Your cart is currently empty!
Growing Up
Growing Up — Interactive Lesson
Growing up is about taking on new responsibilities, making choices, and building confidence. In this lesson you’ll explore how people become more independent and what helps us handle fear, pressure, and change.
Lesson goals — by the end, you will be able to:
- share personal experiences about independence and responsibility;
- use key expressions/idioms about growth naturally in speech and writing;
- read short texts and write clear summaries (3–5 sentences);
- analyze character choices and themes related to confidence and ethics;
- take a stance (agree/disagree) and justify it with reasons and examples;
- have an in-depth discussion and reflect on your own progress.
Type directly into any box. Notes autosave on this device. Use Export to download your notes.
1) Questions of the Day click to open
Start your lesson with a fun and thoughtful discussion!
Click the main question to reveal it, then explore follow-up questions one by one. Each follow-up opens in its own box with space to write or reflect.
This section helps you practice expressing opinions, sharing examples, and building your speaking confidence before the main lesson begins.
Hint: New vs Familiar Q1
Full question: Do you like trying new things, or do you prefer to stick to familiar things?
Follow-up questions (open one by one):
1) What’s something new you tried recently?
2) What’s something familiar you love doing again and again?
3) Do you feel more nervous or excited when trying something new? Why?
4) Is it easier for you to try new things alone or with friends?
5) Have you ever tried something new and regretted it? What happened?
6) Do you think your comfort zone is bigger now than it was a few years ago?
7) What’s one new thing you still want to try this year?
8) Would you describe yourself more as a routine person or an adventure person?
Autosave:
Q1 key:
q1-*
Hint: Pressure vs Planning Q2
Full question: Do you prefer working under pressure, or taking your time to plan?
Follow-up questions:
1) What kind of tasks are easier for you — quick or slow ones?
2) How do you usually handle deadlines or pressure?
3) Can you remember a time you had to finish something quickly?
4) Do you think you perform better under pressure or in calm situations?
5) What helps you stay calm when you’re busy or stressed?
6) Has your attitude about stress or time pressure changed as you’ve grown older?
7) In your school life, do you think students are given enough time to do their best work?
8) Do you prefer to finish early or work close to the deadline? Why?
Autosave:
Q2 key:
q2-*
Hint: Small Wins Q3
Full question: What’s one small win from this week?
A small win is a simple success—something that made you feel good or proud. It doesn’t need to be big or important—just something that went well.
Examples:
- School: I finished my homework early.
- Work: I answered an email in English without help.
- Life: I cooked a healthy meal instead of eating out.
- Other: I went to the gym even though I was tired.
Follow-up questions:
1) What helped you do it? (Planning? Support? Luck?)
2) How did you feel afterward?
3) Is this something you want to do again next week?
4) What’s harder to notice — small wins or big ones?
5) Do you think it’s important to celebrate small wins?
6) Have you had a small win this month that you forgot to celebrate?
7) Do you think people your age focus more on wins or mistakes?
Autosave:
Q3 key:
q3-*
2) Expressions & Idioms growing up theme
Why is it important to learn expressions and idioms?
Idioms and expressions are a big part of how native speakers communicate. Learning them helps you sound more natural, understand everyday conversations better, and connect more deeply with the language and culture.
How to use this section:
Choose your expression or idiom. Read the example sentence, then guess and write down what you think it means.
Check the definition, follow up with the discussion question, and write your answer or any notes in the space provided.
Expression Coming of age
Example: He truly came of age when he started living on his own and managing his studies.
Definition: To reach adulthood or maturity; to grow up and take on responsibilities.
Discussion: What do you think it means to “come of age” in your life or culture? Is it tied to a specific age, or an experience?
Expression Learn the hard way
Example: She learned the hard way that procrastination leads to stress.
Definition: To learn something through a difficult or painful experience.
Discussion: Can you think of something you learned the hard way as you’ve grown up?
Expression Not a walk in the park
Example: Balancing school and a part-time job is not a walk in the park.
Definition: Not easy; difficult or challenging.
Discussion: What part of growing up do you think is “not a walk in the park” for most people? Why?
Expression Find your feet
Example: It took me a few weeks to find my feet at my new school.
Definition: To become confident and comfortable in a new situation.
Discussion: When was the last time you needed time to “find your feet”? What helped you adjust?
Expression Come into your own
Example: She really came into her own after she joined the debate team.
Definition: To become fully effective or show your true ability, often as you mature or when the situation suits you.
Discussion: In what area do you feel you’re starting to “come into your own”? What changed?
Expression Trial and error
Example: I learned to cook by trial and error.
Definition: Learning something through repeated attempts and mistakes.
Discussion: What’s something you improved through trial and error? What kept you going?
Autosave:
3) Let’s Read (Analyzing text & questions) three short stories • B2
1) The Walk Home B2
On her first day of high school, Mina decided to walk home alone for the first time. It wasn’t far—only 20 minutes—but she usually went with her older brother. Today, he had soccer practice. As she left the school gate, she felt a strange mix of excitement and fear. She walked past shops and small cafés, her phone in her pocket. She wanted to feel brave, like she didn’t need to check her map.
Halfway home, she heard footsteps behind her. Her heart beat faster. She didn’t want to look scared, so she kept walking. Eventually, an older woman passed her and smiled. Mina laughed at herself. She realized she had been imagining the worst. When she got home, she didn’t tell anyone how nervous she had been—but deep down, she felt proud. For the first time, she felt like growing up wasn’t about being fearless—it was about doing things even when you’re scared.
- Who is the story about?
- What happens?
- What is the feeling or change by the end?
In the short story “The Walk Home,” Mina walks home alone for the first time after school. At first, she feels excited but also nervous because she usually walks with her older brother. As she walks, she becomes scared when she hears footsteps behind her, but she tries to stay calm. Eventually, an older woman passes by, and Mina realizes there was nothing to fear. Although she doesn’t tell anyone how worried she felt, she feels proud of herself for completing the walk. The story shows how a small experience helped her feel more independent and grown-up.
Guiding Topic: What does this story show about growing up and facing fear?
- What kind of person is Mina at the start of the story?
- How do her feelings change during the walk?
- What does she do that shows she is becoming more independent?
- Why doesn’t she tell anyone how scared she felt?
- What message do you think the writer is trying to show about growing up?
In the short story “The Walk Home,” the main character Mina experiences a moment of growth as she walks home from school alone for the first time. Although she feels nervous, she tries to act brave and avoid showing her fear. As the walk continues, she imagines danger and becomes more anxious—but in the end, the situation turns out to be harmless. Through this experience, Mina learns something important about growing up and confidence.
Mina’s behavior shows that she wants to become more independent, even though she still feels afraid. She chooses not to ask for help or check her phone, because she wants to prove to herself that she can do it. When she hears footsteps behind her, she stays calm and keeps walking, even though her imagination makes her nervous. After discovering it was only a kind woman passing by, Mina laughs at herself. She feels proud—not because everything went perfectly, but because she faced a scary situation without giving up.
This story teaches an important lesson: growing up is not about being fearless. It’s about facing fear and moving forward anyway. Mina didn’t tell anyone about her fear, but inside, she knew she had taken a step forward. This shows that even small moments in daily life can help someone feel stronger and more confident.
2) The Forgotten Speech B2
Leo was chosen to give a short speech in front of his entire class. He had written it the week before, practiced it with his mom, and even timed it with his phone. But when the teacher called his name, he suddenly couldn’t remember the first sentence. His hands got sweaty. Everyone looked at him.
He could’ve asked to sit down, but instead, Leo took a breath and started speaking from memory. It wasn’t perfect—he forgot some lines and made up others—but when he finished, the class clapped. His friend whispered, “Nice save.” Leo smiled, even though his heart was still pounding. Later that day, he thought: Maybe being confident isn’t about doing everything right. It’s about not giving up when things go wrong.
- Who is the main character?
- What challenge do they face?
- How do they act or feel?
- What is the result?
In the short story “The Forgotten Speech,” Leo is chosen to give a speech but forgets his lines when he stands in front of the class. Instead of sitting down, he keeps going and speaks from memory. Even though it isn’t perfect, the class applauds him, and he feels proud for not giving up. The story shows that real confidence comes from trying your best, even when things don’t go as planned.
Guiding Topic: What does this story show about how people grow through failure or embarrassment?
- What kind of challenge does Leo face?
- How does he handle the situation?
- What does his behavior show about his character?
- How do his feelings change from beginning to end?
- What is the deeper message about confidence or failure?
In the short story “The Forgotten Speech,” Leo shows emotional growth by staying calm and finishing his speech even after forgetting his lines. At first, he feels nervous and panicked, but instead of quitting, he finds the courage to keep going. His decision shows that he values effort over perfection, and he learns that confidence doesn’t mean being perfect—it means not giving up when things go wrong.
Even though his speech wasn’t exactly what he practiced, the reaction from his classmates makes him feel successful. This moment helps Leo understand that real growth comes from facing difficult moments and pushing through them. The story sends a message that mistakes are part of learning, and courage is more important than a perfect result.
3) The Class Group Chat B2
Sana joined a new school halfway through the year and felt nervous about fitting in. One night, she was added to the class group chat. At first, she just read the messages quietly. Then, someone posted an unflattering photo of a classmate with a mean comment. Many students laughed and added more jokes. Sana knew it wasn’t right, but she also didn’t want to be the only one to say something.
After a moment, she typed: “That’s not cool. Maybe we shouldn’t post stuff like this.” The chat went silent. Then, someone replied, “Yeah, true,” and the topic quickly changed. Sana’s heart was racing, but she felt proud. She didn’t know if she had made friends yet—but she had stood up for something that mattered.
- Who is the main character?
- What happened in the group chat?
- What choice did she make?
- How did it end?
In the short story “The Class Group Chat,” Sana joins a new school and is added to a group chat where classmates begin making fun of another student. Although she feels nervous, she speaks up and asks them to stop. The others go quiet at first, but then move on to another topic. Sana isn’t sure how others feel about her message, but she’s proud she said something. The story shows how standing up for others takes courage.
Guiding Topic: What does this story show about standing up for what is right—even when it’s uncomfortable?
- Why was Sana nervous about speaking up?
- What risks did she face by saying something?
- How does her response show strength or growth?
- What can we learn about peer pressure from this story?
- Why is her final feeling of pride important?
In the short story “The Class Group Chat,” Sana shows bravery by standing up against online bullying. Even though she is new to the school and wants to fit in, she chooses to speak out when others post a mean photo. She knows it might make her unpopular, but she still says something because she believes it’s the right thing to do.
Her response shows that standing up for others takes courage, especially in group situations. She doesn’t know how her classmates feel afterward, but her quiet pride shows personal growth. The story highlights how doing the right thing can feel scary—but it’s an important part of becoming a strong, kind person.
Autosave:
Reading keys:
read1-*, read2-*, read3-*
4) What do you think (agree / disagree) opinions
What Do You Think?
This section is designed to help you think critically and express your opinion clearly. You’ll read short statements related to the topic and decide if you agree or disagree.
Pick a stance and explain why you agree or disagree. Use examples, personal experience, or logic to support your answer. Write your ideas or notes in the space provided.
Useful sentence starters:
- I agree because…
- I disagree because…
- In my opinion, …
- One reason I feel this way is…
- Another example is…
- Some people might say…, but I think…
Optional debate phrases:
- That’s a fair point, but…
- I see your perspective, however…
- While it’s true that…, I believe…
- This could be true in some cases, but not always.
Statement A: Teenagers should have a part-time job to learn responsibility. click to respond
Statement B: Making mistakes is the fastest way to learn. click to respond
Statement C: It’s better to be a specialist than a generalist when you’re young. click to respond
Make your own statement now! student-created
Make your own statement now! student-created
Autosave:
5) Discussion Questions start easy → deeper
Begin at #1 and move down as the questions get more challenging. Click a question to open it. Each one includes a compact notes box that expands when you need it (autosaves on this device).
1 When you were 10, what did “growing up” mean to you? How is it different now?
2 What new responsibility did you take on this year, and how did it go?
3 Which habit helps you feel more independent (planning, cleaning, budgeting, etc.)?
4 What is something you can do now that felt hard two years ago?
5 Who is a role model for you, and what “grown-up” quality do they show?
6 What boundary have you set with friends or family that improved your life?
7 When is it wise to say “no” to something most people are doing?
8 What is a fair rule for screen time for teens, and why?
9 How should chores or tasks be divided at home to feel fair?
10 What money skill should everyone learn before 18, and how can you practice it?
11 Is it better to choose school subjects you’re great at or ones that challenge you? Why?
12 How do you balance privacy with safety when sharing online?
13 When should teenagers be allowed to make big decisions on their own? Give examples.
14 What does a healthy friendship look like when people’s interests start to change?
15 How has your idea of “confidence” changed as you’ve gotten older? What builds it now?
16 What’s a “grown-up” way to resolve conflict with a parent, teacher, or coach?
17 Which social issue makes you want to help, and what is one realistic action you could take this month?
18 If you could write one new school policy to help students grow up well, what would it be and why?
Autosave:
Share What You Learned — Join the Discussion
Students, teachers, and visitors: please add a comment sharing something you learned, created, practiced, or a question you still have. Your note helps everyone learn from each other.
If you’re not currently a student, you can still post your answers or any questions in the comments section on the page, and either myself or the community will respond.
If you’d like personalized lessons, feel free to sign up . I look forward to helping you reach your goals!
Leave a Reply