Bring Poland’s sweetest tradition into your classroom
A ready-to-teach Polish lesson on Tłusty Czwartek (Fat Thursday) for A2–B1 learners. Students watch a short video about Ania, learn useful words and phrases for talking about sweets and shopping, then retell the story and discuss why people joke that calories don’t count on Fat Thursday.
From doughnuts to a discussion about Polish traditions
Fat Thursday gives students a chance to explore a Polish tradition and learn language they can use at a bakery or when talking about their favourite treats.
20 words and phrases in context
Polish definitions, synonyms and verb patterns: zaczynać od…, dzielić się…, pączek z…
Students retell the story and share their opinions
Answering questions, retelling the story from video frames and a short creative task.
A ready-to-use lesson plan
The plan has the exercise sequence, timings and tips for A2 and B1 groups.
Everything you need for one or two lessons
Teacher version · 15 pages
All the tasks, an answer key and the video script with a trilingual Polish–Ukrainian–English word list.
words and phrases
With Polish definitions and examples of use.
Student version · 11 pages
A separate PDF with the tasks: print it or open it on screen.
A short video about Ania on YouTube
The lesson is built around a short story. The second part of the video has a word list translated into Ukrainian and English.
Lesson plan in three languages
English, Polish and Ukrainian: choose the language and lesson format that suit you.
From vocabulary to speaking
Synonyms, true / false / not stated, order of events, 11 mistakes in a text, a gap fill, retelling from frames and a mind map.
From new vocabulary to a class discussion
Students move step by step from meeting the vocabulary to speaking freely.
Warm-up
Using the cover, students say what the day is and whether they have a similar tradition.
Vocabulary
20 words and phrases, synonym pairs, replacing words in sentences.
First viewing
True, false or not stated, then the order of events.
Second viewing
Students find 11 mistakes in a text and fill in the gaps.
Speaking
Answering questions, retelling from frames and a creative task.
This is what the lesson looks like
Below are four pages from the student version. Click any of them to see the tasks up close.
From the teacher’s lesson plan
Lesson 1 timing · 90 min
The table shows how long each stage takes and which pages you need. You can teach the material in one lesson or spread it over two.
| Page | Stage | Min |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warm-up using the cover, similar traditions | 10 |
| 3 | Vocabulary, “Warto zapamiętać” | 20 |
| 4 | Ex. 1: word ↔ description | 12 |
| 5 | Ex. 2: synonym pairs | 10 |
| 5 | Ex. 3: replacing a word with a synonym | 10 |
| 6 | Ex. 4: first viewing, P / F / BI | 15 |
| Wrap-up: what Ania does, 3–4 sentences | 13 | |
| Total | 90 |
What else is in the lesson plan
Routes for your group and your time:
- Two lessons: 90 and 60 minutesThe full route: lesson 2 covers the second viewing, the gap fill, retelling from frames and the mind map.
- One 90-minute lessonThe essentials in class, the remaining exercises as homework.
- Adapting to your groupWhat to do with A2 and B1 groups and in one-to-one lessons, including on Zoom.
Also: lesson 2 timing, homework and tips for the exercises. The lesson plan is in English, Polish and Ukrainian.
The same story for two levels
The lesson plan shows how to fit the exercises to your group.
Retelling with a text and sentence starters
Read the text with mistakes aloud first; for retelling there is a frame: Najpierw… Potem… Na końcu…
More independent speaking
Gap fill without the word bank, retelling in the past tense or from a colleague’s point of view, comparison with students’ own traditions.
Who it’s for
For teachers of Polish working with teenagers and adults at A2–B1. The materials work for group, pair and one-to-one lessons, online and in person.
FAQ
How do I get the files?
After payment, five PDFs (teacher version, student version and the lesson plan in English, Polish and Ukrainian) are available to download straight away, and you also get the link by email.
Is paying on BlackSea safe?
Yes. BlackSea is a Ukrainian marketplace for digital products, and payment goes through a secure payment provider. We never see your card details.
Can I print the materials and use them in online lessons?
Yes. The workbook works in print, on screen and when shared on Zoom. On paper, students scan the video QR code with their phones; in the PDF, they simply click it.
Can I teach this lesson at another time of year?
It works best just before Fat Thursday, but the vocabulary of sweets, shopping and the festive atmosphere is useful all year round.
Is this material only for Ukrainian-speaking students?
No. The student workbook is entirely in Polish, and new words are explained in Polish. The video word list is translated into both Ukrainian and English, and the lesson plan is available in English and Polish too.
Can I share the material with my students?
You may send the student version to your own students and groups. Sharing the files outside your groups or reselling them is not allowed.
What if a file won’t open?
Write to us and we’ll fix the technical problem. As this is a digital product, refunds are available in the cases provided for by law.
Get your students talking about Polish traditions
The A2–B1 lesson pack includes a video, vocabulary, exercises, an answer key and a lesson plan.