Full Circle Biotechnology is a company in Bangkok that farms insects to make animal feed. They use black soldier fly larvae, which eat leftover fruits and vegetables from food factories. These larvae are mixed with good bacteria and mushrooms to make a feed that is better for the environment than soybean feed. However, soybean feed is cheaper, so Full Circle is using artificial intelligence (AI) to find ways to make their insect feed cheaper too.

In Lithuania, another company called Cogastro is also working on AI for insect farming. They already have software that helps farmers collect and look at data. The new AI will help the system learn and make changes by itself. Cogastro’s leader, Mante Sidlauskaite, says it takes time to make good AI and warns against companies that say they already have perfect AI.

Full Circle is getting help from an AI expert named Simon Christofides from Singapore. AI can help them learn faster because farming black soldier fly larvae is still new. The AI uses many sensors and lots of data to find things humans might miss. But some parts of insect farming, like breeding, still need to be done carefully by people because it involves the flies’ social behaviors.

Original news source: The insect farmers turning to AI to help lower costs (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Article Timeline
Instructions: Create a timeline of the key events and developments mentioned in the article. Use the information provided to determine the order in which they occurred. Discuss as a class and make sure everyone agrees on the timeline.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Select 5-10 key vocabulary words from the article and write them on the board. Divide the class into teams. Each team will take turns sending one member to the front of the class. The teacher will whisper a vocabulary word to that student, and they must draw a picture on the board to represent the word. Their team members must guess the word based on the drawing. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. Set a timer for 2 minutes. Students must take turns summarizing the main points of the article to their partner within the time limit. After 2 minutes, pairs will switch roles and summarize again. Encourage students to use their own words and avoid reading directly from the article.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Ask students to think about the following question: “What are the advantages and disadvantages of using artificial intelligence in insect farming?” Give them a few minutes to reflect individually, then have them pair up with a partner to discuss their thoughts. After a few minutes of discussion, bring the class back together and ask a few pairs to share their ideas with the whole group.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In small groups, students will discuss and make predictions about the future of insect farming and the role of artificial intelligence in the industry. They should consider the potential benefits and challenges mentioned in the article. Each group will share their predictions with the class, and the class can discuss and compare their ideas.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What does Full Circle Biotechnology do in Bangkok?
2. What do the black soldier fly larvae eat?
3. Why is Full Circle using artificial intelligence?
4. What does Cogastro do in Lithuania?
5. What will the new AI help Cogastro do?
6. Who is helping Full Circle with their AI?
7. Why do some parts of insect farming still need to be done by people?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Full Circle Biotechnology is a company in Bangkok that farms (1)______ to make animal feed. They use black soldier fly larvae, which eat leftover fruits and vegetables from (2)______ factories. These larvae are (3)______ with good bacteria and mushrooms to make a feed that is better for the environment than soybean feed. However, soybean feed is cheaper, so Full Circle is using artificial intelligence (AI) to find (4)______ to (5)______ their (6)______ feed cheaper too.

In Lithuania, another company called Cogastro is also working on AI for insect farming. They already have software that helps farmers collect and look at data. The new AI will help the (7)______ learn and make changes by itself. Cogastro’s (8)______, Mante Sidlauskaite, says it takes time to make good AI and warns against companies that say they already have perfect AI.

Full Circle is getting help from an AI (9)______ named Simon Christofides from Singapore. AI can help them learn faster because farming (10)______ soldier fly larvae is still new. The AI uses many sensors and (11)______ of data to find things humans might miss. But some parts of insect farming, like (12)______, still need to be done carefully by people because it involves the flies’ social behaviors.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is Full Circle Biotechnology and what do they do?
2. How do black soldier fly larvae help the environment?
3. Do you think it’s important to find ways to make animal feed better for the environment? Why or why not?
4. What is artificial intelligence (AI) and how is Full Circle using it?
5. How can AI help Full Circle learn faster?
6. Do you think AI is a good tool for farming? Why or why not?
7. What is Cogastro and what are they working on?
8. Why does Mante Sidlauskaite warn against companies that say they already have perfect AI?
9. Do you think it’s important for AI to learn and make changes by itself? Why or why not?
10. How can AI help farmers collect and look at data?
11. What are some things that AI can find that humans might miss?
12. Why do some parts of insect farming still need to be done carefully by people?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. biotechnology
2. larvae
3. artificial intelligence
4. sensors
5. breeding
6. environment
7. software
8. data
9. expert
10. factories
11. mushrooms
12. behaviors

Meanings:
(A) Someone who knows a lot about a subject
(B) Places where things are made
(C) The natural world around us
(D) Computers that can think and learn like humans
(E) Devices that detect changes in the surroundings
(F) Using living things to make products
(G) The way someone or something acts
(H) Helping animals or plants make babies
(I) Information collected for analysis
(J) Young insects that have not yet become adults
(K) Fungi that grow in damp places
(L) Programs used by computers
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What does Full Circle Biotechnology use to make their animal feed?
(a) Soybeans
(b) Mushrooms
(c) Good bacteria
(d) Black soldier fly larvae

2. Why is Full Circle Biotechnology using artificial intelligence?
(a) To find ways to make their insect feed cheaper
(b) To make their insect feed tastier
(c) To make their insect feed healthier
(d) To make their insect feed more expensive

3. What does Cogastro use AI for?
(a) Insect farming
(b) Collecting and analyzing data
(c) Breeding flies
(d) Growing soybeans

4. Who is helping Full Circle Biotechnology with their AI?
(a) Mante Sidlauskaite
(b) The black soldier fly larvae
(c) The mushrooms
(d) Simon Christofides

5. What can AI help Full Circle Biotechnology do?
(a) Breed flies
(b) Learn faster
(c) Grow soybeans
(d) Make perfect AI

6. What does Mante Sidlauskaite warn against?
(a) Companies that use black soldier fly larvae
(b) Companies that grow soybeans
(c) Companies that say they already have perfect AI
(d) Companies that use mushrooms

7. What parts of insect farming still need to be done carefully by people?
(a) Collecting and analyzing data
(b) Breeding
(c) Using AI
(d) Growing soybeans

8. What does Full Circle Biotechnology use to feed their black soldier fly larvae?
(a) Soybeans
(b) Mushrooms
(c) Leftover fruits and vegetables
(d) Good bacteria

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. They use black soldier fly larvae, which eat leftover fruits and vegetables from food factories.
2. Cogastro doesn’t have software that helps farmers collect and analyze data.
3. Full Circle is using artificial intelligence (AI) to find ways to make their insect feed cheaper.
4. Full Circle Biotechnology is a company in Bangkok that raises insects to make animal feed.
5. The larvae are mixed with good bacteria and mushrooms to create a feed that is worse for the environment than soybean feed.
6. Full Circle is not receiving assistance from an AI expert named Simon Christofides from Singapore.
7. The new AI being developed by Cogastro will help the system learn and make changes on its own.
8. Cogastro is not another company in Lithuania that is also working on AI for insect farming.
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 is Full Circle Biotechnology’s main goal?
2. What do the black soldier fly larvae eat?
3. Why is Full Circle using artificial intelligence?
4. What does Cogastro do?
5. Why is it important for AI to be used in insect farming?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What does Full Circle Biotechnology do in Bangkok?
Full Circle Biotechnology farms insects to make animal feed.

2. What do the black soldier fly larvae eat?
The black soldier fly larvae eat leftover fruits and vegetables from food factories.

3. Why is Full Circle using artificial intelligence?
Full Circle is using artificial intelligence to find ways to make their insect feed cheaper.

4. What does Cogastro do in Lithuania?
Cogastro is a company in Lithuania that is also working on AI for insect farming.

5. What will the new AI help Cogastro do?
The new AI will help Cogastro’s system learn and make changes by itself.

6. Who is helping Full Circle with their AI?
Full Circle is getting help from an AI expert named Simon Christofides from Singapore.

7. Why do some parts of insect farming still need to be done by people?
Some parts of insect farming, like breeding, still need to be done carefully by people because it involves the flies’ social behaviors.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) insects
(2) food
(3) mixed
(4) ways
(5) make
(6) insect
(7) system
(8) leader
(9) expert
(10) black
(11) lots
(12) breeding
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. biotechnology
Answer: (F) Using living things to make products

2. larvae
Answer: (J) Young insects that have not yet become adults

3. artificial intelligence
Answer: (D) Computers that can think and learn like humans

4. sensors
Answer: (E) Devices that detect changes in the surroundings

5. breeding
Answer: (H) Helping animals or plants make babies

6. environment
Answer: (C) The natural world around us

7. software
Answer: (L) Programs used by computers

8. data
Answer: (I) Information collected for analysis

9. expert
Answer: (A) Someone who knows a lot about a subject

10. factories
Answer: (B) Places where things are made

11. mushrooms
Answer: (K) Fungi that grow in damp places

12. behaviors
Answer: (G) The way someone or something acts
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What does Full Circle Biotechnology use to make their animal feed?
Answer: (d) Black soldier fly larvae

2. Why is Full Circle Biotechnology using artificial intelligence?
Answer: (a) To find ways to make their insect feed cheaper

3. What does Cogastro use AI for?
Answer: (a) Insect farming

4. Who is helping Full Circle Biotechnology with their AI?
Answer: (d) Simon Christofides

5. What can AI help Full Circle Biotechnology do?
Answer: (b) Learn faster

6. What does Mante Sidlauskaite warn against?
Answer: (c) Companies that say they already have perfect AI

7. What parts of insect farming still need to be done carefully by people?
Answer: (b) Breeding

8. What does Full Circle Biotechnology use to feed their black soldier fly larvae?
Answer: (c) Leftover fruits and vegetables
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. They use black soldier fly larvae, which eat leftover fruits and vegetables from food factories. (Answer: True)
2. Cogastro doesn’t have software that helps farmers collect and analyze data. (Answer: False)
3. Full Circle is using artificial intelligence (AI) to find ways to make their insect feed cheaper. (Answer: True)
4. Full Circle Biotechnology is a company in Bangkok that raises insects to make animal feed. (Answer: True)
5. The larvae are mixed with good bacteria and mushrooms to create a feed that is worse for the environment than soybean feed. (Answer: False)
6. Full Circle is not receiving assistance from an AI expert named Simon Christofides from Singapore. (Answer: False)
7. The new AI being developed by Cogastro will help the system learn and make changes on its own. (Answer: True)
8. Cogastro is not another company in Lithuania that is also working on AI for insect farming. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧