Tattoos
This B1 intermediate lesson explores tattoo culture through the history of old school tattoos, celebrity ink stories, and personal expression. Students learn about Sailor Jerry’s influence on traditional American tattooing, examine different tattoo styles from dotwork to realism, and discuss whether tattoos need meaningful symbolism or can just be fun. Through reading comprehension, vocabulary exercises, and a creative partner activity choosing tattoos for classmates, learners develop language skills while exploring body art as cultural expression.
Lesson overview
- Explore the history and symbolism of old school tattoos through structured reading
- Learn vocabulary related to tattoo styles, durability, and artistic representation
- Analyze celebrity tattoo choices and their cultural influence on fans
- Practice descriptive language by selecting and explaining tattoo designs for partners
Student's Version (Light/Dark)
Teacher's Version (Answer Keys)
Printable Classroom Version (A4)
| Level | Vocabulary | Lesson Time |
| B1 / Intermediate | 10 words | 60-70 min |
Vocabulary
- Notable
- Significantly
- Symbol
- Represent
- Stability
- Durable
- Harsh conditions
- Recognizable
- Decade
- Nostalgic charm
Contents
- Lead-in 1
- Lead-in 2
- Reading
- Vocabulary practice
- Quotes
- Celebrities and their tattoos
- Discussion
- Choosing a tattoo
Start with the warm-up questions on page 2. Give students three minutes to talk in pairs about tattoo meanings, job impacts, and advice for someone getting their first tattoo. Question three about employment gets people fired up and sets up the funny quote on page 10.
Page 3 shows five tattoo styles through images. Students work in pairs to match style names with pictures and describe what makes each one different visually. Takes about five minutes and brings in key vocab like bold lines, realistic shading, and watercolor effects.
Pages 4-6 have a reading about old school tattoo history split into five sections. Students read on their own and come up with alternative titles for each section. About ten minutes for this. After reading, talk about which symbols students find most interesting and whether their cultures have similar tattoo traditions.
Page 7 has synonym matching for eight vocab words from the reading. Students work solo for four minutes, then check with partners. Focus on pronunciation for recognizable, significantly, and stability.
Pages 8-10 have three quotes about tattoos. Read these aloud as a class, then give students two minutes to discuss which quote they connect with most. The funny final quote usually gets the biggest reaction.
Pages 11-12 have celebrity tattoo stories. Split the class into six groups and give each group one celebrity. Groups read their story and summarize it for everyone. Takes about twelve minutes total and practices both reading comprehension and summarizing out loud.
Page 13 has three discussion questions about celebrity influence. Use these for whole-class discussion or small group conversations.
The final activity on page 14 needs internet access. Students browse tattoo websites and pick designs for their partners based on personality and interests. Give ten minutes to browse and choose, then five minutes per pair to present and get feedback.
