People are using the internet to look for information about being scared of changes in the weather. They are worried about things like big fires, lots of water, and not enough rain. This worry is called “climate anxiety.” Many people, especially kids and young people, feel this way. In one year, a lot more people looked up information about being scared of the weather than before.

The information from the internet also tells us that people all over the world want to know what will happen to our planet and how we can take care of it. They are looking for ways to make less pollution and keep the Earth safe. Even though we don’t know if more girls or boys are looking for this information, we know that girls are more worried about the weather changing. Girls might talk more about their feelings and have more problems because of the weather changing. This can make life very hard for girls and women.

Original news source: Climate change: Rise in Google searches around ‘anxiety’ (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns choosing a weather-related word or phrase from a hat and acting it out without speaking. The other groups must try to guess what they are acting out. This activity will help students practice vocabulary and non-verbal communication skills.

– News Summary
Instructions: Provide the students with a simplified version of the article. In pairs or small groups, they should summarize the main points of the article in their own words. This activity will help students improve their reading comprehension and summarizing skills.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Give each student a weather-related vocabulary word from the article. They should draw a picture to represent the word and then take turns showing their picture to the class. The rest of the class must guess what word the picture represents. This activity will help students practice vocabulary and visual communication skills.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Pose a question related to the article, such as “What can we do to take care of the Earth?” Students should think about the question individually, then pair up with a classmate to discuss their thoughts. Finally, they can share their ideas with the whole class. This activity will encourage students to think critically and express their opinions in English.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask the students to imagine what the weather will be like in 50 years. In pairs or small groups, they should discuss and make predictions about the future climate. Each group can then present their predictions to the class. This activity will help students practice speaking and expressing their ideas about the future in English.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What are people using the internet for?
2. What are people worried about when it comes to the weather?
3. What is it called when people are worried about the weather changing?
4. Who feels this way about the weather changing?
5. Did more people look up information about being scared of the weather this year compared to before?
6. What do people want to know about our planet?
7. Who is more worried about the weather changing, girls or boys?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

People are (1)______ the internet to look for information about being scared of changes in the weather. They are worried about things like big fires, (2)______ of water, and not enough rain. This worry is called “climate anxiety.” Many (3)______, especially kids and young people, feel this way. In one year, a lot more people looked up information about being scared of the (4)______ than before.

The information from the internet also tells us that people all over the world want to know what will happen to our (5)______ and how we can take care of it. They are looking for (6)______ to make less pollution and keep the Earth safe. Even though we don’t know if more girls or boys are looking for this information, we know that girls are (7)______ worried about the weather changing. Girls might talk more about their feelings and have more (8)______ because of the weather changing. This can make life very hard for girls and women.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is climate anxiety?
2. How would you feel if there was a big fire near your house?
3. Do you like rainy days? Why or why not?
4. What do you think will happen to our planet if we don’t take care of it?
5. How do you think we can make less pollution?
6. Do you know any ways to keep the Earth safe?
7. Why do you think girls might be more worried about the weather changing?
8. How do you feel when the weather changes?
9. Do you talk about your feelings with your friends? Why or why not?
10. Do you think the weather changing can make life hard for girls and women? Why or why not?
11. What problems do you think girls and women might have because of the weather changing?
12. How can we help girls and women who are worried about the weather changing?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. internet
2. information
3. worried
4. planet
5. pollution
6. girls
7. problems
8. women

Meanings:
(a) A place where you can find things online
(b) The Earth we live on
(c) Facts or details about something
(d) Dirty stuff that can hurt the Earth
(e) Adult females
(f) Difficulties or challenges
(g) Feeling scared or anxious
(h) Young females
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What are people worried about when they have “climate anxiety”?
(a) Changes in their clothes
(b) Changes in their toys
(c) Changes in the weather
(d) Changes in their food

2. What do people want to know about our planet?
(a) What will happen to the moon
(b) What will happen to it
(c) What will happen to the sun
(d) What will happen to the stars

3. Who is more worried about the weather changing?
(a) Boys
(b) Cats
(c) Girls
(d) Dogs

4. What are people looking for to make less pollution?
(a) Ways to help the Earth
(b) Ways to help the moon
(c) Ways to help the sun
(d) Ways to help the stars

5. Who might have more problems because of the weather changing?
(a) Boys
(b) Girls
(c) Birds
(d) Fish

6. What can make life very hard for girls and women?
(a) Weather changing
(b) Playing outside
(c) Eating ice cream
(d) Going to school

7. What are people using the internet for?
(a) Playing games
(b) Watching movies
(c) Eating snacks
(d) Looking for information

8. What is it called when people are scared of changes in the weather?
(a) Weather happiness
(b) Weather excitement
(c) Climate sadness
(d) Climate anxiety

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. People are using the internet to learn about being excited about changes in the weather.
2. People all over the world are not interested in knowing what will happen to our planet.
3. More people looked up information about being scared of the weather in one year.
4. This worry is called “climate anxiety.”
5. Many adults and older people feel scared about the weather changing.
6. They are worried about big fires, lots of water, and not enough rain.
7. Boys are more worried about the weather changing and might have more problems because of it.
8. They want to find ways to make less pollution and keep the Earth safe.
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 are people worried about when they look up information on the internet?
2. What is it called when people are scared of changes in the weather?
3. Who feels this way the most – adults or kids?
4. What are people all over the world looking for on the internet?
5. Who is more worried about the weather changing – girls or boys?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. People are using the internet to look for information about being scared of changes in the weather.
2. People are worried about things like big fires, lots of water, and not enough rain when it comes to the weather.
3. It is called “climate anxiety” when people are worried about the weather changing.
4. Many people, especially kids and young people, feel this way about the weather changing.
5. Yes, more people looked up information about being scared of the weather this year compared to before.
6. People want to know what will happen to our planet and how we can take care of it.
7. Girls are more worried about the weather changing.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) using
(2) lots
(3) people
(4) weather
(5) planet
(6) ways
(7) more
(8) problems
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. internet
Answer: (a) A place where you can find things online

2. information
Answer: (c) Facts or details about something

3. worried
Answer: (g) Feeling scared or anxious

4. planet
Answer: (b) The Earth we live on

5. pollution
Answer: (d) Dirty stuff that can hurt the Earth

6. girls
Answer: (h) Young females

7. problems
Answer: (f) Difficulties or challenges

8. women
Answer: (e) Adult females
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What are people worried about when they have “climate anxiety”?
Answer: (c) Changes in the weather

2. What do people want to know about our planet?
Answer: (b) What will happen to it

3. Who is more worried about the weather changing?
Answer: (c) Girls

4. What are people looking for to make less pollution?
Answer: (a) Ways to help the Earth

5. Who might have more problems because of the weather changing?
Answer: (b) Girls

6. What can make life very hard for girls and women?
Answer: (a) Weather changing

7. What are people using the internet for?
Answer: (d) Looking for information

8. What is it called when people are scared of changes in the weather?
Answer: (d) Climate anxiety
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. People are using the internet to learn about being excited about changes in the weather. (Answer: False)
2. People all over the world are not interested in knowing what will happen to our planet. (Answer: False)
3. More people looked up information about being scared of the weather in one year. (Answer: True)
4. This worry is called “climate anxiety.” (Answer: True)
5. Many adults and older people feel scared about the weather changing. (Answer: False)
6. They are worried about big fires, lots of water, and not enough rain. (Answer: True)
7. Boys are more worried about the weather changing and might have more problems because of it. (Answer: False)
8. They want to find ways to make less pollution and keep the Earth safe. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧