/C1 worksheet, students will learn a host of astounding facts about these gentle giants. Also, they will study six elephant-related idioms, read an ancient Indian allegory about the flappy-eared beasts, and more! Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee! Lesson activities: 1) To warm up, students will read six pun-ny jokes about elephants, and discuss times they've seen elephants in person or on TV.  2) Students will watch a short video (5:22) from Ted-ED about elephants and their fantastic memories.  Key vocabulary: companions, boast, encephalisation quotient, matriarch, to exact revenge. 3) Next, students will see  six elephant-related...

Advanced lesson plan (B2 and above): Why humans are exceptional runners -   BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Learn why humans are the best long-distance runners in the world! In this B2/C1 worksheet, students will study a short video revealing the physiology hacks that make humans apex runners. In addition, they will see some running-related idioms, match jokes about running with their punchlines and study an article about how to avoid injuries. Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee! Lesson activities: 1) To warm up, students will match six running-related jokes with their punchlines. E.g. Why did the marathon runner end up in jail? ANSWER: Because he was resisting a rest! 2) Students will watch a Tech Insider video (3 minutes 49 seconds) about the unique physiological tricks that make humans awesome at long-distance running.  3) Next, students will see  six running-related idioms/phra...

  Flipped lesson plan (B2 and above): How do blood transfusions work? -  BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Learn about the life-saving science of blood transfusions! In this B2/C1 worksheet, students will learn about the development of blood transfusion technology, from experiments with sheep blood in the 1600s to the blood banks of WW1. They will also see blood-related idioms, and read a poem written by a Canadian soldier/physician who fought and died in WW1. Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee! Lesson activities: 1) To warm up, students will read 'In Flanders Field', a poem written by a Canadian soldier/physician in WW1. They will have to discuss their interpretation, as well as find the definitions of advanced vocabulary: foe, quarrel, poppies, lark, row on row.  2) Students will watch a Ted-Ed video explaining the early beginnings of blood-transfusion technology, from the discover...

Flipped lesson plan (B2 and above): Why is ice slippery? -  BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Learn why it is so hard to walk on ice without falling over.  In this worksheet, students will watch a video about the science of slipperiness, learn ice-related idioms and read an article about Frederic Tudor, the intrepid American entrepreneur who created a global market for ice in the 1800s. Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee! Lesson activities: Discuss one of Robert Frost's most famous poems, 'Fire and Ice' Watch a video explaining the reason for ice's slipperiness, using scientific vocabulary (friction, megapascals, pressure, hydrogen bonds) Learn idioms/phrases related to ice (frosty reception, when hell freezes over, (someone) could sell ice to an Eskimo, to be on thin ice) Study a text from  The Atlantic  about the stubborn American entrepreneur who defied naysayers and made hu...

Flipped lesson plan: How labour leads to love -  BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content This worksheet is for B2 and above students. It is about the 'Ikea Effect', an observation in behavioural economics that consumers value products more when they have invested time into their assembly. Think: Build-a-Bear, homemade food, Ikea furniture. I recommend students watch the video in exercise two before the class.  Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee! Lesson outcomes:  Follow instructions to make an origami swan, as a prelude to Dan Ariely's famous study on how people value their own cranes compared with those made by other people Understand academic-level English from behavioural economist Dan Ariely on the concept of the 'Ikea Effect', and reflect on how it is applied in one's personal life and in business Learn tool-related idioms (hit the nail on the head, hammer home, a spanner in...