The Broad Street pump: solving a scientific mystery
Two researchers discuss Semmelweis and handwashing; students then pool clues about London's 1854 cholera outbreak to reach a conclusion.
C1Adults55 minInformation gap
About this lesson
A C1 speaking lesson (information gap). Warm-ups, role plays and discussion tasks — get the whole class talking.
- Level
- C1
- Skill
- Speaking
- Type
- Information gap
- Students
- Adults
- Time
- About 55 minutes
- Topic
- Science
- Activities
- Speaking / writing task, Key words, Reading text, True / False, Gap-fill
- Key words
- It stands to reason that …, That would account for …, It can't have been …, It must have been …, Could it be that …?, That rules out …, The missing piece is …, miasma
- Access
- Premium
By the end, students can
- Speculate and draw conclusions using modal verbs and deduction phrases
- Share evidence and reason collaboratively about a historical scientific puzzle