2023 News in Review (Upper-Intermediate Lesson Plan)

ESL/EFL Level: Upper-Intermediate (B2/C1)
Lesson Topics: 2023 top news stories
Skill Focus: Speaking, Reading, Vocabulary
Approximate Class Time: 1.75 hours
Lesson Plan Download: 2023-news-review-upper-intermediate-122023.docx
Lesson Overview:

  • After warm-up questions, students make a list of the major events of 2023 in an effort to predict some of the topics of the reading passage.
  • The reading passage is 410 words and is a list of some of the top stories of 2023. The topics, which include AI, Ozempic, affirmative action, and the Hamas-Israeli conflict, were chosen for their impact and also for their ability to generate discussion.
  • After reading, students complete comprehension questions. This is followed by a vocabulary-matching exercise and an activity where students make questions using the target vocabulary.
  • The first speaking activity is a debate on either the salaries of professional athletes or whether AI will have a positive or negative effect on the film industry
  • The next speaking activities are two roleplays. The first is an affirmative action scenario at a top university, and the second is about taking Ozempic for weight loss.
  • The lesson has a short 43-second YouTube clip that contains images of 2023's top news items, which could elicit more discussion from students on stories not mentioned in the passage.
  • As a final speaking activity, students make predictions about 2024.
  • The lesson ends with a final vocabulary review, final discussion questions, and a review of collocations.

An AI-generated image for the 2023 news in review

UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2/C1) 2023 in Review Lesson Plan

Warm-up-Questions

  1. How was 2023 for you? What were the best and worst parts? Did you accomplish your goals?
  2. Do you have a New Year’s resolution for 2024?
  3. How is New Year celebrated in your culture?

Brainstorm: In pairs or groups, make a list of the major events of 2023. Include local, national, and international news. When finished, present your list to the class and discuss it as a group.
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 - 2023 in Review lesson plan about 2023 News by Matthew Barton of EnglishCurrent.com (copyright). Site members may photocopy and edit the file for their classes. Permission is not given to rebrand the lesson, redistribute it on another platform, or sell it as part of commercial course curriculum. For questions, contact the author.

Article answers:, COVID-19, Threads, X, Hamas, same-sex, Donald Trump, Barbie

Comprehension Question Answer Key

  • …
  • The film industry is concerned that AI-generated characters and scripts may reduce opportunities for real actors and writers, as AI can create similar works without ongoing compensation.
  • Ozempic affects appetite, potentially leading to reduced consumption of foods like junk food and alcohol due to lessened cravings or desires.
  • …
  • Trump faces legal challenges related to the January 6th Capitol Hill riot and actions that could be seen as undermining the U.S. electoral system.
  • …
  • …

Vocabulary Answers: 1-h, 2-a, 3-d, 4-c, 5-k, 6-I, 7-e, 8-b, 9-g, 10-j, 11-f

Collocation Answers: 1-g, 2-h, 3-f, 4-c, 5-d, 6-a, 7-I, 8-e, 9-b

Endnotes:

  • [1] https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/story/2023-09-25/column-sag-aftra-strike-writers-victory-humans-over-ai#:~:text=Column%3A%20The%20writers'%20strike%20was%20the%20first%20workplace%20battle%20between,a%20line%20in%20the%20sand.
  • [2] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-strikes-affirmative-action-programs-harvard-unc-rcna66770
  • [3] https://www.businessinsider.com/semaglutide-wegovy-ozempic-weight-loss-healthcare-airlines-economy-productivity-2023-11
  • [4] https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2023/10/30/fifa-ban-ex-spanish-football-chief-luis-rubiales-three-years-kiss-scandal#:~:text=FIFA%20has%20banned%20former%20Spanish,lips%20at%20the%20trophy%20ceremony.
  • [5] https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231215-israel-social-security-data-reveals-true-picture-of-oct-7-deaths
  • [6] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-palestinian-death-toll-20000/
  • [7] https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/14/why-shohei-ohtanis-700-million-contract-and-deferred-income-is-risky.html#:~:text=Shohei%20Ohtani%20made%20history%20this,and%20will%20defer%20%24680%20million.
  • [8] https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-pope-bfa5b71fa79055626e362936e739d1d8
  • [9] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/few-u-s-adults-want-a-biden-trump-rematch-in-2024-ap-norc-poll-shows
  • [10] https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/06/climate/2023-hottest-year-climate/index.html#:~:text=Between%20January%20and%20November%202023,2016%2C%20the%20prior%20warmest%20year
  • [11] https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/

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