Seasonal allergies
Lesson plan overview
This spring ESL lesson deals with the topic of seasonal allergies. Students will learn useful vocabulary and collocations to talk about allergies and will watch 2 videos. You can combine this lesson with other spring-related lessons, which you can find here, as well as other health-related lessons, which you can find here.
The lesson starts with a short discussion about allergies. Students discuss 6 questions given.
Vocabulary: First students learn vocabulary to talk about seasonal allergies symptoms by matching the words to the correct photo (e.g. sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, fatigue). Then students look at expressions that will later appear in the video (e.g. keep at bay, wreak havoc on, culprit, over-the-counter drugs). They match the expressions to their definitions, and then engage in a pre-listening discussion.
Listening: Students watch the first video, which deals with the relationship between seasonal allergies and climate change, called “Why your allergies get worse every year”. First, they complete extracts from the video with the correct word. Then, they are asked to choose the correct preposition, and watch the video again to check their answers. After that, they discuss the video. The second video is called “How to survive spring allergies”. Students watch the video and take notes.
Vocabulary development: Finally, students take a look at verb+noun collocations with allergy and allergen (e.g. to trigger an allergic reaction, to have an allergy, to cause an allergy, to outgrow an allergy). They underline the collocation in the sentences given. To practice, they complete 4 sentences with their own ideas.
For more speaking practice, you can check out the conversation cards.
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Teacher’s lesson plan
Student’s worksheet
Student’s interactive PDF
Conversation cards PDF
Pre-class activities
All video-based ESL lesson plans include online pre-class activities, which are FREE and can be completed without registration. Perfect for teachers who wish to embrace the blended learning approach. By providing students with resources and engagement opportunities before the actual class session, educators can foster active participation, enhance comprehension, and optimise in-class discussions.
The pre-class activities are optional: if you choose not to assign them, or your students don’t complete them, it will not disturb the flow of the class. You can find and review the pre-class activities for this lesson plan here:
To send the pre-class activities to your students, copy the link below.
In-class activities
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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