More young women are going to school to learn about farming at a college called Borders College in Scotland. A 16-year-old girl named Stephanie is one of 12 girls in a farming class. Last year, there were only six girls. Now, almost half of the students learning about farming in Scotland are women. People think this is good because farms need more workers.

Why are more girls studying farming? Some grew up on farms, and others like being outside. Many saw other students taking care of animals and wanted to do that too. The college thinks even more students will want to learn about farming soon. A group called NFU Scotland is happy because young people are excited about farming.

It’s good news that more girls want to work on farms. They really like farming and want to make it their job. More young students are getting interested in farming classes. NFU Scotland thinks this will help farms a lot in the future. They hope more young people will want to work on farms.

Original news source: Record number of girls on Borders College farming course (BBC)

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Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Give each group a copy of the article.
3. Ask the groups to read the article and summarize the main points in a few sentences.
4. Have each group share their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions:
1. Write the following question on the board: “Do you think it’s important for more young women to study farming? Why or why not?”
2. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
3. Instruct the students to discuss the question and come up with their own opinions.
4. After the discussion, ask each group to share their opinions with the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions:
1. Write a list of key vocabulary words from the article on the board (e.g. farming, college, students, animals, workers).
2. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
3. Give each group a piece of paper and a pen.
4. Instruct the groups to take turns drawing pictures to represent the vocabulary words, while their partner(s) guess what word they are drawing.
5. After a set amount of time, have each group share their drawings with the class and see if the other students can guess the correct words.

– Keyword Hangman
Instructions:
1. Choose a keyword from the article (e.g. farming).
2. Draw a series of blank spaces on the board to represent the letters in the keyword.
3. Have the students take turns guessing letters to try and fill in the blanks.
4. If a correct letter is guessed, write it in the correct spot. If an incorrect letter is guessed, begin drawing a hangman.
5. Continue until the students either guess the keyword or the hangman is completed.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions:
1. Write the following question on the board: “What are some reasons why more girls are studying farming?”
2. Ask the students to take a few minutes to think about their answer individually.
3. Pair up the students and have them share their answers with each other.
4. After the discussion, ask a few pairs to share their ideas with the class.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is going to school to learn about farming at Borders College?
2. How many girls are in Stephanie’s farming class?
3. Why do some girls want to study farming?
4. What do many girls see other students doing that makes them want to take care of animals?
5. Why is it good that more girls want to work on farms?
6. What does NFU Scotland think about more young people being interested in farming?
7. What does NFU Scotland hope will happen in the future?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

More young women are going to (1)______ to learn about farming at a college called Borders (2)______ in (3)______. A 16-year-old girl named Stephanie is one of 12 girls in a farming class. Last year, there were only six girls. Now, almost half of the students learning about farming in Scotland are (4)______. People think this is good because farms need more workers.

Why are more girls (5)______ farming? Some (6)______ up on farms, and others like being outside. Many saw other students taking care of animals and wanted to do that too. The college thinks even (7)______ students will want to learn about (8)______ soon. A group called NFU Scotland is happy because young people are excited about farming.

It’s good news that more girls want to (9)______ on farms. They really like farming and (10)______ to (11)______ it their job. More young students are getting interested in farming classes. NFU Scotland thinks this will help farms a lot in the (12)______. They hope more young people will want to work on farms.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is Borders College and what do people study there?
2. How do you think Stephanie feels about being one of the only girls in her farming class?
3. Do you like being outside? Why or why not?
4. What do you think it would be like to take care of animals on a farm?
5. How do you think the college feels about more students wanting to learn about farming?
6. Why do you think NFU Scotland is happy about more young people being excited about farming?
7. How would you feel if you had the opportunity to work on a farm?
8. Do you think it is important for young people to learn about farming? Why or why not?
9. Why do you think more girls are studying farming now compared to last year?
10. Do you think farms need more workers? Why or why not?
11. What do you think the future of farming will be like with more young people interested in it?
12. How do you feel about the fact that more girls want to make farming their job?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. college
2. farming
3. workers
4. outside
5. animals
6. interested
7. future
8. school
9. class
10. job
11. students
12. farms

Meanings:
(A) Not inside, but in the fresh air
(B) A group of students who learn together in a subject
(C) The time that will come after now
(D) Taking care of plants and animals to grow food
(E) A place where you can learn new things and go to classes
(F) Wanting to know more about something and learn about it
(G) Living creatures like dogs, cats, and cows
(H) A place where you go to learn and study
(I) Young people who go to school
(J) Places where people grow food and raise animals
(K) The work you do to make money and have a career
(L) People who do a job to help something or someone
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Where are more young women going to school to learn about farming?
(a) Scotland
(b) England
(c) Wales
(d) Ireland

2. How many girls are in Stephanie’s farming class?
(a) 6
(b) 12
(c) 16
(d) 10

3. Why do some girls want to study farming?
(a) They like being inside.
(b) They want to be doctors.
(c) They grew up on farms.
(d) They don’t like animals.

4. What is the name of the college where Stephanie is studying farming?
(a) Scotland College
(b) Borders College
(c) Farming College
(d) Animal College

5. Why is it good that more girls want to work on farms?
(a) Girls don’t like farming.
(b) Boys don’t want to work on farms.
(c) Farms need more workers.
(d) Farms don’t need workers.

6. What is the name of the group that is happy about more young people being interested in farming?
(a) Borders College
(b) Farming Group
(c) Animal Lovers
(d) NFU Scotland

7. What does NFU Scotland hope for in the future?
(a) More young people will want to be doctors.
(b) More young people will want to be teachers.
(c) More young people will want to be lawyers.
(d) More young people will want to work on farms.

8. What do many girls in Scotland want to make farming?
(a) Their job
(b) Their hobby
(c) Their school subject
(d) Their favorite animal

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The college doubts that more students will soon be interested in learning about farming.
2. Stephanie is a 16-year-old girl who is one of 12 girls in a farming class at Borders College.
3. None of the girls studying farming grew up on farms, while others despise being outside.
4. A group called NFU Scotland is happy because young people are excited about working on farms.
5. Last year, there were only six girls studying farming at Borders College, but now there are almost twice as many.
6. Many girls were inspired to study farming after seeing their classmates taking care of animals.
7. Almost all of the students studying farming in Scotland are women.
8. There is a college in England called London College where young men are studying 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. Who is going to school to learn about farming at Borders College in Scotland?
2. How many girls are in Stephanie’s farming class?
3. Why do some girls want to study farming?
4. Why is it good news that more girls want to work on farms?
5. What does NFU Scotland hope will happen in the future?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who is going to school to learn about farming at Borders College?
Young women are going to school to learn about farming at Borders College.

2. How many girls are in Stephanie’s farming class?
There are 12 girls in Stephanie’s farming class.

3. Why do some girls want to study farming?
Some girls want to study farming because they grew up on farms or they enjoy being outside.

4. What do many girls see other students doing that makes them want to take care of animals?
Many girls see other students taking care of animals and that makes them want to do the same.

5. Why is it good that more girls want to work on farms?
It is good that more girls want to work on farms because farms need more workers and it shows that young people are excited about farming.

6. What does NFU Scotland think about more young people being interested in farming?
NFU Scotland is happy about more young people being interested in farming.

7. What does NFU Scotland hope will happen in the future?
NFU Scotland hopes that more young people will want to work on farms in the future.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) school
(2) College
(3) Scotland
(4) women
(5) studying
(6) grew
(7) more
(8) farming
(9) work
(10) want
(11) make
(12) future
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. college
Answer: (E) A place where you can learn new things and go to classes

2. farming
Answer: (D) Taking care of plants and animals to grow food

3. workers
Answer: (L) People who do a job to help something or someone

4. outside
Answer: (A) Not inside, but in the fresh air

5. animals
Answer: (G) Living creatures like dogs, cats, and cows

6. interested
Answer: (F) Wanting to know more about something and learn about it

7. future
Answer: (C) The time that will come after now

8. school
Answer: (H) A place where you go to learn and study

9. class
Answer: (B) A group of students who learn together in a subject

10. job
Answer: (K) The work you do to make money and have a career

11. students
Answer: (I) Young people who go to school

12. farms
Answer: (J) Places where people grow food and raise animals
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Where are more young women going to school to learn about farming?
Answer: (a) Scotland

2. How many girls are in Stephanie’s farming class?
Answer: (b) 12

3. Why do some girls want to study farming?
Answer: (c) They grew up on farms.

4. What is the name of the college where Stephanie is studying farming?
Answer: (b) Borders College

5. Why is it good that more girls want to work on farms?
Answer: (c) Farms need more workers.

6. What is the name of the group that is happy about more young people being interested in farming?
Answer: (d) NFU Scotland

7. What does NFU Scotland hope for in the future?
Answer: (d) More young people will want to work on farms.

8. What do many girls in Scotland want to make farming?
Answer: (a) Their job
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The college doubts that more students will soon be interested in learning about farming. (Answer: False)
2. Stephanie is a 16-year-old girl who is one of 12 girls in a farming class at Borders College. (Answer: True)
3. None of the girls studying farming grew up on farms, while others despise being outside. (Answer: False)
4. A group called NFU Scotland is happy because young people are excited about working on farms. (Answer: True)
5. Last year, there were only six girls studying farming at Borders College, but now there are almost twice as many. (Answer: True)
6. Many girls were inspired to study farming after seeing their classmates taking care of animals. (Answer: True)
7. Almost all of the students studying farming in Scotland are women. (Answer: False)
8. There is a college in England called London College where young men are studying farming. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧