OVERVIEW & OBJECTIVES

This ESL lesson plan on taking breaks offers engaging activities, PDF worksheets, and digital materials designed for beginner A1-A2 students. In this lesson, students will:

• Discuss different break activities at work or school and share their personal routines.
• Learn and practice common vocabulary related to daily breaks and short activities.
• Watch a video about seven simple break activities and complete comprehension tasks.
• Use verbs like take, make, have, and do with collocations in practical sentence exercises.
• Engage in interactive speaking tasks where they ask and answer questions about daily life and work.

PREVIEW & DISCUSSION

In the preview part of this lesson, students look at images of people taking breaks at work and match them with verbs such as playing, stretching, vaping, chatting, drinking, eating, and browsing social media.

They then classify each activity as healthy or unhealthy and suggest one or two more healthy break activities.

Students move on to discuss questions about their own break routines, such as what they do, how often they take breaks, and why breaks are important.

This section helps students activate prior knowledge, practice basic vocabulary, and share ideas in English while keeping discussions simple and relatable for A1-A2 learners.

VIEWING ACTIVITY

Students watch a short video showing seven break activities that help reduce stress, boost energy, and improve focus, including stretching, chatting, breathing exercises, reading, walking, drinking, and checking messages briefly.

During viewing, students complete activities such as putting the break activities in order, matching benefits of each activity to correct phrases, and answering comprehension questions about the importance of breaks. These tasks focus on listening skills, understanding sequencing, and connecting activities to their benefits.

VIEWING FOLLOW-UP

After the video, students discuss which break activities they already do, which ones they would like to try, and which might be difficult for them. They practice target language by choosing the correct verbs for common collocations such as take a break, do exercises, have a rest, and make coffee.

Students also match nouns to verbs in a collocations table and complete gap-fill exercises using verbs like take, make, have, and do with nouns such as lunch, water, chat, a shower, or snacks. This section reinforces grammar and vocabulary while allowing students to personalize their language through discussion and practice.

TAKE, MAKE, HAVE, DO YOUR DAILY LIFE & WORK

In the activation, students create 3-4 questions for a classmate or teacher using collocations with take, make, have, and do. They ask and answer these questions in pairs, focusing on routines at work, school, and daily life.

Optional structured prompts guide students to discuss having coffee or lunch, taking walks or naps, doing exercises or housework, and making snacks or drinks. This interactive activity strengthens fluency, pronunciation, and confidence in using practical English phrases in everyday contexts.

BENEFITS OF USING THIS ESL LESSON ON TAKING BREAKS

• This lesson plan helps teachers engage beginner students in meaningful conversations about work and daily life.
• It improves listening comprehension through structured video tasks and supports vocabulary acquisition related to breaks and daily routines.
• Students practice essential verbs with collocations, reinforcing grammar in context.
• The lesson encourages active speaking and peer interaction, promoting confidence in communication.
• Finally, it provides flexible activities that can be adapted to different classroom settings, making it a practical and effective resource for A1-A2 learners.