Many people got in trouble with the police because they were trying to stop big boats at a place where they dig up coal and send it to other countries. They did this because they are worried about the earth getting too hot and want the people who make rules to do something. They used small boats and swam to block the big boats. Because of this, a lot of coal stayed in Australia. Australia sends a lot of coal to other places and uses it to make electricity.
A group called Rising Tide made a plan to tell the people who make rules that they should ask for money when they send coal to other places. They also want the people who make rules to stop saying yes to digging up more coal. The boss of Australia says he wants to help stop the earth from getting too hot, but his people still said yes to more places to dig up coal. Some young people, even a kid who is still in school, were brave and got in trouble with the police because they want a clean world to live in when they grow up. This happened right before a big meeting where people from all over the world talk about how to stop the earth from getting too hot.
Original news source: Climate protest: More than 100 arrested at world’s largest coal port (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Word Association
Instructions: In this activity, students will take turns saying a word that they associate with the article. For example, if one student says “coal,” the next student might say “energy.” The goal is to build a chain of related words. Encourage students to explain their associations if necessary.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a set of vocabulary words from the article. One student will choose a word and draw a picture to represent it, while the other student tries to guess the word. After a certain amount of time, switch roles. This activity helps reinforce vocabulary and comprehension skills.
– Headline Creation
Instructions: In groups, students will create a headline for the article. The headline should capture the main idea or theme of the article in a concise and attention-grabbing way. After each group presents their headline, have a class discussion about the different perspectives and ideas presented.
– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: After reading the article, have students think individually about a question related to the topic, such as “Why do you think it’s important to stop the earth from getting too hot?” Then, pair students up and have them share their thoughts with each other. Finally, have a class discussion and allow students to share their ideas with the whole group.
– Two Truths and a Lie
Instructions: In this activity, each student will come up with two true statements and one false statement related to the article. They will take turns sharing their statements with the class, and the rest of the class will try to guess which statement is the lie. This activity encourages reading comprehension and critical thinking skills.
Comprehension Questions:
1. Why did people get in trouble with the police?
2. What were they trying to stop at the place where they dig up coal?
3. Why are they worried about the earth?
4. What did the people who got in trouble with the police use to block the big boats?
5. Where does Australia send a lot of coal?
6. What did the group called Rising Tide want the people who make rules to do?
7. Why did some young people get in trouble with the police?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Many people got in trouble with the police because they were trying to stop big boats at a place where they dig up coal and (1)______ it to (2)______ countries. They did this because they are worried about the earth getting too hot and want the people who make rules to do something. They used small boats and swam to block the big boats. Because of this, a lot of coal stayed in Australia. Australia sends a lot of coal to other places and uses it to make electricity.
A group called Rising (3)______ (4)______ a plan to tell the people who make rules that they should ask for money when they send coal to other places. They also want the people who (5)______ rules to (6)______ saying yes to digging up more coal. The boss of Australia says he wants to help stop the earth from getting too hot, but his people still said yes to more places to dig up coal. Some young people, even a kid who is still in (7)______, were brave and got in trouble with the police because they (8)______ a clean world to live in when they grow up. This happened right before a big meeting where people from all over the world talk about how to stop the earth from getting too hot.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What do you think about people trying to stop big boats at the place where they dig up coal?
2. How would you feel if you were in a small boat and swimming to block a big boat?
3. Do you like the idea of asking for money when sending coal to other places? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about the people who make rules saying yes to digging up more coal?
5. How would you feel if you were a kid in school and got in trouble with the police for wanting a clean world?
6. Do you think it’s important to talk about how to stop the earth from getting too hot? Why or why not?
7. How would you feel if you were the boss of Australia and wanted to help stop the earth from getting too hot?
8. What is Rising Tide and what do you think about their plan?
9. How would you feel if you were one of the young people who got in trouble with the police for wanting a clean world?
10. What do you think about Australia sending a lot of coal to other places and using it to make electricity?
11. How would you feel if you were at the big meeting where people from all over the world talk about how to stop the earth from getting too hot?
12. Do you think it’s important to have a clean world to live in when you grow up? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. trouble
2. police
3. boats
4. coal
5. hot
6. rules
7. earth
8. clean
Meanings:
(a) A black rock that we use to make electricity
(b) When something is not dirty and has no germs
(c) When something bad happens and you get in trouble
(d) Big things that float on water and take people places
(e) The planet we live on
(f) People who help keep everyone safe and catch bad guys
(g) Things we have to follow to keep everything fair and safe
(h) When it is very warm and you feel sweaty
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Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Why did people get in trouble with the police?
(a) They were swimming in small boats.
(b) They were sending coal to other countries.
(c) They were worried about the earth getting too hot.
(d) They were trying to stop big boats at a coal place.
2. What did the people want the people who make rules to do?
(a) Dig up more coal.
(b) Ask for money when they send coal to other places.
(c) Swim in small boats.
(d) Block the big boats.
3. What does Australia use coal for?
(a) To make electricity.
(b) To swim in small boats.
(c) To send to other countries.
(d) To make rules.
4. What is the name of the group that made a plan?
(a) Big Boats.
(b) Small Boats.
(c) Rising Tide.
(d) Earth is Hot.
5. What did the boss of Australia say he wants to help stop?
(a) The people who make rules.
(b) The earth from getting too hot.
(c) The big boats.
(d) Digging up more coal.
6. Who got in trouble with the police?
(a) The boss of Australia.
(b) The people who make rules.
(c) Rising Tide.
(d) Some young people and a kid who is still in school.
7. What happened right before a big meeting?
(a) The earth got too hot.
(b) The boss of Australia said yes to more places to dig up coal.
(c) People got in trouble with the police.
(d) Rising Tide made a plan.
8. What do people from all over the world talk about at the big meeting?
(a) How to stop the earth from getting too hot.
(b) How to dig up more coal.
(c) How to swim in small boats.
(d) How to make rules.
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. They did this because they are worried that the earth will get too hot and they want the people who make rules to do something about it.
2. The boss of Australia says he wants to help stop the earth from getting too hot, but his people still said yes to digging up more coal.
3. Some people got praised by the police because they successfully prevented big boats from taking coal to other countries.
4. Some elderly people, including an adult who dropped out of school, were foolish and got praised by the police because they want a polluted world to live in when they grow up.
5. A group called Rising Tide made a plan to ask for money when coal is sent to other places and to stop digging up more coal.
6. Because of their actions, a lot of coal stayed in Australia instead of being sent to other places.
7. They used large boats and even flew to assist the big boats.
8. Australia sends a minimal amount of coal to other countries and does not use it to make electricity.
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. Why were people trying to stop the big boats?
2. What are the people worried about?
3. What did the people use to block the big boats?
4. What did the group called Rising Tide want the people who make rules to do?
5. Why did some young people get in trouble with the police?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. Why did people get in trouble with the police?
They got in trouble with the police because they were trying to stop big boats at a place where they dig up coal.
2. What were they trying to stop at the place where they dig up coal?
They were trying to stop the big boats from taking the coal to other countries.
3. Why are they worried about the earth?
They are worried about the earth getting too hot and want the people who make rules to do something to help.
4. What did the people who got in trouble with the police use to block the big boats?
They used small boats and swam to block the big boats.
5. Where does Australia send a lot of coal?
Australia sends a lot of coal to other countries.
6. What did the group called Rising Tide want the people who make rules to do?
The group called Rising Tide wanted the people who make rules to ask for money when they send coal to other countries and to stop saying yes to digging up more coal.
7. Why did some young people get in trouble with the police?
Some young people got in trouble with the police because they want a clean world to live in when they grow up and were trying to stop the boats from taking the coal.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) send
(2) other
(3) Tide
(4) made
(5) make
(6) stop
(7) school
(8) want
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. trouble
Answer: (c) When something bad happens and you get in trouble
2. police
Answer: (f) People who help keep everyone safe and catch bad guys
3. boats
Answer: (d) Big things that float on water and take people places
4. coal
Answer: (a) A black rock that we use to make electricity
5. hot
Answer: (h) When it is very warm and you feel sweaty
6. rules
Answer: (g) Things we have to follow to keep everything fair and safe
7. earth
Answer: (e) The planet we live on
8. clean
Answer: (b) When something is not dirty and has no germs
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. Why did people get in trouble with the police?
Answer: (d) They were trying to stop big boats at a coal place.
2. What did the people want the people who make rules to do?
Answer: (b) Ask for money when they send coal to other places.
3. What does Australia use coal for?
Answer: (a) To make electricity.
4. What is the name of the group that made a plan?
Answer: (c) Rising Tide.
5. What did the boss of Australia say he wants to help stop?
Answer: (b) The earth from getting too hot.
6. Who got in trouble with the police?
Answer: (d) Some young people and a kid who is still in school.
7. What happened right before a big meeting?
Answer: (c) People got in trouble with the police.
8. What do people from all over the world talk about at the big meeting?
Answer: (a) How to stop the earth from getting too hot.
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. They did this because they are worried that the earth will get too hot and they want the people who make rules to do something about it. (Answer: True)
2. The boss of Australia says he wants to help stop the earth from getting too hot, but his people still said yes to digging up more coal. (Answer: True)
3. Some people got praised by the police because they successfully prevented big boats from taking coal to other countries. (Answer: False)
4. Some elderly people, including an adult who dropped out of school, were foolish and got praised by the police because they want a polluted world to live in when they grow up. (Answer: False)
5. A group called Rising Tide made a plan to ask for money when coal is sent to other places and to stop digging up more coal. (Answer: True)
6. Because of their actions, a lot of coal stayed in Australia instead of being sent to other places. (Answer: True)
7. They used large boats and even flew to assist the big boats. (Answer: False)
8. Australia sends a minimal amount of coal to other countries and does not use it to make electricity. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧
