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The Time of My Life

Age: Teens and Adults
Focus: Simple Past & Past Continuous/ Articles

The activity below was made for the song "THE TIME OF MY LIFE" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes and "THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE"by Green Day. In both, students have the opportunity to write about and share when they had the time of their lives , which is the ultimate goal. 

THE TIME OF MY LIFE: Students first share whether they have seen the film Dirty Dancing and what it's about. After that, they listen to the song and choose the right words to complete it. Finally, they share when they had the time of their lives.

THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE: First elicit from students what they may know about the band Green Day (They are given a few words to be put in a logical sequence in order to briefly explain the story of the band.) Then, they listen to the song and fill in the banks using articles. After that, they analyze the use of the articles in pairs and make sure they understand the rule. Finally, they share when they had the time of their lives.

The Time of Your Life - Activity - Downloadable Material

The Time of My Life - Activity - Downloadable Material

  

Writing for a Magazine

Age: Adults
Focus: SHOULD for Advice

The activity below was made for the song "STARTING TODAY" by Elvis Presley. Although SHOULD is a grammar point learned by teens as well, this song is not suitable for them, so in case the target group is a teen group, I suggest that you adapt this activity for a song performed by a young band or singer. Keep in mind that the song must be about someone with a problem. Bands such as Good Charlotte or Simple Plan have lyrics that teens relate to.

The target audience here is an adult group, so students first share in pairs what they might know about Elvis. They play a brief Q/A game after searching  for information online. After that, they listen to the song and find out what the song is about. To wrap it up, students write a letter giving advice to someone. In the end, you could have students read their letters and choose the best advice or tape them to the wall.

Activity - Downloadable

Talking About Art

Age: Teens & Adults
Focus: Reflection & Discussion

The activity below has been designed for the song "VINCENT" by Don McLean. Students engage into a brief discussion on the importance of art. Then, they answer a questionnaire, so they give the teacher an idea of how much they know about art. After that, they walk around and look at the walls, where pictures of different pieces of work by different artists have been posted on (including the one described in the lyrics). At this point, don't tell them anything but let them guess who painted what. Then, they are handed the lyrics (without the tittle) and try to guess who the song is about. After they listen to the song, they identify in the lyrics both the artist and the piece of work (at this point, allow them to refer to the pictures on the walls). In the end, they share how they feel about the song.

Activity - Downloadable 

Verbs Followed By Infinitives

Age: Adults
Focus: Verbs followed by infinitives

"HARD TO SAY I'M SORRY" is an old ballad by Chicago. Students must have learned and practice verbs followed by infinitives , gerunds, and base forms, although the song has only infinitives and base forms. The activity presented here is simple and short. First, students guess the name of the band. Then, they listen to the song, read the lyrics and find one example of each of the following:

1) Adjective + Object + Infinitive

2) Verb + Infinitive

3) Verb + Object + Infinitive

4) Verb + Object + Base Form

    

After that, they write sentences about themselves using the structures found in the song and share them with a peer. 

Activity - Downloadable

The Third Person

The song "EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE" by the Police is a good song to practice the third person of verbs in the present. By the way, you can use other songs as well. 

Super simple task: First students guess who the band is based on clues provided by the teacher. Then, they listen to the song and underline the verbs. Finally they change the verbs into the third person and sing along.

Activity - Downloadable

"GREEN" Project

Age: Teens
Focus: Future Forms

It's no secret to anyone that Michael Jackson was very vocal about environmental issues. "EARTH SONG" is an example of how concerned he was about raising people's awareness on preserving and protecting the planet. This song is a great opportunity for students to:

1) Engage into a GREEN project, therefore collaborate in groups;   

2) Use future forms (WILL, GOING TO, Present Continuous);

3) Become aware of their role in the planet and what they can do to make it a better place.   

First, students are introduced to some vocabulary presented in the song. Then, they listen to the song and identify the problems we have in the planet and some questioning made by the author.  After that, students engage into a group discussion based on questions provided by the teacher. In the end, the teacher assigns a group project,  which could be a power point presentation, a poster, an illustration, a letter to the authorities, etc…  in other words, students are free to choose the means to express their concern about the planet.

Activity - Downloadable

The place where I live

The song "DOWNTOWN" is an old song performed by Frank Sinatra, therefore appropriate for adults. The song sounds super old, yet funny and unusual. Besides, it's about the excitements of being downtown, which is an opportunity for students to share how they feel about the place where they live. After a brief discussion, students listen to the song and identify elements that show why the author enjoys downtown so much. In the end, students are arranged in two groups and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of living downtown. 

Activity - Downloadable

Don't you remember?

Age: Adults
Focus: Would X Used To

"DON'T YOU REMEMBER" is performed by Dean Martin, therefore a great song to play in a class of adults. Mine usually love those old songs. The activity consists in allowing students to briefly say weather they have a good memory or not. Then, they listen to the song and say whether the author has a good memory or not. Finally, students write about a memory they have using USED TO and WOULD. 

Activity - Downloadable

When is lying better than telling the truth?

Age: Older Teens & Adults
Focus: Reflection & Discussion

The song "DO YOU REMEMBER" by Phil Collins is a romantic song but it's about a relationship that ended. The focus is engage students into a group discussion. Simple task, actually: First, students  choose from a number of options provided and explain their choices.  Then, they listen to the song/ read the lyrics and guess why the author ended his relationship (After listening to the song, students will realize that lying was not the only reason). Finally, they reflect and have a group discussion about lying. 

Activity - Downloadable

Dancing Queen

Age: Teens & Adults

Focus: Relative Clauses

The purpose of the activity below is to practice relative clauses, although there aren't any in the lyrics. Simple task: First, students play a guessing game. Then, they listen to the song and find "hidden" relative clauses. Finally, they google the band and write down three pieces of information about them using relative clauses as well. 

Activity - Downloadable

Got dumped?

Age: Adults
Focus: Simple Past

The song "CRYING" is a song about a broken heart, therefore, not a teenager's cup of tea. The goal here is to practice and memorize the past form of the verbs in the song. First, students do a word search activity. Then, they read the lyrics and change the verbs into the past, in order to once again visualize and memorize the past form. Next, they engage into a written task (either fill in a table with the past form of the verbs, once again an opportunity to memorize them, or write a letter in response to the author of the song).

Activities - Downloadable

Lessons we learn

Age: Adults
Focus: Verb Tenses

"CRASH BOOM BANG" by Roxette is a song about a lesson the author has learned. After having a brief discussion in pairs, students listen to the song and identify the verb tenses presented. In the end, students guess what lesson the author has learned.

Activity - Downloadable

Past Modals

Age: Adults
Focus: Past Modals


The song "I COULD HAVE DANCED ALL NIGHT" by Frank Sinatra offers students a good opportunity to practice past modals. First, students play a guessing game to guess who the author of the song is and then they listen to the song as the read the lyrics. After that, students work on a short written  task, in which they individually write sentences about themselves and finally share them with a peer.

Activity - Downloadable

What I wanna do is...

Age: Adults
Focus: WILL for intentions


The activity below has been designed for the song "COME AWAY WITH ME" by Nora Jones. Simple and short task. First, students list the things they are planning to do today or this week. After sharing what they will do, they listen to the song and afterwards, engage into a brief discussion on the author's intentions.

Activity - Downloadable

This town is great

Age: Teens & Adults
Focus: Writing

"CHICAGO", originally performed by Frank Sinatra, is about the city and its qualities. It's a great opportunity for students to reflect on the qualities of their own city and what makes it a special place. Simple task: First, students engage into a brief discussion about the city and after that, they listen to the song and identify the qualities the author thinks the city has. In the end, students write about the qualities of a city they like.

 Activity - Downloadable

Simple Past

Age: Adults
Focus: Simple Past


The song "BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME" by Celine Dion is a very good opportunity for students to practice the Simple Past of the verbs. Younger students don't like this song, so I only use it with adults. You can give this song as a wrap-up activity after they have practiced the verb tense for some time. First, students are introduced to the vocabulary in the song and then they engage into a brief discussion. After that, they write down the past form of the verbs provided. Then, they sing the song and finally play a concentration game.

Activity - Downloadable

Are you an optimist?

Age: Teens & Adults
Focus: Reflection & Discussion


Short and simple activity: The song "BEAUTIFUL LIFE"  by Ace of Base gives students the opportunity to reflect whether they are optimistic or pessimistic about life. First, they discuss and share what they think and why. Then, they listen to the song and identify elements that represent being optimistic about life. Finally, they engage into a discussion about their attitude towards life in general.

Activity - Downloadable

Creative Writing

Age: Adults
Focus: Writing


"A THING ABOUT YOU" is a song by Roxette and gives students the opportunity to use their imagination in a piece of writing, based on three words from the song. First, they use the three words to write a story. After that, they are introduced to the lyrics and compare the two stories. Finally, they categorize the words in order of difficulty. (They are allowed to use the dictionary to find the definitions of any word they don't know). An option for a wrap-up activity is to illustrate the song.

Activity - Downloadable

Present Perfect

Age: Adults
Focus: Present Perfect


The song "A SONG FOR YOU" is very old and cheesy, however it has sentences in the Present Perfect. I would only use it in one situation: If students had told me they enjoyed listening to the Carpenters. Even so, I would rather show them the version performed by Michael Bubblé, which is more updated, even classy, I might add. Feel free to show the original one, though.

It's a very short and simple task. First, students share in pairs what they might know about The Carpenters. Then, they answer a quiz and after that, they are showed the lyrics with the Present Perfect highlighted. Next, a slide explains what the Present Perfect is and finally, students engage into writing sentences about themselves.

Activity - Downloadable (The Carpenters)

Activity - Downloadable (Michael Bubblé)

Talking about places

Age: Older Teens & Adults
Focus: Describing Places

The following activity is about the song "A FOGGY DAY" performed here by Michael Bubblé. First, students try to guess what place the song is about by reading some clues on slide 2. In the song, the author says what he doesn't like about the city. After listening to the song, students have to share what they don't like about a city they know, which could be their hometown or any other place. This could be done in the form of a piece of writing as well.

Activity - Downloadable

Word Functions

Age: Adults
Focus: Word Functions


The activity below was made for the song "AT LAST" by Etta James. The focus is word functions. First, a list of words is showed as the song is played. A fun element could be lipsink the song while it's playing. Then, the students categorize the words into verbs, nouns and adjectives. In the end, they fill in blanks in the lyrics. Activity - Downloadable

Can I marry your daughter?

Age: Teens and Adults
Focus: First Conditionals

The activity proposed here is for the song "RUDE" by Magic. Although the song doesn't have the first conditional, it can be used for that purpose, so you can show students the slide with the lyrics but you don't necessarily need photocopies.

TEENS 

First, students fill in speech bubbles in pictures taped to the wall. Then, they are assigned a role in a group of three.

Student 1: The boyfriend
Student 2: The girlfriend (or the girl's mother)
Student 3: The father

Assuming students have been exposed to the first conditional and practiced for some weeks, in groups of three, they engage in a conversation in which the boyfriend asks his girlfriend's father to marry her. In case the girls in class don't feel comfortable playing the girlfriend, they can play the girl's mother.

The boyfriend is supposed to use the first conditional in the conversation and convince the girl's father (or mother) that their marriage will work out.  IF YOU GIVE ME YOUR PERMISSION, WE WILL… / IF WE DON'T GET MARRIED, WE WILL… etc. (The same with the adults below)

ADULTS

First, male married students share with everyone how they proposed to their wives and female married students share how their husbands proposed to them. Then, they are assigned a role and engage in the same conversation proposed above.

NOTE: For both age groups, teacher monitors students and provides them with vocabulary and feedback.

Activity Downloadable