Television is an excellent source of authentic and engaging content for your classroom. It’s easy enough to find educational films for your classroom, but the real fun and the real challenge lie in reality TV. Today I’m sharing one of my most popular lesson plans based on the reality TV show Catfish.
MTV’s Catfish is one of my favorite shows. I started watching it as a teen and still watch it now, and many of the teens I’ve taught around the world know and love Catfish, too. Like any self-respecting reality show, there’s drama, there’s suspense, there’s romance, but what makes Catfish especially relevant for the adolescent classroom is its confrontation with internet danger and the emotional fallout Catfish causes.
Catfishing is a fascinating topic (how else would a show keep running for almost a decade?!), but, beyond the speaking practice, this lesson teaches students to be critical of the profiles they find online and to think twice about being a catfish themselves.
Click here or the Download button below for the free PDF lesson plan.
Catfish ESL Lesson
Objective: Speaking and online safety
Level: Upper Intermediate
Length: 50 minutes
Main aim: Students will analyze and discuss catfishing
Sub aim: Students will listen and read
Assumptions: Intermediate English skills; familiarity with Catfish the TV show and/or catfishing as a concept
Materials: Computer, projector, whiteboard, magazines and newspaper to cut up, printable Facebook profile (included), tape or tack to hang, stickers
Classroom type: In person normal, in person socially distanced, online
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