Helicopter footage taken over the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland has revealed giant cracks in the earth caused by recent volcanic activity. The Icelandic Coast Guard, accompanied by BBC correspondent Jessica Parker, conducted the mission to assess the situation. Scientists have warned that the area could experience increased volcanic instability for decades. As a result, the town of Grindavik was evacuated due to fears of an impending eruption. The town has also sunk by over a meter. The footage shows that magma is flowing beneath a previously visible fissure seen in aerial photographs. To protect key buildings, Iceland’s largest bulldozer is being sent to Grindavik to build defenses against the lava. The famous tourist attraction, the Blue Lagoon, will remain closed until the end of the month.
Original news source: Iceland: Helicopter footage shows giant cracks in earth (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into small groups.
2. Provide each group with a copy of the article.
3. Instruct the groups to read the article and summarize the key points in their own words.
4. After a designated time, have each group present their summaries to the class.
5. Encourage discussion and compare the different summaries.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions:
1. Ask the class if they think volcanic activity is a natural disaster or a natural phenomenon.
2. Divide the class into two groups: those who think it is a natural disaster and those who think it is a natural phenomenon.
3. Have each group prepare arguments to support their opinion.
4. Conduct a class debate, allowing each group to present their arguments.
5. Encourage students to listen to opposing viewpoints and engage in respectful discussion.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions:
1. Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate slips of paper.
2. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
3. Give each pair/group a set of vocabulary words.
4. Instruct the students to take turns drawing pictures to represent each word, while their partner/group members guess the word.
5. The team with the most correct guesses wins.
– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions:
1. Ask the students to individually think about the potential impact of the volcanic activity on the local community.
2. Pair up the students and have them discuss their thoughts with their partner.
3. After a few minutes, bring the class back together and ask for volunteers to share their ideas with the whole group.
4. Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to build upon each other’s ideas.
– Future Predictions
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into small groups.
2. Instruct each group to imagine they are scientists studying the volcanic activity and its potential impact.
3. Have each group create a timeline of future predictions, including possible scenarios and outcomes.
4. After a designated time, have each group present their timelines to the class.
5. Encourage students to explain their reasoning and engage in a discussion about the different predictions.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What caused the giant cracks in the earth over the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland?
2. Who conducted the mission to assess the situation?
3. How long could the area experience increased volcanic instability, according to scientists?
4. Why was the town of Grindavik evacuated?
5. How much has the town of Grindavik sunk by?
6. What is flowing beneath a previously visible fissure seen in aerial photographs?
7. What is being sent to Grindavik to build defenses against the lava?
8. Until when will the Blue Lagoon remain closed?
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is your opinion on the recent volcanic activity in Iceland?
2. How would you feel if you lived in Grindavik and had to be evacuated due to the volcanic activity?
3. Do you think the increased volcanic instability will have long-term effects on the Reykjanes Peninsula? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever witnessed a natural disaster? If so, how did it make you feel?
5. What precautions do you think should be taken to protect towns and cities from volcanic eruptions?
6. Do you think it is necessary to evacuate towns in the face of potential volcanic eruptions? Why or why not?
7. What impact do you think the volcanic activity will have on tourism in Iceland?
8. How important is it to study and understand volcanic activity for the safety of communities?
9. Have you ever visited a famous tourist attraction that was closed due to natural disasters or other reasons? How did you feel about it?
10. What measures do you think can be taken to prevent damage to key buildings during volcanic eruptions?
11. How do you think the recent volcanic activity in Iceland will affect the daily lives of the residents in the affected areas?
12. Do you like visiting areas with active volcanoes? Why or why not?
13. How do you think the evacuation and the sinking of the town of Grindavik will impact the residents’ sense of security and stability?
14. What steps do you think should be taken to ensure the safety of tourists in areas prone to volcanic activity?
15. Do you think the recent volcanic activity in Iceland will have any long-term effects on the environment? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. cracks
2. volcanic
3. evacuation
4. magma
5. bulldozer
6. defenses
7. attraction
8. closed
Meanings:
(a) A place or thing that draws people’s interest or attention
(b) Measures taken to protect against an attack or danger
(c) A large vehicle used for pushing and moving earth
(d) Related to or caused by a volcano
(e) Giant openings or fractures in the earth’s surface
(f) Not open or accessible to the public or visitors
(g) Molten rock beneath the earth’s surface
(h) The act of moving people out of a dangerous area
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What did helicopter footage over the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland reveal?
(a) A new species of bird
(b) Giant cracks in the earth caused by volcanic activity
(c) A hidden treasure
(d) A lost city
2. Who conducted the mission over the Reykjanes Peninsula?
(a) The Icelandic Police
(b) The Icelandic Army
(c) The Icelandic Coast Guard
(d) The Icelandic Fire Department
3. What did scientists warn about the area?
(a) It could experience increased earthquake activity for decades
(b) It could experience increased volcanic instability for decades
(c) It could experience increased tornado activity for decades
(d) It could experience increased snowfall for decades
4. Why was the town of Grindavik evacuated?
(a) Fears of an impending eruption
(b) Fears of a tsunami
(c) Fears of a hurricane
(d) Fears of an earthquake
5. How much has the town of Grindavik sunk?
(a) Over a kilometer
(b) Over a mile
(c) It has not sunk
(d) Over a meter
6. What is flowing beneath a previously visible fissure seen in aerial photographs?
(a) Magma
(b) Water
(c) Lava
(d) Ice
7. What is being sent to Grindavik to build defenses against the lava?
(a) Iceland’s largest crane
(b) Iceland’s largest excavator
(c) Iceland’s largest bulldozer
(d) Iceland’s largest dump truck
8. What famous tourist attraction will remain closed until the end of the month?
(a) The Golden Circle
(b) The Northern Lights
(c) The Geysir
(d) The Blue Lagoon
True or False Questions:
1. The town of Grindavik has sunk by over a meter.
2. The footage revealed giant cracks in the earth caused by recent volcanic activity.
3. Helicopter footage was not taken over the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland.
4. BBC correspondent Jessica Parker avoided accompanying the Icelandic Coast Guard on the mission.
5. The town of Grindavik was evacuated due to fears of an impending eruption.
6. The Icelandic Coast Guard did not conduct the mission to assess the situation.
7. Iceland’s smallest bulldozer is being sent to Grindavik to build defenses against the lava.
8. Scientists have warned that the area could experience increased volcanic instability for decades.
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 caused the giant cracks in the earth on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland?
2. Why was the town of Grindavik evacuated?
3. How much has the town of Grindavik sunk?
4. What is being done to protect key buildings in Grindavik?
5. Why is the Blue Lagoon closed until the end of the month?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. Recent volcanic activity caused the giant cracks in the earth over the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland.
2. The Icelandic Coast Guard, accompanied by BBC correspondent Jessica Parker, conducted the mission to assess the situation.
3. Scientists have warned that the area could experience increased volcanic instability for decades.
4. The town of Grindavik was evacuated due to fears of an impending eruption.
5. The town of Grindavik has sunk by over a meter.
6. Magma is flowing beneath a previously visible fissure seen in aerial photographs.
7. Iceland’s largest bulldozer is being sent to Grindavik to build defenses against the lava.
8. The Blue Lagoon will remain closed until the end of the month.
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. cracks
Answer: (e) Giant openings or fractures in the earth’s surface
2. volcanic
Answer: (d) Related to or caused by a volcano
3. evacuation
Answer: (h) The act of moving people out of a dangerous area
4. magma
Answer: (g) Molten rock beneath the earth’s surface
5. bulldozer
Answer: (c) A large vehicle used for pushing and moving earth
6. defenses
Answer: (b) Measures taken to protect against an attack or danger
7. attraction
Answer: (a) A place or thing that draws people’s interest or attention
8. closed
Answer: (f) Not open or accessible to the public or visitors
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What did helicopter footage over the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland reveal?
Answer: (b) Giant cracks in the earth caused by volcanic activity
2. Who conducted the mission over the Reykjanes Peninsula?
Answer: (c) The Icelandic Coast Guard
3. What did scientists warn about the area?
Answer: (b) It could experience increased volcanic instability for decades
4. Why was the town of Grindavik evacuated?
Answer: (a) Fears of an impending eruption
5. How much has the town of Grindavik sunk?
Answer: (d) Over a meter
6. What is flowing beneath a previously visible fissure seen in aerial photographs?
Answer: (a) Magma
7. What is being sent to Grindavik to build defenses against the lava?
Answer: (c) Iceland’s largest bulldozer
8. What famous tourist attraction will remain closed until the end of the month?
Answer: (d) The Blue Lagoon
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. The town of Grindavik has sunk by over a meter. (Answer: True)
2. The footage revealed giant cracks in the earth caused by recent volcanic activity. (Answer: True)
3. Helicopter footage was not taken over the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland. (Answer: False)
4. BBC correspondent Jessica Parker avoided accompanying the Icelandic Coast Guard on the mission. (Answer: False)
5. The town of Grindavik was evacuated due to fears of an impending eruption. (Answer: True)
6. The Icelandic Coast Guard did not conduct the mission to assess the situation. (Answer: False)
7. Iceland’s smallest bulldozer is being sent to Grindavik to build defenses against the lava. (Answer: False)
8. Scientists have warned that the area could experience increased volcanic instability for decades. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧
