How old is too old?

The main goals of this ESL lesson plan are to:

• – learn how to use past modals “should” and “could” for talking about past possibilities and missed opportunities through clear explanations and practice activities like gap-filling and sentence rewriting;
• – build vocabulary about ageing and life stages by discussing how society views older people, watching inspiring videos about elderly achievements, and reading about timing in life decisions;
• – develop speaking and analytical skills through exploring attitudes toward age, discussing inspiring stories of older adults breaking stereotypes, and participating in critical thinking exercises that challenge students to identify patterns and justify their choices.

In this Upper-Intermediate ESL lesson plan, students learn to use past modals “should” and “could”. They also acquire new vocabulary related to ageing.

Warm-Up

We kick off with a brief discussion on the perception of age in the society.

Video

Students watch a video titled “96-year-old WWII pilot takes flight again in Tampa” and discuss the questions that follow.

Grammar

This section explains the use of past modals “should” and “could”, and provides useful examples.

Exercises

In this section, the use of past modals is exemplified and practiced. This is accomplished through gap-filling and sentence rewriting exercises.

Reading

Students read a thought-provoking text on when it’s too late for certain activities and discuss their thoughts.

Pick a Card

Finally, the lesson wraps up with a pick-a-card exercise. Students are asked to choose the odd one out and explain why it doesn’t belong.