Teaching with songs: Comparatives + Second Conditional Practice with “House With No Mirrors by Sasha Sloan” [Song-based LP for ELT]

WELCOME to the SONG ACTIVITY FACTORY!

The place to be if you believe in the power of songs to teach ENGLISH!

This week’s song-based lesson plan features SASHA SLOAN’s great song HOUSE WITH NO MIRRORS!

I hope that YOU and your students have lots of fun with the activities!!

Description:

This song-based STEP-BY-STEP LESSON PLAN for ENGLISH language TEACHING features the lyrics and music video for “HOUSE WITH NO MIRRORS” by SASHA SLOAN. Students TALK about mirrors and their importance, IDENTIFY comparative adjectives in songs in a group competition, in pairs, WRITE endings to sentences in the Second Conditional, COMPARE their ideas with the song, FILL IN gaps in the lyrics with the COMPARATIVE forms of adjectives and SECOND CONDITIONAL verbs, WATCH the music video, and WRITE AN EMAIL to the singer (homework).

OBS: This lesson plan was made for ONLINE TEACHING, but it can be modified for face-to-face instruction, as well.

Language level: B2
Learner type: All ages
Skills: speaking, reading, listening and writing
Topic: Mirrors and self-image
Language/grammar:  comparatives and second conditional
Materials: Youtube video or Vimeo video and mp3 files
Duration: 1 hour 
Downloadable materials:  instructions; song extracts mp3

STEP-BY-STEP LESSON PLAN

Step 1 (5 min)

Ask your students if they like mirrors and how important mirrors are in their lives.

Step 2 (15 min)

Do a quick review of the comparative adjectives. Have some students give you examples. Write them on the board.

Song Challenge: Comparatives

INSTRUCTIONS:

1- Divide students into pairs or trios (it can also be done individually, depending on the number of students), and tell them they are going to listen to various extracts of songs that have COMPARATIVES.

2-Tell them they have 3 chances to try to identify the comparatives in the song extract. Then, play the first extract (it’s recorded 3 times in a roll) and they write down the answer for song 1.

Song extracts mp3

3- Check what the teams wrote down (you can use the chat feature of the application you’re using with your online students. ex: in-meeting chat in zoom , and ask them to use it to send you the answers. Assign points. (1 for each right answer, if there is more than 1 comparative adjective in the recording)

4- Repeat 2, 3, 4 for the next song extracts. The team with more points, in the end, is the winner!

Step 4 (10 min)

In pairs/groups (breakout rooms) students agree on a word or sentence ending to finish the following sentences (write them on the board):

If I lived in a house with no mirrors,

I would…
I’d be…
my skin would be…
I probably wouldn’t…

Step 5 (5 min)

Back to the main room, students share their sentences via chat box.

Step 6 (5 – 7min)

Play the song for them to compare the ideas in their sentences to the idea of the song.

Step 7 (7 min)

Interactive worksheet

Share the link to the interactive worksheet.

Students have to: 1- Complete the gaps in the VERSES with the COMPARATIVE forms of the adjectives in parentheses

2- Complete the gaps in the CHORUS with the SECOND CONDITIONAL form of the verbs in parentheses, then listen to the song and check.

To check their answers, students have to click FINISH!! And then CHECK MY RESULTS.

Answers: 1. Cooler 2. Smarter 3. Better. Lived 4. Didn’t talk 
5. ‘d dream/ would dream  
6. There was/ there were 7. Didn’t pick  8. Would be  9. Lived 
 11. Louder  12. better

Step 8 (7 min)

Play the music video and have them comment on it.

Step 9 – homework

Have them WRITE AN EMAIL to the singer with 3 questions about the song and a comment about it, saying if they liked it or not and why.

This song-based lesson plan is sure to spice up your classes! However, would you like to think, feel and act more creatively on your own to be able to turn ANY song you want into an engaging lesson plan?
HERE are TIME-SAVING ideas that do the heavy work so you can focus on the most important: INSPIRING and MOTIVATING YOUR STUDENTS to learn CREATIVELY!