Living in Amsterdam
This B1 lesson gives students a look at everyday life in Amsterdam through a video about growing up in the city. They learn practical vocabulary like “get around the city,” “grab a bite,” and “hot spot” while comparing Amsterdam to their own cities. It is a relaxed, conversation-heavy lesson that works well with students who enjoy travel and lifestyle topics.
Lesson overview
- Learn ten vocabulary words for describing city life, routines, and daily habits
- Watch a five-minute video about what it is like to grow up in Amsterdam
- Practice comprehension through gap-fill questions and group discussion
- Compare life in Amsterdam with another city and write a short travel guide
Student's Version (Light/Dark)
Teacher's Version (Answer Keys)
Printable Classroom Version (A4)
| Level | Vocabulary | Video Length | Lesson Time |
| B1 / Intermediate | 10 words | 5:08 min | 60 min |
Vocabulary
- hot spot
- work out
- grab a bite
- immune
- fluent
- get around the city
- abbreviation
- head to
- comfort zone
- cozy
Contents
- Lead-in
- Vocabulary match
- Video preview
- Video
- Questions
- Comprehension
- Discussion
- Speaking
- Writing
Start with the lead-in questions about Amsterdam. Most B1 students will mention bikes, canals, or tulips, and some might bring up stereotypes about the city. Let that happen naturally because the next slide addresses it directly. The image-based discussion asks students to talk about things people commonly associate with Amsterdam and explore what else the city is known for. This gives you a chance to introduce the topic beyond the obvious and prepare students for the video perspective they are about to hear.
Move into the vocabulary matching next. Ten words is a comfortable amount for B1, and most of them are everyday phrases students can use right away. “Get around the city,” “grab a bite,” and “head to” are especially useful for anyone who travels or talks about daily routines. “Immune” might need a bit of extra context since students probably know it from health topics but not in the casual sense of being used to something like rain. A quick example like “After five years here, I’m immune to the cold” clears that up fast. Check all the matches together before the video.
Use the video preview slide before pressing play. Ask students what they think the video will cover and what topics might come up. This primes their listening and gives weaker students a head start. The video runs just over five minutes and follows a young woman named Cila who talks about biking, languages, weather, and living at home. Play it once for general understanding, then go through the comprehension questions. Play it a second time if needed for the gap-fill task. Details like the percentage of young adults living at home and the meaning of “lawa” are specific enough that a second listen helps.
The discussion questions connect the video to students’ own lives. Questions about living with parents, speaking multiple languages, and preferring big cities or small towns tend to generate the longest answers at B1 level. After the discussion, move into the speaking comparison activity. Each student picks a city, compares it to Amsterdam across several categories, and describes it without saying the name. Classmates listen and try to guess. This is fun and keeps everyone paying attention. End with the writing task where students create a short Amsterdam travel guide using the target vocabulary. It works well as homework if time runs short, and students can share their guides at the start of the next class.
