Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber, 2019

This song is about being anxious at a party, so an appropriate follow-up topic is making small talk with strangers in social settings like parties.
The fast-paced tempo of this song, along with the spinoff discussion activities, make this song best suited for levels low intermediate and up.
Caution: Some language in the song might make it inappropriate for your class. Previewing the lyrics is advised.

Choose from the following activities:

• Listening Listen to Ed Sheeran’s acoustic version of the song. Listen for the answers to these three questions: 1. Where is the singer? 2. How does he feel? 3. Who or what makes him feel better?
• Listening Listen to the audio-only video of the song while reading the annotated lyrics below. Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational purposes only.

I Don’t Care lyrics.docx            I Don’t Care lyrics.pdf

• Listening Listen to the song while watching the official lyric video.
• Grammar Notice the many verbs in the simple form in the song. The worksheet below is a gap-fill exercise that targets these verbs followed by an interactive activity in which students use the verbs. Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use.

verbs, simple present.pdf          verbs, simple present (webpage)

• Pre-Discussion Watch a video (made by two teachers from Canada) about topics that are appropriate and inappropriate for small talk in many English-speaking cultures.
• Discussion Practice making small talk at a party where you don’t know the other guests. First, set the stage for the activity. Working as a class, students answer these questions: 1. Who is having the party? (Students decide on the name of the fictitious host.) 2. Where is the party? (For example: a house, an apartment, the beach) 3. What food is being served? Then students mingle, striking up conversations with random “strangers” at the party. (You could play background party music.) They break the ice with a question like one of these: 1. “How do you know _____?” (the host of the party) 2. “Nice house/apartment, isn’t it?” 3. “Have you tried the cake/spicy dip/punch, etc.? It’s really good.”  After a few minutes, signal that it’s time to move on to a new partner.
• Discussion Talk with a partner or in a small group about this topic: Describe the best party you have ever been to. Why was it the best?