Animal Idioms
Updated: 14 hours ago
📄
B2
⏱️
90 min
📁
19 slides, PDF
👦🏻
teens
What is the ESL Lesson Plan Animal Idioms B2 about?
ESL Lesson Plan Animal Idioms B2 teaches eight common English idioms built around animals, from let the cat out of the bag to monkey see, monkey do. Students guess meanings from context, explore the origins and stories behind expressions like a snake in the grass and when pigs fly, and compare English idioms with equivalents from their own language. With reading, speaking, writing and role-play activities, it's a fun and memorable way to build natural, idiomatic English.
What will B2 students learn in this lesson?
Learn and use eight common animal idioms in natural context.
Understand the origins and cultural background behind key idioms.
Compare English animal idioms with idioms from their own language.
Practise using idioms naturally in speaking and role-play.
What is the target vocabulary in the lesson?
let the cat out of the bag
the elephant in the room
when pigs fly
a snake in the grass
a horse of a completely different colour
to throw someone to the wolves
there are plenty more fish in the sea
monkey see, monkey do
What activities are included in the lesson?
Lead-in
Students look at pictures of animals and discuss associations, cultural attitudes, and idioms in their own language.
What Is an Idiom?
A short introduction to idioms using the example it's raining cats and dogs.
Guess the Meaning
Students read example sentences and choose the correct meaning (a, b, or c) for each of the eight idioms.
Reading:The Stories Behind the Idioms
Students read short texts on the origins of let the cat out of the bag, a snake in the grass, and when pigs fly, then match definitions to words from the text.
Speaking
Students discuss real-life scenarios in pairs or with their teacher, applying the idioms to everyday situations.
Role-Play
Students act out short conversations about a new job or a holiday plan, naturally using two or three animal idioms.
Writing
Students think of animal idioms from their own language, translate them, and explain the idea behind them.
Images: All the images in this lesson are AI-generated.
What level and age is this lesson for?
B2 (upper-intermediate). It suits teenagers aged 13 to 17, depending on the group's level.
How long is the lesson?
About 90 minutes. It includes 19 slides in PDF format.
What grammar and language does it cover?
The lesson covers eight common animal idioms (see target vocabulary). Students work out meanings from context, learn the origins behind some of them, and practise using idioms in everyday speaking, role-play and writing.
Is it suitable for online lessons?
Yes, it works well for online lessons, both one-to-one and in small groups. It includes good-quality pictures and is easy to share on screen in Zoom or other apps. Students can use the pen or annotation tool in the program to draw and write directly on the slides.
Is an answer key included?
Yes, the answer key is included as a PDF for subscribed members.
