The Tsou people are very sad and worried because their special flower is going away. They need the flower for their special times, but there is no other flower they can use. They want help from people who make big decisions, but they don't think those people are doing enough. A group that cares about the Earth says the big decision-makers are not working fast enough to stop the Earth from getting too warm. The Tsou people are scared they will lose the way they live and the stories they tell because of the warm weather.
Original news source: Taiwan: The 'God Flower' vanishing because of climate change (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a set of vocabulary flashcards related to the article (e.g. flower, gods, mountains, climate change, etc.). One student from each group will act out the word on the flashcard without using any words, while the other students try to guess the word. The first group to guess correctly gets a point. Repeat with different students and flashcards.
– News Summary
Instructions: Have the students work in pairs. Each pair will take turns summarizing the main points of the article to their partner in their own words. Encourage them to use simple language and focus on the key information. After each summary, the listening partner can ask questions for clarification. Switch roles and repeat with a different article or topic.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Prepare a list of vocabulary words from the article (e.g. flower, gods, mountains, climate change, etc.). Divide the class into teams and give each team a whiteboard or large sheet of paper and markers. One student from each team will come to the front of the class and choose a word from the list. They must draw a picture to represent the word while their team tries to guess it. The first team to guess correctly gets a point. Continue with different students and words.
– Keyword Hangman
Instructions: Write a key word from the article on the board, but leave the letters blank. Have the students take turns guessing letters to fill in the word. If a guessed letter is correct, write it in the appropriate space. If it is incorrect, start drawing the hangman. The students must guess the word before the hangman is completed. Repeat with different key words from the article.
– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Have the students think silently for a few minutes about the implications of climate change on different cultures and communities, such as the Tsou people in the article. Then, pair them up and have them discuss their thoughts with their partner. After a few minutes, bring the class back together and ask a few pairs to share their ideas with the whole class. Encourage the students to use simple language and support their ideas with reasons.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
The special flower is called the God Flower.
It is getting harder to find the special flower because it is getting warmer in the mountains.
The weather in the mountains is getting warmer.
The Tsou people are sad and worried because their special flower is going away and they need it for their special times.
The Tsou people want help from the people who make big decisions.
The Tsou people think that the big decision-makers are not doing enough to stop the Earth from getting too warm.
The Tsou people are scared about the warm weather because they might lose the way they live and the stories they tell.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
There is a special called the God Flower that is very important to a group of people who live in the mountains. These people are called the Tsou, and they use the flower when they talk to their gods. But the flower is harder to find because it is getting in the mountains. The flower needs it to be cold to grow, but it's not cold enough anymore. This is happening because of something called climate change. The people are very sad and worried because their special flower is going away. They need the flower for their special times, but there is no other flower they can use. They want help from people who make big decisions, but they don't those people are doing enough. A that cares about the Earth says the big decision-makers are not working fast enough to stop the Earth from getting too warm. The Tsou people are scared they will the way they live and the stories they tell because of the warm .
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is a special flower called the God Flower?
2. How do the Tsou people use the God Flower?
3. How do the Tsou people feel about the flower going away?
4. How would you feel if something important to you was going away?
5. Do you like flowers? Why or why not?
6. What do the Tsou people want from the big decision-makers?
7. Do you think the big decision-makers are doing enough to help the Tsou people? Why or why not?
8. What is climate change?
9. How do you think climate change is affecting the God Flower?
10. Why are the Tsou people scared?
11. What are some things we can do to help the Earth?
12. How can we make sure important things like the God Flower don't go away?
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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