Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

English Newsroom

Learn English through news articles - complete lesson plans, including articles, listening, classroom activities, quiz questions and more!

Hot Ocean is Making Coral Reefs Sick

Coral reefs worldwide are facing their fourth mass bleaching event due to record ocean heat, threatening their survival and the ecosystems they support.
Try this article at a different level?

Coral reefs are in trouble because the ocean is getting too hot. This is called coral bleaching, where the coral turns white and gets sick. It’s happening in many oceans like the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Ocean. Coral reefs are important for sea life and help people make money from fishing and tourism.

Last year, the first signs of coral bleaching were seen in the Caribbean. Now, more than half of the world’s coral is affected, including the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The ocean's temperature has been very high since last August. Climate change and a natural event called El NiΓ±o are making the water even warmer.

Scientists are worried because coral reefs help fish find food. They say coral reefs show how bad climate change can be for nature. Some deeper water corals are surviving, but most coral needs help. Scientists want people to reduce greenhouse gases to protect coral reefs.

Original news source: World's coral turns white from deadly ocean heat (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

πŸ“– Vocabulary:

1. coral
2. bleaching
3. tourism
4. affected
5. temperature
6. climate
7. event
8. surviving
9. greenhouse gases
10. protect
11. scientists
12. nature

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. Instruct them to read the article together and then write a summary of the main points. Encourage them to use their own words and keep it concise. Afterward, have pairs share their summaries with the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a set of statements related to the article, such as "Coral reefs are important for the environment" or "Climate change is the main cause of coral bleaching." Instruct the groups to discuss each statement and come to a consensus on whether they agree or disagree. Then, have each group present their opinions to the class and facilitate a class discussion.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of key vocabulary words from the article on the board, such as "coral bleaching," "greenhouse gases," and "Great Barrier Reef." Divide the class into small teams and give each team a whiteboard or a large piece of paper. One member from each team will come to the front of the class and choose a vocabulary word. They must then draw a picture to represent that word while their team tries to guess what it is. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Repeat with different team members and vocabulary words.
– Synonym Challenge
Instructions: Prepare a list of key vocabulary words from the article on individual cards, such as "coral bleaching," "temperature," and "climate change." Give each student a card and tell them not to show it to anyone. Instruct the students to walk around the classroom and find a partner. They must then take turns giving synonyms for the word on their card until their partner guesses the correct word. Once their partner guesses correctly, they can switch cards and find a new partner to play with.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Instruct each pair to imagine they are scientists studying coral reefs in the future. They should discuss and make predictions about what will happen to coral reefs in the next 10 years due to climate change and other factors. Afterward, have pairs share their predictions with the class and lead a class discussion on the potential future of coral reefs.

πŸ€” Comprehension Questions:

1. What is happening to coral reefs because the ocean is getting too hot?

2. What is it called when the coral turns white and gets sick?

3. Where is coral bleaching happening?

4. Why are coral reefs important for sea life and people?

5. Where were the first signs of coral bleaching seen last year?

6. What is making the water even warmer?

7. Why are scientists worried about coral reefs?

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

reefs are in trouble because the ocean is getting too hot. This is called bleaching, where the coral turns white and gets sick. It’s happening in many oceans like the Atlantic, , and Indian Ocean. Coral reefs are important for sea life and help people make money from and tourism. Last , the first signs of coral bleaching were seen in the Caribbean. Now, than half of the world’s coral is affected, including the Great Reef in Australia. The ocean's has been very high since last August. Climate change and a natural event called El NiΓ±o are making the water even warmer. are worried because coral reefs help fish find food. They say coral reefs show how bad change can be for nature. Some water corals are surviving, but most coral needs help. Scientists want people to reduce greenhouse gases to coral reefs.

πŸ’¬ Discussion Questions:

1. What is coral bleaching and why is it a problem for coral reefs?
2. How do coral reefs help sea life and people?
3. Have you ever seen a coral reef? If so, how did it make you feel?
4. Do you think it's important to protect coral reefs? Why or why not?
5. How would you feel if you couldn't go fishing or swimming near a coral reef anymore?
6. What do you think can be done to reduce greenhouse gases and protect coral reefs?
7. Do you think climate change is a serious problem? Why or why not?
8. Have you ever heard of El NiΓ±o? What do you know about it?
9. How do you think coral reefs can show the effects of climate change?
10. Do you like learning about marine life and ecosystems? Why or why not?
11. What are some ways we can educate others about the importance of protecting coral reefs?
12. Have you ever done anything to help the environment? If so, what did you do? If not, what do you think you could do?

Individual Activities

πŸ“–πŸ’­ Vocabulary Meanings:

Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.

Words

1. coral
2. bleaching
3. tourism
4. affected
5. temperature
6. climate
7. event
8. surviving
9. greenhouse gases
10. protect
11. scientists
12. nature

Meanings

(A) The usual weather in a place
(B) A type of sea animal that forms reefs
(C) Losing color and becoming white
(D) Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere
(E) Traveling for fun or vacation
(F) People who study science
(G) Staying alive
(H) Changed or harmed by something
(I) The natural world around us
(J) Keeping something safe
(K) How hot or cold something is
(L) Something that happens

πŸ”‘ Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is happening to coral reefs because the ocean is getting too hot?
(a) Coral growing
(b) Coral multiplying
(c) Coral bleaching
(d) Coral shrinking
2. Where is coral bleaching happening?
(a) Only in the Atlantic Ocean
(b) Only in the Pacific Ocean
(c) Only in the Indian Ocean
(d) In many oceans
3. Why are coral reefs important for people?
(a) They help people make money from fishing and tourism
(b) They provide a home for dolphins
(c) They are fun to swim around
(d) They make the ocean look pretty
4. Where were the first signs of coral bleaching seen last year?
(a) In Australia
(b) In the Caribbean
(c) In Europe
(d) In Africa
5. How much of the world's coral is affected by coral bleaching?
(a) Less than half
(b) All of it
(c) None of it
(d) More than half
6. What has been making the ocean's temperature even warmer?
(a) Climate change and El NiΓ±o
(b) Climate change and hurricanes
(c) Climate change and earthquakes
(d) Climate change and tornadoes
7. What do coral reefs help fish do?
(a) Find shelter
(b) Find friends
(c) Find food
(d) Find toys
8. What do scientists want people to do to protect coral reefs?
(a) Use more plastic
(b) Reduce greenhouse gases
(c) Cut down more trees
(d) Waste more water

πŸ•΅οΈ True or False Questions:

When coral reefs get sick, they turn white and it's called coral bleaching.
Coral reefs are in trouble because the ocean is getting too cold.
The ocean's temperature has been very high since last August because of climate change and a natural event called El NiΓ±o.
Coral reefs are important because they harm sea life and people make money from fishing and tourism.
Less than half of the world's coral is affected by coral bleaching, including the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Coral bleaching is happening in many oceans, like the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Ocean.
Scientists want people to reduce greenhouse gases to protect coral reefs.
Last year, the first signs of coral bleaching were seen in the Pacific Ocean.

πŸ“ Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!

Writing Questions:

1. What happens to coral when the ocean gets too hot?
2. Where is coral bleaching happening?
3. Why are coral reefs important for sea life?
4. What is causing the ocean's temperature to be very high?
5. What do scientists want people to do to protect coral reefs?

How about these other Level 2 articles?

Online
Class
Writing
Coach
β˜• 컀피 3μž” &
무료 ν”Όλ“œλ°±! πŸŽ“
β˜• 컀피 3μž” & 무료 ν”Όλ“œλ°±! πŸŽ“

X

[100% 온라인] λž­μ»€μŠ€ν„° λŒ€ν•™κ΅ μ˜μ–΄ 연ꡬ μ°Έμ—¬μž λͺ¨μ§‘
λ³„λ„μ˜ μ°Έκ°€λΉ„ 없이 영ꡭ λŒ€ν•™ 연ꡬ에 도움도 μ£Όμ‹œκ³ , 무료 μ˜μ–΄ μ‹€μ „ μ—°μŠ΅κ³Ό ν”Όλ“œλ°±λ„ λ°›μ•„λ³΄μ„Έμš”!

영ꡭ λž­μ»€μŠ€ν„° λŒ€ν•™κ΅(Lancaster University)μ—μ„œ ν•œκ΅­μΈ μ˜μ–΄ ν•™μŠ΅μžλΆ„λ“€μ„ λŒ€μƒμœΌλ‘œ μƒˆλ‘œμš΄ 연ꡬ ν”„λ‘œμ νŠΈλ₯Ό μ§„ν–‰ν•©λ‹ˆλ‹€. μ „ κ³Όμ • 온라인으둜 μ§„ν–‰λ˜μ–΄ μ–΄λ””μ„œλ“  νŽΈν•˜κ²Œ μ°Έμ—¬ν•˜μ‹€ 수 μžˆμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. μ—¬λŸ¬λΆ„μ˜ μ†Œμ€‘ν•œ μ°Έμ—¬λ‘œ ν•œκ΅­μΈμ˜ μ˜μ–΄ μ‚¬μš© 방식을 μ•Œμ•„λ³΄λŠ” ν₯미둜운 연ꡬ가 μ™„μ„±λ©λ‹ˆλ‹€.

🎁 μ°Έμ—¬ ν˜œνƒ:
– 원어민 μ—°κ΅¬μ›κ³Όμ˜ 1:1 νšŒν™” μ—°μŠ΅
– μ‹€μ „ μ˜μž‘ μ—°μŠ΅ & λ§žμΆ€ν˜• μ˜μ–΄ ν”Όλ“œλ°± 리포트
– 컀피 κΈ°ν”„ν‹°μ½˜ 총 3μž” μ„ λ¬Ό! (첫 μ„Έμ…˜ ν›„ 1μž”, λ§ˆμ§€λ§‰ μ„Έμ…˜ μ™„λ£Œ ν›„ 2μž” 더 λ“œλ €μš”! β˜•β˜•)

πŸ“… μ°Έμ—¬ 방식: 총 2회의 온라인 μ„Έμ…˜ (Zoom 등을 이용, 각 μ„Έμ…˜λ‹Ή μ•½ 60~80λΆ„ μ†Œμš”) λ§ν•˜κΈ°μ™€ μ“°κΈ° ν™œλ™μ΄ μ„žμ—¬ μžˆμ–΄ λΆ€λ‹΄ 없이 즐겁게 μ°Έμ—¬ν•˜μ‹€ 수 μžˆμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€.

βœ… λŒ€μƒ: μ˜μ–΄ μ‹€λ ₯에 상관없이 μ°Έμ—¬λ₯Ό ν¬λ§ν•˜λŠ” 18μ„Έ 이상 ν•œκ΅­μΈ λˆ„κ΅¬λ‚˜

Feedback