OVERVIEW & OBJECTIVES

This ESL lesson plan on Greenland & geopolitics offers engaging activities, PDF worksheets, and digital materials designed for advanced C1 students. In this lesson, students will:

• Discuss current global affairs connected to Greenland and international politics.
• Learn and apply key geopolitical vocabulary related to conflict and power.
• Watch and analyze a video explaining Greenland’s growing global importance.
• Practice phrases that express probability, certainty, and prediction.
• Take part in a communicative task where they predict how real-world issues may unfold.

PREVIEW & DISCUSSION

Students begin by examining a short list of countries, organizations, and public figures that have all played a role in a global issue during 2025–2026. They discuss how Greenland, Denmark, NATO, and Donald Trump may be interconnected and share any background knowledge they already have about the situation.

Students then move into a guided discussion about Greenland itself. They talk about what they know about the island, why its geography matters in today’s global politics, and what typically causes geopolitical conflicts. Students consider reasons why countries seek control over land, territory, or influence and support their ideas with real or historical examples.

Next, students complete a vocabulary activity using key geopolitical nouns such as envoys, vessels, minerals, referendums, and polls. After completing the sentences, students optionally select several terms and discuss global or political situations where these concepts might realistically appear, helping them connect the vocabulary to real-world contexts.

The preview phase ends with a short reflection discussion in which students share how interested they are in global affairs and whether they feel it is important to understand international conflicts as they develop.

VIEWING ACTIVITY

Students watch a concise news-style video that explains why Greenland has become a major geopolitical focus. The video outlines U.S. security concerns, Arctic militarization, natural resources, NATO involvement, and Greenland’s political status in relation to Denmark.

While watching, students complete a matching task that checks their understanding of key points from the video, such as U.S. military interests, radar placement, foreign vessels in the Arctic, and Greenland’s natural resources. Students then complete a second task where they explain the relationship between paired terms, such as public opinion polls and Greenland’s population, or Trump and Denmark’s prime minister, using information directly from the video.

VIEWING FOLLOW-UP

After the video, students discuss questions that encourage personal reactions and deeper analysis. They reflect on whether the video clarified the situation, share opinions on the roles of Greenland, Denmark, NATO, and the U.S., and consider how they might feel if they were Greenlandic citizens.

Students then focus on target language by completing statements with phrases that express probability, certainty, doubt, and prediction. These statements refer to real-world issues from politics, global security, social policy, and sports. Students choose several statements they agree or disagree with and explain their reasoning, using the target language naturally in discussion.

The follow-up phase ends with a short analysis task in which students identify the shared function of the phrases and compare which ones express stronger or weaker certainty.

HOW WILL IT PLAY OUT? YOUR TAKE ON A CURRENT AFFAIR

In Option A, students choose a real current situation they know something about, such as a political issue, business trend, technological development, sports situation, or local change. They briefly describe the situation, then work with a classmate or the teacher to explain the current context and make predictions about what may happen next. Students use phrases expressing probability and certainty and support their predictions with clear reasons while asking and answering follow-up questions.

In Option B, students select several discussion prompts and talk about real current affairs, strong opinions they hold, surprising news stories, national resources or industries, preferred news sources, and predictions about ongoing issues. Students focus on exchanging ideas clearly and naturally while using the target predictive language.

BENEFITS OF USING THIS GREENLAND & GEOPOLITICS ESL LESSON

This Greenland & Geopolitics ESL lesson helps teachers address complex global topics in a clear, structured, and engaging way at the C1 level. Students build confidence discussing real-world issues, develop precise vocabulary for geopolitics, and practice advanced language for expressing opinions and predictions. The lesson supports critical thinking, adapts easily to one-to-one or group classes, and connects current affairs to practical speaking skills that students can use outside the classroom.