The Universe and the Future: Life in 2050
Make predictions about how life will be different in 2050, at home, at school and in space, and say how you feel about these changes.
- Time
- 30 min
- Length
- 130-160 words
Writadia · B1 · Articles
NameClassDate
The situation
Your school magazine is preparing a special issue called "2050". Students write their predictions about the future.
Your task
Write an article with your predictions. Include:
- at least one prediction about daily life
- at least one about school or work
- at least one about space
- how you feel about the future
Writing toolkit
Open these only when you need them. Try the first draft on your own.
Plan it in steps
- Use will, might and probably for different levels of certainty.
- Give one reason for each prediction.
- Organise by topic: daily life, school, space.
- Finish with your feelings: hopeful, worried, excited?
Useful phrases
Predictions
Reasons
Feelings
Tap a phrase to add it to your text. Gaps (…) are selected so you can type over them.
Vocabulary
- prediction
- what you think will happenHere are my predictions.
- space tourism
- travelling to space for a holidaySpace tourism will be popular.
- artificial intelligence
- computers that can think and learnAI will help teachers.
- colony
- a place where people live far from homea colony on Mars
Model answer (135 words)
Read it after you’ve written your own version. Notice the highlighted parts. The numbers explain why they work.
2050: My Predictions
In 2050, daily life will probably be quieter, because most cars will be electric.1 Robots might do a lot of the housework, so people will have more free time.
School will be very different too. I think students will learn with AI tutors at home some days and meet at school on others.2 However, I don't think teachers will disappear, because people learn best from other people.
The biggest change might be in space. Space tourism is already starting, so by 2050 a trip to the Moon might cost the same as a long holiday today. We might even have a small colony on Mars.3
I'm excited about the future, but I'm also a little worried. I hope we will use new technology to protect our planet, not only to leave it.
- A prediction with "probably" + a reason.
- A school prediction.
- "Might" for less certain predictions.
Teacher notes
Theme link: Life in the Universe & Future (Theme 8).
Certainty line: draw a line from "certain" to "not sure" on the board and place will, will probably, might, I don't think... will.
Extra challenge
Write a short postcard from a holiday on the Moon in 2050.
Lesson plan
- 5 minWarm-up
Show the situation on the classroom screen and ask: “What would you write in this situation?” Take two or three quick answers.
- 10 minWord pool
Open “Word pool” on the classroom screen. Students make one sentence each with: prediction, space tourism, artificial intelligence, colony.
- 12 minModel text
Reveal the model sentence by sentence in “Model text” mode. At each sentence ask: “What job does this sentence do?” Write these phrases on the board: “In 2050, people will probably ...”, “I think robots will ...”, “We might even ...”.
- 38 minWriting
Start the timer. Students write their own text; anyone stuck can use the plan in the toolkit. (130-160 words)
- 10 minPeer review
Students swap texts and fill in the peer-review sheet.
- 5 minWrap-up
Set the extra challenge as homework.
The task’s own teacher notes give extra ideas for the warm-up and focus.
Assessment rubric
| Criterion | 4 · Excellent | 3 · Good | 2 · Developing | 1 · Beginning | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task and content | All points covered in detail; purpose and reader clear. | All points there, one is thin. | One point missing or some off-topic content. | Task mostly not met. | |
| Organisation and flow | Clear paragraphs; varied linking words. | Paragraphs present; linkers repetitive. | No paragraphs or jumpy flow. | Ideas scattered. | |
| Vocabulary | Topic-specific, varied vocabulary. | Adequate; some repetition. | Limited; some wrong word choices. | Very limited. | |
| Grammar and accuracy | Range of structures, few errors. | Some errors, meaning clear. | Frequent errors affect meaning. | Errors block understanding. | |
| Total | / 16 | ||||
Each criterion scores 1–4 (total 16). Use the task checklist below to tick what the student actually did.
Task checklist
- I made predictions about daily life, school and space.
- I used will, might and probably.
- I gave reasons.
- I said how I feel.
Teacher comment
Peer-review sheet
Students swap texts and give each other feedback with this sheet.
Before you finish
Before you finish
- I made predictions about daily life, school and space.
- I used will, might and probably.
- I gave reasons.
- I said how I feel.
Writadia · B1 · Articles
Assessment rubric: The Universe and the Future: Life in 2050
| Criterion | 4 · Excellent | 3 · Good | 2 · Developing | 1 · Beginning | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task and content | All points covered in detail; purpose and reader clear. | All points there, one is thin. | One point missing or some off-topic content. | Task mostly not met. | |
| Organisation and flow | Clear paragraphs; varied linking words. | Paragraphs present; linkers repetitive. | No paragraphs or jumpy flow. | Ideas scattered. | |
| Vocabulary | Topic-specific, varied vocabulary. | Adequate; some repetition. | Limited; some wrong word choices. | Very limited. | |
| Grammar and accuracy | Range of structures, few errors. | Some errors, meaning clear. | Frequent errors affect meaning. | Errors block understanding. | |
| Total | / 16 | ||||
Each criterion scores 1–4 (total 16). Use the task checklist below to tick what the student actually did.
Task checklist
- I made predictions about daily life, school and space.
- I used will, might and probably.
- I gave reasons.
- I said how I feel.
Teacher comment
Writadia · B1 · Articles
Peer-review sheet: The Universe and the Future: Life in 2050
WriterReviewer
Read your partner’s text carefully. Be kind and specific: say why, not just “good”.
Task checklist
| Yes | Partly | No | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I made predictions about daily life, school and space. | |||
| I used will, might and probably. | |||
| I gave reasons. | |||
| I said how I feel. |
Questions
- Does the text cover every point in the task?
- Are there paragraphs? What is each one about?
- Write two linking words the writer used.
- Is there a sentence you had to read twice?
Two stars and a wish
★ Something I liked
★ Another thing I liked
→ One suggestion
Writadia · B1 · Articles
Lesson plan: The Universe and the Future: Life in 2050
- 5 minWarm-up
Show the situation on the classroom screen and ask: “What would you write in this situation?” Take two or three quick answers.
- 10 minWord pool
Open “Word pool” on the classroom screen. Students make one sentence each with: prediction, space tourism, artificial intelligence, colony.
- 12 minModel text
Reveal the model sentence by sentence in “Model text” mode. At each sentence ask: “What job does this sentence do?” Write these phrases on the board: “In 2050, people will probably ...”, “I think robots will ...”, “We might even ...”.
- 38 minWriting
Start the timer. Students write their own text; anyone stuck can use the plan in the toolkit. (130-160 words)
- 10 minPeer review
Students swap texts and fill in the peer-review sheet.
- 5 minWrap-up
Set the extra challenge as homework.
The task’s own teacher notes give extra ideas for the warm-up and focus.
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