Pokémon Cards
This engaging B2 ESL lesson explores how Pokémon cards transformed Chloe Webb’s life, turning a simple hobby into a thriving business. Students listen to her story, learning how rare, graded cards can become valuable collectibles worth thousands overnight. Through discussions, role-plays, and writing, they practice key vocabulary like surreal, fluctuations, and deposit while sharing their own hobby experiences. The lesson includes pictures of Pokémon cards and other hobbies—like painting or gardening—to spark creativity and conversation. By the end, students reflect on how a hobby could change their lives, just like Chloe’s did.
| Level | Vocabulary | Audio length | Lesson time |
| B2 / Upper-Intermediate | 10 words | 2:37 min | 60 min |
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Vocabulary
- collectible
- rare
- graded
- fluctuations
- surreal
- overnight
- cardboard
- deposit
- exposed to
- transformed
Contents
- Lead-in
- Pictures
- Vocabulary match
- Practice
- Listening 1
- Listening 2
- Agree/disagree
- Role-plays
- Quote
- Writing
- Homework
- Transcript
Lead-in, Pictures
Students start with a warm-up where they discuss hobbies in pairs, sharing details about something they enjoy or collect, followed by looking at pictures of Pokémon cards (and optionally other hobbies like painting or gardening) while answering questions like “Would you collect this? Why?” to introduce Chloe’s story.
Vocabulary Match, Practice
Students match 10 key words (e.g., rare – “not common, hard to find”) in pairs using a handout to learn vocab from Chloe’s story, then complete a gap-fill exercise with sentences about Pokémon cards (e.g., “The price ___ overnight”).
Listening 1, Listening 2, Agree/Disagree
Students hear the article read aloud once to answer gist questions (e.g., “What’s Chloe’s job now?”), then listen again for detailed questions (e.g., “How much was the Charizard worth?”), and afterward discuss 3-4 agree/disagree statements in pairs (e.g., “It’s surreal that cardboard is worth so much”).
Role-Plays, Quote
Students work in pairs on role-plays (e.g., a journalist interviewing Chloe about her transformed life or a parent debating a child’s hobby spending), then analyze a quote and discuss its meaning.
Writing, Homework
Students write an 80-100 word paragraph about a hobby they have or want, using 3+ vocab words (e.g., “Collecting keychains could transform my life…”), swap papers to read each other’s work, and receive homework to write a story and record an interview about a Pokémon card find.
Transcript
The article text serves as the lesson’s foundation, detailing Chloe’s shift from an office job to owning Collector’s Cardhouse, her YouTube fame, and the value of cards like the £40,000 Charizard, acting as the source for listening and reference without direct student interaction here.
