Have you ever been asked for a tip when buying a coffee, taking out food, or even purchasing an office chair online? You’re not alone – and neither are your frustrated students.
This dynamic 90-minute lesson plan, inspired by the Wall Street Journal video How Tipping Culture Took Over the U.S., takes students on a journey through the history, psychology, and economics of tipping in America. From its roots after the Civil War to the rise of pre-entered tip screens and price partitioning, students will explore why tipping has become so ingrained in American culture – and why it’s probably here to stay.
Students will:
- Develop listening comprehension skills by watching an authentic news-style video broken into two manageable parts
- Expand their vocabulary with high-frequency words and phrases such as ingrained, gratuity, heuristics, and price partitioning
- Master the tricky difference between -ed and -ing adjectives (annoyed vs. annoying, frustrated vs. frustrating) through contextualized practice
- Build speaking and critical thinking skills through structured discussion questions at every stage – from lead-in to personal response
Help your students understand the world around them – one tip at a time!
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Teach English through American tipping culture, tipflation, and the debate over whether tipping has gone too far.
