Scientists at a place called the University of Nottingham and a company called The Good Pulse Company made a new kind of cheese from yellow split peas. This cheese, named “Cheese from Peas,” has more protein than other vegan cheeses, which are usually made from coconut oil and don’t have a lot of protein. The scientists made the cheese by grinding the peas into a flour, then mixing the flour with water and cooking it to make the cheese.
The scientists say their cheese is good for people and the Earth. Peas are better for the Earth than milk and cheese, and they help the soil too. The Good Pulse Company will only use peas grown in the UK. They got money from a group called Innovate UK and want to work with a UK cheese company to sell their cheese. The cheese tastes like cheddar cheese and is good for people who want to eat healthy food and more peas. The cheese has a little protein now, but the scientists want to make it have more protein.
Original news source: Could cheese made from peas be a healthy alternative for vegans? (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a set of cards with words related to the article (e.g. cheese, peas, vegan, protein, flour). One student from each group will act out the word without speaking, while the rest of the group tries to guess the word.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a word related to the article (e.g. cheese, peas, vegan, protein, flour). One student will draw a picture to represent the word, while the other student tries to guess the word. Students can take turns being the drawer and the guesser.
– Word Association
Instructions: Write the word “cheese” on the board. Ask students to brainstorm and write down as many words as they can think of that are related to cheese. Then, ask students to choose one of the words and write down more words that are related to the chosen word. Encourage students to share their associations with the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Ask students to form small groups. Give each group a set of statements related to the article (e.g. “Cheese made from peas is a good alternative to traditional cheese”, “Peas are better for the Earth than milk and cheese”). Students discuss the statements in their groups and decide whether they agree or disagree. Then, have each group share their opinions with the class.
– Headline Creation
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Ask each pair to create a catchy headline for an article about “Cheese from Peas”. Encourage students to use their imagination and think of creative, attention-grabbing headlines. After a few minutes, have pairs share their headlines with the class and discuss why they chose their particular headline.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What did the scientists make the cheese from?
2. Why is this cheese different from other vegan cheeses?
3. How did the scientists make the cheese?
4. Why do the scientists say their cheese is good for people and the Earth?
5. Where will The Good Pulse Company get their peas from?
6. What does the cheese taste like?
7. What do the scientists want to do to the cheese in the future?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Scientists at a place called the University of Nottingham and a company called The Good Pulse Company made a new kind of cheese from yellow split peas. This cheese, named “Cheese from Peas,” has more (1)______ than (2)______ vegan cheeses, which are usually made from coconut oil and don’t have a lot of protein. The scientists made the cheese by (3)______ the peas into a flour, then mixing the flour with (4)______ and cooking it to make the cheese.
The scientists say their cheese is good for people and the Earth. Peas are better for the Earth than milk and cheese, and they help the soil too. The Good Pulse Company will only use peas (5)______ in the UK. They got money from a (6)______ called Innovate UK and want to work with a UK cheese company to sell their cheese. The cheese (7)______ like cheddar cheese and is good for (8)______ who want to eat healthy food and more peas. The cheese has a little protein now, but the scientists want to make it have more protein.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is vegan cheese made from?
2. How is Cheese from Peas different from other vegan cheeses?
3. Do you like cheese made from peas? Why or why not?
4. How do peas help the Earth?
5. Have you ever eaten food made from peas? How did it taste?
6. Do you think Cheese from Peas is a healthy food? Why or why not?
7. What other foods do you like that have a lot of protein?
8. How do you think the scientists made the cheese from peas?
9. Would you like to try making cheese from peas at home? Why or why not?
10. How would you feel if you could only eat cheese made from peas instead of regular cheese? Why?
11. Do you think Cheese from Peas will become popular? Why or why not?
12. If you had the chance, would you try Cheese from Peas? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. cheese
2. peas
3. protein
4. vegan
5. coconut oil
6. flour
7. Earth
8. cheddar cheese
Meanings:
(a) A type of oil that comes from coconuts
(b) The planet we live on
(c) Something that helps your body grow strong
(d) Small, round, green vegetables that you can eat
(e) A powder made from grinding up a type of grain
(f) A type of cheese that is yellow and tastes strong
(g) A type of food that is made from milk
(h) Food that is made without any animal products
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What is the name of the new cheese made from yellow split peas?
(a) Coconut Cheese
(b) Cheddar Cheese
(c) Cheese from Peas
(d) Milk Cheese
2. Why is the new cheese good for people and the Earth?
(a) It tastes like cheddar cheese.
(b) Peas are better for the Earth than milk and cheese.
(c) It has more protein than other vegan cheeses.
(d) It is made from coconut oil.
3. How did the scientists make the cheese?
(a) By grinding the peas into a flour, mixing it with water, and cooking it.
(b) By using coconut oil and milk.
(c) By growing peas in the UK.
(d) By working with a cheese company.
4. Where will The Good Pulse Company get their peas from?
(a) Peas grown in the US.
(b) Peas grown in China.
(c) Peas grown in France.
(d) Peas grown in the UK.
5. What does the cheese taste like?
(a) Coconut cheese
(b) Milk cheese
(c) Cheddar cheese
(d) Pea cheese
6. What group gave money to The Good Pulse Company?
(a) University of Nottingham
(b) Innovate UK
(c) The Good Pulse Company
(d) A UK cheese company
7. What do the scientists want to do with the cheese?
(a) Sell it in the UK.
(b) Sell it in other countries.
(c) Make it taste like coconut.
(d) Make it have more protein.
8. What are vegan cheeses usually made from?
(a) Coconut oil
(b) Yellow split peas
(c) Cheddar cheese
(d) Milk and cheese
True or False Questions:
1. Scientists made a new kind of cheese from yellow split peas.
2. Peas are worse for the Earth than milk and cheese.
3. The scientists ground the peas into a flour to make the cheese.
4. This cheese has the same amount of protein as other vegan cheeses.
5. The scientists don’t want to work with a UK cheese company to sell their cheese.
6. The Good Pulse Company will only use peas grown in the UK.
7. Vegan cheeses are usually made from coconut oil and have a lot of protein.
8. The cheese tastes like cheddar cheese and is good for people who want to eat healthy food.
Go to answers ⇩
Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. What is the new kind of cheese made from?
2. How is this cheese different from other vegan cheeses?
3. How did the scientists make the cheese?
4. Why do the scientists say their cheese is good for people and the Earth?
5. What do the scientists want to do to make the cheese have more protein?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. What did the scientists make the cheese from?
The scientists made the cheese from yellow split peas.
2. Why is this cheese different from other vegan cheeses?
This cheese is different because it has more protein than other vegan cheeses.
3. How did the scientists make the cheese?
The scientists made the cheese by grinding the peas into a flour, mixing it with water, and cooking it.
4. Why do the scientists say their cheese is good for people and the Earth?
The scientists say their cheese is good because peas are better for the Earth than milk and cheese, and they help the soil too.
5. Where will The Good Pulse Company get their peas from?
The Good Pulse Company will get their peas from the UK.
6. What does the cheese taste like?
The cheese tastes like cheddar cheese.
7. What do the scientists want to do to the cheese in the future?
The scientists want to make the cheese have more protein in the future.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) protein
(2) other
(3) grinding
(4) water
(5) grown
(6) group
(7) tastes
(8) people
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. cheese
Answer: (g) A type of food that is made from milk
2. peas
Answer: (d) Small, round, green vegetables that you can eat
3. protein
Answer: (c) Something that helps your body grow strong
4. vegan
Answer: (h) Food that is made without any animal products
5. coconut oil
Answer: (a) A type of oil that comes from coconuts
6. flour
Answer: (e) A powder made from grinding up a type of grain
7. Earth
Answer: (b) The planet we live on
8. cheddar cheese
Answer: (f) A type of cheese that is yellow and tastes strong
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What is the name of the new cheese made from yellow split peas?
Answer: (c) Cheese from Peas
2. Why is the new cheese good for people and the Earth?
Answer: (b) Peas are better for the Earth than milk and cheese.
3. How did the scientists make the cheese?
Answer: (a) By grinding the peas into a flour, mixing it with water, and cooking it.
4. Where will The Good Pulse Company get their peas from?
Answer: (d) Peas grown in the UK.
5. What does the cheese taste like?
Answer: (c) Cheddar cheese
6. What group gave money to The Good Pulse Company?
Answer: (b) Innovate UK
7. What do the scientists want to do with the cheese?
Answer: (d) Make it have more protein.
8. What are vegan cheeses usually made from?
Answer: (a) Coconut oil
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Scientists made a new kind of cheese from yellow split peas. (Answer: True)
2. Peas are worse for the Earth than milk and cheese. (Answer: False)
3. The scientists ground the peas into a flour to make the cheese. (Answer: True)
4. This cheese has the same amount of protein as other vegan cheeses. (Answer: False)
5. The scientists don’t want to work with a UK cheese company to sell their cheese. (Answer: False)
6. The Good Pulse Company will only use peas grown in the UK. (Answer: True)
7. Vegan cheeses are usually made from coconut oil and have a lot of protein. (Answer: False)
8. The cheese tastes like cheddar cheese and is good for people who want to eat healthy food. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧
