Summary
This ESL lesson for B2 English students delves into the fascinating world of neuroscience to explore why songs get stuck in our heads, often known as "earworms," and how to get rid of them. This English class material uses a video, interactive exercises, and discussion questions to help students understand the science behind musical memory and learn practical techniques to make those persistent tunes disappear.
Students will engage with a dynamic video, reinforcing their listening skills while discovering scientific explanations for earworms. The lesson also offers targeted vocabulary development related to the brain and memory, along with focused practice on the Present Simple Passive, a key grammatical structure for discussing scientific processes and general truths. By the end of the lesson, students will be equipped with new vocabulary, improved grammar application, and a scientific trick for managing those catchy melodies.
Activities
- A warm-up discussion where students share their personal experiences with songs stuck in their heads, setting the stage for exploring this common phenomenon.
- Listening comprehension exercises based on a video that explains the neuroscience behind earworms and introduces a simple, science-backed solution.
- A key vocabulary matching task focusing on brain-related terms like cortex, auditory, loop, phenomenon, and distraction.
- A grammar exercise centered on the Present Simple Passive to help students describe scientific processes and general facts accurately.
- Vocabulary in context practice, requiring students to apply the newly learned terms in sentence completion tasks.
- Grammar practice converting active voice sentences into the Present Simple Passive, reinforcing understanding and usage.
- Speaking practice where students discuss the concepts from the lesson, encouraging them to use the acquired vocabulary and grammar structures in a communicative context.
Vocabulary focus
The vocabulary section introduces essential terms related to brain function and persistent thoughts. Key terms include cortex, auditory, loop, phenomenon, and distraction. Students will learn to define and apply these words in context, enhancing their ability to discuss scientific topics and cognitive experiences.
Grammar focus
This lesson concentrates on the Present Simple Passive, a crucial grammatical structure for describing scientific facts, processes, and general truths. Students will learn how to form and use the passive voice (am / is / are + past participle) to talk about actions where the focus is on the action itself rather than who or what performs it, which is common in scientific contexts.
