Scientists made a new map that shows all the little tree walls, called hedgerows, in England. If you put all these tree walls in a line, they would go around the big world almost ten times. The map was made using special flying cameras that can see from the sky. Some places have lots of these tree walls, but some places don’t have many. People who know a lot about nature want to take care of these tree walls because they are good for animals and the air.

Long ago, people started making these tree walls to mark where their land ends. But, in the last many years, we lost a lot of them because of farming and building houses. Now, there aren’t as many as there used to be, but people want to make more and fix the old ones. The government has a plan to make and fix a lot of tree walls in the next years. This big map helps people know where we need more tree walls so we can help animals and keep the air clean.

Original news source: England’s hedges would go around Earth ten times (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Word Association
Instructions: Write the word “hedgerow” on the board. Ask the students to brainstorm words or phrases that they associate with this word. Encourage them to think about the article and what they know about hedgerows. Write down their associations on the board and discuss as a class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a slip of paper with a word related to the article, such as “nature” or “animals”. One student from each pair will have to draw a picture to represent the word, while the other student guesses what the word is. After a few rounds, switch roles.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a copy of the article. Set a timer for 5 minutes and ask the groups to read the article and write a summary of it. After the time is up, each group will take turns presenting their summary to the class. Encourage them to use their own words and keep it short and concise.

– Keyword Taboo
Instructions: Write down a few keywords from the article on separate index cards, such as “tree walls” or “air clean”. One student from each pair will pick a card and have to describe the word to their partner without using the keyword itself. The partner has to guess what the keyword is based on the description. Switch roles after a few rounds.

– Two Truths and a Lie
Instructions: Have each student write down two true statements and one false statement related to the article. They should not reveal which statement is false. Ask the students to take turns sharing their statements with the class. The rest of the class will then guess which statement is the lie. Encourage the students to use vocabulary and information from the article to create their statements.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did scientists make a map of?
2. How long would all the tree walls go if you put them in a line?
3. How did scientists make the map?
4. Why do people want to take care of the tree walls?
5. Why did people start making tree walls long ago?
6. Why did we lose a lot of tree walls in the last many years?
7. What is the government’s plan for tree walls in the next years?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Scientists made a new map that shows all the little (1)______ (2)______, called hedgerows, in England. If you put all these tree walls in a line, they would go around the big world almost ten times. The map was made using special flying cameras that can see from the sky. Some (3)______ have lots of these tree walls, but some places don’t have many. People who know a lot about nature want to take care of these tree walls because they are (4)______ for animals and the air.

Long ago, people started making these tree walls to mark where their land ends. But, in the last many years, we lost a lot of them because of (5)______ and (6)______ houses. Now, there aren’t as many as there used to be, but people want to make more and fix the old ones. The government has a plan to make and fix a lot of tree walls in the next years. This big map (7)______s people know where we (8)______ more tree walls so we can help animals and keep the air clean.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What are tree walls?
2. How do you think animals feel about tree walls?
3. Do you like tree walls? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if there were no tree walls in your neighborhood?
5. What do you think happens to the air when there are more tree walls?
6. Do you think it’s important to take care of tree walls? Why or why not?
7. Have you ever seen a tree wall before? Where?
8. What do you think happens to the animals when there are no tree walls?
9. How do you think people can help make more tree walls?
10. Do you think it’s a good idea for the government to make and fix tree walls? Why or why not?
11. What would you do if you saw someone cutting down a tree wall?
12. How can tree walls help the environment?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. scientists
2. hedgerows
3. map
4. cameras
5. sky
6. nature
7. animals
8. air
9. farming
10. government

Meanings:
(A) People who learn about the world and how things work
(B) Long lines of bushes and trees that grow close together
(C) Growing food in the ground and taking care of animals
(D) The group of people who make rules for a country
(E) Tools that take photos or videos
(F) What we breathe in and out to stay alive
(G) The space above us where clouds and birds are
(H) Everything in the world that isn’t made by people, like trees, rivers, and mountains
(I) Creatures like dogs, cats, birds, and fish
(J) A picture that shows where things are
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did scientists make a map of?
(a) Tree walls in England
(b) Rivers in England
(c) Mountains in England
(d) Buildings in England

2. How many times could you go around the big world with all the tree walls in England?
(a) Almost five times
(b) Almost ten times
(c) Almost twenty times
(d) Almost thirty times

3. How did scientists make the map?
(a) Using telescopes
(b) Using microscopes
(c) Using binoculars
(d) Using special flying cameras

4. Why do people want to take care of the tree walls?
(a) Because they are good for cars and bikes
(b) Because they are good for computers and phones
(c) Because they are good for animals and the air
(d) Because they are good for books and pencils

5. Why did people start making the tree walls long ago?
(a) To mark where their land starts
(b) To mark where their land ends
(c) To mark where their land is in the middle
(d) To mark where their land is everywhere

6. Why did we lose a lot of tree walls in the last many years?
(a) Because of farming and building houses
(b) Because of swimming and playing games
(c) Because of reading and writing
(d) Because of singing and dancing

7. What does the government want to do in the next years?
(a) Make and fix a lot of cars
(b) Make and fix a lot of houses
(c) Make and fix a lot of tree walls
(d) Make and fix a lot of computers

8. What does the big map help people know?
(a) Where we need more cars
(b) Where we need more houses
(c) Where we need more computers
(d) Where we need more tree walls

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. If you put all the tree walls in a line, they would go around the big world almost ten times.
2. The government has a plan to make and fix a lot of tree walls in the next years.
3. The tree walls are known as hedges.
4. Some places in England have few tree walls, but some places don’t have many.
5. Scientists made a map that shows all the little tree walls in England.
6. People who know a lot about nature want to take care of these tree walls because they are good for animals and the air.
7. The map was created using ordinary stationary cameras that cannot see from the sky.
8. In the past, individuals began constructing these tree walls to indicate where their land begins.
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 did scientists make a map of?
2. How many times would all the tree walls go around the big world if you put them in a line?
3. Why do people want to take care of the tree walls?
4. Why did people start making these tree walls long ago?
5. What is the government’s plan for the tree walls in the next years?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What did scientists make a map of?
Scientists made a map of all the little tree walls, called hedgerows, in England.

2. How long would all the tree walls go if you put them in a line?
If you put all the tree walls in a line, they would go around the big world almost ten times.

3. How did scientists make the map?
Scientists made the map using special flying cameras that can see from the sky.

4. Why do people want to take care of the tree walls?
People want to take care of the tree walls because they are good for animals and the air.

5. Why did people start making tree walls long ago?
People started making tree walls long ago to mark where their land ends.

6. Why did we lose a lot of tree walls in the last many years?
We lost a lot of tree walls in the last many years because of farming and building houses.

7. What is the government’s plan for tree walls in the next years?
The government’s plan for tree walls in the next years is to make and fix a lot of them.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) tree
(2) walls
(3) places
(4) good
(5) farming
(6) building
(7) help
(8) need
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

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

2. hedgerows
Answer: (B) Long lines of bushes and trees that grow close together

3. map
Answer: (J) A picture that shows where things are

4. cameras
Answer: (E) Tools that take photos or videos

5. sky
Answer: (G) The space above us where clouds and birds are

6. nature
Answer: (H) Everything in the world that isn’t made by people, like trees, rivers, and mountains

7. animals
Answer: (I) Creatures like dogs, cats, birds, and fish

8. air
Answer: (F) What we breathe in and out to stay alive

9. farming
Answer: (C) Growing food in the ground and taking care of animals

10. government
Answer: (D) The group of people who make rules for a country
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did scientists make a map of?
Answer: (a) Tree walls in England

2. How many times could you go around the big world with all the tree walls in England?
Answer: (b) Almost ten times

3. How did scientists make the map?
Answer: (d) Using special flying cameras

4. Why do people want to take care of the tree walls?
Answer: (c) Because they are good for animals and the air

5. Why did people start making the tree walls long ago?
Answer: (b) To mark where their land ends

6. Why did we lose a lot of tree walls in the last many years?
Answer: (a) Because of farming and building houses

7. What does the government want to do in the next years?
Answer: (c) Make and fix a lot of tree walls

8. What does the big map help people know?
Answer: (d) Where we need more tree walls
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. If you put all the tree walls in a line, they would go around the big world almost ten times. (Answer: True)
2. The government has a plan to make and fix a lot of tree walls in the next years. (Answer: True)
3. The tree walls are known as hedges. (Answer: False)
4. Some places in England have few tree walls, but some places don’t have many. (Answer: False)
5. Scientists made a map that shows all the little tree walls in England. (Answer: True)
6. People who know a lot about nature want to take care of these tree walls because they are good for animals and the air. (Answer: True)
7. The map was created using ordinary stationary cameras that cannot see from the sky. (Answer: False)
8. In the past, individuals began constructing these tree walls to indicate where their land begins. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧