Try This 1-Minute Story and ESL Song Adventure (with sing along video!)

Unlock the potential of storytelling and music in your English language classroom

with this innovative, quick ESL activity featuring “The Lost Map Adventure.“

Designed for both online teaching and face-to-face instruction, this step-by-step lesson plan helps students enhance their English vocabulary, reading comprehension, and creative thinking skills. Whether you’re looking for a fun ESL game or a comprehensive language learning experience, this interactive story exploration is perfect for making your English lessons engaging and unforgettable!

Description

This quick story exploration for ESL teaching features a short video and an original song that tells the story of Tom and Lily’s adventure. Students will engage in vocabulary-building exercises, comprehension questions, and creative activities, making learning both fun and effective.

Language level: A2 – B1
Learner type: All ages
Skills: Listening, speaking, reading, and writing
Topic: Adventures and treasures Grammar: Simple Present
Materials: YouTube Video, genially presentation
Duration: 25 – 30 minutes
Download your free teaching resources: instructions.pdf

STEP-BY-STEP LESSON PLAN

Step 1 (2 min)

Genially presentation link.

Play the 1-minute story video “The Lost Map Adventure.” Slide 01. Obs. pause the video before the Music video with the song lyrics start.

Step 2 (2 min)

Discussion:

Ask students:

What do Tom and Lily find?
What problems do they have?

Step 3 (7 min)

Vocabulary Exercise:

Genially Presentation Slide 2 : attic, map, stream, thicket, hill, time capsule. Ask students to use one of these words in a sentence.

Step 4 (4 min)

Pair Sharing:

Ask students to quickly share with a partner: “What’s your favorite part of the story? Why?“
After a couple of minutes, have the pairs share their answers.

Step 5 (1 min)

Introduction to the Song:

Explain to the students that they will listen to a song that tells the story of Tom and Lily’s adventure.

Step 6 (3 min)

Listening:

Play the song “Treasures of Memories” Students Listen to the audio extract and check 2 words that are not in the lyrics.

answer: Attic and Thicket

Step 7 (3 min)

Sing-along:

Slide 04. Sing-Along: Play the Music Video and encourage students to sing along with the lyrics displayed in the video. This will help reinforce the vocabulary and the story’s message.

Step 8 (1 min)

Conclusion:

Recap some parts of the story. Encourage students to think about:

Why are memories important?
Why is teamwork important?

Lyrics of the Song: “Treasures of Memories”

created with https://ilovesong.ai/

Verse 1:
 Tom and Lily find a map, / It shows treasure in the forest, how fab! / They follow the map, day by day, / Through streams and thorns, they find a way! 

Chorus:
 The hill is steep, but they don't quit, / They climb together, bit by bit, / At the top, a surprise they see,  / A time capsule, filled with memories!

Verse 2:
 No gold or treasure, but something better, / Grandpa's old photos and letters, / The real treasure is their adventure, / Memories and bonds, they'll always treasure!

Outro:
 Tom and Lily learn, it's plain to see, / The greatest treasures are memories, / Adventures shared, with family,  Together they bond, happily!

Why This Activity Works

This activity combines storytelling in ESL teaching, vocabulary-building exercises, and music to create a dynamic and engaging learning experience. The short video captures students’ attention, while the ESL resources reinforce key terms. The song not only makes the lesson fun but also helps students remember the story and its message, making it an effective tool for online English teaching.

Try It Out!

Give this Lost Map Adventure lesson plan a try in your next ESL class and watch your students light up with excitement and curiosity. Don’t forget to share your experiences and feedback in the comments below. Happy teaching with this engaging ESL activity!