FREE LESSON: Race (A2)

Check this lesson on the inspiring story of runner Jesse Owens and the practical uses of the modal verb ‘can’.

Back in 2021, I had the privilege of attending the online course ‘Creating and Writing Your Own ELT Materials’, offered by Oxford University and led by the brilliant John Hughes. That was when I designed the material I’m sharing today.

The lesson explores the role of athletes in political protests during sporting events, focusing on the story of Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympic Games. It incorporates a powerful photograph from the event, the trailer of the 2015 film Race, and authentic images of Jesse Owens to spark meaningful discussions and foster critical literacy.

While initially designed for beginner-level high school students in a public school in Rio de Janeiro, this material is highly adaptable. It works well in other contexts, including General English lessons in language schools and I have also successfully used it in private educational contexts.

Lesson Aims

• Discuss how sporting events can be used as platforms for political expression.

• Explore the historical significance of Jesse Owens.

• Analyze visual and multimedia texts, including a photograph, a movie poster, and a trailer.

• Practice the verb can in affirmative and interrogative forms to express ability and possibility.

• Learn sports-related vocabulary: jump, run, win, twist, and flip.

• Describe athletes’ skills, abilities, nationalities, and journeys

Teacher’s Notes and Observations

Historical Context

The first activity features an iconic photograph from the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany. It captures Jesse Owens’ victory alongside the second and third-place athletes (Japanese and German, respectively). The German athlete is performing a gesture reflective of the political climate of the time.

Therefore, if you opt for using the lesson, I recommend that you emphasize that such gestures are abhorrent and entirely unacceptable in any context, including the classroom. This is an opportunity to highlight values like respect.

Guiding Discussions

Before each activity, consider modeling possible answers with one or two students. This helps set expectations and encourages students to use the target language effectively.

Text Analysis

Encourage students to explore the compositional elements of each genre. For instance, the movie poster’s purpose is to persuade audiences by highlighting the film’s title, cast, visuals, and critical reviews. Discuss how the title ‘Race’ also conveys dual meanings: it refers both to Jesse Owens’ ethnicity and to the sport of running.

Linguistic Insights

You can also briefly review cognates and word formation processes with examples like “incredible”, “must-see”, and “unmissable”. Analyzing prefixes and suffixes can deepen students’ understanding of the target language.

Language Monitoring

Keep an eye on students’ language production throughout the lesson, noting emerging language for feedback or follow-up activities.

Access the Lesson

Click here to access the complete lesson material and please note: this material is intended for educational purposes only. If you use it, kindly ensure proper credit is given and the sources of the selected texts are accurately cited.

BTW, was this post helpful? Would you use this lesson in your classroom? I’d love to hear your thoughts!