Outdoor Adventure

Setup

Divide the class into pairs.

Activity

1. Elicit from the class a list of at least ten objects that might be useful on an outdoor adventure. Write them on the board.
2. Each pair chooses three objects to take with them. They should write these objects down, but keep them a secret for now.
3. Now elicit some things that could happen on an adventure (meeting wild animals, getting lost, falling down a hole, a storm etc.).
4. Each pair creates and writes down at least five challenging situations that together form an adventure. Encourage students to be creative and give lots of details (including the setting).
5. The students now find another pair to work with. The pairs take turns posing each other the adventure they have created.
6. The pair listening to the adventure shows which objects they have chosen to take. After each situation they have to explain how they would be able to tackle it using alternative objects, using the target language. For example, If we had a rope, we would pull our friend up with it. Or, If we had brought a rope, we would have pulled our friend up with it, but we don’t so…

Target Language

The Outdoor Adventure ESL activity can be used to practise the second conditional or third conditional with intermediate students.

With high beginner students, you could just practise the vocabulary for outdoor / camping equipment, without requiring the conditional sentences. In this case students simply say the one object they choose to deal with the situation, and how they would use it. Make it so they can only use each item once, so they have to get more and more creative with their solutions.

This activity works especially well with kids, who will love the ‘adventure’ side of things, but it could work with the right adult class too.