Discussion Starters

Protests
Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. Have you ever taken part in a protest?

2. Why do some peaceful protests turn violent?

3. Why are riots often led by youths?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match the words on the left with

the correct meanings on the right.

1. campus a) feeling very discouraged, wanting change

2. riot b) a violent disruption of the peace by a large group

3. frustrated c) the fees you pay for education

4. tuition d) a structural barrier that prevents movement

5. corruption e) to wind round and round

6. on strike f) immoral and dishonest behavior

7. picket g) to hold in a secure area

8. barricade h) to damage property on purpose

9. vandalize i) the grounds for a college or university

10. detain j) to hide

11. conceal k) refusing to work (as a form of protest)

12. spiral l) a person or group protesting a specific issue

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 Protests
Discussion Starters

Reading
PROTESTS
Not without a fight

1. A day does not go by without a protest taking 4. Protesters are often detained or arrested.
place somewhere in the world. Protesters gather Sometimes protesters are arrested because
on university campuses, in front of government they are violent. Other times they are arrested
buildings, and in city centers and parks. Some for entering private property. In 2012, Russian
protests are peaceful while others are violent. protesters were arrested for simply wearing a
Peaceful protests sometimes turn into riots white ribbon. These anti-Putin protesters had
when police arrive on the scene. been warned not to protest on the day of Vladimir
Putin’s inauguration. Protesters typically fight for
2. It is part of human nature to stand up for one’s
their beliefs and ignore these types of warnings.
rights. Many protests are related to the economy.
People are frustrated with being unemployed, 5. These days, protesters are often hooded or
underpaid, or unable to afford tuition or masked youths who conceal their identity. They
childcare. Protests are often aimed directly at the don’t want their pictures showing up on social
government. Citizens speak out against inequality, media sites. In 2012, the Canadian government
new laws, government cuts, and corruption. proposed a new law requiring protesters to show
Protesters and people on strike often form their faces. The government felt this law would
a line outside a building called a picket line. help prevent protests from spiraling out of
control. Do you think this is a good law to have?
3. Police forces often anticipate riots. Sometimes
riot police or members of the military are on hand
before important sporting events or government
meetings. Riot police wear special protection “When injustice becomes law,
and are trained to restore order. They use tear resistance becomes duty.”
gas, rubber bullets, and barricades to protect
—Thomas Jefferson
important figures and themselves. Some police
carry megaphones to communicate with the
crowd. Angry or drunk rioters often throw rocks,
torch vehicles, and vandalize property. In some
countries, police fear the people. In other
countries, it’s the other way around. Which way is
it usually in your country?

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 Protests
Discussion Starters

Comprehension
Discuss these questions in pairs, and write the answers in your notebook.

1. Where do protests often take place? 4. What techniques do riot

police use to restore order?
2. Why do people typically join a protest?
5. Why does the reading mention Vladimir Putin?
3. How do riot police differ
from everyday police officers?

Vocabulary Review
A. Complete the Sentences

Complete the sentences using vocabulary from page 1.

You may need to change the word forms.

1. Police is a problem in my city. Police officers steal money from citizens.

2. The cost of doubled this year.

Many of the students who are picketing can’t afford university anymore.

3. Miguel broke through the . The police detained him for five hours.

4. Rioters the department store. They broke all of the windows and set off the alarms.

5. The peaceful protest by strikers soon out of control.

Riot police arrived on the scene an hour later.

B. Odd One Out

Choose the word or phrase that does NOT belong in the group.

1. a) annoyed 2. a) university 3. a) riot 4. a) hide 5. a) barricade

b) bothered b) campus b) control b) conceal b) fence
c) frustrated c) vandal c) fight c) mask c) tear gas
d) excited d) tuition d) chaos d) restore d) wall

C. News Report

Choose five words from the vocabulary on page 1.

In your notebook, write a fictional news report about a protest
in your hometown. Use the words you chose in your report.

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 Protests
Discussion Starters

Research
WHO’S BEEN PROTESTING RECENTLY?

Have any protests been in the news lately? Choose one

and do a little research on the Internet. Try to find answers
to the following questions, and then present your findings to the class.

1. Who was protesting? 4. How did the police/military react?

2. What were they protesting about?

5. Did the protesters achieve their goals?

3. Where and when did the protest take place?

Discussion Questions
1. Which types of protests are more effective, peaceful or violent ones?

2. What adjectives can you use to describe people who stand up for their rights?

3. If you had the chance to lead a peaceful protest today, what would it be for?

4. What role does social media play in today’s protests?

5. Should protesters have the right to conceal their identity?

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 Protests
Discussion Starters

Listening – Gap Fill

 http://blog.esllibrary.com/2012/06/06/podcast-protests-not-without-a-fight/

Fill in the blanks as you listen to the recording.

PROTESTS
Not without a fight

1. A day does not go by without a protest taking 4. Protesters are often

place somewhere in the world. Protesters gather or arrested. Sometimes protesters are arrested
on university , in front because they are violent. Other times they
of government buildings, and in city centers and are arrested for entering private property. In
parks. Some protests are peaceful while others 2012, Russian protesters were arrested for
are violent. Peaceful protests sometimes turn into simply wearing a white ribbon. These anti-Putin
when police arrive on protesters had been warned not to protest on the
the scene. day of Vladimir Putin’s inauguration. Protesters
typically fight for their beliefs and ignore these
2. It is part of human nature to stand up for one’s
types of warnings.
rights. Many protests are related to the economy.
People are with being 5. These days, protesters are often hooded or
unemployed, underpaid, or unable to afford masked youths who their
or childcare. Protests identity. They don’t want their pictures showing
are often aimed directly at the government. up on social media sites. In 2012, the Canadian
Citizens speak out against inequality, new laws, government proposed a new law requiring
government cuts, and . protesters to show their faces. The government
Protesters and people felt this law would help prevent protests from
often form a line outside a building called a out of control. Do you
line. think this is a good law to have?

3. Police forces often anticipate riots. Sometimes

riot police or members of the military are
on hand before important sporting events
or government meetings. Riot police wear
special protection and are trained to restore
order. They use tear gas, rubber bullets,
and to protect important
figures and themselves. Some police carry
megaphones to communicate with the crowd. 5. conceal, spiraling
Angry or drunk rioters often throw rocks, torch 4. detained
vehicles, and property. 3. barricades, vandalize
In some countries, police fear the people. In other 2. frustrated, tuition, corruption, on strike, picket
countries, it’s the other way around. Which way is 1. campuses, riots
it usually in your country?
ANSWERS:

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 Protests
Discussion Starters

Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION: TEACHING TIPS: LEVEL: High Int

Students read about protests and riots. See Discussion Starters Teaching Guide TIME: 1.5–2 hours
After reviewing related vocabulary, (https://esllibrary.com/courses/72/lessons/)
TAGS: discussion, protests, protest,
they discuss questions about youth-led for a variety of ways to use th e reading.
politics, riots, police, military,
protests and laws related to protesting. Audio is available for this lesson. Students can
law, rights, human rights
Students also practice writing a fictional access the audio via our podcast and iTunes.
news report using key vocabulary.

Pre-Reading Vocabulary Review

A. WARM-UP QUESTIONS A. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES

Have students work in small groups or as a class. 1. corruption 3. barricade 5. spiraled

2. tuition 4. vandalized
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
B. ODD ONE OUT
1. i 3. a 5. f 7. l 9. h 11. j
1. d 2. c 3. b 4. d 5. c
2. b 4. c 6. k 8. d 10. g 12. e

Challenge your students to identify the part of speech

Reading (and/or Listening) that works for all the words in each set.

1. adjectives 3. nouns 5. nouns

Read individually, in small groups, or as a class. Discuss the quote.
2. nouns 4. verbs
You can also play the listening as your students read along. A gap-
fill version of the reading is available on page 5. Help your students
C. NEWS REPORT
with vocabulary and expressions that they are unfamiliar with.
Answers will vary.

Comprehension
(continued on the next page...)

1. Protests often take place on campuses, in front of

government buildings, and in city centers and parks.
2. People typically join a protest because they are
unemployed, underpaid, or unhappy with their government.
3. Riot police differ from everyday police officers because they
wear protective clothing and are trained to restore order.
4. They use different types of weapons such as tear gas and
rubber bullets. They also use barricades and megaphones.
5. The reading mentions Putin because, at a protest
in Russia, some protesters were detained for simply
wearing a white ribbon. In some cases, just associating
with a certain group can cause a person to be arrested.

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 Protests
Discussion Starters

Answer Key cont.

Research

Answers will vary.

Discussion Questions

Answers will vary.

Can be done individually or in small groups or pairs.

SPELLING NOTES:

This lesson shows the American spelling of the words Center

and Behavior. Most other English-speaking countries spell it this
way: Centre and Behaviour. Also, you may want to point out to
your students that Protester and Protestor are both acceptable
spellings in the US, as are Spiraling/Spiraled and Spiralling/
Spiralled. In Canada, Protester and Spiralling/Spiralled are the
best spellings.

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