brightlivesenglish.com/lessons/levi-strauss-blue-jeans/
45-minute lesson plan
| Time | Stage | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3′ | Warm-up | Ask the class: “Do you wear jeans? What do you keep in your pockets?” Let a few students answer. |
| 3–13′ | Words | Pre-teach the 5 words with the flashcards: miner, cloth, strong, pocket, jeans. Say each word, show the meaning, and ask for a quick example. |
| 13–20′ | Video | Play the video (3:35). 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 | in · on · under · next to: to say where things are. Show “There were small metal rivets on the pockets.”, 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: “Jacob had the idea, and Levi helped him. Why is it good to work with other people?” |
Homework: students finish the lesson online (flashcards + Story Challenge). With your class link, you see who finished.
Words and grammar
- miner (noun): a person who digs in the ground for metal or coal. “Many miners came to California.”
- cloth (noun): material for clothes. “He sold cloth to small shops.”
- strong (adjective): does not tear or break easily. “A woman wanted strong trousers for her husband.”
- pocket (noun): a small bag in clothes. “His pockets tore again and again.”
- jeans (noun): trousers of blue cloth. “Today, people all over the world wear jeans.”
Grammar: in · on · under · next to — to say where things are. “There were small metal rivets on the pockets.”
Discussion questions
- Jacob had the idea, and Levi helped him. Why is it good to work with other people?
- What was the hardest moment in Levi Strauss's story? What did Levi Strauss do?
- Make two sentences about your own life with “in · on · under · next to”. (From the story: “There were small metal rivets on the pockets.”)
Student worksheet
A Match the words to their meanings
- miner (noun)
- cloth (noun)
- strong (adjective)
- pocket (noun)
- jeans (noun)
- rivet (noun)
- tailor (noun)
- trousers (noun)
- does not tear or break easily
- a small metal pin that holds two things together
- a small bag in clothes
- material for clothes
- a person who makes clothes
- trousers of blue cloth
- a person who digs in the ground for metal or coal
- clothes for your legs
B Complete the sentences from the story
rivets · miners · strong · jeans · pockets · cloth · trousers · tailor
- He sold to small shops.
- She wanted strong .
- Today, people all over the world wear .
- Many came to California.
- Jacob Davis was a .
- A woman wanted trousers for her husband.
- His tore again and again.
- There were small metal on the pockets.
C Did you understand?
- Levi Strauss was a miner.True / False
- Who had the idea of the rivets?
- A miner
- Levi's mother
- Jacob Davis, a tailor
- A teacher
- When did Levi and Jacob get a patent?
- 1829
- 1873
- 1853
- 1960
- The first name for jeans was "waist overalls".True / False
D Put the words in order
- small / the / metal / There / pockets / rivets / on / were
E Grammar: in · on · under · next to
We use it for to say where things are. There were small metal rivets on the pockets. · He went to San Francisco, in California.
Example from the story: There were small metal rivets on the pockets.
- There were small metal rivets the pockets. (on / at / of)
- My keys are my pocket. (in / under / next)
- The shop is next the bank. (to / of / at)
F Your turn
Retell Levi Strauss's story in 5–6 sentences. Use at least three words from exercise A.
Answer key
A. 1g 2d 3a 4c 5f 6b 7e 8h
B. 1 cloth · 2 trousers · 3 jeans · 4 miners · 5 tailor · 6 strong · 7 pockets · 8 rivets
C. 1 False · 2 c · 3 b · 4 True
D. 1 There were small metal rivets on the pockets.
E. 1 on · 2 in · 3 to
Transcript
Workers' pockets tore again and again.
A tailor had an idea.
This is the story of Levi Strauss.
Welcome to brightlivesenglish.com, where we teach real English using real-life stories.
Miner. A miner digs in the ground for metal or coal.
Many miners came to California.
Cloth. Cloth is material for clothes.
He sold cloth to small shops.
Strong. Strong things do not tear easily.
A woman wanted strong trousers for her husband.
Pocket. A pocket is a small bag in clothes.
His pockets tore again and again.
Jeans. Jeans are blue cloth trousers.
Today, people all over the world wear jeans.
Now, one pattern: in, on, under, next to.
There were small metal rivets on the pockets.
Ready? Let's begin.
Levi Strauss was born in Germany in 1829.
He lived in New York.
In 1853, he went to San Francisco.
Many miners came to California.
He sold cloth to small shops.
Jacob Davis, a tailor, bought Levi's cloth.
A woman wanted strong trousers for her husband.
His pockets tore again and again.
Jacob had an idea.
There were small metal rivets on the pockets.
The pockets were strong!
In 1873, Levi and Jacob got a patent.
People called them "waist overalls".
Later, they called them jeans.
Today, people all over the world wear jeans.
Let's review. Many miners came to California.
He sold cloth to small shops.
A woman wanted strong trousers for her husband.
His pockets tore again and again.
Today, people all over the world wear jeans.
And remember: there were small metal rivets on the pockets.
Levi and Jacob's story teaches us: together, small ideas grow big.
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