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This teacher sheet opens with the lesson: 31 December 2026, 3:00 pm New York time. See the lesson map

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Bright Lives English · Teacher sheet

Lou Gehrig: He Played 2,130 Games in a Row… Then Called Himself the Luckiest Man

Level A2 (Elementary) · Video 3:43 · 45-minute lesson

brightlivesenglish.com/lessons/lou-gehrig-luckiest-man/

45-minute lesson plan

TimeStageWhat to do
0–3′Warm-upAsk the class: “What makes you feel lucky?” Let a few students answer.
3–13′WordsPre-teach the 5 words with the flashcards: row, miss, disease, speech, lucky. Say each word, show the meaning, and ask for a quick example.
13–20′VideoPlay the video (3:43). 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′Grammarin a row: to say that things happen one after another, with no break. Show “He played 2,130 games in a row.”, 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: “Lou Gehrig was very ill, but he said he was lucky. Why do you think he said that?”

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

Words and grammar

  • row (noun): in a row: one after another. “He played game after game, in a row.”
  • miss (verb): to not go to or take part in something. “He did not miss a game for almost 14 years.”
  • disease (noun): a serious illness. “Doctors said that he had a rare disease called ALS.”
  • speech (noun): a talk to many people. “He gave a short speech.”
  • lucky (adjective): having good things happen to you. “He said he was the luckiest man on Earth.”

Grammar: in a row — to say that things happen one after another, with no break. “He played 2,130 games in a row.”

Discussion questions

  1. Lou Gehrig was very ill, but he said he was lucky. Why do you think he said that?
  2. What was the hardest moment in Lou Gehrig's story? What did Lou Gehrig do?
  3. Make two sentences about your own life with “in a row”. (From the story: “He played 2,130 games in a row.”)

Student worksheet

Name: Date:

A Match the words to their meanings

  1. row (noun)
  2. miss (verb)
  3. disease (noun)
  4. speech (noun)
  5. lucky (adjective)
  6. illness (noun)
  7. streak (noun)
  8. retire (verb)
  1. a time when the same thing happens again and again
  2. a serious illness
  3. being sick
  4. a talk to many people
  5. to stop working, usually because you are old or ill
  6. to not go to or take part in something
  7. in a row: one after another
  8. having good things happen to you

B Complete the sentences from the story

disease · miss · speech · illness · luckiest · streak · retire · row

  1. Doctors said that he had a rare called ALS.
  2. His was 2,130 games.
  3. He had to in 1939.
  4. His made him weak.
  5. He gave a short .
  6. He said he was the man on Earth.
  7. He did not a game for almost 14 years.
  8. He played game after game, in a .

C Did you understand?

  1. Lou Gehrig missed many games.True / False
  2. How many games did he play in a row?
    1. 130
    2. 2,130
    3. 56
    4. 60,000
  3. Why did he say he was lucky?
    1. Because he was rich
    2. Because he was not ill
    3. Because of his friends, family and fans
    4. Because he won a prize
  4. His record lasted 56 years.True / False

D Put the words in order

  1. 2,130 / games / He / row / in / a / played

E Grammar: in a row

We use it for to say that things happen one after another, with no break. He played 2,130 games in a row. · It rained for five days in a row.

Example from the story: He played 2,130 games in a row.

  1. He played 2,130 games in a . (row / line / time)
  2. It rained for five days a row. (in / on / at)
  3. She won three games in row. (a / the / one)

F Your turn

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

Answer key

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

B. 1 disease · 2 streak · 3 retire · 4 illness · 5 speech · 6 luckiest · 7 miss · 8 row

C. 1 False · 2 b · 3 c · 4 True

D. 1 He played 2,130 games in a row.

E. 1 row · 2 in · 3 a

Transcript

He was ill.

But he told a huge crowd he was the luckiest man on Earth.

This is the story of Lou Gehrig.

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

Row. In a row means one after another.

He played game after game, in a row.

Miss. To miss something is to not go to it.

He did not miss a game for almost 14 years.

Disease. A disease is a serious illness.

Doctors said that he had a rare disease called ALS.

Speech. A speech is a talk to many people.

He gave a short speech.

Lucky. Lucky means having good things happen to you.

He said he was the luckiest man on Earth.

Now, one pattern: in a row.

He played 2,130 games in a row.

Ready? Let's begin.

Lou Gehrig was born in New York in 1903.

In 1923, he joined the New York Yankees.

From 1925, he played game after game, in a row.

He did not miss a game for almost 14 years.

He played 2,130 games in a row!

In 1939, he felt weak.

Doctors said that he had a rare disease called ALS.

It slowly makes muscles weak.

On 4 July, over 60,000 people came.

He gave a short speech.

He said he was the luckiest man on Earth, because of his friends, family and fans.

He died in 1941.

His record of games in a row lasted 56 years.

Now, the disease has his name.

Let's review. He played game after game, in a row.

He did not miss a game for almost 14 years.

Doctors said that he had a rare disease called ALS.

He gave a short speech.

He said he was the luckiest man on Earth.

And remember: he played 2,130 games in a row.

Lou Gehrig's story teaches us: count the good things.

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