Snow leopards and conservation — Video-based ESL lesson

In this 60-minute session, we’ll explore the world of snow leopards, elusive big cats that roam the rugged Himalayas. Through engaging activities, you’ll improve your listening, reading, vocabulary, and speaking skills while learning about the challenges snow leopards face and the efforts to protect them.

We’ll discuss their role as apex predators, the impact of climate change on their fragile habitat, and how humans can promote sustainable coexistence.

Snow leopards and conservation

Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)
Duration: 60 minutes
Objective: Improve listening, reading, vocabulary, and speaking skills while learning about snow leopards and conservation efforts.
Materials: Audio/video and transcript of “The Elusive Snow Leopard” (if available), vocabulary handout, discussion questions, paper, and pens.

Lesson outline

Warm-up (10 minutes)

Activity: Discussion and prediction

• Objective: Activate background knowledge and introduce the topic.
• Instructions:
  1. Write “Snow Leopards” on the board and show a picture (if possible).
  2. Ask students:
     • What do you know about snow leopards?
     • Where do they live?
     • Why might they be important to their environment?
  3. Elicit answers and write key words (e.g., mountains, rare, big cats) on the board.
  4. Tell students they will learn about snow leopards and conservation efforts in the Himalayas.

Vocabulary introduction (10 minutes)

Activity: Pre-teach key vocabulary.

• Objective: Familiarize students with essential words for comprehension.
• Key vocabulary:
  • Elusive (adj): Difficult to find or catch.
  • Scarce (adj): Not enough; rare or limited in supply.
  • Venture (v): To go somewhere risky or dangerous.
  • Livestock (n): Animals raised on a farm (e.g., sheep, cows).
  • Conservation (n): Protection of nature and animals.
  • Sustainable (adj): Able to continue without harming the environment.
  • Coexistence (n): Living together peacefully.
  • Apex predator (n): An animal at the top of the food chain.
  • Ecosystem (n): A community of living things and their environment.
  • Vulnerable (adj): Easily harmed or affected.

Vocabulary for extension

• Camouflage (n): Blending into the environment to avoid being seen.
• Habitat (n): The natural home of an animal or plant.
• Biodiversity (n): Variety of life in an ecosystem.
• Predator (n): An animal that hunts other animals for food.
• Prey (n): An animal hunted by another for food.
• Altitude (n): Height above sea level.
• Fragile (adj): Easily broken or damaged.
• Monitor (v): To observe or check something over time.
• Scarcity (n): A shortage or lack of something.
• Trekking (n): A long, difficult journey, usually on foot.

• Instructions:
  1. Provide definitions and example sentences for each word.
     • E.g., Elusive: “Snow leopards are elusive because they are hard to see in the mountains.”
  2. Ask students to repeat the words for pronunciation practice.
  3. Have students match words to definitions or use them in simple sentences.

Listening/reading activity (15 minutes)

Activity: Comprehension of the transcript.

• Objective: Develop listening and reading skills while understanding the main ideas.
• Instructions:
  1. Play the audio (if available) or read the transcript aloud while students follow along.
  2. Provide comprehension questions (multiple-choice or short-answer):
     • Where do snow leopards live? (The Himalayas)
     • Why do snow leopards come closer to villages? (Scarcity of prey)
     • What does Kalzang do? (Works as a ranger to protect snow leopards)
     • Why are camera traps used? (To monitor snow leopard behavior)
     • How does climate change affect snow leopards? (It makes their habitat vulnerable)
  3. Discuss answers as a class to ensure understanding.

Speaking activity (15 minutes)

Activity: Group discussion on conservation.

• Objective: Practice speaking and expressing opinions.
• Instructions:
  1. Divide students into small groups.
  2. Provide discussion prompts:
     • Why is it important to protect snow leopards?
     • How can humans and animals live together peacefully?
     • What can we do to help with conservation in our own communities?
  3. Encourage students to use new vocabulary (e.g., conservation, sustainable, coexistence).
  4. Have each group share one idea with the class.

Wrap-up and extension (10 minutes)

Activity: Vocabulary reinforcement and writing task.

• Objective: Consolidate learning and encourage creative use of new words.
• Instructions:
  1. Ask students to write a short paragraph (4-5 sentences) about why protecting snow leopards is important, using at least 3 vocabulary words from the lesson.
  2. Share a few examples with the class.
  3. Assign homework: Research another endangered animal and write 5 sentences about it, using at least 2 new vocabulary words.

Assessment

• Formative: Monitor participation in discussions and accuracy in vocabulary use.
• Written: Evaluate the short paragraph for correct use of vocabulary and grammar.
• Homework: Check for understanding of the topic and proper use of new words.