Canada has a big place where they keep a lot of maple syrup. This place is in Quebec and it’s very important because it helps make sure there’s always enough syrup for everyone. But now, there’s not much syrup left there, only a little bit. This happened because more people want syrup and the weather is getting too warm. The warm weather makes it hard to make syrup, but people say we will still have syrup to eat and it won’t cost more money right now.

Canada makes most of the world’s maple syrup, but they don’t have as much as they used to. The weather is making it hard to get the syrup from the trees. But, good news, they are trying to make more syrup now and they have started early this year. They are also giving more tools to the people who make syrup so they can make more. Even though it’s going to take some time to have a lot of syrup again, people are hopeful and working hard to make sure we can still enjoy our syrup.

Original news source: Canada’s maple syrup reserve hits 16-year low (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Write different actions related to syrup making on small pieces of paper (e.g. tapping a tree, boiling syrup). Each team takes turns choosing a paper and acting out the action without speaking. The other team has to guess what action they are acting out.

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students take turns summarizing the article in their own words. Encourage them to use simple sentences and focus on the main points. Afterward, ask some pairs to share their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Prepare a set of questions related to the article, such as “Do you like maple syrup?” or “Do you think it’s important to protect maple trees?” Have students go around the classroom and ask their classmates these questions. They can tally the responses and then share the results with the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Give each student a vocabulary word from the article (e.g. syrup, weather, trees). They have to draw a picture representing the word on the board or on a piece of paper. The rest of the class has to guess the word based on the drawing.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. Set a timer for 2 minutes. One student starts summarizing the article while the other listens. When the timer goes off, they switch roles. After a few rounds, ask some pairs to share their summaries with the class.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Where is the big place where they keep a lot of maple syrup?
2. Why is there not much syrup left in Quebec?
3. What makes it hard to make syrup?
4. Who makes most of the world’s maple syrup?
5. What are they doing to make more syrup?
6. Is it going to take a long time to have a lot of syrup again?
7. Are people hopeful and working hard to make sure we can still enjoy our syrup?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Canada has a big (1)______ where they keep a lot of (2)______ syrup. This place is in Quebec and it’s very important because it helps make sure there’s always enough syrup for everyone. But now, there’s not much syrup left there, only a little bit. This happened because more people want (3)______ and the weather is getting too warm. The warm weather makes it hard to make syrup, but people say we will still have syrup to eat and it won’t cost more (4)______ right now.

Canada makes most of the world’s maple syrup, but they don’t have as much as they used to. The weather is making it hard to get the syrup from the trees. But, good (5)______, they are trying to (6)______ more syrup now and they have started early this year. They are also giving more tools to the people who make syrup so they can make more. Even though it’s going to take some time to have a lot of syrup again, people are (7)______ and working hard to make sure we can still (8)______ our syrup.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is maple syrup?
2. Have you ever tasted maple syrup? Did you like it? Why or why not?
3. How would you feel if there was no more maple syrup to eat?
4. Do you think it’s important to have enough syrup for everyone? Why or why not?
5. What do you think the weather is like in Quebec?
6. How do you think the warm weather affects making syrup?
7. Do you like the taste of maple syrup? Why or why not?
8. What do you think the people in Canada are doing to make more syrup?
9. How long do you think it will take to have a lot of syrup again?
10. Why do you think people are hopeful about having enough syrup?
11. What tools do you think people use to make syrup?
12. Do you think it’s good that Canada is working hard to make sure we can still enjoy our syrup? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. Canada
2. maple syrup
3. Quebec
4. weather
5. trees
6. tools
7. hopeful
8. important
9. early
10. enjoy

Meanings:
(A) Before the time you thought something was going to happen
(B) A place in the big cold area where they keep a lot of the sweet, sticky liquid
(C) Very special or needed
(D) A sweet, sticky liquid that comes from a tree and tastes good on pancakes
(E) What it’s like outside, like if it’s hot, cold, raining, or sunny
(F) Feeling like good things are going to happen
(G) Things you use to fix stuff or make things
(H) Big plants that have leaves and sometimes give us fruits or the sweet, sticky liquid
(I) A big place up north where it gets very cold
(J) To have fun with something or like doing it a lot
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Where is the big place where Canada keeps a lot of maple syrup?
(a) Ontario
(b) British Columbia
(c) Quebec
(d) Alberta

2. Why is there not much syrup left in the big place?
(a) People don’t like syrup anymore
(b) More people want syrup and the weather is getting warm
(c) Canada doesn’t want to make syrup
(d) The big place is closed

3. Who makes most of the world’s maple syrup?
(a) United States
(b) Mexico
(c) Canada
(d) France

4. What makes it hard to get the syrup from the trees?
(a) Cold weather
(b) Warm weather
(c) Rainy weather
(d) Snowy weather

5. What are they giving to the people who make syrup to help them make more?
(a) Money
(b) Food
(c) Clothes
(d) Tools

6. Is it going to take a long time to have a lot of syrup again?
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) Maybe
(d) I don’t know

7. What are people doing to make sure we can still enjoy our syrup?
(a) Sleeping
(b) Playing games
(c) Watching TV
(d) Working hard

8. Does the article say that syrup will cost more money right now?
(a) No
(b) Yes
(c) Maybe
(d) I don’t know

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. They are not trying to make more syrup now and they have not started early this year.
2. There is not much syrup left in the special place.
3. The cold weather makes it easy to make syrup.
4. People say we will still have syrup to eat and it won’t cost more money right now.
5. More people want honey, but the weather is getting too cold.
6. Canada has a special place where they keep a lot of maple syrup.
7. Canada makes most of the world’s maple syrup.
8. The special place is in Ontario.
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. Where is the big place where Canada keeps a lot of maple syrup?
2. Why is there not much syrup left in Quebec?
3. What makes it hard to make syrup?
4. What is Canada doing to make more syrup?
5. Are people hopeful that there will be enough syrup to eat?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Where is the big place where they keep a lot of maple syrup?
– The big place where they keep a lot of maple syrup is in Quebec.

2. Why is there not much syrup left in Quebec?
– There is not much syrup left in Quebec because more people want syrup and the weather is getting too warm.

3. What makes it hard to make syrup?
– The warm weather makes it hard to make syrup.

4. Who makes most of the world’s maple syrup?
– Canada makes most of the world’s maple syrup.

5. What are they doing to make more syrup?
– They are giving more tools to the people who make syrup so they can make more. They have also started making syrup earlier this year.

6. Is it going to take a long time to have a lot of syrup again?
– Yes, it is going to take some time to have a lot of syrup again.

7. Are people hopeful and working hard to make sure we can still enjoy our syrup?
– Yes, people are hopeful and working hard to make sure we can still enjoy our syrup.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) place
(2) maple
(3) syrup
(4) money
(5) news
(6) make
(7) hopeful
(8) enjoy
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. Canada
Answer: (I) A big place up north where it gets very cold

2. maple syrup
Answer: (D) A sweet, sticky liquid that comes from a tree and tastes good on pancakes

3. Quebec
Answer: (B) A place in the big cold area where they keep a lot of the sweet, sticky liquid

4. weather
Answer: (E) What it’s like outside, like if it’s hot, cold, raining, or sunny

5. trees
Answer: (H) Big plants that have leaves and sometimes give us fruits or the sweet, sticky liquid

6. tools
Answer: (G) Things you use to fix stuff or make things

7. hopeful
Answer: (F) Feeling like good things are going to happen

8. important
Answer: (C) Very special or needed

9. early
Answer: (A) Before the time you thought something was going to happen

10. enjoy
Answer: (J) To have fun with something or like doing it a lot
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Where is the big place where Canada keeps a lot of maple syrup?
Answer: (c) Quebec

2. Why is there not much syrup left in the big place?
Answer: (b) More people want syrup and the weather is getting warm

3. Who makes most of the world’s maple syrup?
Answer: (c) Canada

4. What makes it hard to get the syrup from the trees?
Answer: (b) Warm weather

5. What are they giving to the people who make syrup to help them make more?
Answer: (d) Tools

6. Is it going to take a long time to have a lot of syrup again?
Answer: (a) Yes

7. What are people doing to make sure we can still enjoy our syrup?
Answer: (d) Working hard

8. Does the article say that syrup will cost more money right now?
Answer: (a) No
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. They are not trying to make more syrup now and they have not started early this year. (Answer: False)
2. There is not much syrup left in the special place. (Answer: True)
3. The cold weather makes it easy to make syrup. (Answer: False)
4. People say we will still have syrup to eat and it won’t cost more money right now. (Answer: True)
5. More people want honey, but the weather is getting too cold. (Answer: False)
6. Canada has a special place where they keep a lot of maple syrup. (Answer: True)
7. Canada makes most of the world’s maple syrup. (Answer: True)
8. The special place is in Ontario. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧