Three big bears from China, called giant pandas, have lived in a zoo in Washington DC for 23 years. But now, they have been sent back to China. A long time ago, in 1972, the leader of America and the leader of China decided to be friends again, and China gave America its first big panda bear. Now, the big pandas from zoos in Washington DC, Memphis, and San Diego have all gone back to China, and the ones in Atlanta will go back next year.
People in America are very sad to say goodbye to the big panda bears. These bears were very special to see at the zoo, and many people loved them. Now that they are going back to China, people feel sad because they will miss them. The bears moving back to China shows how America and China share things and work together.
The big panda bears going back to China is a big moment for America and China being friends. The bears were like a sign that the two countries were being nice to each other. Now that the bears are leaving, it is the end of a special time when America and China shared something very special. The bears showed that countries can share nice things and learn from each other.
Original news source: Sad farewells for US pandas heading back to China (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Divide students into small groups. Each group will read the article and then work together to write a short summary of the article, focusing on the main points: the pandas being sent back to China, the history of pandas as a symbol of friendship, and the emotional impact on people. Groups will then share their summary with the class.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article (e.g., giant pandas, zoo, Washington DC, China, friendship, special, share) on individual slips of paper. Divide the class into two teams. One student from a team picks a slip and draws the word on the board without speaking or writing letters or numbers. Their team has to guess the word within a time limit. Alternate turns between teams.
– Opinion Spectrum
Instructions: Create a line in your classroom with one end labeled ‘Very Sad’ and the other end labeled ‘Not Sad’. Read the part of the article about people’s reactions to the pandas leaving. Ask students to stand at a point on the line that represents how they would feel if they had to say goodbye to the pandas. Select students from different points on the spectrum to explain their position.
– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Pose a question to the class: “Do you think the return of the giant pandas to China will affect the friendship between China and the USA? Why or why not?” Give students a moment to think about their answer individually, then have them pair up with a classmate to discuss their thoughts. After a few minutes, bring the class back together and invite pairs to share their discussion points with everyone.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to imagine what kind of symbol or gift could represent friendship between countries in the future, now that the pandas have been returned to China. Have them work in small groups to come up with an idea for a new symbol of international friendship. Each group will then present their idea to the class, explaining why they chose it and how it represents friendship between nations.
Comprehension Questions:
1. Where have the three big bears from China been living for 23 years?
2. Which country did the big bears go back to?
3. When did the leaders of America and China decide to become friends again?
4. What did China give America when they became friends in 1972?
5. Which zoos in America had big panda bears that went back to China?
6. When will the big panda bears from Atlanta go back to China?
7. Why are people in America sad about the big panda bears leaving?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Three big bears from China, called giant pandas, have lived in a zoo in Washington DC for 23 years. But now, they have been sent back to China. A (1)______ time ago, in 1972, the leader of America and the leader of China (2)______ to be friends again, and China (3)______ America its first big panda bear. Now, the big pandas from zoos in Washington DC, Memphis, and San Diego have all gone back to China, and the (4)______ in (5)______ will go back (6)______ year.
People in America are very sad to say goodbye to the big panda bears. These bears were very special to see at the zoo, and many (7)______ loved them. Now that they are going back to (8)______, people feel sad because they will (9)______ them. The bears moving back to China shows how America and China share things and work together.
The big panda bears going back to China is a big moment for America and China being friends. The (10)______ were like a sign that the two countries were being (11)______ to each other. Now that the bears are (12)______, it is the end of a special time when America and China shared something very special. The bears showed that countries can share nice things and learn from each other.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is a giant panda?
2. How would you feel if your favorite animal left the zoo?
3. Do you like visiting zoos? Why or why not?
4. Do you think animals are happy living in zoos? Why or why not?
5. Have you ever seen a giant panda? Where?
6. What makes an animal special to you?
7. If you could pick any animal to see at the zoo, what would it be?
8. Why do you think people feel sad when animals go back to their home country?
9. What is friendship between countries?
10. Can you think of other things countries share with each other?
11. Do you think it’s good to share animals with zoos in other countries? Why or why not?
12. What can we learn from animals like the giant pandas?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. bears
2. zoo
3. China
4. America
5. special
6. friends
7. goodbye
8. share
Meanings:
(a) Something that is not ordinary, but important
(b) A country in Asia
(c) A country in North America
(d) A place where people can see animals
(e) Large furry animals that eat bamboo
(f) What you say when you leave someone
(g) To give something to someone else and have it together
(h) People who like each other and spend time together
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Multiple Choice Questions:
1. When did the first big panda bear come to America?
(a) 1985
(b) 1972
(c) 1999
(d) 2005
2. Where have the big panda bears been living in America?
(a) New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles
(b) Washington DC, Memphis, and San Diego
(c) Miami, Seattle, and Boston
(d) Dallas, Denver, and Houston
3. Why are people in America sad about the big panda bears leaving?
(a) They are happy the bears are leaving
(b) They never liked the bears
(c) They will miss seeing the bears at the zoo
(d) They want the bears to go back to China
4. What do the big panda bears leaving show about America and China?
(a) They don’t like each other
(b) They never talk to each other
(c) They are enemies
(d) They share things and work together
5. What did the big panda bears represent for America and China?
(a) Fighting with each other
(b) Ignoring each other
(c) Being nice to each other
(d) Not sharing anything
6. How long did the big panda bears live in the zoo in Washington DC?
(a) 23 years
(b) 15 years
(c) 30 years
(d) 10 years
7. What is the main reason for the big panda bears going back to China?
(a) To find a new home
(b) To have babies in China
(c) To eat bamboo in China
(d) To show friendship between America and China
8. What did the big panda bears teach people about countries?
(a) They can share nice things and learn from each other
(b) They should never share anything
(c) They should always fight with each other
(d) They should never talk to each other
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. The pandas leaving is the end of a special time when America and China shared something very special.
2. The pandas were sent back to China after living in the US for a long time.
3. The first big panda bear was taken from America by China in 1972.
4. The pandas going back to China shows how America and China work in isolation and withhold things.
5. The bears leaving is a big moment for America and China being friends.
6. People in America are sad to say goodbye to the pandas because they were special to see at the zoo.
7. The pandas from zoos in Washington DC, Memphis, and San Diego have already migrated to China.
8. Three giant polar bears from China lived in a zoo in Washington DC for 23 years.
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. Where have the three big bears from China been living?
2. How long have the giant pandas been in the zoo in Washington DC?
3. Why are people in America sad about the pandas going back to China?
4. What did the big panda bears show about America and China?
5. When will the big pandas in Atlanta go back to China?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. Where have the three big bears from China been living for 23 years?
The three big bears have been living in a zoo in Washington DC.
2. Which country did the big bears go back to?
The big bears went back to China.
3. When did the leaders of America and China decide to become friends again?
The leaders decided to become friends again in 1972.
4. What did China give America when they became friends in 1972?
China gave America its first big panda bear.
5. Which zoos in America had big panda bears that went back to China?
The zoos in Washington DC, Memphis, and San Diego had big panda bears that went back to China.
6. When will the big panda bears from Atlanta go back to China?
The big panda bears from Atlanta will go back to China next year.
7. Why are people in America sad about the big panda bears leaving?
People in America are sad because they loved seeing the big panda bears at the zoo and they will miss them.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) long
(2) decided
(3) gave
(4) ones
(5) Atlanta
(6) next
(7) people
(8) China
(9) miss
(10) bears
(11) nice
(12) leaving
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. bears
Answer: (e) Large furry animals that eat bamboo
2. zoo
Answer: (d) A place where people can see animals
3. China
Answer: (b) A country in Asia
4. America
Answer: (c) A country in North America
5. special
Answer: (a) Something that is not ordinary, but important
6. friends
Answer: (h) People who like each other and spend time together
7. goodbye
Answer: (f) What you say when you leave someone
8. share
Answer: (g) To give something to someone else and have it together
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. When did the first big panda bear come to America?
Answer: (b) 1972
2. Where have the big panda bears been living in America?
Answer: (b) Washington DC, Memphis, and San Diego
3. Why are people in America sad about the big panda bears leaving?
Answer: (c) They will miss seeing the bears at the zoo
4. What do the big panda bears leaving show about America and China?
Answer: (d) They share things and work together
5. What did the big panda bears represent for America and China?
Answer: (c) Being nice to each other
6. How long did the big panda bears live in the zoo in Washington DC?
Answer: (a) 23 years
7. What is the main reason for the big panda bears going back to China?
Answer: (d) To show friendship between America and China
8. What did the big panda bears teach people about countries?
Answer: (a) They can share nice things and learn from each other
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. The pandas leaving is the end of a special time when America and China shared something very special. (Answer: True)
2. The pandas were sent back to China after living in the US for a long time. (Answer: True)
3. The first big panda bear was taken from America by China in 1972. (Answer: False)
4. The pandas going back to China shows how America and China work in isolation and withhold things. (Answer: False)
5. The bears leaving is a big moment for America and China being friends. (Answer: True)
6. People in America are sad to say goodbye to the pandas because they were special to see at the zoo. (Answer: True)
7. The pandas from zoos in Washington DC, Memphis, and San Diego have already migrated to China. (Answer: False)
8. Three giant polar bears from China lived in a zoo in Washington DC for 23 years. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧
