Greta Thunberg Talk

Overview

This oral language lesson complements the current reading lesson on Greta Thunberg from the 'Little People, Big Dreams' series. Designed for a class of 27 students aged 8–9 years (2nd/3rd class in Ireland), it aims to develop confident speaking and listening skills through engaging activities centred on Greta’s story and environmental activism.

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Curriculum Links

• English Language Curriculum (Primary - Ireland)
  • Oral Language Strand: Develop competence and confidence in using language; express opinions clearly; listen and respond appropriately.
  • Strand Unit: Developing Competence and Confidence in Using Oral Language - Strand Goals: Pupils should be enabled to express ideas, feelings, and opinions with fluency.
• Primary Language Curriculum (PLC 2015)
  • Speaking & Listening: Pupils listen and respond to stories, organise ideas and describe events.
• Environmental Education Integration
  • Supports Social, Environmental and Scientific Education (SESE) strand, notably in Geography and Environmental Awareness.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Confidently retell key events from Greta Thunberg’s story.
• Use oral language to express opinions and ideas about climate change.
• Listen actively to peers and respond with relevant comments or questions.
• Use vocabulary linked to the environment and activism.

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Resources

• Book: Greta Thunberg - Little People, Big Dreams (reading lesson)
• Whiteboard / Smartboard
• Sticky notes in two colours
• Large world map or globe
• Image cards related to climate change (e.g. trees, factories, people protesting)
• "Idea Token" cards (small cards with sentence starters)

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Lesson Structure (45 minutes)

1. Warm-Up (5 mins)

• Global Circle: Place a globe or map at the front. Ask: Has anyone heard of Greta Thunberg? What do you know about her?
• Invite quick, brief responses to set context.
• Write ‘Climate Change’ and ‘Activism’ on the board.

2. Story Summary Talk (10 mins)

• Teacher briefly models a 2-minute oral summary of key parts of the book.
• Invite 3-4 students to volunteer to retell specific parts of the story, using visual prompts (image cards).
• Encourage use of full sentences and environmental vocabulary.

3. Think-Pair-Share Activity (15 mins)

• Pose the question: Why is it important to care about the environment?
• Step 1: Think—students write one short answer on a sticky note (yellow).
• Step 2: Pair—students discuss their answers with a partner.
• Step 3: Share—select pairs to share their ideas aloud.
• Teacher writes key points on board, modelling rich oral language and sentence construction.

4. Role Play: “Climate Activist” (10 mins)

• Divide class into groups of 4-5.
• Assign roles: Greta Thunberg, Climate Scientist, Government Official, Concerned Citizen, Journalist.
• Each group creates a short dialogue (3-4 lines per person) advocating for environmental care.
• Provide sentence starters on “Idea Token” cards such as:
  • “I believe we should…”
  • “It’s important because…”
  • “Have you thought about…?”
• Groups rehearse, then perform to class.

5. Reflection & Feedback (5 mins)

• Quick whole-class circle.
• Students use a different colour sticky note to write one new word or phrase they learned.
• Select a few to share orally.
• Teacher provides positive feedback focusing on expression, listening skills, and vocabulary.

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Differentiation

• Support: Pair less confident speakers with strong partners during Think-Pair-Share and role play.
• Challenge: Encourage advanced pupils to use persuasive language or ask questions during role plays.
• Visual supports and sentence starters scaffold language use for all learners.

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Assessment

• Observational checklists focusing on:
  • Use of environmental vocabulary.
  • Ability to express opinions clearly.
  • Listening and responding appropriately.
• Anecdotal notes during partner and group discussions.

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Extensions / Home Connection

• Encourage pupils to interview a family member about what they do to help the planet.
• Collect findings to share in a subsequent oral presentation.

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Teacher Reflection Prompts

• How effectively did pupils use oral language to convey ideas?
• Which parts of the lesson engaged students the most?
• Are there opportunities to integrate more cross-curricular links with SESE or SPHE?

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This lesson aims not only to develop oral language but also to deepen pupils’ understanding of global citizenship and environmental responsibility, using imaginative role-play to ‘live’ aspects of Greta’s advocacy. The approach aligns with the inclusive, communicative ethos central to Irish primary English education.