Should humans become an interplanetary species?

In this ESL lesson, students will discuss space travel and the potential for a human colony on Mars, while practising the use of defining relative clauses (who, which, that, where) to provide additional information about nouns in sentences. They will also acquire new vocabulary related to space travel.

Warm-up

The lesson starts with a warm-up discussion about the entrepreneur Elon Musk to introduce the topic.

The student gets familiar with verbs related to space travel (explore, develop, launch etc.)

They also discuss their opinions on space travel and match sentences about the work of Elon Musk and SpaceX. 

Grammar: defining relative clauses (who, which, that, where)

The students learn to identify, understand and use defining relative clauses (who, which, that, where) to provide more information about people, places and things.

Students engage in speaking and discussion activities related to space exploration, Elon Musk’s vision, and the colonization of Mars.

Video: Should humans become a multi-planetary species?

The students watch a video and understand Elon Musk’s motivations for becoming a multi-planetary species.

Discussion

Students have the chance to express their opinions on the idea of humans colonizing Mars and its potential benefits and risks and participate in speaking and grammar practice exercises, including combining facts using defining relative clauses.

Optional debate 

Finally, students can engage in a debate on the topic of whether humans should become an interplanetary species.