Lesson Topics: Maslow's hierarchy of needs, desires, vision boarding
Skill Focus: Speaking, Reading, Vocabulary
Approximate Class Time: 2 hours
Lesson Plan Download: maslow-hierarchy-upper-intermediate-112024.docx
Lesson Overview:
- After warm-up questions, students make a list of five needs that people need to fulfill in order to be happy.
- This is followed a reading passage that summarizes Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. The passage also contains two criticisms of his theory. The passage is 236 words.
- Post-reading activities include a recall and retell activity, comprehension questions, and an activity requiring students to use some of the seven new vocabulary items to form discussion questions.
- The lesson has two debate topics. The first is about the value of Maslow's theory today and the second asks whether money is essential for happiness.
- The first roleplay activity is between a life coach and an adult who is having trouble finding deeper meaning in life. The second roleplay pits a parent against a teenage child--together they attempt to fulfill a list of priorities for the child's future.
- After some famous quotations related to motivation and desire, the final speaking activity asks students to create a vision board. For this activity, students write notes on their future goals and aspirations as they relate to eight topics.
- The lesson closes with a vocabulary review, collocation review, and final discussion questions.
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2/C1) Lesson on Motivation & Maslow’s Theory
Warm-up-Questions
- Why are you studying English? What do you want to do when your English reaches a certain level?
- What do you hope to be doing in your retirement?
- Think about the happiest people that you know. What do they have in common?
Predicting: This lesson is going to discuss motivation. With a partner, make a list of five needs (e.g. the need for food) that people need to be happy. Then rank the needs in order of their importance.
Membership is required to view this post. Please support EnglishCurrent by becoming a member today. Members, please log in.
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.
Comprehension Question Answer Key
- …
- The purpose of Maslow’s system is to explain human motivation by organizing different needs in a hierarchy. It can be useful because it shows how basic needs must be met before people focus on higher needs like personal growth.
- The need to make enough money to afford a place to live is found at the “safety and security” level, as it’s related to having stability and shelter.
- Self-actualization means reaching your full potential or becoming the best version of yourself, like achieving a personal or professional goal that’s very important to you.
- Maslow believed that most people do not reach the final level of self-actualization.
- One reason people believe Maslow’s theory might not be correct is because it was based on a limited group of people, mostly older white men, which might not represent everyone. Another reason is that his theory has not been proven through scientific research and may not apply to all cultures or individuals.
Vocabulary 1-h, 2-c, 3-b, 4-g, 5-f, 6-j, 7-d, 8-i, 9-k, 10-e, 11-a, 12-l
Collocations 1-b, 2-g, 3-c, 4-f, 5-d, 6-a, 7-e
[1] Sources: https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEpt20-gn9Q