History

History through everyday things

The easiest way into the past is through the objects people still use. Household Staples, free to try, tells the history of common household tools while A2-B1 students talk about the chores they love and hate. Family Heirlooms is about the objects families keep for generations and why they matter.

History also lives in families. In Family Roots, A1-A2 students explore their family tree and talk about their grandparents, and Iconic Photographs looks at photos that captured some of the most important moments of the last decade. Each history ESL lesson plan in this group asks students to tell a story, which is where real speaking practice begins.

These lessons work well as a short project. Ask each student to bring a photo of an old object from home, then describe it to the group: who used it, how and why it is still there. A history ESL lesson plan built on real objects gives even shy students something to say, because they are the only expert on their own family's past.

The history of fashion

Fashion is history that students can see. History of Fashion follows the major trends from the 1940s to the 2020s and how culture, politics and technology shaped them, with a grammar focus for B2-C1. Fatal Fashion uncovers some of the most dangerous trends in history, from corsets to mercury hats, and links them to modern habits that still put style before comfort. More lessons about clothes and style are on the fashion page.

Both lessons work well with students who say they don't care about fashion. The real topic is how people lived and what they were willing to suffer to fit in, and every student has an opinion about that.

Eras, monarchies and myths

These lessons take students to a time and a place, and then ask what it says about today:

Victorian Era and Monarchies work together as a British history ESL lesson for students who are curious about the UK. For lessons about traditions and customs around the world, see the culture page.

Victorian Era is often the lesson students remember longest, because the everyday details are so strange. Monarchies works best as a debate, with one half of the class arguing for tradition and the other for change. Centenarians Share Their Stories brings a whole century into the room through people who lived it.

Grammar that history lessons practice

History gives the past tenses a natural reason to exist. Students tell stories in the past simple, describe old habits with used to and would, and use the passive for events and inventions. If your students need more practice with the form, the past simple page has worksheets for exactly that.

A good pattern for any history ESL lesson is to finish with a comparison. Ask students how the same situation would look today: a Victorian picnic, a family heirloom, a fashion trend. The comparison gets them using the past and the present in the same answer, which is exactly what fluent speakers do.

History discussion questions

These history ESL discussion questions work as a warm-up for any lesson on the page:

1. What is the oldest object in your home?
2. What did your grandparents do for fun when they were young?
3. Which decade would you like to visit for one day?
4. Which invention changed everyday life the most?
5. Is there a fashion trend from the past you would bring back?
6. Which historical period do you know most about?
7. Should old buildings always be protected?
8. What will people in 100 years think about how we live now?

History lessons FAQ

Do my students need to know a lot of history?

No. Each lesson explains the background it needs. These are history lessons for ESL students, so the goal is to talk about the past, not to remember dates.

Which level should I start with?

A1-A2 students can start with Family Roots or Iconic Photographs. From A2-B1, Household Staples and Victorian Era work well.

Are any of the lessons free?

Yes. Household Staples is free to try. Every history ESL lesson plan on the page comes with a subscription, together with the rest of the library.