Black Friday ESL Lesson Plan

OBJECTIVE & OVERVIEW

This Black Friday ESL lesson plan contains activities, PDF worksheets, and digital materials for B1 intermediate and B2 upper-intermediate students. The objective of this ESL lesson is to improve students' English language skills through the theme of a major shopping event, and use new, relevant vocabulary in the context of discussions and interviews.

As you'll see detailed below, students start with a discussion about Black Friday. Then, students do a video comprehension exercise that deepens their understanding of Black Friday’s origins. Students also engage in a role-play activity. It helps students use their knowledge practically, improving their communication skills. This lesson plan is designed to make students more confident in discussing consumer culture and understanding global economic trends.

PREVIEW & DISCUSSION

In this Black Friday ESL lesson plan, students start by answering questions about Black Friday. It gives them a chance to share what they already know. They then discuss the advantages and disadvantages of big box stores versus small retail shops. Next, students look at 3 images related to Black Friday to guess what the video might be about. That helps their prediction skills. Following this, there's a vocabulary-matching activity to familiarize them with key vocabulary. Finally, the students discuss their ideas on why the day is called "Black Friday," encouraging them to think critically about the name's origin. This part of the lesson is designed to build vocabulary, stimulate discussion, and engage students in thinking about consumer culture.

VIDEO & LISTENING COMPREHENSION

In the next part of this Black Friday ESL lesson, students watch a short video from CNN that explains how Black Friday started. After watching, they match answers to questions with images from the Black Friday story in the video. They also see if their guesses from the preview part of the lesson were right. The objective of this stage is to improve students' listening comprehension and their ability to connect audio information with images.

DISCUSSION & VOCABULARY

After watching the video, students reflect on the video's statement that Black Friday has dark roots. They think about why Black Friday is described this way. Next, they work on a sentence rewriting exercise. It helps them recall and use specific vocabulary. They also discuss various questions about Black Friday. They explore potential causes and effects of a gold market collapse, different reasons for street congestion, and ways in which large crowds of shoppers can be unpleasant, for example. This section aims to deepen their understanding of Black Friday, enhance their vocabulary, and encourage critical thinking and discussion.

INTERVIEW COMMUNICATIVE TASK

In this activation, students engage in an interview / role-play exercise where they choose the roles of different people involved in Black Friday, such as a police officer, store employee, or shopper. They create and answer interview questions, focusing on Black Friday from their character's perspective. This activity allows students to explore and understand various viewpoints related to Black Friday. It improves their empathy and communication skills. It also helps them use the vocabulary and concepts learned earlier in a practical, conversational context.

Benefits of using this Black Friday ESL lesson plan:

Vocabulary Practice: Teaching this Black Friday ESL lesson plan helps students learn vocabulary and language skills to talk about consumer culture and shopping events better.

Various Viewpoints: The interview/role-play exercise allows students to explore various perspectives related to Black Friday, such as those of a police officer, store employee, or shopper. This enhances empathy and understanding of different viewpoints.

Real-world Application: The lesson plan revolves around the theme of a major shopping event (Black Friday), making it relevant to students' lives and exposing them to vocabulary and concepts commonly used in consumer culture.

If you're an English teacher looking to inspire your B1 and B2 intermediate and upper-intermediate students with an engaging ESL lesson plan about Black Friday, you're in the right place! This lesson plan promotes language development through lively discussions of Black Friday. Download it now to empower your students to explore the fascinating origins of Black Friday while enhancing their English skills in an interactive and meaningful way!