LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERSGREEN CHRISTMAS
LinguaHouse
Nov. 22, 2023
Level: Mixed Levels (A2-B1 and B1-B2)
Type of English: General English
Tags: Celebrations and Special Events; Celebrations and Commemorations; 16-18 Years Old; 18+ Years Old; Vocabulary Lesson; Article Based
Publication date: 11/22/2023
The topic of this mixed-level lesson is choosing environmentally friendly Christmas trees. Students consider different options and read an article about the pros and cons of each one. They then listen to a podcast about a newly available option – renting Christmas trees. The lesson includes vocabulary development with a special focus on affixation. There is a choice of a final activity and an optional extension activity that compares different species of real trees. Please note that there are two audio files. Use the one appropriate for the level you choose (by Stephanie Hirschman).
- CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English (L3).
- CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English (L4).
- CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English (L3).
- CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English (L4).
- CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English (L3).
- CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English (L4).
- CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English (L3).
- CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English (L4).
- CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audios (Am/Br English).
AUDIO TRANSCRIPTS
Level 3
Reporter: I’m dreaming of a green Christmas. And I don’t mean that I hate snow. I mean, I’m hoping to find a way to make Christmas more environmentally friendly. So, I’m starting with the tree. Most people have asked themselves why they spend so much money on a real tree, only to throw it away a month later. In the US, we put about 30 million trees a year out with the trash - not a very green option. At last, there’s a new solution to this problem – it’s called Rent-A-Tree. And I’m here talking to Patrick Simpson of Pine and Company. Patrick, how does renting a tree work?
Patrick: Well, it’s very simple. We offer our customers a living Christmas tree that’s growing in a pot. They keep it in their house during the holiday period for around three weeks. Then we come and pick it up again and return it to our farm. We’ll look after it all year, watering it, feeding it, even replanting it in a bigger pot if we need to. And the next year, you can order another tree.
Reporter: That’s so clever. How difficult is it to look after the tree while it’s in your home?
Patrick: It’s really easy. You just have to remember two things: water it every day and keep it somewhere cool.
Reporter: Can you explain why renting a tree helps slow down global warming?
Patrick: Well, a rented tree reduces damage to the environment in several ways. First of all, our trees provide places for birds, insects and animals to live while they’re growing and, of course, they also remove CO2 from the air. Finally, you can recycle this product – when the tree reaches the end of its life, we make it into wood chips that people can put on their gardens.
Reporter: What advice would you give for choosing the best rental company?
Patrick: The main thing is to choose someone local, you know, near where you live. The benefit here is that the delivery guy won’t need to make such a long journey to get to your house.
Reporter: Thanks so much, Patrick! Now I’m going to have a word with Sandra, who’s just rented a tree here at Patrick’s market stall. Hello, Sandra! Tell me why you’ve decided to have a rented tree this year.
Sandra: Hi! Well, I don’t want to be responsible for producing extra CO2 when I throw things away. This seems like a good solution – we actually rented a tree last year too.
Reporter: Does renting cost a lot of money?
Sandra: Not really. We’re paying forty-five dollars for the rental and another twenty for the delivery and pick-up. Of course, you also have to pay a deposit of twenty dollars – you’ll get that back if the tree is in good condition when you return it. It feels like good value for money and anyway, it’s the right thing to do.
Reporter: I hear that some families even ask for the same tree back every year!
Sandra: Yeah – we’re doing that! It will be great to see our tree again, although, of course, she will have grown. Patrick said she could be a foot taller.
Reporter: She? Did you say, she?
Sandra: Yeah, we named our tree - she’s called Holly. I see her as a family member who visits for the holidays.
Reporter: And are you doing anything else to help the environment this Christmas?
Sandra: Of course! I’m going to reuse all the paper we used to wrap presents last year. I kept it all.
Reporter: That’s a great idea too. Wishing you Happy Holidays!
Level 4
Reporter: I’m dreaming of a green Christmas. And I don’t mean that I hate snow. I mean, I’m hoping to find a way to make Christmas more environmentally friendly. So, I’m starting with the tree. Most people have asked themselves why they spend so much money on a real tree, only to throw it away a month later. In the US, about thirty million trees a year go for disposal into landfill - not a very sustainable option. At last, there’s a new solution to this dilemma – it’s called Rent-A-Tree. And I’m here talking to Patrick Simpson of Pine and Company. Patrick, how does renting a tree work?
Patrick: Well, it’s very simple. We provide our customers with a living Christmas tree that’s growing in a pot. They keep it in their house during the holiday period for around three weeks. Then we come and pick it up again and return it to our farm. We’ll look after it all year, watering it, feeding it, even repotting it if we need to. And the following year, you can order another tree. This is pretty much a zero-waste option.
Reporter: That’s so clever. How difficult is it to look after the tree while it’s in your home?
Patrick: It’s really easy. You just have to water it daily and keep it away from heaters, radiators or fireplaces. Oh – one more thing! Make sure you don’t do anything that will harm the tree, like spraying it with artificial snow.
Reporter: Can you explain why renting is a more sustainable option?
Patrick: Well, to assess the environmental impact of any consumer choice, you have to think about a lot of things. First of all, our trees provide places for birds, insects and animals to live while they’re growing and, of course, they also remove CO2 from the air. Finally, this is a recyclable product – when the tree reaches the end of its life, it can be burned or turned into wood chips that people can put on their gardens.
Reporter: What advice would you give for choosing the best supplier?
Patrick: The main thing is to choose someone local. You don’t want the delivery and pick-up to contribute to global warming by making unnecessary long journeys.
Reporter: Thanks so much, Patrick! Now I’m going to have a word with Sandra, who’s just rented a tree here at Patrick’s market stall. Hello, Sandra! Tell me why you’ve decided to have a rented tree this year.
Sandra: Hi! Well, I’m really worried about how much CO2 is released into the air when we throw away or burn our rubbish. This seems like a satisfactory solution in lots of ways – we actually did it last year too.
Reporter: Is renting affordable?
Sandra: I’d say so, yes. We’re paying forty-five dollars for the rental and another twenty for the delivery and pick-up. Of course, you also have to pay a deposit of twenty dollars – but it is refundable if the tree is in good condition when you hand it back. It feels like good value for money and the right thing to do.
Reporter: I hear that some households even ask for the same tree back every year! Sandra: Yeah – we’re doing that! It will be great to see our tree again, although, of course, she will have grown. Patrick said she could be a foot taller.
Reporter: She? Did you say, she?
Sandra: Yeah, we named our tree - she’s called Holly. I see her as a family member who visits for the holidays. Although it’s debatable whether we’d even know if she had been replaced... I hope she’s the same one!
Reporter: I’m sure she will be. Wishing you all Happy Holidays!
Adapted from: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/general-english/green-christmas. Accessed on November 22, 2023. © 2008–2023 LinguaHouse.com. All rights reserved.
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