The petconomy boom

Olia | Feb 21, 2024Nov 12, 2024

LESSON OVERVIEW

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

• analyse trends and events shaping the pet industry;
• review and practise vocabulary related to pets;
• discuss ethical, financial, and social aspects of pet-related topics and brainstorm ideas for pet industry businesses.

In this lesson, students reflect upon the petconomy by talking about pets from different perspectives. They have the chance to study and practise pet-related vocabulary, have conversations sparked by critical thinking and discuss a short ad. Students also evaluate pet services, discuss the use of apps for pets and read two short texts about famous pets and their presence on social media.

WARM-UP AND VIDEO

Students start with a warm-up in which they discuss why the portmanteau petconomy was created and begin talking about pets. They can also review some pet-related vocabulary through a task in which students match items (e.g. nail trimming, collar, leash, etc.) to categories (e.g. breeds, accessories, treats, etc.). After that, students reflect on and discuss a list of trends and events that have affected the pet industry (e.g. remote work, social isolation, urbanization, etc.). Then, they watch a short ad with the slogan “Pets aren’t just pets” and explain their perspective on why the company chose that slogan. Afterwards, students have a conversation comparing taking care of a pet to parenting and discuss language choices and trends in pet care.

MORE DISCUSSION

In this part of the lesson, students evaluate various pet services (e.g. hotel, massage therapy, dog parks, etc.) and decide whether they deliver necessary care for pets or if they are just fads. To engage in talking about pets a little more, students look at the interface of an imaginary app for pet owners and discuss questions about potential benefits of pet-related apps. After that, they read two short texts about famous pets and discuss the ethical, financial and social aspects of such social media accounts. Students also talk about how they contribute to the growth of the petconomy. Afterwards, they choose and discuss at least three topics they find the most interesting (e.g. reasons behind the popularity of certain breeds, popular breeds where you live, responsible breeding practices, etc.). Finally, students imagine they want to start a business in the pet industry and brainstorm ideas.

WORKSHEETS

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