Here I am again with another CLILish lesson for 17 year olds whose level of English is around B1 (CEF).



Lesson: What do we know?



1.      In pairs, solve the following popular puzzle.



Once upon a time a farmer went to market and purchased a fox, a goose, and a bag of beans. On his way home, the farmer came to the bank of a river and hired a boat. But in crossing the river by boat, the farmer could carry only himself and a single one of his purchases - the fox, the goose, or the bag of beans.

If left alone, the fox would eat the goose, and the goose would eat the beans.



What type of knowledge did you use to solve the puzzle?




2. Read the following text taken from



Scientific knowledge

The development of the scientific method has made a significant contribution to our understanding of knowledge. To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering observable, empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning. The scientific method consists of the collection of data through observation and experimentation, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses.




For biologists, for example, knowledge must be usefully available to the system, though that system need not be conscious. Thus the criteria seem to be:


*      The knowledge must constitute some sort of representation of "the outside world", or ways of dealing with it (directly or indirectly).

*      There must be some way for the system to access this information quickly enough for it to be useful.



  1. What’s the difference between common knowledge and scientific knowledge?
  2. What’s the role of Epistemology? (you’ve seen this in Spanish already)
  3. Do you agree with ‘knowledge is power’?
  4. What’s the difference between induction and deduction?



    1. Discussion. In small group, discuss the following questions.


  1. We generally divide sciences into two broad groups. Which are they?
  2. Give five examples of each category.
  3. What are the features of each group? What makes them distinctive?
  4. Why do some people say that Natural Sciences are more scientific and factual even truer than Social Sciences?
  5. What’s the difference between rationalism and empiricism?
  6. How do we imagine a typical scientist? Personality? Appearance?
  7. Why is it said that science and feelings are incompatible?
  8. What’s the role of education as regards Science?
  9. How can you ‘murder’ innocence in young learners?
  10. How important is imagination for you? And for scientists?
  11. Are you more logical that imaginative or the opposite?



    1. Browse our sourcebook. What fields or sciences can you spot in the units of this set of worksheets?


    1. Go to ONE of the following links



Based on your reading of the link chosen, create a diagram which summarises the main contents of it. Present it to your classmates.




 This is all for now. Though in fact, the following class we worked on the following song




Q: What connections can you make between the content of it and our topic in this unit?




  Q: How is this teacher portrayed? What’s the criticism here?




Well...see you around.






Goodbye Mr A (The Hoosiers, 2007)


There’s a hole in your logic

You who say all the answers

You claim science ain’t simple

And expect me to buy it


Goodbye Mr A

You promised that you would love us

But you knew so much

Goodbye Mr A

You had all the answers but no human feelings

If life is subtraction your number is up

Your life  is a fraction it’s not adding up


So busy telling me where I’m wrong

You forgot to switch your feelings on

So so important are you not?

You’d love a little bit but you forgot


(repeat chorus)


Goodbye Mr A

The world was full of wonder

Til you uncovered my eyes

Goodbye Mr A

Wish you hadn’t blown my mind

And murdered  the surprise


(repeat chorus)




Dario, many many thanks for a creative piece of ex and a lovely song at the very end! Without doubt I shall put them into practice as soon as possible!)) Good luck! Ivana

Hi Dario,
I am setting up a CLIL of Philosophy in English dealing with Francis Bacon. I'd like to include in the Warm UP phase the puzzle of the farmer, the fox, the goose and the bag of beans but I am lost with the explanation of it, I mean with your question regarding the type of knowledge used to solve it. Could you please help me? 
Best regards

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