Only in New York
This B2 lesson looks at New York City through three short videos covering how locals walk, eat, and talk. Students work through vocabulary, comprehension tasks, and a good range of speaking and discussion activities. It’s a genuinely fun lesson to run, and the New York slang section tends to get a lot of energy from the class.
Lesson overview
- Practice reading traffic patterns and making quick decisions like a real New Yorker
- Learn New York slang and expressions from three authentic videos
- Discuss how city life shapes behavior and how locals differ from tourists
- Explore the cultural meaning behind everyday habits in one of the world’s biggest cities
Student's Version (Light/Dark)
Teacher's Version (Answer Keys)
Printable Classroom Version (A4)
| Level | Vocabulary | Video Duration | Lesson Time |
| B2 / Upper-Intermediate | 10 words | 1:01, 1:00, 2:08 | 60 min |
Vocabulary
- be aware
- surroundings
- jump off the curb
- stop short
- pattern of traffic
- original
- overpay
- on the spot
- city proper
- corner store
Contents
- Lead-in
- Vocabulary
- Video Preview 1
- Video 1
- Comprehension
- Video Preview 2
- Video 2
- Video Preview 3
- Video 3
- Comprehension
- Discussion
- Practice
- Extra Words
Start with the lead-in on slide 1. Give students two minutes to brainstorm anything that comes to mind when they hear “New York.” Take quick feedback and write a few ideas on the board. You’ll get a mix of cultural references, stereotypes, and genuine curiosity. That’s exactly the right energy to start with.
Before the first video, run the vocabulary matching activity on slide 2. All ten words appear in the first video, so this prepares students well. Let them work individually, then check in pairs. Go over any tricky ones together. “Jump off the curb” and “pattern of traffic” often need a bit of discussion before the video.
Play each video in sequence. For videos 1 and 3, students complete a comprehension task after watching. For video 2, there are four short questions that work well as a quick discussion. Pause and replay clips where needed. The New York slang video (video 3) is the longest at just over two minutes and students often want to watch it twice.
The discussion on slide 11 is the strongest part of the lesson for B2 learners. Question 4 about city personalities usually sparks a good debate, and question 5 comparing New York to London or Tokyo works well if your students have any travel experience. Allow 10 to 15 minutes here.
Wrap up with one of the practice activities on slides 12 or 13. Slide 12 is a rephrasing task using lesson vocabulary. Slide 13 looks at word pairs and works well as a vocabulary depth exercise. Use slide 14 as homework if time runs short.
