Scientists have found that there might be more lightning in the future because of the Earth getting warmer. This could start more fires in big forests where it’s usually cold. These forests are important because they help keep the Earth cool by holding onto a gas called carbon. This summer, a lot of fires burned in Canada’s forests because of lightning.
The scientists used computers to make a map that shows where forest fires start. They found that lightning starts most of the fires in these big forests. If there are more lightning strikes, there could be more fires. This would make the Earth even warmer and cause more storms and lightning. This is bad because these forests keep a lot of carbon that we don’t want in the air.
The big fires in Canada show that we need to do something about the Earth getting warmer. We need to make less gas that makes the Earth warm. It’s hard to stop fires started by lightning. The scientists say we need to work hard to keep these forests safe and fight against the Earth getting warmer.
Original news source: Lightning fires threaten planet-cooling forests (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Students will work in pairs to summarize the article in their own words, aiming to condense the information into three sentences. Each pair will then share their summary with the class, and the teacher will highlight the key points mentioned.
– Sketch It
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Assign each group a different part of the article (e.g., the cause of fires, the importance of forests, solutions to global warming). Each group will create a simple sketch or series of sketches to represent their assigned part without using words. Afterwards, they will present their sketches to the class, which will guess what aspect of the article is being depicted.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements about the article’s content, such as “The increase in lightning is a serious concern for our forests” or “We can significantly reduce the impact of global warming.” Students will move around the room and sign their names under “Agree” or “Disagree” for each statement. Discuss the results as a class and encourage students to explain their opinions.
– Keyword Taboo
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary from the article (e.g., lightning, forests, carbon, global warming). One student comes to the front of the class and tries to describe the word to their classmates without saying the actual word or using a list of related taboo words. The rest of the class tries to guess the word.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to imagine the Earth in 50 years if the article’s predictions come true. In small groups, they discuss and write down what they think will happen to the planet, focusing on weather, environment, and human life. Each group will then share their predictions with the class, and a discussion can follow about what can be done now to prevent these future scenarios.
Comprehension Questions:
1. Why might there be more lightning in the future?
2. What do the big forests do to help keep the Earth cool?
3. What happened in Canada’s forests this summer?
4. How did scientists find out where forest fires start?
5. What can happen if there are more forest fires?
6. Why are the big fires in Canada a warning?
7. What do scientists say we need to do to keep the forests safe?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Scientists have found that there might be more (1)______ in the future because of the Earth getting warmer. This could start more fires in big (2)______ where it’s usually cold. These forests are (3)______ because they help keep the Earth cool by holding onto a gas called carbon. This summer, a lot of (4)______ (5)______ in Canada’s forests because of lightning.
The scientists (6)______ computers to make a map that shows where forest fires start. They found that lightning starts most of the fires in these big forests. If there are more lightning strikes, there could be more fires. This would make the Earth even warmer and (7)______ more storms and lightning. This is bad because these forests (8)______ a lot of carbon that we don’t want in the air.
The big fires in Canada (9)______ that we (10)______ to do something about the Earth getting (11)______er. We need to make less gas that makes the Earth warm. It’s (12)______ to stop fires started by lightning. The scientists say we need to work hard to keep these forests safe and fight against the Earth getting warmer.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is lightning?
2. How would you feel if you saw a big forest fire?
3. Do you like thunderstorms? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important to protect big forests? Why?
5. Have you ever seen a fire in a forest or on TV? What happened?
6. What are some ways we can keep the Earth from getting warmer?
7. Why do you think trees are important for our air?
8. Can you think of a time when the weather was really hot? What did you do to stay cool?
9. Do you think computers can help us learn about nature? How?
10. Have you heard about gases that make the Earth warm? What do you know about them?
11. What can we do to help stop big fires in forests?
12. Do you think it’s hard to fight against the Earth getting warmer? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. lightning
2. future
3. forests
4. fires
5. map
6. strikes
7. storms
8. gas
Meanings:
(a) A bright flash in the sky during a storm
(b) The time that will come after now
(c) Very bad weather with strong winds and rain
(d) Something that we breathe and can be harmful
(e) Something that burns and can be dangerous
(f) A drawing that shows where things are
(g) When something hits something else
(h) A place with many trees and animals
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What might cause more lightning in the future?
(a) Earth getting colder
(b) Earth getting warmer
(c) More trees in the forest
(d) Less storms
2. Why are big forests important for keeping the Earth cool?
(a) They make the Earth warmer
(b) They cause more lightning
(c) They start more fires
(d) They hold onto a gas called carbon
3. What caused a lot of fires in Canada’s forests this summer?
(a) Human activity
(b) Earth getting colder
(c) Lightning
(d) Heavy rain
4. How did scientists make a map to show where forest fires start?
(a) They used computers
(b) They used pencils and paper
(c) They used a magnifying glass
(d) They used a telescope
5. What do the scientists say we need to do about the Earth getting warmer?
(a) Start more fires in the forests
(b) Cut down all the trees
(c) Use more gas that makes the Earth warm
(d) Make less gas that makes the Earth warm
6. Why is it hard to stop fires started by lightning?
(a) Lightning starts most of the fires in big forests
(b) There are not enough firefighters
(c) The fires are not dangerous
(d) The fires are easy to put out
7. What do the scientists say we need to work hard to keep safe?
(a) The lightning
(b) The fires
(c) These forests
(d) The storms
8. What is bad about the Earth getting warmer and causing more storms and lightning?
(a) The Earth becomes colder
(b) These forests keep a lot of carbon that we don’t want in the air
(c) The forests become smaller
(d) The air becomes cleaner
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. Scientists used computers to make a map that shows where forest fires start.
2. Scientists have discovered that the Earth might have more lightning in the future because it is getting warmer.
3. Lightning rarely starts fires in these big forests.
4. These forests are unimportant because they help warm the Earth by releasing a gas called carbon.
5. The increase in lightning could lead to more fires in big, cold forests.
6. The big fires in Canada show that we need to do something about the Earth getting warmer.
7. A lot of floods occurred in Canada’s forests this summer because of lightning.
8. More lightning strikes could lead to fewer fires, making the Earth even cooler and causing fewer storms and lightning.
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. Why might there be more lightning in the future?
2. What do the big forests do to help our planet?
3. What happened in Canada’s forests this summer?
4. How do most of the fires in the big forests start?
5. What do scientists say we need to do to protect the forests and the Earth?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. Why might there be more lightning in the future?
There might be more lightning because the Earth is getting warmer.
2. What do the big forests do to help keep the Earth cool?
The big forests help keep the Earth cool by holding onto a gas called carbon.
3. What happened in Canada’s forests this summer?
This summer, a lot of fires burned in Canada’s forests because of lightning.
4. How did scientists find out where forest fires start?
Scientists used computers to make a map that shows where forest fires start.
5. What can happen if there are more forest fires?
If there are more forest fires, the Earth could get even warmer and there could be more storms and lightning.
6. Why are the big fires in Canada a warning?
The big fires in Canada are a warning because they show that we need to do something about the Earth getting warmer.
7. What do scientists say we need to do to keep the forests safe?
Scientists say we need to work hard to keep these forests safe and fight against the Earth getting warmer.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) lightning
(2) forests
(3) important
(4) fires
(5) burned
(6) used
(7) cause
(8) keep
(9) show
(10) need
(11) warm
(12) hard
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. lightning
Answer: (a) A bright flash in the sky during a storm
2. future
Answer: (b) The time that will come after now
3. forests
Answer: (h) A place with many trees and animals
4. fires
Answer: (e) Something that burns and can be dangerous
5. map
Answer: (f) A drawing that shows where things are
6. strikes
Answer: (g) When something hits something else
7. storms
Answer: (c) Very bad weather with strong winds and rain
8. gas
Answer: (d) Something that we breathe and can be harmful
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What might cause more lightning in the future?
Answer: (b) Earth getting warmer
2. Why are big forests important for keeping the Earth cool?
Answer: (d) They hold onto a gas called carbon
3. What caused a lot of fires in Canada’s forests this summer?
Answer: (c) Lightning
4. How did scientists make a map to show where forest fires start?
Answer: (a) They used computers
5. What do the scientists say we need to do about the Earth getting warmer?
Answer: (d) Make less gas that makes the Earth warm
6. Why is it hard to stop fires started by lightning?
Answer: (a) Lightning starts most of the fires in big forests
7. What do the scientists say we need to work hard to keep safe?
Answer: (c) These forests
8. What is bad about the Earth getting warmer and causing more storms and lightning?
Answer: (b) These forests keep a lot of carbon that we don’t want in the air
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Scientists used computers to make a map that shows where forest fires start. (Answer: True)
2. Scientists have discovered that the Earth might have more lightning in the future because it is getting warmer. (Answer: True)
3. Lightning rarely starts fires in these big forests. (Answer: False)
4. These forests are unimportant because they help warm the Earth by releasing a gas called carbon. (Answer: False)
5. The increase in lightning could lead to more fires in big, cold forests. (Answer: True)
6. The big fires in Canada show that we need to do something about the Earth getting warmer. (Answer: True)
7. A lot of floods occurred in Canada’s forests this summer because of lightning. (Answer: False)
8. More lightning strikes could lead to fewer fires, making the Earth even cooler and causing fewer storms and lightning. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧
