‘Gold Costs More than Money’ Lesson Plan

This ESL lesson plan is designed around a short video produced by Hothouse Productions in collaboration with The NO Project, an award-winning global educational campaign that specifically targets youth awareness of human trafficking through music, art, dance, film, animation, sport, creative writing and social media. In the lesson students practice vocabulary related to gold, discuss the symbolism of gold, watch and analyse a short video and research ethical gold.

Remember that Individual Membership and Institutional Membership of Film English Club allow unlimited access to all 700+ Film English Club lesson plans, viewing guides and other teaching material.

Step 1

Ask your students to write down any expressions or idioms in their own language which contain the words “gold” or “golden”.

Step 2

If you have a monolingual class, in pairs ask them to compare the expressions and idioms they have written, and try to translate them into English.

If you have a multilingual class, they should translate the expressions and idioms into English, and then in pairs explain them to their partner. They should also discuss if a similar expression or idiom exists in their language.

Step 3

Ask your students to read out some of the expressions and idioms they have translated into English from their language/languages. Tell them if the expression or idiom is the same in English. If it is not correct in English, try to give them the equivalent expression or idiom in English.

Step 4

Write up the following words and expressions:

• to have a heart of gold
• to be golden hearted
• to be as good as gold
• to be worth its weight in gold
• to go for gold
• a golden rule
• a golden opportunity
• a golden girl
• a golden boy
• a golden handshake
• a gold digger
• fool’s gold
• all that glistens is not gold

Put your students into pairs and ask them to try and work out the meaning of each expression or idiom.

Step 5

Elicit or explain the meaning of each expression and idiom.

Step 6

Ask your students to choose 6 expressions or idioms they like, and write 6 true sentences which illustrate the meaning of them. Give them a couple of true sentences for you, such as:

“My sister Sheila has a heart of gold – she’d do anything for anybody.”

“Going to the conference in Uruguay to do a plenary session was a golden opportunity I couldn’t turn down.”

Step 7

Get your students to compare and comment on their sentences in small groups.

Step 8

Ask your students what the figurative meaning of gold or golden is in the expressions and idioms. They will probably say that gold represents somebody or something good, positive or valuable.

Step 9

Ask your students to come up with as many pieces of jewellery which are made of gold.

Step 10

Elicit or explain: a gold ring, a gold necklace, a gold bracelet, a gold watch, a gold chain, a gold brooch, gold earrings, gold cuff links.

Step 11

Ask students what symbolism gold has in their culture. Typical responses may include luxury, wealth, prestige, and glamour.

Step 12

Tell your students they are going to watch a short video titled “Gold costs more than money”. Ask them what they think the video will be about.

Step 13

As they watch they should answer the following questions:

• What’s the message of the video?
• Who made the video?

Show the film twice until 01:27 when you see the caption “Gold costs more than money”.

Step 14

Get students to discuss the two questions in small groups.

Step 15

Hold a plenary discussion based on the two questions.

Step 16

Show the next caption:

“Thousands of people are enslaved and exploited in gold mining in conflict zones.

International Labour Organization (ILO)”

Get your students to discuss the caption in their groups and then get feedback from the whole class.

Step 17

Show the next caption:

“Approximately 25 million people dig gold by hand, mostly in poor remote areas.

International Labour Organization (ILO)”

Get your students to discuss the caption in their groups and then get feedback from the whole class.

Step 18

Show the next caption:

“An estimated one million children work in mines throughout the world including gold mines. International Labour Organization (ILO)”

Get your students to discuss the caption in their groups and then get feedback from the whole class.

Step 19

Show the next caption:

“The backstory to gold and electronics and jewellery can include:

• extreme environmental destruction
• mercury poisoning
• cyanide poisoning
• violence, sexual abuse, rape
• life-long injury
• fatal illness
• death by drowning
• death by suffocation
• exploitation of workers
• slavery”

Go through each line and help students with vocabulary.

Get your students to discuss the caption in their groups and then get feedback from the whole class.

Step 20

Show the next caption:

“DEMAND

ETHICAL GOLD

ETHICAL JEWELLERY

ETHICAL ELECTRONICS”

For homework ask your students to find out as much as they can about ethical gold, jewellery and electronics, and to report back on it in the following class.

Step 21

Now your students have watched and discussed the whole film, hold a plenary discussion on the two questions:

• What’s the video’s message? Your students’ interpretations.
• Who made the film? Show your students the website of The No Project, an award-winning global educational campaign that specifically targets youth awareness of human trafficking through music, art, dance, film, animation, sport, creative writing and social media. Discuss the objectives and actions of the project.

Remember that Individual Membership and Institutional Membership of Film English Club allow unlimited access to all Film English Club lesson plans, viewing guides and other teaching material.

We hope you enjoy this ESL lesson.