Learn how to sing Canada’s national anthem
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Week of Dec. 15/25
Teach your beginner ESL students about preparing for a traditional Canadian Christmas and encourage them to share their own cultural traditions.
The lesson includes interactive vocabulary activities, a short video, and reflection questions to…
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Lesson plan overview
| Task | To learn how to sing “O Canada.” |
| CLB level | CLB Stage I (CLB 1-3) |
| Delivery method | Online |
| Class size | 10-15 students (vary the number of activities according to your class size) |
| Estimated time | 1.5 hours (depending on class size) |
| CLB Skills and Competencies | Speaking: Interacting with others Sharing information Listening: Interacting with others Comprehending information Reading: Comprehending information |
| Language focus | Learn the vocabulary needed to understand this topic. Students understand that poetry (i.e., the words of “O Canada”) expresses meaning in a less literal way. Students will practice pronouncing the words of “O Canada.” Use the appropriate grammar structures and vocabulary to respond personally to the reflection questions. (Encourage students to respond in full sentences.) |
| Cultural focus | Understanding the words to “O Canada” (and being able to sing the anthem) may make students feel more at home in their new country. |
| Specific task learning objectives | Students will understand the lyrics of Canada’s national anthem. Students will be able to sing “O Canada.” |
| ESL Directions original video (🎥) and audio (🔊) activities? | This lesson includes audio (🔊) activities. |
| Resource attribution | ESL Directions original resources are marked below with an asterisk (*). Feel free to use these, but please give credit to ESL Directions. |
Lesson plan
Warm-up: Introducing the topic and defining our terms
- Today, we will be learning the words to (and singing) Canada’s national anthem, “O Canada.”
- What is a national anthem?
- Does anyone know any of the words to Canada’s national anthem?
Skill-building activities
- Listen to “O Canada” (Source: Musicplay: “O Canada” – English with Updated Lyrics and Vocals)
- Vocabulary flashcards*
- Listen to the vocabulary and definitions again* (Think about how to say each word or phrase and what they mean.) 🔊
Skill-using tasks
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- Listen and then say it* (Listen to each verse and then say it.) 🔊
- What do the words of “O Canada” mean?*
- Gap fill*
- Unjumble*
- “O Canada”: Put the sentences in order*
Assessment/review tasks
- Let’s sing “O Canada”! (Sing along to this version of “O Canada” from KaraFun Karaoke. Start with two or three students and keep adding students until everyone is singing.)
Reflection questions
- What can you tell us about the anthem of your home country?
- Have you heard “O Canada” before? Where did you hear it? Were you able to sing along?
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Keep readingCANADA YOUTUBE PLAYLIST
Click the small arrow at the top right of this video to play the videos or go to the YouTube Canada Playlist.
CANADA WORDWALL ACTIVITIES
Wordwall is a very useful interactive lesson-creation site. If you sign up for a free Wordwall account, you will be able to see our “Canada” folder, which includes ESL Directions activities that you can add to your lessons.
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ABOUT ESL DIRECTIONS
ESL teacher, movie buff, constant reader, and former editor and communications pro. Now a graduate of the Teaching English as a Second Language program at the University of Manitoba and a TESL Canada certified ESL teacher in Edmonton, Alberta, I specialize in teaching online classes of beginner ESL students.
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