Apocalypse ESL Lesson Plan: Warm-Up

Apocalypse ESL Lesson Plan: Warm-up

1) What were you doing on Saturday at 6 pm?

2) Are there any strange religious groups in your country?

3) Do you think the end of the world is near?

Apocalypse: World Fails to End, As Usual (May 23rd, 2011)

Harold Camping is an evangelical radio broadcaster in California. Through his radio network, called Family Radio, he had predicted the apocalypse, or destruction of the world, on May 21st, 2011. Based on the calculation of numerical references in the Bible, Camping believed that “a huge earthquake that’s going to make the big earthquake in Japan seem like a Sunday school picnic” was going to happen.

Prior to Judgement Day, many of Camping’s followers had given away their possessions, and drained their savings accounts. When the world failed to end as predicted at 6 pm, followers were left confused. Keith Bauer, a tractor-trailer driver, had driven 3,000 miles to gather in California for the event. He remarked, “I was hoping for it because I think heaven would be a lot better than this earth.” He took last week off work, figuring that he wouldn’t have been alive to get his paycheck anyway.

Many Americans were scoffing online about the apocalypse’s failure to occur on cue. Christian leaders from across America had also dismissed the prophecy.

Camping built a multi-million-dollar Christian media empire to announce his prediction. His organization had $104-million dollars in assets in 2009, 18 million of which came from donations from followers. He had earlier predicted the end of world in 1994, but then said he had miscalculated. This time, he said, “there is … no possibility that it will not happen.”

According to the ancient Mayans, the next apocalypse is scheduled for December 21st, 2012, a date on which civilization will end as astronomical events converge. [259 Words]

[Original: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Biblical-Soothsayer-Predicting-Worlds-Demise-but-Americans-Scoffing-

122387634.html, http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/will-the-world-end-today-christian-group-says-may-21-is-judgment- day/article2031033/]

- www.englishcurrent.com : current event lesson plan - Apocalypse ESL Lesson Plan: Comprehension Questions

1) What does the title of the article suggest about the author’s opinion?

2) Why did Camping believe the world was going to end?

3) True or False: Camping predicted the tsunami in Japan.

4) Was follower Keith Bauer afraid of the end of the world?

5) True or False: Camping had the support of many other American Christian groups.

6) True or False: Camping has received millions of dollars from followers.

Match the words with their meaning as used in the article. apocalypse prediction drain (verb) mock, laugh at figure (verb) reject scoff (verb) meet, merge, happen together on cue Judgement Day, the world’s end dismiss (verb) property, possessions prophecy suppose, expect asset humanity, human culture civilization on time converge (verb) empty out

Master the language: Connect the below ideas to make a sentence.

government crush uprising e.g. The government planned to crush the uprising apocalypse / predict drain / bank account figure / this weekend scoff / prophecy asset / give up civilization / ancient / Mayans converge / path / two stars

- www.englishcurrent.com - Apocalypse ESL Lesson Plan: Asteroid Scenario

A giant rock is heading for Earth from outer space. Scientists believe it will hit our planet in 48 hours and destroy everything. What will you do in the next 48 hours? Rank the following items in order of preference:

- www.englishcurrent.com - Item: Rank: pray to God celebrate steal and rob tell someone you love him/her watch the news give away possessions other:

Apocalypse ESL Lesson Plan: Role-play

The world is going to end in 5 days. Luckily, it turns out that there is actually a second Earth, which is almost identical to ours except with no humans. Unfortunately, there is only one spacecraft capable of traveling to the planet, and it can only hold 6 people. You have been chosen to lead this final voyage from Earth and build a new civilization on this other planet. So, which five people from around the globe do you choose to be the people who will rebuild human civilization with you, and why?

Name/Position Function: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Apocalypse ESL Lesson Plan: Discussion Questions

1) What’s your opinion of Harold Camping?

2) Have you ever believed the world was going to end?

- www.englishcurrent.com - 3) What were you doing on December 31st, 1999?

4) Why have humans have been fascinated by the end of the world for thousands of years?

5) Do you plan to spend your life savings before you die? Or leave it for your family?

6) How would you live your life differently if you knew you were going to die in a month?

Lesson plan copyright Matthew Barton of Englishcurrent.com

- www.englishcurrent.com -