The Irish Potato Famine: A tragedy in history
Lesson plan overview
This ESL lesson plan explores the Irish Potato Famine, helping students develop their language skills while learning about one of history’s most devastating food crises. Students learn collocations related to famine and food security, watch a video analyzing its causes and impact, and engage in discussions on food insecurity, famine, and migration. Other lessons about Ireland you might like are “St. Patrick’s Day traditions explained” and “St. Patrick’s Day“. Other lessons about migration you might like are “Climate refugees” and “Brain drain“.
Speaking: The lesson starts with a few discussion questions about possible causes of famine.
Vocabulary: Students complete collocations related to famine and food insecurity using words like crop failure, relief efforts, political will, rough terrain, unpredictable weather, impoverished region, and staple foods. Then, they read sentences and choose the correct definition for key vocabulary words such as thrive, starve, perish, scrape by, flee, and live on the margins. To practice, students fill in the blanks using the correct vocabulary words, reinforcing their understanding of famine-related terms in real-world contexts. Then they sort words and expressions into two categories: causes of famine (e.g., crop failure, unpredictable weather, reliance on a single crop) and consequences of famine (e.g., starve, flee, scrape by).
Listening: Students watch a TEDEd video called “What Really Caused the Irish Potato Famine”, taking notes on how the famine started, the British government’s response, and the long-term impact on Ireland. In the second listening task, students match historical facts and figures to what they represent in the video, reinforcing listening comprehension and historical awareness. After that, students engage in a structured discussion on topics such as the role of the Irish Potato Famine in shaping Irish migration, global food security today, and lessons modern societies can learn from past food crises
Vocabulary Review: Students complete a crossword puzzle using key vocabulary words from the lesson, reinforcing retention and recall.
For more speaking practice, and to review key vocabulary from this lesson, you can use the printable conversation cards.
Who Is This Lesson Suitable For?
- Upper-intermediate to advanced ESL learners interested in history, social issues, and global events.
- Academic English learners preparing for debates or essay writing on historical topics.
- Students studying global history, food security, or migration who want to improve their English skills while exploring real-world issues.
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Teacher’s lesson plan
Student’s worksheet
Student’s interactive PDF
Conversation cards PDF
Pre-class activities
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In-class activities
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Additional resources
Each video-based lesson plan includes links to additional resources (videos and articles), which are FREE can be found online (in the pre-class activities page. These links aim to extend the learning experience, enabling students to connect classroom knowledge with real-world applications.
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Teacher’s lesson plan
Student’s worksheet
Student’s interactive PDF
Conversation cards PDF
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