Lesson Overview
In this C1/C2 ESL lesson plan, students explore what happens when someone suddenly wins a large amount of money and consider whether becoming a millionaire would really make life easier. They begin by deciding how they would divide a $1 million prize before exploring key financial concepts such as annuities, lump sums, compound interest, impulsive spending and safeguarding wealth.
Students develop advanced vocabulary related to money, wealth and financial decision-making while completing video-based comprehension and discussion activities. They examine the potential benefits and risks of different ways of receiving lottery winnings and consider how a sudden change in financial circumstances could affect work, relationships, lifestyle and future plans.
The lesson also explores the less obvious challenges of sudden wealth through fictional case studies, debate and personalised discussion activities. Students practise mixed conditionals to discuss how winning the lottery at different points in the past could have changed their lives today, while considering the responsibilities, pressures and potential problems that can come with becoming extremely wealthy.
- Warm Up: You Have Won $1,000,000
- Video: Vocabulary
- Video: Comprehension
- What Would You Do First?
- Annuity or Lump Sum?
- Lottery Discussion
- Mixed Conditionals: Past → Present
- Lottery Winners: Case Studies
- Lottery Debate
Homework
There is an engaging homework task to supplement this C1/C2 ESL lesson plan. Students read an article exploring how winning the lottery can negatively affect a person's finances, relationships, motivation and outlook before completing comprehension questions.
- Article: How the Lottery Can Ruin Your Life
- Writing Task
