brightlivesenglish.com/lessons/albert-einstein-compass/
45-minute lesson plan
| Time | Stage | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3′ | Warm-up | Ask the class: “Look at something near you — a light, a phone, a plant. Ask one "why" question about it.” Let a few students answer. |
| 3–13′ | Words | Pre-teach the 5 words with the flashcards: compass, question, ask, violin, why. Say each word, show the meaning, and ask for a quick example. |
| 13–20′ | Video | Play the video (3:36). Students follow the transcript. Play it a second time if needed. |
| 20–28′ | Comprehension | Worksheet C (or the online Story Challenge): check answers together. Ask “How do you know?” |
| 28–35′ | Grammar | questions in the past: question word + did + verb: to ask about the past with why, what, how, where or when. Show “Why did the needle move?”, then do worksheet E together. |
| 35–43′ | Worksheet | Students do worksheet A, B and D alone or in pairs. Check with the answer key. |
| 43–45′ | Speaking | In pairs: “Albert Einstein never stopped asking why. What is one question you have about the world?” |
Homework: students finish the lesson online (flashcards + Story Challenge). With your class link, you see who finished.
Words and grammar
- compass (noun): a small tool; its needle always points north. “His father gave him a compass.”
- question (noun): what you ask when you want to know something. “Albert had a lot of questions.”
- ask (verb): to say something because you want an answer (past: asked). “He asked his teachers many questions.”
- violin (noun): a small wooden box with four strings; you play music on it. “He played the violin every day.”
- why (question word): we say why when we want a reason. “He always asked why.”
Grammar: questions in the past: question word + did + verb — to ask about the past with why, what, how, where or when. “Why did the needle move?”
Discussion questions
- Albert Einstein never stopped asking why. What is one question you have about the world?
- What was the hardest moment in Albert Einstein's story? What did Albert Einstein do?
- Make two sentences about your own life with “questions in the past: question word + did + verb”. (From the story: “Why did the needle move?”)
Student worksheet
A Match the words to their meanings
- compass (noun)
- question (noun)
- ask (verb)
- violin (noun)
- why (question word)
- needle (noun)
- curious (adjective)
- science (noun)
- wanting to know or learn about something
- a small wooden box with four strings; you play music on it
- a thin pointed piece of metal, for example in a compass
- to say something because you want an answer (past: asked)
- what you ask when you want to know something
- learning about the world by looking, testing and thinking
- a small tool; its needle always points north
- we say why when we want a reason
B Complete the sentences from the story
questions · curious · needle · compass · violin · science · why · asked
- Albert was a very boy.
- He his teachers many questions.
- His father gave him a .
- Albert had a lot of .
- The always pointed north.
- He always asked .
- His papers changed forever.
- He played the every day.
C Did you understand?
- Albert's father gave him a compass.True / False
- What did Albert want to know?
- Where his school was
- Why the needle moved
- How old he was
- What his mother played
- Albert passed the big test at sixteen.True / False
- What happened in 1905?
- He won the Nobel Prize
- He moved to America
- He wrote four papers that changed science
- He got a compass
- In America, he often did not wear socks.True / False
D Put the words in order
- to / did / he / What / want / know
E Grammar: questions in the past: question word + did + verb
We use it for to ask about the past with why, what, how, where or when. Why + did + subject + verb: Why did the needle move? · What + did + subject + verb: What did he find? · How + did + subject + verb: How did he know? · The verb has no -ed after did: Why did it move? (not: Why did it moved?)
Example from the story: Why did the needle move?
- Why the needle move? (did / does / was)
- What did he ? (find / found / finding)
- did he go in 1933? — To America. (Where / Why / Who)
F Your turn
Retell Albert Einstein's story in 5–6 sentences. Use at least three words from exercise A.
Answer key
A. 1g 2e 3d 4b 5h 6c 7a 8f
B. 1 curious · 2 asked · 3 compass · 4 questions · 5 needle · 6 why · 7 science · 8 violin
C. 1 True · 2 b · 3 False · 4 c · 5 True
D. 1 What did he want to know.
E. 1 did · 2 find · 3 Where
Transcript
A little boy was sick in bed.
His father gave him a small compass.
The needle moved by itself!
Why did it move?
This is the story of Albert Einstein.
Welcome to brightlivesenglish.com, where we teach real English using real-life stories.
Compass. A compass is a small tool.
Its needle always points north.
His father gave him a compass.
Question. You ask a question when you want to know something.
Albert had a lot of questions.
Ask. When you ask, you want an answer.
The past is asked.
He asked his teachers many questions.
Violin. A violin is a small wooden box with four strings.
You play music on it.
He played the violin every day.
Why. We say why when we want a reason.
He always asked why.
Now, one pattern: questions in the past.
We use did and the verb.
The needle moved.
Why did the needle move?
He wanted to know.
What did he want to know?
Ready? Let's begin.
Albert Einstein was born in Germany in 1879.
When he was five, he was sick in bed.
His father gave him a compass.
The needle always pointed north.
Why did the needle move?
Albert wanted to know.
His mother gave him violin lessons.
At first, he did not like them.
Then he heard music by Mozart.
He loved it!
He played the violin every day, all his life.
Albert had a lot of questions.
He always asked why.
At school, he asked his teachers many questions.
Some teachers were not happy.
At sixteen, he took a big test for a university.
He failed!
But he was the best at math and science.
One year later, he passed.
Later, he worked in a small office in Switzerland.
After work, he thought about light and time.
What did he find?
In 1905, he wrote four papers.
They changed science forever.
In 1921, he won the Nobel Prize.
People all over the world knew his name.
Reporters asked him questions everywhere.
In 1933, he moved to America.
He had white, wild hair, and he often did not wear socks!
Every evening, he played his violin.
He died in 1955.
But his questions did not die.
Today, scientists still ask: how did he know?
Albert Einstein never stopped asking why.
Let's review. His father gave him a compass.
Albert had a lot of questions.
He asked his teachers many questions.
He played the violin every day.
He always asked why.
And remember: why did the needle move?
Albert Einstein's story teaches us: never stop asking questions.
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