📱 Behind the Screen: How Apps Trick You
Students read an 800+ word article about how social media apps use behavioural psychology techniques to keep users engaged. The text features insights from former Google engineer Tristan Harris and digital wellbeing expert Dr. Nadia Osman, covering dopamine loops, infinite scroll, push notifications and the effects on teenage mental health. The passive voice is naturally embedded throughout as processes and systems are described. Grammar covers present simple and past simple passive formation, when and why to use passive over active, and the role of the agent (by + noun). The interactive game presents 10 active/passive transformation challenges. The writing task asks students to describe how social media works or create school phone rules using the passive.
Lesson Plan
- 3 warm-up questions about phone habits
Key Vocabulary
Grammar Points
- Present simple passive: am/is/are + past participle
- Past simple passive: was/were + past participle
- Use passive when: action > agent, unknown agent, processes/systems
- Agent with 'by': The app was designed BY engineers
- Negative passive: is not / was not + past participle
- Irregular participles: speak-spoken, build-built, steal-stolen, write-written
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