A big animal, a bull, was walking on the train tracks where the trains go. This made the trains stop and people were late. People do not know how the bull got there. Maybe it ran away from a place where they keep animals before they make them into food. The police and other helpers caught the bull and made it sleep. Then they took it to a safe place where it can live and not get hurt.
The trains did not run for a while because of the bull. People who ride the trains to work or school had to wait. The bull being there shows that people need to be more careful so this does not happen again. People are also asking if the places that keep animals before they become food are safe. The bull is now in a nice place where people will take care of it. This shows that it is important to be nice to animals and keep them in safe places. It also shows that when something strange happens, the police and other helpers work together to fix it.
Original news source: Bull spotted galloping down New Jersey train tracks (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a set of animal flashcards. One person from each group will pick a flashcard and act out the animal without using any words. The other group members have to guess which animal it is. The group that guesses correctly gets a point. Play several rounds, changing the actor each time.
– News Summary
Instructions: Read the article aloud to the class. Then, have the students work in pairs to write a brief summary of the article using their own words. Encourage them to include the main ideas and key details. Afterward, have a few pairs share their summaries with the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write the following question on the board: "Do you think animals should be kept in safe places?" Have the students stand up and move to one side of the room if they agree, and the other side if they disagree. Give each student an opportunity to explain their opinion, using simple English sentences like "I think animals should be kept in safe places because…" or "I disagree because…".
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a set of animal flashcards and a whiteboard or large sheet of paper. One person from each group will pick a flashcard and draw a picture of the animal without using any words. The other group members have to guess which animal it is. The group that guesses correctly gets a point. Play several rounds, changing the artist each time.
– Pass the Story
Instructions: Sit in a circle with the students. Start by saying the first sentence of a story related to the article, such as "Once upon a time, there was a big bull walking on the train tracks." Then, pass a small object (e.g., a ball) to the next student, who has to add the next sentence to continue the story. Keep passing the object and having each student add a sentence until the story reaches a conclusion. Encourage the students to use their imagination and practice using complete sentences.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
A bull was walking on the train tracks.
The trains stopped because of the bull on the tracks.
People think the bull came from a place where they keep animals before making them into food.
The police and other helpers caught the bull and made it sleep. Then they took it to a safe place.
The trains did not run for a while because of the bull on the tracks.
People are asking if the places that keep animals before they become food are safe.
The bull is now in a nice place where people will take care of it.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
A big animal, a bull, was walking on the train where the trains go. This made the trains stop and people were late. People do not know how the bull got there. Maybe it ran away from a place where they animals before they make them into food. The police and other helpers caught the bull and made it sleep. Then they it to a safe place where it can live and not get . The trains did not run for a while because of the bull. People who ride the trains to work or school had to . The bull being there shows that people need to be more careful so this does not happen again. People are also asking if the that keep animals before they become food are safe. The bull is now in a nice place where people will care of it. This that it is important to be nice to animals and keep them in safe places. It also shows that when something strange happens, the police and other helpers work together to fix it.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is a bull?
2. How would you feel if you were on a train and it had to stop because of a bull on the tracks?
3. Do you like animals? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it is important to be nice to animals? Why or why not?
5. What do you think the police and other helpers did to catch the bull?
6. Have you ever seen a big animal like a bull before? Where did you see it?
7. How do you think the bull got on the train tracks?
8. Do you think the places that keep animals before they become food are safe? Why or why not?
9. How do you think the bull felt when it was caught and made to sleep?
10. What do you think the bull's new safe place looks like?
11. Have you ever been on a train before? Where did you go?
12. What do you think the police and other helpers did after they caught the bull?
Individual Activities
ππ 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
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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