How old is too old?

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.