A long time ago, people took pictures of two big planets, Neptune and Uranus. The pictures made Neptune look very blue and Uranus look green. But now, smart people who study stars and planets found out that both planets are really more like blue-green. The old pictures were changed to help us see clouds and winds on Neptune, and that made the colors look different. They used a special space camera and a very big telescope to find out the real colors.
The people who study planets knew that the pictures we see are not the real colors. They made the colors brighter a long time ago so it was easier to see details. Making pictures brighter is something they do a lot to learn more about space. Now, they made new pictures that show the right colors of Neptune and Uranus. They found out that Neptune is a little more blue and Uranus is a little more green, but they are both mostly blue-green.
Original news source: Neptune and Uranus seen in true colours for first time (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Write the names of different colors on small pieces of paper and put them in a hat. Have students take turns picking a color and acting it out without speaking. The other students have to guess the color. After each round, discuss the colors mentioned in the article and ask students if they think blue-green is a beautiful color for planets.
– Word Association
Instructions: Write the word "color" on the board. Have students take turns saying a word that they associate with the word "color". Encourage them to think of words related to the article, such as "blue" and "green". Write down their answers on the board and discuss the connections between the words.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down different vocabulary words related to the article on small pieces of paper and put them in a hat. Have students take turns picking a word and drawing it on the board, while the rest of the class tries to guess the word. Use words like "planet", "telescope", and "clouds" to review vocabulary from the article.
– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. Set a timer for one minute and have one student in each pair try to summarize the article to their partner in that time. After one minute, switch roles and have the other student summarize. Then, have pairs share their summaries with the class and discuss any differences or similarities in their understanding of the article.
– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Have students think about the following question: "Why do you think it is important for scientists to study the colors of planets?" After a few minutes of individual reflection, ask students to pair up and share their thoughts with their partner. Then, have a few pairs share their ideas with the whole class and facilitate a discussion on the topic.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
The old pictures made Neptune look very blue and Uranus look green.
The smart people changed the old pictures to show the real colors of Neptune and Uranus.
They used a special space camera and a very big telescope to find out the real colors.
Yes, the people who study planets knew that the pictures we see are not the real colors.
They made the pictures brighter a long time ago to see the details of the planets better.
The new pictures showed that Neptune is a little more blue and Uranus is a little more green, but they are both mostly blue-green.
The real colors of Neptune and Uranus are mostly blue-green.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
A long time ago, people took pictures of two big planets, Neptune and . The pictures made Neptune very blue and Uranus look green. But now, smart people who study stars and planets found out that both planets are really more like blue-green. The old pictures were to help us see clouds and winds on Neptune, and that made the colors look different. They used a special space camera and a very big to find out the real colors. The people who study planets knew that the pictures we see are not the real colors. They the colors brighter a long time ago so it was to see details. Making pictures brighter is something they do a lot to more about space. Now, they made new pictures that the right colors of Neptune and Uranus. They found out that Neptune is a little more blue and Uranus is a little more green, but they are both mostly blue-green.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What are the names of the two big planets in the story?
2. How did the old pictures of Neptune and Uranus look?
3. Do you think it was easy to see clouds and winds on the old pictures? Why or why not?
4. How did the smart people find out the real colors of the planets?
5. Do you think the new pictures show the right colors of Neptune and Uranus? Why or why not?
6. How do the real colors of Neptune and Uranus look?
7. Do you like the colors blue and green? Why or why not?
8. How do you feel when you see bright colors?
9. Have you ever seen pictures of planets before? Which ones?
10. What do you think is interesting about studying stars and planets?
11. How can making pictures brighter help us learn more about space?
12. Do you think it's important to know the real colors of planets? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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