People who study the Earth say that the big ice didn't start moving because the water got warmer. Instead, it just got smaller over time and the wind and water pushed it. Now, it's going near a place where many icebergs travel, and it might go towards the ocean near South America. Big pieces of ice like this can be dangerous, but they also help feed tiny creatures in the sea.
Scientists are watching the big ice to see where it goes. If it stops near an island called South Georgia, it might make it hard for animals like seals and penguins to find food. But the big ice is also good for the ocean because as it melts, it gives food to tiny sea creatures. So, big pieces of ice are not only scary but also help life in the sea.
Original news source: A23a: World's biggest iceberg on the move after 30 years (BBC)
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a slip of paper with a word or phrase related to the article (e.g. Antarctica, icebergs, seals). One person from each group will act out the word or phrase without speaking, while the others in the group try to guess what it is. The group that guesses correctly gets a point.
– News Summary
Instructions: Have the students work individually or in pairs to write a summary of the article. Encourage them to include the main points and key details. After a designated time, have the students share their summaries with the class and discuss any differences or similarities.
– Word Association
Instructions: Write the words "ice" and "ocean" on the board. Have the students brainstorm as many words or phrases as they can that are related to these two words. Encourage them to think of synonyms, antonyms, and words from the article. After a few minutes, have the students share their ideas and create a word association web on the board.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Give each student a slip of paper with a vocabulary word from the article (e.g. Antarctica, creatures, feed). They must draw a picture that represents the word without using any letters or numbers. The rest of the class must guess what word the picture represents. The student who guesses correctly gets to draw the next word.
– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a set of sentence strips with key points from the article. One student in each pair will read a sentence strip, and their partner must quickly summarize that point in their own words. After a designated time, have the pairs switch roles. The pair that completes the most sentence strips correctly wins.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
The big piece of ice has been stuck in the sea near Antarctica since 1986.
The ice is almost as big as 4,000 soccer fields.
The ice started moving because it got smaller over time and the wind and water pushed it.
The ice might go towards the ocean near South America.
The ice might be dangerous for animals like seals and penguins because it might make it hard for them to find food.
As the ice melts, it gives food to tiny sea creatures.
Big pieces of ice are helpful for life in the sea.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
A very big piece of ice A23a has been stuck in the sea near Antarctica for a long time, since 1986. It's really huge, almost as big as 4,000 fields, and it's also very . But now, it has started to move quickly and is going away from Antarctica. This big piece of ice is even thicker than a very tall building in London. People who study the Earth say that the big ice didn't start because the water got warmer. Instead, it just got over time and the wind and water it. Now, it's going near a place where many icebergs , and it might go towards the near South America. Big of ice like this can be dangerous, but they also help feed tiny creatures in the sea. Scientists are watching the big ice to see where it goes. If it stops near an island called Georgia, it might make it hard for animals like seals and penguins to find food. But the big ice is also good for the ocean because as it melts, it food to tiny sea creatures. So, big pieces of ice are not only but also help life in the sea.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is a big piece of ice called A23a?
2. How would you feel if you saw a big piece of ice as big as 4,000 soccer fields?
3. Do you like cold weather? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it's scary that the big ice is moving away from Antarctica? Why or why not?
5. What do you think might happen if the big ice stops near an island called South Georgia?
6. How do you think animals like seals and penguins would feel if they couldn't find food because of the big ice?
7. What do you think might happen if the big ice goes towards the ocean near South America?
8. How do you think tiny sea creatures feel when they get food from the melting ice?
9. Have you ever seen a big piece of ice? Where and when?
10. Do you think it's important for scientists to study the big ice? Why or why not?
11. How do you think the wind and water can push a big piece of ice?
12. What do you think might happen if all the big pieces of ice in the world melted?
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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