A lady named Rosemary loves nature and spends Christmas looking for a special green plant on some islands. While other people have fun with their families, Rosemary is on the ground searching for this plant that is hard to find and needs to be protected. She does this every year, and even her kids think it’s strange. Rosemary has found many of these little plants and knows a lot about how the weather is changing and hurting nature.

Rosemary first went to these islands near Cornwall in 1958 and thought they were very pretty. She spends a lot of time learning about the plants and animals there, especially a rare fern. She has had some tough times, like almost drowning while looking for plants, but she keeps working to protect nature. She has seen some plants become less common because the weather is changing and wants to teach others to take care of the islands.

Even though Rosemary is 87 and not working anymore, she still helps protect nature on the islands. She has noticed changes in the sea life because the weather is changing. People who care about wildlife gave her a special award for being a hero. Rosemary hopes her kids, who also love the islands, will keep doing the important work she started.

Original news source: The woman who spent Christmas in search of a rare plant (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups and give each group a copy of the article. Instruct the students to read the article and then work together to write a summary of the main points. Encourage them to use their own words and keep it concise. After they have finished, have each group share their summary with the class.

– Word Association
Instructions: Write the word “nature” on the board and ask the students to think of as many related words as they can in one minute. After the minute is up, have the students share their words with the class and write them on the board. Encourage them to think of words related to plants, animals, and the environment. Discuss the words as a class and ask the students to explain their choices.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Give each student a piece of paper and a pencil. Instruct them to read the article and choose one scene or image that stands out to them. They should then sketch this scene or image on their paper. After they have finished, have the students share their sketches with a partner and explain why they chose that particular scene or image.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Prepare a list of vocabulary words related to the article (e.g. nature, plants, animals, islands, weather, protect). Divide the class into two teams and have one student from each team come to the front of the class. Show the first student a vocabulary word and have them draw a picture to represent that word. The rest of their team must guess the word based on the drawing. If they guess correctly, they earn a point. Repeat with the second team and continue until all of the vocabulary words have been used.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write the following question on the board: “Do you think it is important to protect nature? Why or why not?” Give each student a slip of paper and instruct them to write their answer to the question. Collect the papers and read them aloud to the class, keeping the students’ names anonymous. After all the answers have been read, lead a class discussion about the importance of protecting nature and ask students to share their opinions.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is Rosemary and what does she love?
2. What does Rosemary do on Christmas while other people are having fun with their families?
3. Why do Rosemary’s kids think it’s strange that she searches for the special green plant?
4. When did Rosemary first go to the islands near Cornwall?
5. What does Rosemary spend a lot of time learning about on the islands?
6. Why does Rosemary want to teach others to take care of the islands?
7. Why did people give Rosemary a special award?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A lady (1)______ Rosemary loves nature and spends (2)______ looking for a special green plant on some islands. While (3)______ people have fun with their families, Rosemary is on the ground searching for this plant that is hard to find and needs to be protected. She does this every year, and even her kids think it’s (4)______. Rosemary has (5)______ many of these little plants and knows a lot about how the weather is changing and hurting nature.

Rosemary first went to these islands near Cornwall in 1958 and thought they were very (6)______. She spends a lot of time learning about the plants and animals there, especially a rare fern. She has had some tough times, like almost drowning while looking for plants, but she (7)______ working to protect nature. She has seen some plants become less common because the (8)______ is changing and wants to (9)______ others to take care of the islands.

Even though Rosemary is 87 and not working anymore, she still helps protect nature on the islands. She has (10)______ changes in the sea life because the weather is changing. People who (11)______ about wildlife gave her a special award for being a hero. Rosemary (12)______ her kids, who also love the islands, will keep doing the important work she started.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What does Rosemary love to do during Christmas time?
2. How do you think Rosemary’s kids feel about her Christmas activity?
3. Why do you think Rosemary continues to search for the special green plant every year?
4. What did Rosemary think of the islands near Cornwall when she first went there?
5. What kind of plant does Rosemary spend a lot of time learning about?
6. What are some tough times that Rosemary has experienced while searching for plants?
7. Why does Rosemary want to teach others to take care of the islands?
8. What changes has Rosemary noticed in the sea life on the islands?
9. How do you think Rosemary felt when she received the special award for being a hero?
10. Do you think Rosemary’s kids will continue doing the important work she started? Why or why not?
11. How would you feel if you were Rosemary and couldn’t work anymore?
12. Do you like spending time in nature? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. nature
2. islands
3. protected
4. climate
5. rare
6. fern
7. tough
8. wildlife
9. hero
10. award
11. changes
12. important

Meanings:
(A) Not found very often
(B) Something that is very serious and needs attention
(C) Kept safe from harm or danger
(D) The usual weather in a place over a long time
(E) Hard or difficult
(F) Things that become different over time
(G) Someone who is admired for doing something very brave or great
(H) Pieces of land surrounded by water
(I) Animals and plants living in their natural environment
(J) A type of green plant that has feathery leaves and no flowers
(K) A prize given to someone for something good they have done
(L) Everything that is not made by people, like trees, animals, and rivers
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What does Rosemary do during Christmas?
(a) She spends time with her family.
(b) She goes on vacation.
(c) She stays at home.
(d) She looks for a special green plant on some islands.

2. Where did Rosemary first go in 1958?
(a) Islands near Scotland.
(b) Islands near Wales.
(c) Islands near Cornwall.
(d) Islands near Ireland.

3. What does Rosemary know a lot about?
(a) Famous landmarks in Cornwall.
(b) Plants and animals on the islands.
(c) Different types of ferns.
(d) The history of the islands.

4. What has Rosemary seen happen to some plants?
(a) They have become more common.
(b) They have stayed the same.
(c) They have become less common.
(d) They have disappeared completely.

5. How old is Rosemary?
(a) 87 years old.
(b) 67 years old.
(c) 47 years old.
(d) 27 years old.

6. What changes has Rosemary noticed in the sea life?
(a) Changes caused by pollution.
(b) Changes caused by the changing weather.
(c) Changes caused by overfishing.
(d) Changes caused by natural disasters.

7. Why did people give Rosemary a special award?
(a) Because she is a famous scientist.
(b) Because she is a talented artist.
(c) Because she is a great writer.
(d) Because she is a hero for protecting wildlife.

8. What does Rosemary hope her kids will do?
(a) Continue the important work she started.
(b) Move away from the islands.
(c) Stop caring about nature.
(d) Find a different job.

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Rosemary has been going to these islands near Cornwall since 1958 and thinks they are very pretty.
2. Rosemary has seen some plants become more common because the weather is changing.
3. Rosemary’s family thinks it’s normal that she spends Christmas searching for plants instead of having fun with them.
4. Rosemary is 87 years old and no longer working, but she still helps protect nature on the islands.
5. Rosemary hopes her kids will discontinue the important work she started to protect the islands.
6. The weather changing has caused no changes in the sea life on the islands.
7. Rosemary has had some tough times, like almost drowning, while searching for plants on the islands.
8. Rosemary loves nature and spends Christmas searching for a special green plant on some islands.
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 Rosemary and what does she like to do during Christmas?
2. Why do Rosemary’s kids think it’s strange that she spends Christmas looking for a special green plant?
3. When did Rosemary first visit the islands near Cornwall and what did she think of them?
4. What has Rosemary noticed about the plants on the islands and why is she worried?
5. What special award did Rosemary receive and why is she hoping her kids will continue her work?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who is Rosemary and what does she love?
Rosemary is a lady who loves nature.

2. What does Rosemary do on Christmas while other people are having fun with their families?
Rosemary searches for a special green plant on some islands.

3. Why do Rosemary’s kids think it’s strange that she searches for the special green plant?
Because most people spend Christmas with their families and have fun, but Rosemary is on the ground looking for plants.

4. When did Rosemary first go to the islands near Cornwall?
Rosemary first went to the islands near Cornwall in 1958.

5. What does Rosemary spend a lot of time learning about on the islands?
Rosemary spends a lot of time learning about the plants and animals on the islands, especially a rare fern.

6. Why does Rosemary want to teach others to take care of the islands?
Because she has seen changes in the plants and animals due to the changing weather, and she wants to protect nature.

7. Why did people give Rosemary a special award?
People gave Rosemary a special award because she is a hero who works hard to protect nature on the islands.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) named
(2) Christmas
(3) other
(4) strange
(5) found
(6) pretty
(7) keeps
(8) weather
(9) teach
(10) noticed
(11) care
(12) hopes
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. nature
Answer: (L) Everything that is not made by people, like trees, animals, and rivers

2. islands
Answer: (H) Pieces of land surrounded by water

3. protected
Answer: (C) Kept safe from harm or danger

4. climate
Answer: (D) The usual weather in a place over a long time

5. rare
Answer: (A) Not found very often

6. fern
Answer: (J) A type of green plant that has feathery leaves and no flowers

7. tough
Answer: (E) Hard or difficult

8. wildlife
Answer: (I) Animals and plants living in their natural environment

9. hero
Answer: (G) Someone who is admired for doing something very brave or great

10. award
Answer: (K) A prize given to someone for something good they have done

11. changes
Answer: (F) Things that become different over time

12. important
Answer: (B) Something that is very serious and needs attention
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What does Rosemary do during Christmas?
Answer: (d) She looks for a special green plant on some islands.

2. Where did Rosemary first go in 1958?
Answer: (c) Islands near Cornwall.

3. What does Rosemary know a lot about?
Answer: (b) Plants and animals on the islands.

4. What has Rosemary seen happen to some plants?
Answer: (c) They have become less common.

5. How old is Rosemary?
Answer: (a) 87 years old.

6. What changes has Rosemary noticed in the sea life?
Answer: (b) Changes caused by the changing weather.

7. Why did people give Rosemary a special award?
Answer: (d) Because she is a hero for protecting wildlife.

8. What does Rosemary hope her kids will do?
Answer: (a) Continue the important work she started.
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Rosemary has been going to these islands near Cornwall since 1958 and thinks they are very pretty. (Answer: True)
2. Rosemary has seen some plants become more common because the weather is changing. (Answer: False)
3. Rosemary’s family thinks it’s normal that she spends Christmas searching for plants instead of having fun with them. (Answer: False)
4. Rosemary is 87 years old and no longer working, but she still helps protect nature on the islands. (Answer: True)
5. Rosemary hopes her kids will discontinue the important work she started to protect the islands. (Answer: False)
6. The weather changing has caused no changes in the sea life on the islands. (Answer: False)
7. Rosemary has had some tough times, like almost drowning, while searching for plants on the islands. (Answer: True)
8. Rosemary loves nature and spends Christmas searching for a special green plant on some islands. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧