You Don’t Need a New Car

This lesson explores the emotional connection people have with old, imperfect belongings. Students begin with a guessing activity, identifying vintage items from clues. They then analyze key statements and vocabulary before watching a video about a speaker who values an old, worn-out car over a new one. Through sequencing and discussion, students reflect on the charm of aged objects, nostalgia, and consumerism. The lesson wraps up with a speaking activity where students describe old items, developing storytelling skills and emotional expression in English.

Lead-in, Statements

This lesson focuses on the emotional connection people have with old, imperfect items, beginning with the description of three objects. Students read the descriptions and try to guess what item is being described on the next page. They then analyze and explain statements from the video they’ll later watch, deepening their understanding of the speaker’s perspective.

Vocabulary preview, Definitions

On the vocabulary preview page, students first identify the words they already know. For any unfamiliar words, guide them through the meanings, providing examples if needed. Afterward, they can refer to the next page for definitions.

Video, Sequencing, Comments

Next, students watch a video about a man who has a deep emotional connection to his old car, explaining its value and the role it plays in his daily life. After watching, they select the best answer to the question about the video’s theme. Multiple answers are allowed as long as students can explain their reasoning. We recommend that the best answer is C. On the following page, students sequence the sentences logically as mentioned in the video. You can play the audio in the background to help students follow along and develop the sequence. Afterward, students discuss the comments posted by others about the video and share their own thoughts.

Questions

On the next page, there are discussion questions exploring emotional connections to objects, such as the importance of horsepower when choosing a car, when things become outdated, and why some people struggle to let go of old possessions. Feel free to go through as many questions as necessary, facilitating the discussion in pairs, groups, or individually.

Practice

The practice page features 12 sentences where students combine words into a single, more descriptive sentence. They must also add an extra detail to expand their sentence. An example is provided.

Speaking

The final page is a speaking activity where students choose from four images of old, cherished objects. They imagine they own these items and describe them with the same passion and significance as the speaker in the video, capturing the true value of the objects. If you need help, refer to the keys file for references.