brightlivesenglish.com/lessons/ludwig-van-beethoven-ninth-symphony/
45-minute lesson plan
| Time | Stage | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3′ | Warm-up | Ask the class: “What is your favourite piece of music? How does it make you feel? Say two sentences in English.” Let a few students answer. |
| 3–11′ | Words | Pre-teach the 5 words with the flashcards: hearing, symphony, orchestra, performance, applause. Say each word, show the meaning, and ask for a quick example. |
| 11–18′ | Video | Play the video (4:32). Students follow the transcript. Play it a second time if needed. |
| 18–26′ | Comprehension | Worksheet C (or the online Story Challenge): check answers together. Ask “How do you know?” |
| 26–34′ | Grammar | although / even though + clause, + main clause: two ideas, where the second one is a surprise. Show “Although he felt sad and alone, he wrote that music kept him going.”, then do worksheet E together. |
| 34–42′ | Worksheet | Students do worksheet A, B and D alone or in pairs. Check with the answer key. |
| 42–45′ | Speaking | In pairs: “Beethoven lost his hearing but kept making music. Have you ever kept going when something was hard?” |
Homework: students finish the lesson online (flashcards + Story Challenge). With your class link, you see who finished.
Words and grammar
- hearing (noun): how well you can hear sounds. “He started to lose his hearing.”
- symphony (noun): a long piece of music for a big group of musicians, usually in four parts. “He wrote nine symphonies.”
- orchestra (noun): a large group of musicians who play different instruments together. “The orchestra was twice the usual size.”
- performance (noun): when people play music or act for an audience. “The first performance was on the seventh of May.”
- applause (noun): the sound of people clapping because they liked something (uncountable). “He couldn't hear the applause.”
Grammar: although / even though + clause, + main clause — two ideas, where the second one is a surprise. “Although he felt sad and alone, he wrote that music kept him going.”
Discussion questions
- Beethoven lost his hearing but kept making music. Have you ever kept going when something was hard?
- What was the hardest moment in Ludwig van Beethoven's story? What did Ludwig van Beethoven do?
- Make two sentences about your own life with “although / even though + clause, + main clause”. (From the story: “Although he felt sad and alone, he wrote that music kept him going.”)
Student worksheet
A Match the words to their meanings
- hearing (noun)
- symphony (noun)
- orchestra (noun)
- performance (noun)
- applause (noun)
- conductor (noun)
- silence (noun)
- premiere (noun)
- when people play music or act for an audience
- a large group of musicians who play different instruments together
- when there is no sound at all
- the first time a piece of music, a play or a film is shown to the public
- the person who stands in front of an orchestra and shows the musicians how to play
- how well you can hear sounds
- a long piece of music for a big group of musicians, usually in four parts
- the sound of people clapping because they liked something (uncountable)
B Complete the sentences from the story
orchestra · symphonies · Silence · hearing · performance · conductor · applause
- The was twice the usual size.
- The first was on the seventh of May.
- Beethoven stood on the stage next to the .
- He started to lose his .
- , he thought.
- He couldn't hear the .
- He wrote nine .
C Did you understand?
- Where was Beethoven born?
- Vienna, Austria
- Bonn, Germany
- Paris, France
- Berlin, Germany
- Beethoven sent his secret letter to his brothers in 1802.True / False
- What did Beethoven hear in his ears when he started to lose his hearing?
- Music
- Silence
- Voices
- A buzzing
- From about 1818, how did his friends ask him questions?
- They wrote them in little notebooks
- They used sign language
- They shouted
- They sent letters
- The first performance of the Ninth Symphony was in Vienna in 1824.True / False
- How did Beethoven know that people liked his Ninth Symphony?
- The conductor told him
- He heard the applause
- A young singer turned him around
- He read it in a notebook
D Put the words in order
- it / hear / he / the / music, / Although / wrote / couldn't / he
E Grammar: although / even though + clause, + main clause
We use it for two ideas, where the second one is a surprise. although / even though + the first idea · a comma, then the surprising idea · even though is a little stronger than although
Example from the story: Although he felt sad and alone, he wrote that music kept him going.
- he heard less and less, he kept writing. (Even though / Because / So)
- the orchestra was right in front of him, he heard almost nothing. (Although / When / Because)
- Although he felt sad and alone, he that music kept him going. (wrote / but wrote / so wrote)
F Your turn
Retell Ludwig van Beethoven's story in 5–6 sentences. Use at least three words from exercise A.
Answer key
A. 1f 2g 3b 4a 5h 6e 7c 8d
B. 1 orchestra · 2 performance · 3 conductor · 4 hearing · 5 Silence · 6 applause · 7 symphonies
C. 1 b · 2 False · 3 d · 4 a · 5 True · 6 c
D. 1 Although he couldn't hear the music, he wrote it.
E. 1 Even though · 2 Although · 3 wrote
Transcript
The music ended.
The whole theatre was clapping and cheering.
But the man who wrote the music could not hear a thing.
This is the story of Ludwig van Beethoven.
Welcome to brightlivesenglish.com, where we teach real English using real-life stories.
Hearing. Your hearing is how well you can hear sounds.
He started to lose his hearing.
Symphony. A symphony is a long piece of music for a big group of musicians.
It usually has four parts.
The plural is symphonies.
He wrote nine symphonies.
Orchestra. An orchestra is a large group of musicians who play together, with violins, drums and many other instruments.
The orchestra was twice the usual size.
Performance. A performance is when people play music or act for an audience.
The first performance was on the seventh of May.
Applause. Applause is the sound of people clapping their hands because they liked something.
It's uncountable, so we don't say applauses.
He couldn't hear the applause.
Now, one pattern: although, or even though.
We use it when the second idea is a surprise.
He couldn't hear the music.
He wrote it.
Although he couldn't hear the music, he wrote it.
Ready? Let's begin.
Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany, in 1770.
His father, a singer, made him practise the piano for hours.
At seven, he played his first concert.
But his father told everyone he was only six!
At twenty-one, he moved to Vienna and soon became a star.
But in 1798, he started to lose his hearing.
He heard a buzzing in his ears.
Could a musician make music without his hearing?
In 1802, he wrote a secret letter to his brothers.
Although he felt sad and alone, he wrote that music kept him going.
He never sent it.
People found it after his death.
Even though he heard less and less, he kept writing.
He wrote nine symphonies.
From about 1818, friends wrote their questions in little notebooks.
So how did he make music?
He heard it in his head.
In 1824, Vienna was waiting for his Ninth Symphony.
The first performance was on the seventh of May.
The orchestra was twice the usual size.
At the end, a big choir sang the Ode to Joy.
Beethoven stood on the stage next to the conductor.
He moved his arms with the music.
Although the orchestra was right in front of him, he heard almost nothing.
Then the music stopped.
Silence, he thought.
He was still facing the orchestra.
Behind him, people were standing and clapping.
He couldn't hear the applause.
Then a young singer gently turned him around.
Now he could see it.
People were waving their hats and handkerchiefs.
Today, its music is the official song of the European Union.
And in 1977, two spacecraft carried his music into space!
Let's review. He started to lose his hearing.
He wrote nine symphonies.
The orchestra was twice the usual size.
The first performance was on the seventh of May.
He couldn't hear the applause.
And remember: although he couldn't hear the music, he wrote it.
Beethoven's story teaches us: even when you lose something important, you can still make something great.
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