The year has already seen numerous global heat records being broken, with the number of days surpassing the politically significant 1.5C warming threshold reaching a new high. July was potentially the hottest month in 120,000 years, and September's average temperatures exceeded the previous record by 0.5C. October, while not as unusually hot as September, still broke the record for the month by an exceptional margin.
The unprecedented warmth experienced throughout the year makes it highly likely that 2023 will surpass 2016 as the warmest year on record. This has real-world consequences, leading to extreme heatwaves, droughts, and human suffering. The main driver of this heat is ongoing carbon dioxide emissions, exacerbated by the El Niño event, which has been gaining strength.
The global context of rising temperatures sets the stage for the UN's COP28 summit, emphasizing the urgent need for ambitious climate action. October temperatures were significantly higher than average globally, leading to extreme conditions in various parts of the world, including the UK, Italy, Panama, the Middle East, and East Africa. As high temperatures continue into November, concerns about further extreme events, such as wildfires in Australia, are growing.
The ongoing trend of record-breaking temperatures and its impact on the environment and human well-being underscores the pressing need for global action to address climate change.
Original news source: Global heat: Extreme autumn sets up 2023 to break records (BBC)
📖 Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Students will be divided into small groups. Each group will be tasked with summarizing the article in under 100 words, focusing on the main points such as the record-breaking heat, the role of carbon emissions and El Niño, and the implications for the UN's COP28 summit. Afterward, each group will present their summary to the class, and the class will discuss the differences and similarities between each summary.
– Opinion Spectrum
Instructions: Place a line of tape on the floor to represent an 'opinion spectrum' about the urgency of climate action. One end signifies 'immediate action is necessary,' while the other end signifies 'no action is required.' Read statements from the article related to climate change, and have students physically position themselves along the spectrum to indicate their opinion. After each statement, select students from different points on the spectrum to explain their position, encouraging a class discussion.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, students use information from the article to make predictions about the future effects of global warming and the outcomes of the COP28 summit. They should consider different scenarios based on potential decisions made at the summit. Each group will then share their predictions, and the class will vote on which they believe are the most likely to occur, fostering a discussion on the possible paths of climate action.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key terms from the article (e.g., carbon emissions, El Niño, heatwave, drought, COP28, climate change) on slips of paper. Students take turns drawing a term from a hat and then sketching it on the board without using words or gestures. Their team has a minute to guess the term. This activity helps reinforce new vocabulary in a fun and engaging way.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Students work in pairs to list the pros and cons of various responses to global warming mentioned in the article, such as reducing carbon emissions or implementing new policies at the COP28 summit. They should consider the environmental, economic, and social implications of each action. After compiling their lists, pairs will join another pair to compare and discuss their findings, encouraging critical thinking about complex global issues.
🤔 Comprehension Questions:
The year 2023 is expected to be the warmest year on record.
The two main factors are carbon emissions and an El Niño weather event.
There have been five consecutive months of record warmth.
The 1.5C warming threshold has been surpassed more frequently, and it is politically significant as it is a target limit to prevent the worst effects of climate change.
September's average temperatures exceeded the previous record by 0.5C.
The consequences include extreme heatwaves, droughts, and human suffering.
The UN's COP28 summit is mentioned in the context of emphasizing the urgent need for climate action.
Regions mentioned include the UK, Italy, Panama, the Middle East, and East Africa.
🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
The year 2023 is expected to break global heat s, with October experiencing exceptionally high temperatures, leading to a prediction that it will be the warmest year on record. This trend is driven by carbon emissions and an El Niño weather event, in the fifth consecutive month of record . anticipate that extreme global temperatures will persist into 2024. The year has already seen numerous global heat records being broken, with the of days surpassing the politically significant 1.5C warming threshold reaching a new high. July was potentially the hottest month in 120,000 years, and September's average temperatures the record by 0.5C. October, while not as unusually hot as September, still broke the record for the month by an exceptional margin. The warmth experienced throughout the year makes it highly likely that 2023 will surpass 2016 as the warmest year on record. This has real-world consequences, leading to extreme heatwaves, droughts, and human suffering. The main driver of this heat is ongoing carbon dioxide emissions, exacerbated by the El Niño event, which has been gaining strength. The context of rising temperatures sets the stage for the UN's COP28 summit, emphasizing the urgent need for climate . October temperatures were significantly than average globally, leading to extreme conditions in various parts of the world, including the UK, Italy, Panama, the Middle East, and East Africa. As high temperatures into November, concerns about further extreme , such as wildfires in Australia, are growing. The ongoing of record-breaking temperatures and its on the environment and human well-being underscores the pressing need for global action to address climate change.
💬 Discussion Questions:
1. What are your thoughts on the continuous rise in global temperatures year after year?
2. How would you feel if your local area was affected by an extreme heatwave?
3. Do you think that the record-breaking temperatures in 2023 will have a significant impact on your country? Why or why not?
4. What actions do you believe individuals can take to help reduce carbon emissions?
5. How do you perceive the role of international summits like the UN's COP28 in combating climate change?
6. Do you think enough is being done by world leaders to address the urgent need for climate action? Why or why not?
7. What is your opinion on the potential link between El Niño events and global warming?
8. How would you explain the concept of the 1.5C warming threshold to someone who is not familiar with climate change terminology?
9. Have you or someone you know experienced any direct consequences of extreme weather events? If so, what happened?
10. Do you believe that the media is giving sufficient coverage to issues related to climate change and extreme temperatures? Why or why not?
11. What is your stance on the debate between economic development and environmental protection?
12. How do you feel about the possibility of experiencing the warmest year on record?
13. Do you think that the predictions about extreme global temperatures persisting into 2024 are accurate? Why or why not?
14. In what ways do you think extreme heat and weather events could affect global agriculture and food supply?
15. Do you like the idea of moving towards renewable energy sources to mitigate climate change? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:
🕵️ True or False Questions:
📝 Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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