OVERVIEW & OBJECTIVES

This intentional community ESL lesson plan offers activities, PDF worksheets, and digital materials designed for advanced C1 students. In this lesson, students will:

• Discuss the principles and unique characteristics of intentional communities
• Explore the benefits and challenges of communal living in rural settings
• Analyze how intentional communities balance ideals with practical realities
• Expand vocabulary related to alternative lifestyles, economics, and community living
• Reflect on and share their thoughts about unconventional lifestyles, capitalism & monogamy 

PREVIEW & DISCUSSION

Students begin this ESL lesson on intentional communities by examining images of life in an intentional community, such as collective farming, woodwork, communal meals, and recreational activities. They will discuss their initial thoughts on intentional communities, focusing on what makes them unique and the possible advantages or drawbacks of such lifestyles. Next, students decide whether various descriptions, such as egalitarian social principles or income-sharing models, are characteristic or uncharacteristic of intentional communities. They then imagine what a resident of an intentional community might say about their experiences, helping students engage with the topic creatively.

VIEWING ACTIVITY

Students watch a video that explores a commune in Virginia, where residents have opted for non-traditional economic and social systems, forming a cluster of communes in a rural, conservative region. The video highlights unusual relationships to money and commerce within these communities. After viewing, students answer comprehension questions on why these communes developed in Louisa County and the founding story of Twin Oaks. They then fill in missing nouns in a text describing life in Twin Oaks, focusing on its income-sharing structure. Finally, students assess and correct true/false statements, analyzing key details from the video, including Twin Oaks' relationship with corporate capitalism.

DISCUSSION & PHRASES

Students discuss their reactions to the video, considering whether they would want to live in an intentional community like Twin Oaks and what aspects they found surprising. They explore whether these communities are post-capitalist or still operate within a capitalist framework and provide their insights and reasoning. Next, they complete interview responses from a resident of an intentional community by filling in verbs that reflect the lifestyle's key principles, such as "opting out of" conventional systems or "wrestling with" ties to capitalism.

LIFE OUTSIDE THE BOX: CRAFT YOUR UNIQUE COMMUNITY

In this final section, students choose a non-traditional lifestyle or community—such as tiny homes, van life, or eco-villages—and imagine living it. They will discuss their motivations, daily life, necessary skills, and what advice they would give to someone interested in pursuing that lifestyle. Optionally, students can present their ideas as if interviewed for a news report. Alternatively, students can engage in a discussion about topics like the pros and cons of raising children in intentional communities or the media’s portrayal of these lifestyles.

BENEFITS OF USING THIS ESL LESSON PLAN ON INTENTIONAL COMMUNITIES

• Encourages critical thinking about alternative lifestyles and community values.
• Expands students' vocabulary on economics, community living, and relationships.
• Offers engaging, real-world scenarios that spark meaningful discussion.
• Provides opportunities for creative role-playing and language activation.
• Promotes collaboration through thought-provoking debates and group activities.