A company in Sweden made a very tall windmill tower out of wood. It is as tall as a very big tree. The wood they used is strong and is often used to build houses. They think making windmills from wood is good because it’s not as heavy as metal. They want to make more big wooden windmills in the future.

Wood is better than metal for making windmills because it’s easier to move and put together. Big metal windmills are hard to move and need big trucks. But wooden windmills can be made in small pieces and then put together like a puzzle. These windmills are also good for the air because they don’t make dirty smoke like metal does. The company wants to make more windmills from wood so we can have cleaner air.

Original news source: World’s tallest wooden wind turbine starts turning (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Have students read the article silently or aloud. Then, ask them to summarize the main points of the article in their own words. They can do this individually or in pairs. After they have finished, ask for volunteers to share their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a statement related to the article, such as “Using wood to make windmills is better for the environment than using metal.” Have each group discuss the statement and then vote on whether they agree or disagree. Afterward, have a representative from each group share their group’s opinion with the class and explain their reasoning.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write key vocabulary words from the article on separate index cards. Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a set of index cards and a whiteboard or piece of paper. One student from each pair will choose a card and draw a picture to represent the word, while the other student guesses the word. After a set amount of time, have the pairs switch roles. Encourage students to use the words in sentences as well.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Have students work individually or in pairs to create a sketch or drawing based on the article. They can choose to depict the wooden windmill, the process of building it, or any other aspect they find interesting. After they have finished, ask for volunteers to share their sketches with the class and explain their choices.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to imagine what the future will be like if more windmills are made from wood instead of metal. Have them write or discuss their predictions, focusing on the potential impact on the environment, technology, and society. Encourage them to use the vocabulary and ideas from the article in their predictions.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did a company in Sweden make out of wood?
2. How tall is the wooden windmill tower?
3. Why do they think making windmills from wood is good?
4. Why are big metal windmills hard to move?
5. How are wooden windmills put together?
6. What is good about wooden windmills for the air?
7. Why does the company want to make more windmills from wood?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A company in Sweden made a very tall windmill tower out of wood. It is as tall as a very big tree. The wood they (1)______ is strong and is often used to (2)______ houses. They think making windmills from (3)______ is good because it’s not as heavy as (4)______. They want to make more big wooden windmills in the future.

Wood is better than metal for making windmills because it’s (5)______ to move and put together. Big metal windmills are hard to move and need big (6)______. But wooden windmills can be made in small pieces and then put together like a puzzle. These windmills are also good for the air because they don’t make dirty smoke like metal (7)______. The company wants to make more windmills from wood so we can (8)______ cleaner air.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a windmill?
2. How would you feel if you saw a very tall windmill made out of wood?
3. Do you like the idea of making windmills from wood? Why or why not?
4. What is the advantage of using wood instead of metal to make windmills?
5. How do you think the company made the wooden windmill tower so tall?
6. Do you think it’s easier to move and put together a wooden windmill or a metal windmill? Why?
7. How do you think the wooden windmills help the air?
8. Do you think it’s important to have cleaner air? Why or why not?
9. Have you ever seen a windmill before? Where was it?
10. Can you think of any other things that could be made out of wood instead of metal?
11. How do you think the wooden windmills are good for the environment?
12. Would you like to see more big wooden windmills in the future? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. company
2. windmill
3. tower
4. wood
5. metal
6. future
7. heavy
8. trucks
9. puzzle
10. air

Meanings:
(A) A big thing with arms that spins in the wind to make power
(B) A group of people who work together to make or sell things
(C) A game with many pieces that fit together to make a picture
(D) The hard material that comes from trees
(E) Something that is not easy to lift because it weighs a lot
(F) A very tall building or structure
(G) Big cars used to move large things from one place to another
(H) A shiny, hard thing that is often used to make cans or cars
(I) The time that is coming, what will happen after now
(J) What we breathe, the invisible stuff all around us that we need to live
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did a company in Sweden make out of wood?
(a) A house
(b) A car
(c) A boat
(d) A windmill tower

2. Why does the company think making windmills from wood is good?
(a) Wood is cheaper than metal
(b) Wood is stronger than metal
(c) Wood is not as heavy as metal
(d) Wood is easier to find than metal

3. How are wooden windmills different from metal windmills?
(a) Wooden windmills are taller than metal windmills
(b) Wooden windmills can be made in small pieces and put together like a puzzle
(c) Wooden windmills make dirty smoke like metal windmills
(d) Wooden windmills need big trucks to move them

4. Why are wooden windmills good for the air?
(a) They make the air smell like wood
(b) They don’t make dirty smoke like metal windmills
(c) They make the air cleaner than metal windmills
(d) They make the air dirtier than metal windmills

5. What does the company want to make more of in the future?
(a) Small wooden windmills
(b) Big metal windmills
(c) Big wooden windmills
(d) Small metal windmills

6. What is wood often used to build?
(a) Houses
(b) Cars
(c) Boats
(d) Windmills

7. How tall is the wooden windmill tower?
(a) As tall as a very big tree
(b) As tall as a small tree
(c) As tall as a house
(d) As tall as a car

8. Why is wood easier to move and put together than metal?
(a) Wood is stronger than metal
(b) Wood is cheaper than metal
(c) Wood is harder to find than metal
(d) Wood is lighter than metal

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Wooden windmills cannot be made in small pieces and then put together like a puzzle.
2. The company thinks making windmills from wood is good because it’s not as heavy as metal.
3. A company in Sweden made a moderately tall windmill tower out of wood.
4. These windmills are good for the air because they don’t make dirty smoke like metal does.
5. They want to make more big wooden windmills in the future.
6. Wood is worse than metal for making windmills because it’s difficult to move and put together.
7. The wood they used is strong and is often used to build houses.
8. Big metal windmills are easy to move and do not need big trucks.
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 a company in Sweden make out of wood?
2. How tall is the wooden windmill tower?
3. Why do they think making windmills from wood is good?
4. How are wooden windmills easier to move and put together compared to metal windmills?
5. Why are wooden windmills good for the air?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What did a company in Sweden make out of wood?
They made a windmill tower out of wood.

2. How tall is the wooden windmill tower?
It is as tall as a very big tree.

3. Why do they think making windmills from wood is good?
They think it’s good because wood is not as heavy as metal.

4. Why are big metal windmills hard to move?
Big metal windmills are hard to move because they need big trucks.

5. How are wooden windmills put together?
Wooden windmills are put together like a puzzle, with small pieces.

6. What is good about wooden windmills for the air?
Wooden windmills are good for the air because they don’t make dirty smoke like metal does.

7. Why does the company want to make more windmills from wood?
The company wants to make more windmills from wood so we can have cleaner air.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) used
(2) build
(3) wood
(4) metal
(5) easier
(6) trucks
(7) does
(8) have
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. company
Answer: (B) A group of people who work together to make or sell things

2. windmill
Answer: (A) A big thing with arms that spins in the wind to make power

3. tower
Answer: (F) A very tall building or structure

4. wood
Answer: (D) The hard material that comes from trees

5. metal
Answer: (H) A shiny, hard thing that is often used to make cans or cars

6. future
Answer: (I) The time that is coming, what will happen after now

7. heavy
Answer: (E) Something that is not easy to lift because it weighs a lot

8. trucks
Answer: (G) Big cars used to move large things from one place to another

9. puzzle
Answer: (C) A game with many pieces that fit together to make a picture

10. air
Answer: (J) What we breathe, the invisible stuff all around us that we need to live
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did a company in Sweden make out of wood?
Answer: (d) A windmill tower

2. Why does the company think making windmills from wood is good?
Answer: (c) Wood is not as heavy as metal

3. How are wooden windmills different from metal windmills?
Answer: (b) Wooden windmills can be made in small pieces and put together like a puzzle

4. Why are wooden windmills good for the air?
Answer: (b) They don’t make dirty smoke like metal windmills

5. What does the company want to make more of in the future?
Answer: (c) Big wooden windmills

6. What is wood often used to build?
Answer: (a) Houses

7. How tall is the wooden windmill tower?
Answer: (a) As tall as a very big tree

8. Why is wood easier to move and put together than metal?
Answer: (d) Wood is lighter than metal
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Wooden windmills cannot be made in small pieces and then put together like a puzzle. (Answer: False)
2. The company thinks making windmills from wood is good because it’s not as heavy as metal. (Answer: True)
3. A company in Sweden made a moderately tall windmill tower out of wood. (Answer: False)
4. These windmills are good for the air because they don’t make dirty smoke like metal does. (Answer: True)
5. They want to make more big wooden windmills in the future. (Answer: True)
6. Wood is worse than metal for making windmills because it’s difficult to move and put together. (Answer: False)
7. The wood they used is strong and is often used to build houses. (Answer: True)
8. Big metal windmills are easy to move and do not need big trucks. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧