The Tower of London: The ravens

Objective & content

This Look Closer episode (Tower of London mini-series, episode 180) is a one-minute documentary about the ravens of the Tower of London, told with real photos and a drawing. A single narrator explains that there are always six ravens at this very old castle next to the River Thames, tells the old legend about them, and presents the Ravenmaster, the special guard who looks after them every day. Learners meet the present simple for facts and routines (live, gives, knows, stay), these and there are to describe what they see, can for ability (can fly), and a closing Would you like to ...? question. The legend, if the ravens leave the Tower, the Tower will fall down, is a first conditional: it is heard for understanding only, and no question tests it. The vocabulary is about birds, a castle, legends and jobs. Learners listen, then answer the 10 questions in the app: 7 on facts and 3 on vocabulary (raven, legend, Ravenmaster).

Materials & prerequisites

You need the episode (audio and slideshow) and the printables: a pupil pack and a teacher pack (the text, three pictures, the key words and the 10 questions, with the answers highlighted in the teacher pack), a pupil question sheet and a teacher answer key. There is no lesson plan. Learners should know the present simple with they and he (they live, he gives) and can for ability. Raven, legend and Ravenmaster name the subject, so they are taught for understanding; the episode explains each of them (a legend, a very old story).

Curriculum alignment

Tagged countries-and-landscapes (6e, "Pays et paysages", Cycle 3; study topic: the Tower of London). The episode targets CEFR level A1+.