Filter bubbles (Internet vocabulary)

Title separator

Vocabulary - internet language

LESSON OVERVIEW

This ESL lesson plan deals with the topic of filter bubbles. The term was coined by Eli Pariser and it means a situation in which someone only hears or sees news and information that supports what they already believe and like, especially a situation created on the Internet as a result of algorithms that choose the results of someone’s searches. The lesson plan also includes some common Internet vocabulary.

Big shout-out to Michael Love who brought the idea of doing this lesson to us and even gave us a good video to work on! Thanks again for the inspiration!

B2 / Upper Intermediate60 minStandard LessonFree / Premium Plan

INTERNET VOCABULARY

The worksheet starts with a task on Internet vocabulary. Students have to read eight questions and then complete them with words given. There are such words as to scroll down, to bookmark, to browse, live streaming, etc. After that, they can check in pairs if they’ve filled in the gaps correctly. Next, they need to work in pairs or groups and answer questions from ex. 1.

VIDEO

Before watching the video, students read a statement by Mark Zuckerberg and discuss whether they agree with it or not. Make your students elaborate on their opinions. Then, students watch an interactive video about filter bubbles. They have to follow the instructions that appear on the screen and do various tasks. There are five tasks they will need to do throughout the video, including listening comprehension, vocabulary and discussion points. You can find the questions and answers in the Teacher’s Version of the worksheet.

Remember that you can click the replay button when the video stops for a task. This will play again only a selected part of the video relevant to that question.

POST-VIDEO VOCABULARY

After watching the video, your students will have to match parts of phrases to create collocations. Some of the phrases are taken straight from the video so your students might have it easier. Nevertheless, all of these phrases will prove useful during the next stage – discussion.

DISCUSSION

The lesson finishes with some discussion points. Divide your class into small groups (3-4 people) and ask them to discuss the provided questions. Encourage your students to use the vocabulary they’ve learnt in the previous tasks. All the discussion points are obviously related to the concept of filter bubbles, personalized search results and the their consequences. Enjoy!

EXTRA WORKSHEET – Internet slang you need to know

As we talk about the world of the Internet, you might find our extra worksheet on Internet slang useful. It looks into such funny expressions as FOMO, YOLO, epic fail, facepalm, etc. It’s just the language that most Internet users will encounter one day while browsing the web. Check it out at Top 10 Internet slang words you need to know.

WORKSHEETS

Comments

Title separator

Leave a Reply

  1. Christopher

    The line in the video, “During the Obama administration the concerns of the American working class in the Mid-west had been ignored and rejected” is stated as a fact. That is verifiably untrue and basically a right-wing talking point. I cannot use this video or lesson because of that. A video about filter bubbles should try harder to get out of their own.

    1. Stan

      Hmmmm… I treat it as an opinion rather than fact but I get your point. Maybe, it’s a good talking point too, i.e. is the video about filter bubbles biased or stuck in a filter bubble as well, just as you said.

  2. Nat

    Hi! I really like this lesson plan, especially the final 2 activities – the discussion questions in the final exercise are interesting and create this perfect situation for students to practice the expressions from the previous exercise. Brilliant!

    1. Stan

      Awesome! That was exactly the plan 🙂 Thanks for your feedback.

  3. Jocelyn Fox

    You seem rather stuck in a filter bubble yourself.

  4. triciateachesenglish

    There are a couple of typos. In 1A, it should say ‘scroll down to the bottom of the page.’ (missing the page) In 6, it should say How can filter bubbles and algorithms influence elections? (not… election)

    1. Stan

      You’re totally right! I don’t know how we missed that. Nevertheless, it’s fixed! Thanks for letting us know.

  5. chaviracorona

    The link to the teacher’s version is broken. Could you fix that?

    1. Justa

      Thanks for letting us know! We’ve just fixed that 🙂

  6. esl.virtualguru

    video link is invalid

    1. Justa

      We’ve just checked that and the links in PDFs as well as in the e-lesson plan work fine.

Browse other materials recommended for you

Title separator
talk about technology for reducing crime
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min
Loading

Fighting crime with tech

Global Issues Technology

With this lesson, students talk about the use of technology for reducing crime and watch a video about crime detection technology. They also talk about regulations and punishments for tech-related crimes, and discuss law enforcement in movies and real life.

ESL lesson about software
B2 / Upper Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

Open-source software: use, study, share, improve

Global Issues Technology

With this lesson, students discuss personal software use, talk about open-source software, and watch a video about the concept. They also explore relevant vocabulary, think of potential challenges to the industry, and discuss its future.

ESL lesson on energy production
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

I get electricity from…

Global Issues Technology

Step into the world of energy production with this lesson! Students practise useful vocabulary and watch a video on electricity trading. They also talk about local and global power generation, examine statistics and discuss sustainable energy.

phrases to express obligation and necessity
B1 / Intermediate | B2 / Upper Intermediate
Flipped Lesson 60 min
Loading

Excited to go passwordless?

Technology

Explore the future of passwords with this flipped lesson! Students talk about online security, learn and practise the phrases ‘be required to’ and ‘be supposed to’ and discuss safety measures for digital activities.

B2 / Upper Intermediate
Critical Reading Club 30 min
Loading

How smart should home appliances be

Lifestyle Technology

Engage students in a conversation about the advantages and disadvantages of smart appliances! With this lesson, students will also reinforce essential vocabulary such as adjectives and collocations to discuss the topic.

B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min
Loading

Design engineering

Technology

Dive into the world of creative problem-solving while encouraging students to think about the real-world impact of design engineering. This lesson explores the possibilities of innovative thinking in an engaging way.

lesson about the film industry
B2 / Upper Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

The future of the film industry

General Technology

In this lesson about the film industry, students talk about the changes that the industry might undergo in the near future. They also learn phrases related to films, watch a news report and read two short texts.

B2 / Upper Intermediate
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

Solving cases with OSINT

Technology

In the lesson, students learn what open source intelligence is, work with vocabulary related to online activities and watch a part of a video.

ESL lesson about healthcare
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min
Loading

Healthcare innovation

General Technology

In this ESL lesson about healthcare, students practise speaking, watch a video and do an optional word formation activity. 

Show more lessons

Questions

Title separator

Is there a minimum subscription period if I choose a monthly subscription?

No, there's no minimum required number of subscription months. You can cancel any time you want. Basically, you can sign up and then cancel your subscription the next day, which will mean you have access for 1 month and won't be charged again.

What currencies can I pay in for my subscription?

Our default currency is USD (American dollar), but you can also pay in EUR (euro), GBP (British pound sterling) or PLN (Polish zloty). You can change the currency you want to pay in at the Pricing page before selecting a subscription plan.

How can I edit an e-lesson plan?

You can get your own editable copy of an e-lesson plan and make changes to it. To do so, either (1) make a copy of it on your Google Drive (preferable method) or (2) download it in a Powerpoint format (but formatting might be a bit off so we can’t guarantee that it will work well).
Read more FAQ
Title separator

ESL Brains

Forgot password?
or continue with