Two American astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, went to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5. They were supposed to come back soon after. But they are still in space because their spaceship, the Boeing Starliner, has problems. The spaceship had leaks and thruster issues, making it unsafe for them to return right now.
NASA is trying to figure out how to bring them back safely. They want to use the Starliner, but they might use a different spaceship called SpaceX Crew Dragon. If they use the Crew Dragon, the astronauts would come back in February 2025. This means they would stay in space much longer than planned, over eight months instead of just eight days.
Even though their mission got longer, the astronauts are staying positive. Sunita Williams is happy to be in space and working with the ISS team. She said she doesn't mind the extra time in space. Astronauts have stayed in space for long times before, so this is not completely new.
Original news source: They went to space for eight days – and could be stuck until 2025 (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– CHARADES
Instructions: Students will take turns acting out key vocabulary from the article (e.g., astronauts, spaceship, International Space Station) without speaking, while their classmates guess the word or phrase.
– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Pose the question, "Do you think astronauts should stay in space longer than planned?" Students will move to one side of the room if they agree or the other side if they disagree, then share their reasons with a partner.
– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: In small groups, students will create a catchy headline for the article. They can use phrases from the text or come up with their own. After 5 minutes, each group will share their headline with the class.
– VOCABULARY PICTIONARY
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. One student from each team will draw a word related to the article (e.g., ISS, Starliner, Crew Dragon) on the board while their teammates guess the word. Set a timer for each round.
– MIND MAP
Instructions: As a class, create a mind map on the board about the article. Start with "Astronauts in Space" in the center and branch out with ideas such as "NASA," "Spacecrafts," and "Challenges." Students can contribute words or phrases related to each branch.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams.
The spaceship had leaks and thruster issues.
NASA is trying to figure out how to bring them back safely.
The other spaceship is called SpaceX Crew Dragon.
They will stay in space until February 2025, which is over eight months longer.
She is happy to be in space and doesn't mind the extra time.
Yes, astronauts have stayed in space for long times before.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Two American astronauts, Wilmore and Sunita Williams, to the International Space Station (ISS) on 5. They were supposed to come back soon after. But they are still in space because their spaceship, the Boeing Starliner, has problems. The spaceship had leaks and thruster issues, making it for them to right now. NASA is trying to figure out how to bring them back safely. They want to use the Starliner, but they might use a spaceship called SpaceX Dragon. If they use the Crew Dragon, the astronauts would come back in February 2025. This means they would stay in much longer than , over eight months instead of just eight days. Even though their mission got longer, the astronauts are staying positive. Williams is happy to be in space and working with the ISS team. She she doesn't mind the extra time in space. Astronauts have stayed in space for long before, so this is not completely new.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is your favorite thing about space?
2. How would you feel if you had to stay in space for a long time?
3. Do you think being an astronaut is a fun job? Why or why not?
4. What is a spaceship?
5. How do you think astronauts eat food in space?
6. Do you like watching movies or shows about space? Why?
7. What would you miss the most if you were in space for eight months?
8. Do you think it is safe to travel to space? Why or why not?
9. How would you feel if you saw Earth from space?
10. What is a space station?
11. Do you think astronauts should stay in space longer or come back sooner? Why?
12. How do you think astronauts stay happy in space?
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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