ESLSongs

Practice the topic of “nature” in your ESL class with this song, Feeling Good by Nina Simone.

This song’s lyrics contain the following 15 nature-related vocabulary words: birds, sun, sky, breeze, dawn, fish, sea, river, blossom, tree, dragonfly, butterfly, world, stars & pine. It is also appropriate for beginners.

There is a suggestion on how to use this song in your ESL classes below, but for more ideas, click here.

Lyrics

Birds flying high, you know how I feel
Sun in the sky, you know how I feel
Breeze drifting on by, you know how I feel

It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
For me
And I’m feeling good
I’m feeling good

Fish in the sea, you know how I feel
River running free, you know how I feel
Blossom on a tree, you know how I feel

It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
For me
And I’m feeling good

Dragonfly out in the sun, you know what I mean, don’t you know
Butterflies all having fun, you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when day is done, that’s what I mean
And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me

Stars when you shine, you know how I feel
Scent of the pine, you know how I feel
Oh, freedom is mine, and I know how I feel

It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life
For me

And I’m feeling good
I’m feeling good
I feel so good
I feel so good

Suggested activity: identify the examples of “going to”

Download this exercise (PDF)

Listen to the song. Put the nature-related vocabulary on the list into the correct gaps: birds, blossom, breeze, butterflies, dragonfly, dawn (x3), day (x3), fish, life (x3), river, sea, sky, stars, sun, tree & world.

¹__________ flying high, you know how I feel
²__________ in the ³__________, you know how I feel
⁴__________ drifting on by, you know how I feel

It’s a new ⁵__________, It’s a new ⁶__________, it’s a new ⁷__________
For me
And I’m feeling good
I’m feeling good

⁸__________ in the ⁹__________, you know how I feel
¹⁰__________ running free, you know how I feel
¹¹__________ on a ¹²__________, you know how I feel

It’s a new ¹³__________, It’s a new ¹⁴__________, it’s a new ¹⁵__________
For me
And I’m feeling good

¹⁶__________ out in the sun, you know what I mean, don’t you know
¹⁷__________ all having fun, you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when day is done, that’s what I mean
And this old world is a new world
And a bold ¹⁸__________
For me

¹⁹__________ when you shine, you know how I feel
Scent of the pine, you know how I feel
Oh, freedom is mine, and I know how I feel

It’s a new ²⁰__________, It’s a new ²¹__________, it’s a new ²²__________
For me

And I’m feeling good
I’m feeling good
I feel so good, I feel so good

Nina Simone

Nina Simone was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, composer, arranger and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, and pop. In 2023 Rolling Stone ranked Simone at No. 21 on their list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.