In the city of Montevideo in Uruguay, there wasn't enough water for people to drink this year. People are upset because the places that make paper from wood are using too much water. The new paper place uses 129 million liters of water every day. The company that owns it says they are trying to use less water and clean it before putting it back, but some people are still worried about the dirty water.
Trees like eucalyptus and pine are grown a lot for making paper, but this can also cause problems for the Earth. In Uruguay, people are talking about how these tree farms might make the water go away, hurt the soil, and harm plants and animals. The paper business needs to find better ways to work without hurting the Earth so much. They need to take care of the water and the land.
Original news source: Does the paper industry need to cut its water usage? (BBC)
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Start the class by summarizing the article in simple terms. Ask students to listen carefully. After the summary, have students write down three key points from the article in their notebooks. Pair students up and have them compare their notes. Discuss as a class to ensure understanding of the main issues presented in the article.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements about the paper-making business and its environmental impact based on the article (e.g., "The paper-making business should use less water," "It's okay to use water for paper production if it is cleaned before being returned to the environment"). Students will walk around the room and sign their names next to the statements they agree with. Afterward, discuss the results as a class and encourage students to explain their opinions.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article (e.g., "paper-making," "eucalyptus," "environment"). Divide the class into two teams. One student from the first team draws a word on the board without speaking or writing letters or numbers, while their team guesses the word. Alternate between teams and keep score. This activity helps reinforce new vocabulary in a fun and interactive way.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups. Assign one group to list the pros (positive aspects) and the other group to list the cons (negative aspects) of the paper-making industry as described in the article. After a set amount of time, bring the class back together to share and discuss their lists.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to reflect on the article and write down their predictions about the future of the paper-making industry and its environmental impact. Students can then share their predictions with a partner and discuss what changes they think could be made to improve the situation. Finally, have a few pairs share their thoughts with the whole class to spark a group discussion.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
The paper-making business is using a lot of water.
People are worried that paper-making uses too much water and it's not good for the Earth because the Earth is getting warmer and there isn't enough water for everyone.
A big new place to make paper opened in Uruguay.
The city of Montevideo in Uruguay doesn't have enough drinking water for people.
The new paper place uses 129 million liters of water every day.
Trees like eucalyptus and pine are grown for making paper.
People in Uruguay think the tree farms might make the water go away, hurt the soil, and harm plants and animals.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
The paper-making business uses a lot of water, and people are worried because there isn't enough water for everyone and the Earth is getting warmer. People thought paper was better than for the Earth, but now they see it can also cause problems. A big new to make paper in a country called Uruguay, and it's using lots of water from a river. This is happening when there isn't much , and people need water to . In the city of Montevideo in Uruguay, there wasn't enough water for people to drink this . People are upset because the places that make paper from wood are using too much . The new paper place uses 129 million of water every day. The company that owns it says they are to use less water and clean it before putting it back, but some people are still worried about the dirty water. Trees like eucalyptus and pine are grown a lot for making paper, but this can also cause for the Earth. In Uruguay, people are about how these tree farms might make the water go away, hurt the soil, and plants and animals. The paper business needs to find better ways to work without hurting the Earth so much. They need to take care of the water and the land.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is paper made from?
2. How would you feel if your city didn't have enough drinking water?
3. Do you think it's important to save water? Why or why not?
4. Do you like using paper products? Why or why not?
5. What are some things you can do to use less water every day?
6. Do you think companies should be allowed to use a lot of water? Why or why not?
7. How do you think we can make paper without hurting the Earth?
8. What is a tree farm and do you think they are good or bad for the environment?
9. Have you ever seen a river with dirty water? How did it make you feel?
10. Do you think trees are important for the Earth? Why or why not?
11. Can you think of something that is made of plastic that can also be made of paper?
12. Do you think it's a good idea to clean water before putting it back into rivers? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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