Inventions That Changed Everything
The light bulb, penicillin, the car, the plane and the washing machine: how ordinary life was invented. 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.
Stories from history, told for English learners at any level. More History lesson plans
Skills it practises
- Speaking: discussion questionsevery lesson
- Vocabulary: a target word listevery lesson
- Reading: a text or news storyevery lesson
Lessons
- Let There Be LightBefore electric light, the day finished when the sun went down. A simple story about the bulb that changed the evening, for A2 students.48 minA2Free
- Penicillin: The Mould That Saved MillionsA messy desk, an open window and a bit of mould: how a small accident became the first antibiotic. Past narrative and opinions for B1 students.48 minB1Outline
- The Car: How the World Got FasterFrom a noisy machine that frightened horses to a world built around parking spaces. The car and what it did to our streets, for B1 students.48 minB1Outline
- The Aeroplane: From Twelve Seconds to Around the WorldTwo bicycle makers, a cold beach and a flight that lasted twelve seconds. How flight went from impossible to ordinary, for B2 students.48 minB2Outline
- The Washing Machine: The Invention That Gave People Their Time BackThe least glamorous machine in the house may be the one that changed society most. Housework, time and who does it, for B2 students.48 minB2Outline
- Double-Edged InventionsNuclear energy, the internet and artificial intelligence: discoveries that heal and harm with the same hands. Nuanced argument 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 "Let There Be Light": 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 Inventions That Changed Everything 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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