Kelly Clarkson, 2004

This song works well as a starting point for a discussion about making changes, such as leaving home. The lesson would work well at the start of the school year or the New Year, when many people are thinking about making a fresh start.

Choose from the following activities:

• Reading Read the story about singer Kelly Clarkson.
• Listening Copy the lyrics for “Breakaway” from the Internet. Listen to the official audio-only video while reading the lyrics or watch the lyrics video.
• Listening Watch the official video. The video depicts scenes from Kelly Clarkson’s life. Previewing the video is advised.
• Discussion Structure a discussion on making changes with the worksheet below. In this activity, students imagine how their lives might be different one year from now. Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use.

my life, one year from now.docx          my life, one year from now.pdf

• Discussion Below is another option for structuring the discussion. In this activity, students talk about changes they’d like to see in the world, in their countries, in their communities, or in their personal lives. The activity created a sense of camaraderie in my class as students discovered that they wanted many of the same changes. Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use.

change activity.docx          change activity.pdf

• Discussion In the activity below, called “Then and Now,” students prepare to talk about three changes they have experienced in their lives. (Students need to be familiar with the expression “used to.”)

changes.docx          changes.pdf          changes (webpage)

• Discussion Choose questions on the topic “change” from the discussion questions posted by teachers on the Internet TESL Journal. You could structure the discussion by setting up Conversation Stations.
• Discussion Talk about leaving home. If you teach adults, ask them to answer these questions on their own paper: How old were you when you left your parents’ home? Why did you leave? If you teach adolescents or young adults, ask them to answer these questions on their own paper: When do you think you will leave your parents’ home? Why will you leave? Students share their writing in small groups or with the whole class.
• Reading If you use the True Stories reading series, you could read a related story–“Maddie’s Apartment,” about a young woman who leaves her hometown and rents an apartment that turns out to be not what she expected. This is Pop-Up Story 2, free online with the recent purchase of any True Stories textbook in the Silver Edition. The story is written at 3 levels.