Talking about history

Ewa | Sep 14, 2025Sep 11, 2025

LESSON OVERVIEW

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

• discuss history and different perspectives;
• watch part of a video about history;
• revise passive forms and express opinions.

In this lesson, students discuss learning history, explore different historical topics and share thoughts about various perspectives on history. They practise advanced vocabulary for talking about history (e.g. connotations, subjectivity, contextualized), watch part of a video on what history is (to 03:34) and discuss historians’ work and challenges. Students also review passive forms and share their thoughts on historical interpretation.

WARM-UP AND DISCUSSION

This lesson focuses on talking about history and starts with a warm-up. Students discuss questions about learning history. Afterwards, they look at topics related to different historical moments (e.g. Economic impact of the Silk Road OR Environmental impact of the ivory trade OR Stoics in Ancient Greece). Students choose one topic they are interested in or would like to know more about and explain their choice. Moving on, they read quotes about different perspectives on history. Students discuss which one best reflects their views on history. They then say what they disagree with in the other two.

VOCABULARY AND VIDEO

In this part of the lesson, students complete statements about historians’ work and challenges. They use the correct forms of words for talking about history (e.g. unintelligible, seemingly, primacy). Then, students watch part of a video about history and choose the ideas from the previous task that are mentioned in it. Afterwards, they evaluate and illustrate each idea from the video. Next, students rewrite sentences on how history is written and understood using passive forms. They then choose statements from the previous activity and say to what extent they agree with them. Finally, students complete the statements about interpreting and teaching history with their own ideas.

HOMEWORK/REVISION

This lesson also includes an additional task that you can use as homework or revision. In the task, students complete the gaps, creating passive forms. They then add a follow-up statement to each sentence, using words for talking about history. The task is available in the teacher’s version of the worksheet. You can print it and hand it out to your students. It’s also included in the e-lesson plan.

WORKSHEETS

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