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This teacher sheet opens with the lesson: 25 December 2026, 3:00 pm New York time. See the lesson map

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Bright Lives English · Teacher sheet

Jim Henson: He Made a Puppet From an Old Coat… Then Made the World Smile

Level A1 (Beginner) · Video 3:18 · 45-minute lesson

brightlivesenglish.com/lessons/jim-henson-kermit/

45-minute lesson plan

TimeStageWhat to do
0–3′Warm-upAsk the class: “Did you have a favourite TV show when you were a child?” Let a few students answer.
3–13′WordsPre-teach the 5 words with the flashcards: TV, puppet, coat, frog, green. Say each word, show the meaning, and ask for a quick example.
13–20′VideoPlay the video (3:18). Students follow the transcript. Play it a second time if needed.
20–28′ComprehensionWorksheet C (or the online Story Challenge): check answers together. Ask “How do you know?”
28–35′Grammarmade + noun + from + noun: to say what something was before. Show “He made Kermit from an old coat.”, then do worksheet E together.
35–43′WorksheetStudents do worksheet A, B and D alone or in pairs. Check with the answer key.
43–45′SpeakingIn pairs: “Jim made a famous friend from old things. What could you make from something old at home?”

Homework: students finish the lesson online (flashcards + Story Challenge). With your class link, you see who finished.

Words and grammar

  • TV (noun): a machine that shows moving pictures. “When he was a boy, his family got a TV.”
  • puppet (noun): a toy you move with your hand. “He worked with puppets on TV.”
  • coat (noun): warm clothing for outside. “He took his mother's old coat.”
  • frog (noun): a small jumping animal. “Years later, Kermit became a frog.”
  • green (adjective): the colour of grass. “Today, Kermit is a green frog.”

Grammar: made + noun + from + noun — to say what something was before. “He made Kermit from an old coat.”

Discussion questions

  1. Jim made a famous friend from old things. What could you make from something old at home?
  2. What was the hardest moment in Jim Henson's story? What did Jim Henson do?
  3. Make two sentences about your own life with “made + noun + from + noun”. (From the story: “He made Kermit from an old coat.”)

Student worksheet

Name: Date:

A Match the words to their meanings

  1. TV (noun)
  2. puppet (noun)
  3. coat (noun)
  4. frog (noun)
  5. green (adjective)
  6. ping-pong ball (noun)
  7. show (noun)
  8. voice (noun)
  1. a toy you move with your hand
  2. warm clothing for outside
  3. the sound you make when you speak
  4. the colour of grass
  5. a machine that shows moving pictures
  6. a small jumping animal
  7. a small, light white ball for table tennis
  8. a programme on TV

B Complete the sentences from the story

ping-pong ball · voice · frog · puppets · TV · green · show · coat

  1. Jim was Kermit's .
  2. He worked with on TV.
  3. He had a TV .
  4. When he was a boy, his family got a .
  5. Years later, Kermit became a .
  6. He took his mother's old .
  7. Today, Kermit is a frog.
  8. He made the eyes from a .

C Did you understand?

  1. Kermit was a frog from the first day.True / False
  2. What did he use for Kermit's eyes?
    1. Two buttons
    2. A ping-pong ball
    3. A TV
    4. Paper
  3. How long was his first TV show?
    1. One hour
    2. Two hours
    3. Five minutes
    4. One day
  4. Jim was Kermit's voice for 35 years.True / False

D Put the words in order

  1. He / made / coat / from / Kermit / old / an

E Grammar: made + noun + from + noun

We use it for to say what something was before. He made Kermit from an old coat. · He made the eyes from a ping-pong ball.

Example from the story: He made Kermit from an old coat.

  1. He made Kermit an old coat. (from / to / at)
  2. He the eyes from a ping-pong ball. (made / make / making)
  3. She made a bag from old . (jeans / happy / quickly)

F Your turn

Retell Jim Henson's story in 5–6 sentences. Use at least three words from exercise A.

Answer key

A. 1e 2a 3b 4f 5d 6g 7h 8c

B. 1 voice · 2 puppets · 3 show · 4 TV · 5 frog · 6 coat · 7 green · 8 ping-pong ball

C. 1 False · 2 b · 3 c · 4 True

D. 1 He made Kermit from an old coat.

E. 1 from · 2 made · 3 jeans

Transcript

A young man took his mother's old coat and a ping-pong ball.

He made a friend from them.

This is the story of Jim Henson.

Welcome to brightlivesenglish.com, where we teach real English using real-life stories.

TV. A TV shows moving pictures.

When he was a boy, his family got a TV.

Puppet. A puppet is a toy you move with your hand.

He worked with puppets on TV.

Coat. A coat is warm clothing for outside.

He took his mother's old coat.

Frog. A frog is a small jumping animal.

Years later, Kermit became a frog.

Green. Green is the colour of grass.

Today, Kermit is a green frog.

Now, one pattern: made this from that.

He made Kermit from an old coat.

Ready? Let's begin.

Jim Henson was born in America in 1936.

When he was a boy, his family got a TV.

At 17, he worked with puppets on TV.

At 18, he had a TV show: just five minutes long!

He needed a puppet.

He took his mother's old coat.

He made Kermit from an old coat.

He made the eyes from a ping-pong ball.

Years later, Kermit became a frog.

Today, Kermit is a green frog.

In 1969, Kermit was on "Sesame Street".

Jim was his voice for 35 years.

Let's review. When he was a boy, his family got a TV.

He worked with puppets on TV.

He took his mother's old coat.

Years later, Kermit became a frog.

Today, Kermit is a green frog.

And remember: he made Kermit from an old coat.

Jim Henson's story teaches us: old things can become wonderful.

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