The Earthshot Prize, started by Prince William in 2014, wants to find and support new ideas to help the environment. This year, five organizations from Asia won the £1m prize. One of the winners, S4S Technologies from India, made metal dryers that help farmers turn extra or not-so-good crops into useful stuff. This helps reduce waste and pollution. The Asia-Pacific area is at risk from climate change, with cities near the ocean facing floods and storms. But there are also lots of smart ideas in this region to deal with these problems.

GRST, a group in Hong Kong, won in the “Clean Our Air” category. They made eco-friendly batteries for electric cars that are cleaner and easier to recycle. Another winner, WildAid, is working with communities and governments to stop illegal fishing and protect the oceans. They are also changing fishing nets to save sea turtles. Boomitra, started by Aadith Moorthy from India, helps farmers improve their ways of farming and grow different crops. They want to help more farmers and land to make a bigger impact on climate change.

The Earthshot Prize wants to inspire people to take action and have hope for the future of the planet. The people in charge of the prize think that the Asia-Pacific region is leading the way in finding solutions to environmental problems. They hope that the Earthshot Prize will become a worldwide movement, with governments getting more involved in green industries to fight climate change. The winners and finalists of the prize show that there are smart and inspiring ideas all over the world.

In conclusion, the Earthshot Prize has recognized the smart ideas coming from Asia to help the environment. From metal dryers for farmers to eco-friendly batteries for electric cars, these ideas are making a positive difference. The hope is that the Earthshot Prize will keep growing and inspire governments and people all over the world to take action against climate change.

Original news source: Earthshot Prize: Asia leads the way in quest to repair planet (BBC)

Listen

Slow

Normal

Fast

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Students are divided into small groups. Each group is given a segment of the article to read and summarize. After reading, they must present their summary to the class, highlighting key points such as the purpose of the Earthshot Prize, the innovations presented by the winners, and the overall message of hope for environmental action.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a series of statements based on the article’s content, such as “Innovations in agriculture can significantly reduce environmental waste” or “Electric vehicle batteries should be eco-friendly and easily recyclable”. Students move to different areas of the room to show their level of agreement or disagreement with each statement. Afterwards, they discuss their opinions in small groups or as a whole class.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Students work in pairs to create catchy headlines for a news story about the Earthshot Prize winners. Encourage them to use powerful adjectives and strong verbs to grab attention. Share the headlines with the class and vote on which one best captures the essence of the article.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key terms from the article on slips of paper, such as “sustainable,” “innovation,” “climate change,” “eco-friendly,” etc. Students take turns drawing the terms for their teams to guess. This activity will help reinforce vocabulary related to the environment and the Earthshot Prize.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Students speculate on the future impact of the Earthshot Prize and its winners. They discuss in pairs or small groups what changes they expect to see in the next five, ten, or twenty years as a result of the innovations mentioned in the article. Encourage them to consider various aspects such as technology, society, environment, and economy. Each group shares their predictions with the class, followed by a discussion on the plausibility of these predictions.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the main goal of the Earthshot Prize?
2. How much money do the winners of the Earthshot Prize receive?
3. What innovative solution did S4S Technologies from India create, and what problem does it address?
4. Why is the Asia-Pacific region particularly important in the context of the Earthshot Prize?
5. What contribution did GRST from Hong Kong make to the “Clean Our Air” category?
6. How is WildAid working to protect the oceans and sea turtles?
7. What is Boomitra’s approach to making an impact on climate change?
8. What is the long-term vision for the Earthshot Prize in terms of global involvement and industry?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

The Earthshot Prize, (1)______ by Prince William in 2014, wants to find and support new ideas to help the environment. This year, five organizations from Asia won the £1m prize. One of the winners, S4S Technologies from India, made metal dryers that help farmers turn (2)______ or not-so-good crops into useful stuff. This helps reduce waste and pollution. The Asia-Pacific area is at risk from climate change, with (3)______ near the ocean (4)______ floods and storms. But there are also lots of smart ideas in this region to deal with these problems.

GRST, a group in Hong Kong, won in the “Clean Our Air” category. They made eco-friendly batteries for electric cars that are cleaner and easier to recycle. Another (5)______, (6)______, is working with communities and governments to stop illegal fishing and protect the oceans. They are also (7)______ fishing nets to save sea (8)______. Boomitra, started by Aadith Moorthy from India, helps farmers improve their ways of farming and grow different crops. They want to help more farmers and land to make a bigger (9)______ on climate change.

The Earthshot Prize wants to inspire people to take action and have hope for the future of the planet. The people in charge of the prize think that the Asia-Pacific region is leading the way in finding solutions to environmental problems. They hope that the Earthshot Prize will (10)______ a worldwide movement, with (11)______ getting more involved in green (12)______ to fight climate change. The winners and finalists of the (13)______ show that there are (14)______ and inspiring ideas all over the world.

In (15)______, the Earthshot Prize has recognized the smart ideas (16)______ from Asia to help the environment. From metal dryers for farmers to eco-friendly batteries for electric cars, these ideas are making a positive difference. The hope is that the Earthshot Prize will keep growing and inspire governments and people all over the world to take action against climate change.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is an environmental problem you are aware of in your own community?
2. How would you feel if your city was affected by floods or storms due to climate change?
3. Do you like the idea of competitions like the Earthshot Prize to solve environmental issues? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important to support farmers in changing their farming methods for the environment? Why?
5. What is one way you could help reduce waste in your daily life?
6. How do you think electric cars can help fight pollution?
7. Do you believe that individuals can make a difference in stopping illegal fishing and protecting the oceans?
8. Have you ever participated in any activities to help the environment? If so, what did you do?
9. What is a green industry you would be interested in learning more about?
10. Do you think it’s possible for your government to get more involved in green industries? Why or why not?
11. How do you feel about the use of technology to solve environmental problems?
12. Can you think of a smart idea that could help the environment in your area?
13. Do you think that prizes like the Earthshot Prize can inspire young people to take action? Why?
14. What is something new you would like to try that could help the planet?
15. Do you think the Earthshot Prize winners’ ideas will have a long-term impact on climate change? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. Earthshot
2. Prize
3. Asia
4. farmers
5. environment
6. climate change
7. solutions
8. action

Meanings:
(a) Ideas or ways to solve problems
(b) An award given to people with smart ideas
(c) The natural world around us, including plants, animals, and air
(d) A movement started by Prince William to find ideas to help the planet
(e) The continent where countries like India and Hong Kong are located
(f) The long-term change in weather patterns caused by human activity
(g) Doing something to make a change or solve a problem
(h) People who grow crops and raise animals
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who started the Earthshot Prize?
(a) Queen Elizabeth
(b) Prince Harry
(c) Prince Charles
(d) Prince William

2. What is the purpose of the Earthshot Prize?
(a) To promote space exploration
(b) To find and support new ideas to help the environment
(c) To encourage people to travel more
(d) To support artists and musicians

3. Which organization from India won the Earthshot Prize this year?
(a) GRST
(b) WildAid
(c) Boomitra
(d) S4S Technologies

4. What do the metal dryers made by S4S Technologies do?
(a) Generate electricity for homes
(b) Help farmers turn extra or not-so-good crops into useful stuff
(c) Clean the air in cities
(d) Protect the oceans from pollution

5. Which category did GRST win in the Earthshot Prize?
(a) Protect the Oceans
(b) Save the Rainforests
(c) Clean Our Air
(d) Reduce Waste and Pollution

6. What is WildAid working to stop?
(a) Illegal fishing
(b) Deforestation
(c) Air pollution
(d) Plastic waste

7. What is the goal of Boomitra?
(a) To help farmers improve their ways of farming and grow different crops
(b) To develop eco-friendly batteries
(c) To reduce waste and pollution in cities
(d) To protect sea turtles from fishing nets

8. What do the people in charge of the Earthshot Prize hope for?
(a) That the prize will only focus on Asia-Pacific region
(b) That the prize will inspire people to travel more
(c) That the prize will become a worldwide movement
(d) That the prize will only support artists and musicians

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. GRST, a group in Hong Kong, did not win in the “Clean Our Air” category for making eco-friendly batteries for electric cars that are cleaner and easier to recycle.
2. The Earthshot Prize was started by Prince William in 2014 to find and support new ideas to help the environment.
3. S4S Technologies from India won for making metal dryers that help farmers turn extra or not-so-good crops into useful stuff, reducing waste and pollution.
4. The Asia-Pacific region is not at risk from climate change, and cities near the ocean are not facing floods and storms.
5. Boomitra, started by Aadith Moorthy from India, does not help farmers improve their ways of farming and grow different crops to have a bigger impact on climate change.
6. The Earthshot Prize aims to inspire people and governments worldwide to take action against climate change by recognizing smart and inspiring ideas from all over the world.
7. This year, five organizations from Asia won the £1m prize.
8. WildAid is not working with communities and governments to stop illegal fishing and protect the oceans, and they are not changing fishing nets to save sea turtles.
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. What is the purpose of the Earthshot Prize, and who started it?
2. Describe one of the solutions that won the Earthshot Prize and how it helps the environment.
3. Why is the Asia-Pacific region particularly important in the context of the Earthshot Prize?
4. What is Boomitra, and what are its goals related to climate change?
5. How do the organizers of the Earthshot Prize hope it will influence the future of the planet?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is the main goal of the Earthshot Prize?
The main goal of the Earthshot Prize is to find and support new ideas that can help the environment.

2. How much money do the winners of the Earthshot Prize receive?
The winners of the Earthshot Prize receive £1 million.

3. What innovative solution did S4S Technologies from India create, and what problem does it address?
S4S Technologies from India created metal dryers that help farmers turn extra or not-so-good crops into useful products. This addresses the problem of food waste and pollution.

4. Why is the Asia-Pacific region particularly important in the context of the Earthshot Prize?
The Asia-Pacific region is important because it is at risk from climate change, with cities near the ocean facing floods and storms. It also has many smart ideas to deal with these problems.

5. What contribution did GRST from Hong Kong make to the “Clean Our Air” category?
GRST from Hong Kong made eco-friendly batteries for electric cars that are cleaner and easier to recycle.

6. How is WildAid working to protect the oceans and sea turtles?
WildAid is working with communities and governments to stop illegal fishing and protect the oceans. They are also changing fishing nets to save sea turtles.

7. What is Boomitra’s approach to making an impact on climate change?
Boomitra’s approach is to help farmers improve their farming methods and grow different crops to make a bigger impact on climate change.

8. What is the long-term vision for the Earthshot Prize in terms of global involvement and industry?
The long-term vision for the Earthshot Prize is to inspire a worldwide movement, with governments getting more involved in green industries to fight climate change. The prize aims to showcase smart and inspiring ideas from around the world.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) started
(2) extra
(3) cities
(4) facing
(5) winner
(6) WildAid
(7) changing
(8) turtles
(9) impact
(10) become
(11) governments
(12) industries
(13) prize
(14) smart
(15) conclusion
(16) coming
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. Earthshot
Answer: (b) An award given to people with smart ideas

2. Prize
Answer: (e) The continent where countries like India and Hong Kong are located

3. Asia
Answer: (h) People who grow crops and raise animals

4. farmers
Answer: (c) The natural world around us, including plants, animals, and air

5. environment
Answer: (f) The long-term change in weather patterns caused by human activity

6. climate change
Answer: (a) Ideas or ways to solve problems

7. solutions
Answer: (g) Doing something to make a change or solve a problem

8. action
Answer: (d) A movement started by Prince William to find ideas to help the planet
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who started the Earthshot Prize?
Answer: (d) Prince William

2. What is the purpose of the Earthshot Prize?
Answer: (b) To find and support new ideas to help the environment

3. Which organization from India won the Earthshot Prize this year?
Answer: (d) S4S Technologies

4. What do the metal dryers made by S4S Technologies do?
Answer: (b) Help farmers turn extra or not-so-good crops into useful stuff

5. Which category did GRST win in the Earthshot Prize?
Answer: (c) Clean Our Air

6. What is WildAid working to stop?
Answer: (a) Illegal fishing

7. What is the goal of Boomitra?
Answer: (a) To help farmers improve their ways of farming and grow different crops

8. What do the people in charge of the Earthshot Prize hope for?
Answer: (c) That the prize will become a worldwide movement
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. GRST, a group in Hong Kong, did not win in the “Clean Our Air” category for making eco-friendly batteries for electric cars that are cleaner and easier to recycle. (Answer: False)
2. The Earthshot Prize was started by Prince William in 2014 to find and support new ideas to help the environment. (Answer: True)
3. S4S Technologies from India won for making metal dryers that help farmers turn extra or not-so-good crops into useful stuff, reducing waste and pollution. (Answer: True)
4. The Asia-Pacific region is not at risk from climate change, and cities near the ocean are not facing floods and storms. (Answer: False)
5. Boomitra, started by Aadith Moorthy from India, does not help farmers improve their ways of farming and grow different crops to have a bigger impact on climate change. (Answer: False)
6. The Earthshot Prize aims to inspire people and governments worldwide to take action against climate change by recognizing smart and inspiring ideas from all over the world. (Answer: True)
7. This year, five organizations from Asia won the £1m prize. (Answer: True)
8. WildAid is not working with communities and governments to stop illegal fishing and protect the oceans, and they are not changing fishing nets to save sea turtles. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧