Lesson Plan: Doing Chores – Household Chores

This lesson plan focuses on common chores around the house. Students will
learn collocations such as "mow the lawn" and "cut the grass" related to tasks around
the house. For adult learners, use this lesson to focus on chores parents choose for
their own children. Doing chores and getting an allowance can contribute to learning
responsibility which will open the doors to further conversation in class.

Aim: Vocabulary and discussion related to the topic of chores

Activity: Vocabulary review / learning, followed by discussion activities

Level: Lower-intermediate to intermediate

Outline:

 Introduce the idea of chores and allowance by recounting your own

experience with chores and allowance.
 Have students read the short introduction to chores.
 Ask students if they had to (or have to) to do chores.
 Brainstorm chores as a class, writing various chores on the board.
 Ask students to review the list of common chores and ask any questions they
may have.
 Have students break up into small groups of three to four.
 Ask students to choose the best five chores and the worst five chores as a
group.
 As a class, ask students to explain their choices of the best / worst five
chores.
 Have students to discuss the chore / allowance questions in their groups.
 Read the example role-play about chores with a student from the class.

 Ask students to pair up and write their own chores dialogue.

Introduction to Chores

In many countries, children are required to do chores around the house. Chores
can be defined as little jobs you do around the house to help keep everything
clean and orderly. In the United States, many parents ask their children to do
chores in order to earn an allowance.

An allowance is an amount of money paid on a weekly, or monthly basis.

Allowances allow children to have some pocket money to spend as they see fit. This
can help them learn to manage their own money, as well as help them become
more independent as they grow up. Here are some of the most common chores that
children are asked to do.
Common Chores to Earn Your Allowance

 clean your room

 make your bed
 pick up / put away / hang up your clothes
 wash the dishes
 wash the car
 mow the lawn / cut the grass
 pick up your toys
 pull weeds
 do the vacuuming
 repair the computer
 plan a meal
 prepare / cook dinner
 set the table
 clear the table
 wash the dishes
 clean out the fridge or freezer
 clean the shower or tub
 disinfect the toilet
 do the laundry
 wash the clothes
 dry the clothes
 put away the clothes
 mob the floors
 vacuum the carpets / rugs
 rake the leaves in fall
 shovel snow in winter

Chore Questions

 How many of these chores have you done in your life?

 Do / Did your parents ask you to do chores?
 Do / Did your parents give you an allowance? How much was it?
 Do / Will you ask your children to do chores?
 Do / Will you give your children an allowance?
 Which chores are the worst? Which chores do you prefer?

Chores Dialogue

Tom: Hi, Nathy! Let’s go to the movies.

Nathy: Sorry, Tom. I have to … . Perhaps Tomorrow.
Tom: Ok. See you tomorrow!
Nathy: Ok, Tom. See you!