Lesson Plan: Your Zodiac Sign

Whether students believe in the Zodiac or not, working with Zodiac sign descriptions provides a great opportunity to widen their vocabulary about personality and characteristic adjectives. Use these Zodiac signs to get students talking about themselves and their friends. You'll all have a good laugh, and students will improve their active vocabulary beyond the standard happy, funny, sad, and lucky.

Aim: Improve personality adjectives vocabulary

Activity: Reflections on yourself and a friend

Level: Upper Intermediate to Advanced

Zodiac Sign Lesson Outline

• Make sure the students have access to a good dictionary.
• Cut the Zodiac sheet up into strips and pass them out based on their birth dates.
• Ask students to find their own Zodiac sign and read through the description making sure they understand every descriptive adjective or phrase provided on the sheet.
• Once students understand the adjectives, they are asked (on the worksheet) to choose three traits they agree with and two they disagree with. Students should provide a reason and/or an example for each of these chosen traits.
• Have students share their descriptive adjectives with each other in a group discussion, citing the reasons why they agree or disagree with their chosen traits.
• Ask students to pair up, this time distribute strips based on the birthday of the student's partner.
• Repeat exercise.

The Zodiac Signs

To create a zodiac sign lesson, it's important to first review what the zodiac signs are and what they represent in terms of positive and negative features. Additionally, two suggested lesson questions are listed under each sign.

Aries / March 21 - April 20

Aries is the first sign of the Zodiac and is associated with fresh vigor and new beginnings. Individuals born under this sign are said to have an enthusiastic, adventurous, aggressive, humorous, passionate, and pioneering character but one which is also prone to selfishness, boastfulness, intolerance, impulsiveness, and impatience.

Positive

Adventurous and energetic
Pioneering and courageous
Enthusiastic and confident
Dynamic and quick-witted

Negative

Selfish and quick-tempered
Impulsive and impatient
Foolhardy and daredevil

Which three traits do you think are true about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am:
• I am:
• I am:

Which two traits do you think are false about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am not:
• I am not:

Taurus / April 21 - May 20

Taurus is the second sign of the Zodiac and associated with material pleasure. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a calm, patient, reliable, loyal, affectionate, sensuous, ambitious, and determined character, but one which is also prone to hedonism, laziness, inflexibility, jealousy, and antipathy. In terms of anatomy,

Positive

Patient and reliable
Warmhearted and loving
Persistent and determined
Placid and security loving

Negative

Jealous and possessive
Resentful and inflexible
Self-indulgent and greedy

Which three traits do you think are true about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am:
• I am:
• I am:

Which two traits do you think are false about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am not:
• I am not:

Gemini / May 21 - June 21

Gemini is the third sign of the Zodiac and associated with youth and versatility. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a sociable, fun-loving, versatile, lively, communicative, liberal, intelligent, mentally active and friendly character but one which is also prone to moodiness, inconsistency, superficiality, restlessness , and laziness.

Positive

Adaptable and versatile
Communicative and witty
Intellectual and eloquent
Youthful and lively

Negative

Nervous and tense
Superficial and inconsistent
Cunning and inquisitive

Which three traits do you think are true about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am:
• I am:
• I am:

Which two traits do you think are false about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am not:
• I am not:

Cancer / June 22 - July 22

Cancer is the fourth sign of the Zodiac and associated with family and domesticity. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a kind, emotional, romantic, imaginative, sympathetic, nurturing, and intuitive character, but one which is also prone to changeability, moodiness, hypersensitivity, depression, and clinginess.

Positive

Emotional and loving
Intuitive and imaginative
Shrewd and cautious
Protective and sympathetic

Negative

Changeable and moody
Overemotional and touchy
Clinging and unable to let go

Which three traits do you think are true about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am:
• I am:
• I am:

Which two traits do you think are false about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am not:
• I am not:

Leo / July 23 - August 22

Leo is the fifth sign of the Zodiac and is associated with the keywords magnanimous, generous, hospitable, caring, warm, authoritative, active and open. Leos are typically pictured as very dignified and regal. They are hard-working, ambitious and enthusiastic, however, they are prone to laziness and can often take "the easy way out." They are known to be exuberant, extroverted, generous with a natural dramatic flair and very creative. They are typically very self-assured and love taking center-stage in every arena.

Positive

Generous and warmhearted
Creative and enthusiastic
Broad-minded and expansive
Faithful and loving

Negative

Pompous and patronizing
Bossy and interfering
Dogmatic and intolerant

Which three traits do you think are true about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am:
• I am:
• I am:

Which two traits do you think are false about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am not:
• I am not:

Virgo / August 23 - September 22

Virgo is the sixth sign of the Zodiac, a set of astrological signs, and associated with purity and service. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a diligent, analytical, self-sufficient, controlled, orderly, and modest character but one which is also prone to fussiness, perfectionism, harsh criticism, coldness, and hypochondria.

Positive

Modest and shy
Meticulous and reliable
Practical and diligent
Intelligent and analytical

Negative

Fussy and a worrier
Overcritical and harsh
Perfectionist and conservative

Which three traits do you think are true about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am:
• I am:
• I am:

Which two traits do you think are false about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am not:
• I am not:

Libra/ September 23 - October 22

Libra is the seventh sign of the Zodiac and associated with justice. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a pleasant, articulate, charming, charismatic, fair, artistic, social, refined, diplomatic, even-tempered and self-sufficient character, but on the negative side, are also thought to be indecisive, flirtatious, extravagant, lazy, analytical, frivolous, impatient, envious, shallow, aloof, and quarrelsome.

Positive

Diplomatic and urbane
Romantic and charming
Easygoing and sociable
Idealistic and peaceable

Negative

Indecisive and changeable
Gullible and easily influenced
Flirtatious and self-indulgent

Which three traits do you think are true about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am:
• I am:
• I am:

Which two traits do you think are false about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am not:
• I am not:

Scorpio / October 23 - November 21

Scorpio is the eighth sign of the Zodiac and associated with intensity, passion, and power. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a complex, analytical, patient, keenly perceptive, inquisitive, focused, determined, hypnotic, and self-contained character, but one which is also prone to extremity, jealousy, envy, secretiveness, possessiveness, cruelty and cunning. In terms of anatomy,

Positive

Determined and forceful
Emotional and intuitive
Powerful and passionate
Exciting and magnetic

Negative

Jealous and resentful
Compulsive and obsessive
Secretive and obstinate

Which three traits do you think are true about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am:
• I am:
• I am:

Which two traits do you think are false about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am not:
• I am not:

Sagittarius / November 22 - December 21

Sagittarius is the ninth sign of the Zodiac and associated with travel and expansion. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a straightforward, dynamic, highly intelligent, extremely clever, ethical, humorous, generous, open-hearted, compassionate, and energetic character, but one which is also prone to restlessness, impulsiveness, impatience, recklessness, and childishness.

Positive

Optimistic and freedom-loving
Jovial and good-humored
Honest and straightforward
Intellectual and philosophical

Negative

Blindly optimistic and careless
Irresponsible and superficial
Tactless and restless

Which three traits do you think are true about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am:
• I am:
• I am:

Which two traits do you think are false about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am not:
• I am not:

Capricorn / December 22 - January 19

Capricorn is the tenth sign of the Zodiac and associated with hard work and business affairs. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have an ambitious, modest, patient, responsible, stable, trustworthy, powerful, intellectual, perspicacious and persistent character but one which is also prone to coldness, conservatism, rigidity, materialism, and dullness.

Positive

Practical and prudent
Ambitious and disciplined
Patient and careful
Humorous and reserved

Negative

Pessimistic and fatalistic
Miserly and grudging

Which three traits do you think are true about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am:
• I am:
• I am:

Which two traits do you think are false about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am not:
• I am not:

Aquarius / January 20 - February 18

Aquarius is the eleventh sign of the Zodiac and associated with future ideas and the unusual. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a modest, creative, challenging, inquisitive, entertaining, progressive, stimulating, nocturnal, and independent character, but one which is also prone to rebelliousness, coldness, erraticism, indecisive, and impracticality.

Positive

Friendly and humanitarian
Honest and loyal
Original and inventive
Independent and intellectual

Negative

Intractable and contrary
Perverse and unpredictable
Unemotional and detached

Which three traits do you think are true about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am:
• I am:
• I am:

Which two traits do you think are false about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am not:
• I am not:

Pisces / February 19 - March 20

Pisces is the twelfth and last sign of the Zodiac and associated with human emotions. Individuals born under this sign are thought to be tolerant, modest, dreamy, romantic, humorous, generous, emotional, receptive, affectionate, and have an honest character, but are also prone to exaggeration, fickleness, passiveness, hypersensitivity, and paranoia.

Positive

Imaginative and sensitive
Compassionate and kind
Selfless and unworldly
Intuitive and sympathetic

Negative

Escapist and idealistic
Secretive and vague
Weak-willed and easily led

Which three traits do you think are true about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am:
• I am:
• I am:

Which two traits do you think are false about you? Please list and give a reason for each.

• I am not:
• I am not:

This exercise is based on the Zodiac resource page at Wikipedia.