The world in numbers
Level(s): (B1) Intermediate/(B2) Upper-Intermediate
Aimed at: Teenagers/young adults/adults
Aims: Speaking/Practising saying large numbers/Reading
Materials: Handout 1
Time: +/- 60 min
The number facts and figures used in this lesson plan were published in the following article:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/the-world-in-numbers-amazing-global-facts-1309941
- A)WarmerWrite the following numbers on the board:
1975 (date – nineteen seventy five)
1,975 (this one can relate to anything really, e.g. money, population: one thousand nine hundred and seventy five)
1.975 (maths: one point nine seven five)
Have students work in pairs and read out the numbers.
B) Write on the board and have students brainstorm different ways of saying in English. At the end of this activity you should have something similar to this on the board:
- Tell the students that you are going to look at some interesting number facts and figures now in order to find out which country in the world has the most facebook fans, female MPs or hospital beds. Have all the facts written down on separate slips of paper and stick them to walls/board/doors/windows etc. around the room. Give out HANDOUT 1 and have students work in pairs, read out the numbers first, and walk around the room trying to match the number with its corresponding fact.Download Handout
- The whole class feedback – QUIZ. Have students work in bigger teams now. Have names of the teams listed on the board and ask them to come up with a sound they will make when ready/willing to answer the question. My students usually come up with some crazy sounds…such as meowing! ;-D Be prepared for a little bit of extra noise!
Start reading out the quiz questions – use the answer key to guide you – in random order.
- What is the number of tourist arrivals per year in France?The team which makes the sound first gets to answer the question! Continue until all the questions are answered!
- As a follow up/homework activity you can ask the students to read the article and see how the facts and figures discussed compare with other countries. You can also ask them to find out what the numbers are for their countries.
Have fun!
Katarzyna Piotrowska
