OVERVIEW & OBJECTIVES

This ESL lesson plan on emotional support animals offers engaging activities, PDF worksheets, and digital materials designed for intermediate B1–B2 students. In this lesson, students will:

• Discuss pets, unusual animals, and emotional bonds through guided speaking tasks.
• Learn and review key vocabulary related to animals, care, emotions, and responsibility.
• Watch a short CBS news story about an emotional support alligator and complete viewing tasks.
• Practice commonly confused verb pairs and phrases through correction and sentence work.
• Take part in a personalized discussion activity based on real-life pet and life experiences.

PREVIEW & DISCUSSION

Students begin this ESL lesson by identifying animals shown in images and discussing which would be unusual pets. They share opinions about what it might be like to own these animals and whether people can form emotional bonds with them, similar to cats or dogs.

Next, students discuss questions based on whether they currently have a pet or not. Pet owners describe their pets using adjectives, explain why they got them, and reflect on their emotional bond. Non-pet owners discuss past pets, future possibilities, and common reasons people choose to have pets.

Students then predict the content of a news story by analyzing images related to an alligator, Disney World, a pond, a depressed man, and a man walking an alligator on a leash.

Finally, students broaden the discussion by talking about how common cats and dogs are in their area and sharing examples of other animals they have seen people keep as pets, either in real life or online.

VIEWING ACTIVITY

Students watch a short CBS news story about Wally, an alligator found at Disney World who later becomes an emotional support animal for his owner, Joe. The video shows their unusual bond and how Wally helps Joe cope with depression.

First, students complete a true/false activity and correct false statements to check general understanding of the video.

Next, students answer short questions based on specific details from the story, including Joe’s past, Wally’s behavior, public places they visit together, and the effect Wally has had on Joe’s life.

VIEWING FOLLOW-UP

Students reflect on their reactions to the story and discuss how they would feel about meeting Wally or having an unusual animal as a pet. They then connect the topic to their own lives by talking about how pets or other activities help them manage stress or difficult emotions.

Students analyze a direct quote from Joe and identify an incorrectly used word. They discuss the correct word choice and compare how the two similar words are used differently in English.

Students then correct several sentences that contain commonly confused words and phrases, such as care about / take care of, lose / loose, borrow / lend, and take / bring. This is followed by a short completion task where students apply the corrected language in new sentence contexts.

PET & LIFE DISCUSSIONS (TRICKY WORDS EDITION!)

Students choose a discussion question set based on whether they have a pet or not. Pet owners focus on real experiences related to caring for animals, responsibility, routines, and emotional connection. Non-pet owners discuss travel, stress, lending and borrowing, personal loss, and everyday situations.

Students discuss selected questions with a partner or teacher and naturally use the target language from the lesson, including commonly confused verbs and phrases, in meaningful, personal contexts.

BENEFITS OF USING THIS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS ESL LESSON

This lesson gives teachers a high-interest topic that encourages natural discussion and personal reflection. It provides clear practice with commonly confused verbs and phrases that students often misuse at B1–B2 level. The video content supports listening skills through an authentic news story. The lesson structure supports mixed classes with pet owners and non-pet owners. The activation task promotes confident speaking through relatable, real-life situations.