Volcanic activity in Italy — Video based ESL lesson

This 60-minute ESL lesson plan, designed for intermediate (B1-B2) learners, focuses on volcanic activity in Italy to develop students’ listening, reading, speaking, and vocabulary skills.

Centered around a transcript about Italy’s volcanoes, such as Mount Vesuvius and Campi Flegrei, the lesson introduces key geological terms like magma, caldera, and bradyseism. Through interactive activities—including brainstorming, vocabulary exercises, comprehension tasks, and a role-play—students will engage with authentic content, practice pronunciation, and apply new vocabulary in context.

The lesson integrates a map of Italy, handouts, and optional audio to create an immersive learning experience, fostering both language proficiency and an understanding of geological phenomena.

ESL lesson plan: Volcanic activity in Italy
Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)
Duration: 60 minutes
Objective: Students will improve listening, reading, speaking, and vocabulary skills related to volcanic activity and geological phenomena, using a transcript about volcanoes in Italy.
Materials: Transcript (from video), audio (if available), whiteboard, handouts with vocabulary and exercises, map of Italy.

Warm-up (10 minutes)

Activity: Discussion and brainstorming

1. Show a map of Italy and point to Naples, Mount Vesuvius, and Campi Flegrei.
2. Ask students:
   • What do you know about volcanoes?
   • Have you ever visited a volcanic area or heard about one?
   • What might it be like to live near a volcano?
3. Write key words from their answers (e.g., volcano, eruption, danger) on the board to activate prior knowledge.

Vocabulary introduction (15 minutes)

• Volcanic (adj) – Related to or produced by volcanoes.
• Earthquake (n) – A sudden shaking of the ground caused by movement in the Earth’s crust.
• Magnitude (n) – The size or strength of an earthquake.
• Crater (n) – A large, bowl-shaped depression caused by a volcanic eruption.
• Magma (n) – Molten rock beneath the Earth’s surface.
• Caldera (n) – A large volcanic crater formed by a major eruption.
• Sulfur (n) – A yellow chemical element with a strong smell, often found near volcanoes.
• Bradyseism (n) – The gradual rising or sinking of the Earth’s surface due to volcanic activity.
• Degassing (n) – The release of gases from magma or the Earth’s crust.
• Unrest (n) – A state of disturbance or agitation, often used to describe volcanic activity.

Vocabulary for extension

• Eruption (n) – The act of a volcano exploding and releasing lava, ash, or gas.
• Lava (n) – Molten rock that flows from a volcano during an eruption.
• Geologist (n) – A scientist who studies the Earth’s structure and processes.
• Tremor (n) – A small earthquake or shaking of the ground.
• Ash (n) – Fine particles of rock and glass thrown out by a volcano.
• Fault (n) – A crack in the Earth’s crust where movement causes earthquakes.
• Geothermal (adj) – Relating to the heat energy from inside the Earth.
• Seismic (adj) – Related to earthquakes or earth vibrations.
• Evacuation (n) – The act of moving people from a dangerous area to safety.
• Phenomenon (n) – An observable event or fact, often unusual or significant.

Activity:

1. Provide a handout with the 20 vocabulary words, their definitions, and example sentences (e.g., “The volcanic eruption covered the town in ash.”).
2. Read each word aloud, have students repeat, and clarify pronunciation.
3. Ask students to match 5 words to pictures (e.g., a volcano for “crater,” molten rock for “magma”).
4. Pair students to create 3 sentences using any of the words. Share one sentence with the class.

Listening/reading (15 minutes)

Activity: Listening and comprehension

1. Play the audio of the transcript (or read it aloud clearly if no audio is available).
2. Provide students with the transcript and ask them to underline the 10 vocabulary words from the transcript as they hear/read them.
3. After listening, ask comprehension questions:
   • Where is Campi Flegrei located? (Under urban areas and the Bay of Naples)
   • Why is Campi Flegrei considered dangerous? (High population density and complex volcanic structure)
   • What is bradyseism, and where else is it observed? (Rising/sinking land; Yellowstone)
4. Discuss answers as a class, encouraging students to use vocabulary words in their responses.

Speaking practice (15 minutes)

Activity: Role-play and discussion

1. Divide students into small groups. Assign roles:
   • A geologist explaining volcanic activity at Campi Flegrei.
   • A journalist asking questions about the risks.
   • A local resident worried about living in the “red zone.”
2. Provide prompts:
   • Geologist: Use words like “magma,” “caldera,” “degassing,” and “bradyseism” to explain the situation.
   • Journalist: Ask about the dangers and warning signs (e.g., “What does unrest mean?”).
   • Resident: Express concerns using words like “earthquake,” “evacuation,” or “eruption.”
3. Groups perform their role-play for 3-4 minutes. Encourage the use of at least 5 vocabulary words.
4. After, ask: “Would you live near a volcano? Why or why not?”

Wrap-up (5 minutes)

Activity: Vocabulary review and reflection

1. Play a quick game: Say a definition (e.g., “Molten rock beneath the Earth”), and students call out the word (“magma”).
2. Ask students to write down 2 new words they learned and use them in a sentence for homework.
3. Reflect: “What was the most interesting thing you learned about volcanoes today?”

Homework

1. Write a short paragraph (5-7 sentences) about why living near a volcano might be dangerous or interesting, using at least 5 vocabulary words.
2. Research one famous volcano (e.g., Mount Etna, Yellowstone) and prepare 3 sentences to share in the next class.

Assessment

• Vocabulary: Check sentences from pair work and homework for correct usage.
• Speaking: Evaluate role-play for fluency, vocabulary use, and clarity.
• Comprehension: Monitor answers to listening/reading questions for accuracy.