Theme Lessons with EnglishClub

Below you'll find ten common themes that ESL teachers use. If you use a theme-based textbook, you can supplement your curriculum with EnglishClub activities to keep your students interested. Your themes may be slightly different from the ones listed here. For example, Chapter One of your textbook might be called, "Getting around Town". If this is the case, you may be able to use some exercises from the following themes, such as an activity on money. A Unit called "The Human Body" may be suitable for activities on clothing or health. If you have to gather all of your own materials rather than having a core textbook, you might want to try teaching with themes. While not all activities will be suitable for the level or size of your class, you can adapt or sort through them to find the ones you like best. Some activities make great homework assignments or quizzes, while others can be used for a full class lesson. A number of these activities come from TEFL.net which is a part of the EnglishClub group.

Animals

Animals Sounds: online quiz

Animal Idioms - with examples and quiz

Children's Story about farm Animals - with vocab and quiz audio icon

Children's Story about animals from different regions - with vocab and quiz audio icon

Animal Crossword Puzzles

Animal Scrambles

Animals and Animosity: Idioms, Gap Fill, Discussion Questions

Animals and the Environment: Vocabulary, Paired Discussion

Animal Alphabet Worksheet

Clothing

Illustrated Clothes

Illustrated Accessories

Clothing Idioms: Definitions, Examples, Quiz

Clothing Scrambles

What am I wearing? Group Games

A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing: Reading and Quiz

A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing: Pair Activities

Nudity: Reading

Food

Food Idioms: Definitions, Examples, Quiz

Working in the Food Industry: Vocabulary, Dialogues, Quiz

Food Crossword Puzzles: Computer

Food Matching Puzzle: Computer

British Food: Pair Activity

Eating Habits: Pair Activity

Food Habits and Holidays: Pair Activity

Geography

World Vocabulary

Geography Crossword Puzzles: Computer

Geography Matching Puzzles: Computer

Children's Story about animals from different regions, with vocab and questions audio icon

British vs. American Vocabulary

Geography Idioms: Definitions, Examples, Quiz

Countries: Worksheet

Country; Nationality; Language: Worksheet

ESL World Section: Information about various countries where ESL is taught

Holidays and Travel

Christmas Vocabulary

Children's Story about Animals Taking a Holiday: Story, Vocabulary, Quizzes audio icon

Working in the Tourism Industry: Vocabulary, Dialogues, Quizzes audio icon

Working in the Hotel Industry: Vocabulary, Dialogues, Quizzes

Air Travel Vocabulary

Is Halloween Harmful: Discussion, Matching

Tourism and Holidays: Partner Discussion

Christmas-A Global Phenomenon: Pair Activity

The First Christmas Card: Reading

Christmas Conversations: Practice Past, Present, Future

Christmas Games: True and False; Unjumble

Christmas: Vocabulary and Pair Conversation

Holidays and Hotels: Pair Activity

Holidays-Phrases and Places: Gap; Matching; Conversation

Holiday Word Partners: Pair Activity

Language Holidays: Reading

Jobs

EnglishClub section on Using English in the Workplace audio icon

Resume Vocabulary

Employment Vocabulary

Job Scrambles

EnglishClub section on Business English

How to Write a Resume and Cover Letter

Writing Cover Letters: Reading

Numbers and Money

Money Vocabulary

Business English: Money; World Currencies, Currency Converter

Money Quiz

Discussion Topic: Defining Success

Numbers For Kids audio icon

Numbers Vocabulary

Banking Vocabulary

Weights and Measures

More Numbers Vocabulary

Roman Numerals

Times and Dates

Numbers Crossword Puzzle: Computer

Currencies Matching Game online

Sports and Health

Football Vocabulary

Phrasal Verbs: Many verbs used in sports

The Tortoise and the Hare: Reading

Working in the Medical Industry: Vocabulary, Dialogues, Quizzes

Sports Idioms: Definitions, Examples, Quiz

Body Idioms: Definitions, Examples, Quiz

The Olympic Games: Reading

The Olympic Games: Conversation Practice

Is Football a Waste of Time: Conversation Practice

Sports Quiz

Technology

Computer Vocabulary

More Computer Vocabulary

Science and Technology Crosswords

E-English: Reading

Self Study=Distance Learning: Article

Weather

Lesson on Weather: Vocabulary, Dialogues, Quizzes audio icon

Geography and Weather Idioms: Definitions, Examples, Quiz

Months of the Year Vocabulary

Weather Crossword Puzzle: Computer

Avalanches: Reading and Fill-in-blanks

Natural Disasters: Pair Activity

Let it Snow: Conversation, Vocabulary, Gap

Children's story about building a snowman: Story, Vocabulary, Quizzes audio icon

Other Themes
If you have other themes that you need lessons and activities for, type your topic into EnglishClub search and sort through the results. If it is a common theme used in ESL you will likely find plenty of teaching aids by doing this.