Classroom Activity 6

Classroom Activity 6

Lessons from Oliver Twist

Level:

Upper Intermediate/Advanced

Goals:

To familiarize students with a pioneer of the

environmental movement in England; to have 

students discuss local or worldwide environmental 

problems; to have students consider what the world 

might look likein the future if no change is made.

Time required:

60 minutes

Optional Materials:

copies of the passage, poster paper and crayons

Procedures:

Introduction

Write  Oliver Twist on the board. Let students 

know that this is the title of a book but do not 

give any more information. Have students, in pairs 

or groups, brainstorm ideas on what they think the

 book is about.

Have each pair or group share at least one idea

the class.

Listening

Let students know they will be listening to a brief

passage from an environmental book written by an

 English author, along with two quotes from the book.

Before you read, write the “ Oliver Twist Questions” 

on the board, along with any other questions you’d 

like to add. Read the passage to your students three 

times, giving time after each reading for students to

 write or discuss their answers.

First, have students write their answers individually.

After the second reading, have students discuss their

answers in pairs. After the third reading, go over the

 answers as a class.

If you feel your students need to hear the passage 

more times, you can read it again.