Polar bears are big white bears that live in the very cold part of the world called the Arctic. They like to eat seals that they catch on the ice. But the ice is melting because the Earth is getting warmer. This means the bears can’t find as many seals to eat. So, they have to eat things like bird eggs and berries, but these foods don’t help them stay healthy and strong.

Scientists are studying polar bears and found out that they are having a hard time finding enough food. A long time ago, there were not many polar bears because people hunted them too much. But then, people made rules to protect the bears, and there were more bears again. However, now the big problem for the bears is that it’s getting too warm, and there is not enough ice for hunting. Scientists watched 20 bears and noticed that almost all of them lost weight because they couldn’t find their usual food.

Original news source: Polar bears face starvation threat as ice melts (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns acting out different animals, including a polar bear. The other group members must guess the animal being acted out. This will help reinforce vocabulary related to animals and encourage active communication in English.

– News Summary
Instructions: Give each student a copy of the article. In pairs, students will take turns summarizing the main points of the article to their partner. This will practice their reading comprehension and speaking skills, as well as help them practice summarizing information in English.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Have them discuss the issue presented in the article: the melting ice and its impact on polar bears. Then, have each group create a poll with questions related to the issue. Each group will then take turns asking the other groups their poll questions and recording their answers. This will encourage students to express their opinions and practice asking and answering questions in English.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board. Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Each group will take turns choosing a word and drawing it on the board without using any letters or numbers. The other group members must guess the word being drawn. This will help reinforce vocabulary and encourage creativity in using English.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, have students discuss and make predictions about the future of polar bears. They can discuss what might happen if the ice continues to melt, how it will affect the polar bear population, and what can be done to help them. Each group will then share their predictions with the class. This activity will encourage critical thinking and discussion in English.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What kind of bears are polar bears?
2. Where do polar bears live?
3. What do polar bears like to eat?
4. Why are polar bears having a hard time finding food?
5. Why did there used to be not many polar bears?
6. What is the big problem for polar bears now?
7. What happened to the bears that the scientists were watching?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Polar bears are big white bears that live in the very cold part of the world called the Arctic. They like to eat (1)______ that they catch on the ice. But the ice is melting because the Earth is (2)______ warmer. This means the bears can’t find as many seals to eat. So, they have to eat things like bird eggs and berries, but these foods don’t help them stay healthy and strong.

Scientists are (3)______ (4)______ bears and found out that they are having a (5)______ time (6)______ enough food. A long time ago, there were not many polar bears because people hunted them too much. But then, people made rules to protect the bears, and there were more bears again. However, now the big problem for the (7)______ is that it’s getting too warm, and there is not enough ice for hunting. (8)______ watched 20 bears and noticed that almost all of them lost weight because they couldn’t find their usual food.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a polar bear?
2. How do polar bears find food?
3. How do you think the polar bears feel when they can’t find enough food?
4. Do you like eating bird eggs and berries? Why or why not?
5. What do scientists study about polar bears?
6. Why were there not many polar bears a long time ago?
7. How did people help protect the polar bears?
8. Do you think it’s good to protect animals? Why or why not?
9. How do you think the polar bears feel when they are losing weight?
10. What do you think will happen to the polar bears if the ice keeps melting?
11. How can we help the polar bears find more food?
12. Do you think it’s important to take care of the Earth? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. polar bears
2. Arctic
3. seals
4. ice
5. scientists
6. study
7. rules
8. protect
9. warm
10. weight

Meanings:
(A) To keep someone or something safe
(B) To try to understand something by looking at it carefully
(C) Animals that live in the water and are food for the big white animals
(D) Not cold, like when the sun makes you feel cozy
(E) Frozen water that the big white animals walk on
(F) People who learn about the world and how things work
(G) A very cold place at the top of the world
(H) How heavy someone or something is
(I) Big white animals that look like giant teddy bears
(J) Instructions that people must follow
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Where do polar bears live?
(a) Desert
(b) Jungle
(c) Arctic
(d) Ocean

2. What do polar bears like to eat?
(a) Apples
(b) Carrots
(c) Pizza
(d) Seals

3. Why are polar bears having a hard time finding food?
(a) The ice is melting
(b) They are too lazy
(c) They don’t like to eat
(d) They are too busy playing

4. What did people do to protect polar bears?
(a) Hunted them
(b) Gave them food
(c) Made rules
(d) Took them to the zoo

5. What is the big problem for polar bears?
(a) It’s too cold
(b) It’s getting too warm
(c) They have too much food
(d) They have too many friends

6. What did scientists find out about polar bears?
(a) They are very good at dancing
(b) They are having a hard time finding food
(c) They like to swim in the ocean
(d) They can fly in the sky

7. What did the scientists notice about the bears they watched?
(a) They lost weight
(b) They gained weight
(c) They stayed the same weight
(d) They disappeared

8. What do polar bears eat when they can’t find seals?
(a) Pizza and ice cream
(b) Carrots and apples
(c) Fish and chips
(d) Bird eggs and berries

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The ice is melting because the Earth is getting warmer.
2. Polar bears are small black bears that live in a very hot place called the Arctic.
3. They like to eat seals that they catch on the ice.
4. They have to eat things like fish and seal meat, but these foods make them healthy and strong.
5. A long time ago, there were many polar bears because people protected them.
6. Because of the expanding ice, polar bears can find plenty of seals to eat.
7. Now, the big problem for the bears is that it’s getting too warm, and there is not enough ice for hunting.
8. Scientists are studying polar bears and found out that they are having a hard time finding enough food.
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 kind of bears are polar bears?
2. What do polar bears like to eat?
3. Why are the polar bears having a hard time finding food?
4. What happened to the number of polar bears a long time ago?
5. Why are the polar bears losing weight?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What kind of bears are polar bears?
Polar bears are big white bears.

2. Where do polar bears live?
Polar bears live in the Arctic, which is a very cold part of the world.

3. What do polar bears like to eat?
Polar bears like to eat seals.

4. Why are polar bears having a hard time finding food?
Polar bears are having a hard time finding food because the ice is melting and there are not as many seals to catch.

5. Why did there used to be not many polar bears?
There used to be not many polar bears because people hunted them too much.

6. What is the big problem for polar bears now?
The big problem for polar bears now is that it’s getting too warm and there is not enough ice for hunting.

7. What happened to the bears that the scientists were watching?
The bears that the scientists were watching lost weight because they couldn’t find enough food.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) seals
(2) getting
(3) studying
(4) polar
(5) hard
(6) finding
(7) bears
(8) Scientists
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. polar bears
Answer: (I) Big white animals that look like giant teddy bears

2. Arctic
Answer: (G) A very cold place at the top of the world

3. seals
Answer: (C) Animals that live in the water and are food for the big white animals

4. ice
Answer: (E) Frozen water that the big white animals walk on

5. scientists
Answer: (F) People who learn about the world and how things work

6. study
Answer: (B) To try to understand something by looking at it carefully

7. rules
Answer: (J) Instructions that people must follow

8. protect
Answer: (A) To keep someone or something safe

9. warm
Answer: (D) Not cold, like when the sun makes you feel cozy

10. weight
Answer: (H) How heavy someone or something is
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Where do polar bears live?
Answer: (c) Arctic

2. What do polar bears like to eat?
Answer: (d) Seals

3. Why are polar bears having a hard time finding food?
Answer: (a) The ice is melting

4. What did people do to protect polar bears?
Answer: (c) Made rules

5. What is the big problem for polar bears?
Answer: (b) It’s getting too warm

6. What did scientists find out about polar bears?
Answer: (b) They are having a hard time finding food

7. What did the scientists notice about the bears they watched?
Answer: (a) They lost weight

8. What do polar bears eat when they can’t find seals?
Answer: (d) Bird eggs and berries
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The ice is melting because the Earth is getting warmer. (Answer: True)
2. Polar bears are small black bears that live in a very hot place called the Arctic. (Answer: False)
3. They like to eat seals that they catch on the ice. (Answer: True)
4. They have to eat things like fish and seal meat, but these foods make them healthy and strong. (Answer: False)
5. A long time ago, there were many polar bears because people protected them. (Answer: False)
6. Because of the expanding ice, polar bears can find plenty of seals to eat. (Answer: False)
7. Now, the big problem for the bears is that it’s getting too warm, and there is not enough ice for hunting. (Answer: True)
8. Scientists are studying polar bears and found out that they are having a hard time finding enough food. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧