A workout for very busy people

This ESL lesson plan focuses on the topic of movement and physical exercise, helping students integrate fitness into their busy lives while expanding their vocabulary. Perfect for those looking for ESL materials for health and fitness, this lesson combines speaking, vocabulary, listening, and grammar activities for a well-rounded classroom experience. Other interesting video-based lessons are “The importance of good posture”, and “Winter sports“, as well as the worksheet “Phrasal verbs: at the gym“.
Speaking Activity: The lesson starts with conversation questions about fitness and exercise, encouraging students to discuss topics like staying fit, personal workout habits, and their fitness goals. Students explore various fitness objectives (e.g., weight loss, muscle gain, flexibility) and rank them in order of importance to practice critical thinking and communication skills.

Vocabulary Focus: Students build their vocabulary through activities covering:

• Home workout equipment (e.g., kettlebell, dumbbells, exercise ball, ankle weights).
• Exercise vocabulary (e.g., squat, lunge, crunch).
• Parts of the body (e.g., ankle, calf, chest, hip, heel) mentioned in the lesson’s video.

The fitness vocabulary activities are supplemented with conversation questions, helping students use their new words in context.

Listening: Students watch a video called “Build exercise into your daily routine: Brushing your teeth: Glutes and Legs”, and complete 2 activities

• Writing down the exercises mentioned in the video.
• Filling in a transcript with the body parts referenced.

Grammar:  The grammar activity introduces students to phrases like “instead of,” “rather than,” and “as an alternative to,” empowering them to discuss different workout options and habits. Students then practice by completing six sentences with their own ideas, enhancing both grammar and fluency.
In the final activity, students reflect on their sedentary activities (e.g., watching TV, or sitting at a desk) and brainstorm ways to incorporate movement into their daily lives. For further practice, use the conversation cards to deepen their speaking skills.