Lesson plans and other resources for your online beginners’ classes (CLB 1-4).
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THIS WEEK’S FEATURED POST
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…
Keep readingWhat’s on this page?
Note:
- See also the “Talking about my community” lesson plan on the Your home and community webpage (which has a section on the main areas in Edmonton).
Focus on content: Alberta wildlife
Watch this short video to learn about Alberta wildlfe. This video is part of the “Alberta wildlife” lesson plan.
Regions and nature
Lesson plans

Edmonton (Alberta) wildlife
Learn the names of some wild animals you see every day in Edmonton.

Finding your way around Edmonton
Learn about Edmonton’s numbered streets and avenues.

What do you know about Edmonton?
Learn the names of some Edmonton landmarks, shopping malls, and parks.

Alberta regions
Find out more about Alberta’s main regions.

Alberta wildlife
Learn about some Alberta wild animals.

Alberta garden flowers
Learn the names of some common Alberta flowers.

Seasons and months
Identify the seasons and months (and what to expect in Alberta).
Resources
Links to helpful external resources …
- AR-point 99, Four Alberta park videos:
- CALP Portal: Alberta’s parks and special places (Audio and reading passage.)
- My Canadian English (Shona Nichols provides videos and Google slides):
- Parks Canada: Learn to camp videos
- Woodward English: Camping equipment (Video and summary chart.)
Alberta culture and history
Lesson plans

Important places in Alberta’s history
Learn basic facts about Alberta’s Indigenous peoples and the early European explorers.

“Four strong winds”: Learning a famous Alberta song
Learn about a great Alberta song.
Resources
Links to helpful external resources …
- Indigenous people:
- Jeanine Loran Treaty Commissioner’s Kit: Indigenous people: Explorers meet Indigenous people (This pdf resource is on the Tutela site. The site is free for ESL teachers but requires an account.)
- Statistics Canada: Where do Aboriginal people live in Canada?* (A map from Statistics Canada with additional pop-up information.)
- TCDSB Adult Education: Unit Canada: Indigenous peoples (This resource is on the Tutela site. The site is free for ESL teachers but requires an account.)
Living in Alberta
Resources
Links to helpful external resources …
- CALP Portal (Listening and reading activities on many topics related to Alberta.)
- My Canadian English (Shona Nichols):
- Calgary Stampede (video and Google slides)
- Norquest College: Alberta Routes, Building capacity in community educators (Many links to Alberta-specific resources for ESL teachers and newcomers.)
RELATED PAGES
Alberta wildlife
The lesson plan introduces students to some wild animals found in Alberta. Aimed at CLB Stage I (1-3) learners, the lesson’s…
Keep readingCanada’s regions: Prairie provinces
Introduce your ESL beginners to Canada’s citizenship guide. This lesson plan is a simplified version of the history and geography of…
Keep readingALBERTA YOUTUBE PLAYLIST
Click on the small right arrow at the top right of this video to see the Alberta YouTube playlist or visit the Alberta 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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