Upper-intermediate65 min · 55-min trimTeacher talk < 1/3
Why this lesson
Every year, millions of people travel to see famous places like Machu Picchu. Travel helps us learn — but too many visitors can also cause problems for these special places.
MY NOTE — personal reminders and in-the-moment cuesThis is the upper-intermediate edition. Vocabulary and prompts are simpler than the advanced version; it’s anticipated that students will speak more freely when the language load is lighter, so plan to step back and let pairs run.
1Warm-up: scan the survey5 minTTT low
Hand out (or display) the opinion survey. Students read the statements quietly and tick their first reactions. No talking yet — this primes the topic and the target vocabulary.
MY NOTE — personal reminders and in-the-moment cuesIt’s anticipated that a few words will be new here; that’s fine. Tell students they will learn them next, so they should just guess for now.
2Vocabulary input (two sets)10 minTTT med
Set 1 — core words:
touristnoun
a person who travels to visit a place
visitverb
to go and see a place or person
famousadj
known by many people
viewnoun
what you can see from a place
journeynoun
a trip from one place to another
travelverb
to go to a different place
Set 2 — build on it:
protectverb
to keep something safe from harm
crowdnoun
a large group of people in one place
localadj/noun
from the area / a person who lives there
culturenoun
the way of life of a group of people
damageverb/noun
to harm something / the harm itself
popularadj
liked and visited by many people
MY NOTE — personal reminders and in-the-moment cuesStudents will likely already know one or two of these. Drill only the trickier items chorally, then move on — don’t over-explain easy words.
3Video / input stimulus8 minTTT low
A short clip of a famous site with large crowds, or a quiet local village welcoming visitors. Play it twice. First time: just watch. Second time: students note one thing they see and one thing they feel.
No video? Read-aloud fallback
Read aloud: “The path to Machu Picchu is full of people taking photos. Visitors love it — but every footstep slowly wears down the old stones. How do we share these places and protect them at the same time?”
4Pair discussion + Interaction Toolkit10 minTTT low
Pairs discuss the questions below. The toolkit gives them ready phrases so they keep talking instead of stopping to translate.
- Have you visited a famous place? Where was it? What did you see?
- Do you prefer holidays in a city or in the countryside? Why?
- What is a famous place in your country that tourists like to visit?
- Would you rather visit many places quickly, or stay longer in one place?
MY NOTE — personal reminders and in-the-moment cuesIt’s anticipated that early finishers will go quiet. Have a follow-up ready: ‘Tell me one more reason.’ Circulate and collect errors for the next phase.
5Language Clinic 15 minTTT med
Anticipated focus: present perfect for experience (Have you ever been…? / I’ve visited…). It’s likely students will use the past simple instead (I went there → keep, but contrast with experience meaning).
Put 3–4 real student sentences on the board (no names). The class fixes them together.
6Jigsaw: different points of view10 minTTT low
Question for the group: Should we limit the number of tourists at famous places?
Give each student one role card. They read it, then explain that person’s opinion to the group in their own words.
A LOCAL RESIDENTToo many tourists make the streets crowded and the prices high.
A TOURISTI saved money for years to come here. Everyone should have the chance to visit.
A TOUR GUIDETourists give me my job. But I also want to protect the place I love.
A GOVERNMENT WORKERWe must protect the site, but tourism brings money to the whole area.
7Likert debate8 minTTT low
Read each statement. Students move or raise hands to show agree / not sure / disagree, then defend their choice with one reason.
Too many tourists can damage famous places.
Travel is the best way to learn about other cultures.
Local people should decide how many tourists can visit.
Famous places should cost more to enter, to help protect them.
It is better to visit new places than to return to the same one.
8Language Clinic 24 minTTT med
Anticipated focus: first conditional for ideas and plans (If they limit visitors, the site will last longer). Students will probably need help keeping ‘will’ out of the if-clause.
9Output task (choose one)7 minTTT low
Choose ONE way to share your ideas about travel:
- Plan a one-day trip to a famous place: where to go and what to do.
- Write a short review of a place you have visited (good and bad points).
- Make a poster for a famous place: name, picture idea, and one short slogan.
MY NOTE — personal reminders and in-the-moment cuesFor the 55-minute trim: set the output task as homework and end after the debate.
10One-word close2 minTTT low
Go round the room: Say one word about travel. No explaining — just one word each.