2. Unit 1 | Lesson 1
Life changes
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Talk about how we deal with change
Lesson overview
1. GET STARTED: Life changes
2. VOCABULARY: Talking about facing challenges
3. GRAMMAR: Present habits
4. SPEAKING: Making changes
5. PROGRESS CHECK
3. Look at the list of big changes in people’s
lives. Which ones have you experienced?
Which one was the most difficult to
handle? Why?
start a new school
go to college
move to a new house or city
change jobs
get a new boss
get married
have children
Life changes
GET STARTED
4. Think of your own example for each item. Then share
your ideas with your classmates.
1. a way to cope with homesickness
2. a change in your life that you adapted to slowly
3. something you are frightened of
4. a food you can’t resist
5. an event that’s difficult to survive
6. something people underestimate about you
7. a good way to tackle a disagreement with your boss
8. a reason people can’t accept change in their lives
Facing challenges
VOCABULARY
5. Do you welcome change, or do you prefer to stick to
your habits? Share your ideas with the class. Use the
language in the box to help you.
I welcome change:
I welcome change because . . .
I cope well with change when . . .
I think I’m capable of . . .
I stick to my habits:
It’s not easy for me to adapt to change because . . .
Sometimes I resist change when . . .
It’s hard for me to tackle challenges when . . .
Facing challenges
VOCABULARY
6. Think of something you do regularly, such as going to
the gym, meeting friends, or working. Describe your
present habits using the prompts below.
1. I tend to . . .
2. My friend(s) and I often . . .
3. When I’m feeling . . . , I . . .
4. I’m always . . .
5. When I’m tired, I’ll . . .
6. I’ll usually . . .
Present habits
GRAMMAR
I tend to go to the gym on
Saturdays and Sundays.
My friend and I often meet
for coffee after class.
7. What is one thing you’d like to change
about your life? Use the questions to help
you brainstorm ideas. Take notes.
1. What habits do you have that prevent you from
moving forward? How do you tackle them?
2. What excuses do you tend to make when you
don’t welcome a new challenge?
3. What goal or life change do you often talk
about?
4. How will this change be a step forward for you?
5. What are you doing now to prepare for this
change?
Making changes
SPEAKING
8. Share about the change you’d like to make with your
group. Listen as others share their ideas. Offer advice
on how they can make the changes in their lives
successful.
Making changes
SPEAKING
I’m always worrying about what other
people think, even when I know I’m
capable of doing something well.
I understand! I tend to underestimate myself.
When I feel like that, I try to resist it and think
about my positive qualities. My friends tell me to
get a grip, but it’s not always that easy!
9. PROGRESS CHECK
Now I can . . .
talk about facing challenges.
talk about present habits.
10. Thank you!
Unit 1 | Lesson 1
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Talk about how we deal with change
Life changes
Editor's Notes
LESSON 1.1
For this lesson, you will need:
this PowerPoint presentation
time for lesson: 45 minutes
Time: 1–2 minutes
You will need: this slide
F2F classes
Welcome students (Ss) to the class by asking them social questions as they enter the classroom and get settled, e.g., How are you? How’s your day?
Show this slide and ask Ss to focus on the photo. Ask them to describe what the woman is doing.
Read the title of the lesson and the learning objective.
Virtual classes
Welcome students (Ss) to the class by asking them social questions as they join the lesson, e.g., How are you? How’s your day? This will encourage Ss to activate their microphones or use the chat box, which will help you identify and troubleshoot any technical problems before the lesson begins.
Show this slide and tell Ss to focus on the photo. Ask them to describe what the woman is doing. Have Ss write their ideas in the chat box.
Read the title of the lesson and the learning objective.
LESSON OVERVIEW – notes for teacher with slide numbers
GET STARTED: Life changes (slide 3)
VOCABULARY: Talking about facing challenges (slides 4–5)
GRAMMAR: Present habits (slide 6)
SPEAKING: Making changes (slides 7–8)
PROGRESS CHECK (slide 9)
Time: 1 minute
F2F/Virtual classes
Show this slide and read through the lesson overview with the class.
Stage 1: GET STARTED (slide 3)
Aim: activate the topic of the lesson
You will need: this slide
Time: 5 minutes
F2F classes
Whole class:
Read the instructions and questions aloud.
Model responses for Ss by choosing a life change and describing your own experience.
Pair work:
Put Ss into pairs. Have them take turns asking and answering the questions. Encourage Ss to give reasons to support their answers.
Give Ss 3 minutes to complete the activity.
Circulate and monitor as Ss discuss. Help Ss as needed.
Whole class:
Call on two or three volunteers to share their responses with the class.
Virtual classes
Whole class:
Read the instructions and questions aloud.
Give Ss time to read the list of life changes individually.
Model responses for Ss by choosing a life change and describing your own experience.
Call on four or five volunteers to activate their microphones and share their responses. Encourage the rest of the class to write their reactions in the chat box.
Stage 2: VOCABULARY (slides 4–5)
Aim: review vocabulary from lesson 1.1
Total time for stage: 15 minutes
You will need: this slide
Time: 10 minutes
F2F classes
Whole class:
Read the instructions on the slide.
Model the activity by doing the first item with your own example, e.g., One way to cope with homesickness is to keep busy.
Group work:
Put Ss into groups of three.
Give groups 5 minutes to complete the activity. Encourage them to elaborate on their ideas.
Whole class:
Read one item at a time and ask volunteers to share their ideas. Take notes on any language errors as Ss share their ideas.
Review any language errors or discuss any new vocabulary with the class. Congratulate Ss on successfully managing the new vocabulary.
Virtual classes
Whole class:
Read the instructions and questions on the slide.
Model the activity by doing the first item with your own example, e.g., One way to cope with homesickness is to keep busy.
Call on one or two volunteers to give other ideas for the first item. Then do the same for items 2–8. Have Ss write their ideas in the chat box. Call on volunteers to activate their microphones and elaborate on their ideas. Take notes on any language errors to review at the end of the activity.
Review any language errors or discuss any new vocabulary with the class. Congratulate Ss on successfully managing the new vocabulary.
Stage 2: VOCABULARY (slides 4–5)
Aim: review vocabulary from lesson 1.1
You will need: this slide
Time: 5 minutes
F2F classes
Whole Class:
Read the instructions on the slide. Make sure Ss understand the difference between to welcome change (to be comfortable with change) and stick to your habits (to make no changes / to resist change).
Ask for volunteers to share their ideas with the class until you have one or two examples for each phrase on the slide.
Virtual classes
Whole Class:
Read the instructions on the slide. Make sure Ss understand the difference between welcome change (to be comfortable with change) and stick to your habits (to make no changes / to resist change).
Call on individual Ss to activate their microphones and share their ideas with the class until you have one or two examples for each phrase on the slide.
Stage 3: GRAMMAR (slide 6)
Aim: use the simple present and the present continuous to describe present habits
You will need: this slide
Time: 8 minutes
F2F classes
Whole class:
Quickly review the use of the simple present and present continuous for present habits.
Suggest a famous person that Ss will know (e.g., Taylor Swift). Elicit some ideas about their daily habits.
On the board, write She’s always looking for inspiration for new songs.
Ask What is the verb tense? (the present continuous)
Ask Is this happening now or often? (often)
Remind Ss that we can use the present continuous with always and constantly to describe a habit that is more noticeable or frequent than usual and for when we complain.
Read the instructions on the slide.
Pair work:
Put Ss into pairs.
Give Ss 4 minutes to complete the activity. Circulate and offer help as needed.
Whole class:
Call on three or four volunteers to share something they learned about their partner. Listen closely for –s verb endings and correct Ss as necessary.
Give feedback as needed on Ss’ usage of the present continuous and simple present to talk about present habits.
Virtual classes
Whole class:
Quickly review the use of the simple present and present continuous for present habits.
Suggest a famous person that your Ss will know (e.g., Taylor Swift). Elicit some ideas about their daily habits.
On a blank slide or digital whiteboard, write She’s always looking for inspiration for new songs.
Ask What is the verb tense? (the present continuous) Then ask Is this happening now or often? (often). Have Ss write their answers in the chat box.
Remind Ss that we can use the present continuous with always and constantly to describe a habit that is more noticeable or frequent than usual and for when we complain.
Read the instructions on the slide.
Have Ss take a photo or screenshot of the slide before going into their breakout rooms.
Group work:
Put Ss into three-person breakout rooms.
Give Ss 5 minutes to complete the activity. Circulate and offer help as needed.
Whole class:
Call on one or two volunteers to activate their microphones and share something they learned about their partner. Listen closely for –s verb endings and correct Ss as necessary.
Give feedback as needed on Ss’ usage of the present continuous and simple present to talk about present habits.
Stage 4: SPEAKING (slides 7–8)
Aims:
talk about habits and facing new challenges
offer advice
Total time for stage: 14 minutes
You will need: this slide
Time: 4 minutes
F2F classes
Whole class:
Explain to Ss that they will be talking about how bad habits can prevent them from achieving their goals. They’ll start with a brainstorming activity and then move on to the speaking task.
Read the instructions and questions on the slide.
Individual work:
Have Ss take out a blank piece of paper. Give them 3 minutes to answer the questions and take notes.
Circulate and offer help with any new vocabulary or language Ss may need to complete the task.
Virtual classes
Whole class:
Explain to Ss that they will be talking about how bad habits can prevent them from achieving their goals. They’ll start with a brainstorming activity and then move on to the speaking task.
Read the instructions and questions on the slide.
Individual work:
Have Ss take out a blank piece of paper. Give them 3 minutes to answer the questions and take notes.
Tell Ss to use the chat box to ask you any questions they may have about vocabulary or language needed to complete the activity.
Stage 4: SPEAKING (slides 7–8)
Aims:
talk about habits and facing new challenges
offer advice
You will need: this slide
Time: 10 minutes
F2F classes
Whole class:
Read the instructions on the slide.
Group work:
Put Ss into groups of three or four.
Tell Ss share their ideas with the group. Set a time limit of 8 minutes.
Circulate and monitor as Ss talk. Make notes for feedback.
Give Ss a 1-minute warning before time is up.
Whole class:
Use your notes to provide feedback on the speaking task.
Point out examples of correct language usage as well as common errors and how to fix them.
Virtual classes
Whole class:
Read the instructions on the slide.
Group work:
Put Ss into four-person breakout rooms.
Tell Ss share their ideas with the group. Set a time limit of 8 minutes.
Visit breakout rooms and provide support as needed. Make notes for feedback.
Give Ss a 1-minute warning before time is up.
Whole class:
Use your notes to provide feedback on the speaking task.
Point out examples of correct language usage as well as common errors and how to fix them.
Stage 5: PROGRESS CHECK (slide 9)
Aim: review the objectives of the lesson
You will need: this slide
Time: 1 minute
F2F classes
Whole class:
Ask Ss to look at the two can-do statements. Congratulate the class on achieving the lesson objectives. Add two big check marks to the boxes on the board.
Virtual classes
Whole class:
Show the slide with the lesson objectives. Congratulate the class on achieving the objectives. Ask Ss to use their annotation tools to check the boxes on the screen.
Thank Ss and give them any reminders about upcoming work. Then say goodbye and end the lesson.