Inspired by the BBC News video “Hantavirus: What is it and how is it spread?”, this engaging 90-minute lesson plan for upper-intermediate students explores a real-world health outbreak that made international headlines. Students discover the rare but dangerous virus named after a river in South Korea, its link to rodents, the two severe illnesses it causes, and why experts say a lockdown is unlikely. This ready-to-use lesson combines listening comprehension, vocabulary building, and meaningful discussion to help students engage with authentic medical journalism while developing their language skills.
Students will:
- watch and understand authentic BBC News reporting on a real virus outbreak
- learn and practise key vocabulary items (e.g., outbreak, airborne, frail, and amplify)
- build common collocations (e.g., mortality rate and supportive care)
- master dependent prepositions (e.g., trace back to, suffer from, and protect against)
- answer comprehension questions based on two video segments
- discuss personal opinions about risk, media reporting, and public health
- apply vocabulary to everyday topics beyond the virus, including habits, travel, and weather
- develop critical thinking about how to assess rare but serious threats
Perfect for teachers who want to bring real-world science and health topics into the classroom while keeping students engaged, thinking critically, and speaking confidently.
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Teach English through real health news, virus outbreaks, and critical thinking about public health.
