In the Surrey Hills, there is a special farm that helps kids feel better. At Pondtail Farm, kids do fun things like taking care of cows and building homes for animals. This helps them feel happier and less worried. A girl named Katie says the farm makes kids feel more confident. Ronnie, a 17-year-old, loves being outside with the animals and says it feels like “heaven on earth.”

The farm also helps the kids’ families feel better. Kids learn new things like collecting eggs and taking care of cows. Some kids even want to work on farms when they grow up. The farm helps kids who feel sad or worried feel better by being in nature. The project got money to help it keep going. Kids like Thea and Bethany are happy and learn a lot from being on the farm.

Original news source: Helping on the farm reaps mental health benefits (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– CHARADES
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns acting out different activities mentioned in the article, such as “taking care of cows” or “collecting eggs,” without speaking. The other groups will guess the activity.

– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Ask students if they think spending time with animals can help people feel better. Students will walk around the classroom and ask their classmates for their opinions. Afterward, they will share their findings with the class.

– VOCABULARY PICTIONARY
Instructions: Write key vocabulary words from the article (like “farm,” “cows,” “happy,” “confident”) on the board. Students will take turns drawing one word while the rest of the class guesses what it is.

– THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Instructions: Have students think about a time they felt happy outside. They will then pair up with a partner to share their experiences and finally share with the class what they talked about.

– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: Students will work in pairs to create a catchy headline for the article. They will then share their headlines with the class, discussing why they chose those words.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Where is Pondtail Farm located?
2. What do kids do with cows at the farm?
3. How does the farm make kids feel?
4. Who is Katie?
5. What does Ronnie say about being outside with the animals?
6. What do kids learn to do at the farm?
7. How do kids like Thea and Bethany feel about the farm?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In the Surrey Hills, there is a special farm that (1)______ kids feel better. At Pondtail (2)______, kids do fun things like taking care of cows and building homes for animals. This helps them feel happier and less worried. A girl named Katie says the farm makes kids (3)______ more confident. Ronnie, a 17-year-old, (4)______ being outside with the animals and says it feels like “heaven on earth.”

The farm also helps the kids’ families feel better. Kids learn new things like collecting eggs and taking (5)______ of cows. Some kids even (6)______ to work on farms when they grow up. The farm (7)______s kids who feel sad or worried feel better by being in nature. The project got money to help it (8)______ going. Kids like Thea and Bethany are happy and learn a lot from being on the farm.
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💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your favorite animal?
2. How would you feel if you could play with cows?
3. Do you like being outside? Why?
4. What is a farm?
5. How do you feel when you help others?
6. Do you think animals can make us happy? Why or why not?
7. What is your favorite thing to do outside?
8. How would you feel if you had to take care of animals every day?
9. Do you like to learn new things? Why?
10. What is a fun thing you did recently?
11. Do you think it is important to help kids feel better? Why?
12. How would you feel if you worked on a farm when you grow up?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. farm
2. confident
3. project
4. nature
5. families
6. collecting
7. worried
8. heaven
9. grow
10. money

Meanings:
(A) A very happy place
(B) Everything outside, like trees and animals
(C) Coins and paper you use to buy things
(D) Feeling scared or nervous about something
(E) To get bigger or older
(F) People who live together, like moms, dads, and kids
(G) A plan or activity that people work on together
(H) A place where animals and plants are raised
(I) Getting things together, like eggs or toys
(J) Feeling sure about yourself
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Where is the special farm?
(a) London
(b) Paris
(c) Surrey Hills
(d) New York

2. What do kids do at Pondtail Farm?
(a) Take care of cows
(b) Play video games
(c) Watch TV
(d) Go shopping

3. Who says the farm helps kids feel confident?
(a) Katie
(b) Ronnie
(c) Thea
(d) Bethany

4. How old is Ronnie?
(a) 10 years old
(b) 20 years old
(c) 17 years old
(d) 15 years old

5. What do kids learn to collect on the farm?
(a) Flowers
(b) Eggs
(c) Rocks
(d) Leaves

6. What helps kids feel better at the farm?
(a) Eating candy
(b) Playing games
(c) Watching movies
(d) Being in nature

7. What do some kids want to do when they grow up?
(a) Be doctors
(b) Work on farms
(c) Fly planes
(d) Drive cars

8. Who are happy and learn a lot from the farm?
(a) Katie and Ronnie
(b) Mom and Dad
(c) Teachers and friends
(d) Thea and Bethany

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. A girl named Katie claims the farm boosts kids’ self-esteem.
2. Kids look after horses at the farm.
3. Kids go to the farm to feel better.
4. A boy named Ronnie loves being outside with the animals.
5. The farm helps kids learn new things.
6. There is a ranch in the Surrey Hills.
7. Some kids want to work on farms when they grow up.
8. The farm is named Pondtail Ranch.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
Check your answers with our free English writing assistant!

1. What do kids do at Pondtail Farm?
2. How does the farm help kids feel better?
3. Who is Katie and what does she say about the farm?
4. What do some kids want to do when they grow up?
5. Why are Thea and Bethany happy at the farm?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Where is Pondtail Farm located?
Pondtail Farm is in the Surrey Hills.

2. What do kids do with cows at the farm?
Kids take care of cows at the farm.

3. How does the farm make kids feel?
The farm makes kids feel happier and less worried.

4. Who is Katie?
Katie is a girl who says the farm helps kids feel more confident.

5. What does Ronnie say about being outside with the animals?
Ronnie says being outside with the animals feels like “heaven on earth.”

6. What do kids learn to do at the farm?
Kids learn to collect eggs and take care of cows.

7. How do kids like Thea and Bethany feel about the farm?
Thea and Bethany feel happy and learn a lot at the farm.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) helps
(2) Farm
(3) feel
(4) loves
(5) care
(6) want
(7) help
(8) keep
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. farm
Answer: (H) A place where animals and plants are raised

2. confident
Answer: (J) Feeling sure about yourself

3. project
Answer: (G) A plan or activity that people work on together

4. nature
Answer: (B) Everything outside, like trees and animals

5. families
Answer: (F) People who live together, like moms, dads, and kids

6. collecting
Answer: (I) Getting things together, like eggs or toys

7. worried
Answer: (D) Feeling scared or nervous about something

8. heaven
Answer: (A) A very happy place

9. grow
Answer: (E) To get bigger or older

10. money
Answer: (C) Coins and paper you use to buy things
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Where is the special farm?
Answer: (c) Surrey Hills

2. What do kids do at Pondtail Farm?
Answer: (a) Take care of cows

3. Who says the farm helps kids feel confident?
Answer: (a) Katie

4. How old is Ronnie?
Answer: (c) 17 years old

5. What do kids learn to collect on the farm?
Answer: (b) Eggs

6. What helps kids feel better at the farm?
Answer: (d) Being in nature

7. What do some kids want to do when they grow up?
Answer: (b) Work on farms

8. Who are happy and learn a lot from the farm?
Answer: (d) Thea and Bethany
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. A girl named Katie claims the farm boosts kids’ self-esteem. (Answer: False)
2. Kids look after horses at the farm. (Answer: False)
3. Kids go to the farm to feel better. (Answer: True)
4. A boy named Ronnie loves being outside with the animals. (Answer: True)
5. The farm helps kids learn new things. (Answer: True)
6. There is a ranch in the Surrey Hills. (Answer: False)
7. Some kids want to work on farms when they grow up. (Answer: True)
8. The farm is named Pondtail Ranch. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧