A wind turbine in Iowa caught fire and was destroyed. Firefighters could not put out the fire because their ladders were not tall enough. A video showed smoke coming from the turbine and a big blade falling down in flames. People are still trying to find out what caused the fire.
This event shows how hard it can be for firefighters to put out fires in very tall things like wind turbines. Because they didn’t have the right tools, the firefighters couldn’t stop the fire and the turbine was completely destroyed. It’s very important for firefighters to have the right tools and resources to handle these kinds of situations to keep people safe and stop damage.
This event makes people question if wind turbines are safe enough. As we use more wind energy, we need to make sure wind turbines are safe and don’t catch fire. This event reminds us that we need to check wind turbines often, keep them in good shape, and be ready for emergencies to stop things like this from happening in the future.
Original news source: Fire destroys Iowa wind turbine after emergency workers fail to reach top (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Read the article to the students or have them read it silently.
2. In pairs or small groups, have students summarize the main points of the article in their own words.
3. Each group will then share their summary with the rest of the class.
– Word Association
Instructions:
1. Write the words “wind turbine” on the board.
2. In pairs or small groups, have students brainstorm and write down as many words as they can think of that are related to wind turbines.
3. After a few minutes, have each group share their list with the class and explain why they chose each word.
– Sketch It
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs.
2. Give each pair a piece of paper and a pen or pencil.
3. One student from each pair will describe the article to their partner, while the partner listens and tries to sketch what they are hearing.
4. After a few minutes, have the pairs switch roles.
5. Each pair will then compare their sketches and discuss how accurate they were in capturing the main points of the article.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions:
1. Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate small pieces of paper or index cards.
2. Divide the class into teams.
3. One student from each team will come up to the front of the class and choose a word without showing it to their team.
4. The student will then draw a picture on the board to represent the word, while their team tries to guess what the word is.
5. The team that correctly guesses the word gets a point.
6. Repeat the process with different students and words until all the vocabulary words have been used.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into two groups.
2. Assign one group to brainstorm the pros of using wind turbines for energy, and the other group to brainstorm the cons.
3. Give the groups a few minutes to discuss and write down their ideas.
4. Have each group take turns sharing their ideas with the class.
5. Facilitate a class discussion by asking students to compare and contrast the pros and cons and share their own opinions on the topic.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What happened to the wind turbine in Iowa?
2. Why couldn’t the firefighters put out the fire?
3. What did the video show?
4. Why is it important for firefighters to have the right tools and resources?
5. What does this event make people question?
6. What do we need to do to make sure wind turbines are safe?
7. Why is it important to check wind turbines often and keep them in good shape?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
A wind (1)______ in Iowa caught fire and was destroyed. Firefighters could not put out the fire because their (2)______ were not tall enough. A video (3)______ smoke coming from the turbine and a big blade falling down in flames. People are still trying to find out what (4)______ the fire.
This (5)______ shows how hard it can be for (6)______ to put out fires in very tall things like wind turbines. Because they didn’t have the right tools, the firefighters couldn’t stop the fire and the turbine was completely destroyed. It’s very (7)______ for firefighters to have the right tools and resources to handle these kinds of situations to keep people safe and stop (8)______.
This event makes people question if wind (9)______ are safe enough. As we use more wind energy, we need to make sure wind turbines are safe and don’t catch fire. This event (10)______ us that we need to (11)______ wind turbines often, keep them in good shape, and be ready for emergencies to stop things like this from (12)______ in the future.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is a wind turbine?
2. How do you think the firefighters felt when they couldn’t put out the fire?
3. Do you like wind turbines? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if you saw a wind turbine on fire?
5. What do you think caused the fire in the wind turbine?
6. Do you think wind turbines are safe? Why or why not?
7. How often do you think wind turbines should be checked?
8. Why is it important for firefighters to have the right tools and resources?
9. Have you ever seen a wind turbine in real life? What was it like?
10. Do you think we should use more wind energy? Why or why not?
11. What can we do to prevent wind turbines from catching fire?
12. What other types of emergencies do you think firefighters need to be ready for?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. turbine
2. firefighters
3. tools
4. resources
5. safe
6. damage
7. emergencies
8. future
Meanings:
(a) A machine with blades that turns wind into electricity
(b) The time that will come after the present
(c) Unexpected and dangerous situations that need immediate action
(d) People who put out fires and help in emergencies
(e) Not dangerous or harmful
(f) Things that help you do a job or fix something
(g) Harm or destruction to something
(h) Things you need to do a job or fix something
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What happened to the wind turbine in Iowa?
(a) It collapsed in a storm
(b) It stopped working
(c) It caught fire and was destroyed
(d) It was hit by lightning
2. Why couldn’t the firefighters put out the fire?
(a) They didn’t have enough water
(b) Their ladders were not tall enough
(c) They were afraid of the fire
(d) They arrived too late
3. What did the video show?
(a) Firefighters trying to put out the fire
(b) People running away from the burning turbine
(c) The turbine spinning very fast
(d) Smoke coming from the turbine and a blade falling down in flames
4. Why is it important for firefighters to have the right tools?
(a) To make their job easier
(b) To impress people with their skills
(c) To handle emergencies and keep people safe
(d) To look professional
5. What does this event make people question?
(a) If firefighters are doing their job properly
(b) If wind turbines are safe enough
(c) If wind energy is a good idea
(d) If the video was real or fake
6. What should we do to prevent events like this from happening in the future?
(a) Check wind turbines often, keep them in good shape, and be ready for emergencies
(b) Stop using wind energy altogether
(c) Build shorter wind turbines
(d) Hire more firefighters
7. What is the main purpose of wind turbines?
(a) To provide shade on hot days
(b) To make loud noise
(c) To attract birds
(d) To generate electricity from wind energy
8. Who needs to make sure wind turbines are safe?
(a) Everyone involved in the wind energy industry
(b) The government
(c) The firefighters
(d) The people living near wind turbines
True or False Questions:
1. This event raises concerns about the safety of wind turbines and the need for regular checks and maintenance to prevent fires.
2. A video showed no signs of smoke or flames coming from the turbine.
3. The firefighters had the appropriate tools and resources to stop the fire, so the turbine was partially damaged.
4. Firefighters couldn’t put out the fire because their ladders were not tall enough.
5. People are still investigating to find out what caused the fire.
6. This event demonstrates how easy it is for firefighters to put out fires in very tall things like wind turbines.
7. A wind turbine in Iowa caught fire and was destroyed.
8. It’s not important for firefighters to have the right tools and resources to keep people safe and prevent damage.
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 happened to the wind turbine in Iowa?
2. Why couldn’t the firefighters put out the fire?
3. Why is it important for firefighters to have the right tools and resources?
4. What does this event make people question?
5. What can we do to prevent wind turbines from catching fire in the future?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. What happened to the wind turbine in Iowa?
The wind turbine caught fire and was destroyed.
2. Why couldn’t the firefighters put out the fire?
The firefighters couldn’t put out the fire because their ladders were not tall enough.
3. What did the video show?
The video showed smoke coming from the turbine and a big blade falling down in flames.
4. Why is it important for firefighters to have the right tools and resources?
It is important for firefighters to have the right tools and resources so they can handle different situations and keep people safe.
5. What does this event make people question?
This event makes people question if wind turbines are safe enough.
6. What do we need to do to make sure wind turbines are safe?
We need to check wind turbines often, keep them in good shape, and be ready for emergencies to make sure they are safe.
7. Why is it important to check wind turbines often and keep them in good shape?
It is important to check wind turbines often and keep them in good shape to prevent accidents and make sure they are working properly.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) turbine
(2) ladders
(3) showed
(4) caused
(5) event
(6) firefighters
(7) important
(8) damage
(9) turbines
(10) reminds
(11) check
(12) happening
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. turbine
Answer: (a) A machine with blades that turns wind into electricity
2. firefighters
Answer: (d) People who put out fires and help in emergencies
3. tools
Answer: (f) Things that help you do a job or fix something
4. resources
Answer: (h) Things you need to do a job or fix something
5. safe
Answer: (e) Not dangerous or harmful
6. damage
Answer: (g) Harm or destruction to something
7. emergencies
Answer: (c) Unexpected and dangerous situations that need immediate action
8. future
Answer: (b) The time that will come after the present
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What happened to the wind turbine in Iowa?
Answer: (c) It caught fire and was destroyed
2. Why couldn’t the firefighters put out the fire?
Answer: (b) Their ladders were not tall enough
3. What did the video show?
Answer: (d) Smoke coming from the turbine and a blade falling down in flames
4. Why is it important for firefighters to have the right tools?
Answer: (c) To handle emergencies and keep people safe
5. What does this event make people question?
Answer: (b) If wind turbines are safe enough
6. What should we do to prevent events like this from happening in the future?
Answer: (a) Check wind turbines often, keep them in good shape, and be ready for emergencies
7. What is the main purpose of wind turbines?
Answer: (d) To generate electricity from wind energy
8. Who needs to make sure wind turbines are safe?
Answer: (a) Everyone involved in the wind energy industry
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. This event raises concerns about the safety of wind turbines and the need for regular checks and maintenance to prevent fires. (Answer: True)
2. A video showed no signs of smoke or flames coming from the turbine. (Answer: False)
3. The firefighters had the appropriate tools and resources to stop the fire, so the turbine was partially damaged. (Answer: False)
4. Firefighters couldn’t put out the fire because their ladders were not tall enough. (Answer: True)
5. People are still investigating to find out what caused the fire. (Answer: True)
6. This event demonstrates how easy it is for firefighters to put out fires in very tall things like wind turbines. (Answer: False)
7. A wind turbine in Iowa caught fire and was destroyed. (Answer: True)
8. It’s not important for firefighters to have the right tools and resources to keep people safe and prevent damage. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧
