The ground has been shaking a lot in southwest Iceland, where Grindavík is. Because of this, a famous hot water pool called the Blue Lagoon is closed, and people have left Grindavík. The people who help in emergencies say leaving Grindavík is just to be safe. The roads to Grindavík are closed now, except for emergency cars.
Everyone in Iceland is watching closely because the volcano might erupt soon. They told everyone in Grindavík to leave to keep them safe. Under the ground, there is a long river of hot rock that shows the volcano might start soon. The people in charge are keeping an eye on everything and have said no one can go to Grindavík now. It's important for people to stay calm and listen to what they are told to do.
Original news source: Iceland volcano: Emergency declared over volcano Fagradalsfjall eruption concerns (BBC)
📖 Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Reporter Role-play
Instructions: Assign students into pairs. One student is a news reporter, and the other is a local resident of Grindavík. The reporter interviews the resident about the impending volcano eruption and how they are preparing for it. Encourage students to use new vocabulary from the article and to express feelings and safety measures.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate pieces of paper (e.g., volcano, eruption, evacuate, tremors, emergency, etc.). Split the class into two teams and play Pictionary using these words. The team that guesses the word gets a point.
– Opinion Spectrum
Instructions: Read the article to the class and then present a series of statements related to volcano eruptions and safety measures (e.g., "It's better to evacuate too early than too late," "Natural disasters are unpredictable," etc.). Students should move to different areas of the room based on whether they agree or disagree, allowing them to physically show their opinions. Afterward, open a discussion to allow students to explain their positions.
– Sketch It
Instructions: Ask students to draw a scene described in the article. They can choose to illustrate the town of Grindavík preparing for the evacuation, the closed Blue Lagoon, or emergency responders blocking the roads. After drawing, they should describe their picture to a partner, using the vocabulary and information from the article.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: After discussing the article, students write down their predictions about what will happen next with the volcano near Reykjanes. Will it erupt? What will the consequences be? Students can then share their predictions with the class, and the teacher can guide a discussion on using future tense in English.
🤔 Comprehension Questions:
Iceland is getting ready for a volcano that might erupt soon.
The volcano is near the Reykjanes area.
The people in the town of Grindavík were told to leave the town.
The Blue Lagoon is closed because the ground is shaking a lot, which can be dangerous.
Only emergency cars can use the roads to Grindavík now.
There is a long river of hot rock under the ground that shows the volcano might start soon.
It is important for people to stay calm and listen to what they are told to do.
🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Iceland is getting ready for a possible volcano eruption. The weather people there say a volcano near the Reykjanes area might erupt soon. The of , which is close to where the volcano might erupt, has been told to . The weather people say the volcano could erupt in a few days. The ground has been shaking a lot in Iceland, where Grindavík is. Because of this, a famous hot pool called the Blue Lagoon is closed, and have left Grindavík. The people who help in emergencies say leaving Grindavík is just to be safe. The to Grindavík are now, except for emergency cars. Everyone in Iceland is watching closely because the volcano might erupt soon. They told everyone in Grindavík to leave to them safe. Under the ground, there is a long river of hot rock that shows the volcano might start soon. The people in charge are keeping an eye on everything and have no one can go to Grindavík now. It's important for people to stay and to what they are told to do.
💬 Discussion Questions:
1. What is a volcano?
2. Have you ever seen a volcano in real life or on TV? What did it look like?
3. How would you feel if you lived near a volcano that might erupt?
4. Do you like to visit places like the Blue Lagoon hot water pool? Why or why not?
5. What would you take with you if you had to leave your town quickly?
6. Do you think it's important to listen to weather people when they say a volcano might erupt? Why?
7. What is an emergency? Can you give an example?
8. How do you think people stay calm in scary situations like a volcano erupting?
9. Do you know what to do if there's an emergency where you live?
10. If you were in charge, how would you keep people safe from a volcano?
11. Have you ever had to leave your home because of danger? What happened?
12. Would you want to watch a volcano erupt from far away if you could do it safely? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
📖💭 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
🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:
🕵️ True or False Questions:
📝 Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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