brightlivesenglish.com/lessons/isaac-newton-apple/
45-minute lesson plan
| Time | Stage | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3′ | Warm-up | Ask the class: “Why do things fall down? Have you ever asked a "why" question that nobody could answer?” Let a few students answer. |
| 3–13′ | Words | Pre-teach the 5 words with the flashcards: apple, fall, pull, rainbow, planet. Say each word, show the meaning, and ask for a quick example. |
| 13–20′ | Video | Play the video (3:54). 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 | If + present simple, present simple (zero conditional): to talk about facts that are always true. Show “If you drop an apple, it falls.”, 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: “Many people saw apples fall. Isaac Newton asked why — and he kept asking. What everyday thing would you like to ask "why" about?” |
Homework: students finish the lesson online (flashcards + Story Challenge). With your class link, you see who finished.
Words and grammar
- apple (noun): a round fruit, red, green or yellow. “He sat near the apple trees.”
- fall (verb (past: fell)): to go down to the ground. “An apple fell from a tree.”
- pull (verb): to make something come toward you. “The Earth pulls the apple down.”
- rainbow (noun): the arc of colours in the sky after rain. “White light has all the colours of the rainbow.”
- planet (noun): a big round world that goes around the Sun. “The Sun pulls on every planet.”
Grammar: If + present simple, present simple (zero conditional) — to talk about facts that are always true. “If you drop an apple, it falls.”
Discussion questions
- Many people saw apples fall. Isaac Newton asked why — and he kept asking. What everyday thing would you like to ask "why" about?
- What was the hardest moment in Isaac Newton's story? What did Isaac Newton do?
- Make two sentences about your own life with “If + present simple, present simple (zero conditional)”. (From the story: “If you drop an apple, it falls.”)
Student worksheet
A Match the words to their meanings
- apple (noun)
- fall (verb (past: fell))
- pull (verb)
- rainbow (noun)
- planet (noun)
- gravity (noun)
- prism (noun)
- tree (noun)
- a piece of glass with three sides that splits light into colours
- to go down to the ground
- a big round world that goes around the Sun
- the force that pulls things toward the Earth
- to make something come toward you
- a tall plant with a trunk, branches and leaves
- the arc of colours in the sky after rain
- a round fruit, red, green or yellow
B Complete the sentences from the story
rainbow · pulls · planet · tree · apple · Gravity · fell · prism
- An apple from a tree.
- The Earth the apple down.
- He sent sunlight through a glass .
- He sat near the trees.
- The Sun pulls on every .
- White light has all the colours of the .
- makes an apple fall.
- People say his apple still grows today.
C Did you understand?
- An apple fell on Isaac Newton's head.True / False
- Why did he go home from Cambridge in 1665?
- He finished his studies
- His sheep walked away
- A terrible disease closed the university
- He wanted to be a farmer
- What did he see when sunlight went through a prism?
- An apple
- A rainbow
- The Moon
- A planet
- White light has all the colours of the rainbow.True / False
D Put the words in order
- If / falls / an / it / apple / you / drop
E Grammar: If + present simple, present simple (zero conditional)
We use it for to talk about facts that are always true. If you drop an apple, it falls. · If sunlight goes through a prism, it makes a rainbow.
Example from the story: If you drop an apple, it falls.
- If you drop an apple, it . (falls / fell / will falling)
- If sunlight through a prism, it makes a rainbow. (goes / went / going)
- If you heat ice, it . (melts / melted / melting)
F Your turn
Retell Isaac Newton's story in 5–6 sentences. Use at least three words from exercise A.
Answer key
A. 1h 2b 3e 4g 5c 6d 7a 8f
B. 1 fell · 2 pulls · 3 prism · 4 apple · 5 planet · 6 rainbow · 7 Gravity · 8 tree
C. 1 False · 2 c · 3 b · 4 True
D. 1 If you drop an apple it falls.
E. 1 falls · 2 goes · 3 melts
Transcript
When he was born, he was very small.
Later, an apple made him ask a big question.
This is the story of Isaac Newton.
Welcome to brightlivesenglish.com, where we teach real English using real-life stories.
Apple. An apple is a round fruit.
He sat near the apple trees.
Fall. To fall is to go down.
An apple fell from a tree.
Pull. When you pull something, it comes toward you.
The Earth pulls the apple down.
Rainbow. A rainbow has many colours.
White light has all the colours of the rainbow.
Planet. A planet goes around the Sun, like the Earth.
The Sun pulls on every planet.
Now, one pattern: if, plus the present.
We use it for facts that are always true.
If you drop an apple, it falls.
Ready? Let's begin.
Isaac Newton was born on a farm in England in 1642.
As a boy, at night, he flew kites with small lights!
His mother wanted him to farm.
But he read books, and the sheep walked away!
So he went to Cambridge University.
In 1665, a terrible disease closed the university.
At home, he sat near the apple trees.
An apple fell from a tree.
Why does an apple always fall down?
It did not fall on his head.
But it gave him a big idea: the Earth pulls the apple down.
If you drop an apple, it falls.
Does this pull reach the Moon, too?
In a dark room, he sent sunlight through a glass prism.
If sunlight goes through a prism, it makes a rainbow.
White light has all the colours of the rainbow!
Later, his famous book said: the same pull works everywhere.
The Sun pulls on every planet.
And his apple tree?
People say it still grows on the farm!
Let's review. He sat near the apple trees.
An apple fell from a tree.
The Earth pulls the apple down.
White light has all the colours of the rainbow.
The Sun pulls on every planet.
And remember: if you drop an apple, it falls.
Isaac Newton's story teaches us: never stop asking why.
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