Athletes & Explorers
Pelé, Serena Williams, Muhammad Ali, Hillary and Tenzing, Amelia Earhart and Shackleton: bodies, limits and the people who pushed them. Levels A2 to C1.
Who it's for
Marked for all levels: the topic carries the lesson, and you set the difficulty by what you ask of the answer.
Life stories of scientists, leaders, artists, founders and athletes. More Famous People lesson plans
Skills it practises
- Speaking: discussion questionsevery lesson
- Vocabulary: a target word listevery lesson
- Reading: a text or news storyevery lesson
Lessons
- Pelé: The Boy Who Played With a Sock Full of RagsA poor boy in Brazil had no ball, so he made one. He became the most famous footballer in the world. A simple, hopeful story for A2 students.48 minA2Free
- Serena Williams: 23 Titles and Counting the DoubtsPublic courts, a coach who was her father, and one of the longest careers in tennis. A factual look at a champion for B1 students.48 minB1Outline
- Hillary and Tenzing: The Top of the World, 1953A beekeeper from New Zealand, a Sherpa climber from the Himalayas, and fifteen minutes on the highest point on Earth. Teamwork and past tenses for B1 students.48 minB1Outline
- Muhammad Ali: The Fighter Who Would Not FightThree world titles, three and a half years out of the ring, and a decision that cost him his best years. Principle and consequence for B2 students.48 minB2Outline
- Amelia Earhart: The Pilot Who DisappearedRecord flights, a career built on publicity, and a disappearance over the Pacific that has never been explained. Speculation and evidence for B2 students.48 minB2Outline
- Shackleton: The Expedition That Failed and Saved EveryoneA ship crushed by ice, two years on the move, and not a single life lost. What we mean by failure, leadership and luck, for C1 students.48 minC1Outline
How to use it in a lesson
- Lessons run 48 minutes, with a timing on every stage, so you can see before you start what fits your slot.
- Start with "Pelé: The Boy Who Played With a Sock Full of Rags": its whole plan is on this site, stage by stage, with the target vocabulary, free to read and to teach from on any video call.
- For a shorter slot, skip a practice stage or cut the discussion short: the stages are a guide, not a script.
Teach Athletes & Explorers with your student
Lesson 1 of this course is free. A free account opens it in the interactive player, and the rest of the course is included with Starter. Teaching it live with your student in the Tuton classroom starts with a 7-day free trial.
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