Black Friday ESL Lesson: Shopping Vocabulary and Songs

Black Friday is a perfect excuse for a shopping unit. Students hear about it everywhere, the vocabulary is useful all year, and there's a built-in debate about whether any of it is worth it.

This lesson teaches shopping vocabulary through songs your students can enjoy, then puts the words to work in a role-play. All the songs are ready on Roxxem.

Lesson at a Glance

Level: A2 to B2
Time: 40 to 50 minutes
Grammar: need vs want, second conditional (extension)
Vocabulary: sale, deal, discount, bargain, receipt, refund, checkout, budget

Step 1: What Is Black Friday? (5 minutes)

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving in the US, when many stores offer big sales. Ask students: Do you have a day like this where you live? What would you buy?

What is Black Friday? The day after Thanksgiving in the US, when many stores offer big sales

Step 2: Pre-Teach the Vocabulary (8 minutes)

on sale / 50% off
a deal / a bargain: something cheaper than usual
to line up: to wait in a line
checkout: where you pay
receipt: the paper that shows what you paid
refund / to return something
budget: how much you plan to spend
impulse buy: something you buy without planning

Black Friday shopping vocabulary for ESL: on sale, deal, line up, checkout, receipt, refund, budget, impulse buy

Step 3: Song Listening (12 minutes)

Play Cheap Thrills by Sia (G). The song's message is that you don't need money to have a good time, which sets up the need vs want discussion perfectly. Use the Roxxem lesson for gap fills and comprehension questions.

For stronger groups, add If I Had a Million Dollars by Barenaked Ladies (PG). It's a list of everything the singers would buy, all in the second conditional. We wrote a full lesson on it: teaching the second conditional with songs.

Songs for a Black Friday ESL lesson: Cheap Thrills, If I Had a Million Dollars, and First World Problems

Step 4: Black Friday Role-Play (10 minutes)

Set up a pretend store with price tags on the board. One student is the cashier, others are shoppers with a $100 budget. Shoppers must ask about prices, find a deal, and return one item for a refund.

Useful phrases: Is this on sale? How much is this? Can I return this? Do you have a receipt?

Black Friday store role-play for ESL with sale prices, a $100 budget, and useful shopping phrases

Step 5: Live Game (5 minutes)

Close with a live game from the song lesson so students review the vocabulary one more time.

Roxxem Teams mode lobby with students split into teams named Tacos, Paella, and Churros

Discussion Extension

Play First World Problems by Weird Al Yankovic (G), a funny song about complaining over tiny things. Then ask: Is Black Friday about needs or wants? Students answer in two or three sentences.

Needs vs wants discussion chart for a Black Friday ESL lesson

Looking for more songs on this theme? See our list of songs about money for the classroom.

FAQ

How do I teach Black Friday in an ESL class?

Start with what it is, pre-teach shopping vocabulary, then let students use the words in a role-play. Songs help add context and keep energy up.

What shopping vocabulary should ESL students know?

Sale, discount, deal, receipt, refund, checkout, and budget are a strong core set, plus questions like How much is this?

Is this lesson appropriate for middle school?

Yes. Cheap Thrills and First World Problems are rated G on Roxxem, and If I Had a Million Dollars is rated PG.

Skip the Black Friday prep. The songs, questions, and games are ready in Roxxem. Start free.

Black Friday ESL Lesson: Shopping Vocabulary Through Songs