Microsoft and a science place called PNNL made a new thing for batteries using smart computers. This new thing could use a lot less of a metal called lithium. The smart computer looked at lots of possible things and picked the best ones really fast. They made a battery that worked in less than a year.

Lots of things we use, like cars and phones, need batteries with lithium. People are worried because we might not have enough lithium soon, and getting it from the ground can hurt the earth. Finding a new thing for batteries that doesn’t need much lithium is very important. Smart computers will help scientists find new things for batteries faster.

The new thing Microsoft and PNNL found is called N2116 and it’s for keeping energy in batteries. Batteries with N2116 are safer than the ones we usually use. The smart computer at Microsoft uses lots of information to help find new things. This helps scientists at PNNL find good materials much quicker than the old way.

Original news source: New material found by AI could reduce lithium use in batteries (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Write down vocabulary words related to the article on separate pieces of paper. One student from each team will come to the front of the class and choose a word without showing it to their team. They must then act out the word without speaking, while their team tries to guess the word. The team that guesses the word correctly earns a point.

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will take turns summarizing the article to their partner. They should include the main idea, key details, and any important vocabulary words. After each summary, partners can provide feedback and ask questions for clarification.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a set of vocabulary words from the article. One student from each group will draw a picture on the board to represent one of the words, while their group members try to guess the word. The group that guesses the word correctly earns a point. Rotate roles within the group until all the words have been guessed.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a timer (e.g. one minute). One student will start summarizing the article to their partner, trying to include as much information as possible within the given time. When the timer goes off, the roles switch and the other student tries to summarize the article based on what they heard from their partner. After both students have had a turn, they can compare their summaries and discuss any differences.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Discuss the pros and cons of using smart computers to find new things for batteries. Each group should make a list of at least three pros and three cons. After the discussion, groups can share their lists with the class and have a class discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of using smart computers in scientific research.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Microsoft and PNNL make together?
2. Why is it important to find a new thing for batteries that doesn’t need much lithium?
3. What is the new thing called that Microsoft and PNNL found?
4. What does the smart computer at Microsoft do to help scientists at PNNL?
5. Why are batteries with N2116 safer than the ones we usually use?
6. What are some things that need batteries with lithium?
7. Why are people worried about not having enough lithium soon?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Microsoft and a science (1)______ called PNNL made a new thing for (2)______ using smart computers. This new thing could use a lot less of a metal called lithium. The smart computer looked at lots of possible things and picked the best (3)______ really fast. They (4)______ a battery that worked in less than a year.

Lots of things we use, like cars and phones, need batteries with (5)______. People are worried because we might not have (6)______ lithium soon, and getting it from the ground can hurt the earth. Finding a new thing for batteries that doesn’t (7)______ much lithium is very important. Smart (8)______ will help scientists find new things for batteries faster.

The new thing Microsoft and PNNL (9)______ is called N2116 and it’s for keeping energy in batteries. Batteries with N2116 are safer than the ones we usually use. The smart computer at Microsoft (10)______ lots of information to help find new (11)______. This helps scientists at (12)______ find good materials much quicker than the old way.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a smart computer and how does it help scientists?
2. How would you feel if we didn’t have enough lithium for batteries?
3. Do you think it’s important to find new things for batteries that don’t need much lithium? Why or why not?
4. What are some things that use batteries with lithium?
5. How do you think getting lithium from the ground can hurt the earth?
6. Do you like the idea of using smart computers to find new things for batteries? Why or why not?
7. What is N2116 and what is it used for?
8. How are batteries with N2116 different from the ones we usually use?
9. Do you think batteries with N2116 are safer? Why or why not?
10. How do you think the smart computer at Microsoft helps scientists at PNNL?
11. What do you think are some other ways smart computers can be used to help scientists?
12. Why do you think it’s important to find good materials for batteries quickly?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. Microsoft
2. PNNL
3. batteries
4. smart computers
5. lithium
6. possible
7. earth
8. important
9. scientists
10. energy
11. safer
12. quicker

Meanings:
(A) Less likely to cause harm or danger
(B) Doing something with more speed or not taking as much time
(C) Something that could happen or be true
(D) The strength that is needed to do work or provide power
(E) A place where people do experiments and learn about science
(F) The planet we live on
(G) A big company that makes computers and software
(H) A soft, silver-white metal that is used in many electronic devices
(I) Computers that can think and learn to do tasks
(J) People who study things and try to discover new information
(K) Something that is very significant or needed
(L) Things that store power to make electronics work
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who made the new thing for batteries?
(a) Apple and Google
(b) Samsung and Sony
(c) Microsoft and PNNL
(d) Tesla and SpaceX

2. What is the new thing for batteries called?
(a) N2116
(b) Lithium
(c) PNNL
(d) Microsoft

3. Why are people worried about lithium?
(a) It is expensive to buy
(b) It is harmful to humans
(c) It doesn’t work well in batteries
(d) We might not have enough of it soon

4. What do cars and phones need?
(a) Batteries with N2116
(b) Batteries with no metal
(c) Batteries with lithium
(d) Batteries with lots of metal

5. What is the advantage of using N2116 in batteries?
(a) They are cheaper than regular batteries
(b) They last longer than regular batteries
(c) They are smaller than regular batteries
(d) They are safer than regular batteries

6. How does the smart computer at Microsoft help scientists?
(a) It helps them make cars and phones
(b) It helps them find new materials for batteries faster
(c) It helps them dig for lithium in the ground
(d) It helps them sell batteries to people

7. What is the main purpose of using smart computers in battery research?
(a) To find new things for batteries faster
(b) To make batteries more expensive
(c) To use more lithium in batteries
(d) To harm the earth

8. How long did it take to make a battery that worked using the new thing?
(a) More than a year
(b) Less than a year
(c) Less than a month
(d) More than a month

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The new battery made by Microsoft and PNNL worked in less than a year.
2. Microsoft and PNNL made a new thing for batteries that does not use smart computers.
3. Smart computers can quickly find the best materials for batteries.
4. The new thing called N2116 is less safe for batteries and does not help store energy.
5. This new thing could use more lithium, which is a metal we need for batteries.
6. Cars and phones need batteries with lithium.
7. Getting lithium from the ground cannot harm the earth.
8. People are worried because we might run out of lithium soon.
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 did Microsoft and PNNL make together?
2. Why is it important to find a new thing for batteries that doesn’t need much lithium?
3. What is the new thing called that Microsoft and PNNL found?
4. How does the smart computer at Microsoft help scientists at PNNL?
5. Why are batteries with N2116 safer than the ones we usually use?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What did Microsoft and PNNL make together?
Microsoft and PNNL made a new thing for batteries using smart computers.

2. Why is it important to find a new thing for batteries that doesn’t need much lithium?
It is important to find a new thing for batteries that doesn’t need much lithium because we might not have enough lithium soon, and getting it from the ground can hurt the earth.

3. What is the new thing called that Microsoft and PNNL found?
The new thing is called N2116.

4. What does the smart computer at Microsoft do to help scientists at PNNL?
The smart computer at Microsoft helps scientists at PNNL find good materials much quicker than the old way.

5. Why are batteries with N2116 safer than the ones we usually use?
Batteries with N2116 are safer than the ones we usually use because they use less lithium, which can be dangerous if not handled properly.

6. What are some things that need batteries with lithium?
Some things that need batteries with lithium are cars and phones.

7. Why are people worried about not having enough lithium soon?
People are worried about not having enough lithium soon because it is a limited resource and getting it from the ground can harm the environment.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) place
(2) batteries
(3) ones
(4) made
(5) lithium
(6) enough
(7) need
(8) computers
(9) found
(10) uses
(11) things
(12) PNNL
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. Microsoft
Answer: (G) A big company that makes computers and software

2. PNNL
Answer: (E) A place where people do experiments and learn about science

3. batteries
Answer: (L) Things that store power to make electronics work

4. smart computers
Answer: (I) Computers that can think and learn to do tasks

5. lithium
Answer: (H) A soft, silver-white metal that is used in many electronic devices

6. possible
Answer: (C) Something that could happen or be true

7. earth
Answer: (F) The planet we live on

8. important
Answer: (K) Something that is very significant or needed

9. scientists
Answer: (J) People who study things and try to discover new information

10. energy
Answer: (D) The strength that is needed to do work or provide power

11. safer
Answer: (A) Less likely to cause harm or danger

12. quicker
Answer: (B) Doing something with more speed or not taking as much time
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who made the new thing for batteries?
Answer: (c) Microsoft and PNNL

2. What is the new thing for batteries called?
Answer: (a) N2116

3. Why are people worried about lithium?
Answer: (d) We might not have enough of it soon

4. What do cars and phones need?
Answer: (c) Batteries with lithium

5. What is the advantage of using N2116 in batteries?
Answer: (d) They are safer than regular batteries

6. How does the smart computer at Microsoft help scientists?
Answer: (b) It helps them find new materials for batteries faster

7. What is the main purpose of using smart computers in battery research?
Answer: (a) To find new things for batteries faster

8. How long did it take to make a battery that worked using the new thing?
Answer: (b) Less than a year
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The new battery made by Microsoft and PNNL worked in less than a year. (Answer: True)
2. Microsoft and PNNL made a new thing for batteries that does not use smart computers. (Answer: False)
3. Smart computers can quickly find the best materials for batteries. (Answer: True)
4. The new thing called N2116 is less safe for batteries and does not help store energy. (Answer: False)
5. This new thing could use more lithium, which is a metal we need for batteries. (Answer: False)
6. Cars and phones need batteries with lithium. (Answer: True)
7. Getting lithium from the ground cannot harm the earth. (Answer: False)
8. People are worried because we might run out of lithium soon. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧