The UK is stopping using coal to make electricity. The last coal power station is closing. This helps the UK fight climate change. Coal makes a lot of dirty smoke. The UK wants to use cleaner energy like wind and sun.

The UK used to use a lot of coal. Now, it wants to use less coal and more green energy. Wind and solar power are helping a lot. The UK is the first big country to stop using coal. They want to keep the lights on with clean energy.

The UK needs to make sure the lights stay on when using wind and sun. Sometimes the wind doesn’t blow, and the sun doesn’t shine. New batteries can help store energy. The UK is working on making better batteries. This will help them use more green energy.

Original news source: UK to finish with coal power after 142 years (BBC)

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Write down key words from the article on separate pieces of paper (e.g. coal, electricity, wind, sun, climate change). Have students take turns choosing a word and acting it out without speaking while the others guess which word it is.

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Have one student summarize the article to their partner in their own words. Encourage the use of key vocabulary and concepts from the article. Then have the partners switch roles.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article on the board (e.g. coal, wind, solar power). Have students take turns coming to the board to draw a representation of the word while their classmates try to guess the word being drawn.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Ask the students how they feel about the UK’s decision to stop using coal and switch to cleaner energy sources. Have them raise their hands if they agree, disagree, or are unsure. Encourage them to explain their opinions using simple English phrases.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: In small groups, have students come up with a catchy headline for an article about the UK’s transition from coal to cleaner energy. Encourage them to include key elements from the original article. Have each group present their headline to the class.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the UK stopping to use to make electricity?
2. Why is the UK stopping using coal?
3. What kind of energy does the UK want to use more of?
4. What are two examples of cleaner energy?
5. What does the UK need to make sure the lights stay on when using wind and sun?
6. What can help store energy when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine?
7. Why is the UK working on making better batteries?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

The UK is stopping using coal to make electricity. The last coal power station is closing. This helps the UK fight (1)______ (2)______. Coal makes a lot of dirty smoke. The UK wants to use (3)______ energy like wind and sun.

The UK used to use a lot of coal. Now, it wants to use less coal and (4)______ green energy. Wind and solar power are helping a lot. The UK is the first big country to (5)______ using coal. They want to keep the (6)______ on with clean energy.

The UK needs to make sure the lights stay on when using wind and sun. Sometimes the wind doesn’t (7)______, and the sun doesn’t (8)______. New batteries can help store energy. The UK is working on making better batteries. This will help them use more green energy.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is coal?
2. How would you feel if the lights went out in your house?
3. Do you like wind power?
4. Do you think using the sun to make energy is a good idea? Why or why not?
5. What is climate change?
6. How do you think batteries can help store energy?
7. Do you like clean energy?
8. What do you think about the UK using less coal?
9. How would you feel if you had to use candles instead of lights?
10. What is a power station?
11. Do you think it’s important to protect the environment? Why or why not?
12. How can wind and solar power help the UK fight climate change?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. electricity
2. station
3. climate
4. energy
5. solar
6. country
7. batteries
8. store
9. green
10. shine

Meanings:
(A) A big place where people live, like England or France
(B) To give off light, like the sun or a flashlight
(C) A place where something happens or is done
(D) From the sun
(E) Power that makes things work
(F) The color of grass and leaves
(G) Things that hold power to use later
(H) To keep something in a safe place
(I) The weather and temperature over a long time
(J) Power that makes lights and machines work
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why is the UK stopping using coal to make electricity?
(a) To make more dirty smoke
(b) To fight climate change
(c) To use more coal
(d) To save money

2. What kind of energy does the UK want to use more of?
(a) Wind and sun
(b) Coal and oil
(c) Gas and nuclear
(d) Water and fire

3. What helps the UK make sure the lights stay on when the wind doesn’t blow?
(a) More coal
(b) New batteries
(c) Less energy
(d) No electricity

4. What is the UK working on to help store energy from wind and sun?
(a) Better batteries
(b) Candles
(c) More coal
(d) Water tanks

5. What is the UK the first big country to stop using?
(a) Wind
(b) Sun
(c) Gas
(d) Coal

6. What makes a lot of dirty smoke when burned?
(a) Water
(b) Wind
(c) Coal
(d) Sun

7. What kind of power is helping the UK use less coal?
(a) Coal and oil
(b) Gas and nuclear
(c) Wind and solar
(d) Water and fire

8. Why does the UK want to use cleaner energy?
(a) To make more dirty smoke
(b) To waste money
(c) To use more coal
(d) To help the environment

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The UK dislikes wind and sun power because they are dirty.
2. The UK is making better batteries to store energy from wind and sun.
3. The UK used to use a little bit of coal, but now they want to use more.
4. Wind and sun power are not helping the UK at all.
5. The UK is not going to use coal for electricity anymore.
6. The UK wants to keep the lights on with clean energy.
7. The UK is the first big country to stop using coal.
8. Coal makes clean smoke.
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 is the UK stopping using to make electricity?
2. Why does the UK want to use cleaner energy like wind and sun?
3. What is helping the UK use less coal and more green energy?
4. Why does the UK need to make better batteries?
5. What will better batteries help the UK do with green energy?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is the UK stopping to use to make electricity?
The UK is stopping using coal.

2. Why is the UK stopping using coal?
The UK is stopping using coal to help fight climate change because coal makes dirty smoke.

3. What kind of energy does the UK want to use more of?
The UK wants to use more wind and sun energy, which is cleaner.

4. What are two examples of cleaner energy?
Two examples of cleaner energy are wind power and solar power.

5. What does the UK need to make sure the lights stay on when using wind and sun?
The UK needs to make sure they have better batteries to store energy when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine.

6. What can help store energy when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine?
Batteries can help store energy when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine.

7. Why is the UK working on making better batteries?
The UK is working on making better batteries to use more green energy and keep the lights on even when the wind or sun is not available.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) climate
(2) change
(3) cleaner
(4) more
(5) stop
(6) lights
(7) blow
(8) shine
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. electricity
Answer: (J) Power that makes lights and machines work

2. station
Answer: (C) A place where something happens or is done

3. climate
Answer: (I) The weather and temperature over a long time

4. energy
Answer: (E) Power that makes things work

5. solar
Answer: (D) From the sun

6. country
Answer: (A) A big place where people live, like England or France

7. batteries
Answer: (G) Things that hold power to use later

8. store
Answer: (H) To keep something in a safe place

9. green
Answer: (F) The color of grass and leaves

10. shine
Answer: (B) To give off light, like the sun or a flashlight
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why is the UK stopping using coal to make electricity?
Answer: (b) To fight climate change

2. What kind of energy does the UK want to use more of?
Answer: (a) Wind and sun

3. What helps the UK make sure the lights stay on when the wind doesn’t blow?
Answer: (b) New batteries

4. What is the UK working on to help store energy from wind and sun?
Answer: (a) Better batteries

5. What is the UK the first big country to stop using?
Answer: (d) Coal

6. What makes a lot of dirty smoke when burned?
Answer: (c) Coal

7. What kind of power is helping the UK use less coal?
Answer: (c) Wind and solar

8. Why does the UK want to use cleaner energy?
Answer: (d) To help the environment
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The UK dislikes wind and sun power because they are dirty. (Answer: False)
2. The UK is making better batteries to store energy from wind and sun. (Answer: True)
3. The UK used to use a little bit of coal, but now they want to use more. (Answer: False)
4. Wind and sun power are not helping the UK at all. (Answer: False)
5. The UK is not going to use coal for electricity anymore. (Answer: True)
6. The UK wants to keep the lights on with clean energy. (Answer: True)
7. The UK is the first big country to stop using coal. (Answer: True)
8. Coal makes clean smoke. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧