. Sushi - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson
Sushi - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson
Sushi - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson

Breaking News English Lesson: Sushi

A sushi chef in Japan is still working, on his 100th birthday. His name is Jiro Ono. Earlier this week, Tokyo's governor asked him about his secret to a long life. He replied, "To work." He said: "Even at 100 years old, I'll try to work…The best medicine is to work." He said he plans to keep working for five more years.

Jiro Ono was born in 1925. He started working when he was seven. He became a sushi chef in 1951. He opened a small sushi bar in Tokyo. There, he spent many years trying to make the perfect sushi. In 2011, a movie was made about Ono called "Jiro Dreams of Sushi". In the film, he talked about reaching "perfection".

Try the same news story at these levels:

  • https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20251027/p2g/00m/0na/029000c
  • https://www.ntv.co.jp/englishnews/articles/2021k54mx8uq7ondgmhl.html
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiro_Ono

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

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News

"Much has been said and written on the utility of newspapers; but one principal advantage which might be derived from these publications has been neglected; we mean that of reading them in schools."

The Portland Eastern Herald (June 8, 1795)

"News is history in its first and best form, its vivid and fascinating form, and. history is the pale and tranquil reflection of it."

Mark Twain, in his autobiography (1906)

"Current events provide authentic learning experiences for students at all grade levels. In studying current events, students are required to use a range of cognitive, affective, critical thinking and research skills."

Haas, M. and Laughlin, M. (2000) Teaching Current Events: It's Status in Social Studies Today.

Phrase Matching Paragraph 1
  1. A sushi chef in Japan is
  2. Earlier
  3. his secret
  4. Even
  5. I'll try to
  6. The best medicine
  7. He said he plans to keep
  8. for five
  1. work
  2. more years
  3. still working
  4. working
  5. to a long life
  6. at 100 years old
  7. is to work
  8. this week
Paragraph 2
  1. Jiro Ono was
  2. He started working
  3. He became a sushi
  4. He opened a small
  5. he spent many years
  6. make
  7. a movie was
  8. he talked about reaching
  1. sushi bar
  2. made about Ono
  3. "perfection"
  4. when he was seven
  5. the perfect sushi
  6. born in 1925
  7. trying
  8. chef in 1951
Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A (1) _________________________________________________ Japan is still working, on his 100th birthday. His name is Jiro Ono. (2) _________________________________________________, Tokyo's governor asked him about his (3) _________________________________________________ long life. He replied, "To work." He said: "(4) _________________________________________________ years old, I'll try to work. The (5) _________________________________________________ to work." He said he plans to (6) _________________________________________________ five more years.

Jiro Ono (7) _________________________________________________ 1925. He started working when he was seven. (8) _________________________________________________ sushi chef in 1951. He opened a small sushi bar in Tokyo. There, he (9) ____________________________________________ trying to (10) ___________________________________________ sushi. In 2011, a movie (11) _________________________________________________ Ono called "Jiro Dreams of Sushi". (12) _________________________________________________, he talked about reaching "perfection".

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AsushichefinJapanisstillworking,onhis100thbirthday.HisnameisJiro Ono.Earlierthisweek,Tokyo'sgovernoraskedhimabouthissecrettoalo nglife.Hereplied,"Towork."Hesaid:"Evenat100yearsold,I'lltrytowor k. Thebestmedicineistowork."Hesaidheplanstokeepworkingforfive moreyears.JiroOnowasbornin1925.Hestartedworkingwhenhewasse ven.Hebecameasushichefin1951.HeopenedasmallsushibarinTokyo. There,hespentmanyyearstryingtomaketheperfectsushi.In2011,am oviewasmadeaboutOnocalled"JiroDreamsofSushi".Inthefilm,hetalk edaboutreaching"perfection".

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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