DESCRIPTION:

This step-by-step lesson plan for English language Teaching features the FLASHBACK SONG “Dear Mr President” by 4 Non Blondes. This a great example of a timeless song I’m sure your students are going to like!

In this ELT song-based activity, students TALK about poverty and society’s responsibility, WATCH a video in which people give their opinion, and DO a listening exercise, DISCUSS questions, READ lyrics and TALK about them and WATCH a music video.

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, writing 
Topic: Poverty, social responsibility
Materials: genially presentation, YouTube Video, 
Duration: about an hour
Downloadable materials: Instructions.pdf

OBJECTIVES OF THIS LESSON PLAN:
- To promote critical thinking and debate skills by having students discuss and share their opinions on a relevant social issue
- To improve students' listening comprehension skills by watching a video and completing an activity
- To improve students' writing skills by having them write a short text expressing their own opinions and thoughts on the lyrics and the song.

Welcome to the Song Activity Factory! Here, we follow the rules of The Creative Jedi Code:

See below for another Post about Teaching English Creatively With Songs:

That’s Just Life! A Song-based Lesson Plan To Help Your Students Cope With Setbacks

Check out the video version of this ELT song-based lesson plan:

STEP-BY-STEP LESSON PLAN

Step 1 (5 min)

Write on the board: “Who is responsible for taking care of the poor?” and have students give their opinions

Step 2 (5 min)

Genial.ly presentation link

Slide 01. Students watch the video with 4 people answering the question in step 1.

First watch. Students put an X next to the right answers. (play the video 2x)

see answers in the instruction.pdf

Step 3 (7 min)

SLIDE 02

Have a student read the questions, then ask students if they remember the people’s opinions. Have them complete the gaps with people’s names, then play the video again for them to check.

See answers and video script in the instrutions.pdf

Step 4 (15 min)

Pair work (breakout rooms). In pairs, students discuss the questions below. When they are back to the main room, have the pairs share their answers, have a mini debate.

Who do you agree the most with and why?

Who do you disagree the most with and why?

Step 5 (7 min)

Slide 03. Screen-share the lyrics to Dear Mr. President by 4 Non Blondes and have students read it. Ask them to compare the ideas in the song with what they’ve discussed before.

Step 6 (5 min)

Ask students to say which kind of music it is (slow, fast, happy, sad, music genre, etc) then play the music video for them to check.

Have students comment on it to close the activity.

HOMEWORK (optional)

Students Write a short text discussing the ideas in the lyrics and saying if they agree or disagree with them and why.

They must also say if they liked the song 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!

KNOW MORE IDEAS FOR ENGLISH ACTIVITIES WITH SONGS HERE

That’s it for this week! I hope this activity is helpful and enjoyable! 

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Happy teaching!  🙂