The coral reef around Mnemba Island in Tanzania was in big trouble a few years ago. Climate change, overfishing, and other things people were doing were hurting the reef and the people who depend on it. But now, a project is helping to save the reef and make it healthy again. The project also wants to make sure the reef doesn't get hurt anymore. The water around the island is really clear, so you can see the reef up close even though it's 10 meters below the surface.
Coral reefs are like the rainforests of the sea because they have lots of different kinds of sea life. But when the water gets too warm because of climate change, the coral gets stressed and loses the algae that gives it food. This makes the coral turn white and eventually die. Fishermen using dynamite and tourists doing whatever they want have also hurt the coral. There aren't as many fish around anymore, which is a big problem for the people who sell fish.
To fix these problems, a group called &Beyond and a non-profit called Africa Foundation are working with the people who live on the island. They made special places underwater where they can grow new coral and then put it back on the reef. Local divers are trained to take care of these special places. It's been working really well, and now 80% of the reef around the island is healthy again. They also made fake reefs out of steel and stone to bring back more sea life and attract people who want to snorkel and dive.
The reason the project is doing so well is because the people who live on the island are helping a lot. The groups working on the project are working closely with the local government, and the government made rules to protect the sea around Mnemba Island. This means they can control what tourists and fishermen do. They made a limit on how many people can visit the reef, and they're making more money from it. They also stopped fishing around the reef while they were fixing it, which helped stop illegal fishing and taught the fishermen better ways to fish sustainably.
The government of Zanzibar is happy with how well the project on Mnemba Island is going, and they want to do it in other places too. They put buoys in the water to show where fishing isn't allowed. The problems facing the reefs in Zanzibar are the same problems facing reefs all over the world. The project can't stop the water from getting warmer, but they hope it will inspire people to protect other reefs that are in danger. The relationship between the sea and coral is really important for the health of the ocean, and the project wants to make the reefs healthy again.
Original news source: How islanders are saving their Indian Ocean coral reef (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Have students read the article individually or in pairs. Then, ask them to write a brief summary of the main points of the article, focusing on the problem faced by the coral reef in Mnemba Island and the solution provided by the project. Afterward, have students share their summaries with the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Assign each group a role: fishermen, tourists, local residents, or government officials. Have each group discuss and write down their opinions on the impact of the project on the coral reef and the people involved. Then, have each group present their opinions to the rest of the class. Afterward, hold a class discussion to compare and contrast the different perspectives.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Provide the students with a list of key vocabulary words from the article (e.g., coral reef, climate change, overfishing, sustainable). Divide the class into pairs. One student from each pair will choose a word from the list and draw a picture to represent it, while the other student guesses the word. After a set time, switch roles. Encourage students to use English to describe the word and discuss their drawings.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Assign each group to discuss the pros and cons of the project to save the coral reef in Mnemba Island. Encourage students to think critically and consider different perspectives. Afterward, have each group present their findings to the rest of the class. Facilitate a class discussion to explore the different viewpoints and come to a consensus.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Have students imagine they are government officials responsible for protecting the world's coral reefs. In pairs or small groups, ask them to discuss and make predictions about the future of coral reefs based on the article. What challenges do they think will arise? How can they ensure the long-term sustainability of coral reefs? Afterward, have each group share their predictions with the class and hold a discussion to explore different ideas.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
Climate change, overfishing, and other human activities like dynamite fishing and irresponsible tourism were hurting the coral reef around Mnemba Island.
Coral reefs are often compared to rainforests because they both have a wide variety of different kinds of life. Just like rainforests are home to many different species of plants and animals, coral reefs are home to many different species of marine life.
Climate change affects coral reefs by making the water too warm. When the water gets too warm, the coral gets stressed and loses the algae that gives it food. This causes the coral to turn white and eventually die.
Fishermen using dynamite and tourists doing whatever they want have contributed to the problems facing the coral reef. Dynamite fishing destroys the coral, and irresponsible tourism can damage the reef and scare away fish.
&Beyond and Africa Foundation are working with the people who live on Mnemba Island to save the coral reef. They have created special underwater areas where new coral can grow and then be put back on the reef. They have also created artificial reefs made of steel and stone to attract more marine life.
The project on Mnemba Island is doing well because the local people are actively involved. The project works closely with the local government, which has made rules to protect the sea around the island. These rules control the actions of tourists and fishermen. The project has also stopped fishing around the reef while fixing it and has taught the fishermen sustainable fishing methods.
The local government is helping to protect the coral reef by making rules and regulations. They have set a limit on the number of people who can visit the reef, and they have stopped fishing around the reef. They have also worked closely with the project and provided support.
The government of Zanzibar is interested in expanding the project to other places because they have seen the success of the project on Mnemba Island. They want to protect other reefs that are in danger and hope that the project will inspire people to take action. The problems facing the reefs in Zanzibar are similar to those facing reefs worldwide, so the government wants to spread the successful conservation efforts to other areas.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
The coral reef around Mnemba Island in Tanzania was in big trouble a few years ago. Climate change, , and other things people were doing were hurting the reef and the people who depend on it. But now, a project is helping to save the reef and make it again. The project also wants to make sure the reef doesn't get hurt anymore. The water around the is really clear, so you can see the reef up close even though it's 10 meters below the surface. Coral reefs are like the rainforests of the sea because they have lots of kinds of sea life. But when the water gets too warm because of climate change, the coral gets stressed and loses the algae that gives it food. This makes the coral turn white and eventually die. Fishermen using dynamite and doing whatever they want have also hurt the coral. There aren't as many fish around anymore, which is a big for the people who sell fish. To fix these problems, a group called &Beyond and a non-profit called Africa Foundation are working with the people who live on the island. They made special where they can grow new coral and then put it back on the reef. Local divers are trained to take care of these special places. It's been working really well, and now 80% of the reef around the island is healthy again. They also made fake reefs out of steel and stone to bring back more sea life and attract who want to snorkel and dive. The reason the project is doing so well is because the people who live on the island are helping a lot. The groups on the project are working closely with the government, and the government made rules to protect the sea around Mnemba . This means they can control what tourists and fishermen do. They made a limit on how many people can visit the reef, and they're making more money from it. They also stopped fishing around the reef while they were fixing it, which helped stop illegal fishing and the better ways to fish sustainably. The government of Zanzibar is happy with how well the project on Mnemba Island is going, and they want to do it in other places too. They put buoys in the water to show where fishing isn't . The problems facing the in Zanzibar are the same problems facing reefs all over the world. The project can't stop the water from getting warmer, but they hope it will inspire people to protect other reefs that are in danger. The relationship between the sea and coral is really important for the health of the ocean, and the project wants to make the reefs healthy again.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is a coral reef and why are they important?
2. How would you feel if you saw a coral reef turning white and dying?
3. Do you like snorkeling or diving? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it's important to protect the ocean and its creatures? Why or why not?
5. What do you think would happen if there were no more fish in the ocean?
6. Have you ever seen a coral reef up close? If so, what was it like?
7. How do you think climate change affects coral reefs?
8. What do you think can be done to stop overfishing and protect coral reefs?
9. Why do you think it's important for local communities to be involved in conservation projects?
10. How do you think the project on Mnemba Island can inspire people to protect other reefs?
11. Have you ever been involved in a conservation project? If so, what was it like?
12. What do you think are some challenges in protecting coral reefs around the world?
13. How do you think the relationship between the sea and coral affects the health of the ocean?
14. Do you think governments should have rules and regulations to protect the environment? Why or why not?
15. What can individuals do to help protect coral reefs and the ocean?
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.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!
