A camera flying in the sky took a video of a new piece of land coming out of the ocean in Japan. This happened because a volcano under the water started to erupt on October 21. At first, the new land was as big as a soccer field and taller than a house. But a man who knows a lot about volcanoes said the land is getting smaller because it’s made of weak stuff that breaks easily.

The new piece of land is not far from another island called Iwo Jima. It was made by a volcano that is under the sea. When it first appeared, it was very big and tall. But because it’s made of stuff that doesn’t hold together well, the waves from the ocean are making it smaller.

A new island was made when a volcano under the sea in Japan erupted, and a flying camera took a video of it. This new land was close to Iwo Jima and was pretty big and tall. But it’s getting smaller because it’s not very strong and the ocean is washing it away.

Original news source: Japan volcano: Plumes of smoke as new island emerges after eruption (BBC)

Listen

Slow

Normal

Fast

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Students will be divided into small groups. Each group will be tasked to read the article carefully and then summarize the news in their own words, focusing on the key points such as the location of the event, the cause, and what is happening to the new piece of land. They will then present their summaries to the class. This activity will help students practice their reading comprehension and speaking skills.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Provide each student with a piece of paper and some drawing utensils. After reading the article, ask students to draw the new piece of land that emerged from the sea as described. They should include details such as its initial size, its comparison to a soccer field and a house, and how it is affected by the ocean waves. This visual representation will aid in understanding the text and serve as a basis for discussing the vocabulary related to geography and nature.

– Keyword Hangman
Instructions: Play a game of hangman using key vocabulary from the article. Words like “volcano,” “erupt,” “island,” “ocean,” and “camera” could be used. Students will guess letters to find the words. This activity will reinforce new vocabulary and can be played in teams to promote class collaboration.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Pose a question to the class such as, “Do you think the new piece of land will survive the ocean waves?” or “Should people be allowed to visit the new island?” Students will share their opinions, providing reasons for their answers. This will encourage students to use language to express their thoughts and will also engage them in a discussion using the information they learned from the article.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Invite students to make predictions about the future of the new piece of land. They can discuss whether they think it will continue to shrink or if it might grow. They could also consider what might happen to the island in terms of human interaction or natural events. This will give students a chance to practice using future tense in English and to use their imagination based on the facts presented in the article.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What made the new piece of land come out of the ocean in Japan?
2. When did the volcano under the water start to erupt?
3. How big was the new land when it first appeared?
4. Why is the new piece of land getting smaller?
5. What is the name of the island near the new piece of land?
6. What is making the new land smaller?
7. How did people first see the new piece of land?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A camera flying in the sky took a (1)______ of a new piece of land coming out of the ocean in Japan. This (2)______ because a volcano under the (3)______ started to erupt on October 21. At first, the new land was as big as a soccer field and taller than a house. But a man who knows a lot about (4)______ said the land is getting smaller because it’s (5)______ of weak stuff that breaks easily.

The new piece of land is not far from another island (6)______ Iwo Jima. It was made by a volcano that is under the sea. When it first appeared, it was very big and (7)______. But because it’s made of stuff that doesn’t hold together well, the waves from the (8)______ are (9)______ it smaller.

A new island was made when a volcano under the sea in Japan erupted, and a (10)______ camera (11)______ a video of it. This new (12)______ was close to Iwo Jima and was pretty big and tall. But it’s getting smaller because it’s not very strong and the ocean is washing it away.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a volcano?
2. Have you ever seen a volcano? If yes, how did you feel when you saw it?
3. Do you like watching videos of things happening in nature? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if a new piece of land appeared near where you live?
5. Do you think it’s exciting or scary when the land changes because of a volcano? Why?
6. What is an island?
7. Would you like to visit a new island that came from under the sea? Why or why not?
8. Do you think it’s important for cameras to fly in the sky and take videos? Why?
9. How do you think animals and plants feel when a new island appears?
10. Do you think people should be able to live on new land from a volcano? Why or why not?
11. What do you think makes land strong?
12. If you could make a new piece of land, what would you want it to look like?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. camera
2. flying
3. land
4. ocean
5. volcano
6. erupt
7. waves
8. smaller

Meanings:
(a) A mountain that can explode with hot rocks and ash
(b) When a volcano explodes and sends out hot rocks and ash
(c) Not as big as before
(d) A device that takes pictures and videos
(e) A very big body of salty water
(f) Something that is in the air and moving
(g) Solid ground, not water
(h) The movement of water, often in the sea
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What caused the new piece of land to come out of the ocean in Japan?
(a) A volcano eruption
(b) An earthquake
(c) A tsunami
(d) A tornado

2. How big was the new piece of land when it first appeared?
(a) As big as a football field
(b) As big as a soccer field
(c) As big as a basketball court
(d) As big as a baseball field

3. What is happening to the new piece of land that is making it smaller?
(a) It’s being pushed by strong winds
(b) It’s being hit by heavy rain
(c) The weak material is breaking easily
(d) It’s being covered by sand

4. Where is the new piece of land located in relation to another island called Iwo Jima?
(a) Very far from it
(b) Right next to it
(c) On the other side of the world
(d) Not far from it

5. What is causing the new island close to Iwo Jima to get smaller?
(a) The wind from the sea
(b) The heat from the sun
(c) The animals living on it
(d) The waves from the ocean

6. What was the new piece of land close to Iwo Jima like when it first appeared?
(a) Small and flat
(b) Small and round
(c) Big and tall
(d) Big and round

7. What made the new island in Japan?
(a) An earthquake on the land
(b) A volcano under the sea
(c) A storm in the ocean
(d) A landslide on the coast

8. Why is the new piece of land getting smaller?
(a) It’s made of weak stuff that breaks easily
(b) It’s too close to Iwo Jima
(c) It’s too far from the mainland
(d) It’s not getting enough sunlight

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. A submerged camera captured a video of the new land emerging from the ocean.
2. The new piece of land is located far away from another island called Iwo Jima.
3. A new piece of land emerged from the ocean in Japan after a volcano erupted on October 21.
4. The waves from the ocean are causing the new land to shrink in size.
5. The new land was initially as big as a soccer field and taller than a house.
6. The land is getting smaller because it is made of sturdy material that doesn’t break easily.
7. The new land is close to Iwo Jima and is being eroded by the ocean.
8. The new island was formed by a volcano under the sea.
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 happened in Japan that made a new piece of land appear?
2. How big was the new land when it first came out of the ocean?
3. What is the new land close to?
4. Why is the new piece of land getting smaller?
5. What took a video of the new land in the sky?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What made the new piece of land come out of the ocean in Japan?
A volcano under the water erupted and made the new piece of land.

2. When did the volcano under the water start to erupt?
The volcano started to erupt on October 21.

3. How big was the new land when it first appeared?
The new land was as big as a soccer field and taller than a house.

4. Why is the new piece of land getting smaller?
The new piece of land is getting smaller because it is made of weak stuff that breaks easily and the ocean waves are washing it away.

5. What is the name of the island near the new piece of land?
The name of the island near the new piece of land is Iwo Jima.

6. What is making the new land smaller?
The ocean waves are making the new land smaller.

7. How did people first see the new piece of land?
People first saw the new piece of land from a video taken by a camera flying in the sky.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) video
(2) happened
(3) water
(4) volcanoes
(5) made
(6) called
(7) tall
(8) ocean
(9) making
(10) flying
(11) took
(12) land
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. camera
Answer: (d) A device that takes pictures and videos

2. flying
Answer: (f) Something that is in the air and moving

3. land
Answer: (g) Solid ground, not water

4. ocean
Answer: (e) A very big body of salty water

5. volcano
Answer: (a) A mountain that can explode with hot rocks and ash

6. erupt
Answer: (b) When a volcano explodes and sends out hot rocks and ash

7. waves
Answer: (h) The movement of water, often in the sea

8. smaller
Answer: (c) Not as big as before
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What caused the new piece of land to come out of the ocean in Japan?
Answer: (a) A volcano eruption

2. How big was the new piece of land when it first appeared?
Answer: (b) As big as a soccer field

3. What is happening to the new piece of land that is making it smaller?
Answer: (c) The weak material is breaking easily

4. Where is the new piece of land located in relation to another island called Iwo Jima?
Answer: (d) Not far from it

5. What is causing the new island close to Iwo Jima to get smaller?
Answer: (d) The waves from the ocean

6. What was the new piece of land close to Iwo Jima like when it first appeared?
Answer: (c) Big and tall

7. What made the new island in Japan?
Answer: (b) A volcano under the sea

8. Why is the new piece of land getting smaller?
Answer: (a) It’s made of weak stuff that breaks easily
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. A submerged camera captured a video of the new land emerging from the ocean. (Answer: False)
2. The new piece of land is located far away from another island called Iwo Jima. (Answer: False)
3. A new piece of land emerged from the ocean in Japan after a volcano erupted on October 21. (Answer: False)
4. The waves from the ocean are causing the new land to shrink in size. (Answer: True)
5. The new land was initially as big as a soccer field and taller than a house. (Answer: True)
6. The land is getting smaller because it is made of sturdy material that doesn’t break easily. (Answer: False)
7. The new land is close to Iwo Jima and is being eroded by the ocean. (Answer: True)
8. The new island was formed by a volcano under the sea. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧