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accommodation & neighborhood
lesson plan, B1 – B2
In this lesson we are talking about bizarre accommodation from around the world and also about crazy neighbors and your neighborhood pet peeves
PDF-files for the lesson
warm up
Let's discuss
Let's read and check some of them out
Some people DO risk renting bizarre hotels
*Teacher’s notes
All accommodations are taken from these sources:
https://www.cnet.com/pictures/20-crazy-cool-places-on-airbnb/14/
https://capsulenz.com/do/the-weirdest-airbnbs/
You may send the links to your students
This house may be small, but, hey, it has wheels! "[O]ne reasonably fit person can roll it anywhere," the listing says. Dimensions aren't noted, but it's said to fit in the bed of a van, and patrons are warned that spending the night in a green box is "not for regular people."
At $55 a night for the Boston area, however, it sure is priced for regular people.
Smallest house in the world
Father Thomas Wallace liked this space on the grounds of the former St. Patrick's Church in Lewiston, Maine, so much that he -- or, rather his remains -- stayed here for more than 100 years. Is it asking so much for you to give the Hotel Crypt a shot for a night? There's an LCD TV and, natch, "a coffin bed."
"Crypt hotel room -- built in an actual crypt!"
If you're going to stay in a mud hut, then a cozy one is definitely the way to go. This one in Portland, Oregon, is located in the backyard of a private residence. It has heat (wood) and light (candles). If you need more beer, then you may be in luck: The hosts brew their own.
"Cozy mud hut"
Yes, this is a castle -- a seven-bedroom, 19th-century Irish castle located on the banks of the Boro River, and available for about $1,100 a night. Sorry, no Wi-Fi. Or moat.
Wilton Castle
Barbie’s Dreamhouse Airbnb brings the iconic doll’s world to life. The technicolour stay is located in beautiful Malibu, with breathtaking oceanfront views from the mansion.
To celebrate the Barbie film release, the Dreamhouse got a makeover and is now home to all things Ken.
Barbie fans will get the chance to stay in Ken’s cowboy-themed pink room, fit with the character’s iconic wardrobe.
There is also the opportunity to relax by the mesmerising infinity pool and take home a set of yellow-and-pink Impala skates and surfboards as a little souvenir.
Barbie’s Dreamhouse
This fantasy dwelling was inspired by none other than J.R.R. Tolkien’s, The Hobbit.
Equipped with an iconic round door, natural rock walls and beautiful wood beam ceilings, it’s impossible not to experience total enchantment staying in this space.
Whether you are a couple of hardcore LOTR fans or maybe a creative individual seeking solitude to unplug for inspiration, this space will surely deliver!
Secluded Hobbit House
Located in the hills of the Scottish Highlands, you’ll find this cosy tree stump home made to look exactly like Shrek’s swamp house.
The inside of the house looks exactly like Shrek’s does in the film, complete with earwax candles and a green scaly chair.
Of course, it wouldn’t be an ogre’s home without an outhouse – mud bath not included!
Shrek’s Swamp
What do you think about these offers?
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Would you choose any of them? Why? Why not?
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However it's not only the place of living that might be quirky but also the neighbor. Have you ever encountered an oddball neighbor?
What are your neighborhood pet peeves?
Look at the neighborhood pet peeves chart below
Mark each one from 1 to 5 (1-it's not a pet peeve for me, 5 - it drives me nuts)
neighbors who leave their stuff outside the door so you can't get into your apartment
their barking dogs or screaming children
neighbors who are arguing loudly and then making up loudly
neighbors who cook stinky food pretty often
neighbors who drill their walls and your brain all day long
neighbors who chit-chat with you as soon as they see you
neighbors who park their cars in two parking spots
Let's watch
Watch the video and answer the question:
Would you rather prefer neighbor like Mike Taison or a loud music fan? Why?
Let's read
WE ARE GOING TO READ SOME FREAKING STORIES FROM REDDIT.COM ABOUT SOME PECULIAR CASES RELATED TO NEIGHBORS
Can you guess what is the worst case described in here?
SundayMorning Trisha
Underpanty Man. So named because he was always wearing a speedo. Mowing the lawn? Speedo. Getting the mail? Speedo. Petitioning the HOA to allow greater variations in paint colors? Speedo. We aligned politically because he was fighting the good fight for individual rights, but I never had a serious conversation with him.
losneverless
We had some neighbors behind us that lived in a duplex/twin. Creepy Neighbor had lived there for years when nice lady neighbor moved in. Her first morning in her new home she hears from the other side of the bathroom, "I am Beelzebub". Freaked her out. Turns out Creepy Neighbor was a Satanist who was giving him a pep talk from the other side of the wall. Dude drove around in a mini van with all kinds of small Satan-y things mounted to the dashboard. Needless to say Creepy Neighbor was not a great neighbor to her. But he brought us homemade Christmas cookies every year using his family's heirloom recipe.
parrybea
Lady next door to my old house was constantly looking in the windows that faced her side of the house. She wasn't subtle about it, either. She would stand in her driveway and just stare into our windows. One was my bedroom window, the other for a spare room/junk room. She also let her dogs out to charge the fence any time I was out cutting the grass. I learned when the guy who lived on the other side of her got foreclosed on that she hated people living on either side of her. She did not want neighbors, period. Then why the hell did you choose to buy a house in the city?
gangstasss
Lady next door butchered her own chickens threw the heads over the fence, swore at us when we pulled up, once flashed a flashlight at my ex coming home in the dark so he saw her then flipped him off, shook body sized crucifixes at us, put canned food on a grill pointed toward our house, threw rocks or glass at our fence and home and had someone living in a shack in her backyard with an outdoor shower. She may have died, we don't know, all we know is everything stopped and we've never seen her again. We moved before we ever found out.
blumarine
In my case, it's all my neighbours who were acting strangely. You see, I lived in an apartment that I'm also the owner of, and every time I walked pass them I always saw them either naked, half-naked or doing something inappropriate whenever I peek into their windows or suddenly unlock their doors. People these days have no shame.
Vocabulary
Look at the highlighted words in the stories
Try to guess their meaning, then match them with their definitions and check yourself
Have you ever encountered any of these situations in your life?
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What would you do in each case if you were a neighbor of those people?
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Do you think that calling police is a good option or it's better to settle everything by yourself?
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Grammar 🔫
Sometimes neighbors make us regret or feel irritated about something
Our following grammar will teach you how to express these emotions correctly
When we talk about present:
noun + wish + noun + Past Simple
I wish my neighbors were more quiet.
When we talk about past:
noun + wish + noun + Past Perfect
I wish my neighbors had been more quiet last night.
When we are irritated:
noun + wish + noun + would + verb
I wish my neighbor's loudspeakers would explode because I can't stand his music.
Let's practice
Fill out the gaps with the correct form of a verb
  1. I wish our neighbors ____________ (to be) more friendly.
  2. I wish the people next door ____________ (not have) such loud parties every weekend.
  3. I wish my neighbors ____________ (take care) of their garden because it ruins the whole picture of our street.
  4. I wish my neighbor’s dog ____________ (not bark) so much in the morning.
  5. I wish our neighbors ____________ (to have) better parking manners.
  6. I wish my neighbors ____________ (to live) further away from my house.
  7. I wish my neighbors ____________ (not argue) so loudly previous weekends.
  1. I wish our neighbors were (to be) more friendly.
  2. I wish the people next door didn't have (not have) such loud parties every weekend.
  3. I wish my neighbors would take care (take care) of their garden because it ruins the whole picture of our street.
  4. I wish my neighbor’s dog didn't bark/wouldn't bark (not bark) so much in the morning.
  5. I wish our neighbors had (to have) better parking manners.
  6. I wish my neighbors lived (to live) further away from my house.
  7. I wish my neighbors hadn't argued (not argue) so loudly previous weekends.
Let's speak
Write your answers according to the 7 following sentences
Then swap the answers with your partner and try to guess why your partner has written these answers using wish grammar. Your partner may give you a clue, after guessing give each other more details about each answer.
*Teacher’s notes
Send students personal links so they don't see the other person's text

Link for student A.
Link for student B.
  1. a well - known person you wish you could talk to
  2. a new gadget or thing you wish you had
  3. something you wish was improved in your neighborhood
  4. something you wish was legal
  5. a place you wish you visited or had visited
  6. some talent or superability you wish you had
  7. something you wish you hadn't done/told
Student A
  1. something you wish people wouldn't do in public places
  2. something you wish you could afford
  3. a dream job you wish you had had when you were a child
  4. something you wish hadn't been invented
  5. someone you wish you could see more often
  6. city/country or particular place you wish you lived in
  7. something you wish your co-workers wouldn't do
Student B
Let's speak more!
Using new grammar and vocab discuss the following neighbor's whims
Choose one who is ok to be your neighbor and why. Also explain why others don't fit.
a neighbor who builds an unusual structure in their yard
a neighbor who throws strange parties
a neighbor with exotic pets
A neighbor who spies/gossips on others
A neighbor who chit-chat with you all the time
a neighbor who has bizarre habits