Some people don't like devices like the Furbinator. They say the loud sounds can hurt animals. But the man who made it, James Milward, wanted a way to protect his garden and his kids without hurting the animals. He thinks his invention could also help farmers who have trouble with predators.
Milward is sharing the code he used to program the cameras with other people. He doesn't want to make money from the Furbinator. He just wants to help people solve problems with animals. Even though his wife doesn't understand why he made it, Milward is proud of his invention and wants to keep finding unique solutions.
Original news source: Man trains home cameras to help repel badgers and foxes (BBC)
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns acting out a word or phrase related to the article (e.g. garden, animals, invention). The other groups must guess the word or phrase within a time limit. The group with the most correct guesses wins.
– News Summary
Instructions: Have the students work in pairs. Each pair must write a summary of the article in their own words, using no more than 5 sentences. Afterward, they will share their summaries with the class and discuss any differences or similarities.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements related to the article (e.g. "Using the Furbinator is a good solution to protect gardens"). Have the students move around the room and ask their classmates for their opinions on each statement. They should record their classmates' responses (agree, disagree, or unsure) and be prepared to share the results with the class.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns choosing a vocabulary word from the article and drawing it on the board without using any letters or numbers. The other groups must guess the word within a time limit. The group with the most correct guesses wins.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups. One group will brainstorm the pros (advantages) of using the Furbinator, while the other group will brainstorm the cons (disadvantages). Afterward, the groups will debate their points and try to convince the other group to change their opinion.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
He connected his home cameras to a device that makes high-pitched sounds.
The Furbinator 3000.
He used machine learning to teach the cameras to recognize the animals.
They believe the loud sounds can hurt animals.
James Milward.
He wanted a way to protect his garden and his kids without hurting the animals.
He is sharing the code he used to program the cameras.
He is proud of his invention and wants to keep finding unique solutions.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
A man in England a cool way to keep foxes and badgers out of his . He connected his home cameras to a device that high-pitched sounds. When the cameras see the , the device makes the sounds and scares them away. He calls his invention the Furbinator 3000. It took some time to teach the cameras to the animals, but after using machine learning, it finally . Some don't like like the Furbinator. They say the loud sounds can hurt animals. But the man who made it, James Milward, wanted a way to his garden and his kids without hurting the animals. He thinks his could also help who have trouble with predators. Milward is sharing the code he used to the cameras with other people. He doesn't want to make money from the . He just to help people problems with animals. Even though his wife doesn't understand why he made it, Milward is proud of his invention and wants to keep finding solutions.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is the Furbinator 3000 and how does it work?
2. How do you think the high-pitched sounds scare away the animals?
3. Do you think it's a good idea to use devices like the Furbinator to keep animals out of gardens? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if you had a problem with animals damaging your garden?
5. Do you think it's important to protect your garden from animals? Why or why not?
6. What are some other ways people can protect their gardens from animals?
7. Do you like the idea of sharing the code for the Furbinator with other people? Why or why not?
8. How do you think the Furbinator could help farmers with predator problems?
9. Do you think it's fair to use loud sounds to scare away animals? Why or why not?
10. What do you think about James Milward's decision to not make money from the Furbinator?
11. How do you think James Milward's wife feels about his invention? Why?
12. Do you have any unique solutions to problems that you're proud of? Can you share one?
13. Have you ever had a problem with animals in your garden or yard? What did you do to solve it?
14. Do you think it's important to find solutions to problems like animals damaging gardens? Why or why not?
15. How do you feel when you see animals in your garden or yard?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
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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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