Future Plans (Going to / Gonna) ESL Lesson

OBJECTIVE & OVERVIEW

This ESL lesson on future plans (going to / gonna) provides activities, PDF worksheets, and digital materials designed for pre-intermediate A2 students. In this lesson, students will:

• Explore the topic of pets and pet adoption
• Watch a music video of a person adopting a dog and spending the day together
• Learn how to use "gonna", the short form of "going to" for expressing plans
• Engage in a task-based communicative activation about future plans

PREVIEW & DISCUSSION

In the preview section on this lesson on future plans using going to & 'gonna', students analyze some images. They describe the special day Jay and Brianna are having with their new dog, Oliver, based on images of them. The images show them at a dog shelter and signing adoption papers.

They then brainstorm fun activities for Oliver’s first day, creating a list of things to do to ensure it’s the best day for him.

Finally, students discuss their experiences with adopting pets or their thoughts on having a pet, exploring what they like to do with pets or the challenges involved in pet adoption.

VIEWING ACTIVITY

Students proceed to watch a music video from American Authors titled "Best Day Of My Life". It's about a person who adopts a dog. In the video, the dog and its new owner do a variety of activities together. The owner is trying to make it the best day of the dog's life. students first sequence activities the dog performs in the video, such as swimming or playing with other dogs. They then answer questions about specific events in the video, like what happened at 11:00 AM or what activities occur at the end. In Part 3, students listen to the song’s lyrics and tick the words they hear, familiarizing themselves with the song’s themes and vocabulary.

DISCUSSION & GRAMMAR

In the part after the video, students discuss what they liked most about the video or song and evaluate whether the dog has a good owner based on the video’s content. They also discuss whether the video portrays the best day of the dog’s life or the owner's life, and why.

Additionally, students analyze a dialogue about future plans using “gonna” (the short form of "going to" for expressing future plans). In the dialogue, Brianna tells her friend Sandra about a dog she is going to adopt soon. She discusses her future plans with the dog using "gonna". Students then choose the correct options about some rules for using going to / gonna. 

In the last part of this section, students complete a dialogue using the correct form of "gonna". In it, Kiara and Vince discuss Kiara’s future plans and her trip to Greece. Kiara shares that she and Theo are going to visit Athens and explore some islands for two weeks. Vince shows enthusiasm, asks about the food they are going to try, and requests photos. 

PLAN SOMETHING SPECIAL! WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?

For the communicative activation phase of this lesson on future plans and 'going to' and 'gonna', students write and share a future plan they are excited about, such as a special day or vacation. They discuss their plans with a classmate or teacher, using “gonna” in their conversations to talk about future activities.

Alternatively, they discuss various topics related to future plans, like upcoming vacations or special events, using “gonna” to express future intentions.

BENEFITS OF USING THIS ESL LESSON ON FUTURE PLANS (GOING TO / GONNA):

Students gain a better grasp of future tense by discussing a video, helping them use future constructions more confidently in their speech. The lesson also boosts creativity as they plan and describe their ideal future activities or special days. By sharing personal experiences, like with pets or future plans, students feel a stronger connection to the material. Engaging activities like sequencing and discussions improve their listening and speaking skills, while informal conversations about future intentions make the practice fun and relaxed.