Sacred Places
The Taj Mahal, Petra, Borobudur, Notre-Dame, Mecca and Stonehenge: places built for something bigger than us. 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.
Famous places, natural wonders and the landmarks of your student's own city. More Landmarks lesson plans
Skills it practises
- Speaking: discussion questionsevery lesson
- Vocabulary: a target word listevery lesson
- Reading: a text or news storyevery lesson
Lessons
- The Taj Mahal: A Palace for LoveA king built a white marble building for his wife, and it took more than twenty years. A simple, warm story for A2 students.48 minA2Free
- Petra: The City Carved Into RockThe Nabataeans cut a whole city out of desert cliffs and taught the rock to hold water. Past tenses and curiosity for B1 students.48 minB1Outline
- Mecca: The Journey Millions MakeEvery year around two million Muslims travel to Mecca for the Hajj, one of the largest gatherings on earth. Respectful, factual discussion for B1 students.48 minB1Outline
- Borobudur: A Mountain of Stone StoriesA ninth-century Buddhist monument in Java with kilometres of carved stories, lost under ash and forest and brought back by a twenty-year rescue. Cause, effect and speculation for B2 students.48 minB2Outline
- Notre-Dame: The Fire and the RebuildingA cathedral eight centuries old burned in front of the world in 2019, then reopened in 2024 after a rebuild that argued with itself. Debate and hypotheticals for B2 students.48 minB2Outline
- Stonehenge: What We Still Do Not KnowFive thousand years old, aligned with the solstices, and still refusing to explain itself. A lesson about the limits of knowing, 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 "The Taj Mahal: A Palace for Love": 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 Sacred Places 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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