Discover the fascinating history behind the famous Christmas song Carol of the Bells, originally a Ukrainian folk chant. This B2-level ESL lesson explores the song’s surprising origins while building vocabulary through engaging practice activities. Students will enjoy lively discussions, creative speaking tasks, and fun challenges like evaluating their Christmas mood or designing a festive holiday menu.
| Type | Level | Vocabulary | Video length | Lesson time |
| Regular Lesson | B2 / Upper-Intermediate | 10 words | 2:28 min | 60 min |
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Vocabulary
- recognize
- repetitive motif
- folk chant
- swallow
- priest
- arithmetic
- chorus
- independence
- undercover agent
- collapse
Contents
- Lead-in
- Vocabulary
- Video
- Comprehension
- Discussion
- Matching
- Quote
- 12 dishes
- Extra
Lead-in
This B2 ESL Christmas lesson begins with an engaging bar chart showing percentages, where students indicate how ready they are for Christmas. After answering, they watch a video to discover which song matches their choice. The lesson then continues with a discussion about their favorite Christmas songs, followed by a sentence completion activity where students share their own ideas.
Vocabulary, Video
The vocabulary page features 10 key words from the video. Students read the definitions and fill in the blanks with the appropriate words. After completing the activity, encourage them to create their own examples using challenging words. Next, students watch a two-minute video about the Ukrainian story behind Carol of the Bells. After watching, they proceed to the next page for a comprehension activity.
Comprehension, Discussion
The comprehension activity in this Christmas-themed lesson consists of 10 sentences. Students read each sentence and decide if it’s true, false, or not given. Encourage them to provide details for false or not given statements. Afterward, students engage in Christmas-themed discussion questions, offering them a chance to explore the song’s meaning and the composer’s background in more depth. Feel free to cover as many questions as needed for your lesson.
Matching, Quote
The matching activity in this Christmas lesson features five long sentences and is designed to be straightforward. Ensure that the sentences are clear and not too challenging for your students. They will read the beginning of each sentence and match it with the appropriate ending on the right. After this, there’s a speaking opportunity where you can turn the activity into a debate or have students express their individual opinions about Christmas.
12 dishes
The “12 Dishes” activity explores the Ukrainian tradition of a special Christmas Eve dinner, which features 12 meatless dishes, each with its own symbolism. In small groups, students are tasked with creating their own 12-dish Christmas menu, including appetizers, main courses, sides, drinks, and desserts. Allow enough time for preparation. Afterward, each group presents their menu, explaining the significance and reasoning behind their choices.
Extra
The final page, titled “Extra,” offers additional information about Carol of the Bells, including a longer YouTube video with more in-depth details. If you’re looking to recommend a dramatic movie, the 2022 Ukrainian film Carol of the Bells would be a great choice for your students.
