A woman named Celine Sandberg is trying to make furniture that is better for the Earth. She doesn’t want to use plastic that can hurt the environment. Celine and her friends have used things like oyster shells and plants to make soft parts for chairs and sofas. They found out that seaweed can be made into a soft block that can be used in furniture and is good for the Earth.

Furniture is often made with plastic, which makes a lot of trash. In one year, the United States threw away a lot of furniture that weighed as much as a small mountain. Making plastic furniture also puts bad gases into the air. Some companies are trying to use things like coffee shells and wood pieces instead, and scientists are looking at using a kind of mushroom to make cloth.

Big furniture companies are starting to use materials that are safer for the Earth. They want to use things that can be made again or have already been used before. Celine is happy because these companies want to help the Earth. She likes that they are trying new things.

Original news source: The weird materials behind sustainable furniture (BBC)

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Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the students into small groups. Give each group a list of furniture-related words from the article. One student from each group will act out a word without speaking while the other group members try to guess the word. The group that guesses the most words correctly wins.

– News Summary
Instructions: Have the students read the article individually or in pairs. After they have read it, ask them to write a summary of the article in their own words. Then, have the students share their summaries with a partner or in small groups and discuss any differences or similarities.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the students into pairs or small groups. Give each group a list of questions related to the article, such as “Do you think using oyster shells and plants for furniture is a good idea? Why or why not?” or “Should companies be required to use materials that are safer for the Earth? Why or why not?” Have the students discuss their opinions and write down their answers. Then, ask each group to share their answers with the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Give each student a piece of paper and ask them to write down 5-10 furniture-related words from the article. Once they have written down their words, have them fold the paper and put it in a bowl or hat. Divide the class into two teams. One student from each team will come to the front of the class and pick a word from the bowl or hat. They will then have to draw a picture of the word on the board, while their team members try to guess the word. The team that guesses the most words correctly wins.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the students into small groups. Give each group a list of pros and cons related to using sustainable materials for furniture. For example, “Pros: better for the environment, can be made again or have already been used before. Cons: may be more expensive, limited availability.” Have the students discuss the pros and cons and come up with additional points. Then, ask each group to share their thoughts with the class.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is trying to make furniture that is better for the Earth?
2. What are some things Celine and her friends have used to make soft parts for chairs and sofas?
3. Why is it bad to make furniture with plastic?
4. What are some things that companies are using instead of plastic to make furniture?
5. What are scientists looking at using to make cloth?
6. Why are big furniture companies starting to use materials that are safer for the Earth?
7. Why is Celine happy about big furniture companies trying new things?
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Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A woman named Celine Sandberg is trying to make furniture that is better for the Earth. She doesn’t (1)______ to use plastic that can (2)______ the environment. Celine and her friends have used (3)______ like oyster shells and plants to make soft parts for chairs and sofas. They found out that seaweed can be made into a (4)______ block that can be used in furniture and is (5)______ for the Earth.

(6)______ is often made with plastic, which makes a lot of trash. In one year, the United States threw away a lot of furniture that weighed as much as a small mountain. Making plastic (7)______ also (8)______ bad gases into the air. Some (9)______ are trying to use things like coffee shells and wood pieces instead, and scientists are looking at using a kind of mushroom to make cloth.

Big furniture companies are starting to use (10)______ that are safer for the Earth. They want to use things that can be made again or have already been (11)______ before. Celine is happy because these companies want to help the Earth. She (12)______ that they are trying new things.
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Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is Celine Sandberg trying to do with furniture?
2. How does Celine make soft parts for chairs and sofas?
3. What did Celine and her friends find out about seaweed?
4. Why is plastic furniture bad for the Earth?
5. What are some alternative materials that companies are using instead of plastic?
6. How are big furniture companies trying to help the Earth?
7. Do you think using materials that can be made again is a good idea? Why or why not?
8. How would you feel if your furniture was made from oyster shells and plants?
9. What do you think about using mushrooms to make cloth? Do you think it’s a good idea? Why or why not?
10. Do you like the idea of using materials that are safer for the Earth? Why or why not?
11. How do you think Celine feels about big furniture companies trying new things?
12. Do you think it’s important for people to help the Earth? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. furniture
2. plastic
3. environment
4. oyster shells
5. plants
6. seaweed
7. trash
8. gases
9. coffee shells
10. wood pieces
11. mushroom
12. cloth

Meanings:
(A) A type of fungus that can be used to make fabric for furniture
(B) The hard shells that oysters have, which can be used to make soft parts for furniture
(C) The world around us, including the air, water, and land
(D) A material that is not good for the Earth and takes a long time to go away
(E) Living things that grow in the ground, like flowers and trees
(F) Bad things that come out of cars and factories and make the air dirty
(G) Small pieces of trees that can be used to make furniture
(H) The hard part of a coffee bean that can be used to make furniture
(I) A type of plant that grows in the ocean and can be used to make soft blocks for furniture
(J) Things like chairs and sofas that you use in your house
(K) Things that you throw away because you don’t need them anymore
(L) Material that is used to make clothes and other things
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Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is Celine Sandberg trying to make?
(a) Clothes
(b) Toys
(c) Food
(d) Furniture

2. What materials has Celine used to make soft parts for furniture?
(a) Oyster shells and plants
(b) Plastic and metal
(c) Seaweed and rocks
(d) Coffee shells and wood pieces

3. Why is plastic furniture bad for the Earth?
(a) It is too expensive
(b) It makes a lot of trash and puts bad gases into the air
(c) It is not comfortable to sit on
(d) It is too heavy to move

4. What are some alternative materials that companies are using for furniture?
(a) Plastic and metal
(b) Seaweed and rocks
(c) Coffee shells and wood pieces
(d) Oyster shells and plants

5. What are scientists looking at using to make cloth?
(a) Seaweed
(b) A kind of mushroom
(c) Coffee shells
(d) Wood pieces

6. Why is Celine happy about big furniture companies using safer materials?
(a) They want to make more money
(b) They want to make the furniture more expensive
(c) They want to help the Earth
(d) They want to make the furniture heavier

7. What does Celine like about the big furniture companies?
(a) They are trying new things
(b) They are using plastic
(c) They are throwing away a lot of furniture
(d) They are not helping the Earth

8. What is the main idea of the article?
(a) Furniture companies are using plastic to make furniture
(b) Plastic furniture is bad for the environment
(c) Scientists are looking at using mushrooms to make cloth
(d) Celine Sandberg is making furniture that is better for the Earth

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Celine Sandberg is trying to create furniture that is better for the environment.
2. Celine is happy that these companies are trying new things to help the Earth.
3. No companies are using coffee shells and wood pieces as alternative materials for furniture.
4. Plastic furniture creates a lot of waste and releases harmful gases into the air.
5. Seaweed cannot be turned into a soft block that can be used in furniture and is good for the Earth.
6. Big furniture companies are starting to use materials that are safer for the environment.
7. Scientists are not researching the use of mushrooms to make cloth for furniture.
8. Celine and her friends have not used oyster shells and plants to make soft parts for chairs and sofas.
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 Celine Sandberg trying to make that is better for the Earth?
2. Why doesn’t Celine want to use plastic in her furniture?
3. What are some of the materials that Celine and her friends have used to make soft parts for chairs and sofas?
4. Why is it bad to make furniture with plastic?
5. What are some alternative materials that companies are using to make furniture that is safer for the Earth?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who is trying to make furniture that is better for the Earth?
Celine Sandberg is trying to make furniture that is better for the Earth.

2. What are some things Celine and her friends have used to make soft parts for chairs and sofas?
Celine and her friends have used oyster shells, plants, and seaweed to make soft parts for chairs and sofas.

3. Why is it bad to make furniture with plastic?
It is bad to make furniture with plastic because it creates a lot of trash and puts bad gases into the air.

4. What are some things that companies are using instead of plastic to make furniture?
Companies are using things like coffee shells and wood pieces instead of plastic to make furniture.

5. What are scientists looking at using to make cloth?
Scientists are looking at using a kind of mushroom to make cloth.

6. Why are big furniture companies starting to use materials that are safer for the Earth?
Big furniture companies are starting to use materials that are safer for the Earth because they want to help the environment.

7. Why is Celine happy about big furniture companies trying new things?
Celine is happy about big furniture companies trying new things because it means they are trying to help the Earth and find better ways to make furniture.
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Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) want
(2) hurt
(3) things
(4) soft
(5) good
(6) Furniture
(7) furniture
(8) puts
(9) companies
(10) materials
(11) used
(12) likes
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Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. furniture
Answer: (J) Things like chairs and sofas that you use in your house

2. plastic
Answer: (D) A material that is not good for the Earth and takes a long time to go away

3. environment
Answer: (C) The world around us, including the air, water, and land

4. oyster shells
Answer: (B) The hard shells that oysters have, which can be used to make soft parts for furniture

5. plants
Answer: (E) Living things that grow in the ground, like flowers and trees

6. seaweed
Answer: (I) A type of plant that grows in the ocean and can be used to make soft blocks for furniture

7. trash
Answer: (K) Things that you throw away because you don’t need them anymore

8. gases
Answer: (F) Bad things that come out of cars and factories and make the air dirty

9. coffee shells
Answer: (H) The hard part of a coffee bean that can be used to make furniture

10. wood pieces
Answer: (G) Small pieces of trees that can be used to make furniture

11. mushroom
Answer: (A) A type of fungus that can be used to make fabric for furniture

12. cloth
Answer: (L) Material that is used to make clothes and other things
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is Celine Sandberg trying to make?
Answer: (d) Furniture

2. What materials has Celine used to make soft parts for furniture?
Answer: (a) Oyster shells and plants

3. Why is plastic furniture bad for the Earth?
Answer: (b) It makes a lot of trash and puts bad gases into the air

4. What are some alternative materials that companies are using for furniture?
Answer: (c) Coffee shells and wood pieces

5. What are scientists looking at using to make cloth?
Answer: (b) A kind of mushroom

6. Why is Celine happy about big furniture companies using safer materials?
Answer: (c) They want to help the Earth

7. What does Celine like about the big furniture companies?
Answer: (a) They are trying new things

8. What is the main idea of the article?
Answer: (d) Celine Sandberg is making furniture that is better for the Earth
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Celine Sandberg is trying to create furniture that is better for the environment. (Answer: True)
2. Celine is happy that these companies are trying new things to help the Earth. (Answer: True)
3. No companies are using coffee shells and wood pieces as alternative materials for furniture. (Answer: False)
4. Plastic furniture creates a lot of waste and releases harmful gases into the air. (Answer: True)
5. Seaweed cannot be turned into a soft block that can be used in furniture and is good for the Earth. (Answer: False)
6. Big furniture companies are starting to use materials that are safer for the environment. (Answer: True)
7. Scientists are not researching the use of mushrooms to make cloth for furniture. (Answer: False)
8. Celine and her friends have not used oyster shells and plants to make soft parts for chairs and sofas. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧