Today I am going to try to enhance and expand the types of tasks included in a coursebook lesson with the assistance of ChatGPT. My aim is to create a variety of activities centered around the lesson’s main theme, which I can choose to use during the lesson or assign as homework or extended work.
I will use Unit 2, titled Adventure, from Solutions 3rd Edition Pre-Intermediate, OUP as an example. You can download a free sample of this unit from the publisher’s site HERE. More specifically, I will be focusing on the double- page spread for the 2A subunit. It is titled 2A Vocabulary. Landscapes. I can describe landscapes. The lesson is vocabulary-based, featuring vocabulary activities, speaking and listening components, and a brief review of ‘there is/there are’ for describing photos and landscapes.
The first thing I would like to do is create more vocabulary activities for the students, which they could either do at home as homework or that I could use in class as tasks for early finishers. Essentially, we need to gather the vocabulary and expressions from the double-page spread and input them into ChatGPT. If we have access to a digital version, we can copy and paste them; otherwise, we can type them manually. In the worst of cases, typing them should only take a couple of minutes.
This is my prompt: Act as an English teacher teaching a Pre-Intermediate ESL class. Write four different types of vocabulary exercises using the key vocabulary I will provide (8 items each). The exercise types are four: complete the gaps, match the words, choose the correct word, odd the one out, and word collocations. This is the key focal vocabulary: cave, cliff, desert, forest, hill, lake, mountain, ocean, river, rocks, shore, stream, valley, volcano, waterfall, dark, deep, icy, low, narrow, rocky, shallow, steep, tall, wide, across, along, behind, beside, down, inside, near, through, under, Kayak across icy lakes, shallow rivers, journey, mountains, deep, explore caves, coast caves, boat, steep lake, Kayak, narrow rivers, trees, clear, blue water all around, grass, valley, trees bushes, sides, river, snow tops of the mountains. Provide an answer key afterwards.
Vocabulary Exercises: Landscapes
1. Complete the Gaps
Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the box:
(Words: cave, cliff, lake, river, valley, volcano, waterfall, hill)
- We hiked to the top of the steep _____ and enjoyed the view.
- The water from the _____ was icy and splashed everywhere.
- A narrow _____ runs between two tall mountains.
- They explored a dark _____ hidden inside the mountain.
- The _____ erupted, sending lava down its sides.
- A small _____ flows behind our house—it’s great for fishing.
- We picnicked beside the calm _____ with clear, blue water.
- The kids climbed the green _____ behind the school.
2. Match the Words
Match the words to their definitions:
Words Definitions 1. forest a. A body of water surrounded by land 2. shore b. A large area covered with trees 3. ocean c. A large body of saltwater 4. rocky d. The land along the edge of a body of water 5. stream e. A small, narrow river 6. desert f. An area of land with little rain or plants 7. icy g. Very cold, often covered with ice 8. steep h. Rising or falling sharply
3. Choose the Correct Word
Circle the correct word to complete the sentence:
- The (cliff / desert / river) is very dry and has no trees.
- A small boat sailed across the (hill / lake / cave).
- The path was (icy / forest / valley) and difficult to walk on.
- We kayaked down the (shore / narrow / stream).
- The (ocean / volcano / valley) erupted, and smoke filled the air.
- She stood near the (cliff / shore / forest) and looked at the waves.
- The tall (waterfall / lake / desert) dropped into the river below.
- A (rocky / wide / tall) path runs between the mountains.
4. Odd One Out
Find the word that does NOT belong in each group:
- cave, lake, ocean, river
- steep, shallow, tall, stream
- valley, mountain, volcano, icy
- forest, desert, rocky, shore
- deep, wide, narrow, waterfall
- kayak, explore, river, climb
- icy, rocky, steep, stream
- grass, trees, bushes, volcano
5. Word Collocations
Match the words on the left with the correct collocations on the right:
Words Collocations 1. clear a. waterfall 2. narrow b. lake 3. tall c. valley 4. rocky d. river 5. deep e. forest 6. icy f. caves 7. green g. mountains 8. steep h. path
These exercises provide varied practice for your Pre-Intermediate students to learn and reinforce the target vocabulary.
Now I am ready to upload this material to an online learning platform, copy and paste it into a presentation tool to display on the whiteboard in class, or create paper handouts.
I would like to add a listening component now to provide context for this vocabulary. Here’s my prompt: Can you write 4 listening transcripts describing four typical landscapes from countries of your choice, suitable for students at this language level? Each transcript should be about 80 words long. Remember to include plenty of vocabulary from this lesson.
Listening Transcripts: Landscapes Around the World
1. Norway: The Fjords
In Norway, you can find steep cliffs and deep valleys next to icy rivers. The fjords are famous for their tall, rocky walls and clear, blue water. Waterfalls flow down the cliffs, and narrow paths wind through the forests near the shore. You can kayak along the calm water and explore hidden caves. The snow-capped mountains rise high above, making the view unforgettable. This is a perfect place for hiking or relaxing by the water.
2. Egypt: The Desert
Egypt is home to a vast desert with golden sand dunes and rocky hills. The land is dry and wide, with almost no trees or plants. Narrow streams are rare, but you might find an oasis near a valley. The desert is hot during the day but cool and dark at night. You can see caves inside some cliffs and explore them with a guide. People often ride camels to cross this unique, quiet landscape.
3. Canada: The Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains in Canada are famous for their tall peaks and icy lakes. Snow covers the tops of the mountains, even in summer. Rivers flow through narrow valleys, surrounded by forests of green trees. You can kayak down the rivers or hike along rocky paths to explore the area. Clear waterfalls cascade down steep cliffs. The air is fresh, and the views are incredible. This is a great place for adventure and nature lovers.
4. Japan: Volcanoes and Forests
In Japan, you can see tall volcanoes like Mount Fuji, surrounded by green forests and valleys. Narrow streams flow down the sides of the mountains, and rocky paths lead to hidden caves. The water in the lakes is clear and calm, perfect for relaxing. Grass and bushes grow near the rivers, and you can hear birds singing. Walking through the forest, you feel close to nature, with tall trees all around and snow on the mountains in the distance.
I would probably create a fil- in-the-gaps task with these transcripts by removing key focal vocabulary (about one word per line) for the students to try to identify and spell. There are many free text-to-speech tools available online to convert these passages into audio. Naturalreaders.com works perfectly well. No need to register or log in. Another good option is elevenlabs.io.
For the speaking component, we can ask ChatGPT to generate a list of speaking questions for the unit. Prompt: Write 10 engaging conversation questions for my students, including the key focal vocabulary.
10 Engaging Conversation Questions on Landscapes
- Have you ever visited a place with tall mountains or a deep valley? What was it like?
- Would you rather explore a dark cave or hike a steep cliff? Why?
- Do you like rivers, lakes, or oceans more? What can you do near them?
- Have you ever seen a waterfall? If not, would you like to? Why or why not?
- Imagine you are kayaking along a narrow stream. What do you think you will see around you?
- What would you take on a trip to a wide desert? Why?
- Do you prefer to walk through a green forest or relax near a rocky shore? Why?
- If you could visit a snowy mountain, what would you do there?
- What do you think it’s like to live near a volcano? Is it exciting or dangerous?
- Describe your dream vacation. Does it include icy rivers, grassy valleys, or clear blue lakes? Why?
I am not particularly fond of most of these questions, so I will just choose about half of them (numbers 1, 6, 9 and 10). We can simply take note of them and read them out in class.
Finally, the icing on the cake. Prompt: Based on these four listening transcripts, can you create a rap song for my students to learn and sing?
The students can sing a cappella or find a backing track online.
(I will just screenshot a portion of it. Full transcript below).
Landscape Rap
Title: The World’s Landscapes Rap
Level: Pre-Intermediate
Objective: Help students memorize landscape vocabulary through rhythm and repetition.
[Chorus]
🎵 Explore the world, it’s time to see,
The cliffs, the valleys, the forest, the sea.
Icy rivers, deserts wide,
Mountains tall, let’s take a ride! 🎵
[Verse 1: Norway]
🎤 In Norway, the fjords are steep,
With waterfalls that leap and leap.
Kayak along the rocky shore,
Explore the caves, there’s so much more!
Tall mountains rise, covered in snow,
The icy rivers, they gently flow. 🎤
[Chorus]
🎵 Explore the world, it’s time to see,
The cliffs, the valleys, the forest, the sea.
Icy rivers, deserts wide,
Mountains tall, let’s take a ride! 🎵
[Verse 2: Egypt]
🎤 In Egypt’s desert, the sand is gold,
The days are hot, the nights are cold.
No rivers here, just cliffs and caves,
Oasis streams that the sunlight saves.
Ride a camel across the land,
Feel the heat of the desert sand. 🎤
[Chorus]
🎵 Explore the world, it’s time to see,
The cliffs, the valleys, the forest, the sea.
Icy rivers, deserts wide,
Mountains tall, let’s take a ride! 🎵
[Verse 3: Canada]
🎤 In Canada’s Rockies, the peaks are high,
With snowy tops that touch the sky.
Clear blue lakes and forests green,
Waterfalls rushing, a beautiful scene.
Hike the rocky path, find a stream,
The air is fresh; it’s like a dream. 🎤
[Chorus]
🎵 Explore the world, it’s time to see,
The cliffs, the valleys, the forest, the sea.
Icy rivers, deserts wide,
Mountains tall, let’s take a ride! 🎵
[Verse 4: Japan]
🎤 In Japan, the volcanoes stand so tall,
Green forests surround them, trees so small.
Streams flow narrow, rivers are clear,
With valleys and caves, there’s beauty near.
Mountains rise with snowy tops,
The journey through nature never stops. 🎤
[Chorus]
🎵 Explore the world, it’s time to see,
The cliffs, the valleys, the forest, the sea.
Icy rivers, deserts wide,
Mountains tall, let’s take a ride! 🎵
[Outro]
🎤 So grab your map, let’s travel far,
From icy streams to deserts bizarre.
Learn the words, and sing this song,
The world’s landscapes, where we belong! 🎤
The song is a bit long. We could write another prompt and ask for a shorter version, but I’ll keep it as it is for now. There are many things we could do with this material. My choice this time will be to divide the classroom into four large groups, each representing one of the countries. Their task will be to sing along –or just rap- their part and also come up with a mimed version of it. This song lends itself rather well to this. Then, everyone can join in for the chorus. They could perform this a cappella –without any accompanying music or beat- or we can easily find some rap beats to go with the song by typing “freestyle rap beats” into YouTube.
Plenty of options to choose from in this lesson makeover, depending on time availability, student needs, or teaching and learning styles.
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