The Black Hole
Language level: Intermediate (B1) –
Upper-intermediate (B2.1)
Learner type: Teens and adults
Time: 90 minutes
Activity: Watching a short film,
practising money expressions and
speaking
Topic: Black holes, money and greed
Language: Money expressions and second
conditional
Materials: Short film, two PowerPoint
presentations and discussion questions
Overview
This lesson is designed around an award-winning
comedy short film called The Black Hole directed
by Philip Sansom and Olly Williams, and the themes
of black holes, money and greed.
Step 1
Write up Black Holes on the board and ask your
students what they are and what they know about
them. Get feedback and give students this
definition:
"Black holes are regions of space where gravity is
so powerful even light cannot escape their grasp.
They can form when stars many times more massive
than the Sun burn out and collapse in on
themselves."
Ask your students what they imagine black holes
look like, then show them the artists'
illustrations of black holes in the presentation.
www.film-english.com by Kieran Donaghy
The Black Hole
Step 2
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Step 3
Tell your students that they are going to watch a
short film called The Black Hole. However, the
black hole in the film is not in space. Show your
students this still from the film.
Step 4
Show the students the film and ask them to compare
their answers in Step 3 with what they see in the
film.
Link: https://vimeo.com/15759511
www.film-english.com by Kieran Donaghy
The Black Hole
Ask them what they think the film is about, what
story it tells and what images they expect to see.
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Step 5
Get feedback from your students. Ask them what the
message of the film is. Students will probably say
that the film is about greed and how it can make
you irrational. Ask your students this question:
What would you do if you had a black hole like the
one in the film?
Step 6
Show your students the images in the presentation
which all represent expressions using money. They
should try to guess the expressions.
The expressions are:
1. Money doesn't grow on trees.
2. Money makes the world go around.
3. Money is the root of all evil.
8. She spends money like water.
The Black Hole
4. Money is power.
www.film-english.com by Kieran Donaghy
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5. Money can't buy you happiness.
6. The money's burning a hole in his pocket.
7. That's money down the drain.
9. She's rolling in money.
10. She's made of money.
Step 7
The Black Hole
Show your students the discussion questions about
money and greed, and ask them to discuss them in
small groups.
www.film-english.com by Kieran Donaghy
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