A science group in America, the Biomimicry Institute, is working on a project to break down waste clothes in a natural way. They want to use things like enzymes or bacteria to break down manmade fibers and turn them into something that is good for nature. They want to find better ways to break down old clothes and make new materials. The clothes industry makes a lot of waste and is bad for our planet. Lycra, a big clothes company, is trying to find a natural replacement for its oil-based fibers.

Lycra is working with another company, Qore, to make a new material from corn. They want to use this corn fiber in their clothes and reduce their harm to the planet by 44%. The first version of this corn Lycra can’t be recycled, but they are trying to fix this. Other companies are also trying to use natural materials to make clothes. For this to work, companies and people need to change and recycle and reuse old clothes more.

Original news source: The hunt for a new way to tackle clothing waste (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Give each team a set of vocabulary cards related to the article (e.g. enzymes, bacteria, fibers, Lycra, corn, recycle). One student from each team will act out a word without speaking, while the rest of the team tries to guess the word. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a set of vocabulary cards related to the article. One student from each pair will draw a picture representing a word, while the other student tries to guess the word. Students can only use the picture to communicate, no speaking allowed. After a set time, switch roles. The pair with the most correct guesses wins.

– Word Association
Instructions: Write a word from the article on the board (e.g. clothes). Have students take turns saying a word that is associated with the word on the board (e.g. fashion, shopping, fabric). Encourage students to think creatively and make connections between the words. Continue the game until all students have had a turn or until the associations become too difficult.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. Set a timer for 2 minutes. One student from each pair will read the article silently and then summarize the main points to their partner within the time limit. After 2 minutes, switch roles. Encourage students to focus on the key information and practice speaking fluently. After both students have had a turn, ask a few pairs to share their summaries with the class.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a large sheet of paper and markers. Assign each group a topic related to the article (e.g. using natural materials in the clothes industry). Have students brainstorm the pros and cons of the topic and write them on the paper. After a set time, have each group present their findings to the class and facilitate a class discussion on the different viewpoints.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the Biomimicry Institute trying to do with waste clothes?
2. Why is the clothes industry bad for our planet?
3. What is Lycra trying to use to make a new material?
4. How much do they want to reduce their harm to the planet by?
5. Can the first version of the corn Lycra be recycled?
6. What do companies and people need to do for natural materials to be used in clothes?
7. Why is it important to recycle and reuse old clothes?
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Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A science (1)______ in America, the Biomimicry Institute, is working on a project to (2)______ down waste clothes in a natural way. They want to use things like enzymes or bacteria to break down manmade fibers and turn them into something that is good for nature. They want to find (3)______ ways to break down old clothes and make new materials. The clothes industry makes a lot of waste and is bad for our planet. Lycra, a big clothes (4)______, is trying to find a natural replacement for its oil-based fibers.

Lycra is working with another company, Qore, to make a new material from corn. They want to use this corn fiber in their clothes and reduce their harm to the (5)______ by 44%. The first (6)______ of this corn Lycra can’t be (7)______d, but they are trying to fix this. Other companies are also trying to use natural materials to make clothes. For this to work, companies and people need to (8)______ and recycle and reuse old clothes more.
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Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is the Biomimicry Institute trying to do with waste clothes?
2. How would you feel if your clothes could be turned into something good for nature?
3. Do you like the idea of using enzymes or bacteria to break down old clothes? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about Lycra trying to find a natural replacement for its fibers?
5. How do you think using corn fiber in clothes can reduce harm to the planet?
6. Do you think it’s important for companies to find ways to recycle their materials? Why or why not?
7. What do you think about the idea of using natural materials to make clothes?
8. How would you feel if more companies started using natural materials for their clothes?
9. Do you think people should change and recycle their old clothes more? Why or why not?
10. What are some ways we can recycle or reuse old clothes?
11. How do you think recycling and reusing old clothes can help the planet?
12. Why do you think it’s important for the clothes industry to find better ways to reduce waste?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. project
2. enzymes
3. fibers
4. materials
5. harm
6. recycled
7. reuse
8. clothes

Meanings:
(a) Damage or hurt caused to something
(b) Use again without changing
(c) Thin strands that make up fabrics
(d) A plan or task that people are working on
(e) Things that are used to make something
(f) Used again in a different way
(g) Special things that help break down waste
(h) Things you wear on your body
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Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the Biomimicry Institute trying to do with waste clothes?
(a) Break them down in a natural way
(b) Throw them away
(c) Sell them to other people
(d) Keep them forever

2. Why is the clothes industry bad for our planet?
(a) It makes beautiful clothes
(b) It helps the environment
(c) It doesn’t do anything
(d) It makes a lot of waste

3. What is Lycra trying to find a natural replacement for?
(a) Its oil-based fibers
(b) Its cotton fibers
(c) Its plastic fibers
(d) Its metal fibers

4. Who is Lycra working with to make a new material from corn?
(a) Biomimicry Institute
(b) The government
(c) Qore
(d) Another clothes company

5. How much does Lycra want to reduce its harm to the planet by?
(a) 100%
(b) 44%
(c) 0%
(d) 10%

6. Can the first version of corn Lycra be recycled?
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) Maybe
(d) I don’t know

7. What do companies and people need to do for natural materials to work?
(a) Buy more clothes
(b) Throw away old clothes
(c) Change and recycle and reuse old clothes more
(d) Keep old clothes in a closet

8. What is the main goal of the Biomimicry Institute’s project?
(a) To make money
(b) To make clothes more expensive
(c) To make clothes less pretty
(d) To find better ways to break down old clothes and make new materials

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. A science group in America is working on a project to break down old clothes in a natural way.
2. Lycra is not working with another company called Qore to make a new material from corn.
3. They want to use things like enzymes or bacteria to turn manmade fibers into something good for nature.
4. The clothes industry does not make a lot of waste and is not bad for our planet.
5. Other companies are also trying to use natural materials to make clothes, and people need to recycle and reuse old clothes more for this to work.
6. They want to use this corn fiber in their clothes and reduce their harm to the planet by 44%.
7. Lycra, a small clothes company, is not trying to find a natural replacement for its oil-based fibers.
8. The first version of this corn Lycra can be recycled, and they are not trying to fix this.
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 Biomimicry Institute trying to do with waste clothes?
2. Why is the clothes industry bad for our planet?
3. What is Lycra trying to do with corn?
4. Can the first version of corn Lycra be recycled?
5. What do companies and people need to do to help make clothes more natural?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is the Biomimicry Institute trying to do with waste clothes?
They are trying to find ways to break down waste clothes in a natural way.

2. Why is the clothes industry bad for our planet?
The clothes industry makes a lot of waste and that is not good for our planet.

3. What is Lycra trying to use to make a new material?
Lycra is trying to use corn to make a new material.

4. How much do they want to reduce their harm to the planet by?
They want to reduce their harm to the planet by 44%.

5. Can the first version of the corn Lycra be recycled?
No, the first version of the corn Lycra cannot be recycled.

6. What do companies and people need to do for natural materials to be used in clothes?
Companies and people need to change and recycle and reuse old clothes more.

7. Why is it important to recycle and reuse old clothes?
It is important to recycle and reuse old clothes because it helps reduce waste and is good for our planet.
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Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) group
(2) break
(3) better
(4) company
(5) planet
(6) version
(7) recycle
(8) change
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Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. project
Answer: (d) A plan or task that people are working on

2. enzymes
Answer: (g) Special things that help break down waste

3. fibers
Answer: (c) Thin strands that make up fabrics

4. materials
Answer: (e) Things that are used to make something

5. harm
Answer: (a) Damage or hurt caused to something

6. recycled
Answer: (f) Used again in a different way

7. reuse
Answer: (b) Use again without changing

8. clothes
Answer: (h) Things you wear on your body
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Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the Biomimicry Institute trying to do with waste clothes?
Answer: (a) Break them down in a natural way

2. Why is the clothes industry bad for our planet?
Answer: (d) It makes a lot of waste

3. What is Lycra trying to find a natural replacement for?
Answer: (a) Its oil-based fibers

4. Who is Lycra working with to make a new material from corn?
Answer: (c) Qore

5. How much does Lycra want to reduce its harm to the planet by?
Answer: (b) 44%

6. Can the first version of corn Lycra be recycled?
Answer: (b) No

7. What do companies and people need to do for natural materials to work?
Answer: (c) Change and recycle and reuse old clothes more

8. What is the main goal of the Biomimicry Institute’s project?
Answer: (d) To find better ways to break down old clothes and make new materials
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True or False Answers:

1. A science group in America is working on a project to break down old clothes in a natural way. (Answer: True)
2. Lycra is not working with another company called Qore to make a new material from corn. (Answer: False)
3. They want to use things like enzymes or bacteria to turn manmade fibers into something good for nature. (Answer: True)
4. The clothes industry does not make a lot of waste and is not bad for our planet. (Answer: False)
5. Other companies are also trying to use natural materials to make clothes, and people need to recycle and reuse old clothes more for this to work. (Answer: True)
6. They want to use this corn fiber in their clothes and reduce their harm to the planet by 44%. (Answer: True)
7. Lycra, a small clothes company, is not trying to find a natural replacement for its oil-based fibers. (Answer: False)
8. The first version of this corn Lycra can be recycled, and they are not trying to fix this. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧