Breakfast Around the World (Upper-Intermediate Lesson)

ESL/EFL Level: Upper-Intermediate (B2/C1)
Lesson Topics: Cuisine, Breakfast
Skill Focus: Listening, Reading, Speaking, Vocabulary
Approximate Class Time: 1.75 hours
Lesson Plan Download: international-breakfasts-upper-intermediate-032024.docx
Lesson Overview:

  • After warm-up questions, students preview 12 terms used in a four-minute Insider Food YouTube video about breakfasts around the world (AmE). The video describes common breakfast dishes in countries such as Morocco, Turkey, Japan, the United States, etc. After matching vocabulary to definitions, students watch the video on YouTube. The video is at a C1 English level but I've tried to pick easier vocabulary to focus on for this B2/C1-level lesson.
  • Students then answer comprehension questions based on the video. Afterward, they form discussion questions using the target vocabulary.
  • There are two debate topics related to breakfast. This is followed by an activity in which students must present a unique breakfast to the producers of Insider Food for a new documentary. Next, there are two roleplay activities. The first is a debate about local cuisine and the second is a conversation between a picky diner and a server.
  • As a bonus, the lesson includes a short TikTok video entitled "Breakfast is a Scam". The video describes how the idea of eating a big breakfast was promoted by a marketer, not science. After discussion questions, there is a quick section on identifying egg preparation styles.
  • The lesson ends with a review of vocabulary and collocations before presenting some final discussion questions.

Many breakfast foods spread on a table

UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2/C1) Lesson Plan on International Breakfasts

Warm-up-Questions

  1. What did you eat for breakfast today?
  2. Would you say the food in your country is healthy?
  3. Which countries have the most delicious food?

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This lesson plan was created 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. ChatGPT was used to generate answer keys and some famous quotations. For questions, contact the author.

Vocabulary Answer key: 1-savory, 2-sweet tooth, 3-hearty, 4-pudding, 5-grated, 6-minced, 7-stale, 8-sip, 9-pastry, 10-soaked, 11-vary, 12-steamed

Food matching: Chilaquiles – Mexico, Sfeni – Morocco, Natto-Japan, Tapsilog – The Phil., Starchy sides – The U.S., Halwapouri – South Asia, Mohinga soup – Myanmar, Cevalta - Turkey

Comprehension Question Answer Key

  • Arguably, the most nutritious dish could be the Japanese breakfast, with its balanced portions of miso soup, fish, rice, and fermented soybeans providing a variety of nutrients.
  • An English breakfast, often referred to as a "full English" or "fry-up," typically consists of fried eggs, sausage, bacon, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, and toast.
  • Eggs appear to be a common ingredient across many countries along with various forms of bread.
  • The environmental impact question could prompt a discussion about plant-based breakfasts like the chana masala from India and Pakistan being potentially more sustainable compared to those with higher meat content, due to the lower carbon footprint of producing plant-based foods.

Collocations 1-b, 2-f, 3-c, 4-h, 5-d, 6-a, 7-e, 8-g

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/nov/28/breakfast-health-america-kellog-food-lifestyle

[2] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/time-restricted-eating-may-have-anti-aging-anti-cancer-effects

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