The San José shipwreck sank off the coast of Colombia in 1708. It was carrying a lot of valuable stuff like gold, silver, and emeralds. This has led to a big fight over who owns the treasure. The Colombian government, Spain, a US company, and indigenous groups all want a piece of it. They’ve been arguing in different courts, including one in the Hague.

The Colombian government wants to bring up the San José and put it in a museum. But others see dollar signs in the treasure, saying it could be worth up to $18 billion. On the other hand, some archaeologists think the wreck should be left alone. They see it as a historical site and a resting place for the 600 people who died when the ship sank.

The San José was attacked by the British during a war between Spain and Britain. It stayed underwater until the 1980s when a US company said they found it. Since then, many groups have said they own the treasure, like Spain, indigenous groups, and the US company. The argument over who gets the treasure and what should happen to it is still going on.

Some people doubt the treasure is worth as much as others say. There are also no clear rules about who owns shipwrecks. The United Nations has some guidelines, but not all countries follow them. For archaeologists like Juan Guillermo Martín and diver Rodrigo Pacheco Ruiz, the San José is an important piece of history that should stay where it is. They think it’s more about science and history than money. The fight over the San José shows how tricky it can be to decide who owns underwater treasures and how to protect them.

Original news source: The fierce battle over the ‘Holy Grail’ of shipwrecks (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Ask students to summarize the main points of the article in their own words in just a few sentences. Encourage them to focus on key information such as the shipwreck, the treasure, the different groups involved, and the arguments for and against retrieving the treasure.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate pieces of paper. Have students pick a word and draw it on the board while their classmates guess what the word is. This will help reinforce their understanding of the article’s vocabulary.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Have students think about and jot down their opinion on whether the treasure from the San José shipwreck should be retrieved or left untouched. Then, pair them up to discuss their thoughts. Finally, open up the discussion to the whole class, encouraging students to share their opinions and reasoning.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups and ask each group to come up with a catchy headline for an article about the San José shipwreck and the battle over its treasure. Encourage them to be creative and use key information from the article in their headlines.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Assign each student a different character or group mentioned in the article (e.g., Colombian government, Spain, US company, indigenous groups, archaeologists). Have students sketch a quick drawing representing their assigned character or group, without using any words. Then, have the class guess which character or group each drawing represents. This will reinforce their understanding of the different perspectives involved in the story.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Why are the Colombian government, Spain, a US company, and indigenous groups all arguing over the San José shipwreck?
2. What does the Colombian government want to do with the San José once it’s brought up from the ocean?
3. Why do some people believe the wreck of the San José should be left alone?
4. When was the San José ship attacked and by whom?
5. What are some of the groups claiming ownership of the treasure from the San José shipwreck?
6. Why do some people doubt the estimated value of the treasure from the San José?
7. What are the opinions of archaeologists Juan Guillermo Martín and diver Rodrigo Pacheco Ruiz regarding the San José shipwreck?
8. What does the fight over the San José shipwreck reveal about the challenges of determining ownership of underwater treasures?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

The San José shipwreck sank off the coast of Colombia in 1708. It was carrying a lot of valuable stuff like gold, silver, and emeralds. This has led to a big fight over who owns the treasure. The Colombian (1)______, Spain, a US company, and indigenous groups all want a piece of it. They’ve been arguing in different (2)______, including one in the (3)______.

The Colombian government wants to (4)______ up the San José and put it in a museum. But (5)______ see dollar signs in the treasure, saying it could be worth up to $18 billion. On the other hand, some archaeologists (6)______ the wreck should be left alone. They see it as a historical site and a resting place for the 600 (7)______ who died when the ship sank.

The San José was attacked by the (8)______ during a war between Spain and Britain. It stayed underwater until the 1980s when a US (9)______ said they found it. Since then, many groups have said they own the treasure, like Spain, indigenous groups, and the US company. The argument over who gets the treasure and what should happen to it is still (10)______ on.

Some people doubt the treasure is worth as much as others say. There are also no clear (11)______ about who owns (12)______. The United Nations has some guidelines, but not all (13)______ follow them. For archaeologists like Juan Guillermo Martín and diver (14)______ Pacheco Ruiz, the San José is an important (15)______ of history that should stay where it is. They think it’s more about (16)______ and history than money. The fight over the San José shows how tricky it can be to decide who owns underwater treasures and how to protect them.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. How would you feel if you found a sunken treasure like the San José shipwreck?
2. Do you think it’s more important to preserve historical sites like the San José or to try to recover valuable treasures from them? Why or why not?
3. What is your opinion on who should own the treasure from the San José shipwreck?
4. Do you think the Colombian government should be able to put the San José in a museum, or should it be left untouched? Why?
5. How do you think the families of the 600 people who died when the San José sank would feel about the treasure being recovered?
6. What would you do if you were in charge of deciding the fate of the San José shipwreck?
7. Do you believe the treasure from the San José is really worth $18 billion? Why or why not?
8. How important do you think it is to follow the guidelines set by the United Nations regarding underwater treasures like shipwrecks?
9. Why do you think some people see the San José as a historical site while others see it as a potential source of money?
10. How do you think archaeologists like Juan Guillermo Martín feel about the treasure being recovered from the San José?
11. Do you think it’s fair for different countries and groups to argue over who owns a shipwreck like the San José?
12. How would you feel if you were a diver exploring the San José and found the treasure?
13. Why do you think some people believe the San José should be left untouched while others want to recover the treasure?
14. What do you think should happen to the treasure from the San José if it is recovered?
15. How do you think the fight over the San José treasure could impact future discoveries of underwater treasures?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. shipwreck
2. emeralds
3. treasure
4. archaeologists
5. indigenous
6. courts
7. museum
8. historical
9. attacked
10. underwater
11. guidelines
12. diver
13. science
14. protect
15. tricky

Meanings:
(A) The study of the natural world through observation and experiments
(B) Places where legal cases are decided
(C) To keep something safe from harm or damage
(D) People who study ancient cultures and artifacts
(E) A place where historical or artistic items are displayed
(F) Native or original people of a region
(G) Difficult or complicated to deal with
(H) A person who swims underwater, often for exploration
(I) Related to past events or history
(J) Rules or instructions that suggest how to do something
(K) A collection of valuable items like gold and jewels
(L) A sunken or destroyed ship
(M) To use force against someone or something
(N) Located beneath the surface of the water
(O) Green gemstones that are valuable
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🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. When did the San José shipwreck sink?
(a) 1808
(b) 1908
(c) 2008
(d) 1708

2. What valuable items were on the San José ship?
(a) Diamonds, rubies, and pearls
(b) Copper, bronze, and jade
(c) Gold, silver, and emeralds
(d) Platinum, sapphires, and opals

3. Which country wants to put the San José in a museum?
(a) Spain
(b) United States
(c) Colombia
(d) Britain

4. How much is the treasure from the San José estimated to be worth?
(a) Up to $18 billion
(b) Up to $5 million
(c) Up to $50 billion
(d) Up to $100 million

5. Who see the San José as a historical site and a resting place?
(a) The Colombian government
(b) Some archaeologists
(c) Spain
(d) The US company

6. When was the San José found by a US company?
(a) 1980s
(b) 1990s
(c) 2000s
(d) 2010s

7. Who believes the San José should stay where it is?
(a) The Colombian government
(b) Archaeologists like Juan Guillermo Martín
(c) Spain
(d) Indigenous groups

8. What does the fight over the San José show?
(a) How easy it is to find shipwrecks
(b) How valuable the treasure is
(c) How quickly the treasure can be recovered
(d) How tricky it can be to decide who owns underwater treasures

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. There are resolved disputes over the ownership of the San José treasure among Spain, indigenous groups, the US company, and the Colombian government.
2. Some are convinced of the treasure’s value, and there are clear international rules on who owns shipwrecks, following guidelines from the United Nations.
3. The Colombian government, Spain, a US company, and indigenous groups all peacefully agreed on who owns the treasure from the San José shipwreck.
4. Archaeologists like Juan Guillermo Martín and diver Rodrigo Pacheco Ruiz believe the San José is a significant historical artifact that should be preserved for its scientific and historical value rather than for monetary gain.
5. Some archaeologists believe the San José wreck should be excavated for research purposes and to recover any valuable artifacts.
6. The San José was attacked by the British during a war between Spain and Britain, and it was discovered in the 1980s by a US company.
7. The San José shipwreck sank in 1708 off the coast of Colombia with valuable items like gold, silver, and emeralds on board.
8. The Colombian government wants to display the San José in a museum, while others see it as a potential $18 billion treasure.
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. Why are different groups arguing over who owns the treasure from the San José shipwreck?
2. What does the Colombian government want to do with the San José shipwreck?
3. Why do some archaeologists believe the San José wreck should be left alone?
4. Who found the San José shipwreck in the 1980s?
5. According to archaeologists like Juan Guillermo Martín and diver Rodrigo Pacheco Ruiz, what is more important about the San José shipwreck than its monetary value?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Why are the Colombian government, Spain, a US company, and indigenous groups all arguing over the San José shipwreck?
They are arguing over the shipwreck because it was carrying valuable treasures like gold, silver, and emeralds when it sank in 1708.

2. What does the Colombian government want to do with the San José once it’s brought up from the ocean?
The Colombian government wants to bring up the San José and put it in a museum.

3. Why do some people believe the wreck of the San José should be left alone?
Some people believe the wreck should be left alone because they see it as a historical site and a resting place for the 600 people who died when the ship sank.

4. When was the San José ship attacked and by whom?
The San José ship was attacked during a war between Spain and Britain in 1708 by the British.

5. What are some of the groups claiming ownership of the treasure from the San José shipwreck?
Some of the groups claiming ownership of the treasure are Spain, indigenous groups, and a US company.

6. Why do some people doubt the estimated value of the treasure from the San José?
Some people doubt the estimated value of the treasure because they think it might not be worth as much as others say.

7. What are the opinions of archaeologists Juan Guillermo Martín and diver Rodrigo Pacheco Ruiz regarding the San José shipwreck?
They believe the San José is an important historical site that should stay where it is, focusing more on its scientific and historical value rather than its monetary worth.

8. What does the fight over the San José shipwreck reveal about the challenges of determining ownership of underwater treasures?
The fight over the San José shows how difficult it can be to decide who owns underwater treasures and how to protect them, especially when there are no clear rules or guidelines that all countries follow.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) government
(2) courts
(3) Hague
(4) bring
(5) others
(6) think
(7) people
(8) British
(9) company
(10) going
(11) rules
(12) shipwrecks
(13) countries
(14) Rodrigo
(15) piece
(16) science
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. shipwreck
Answer: (L) A sunken or destroyed ship

2. emeralds
Answer: (O) Green gemstones that are valuable

3. treasure
Answer: (K) A collection of valuable items like gold and jewels

4. archaeologists
Answer: (D) People who study ancient cultures and artifacts

5. indigenous
Answer: (F) Native or original people of a region

6. courts
Answer: (B) Places where legal cases are decided

7. museum
Answer: (E) A place where historical or artistic items are displayed

8. historical
Answer: (I) Related to past events or history

9. attacked
Answer: (M) To use force against someone or something

10. underwater
Answer: (N) Located beneath the surface of the water

11. guidelines
Answer: (J) Rules or instructions that suggest how to do something

12. diver
Answer: (H) A person who swims underwater, often for exploration

13. science
Answer: (A) The study of the natural world through observation and experiments

14. protect
Answer: (C) To keep something safe from harm or damage

15. tricky
Answer: (G) Difficult or complicated to deal with
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. When did the San José shipwreck sink?
Answer: (d) 1708

2. What valuable items were on the San José ship?
Answer: (c) Gold, silver, and emeralds

3. Which country wants to put the San José in a museum?
Answer: (c) Colombia

4. How much is the treasure from the San José estimated to be worth?
Answer: (a) Up to $18 billion

5. Who see the San José as a historical site and a resting place?
Answer: (b) Some archaeologists

6. When was the San José found by a US company?
Answer: (a) 1980s

7. Who believes the San José should stay where it is?
Answer: (b) Archaeologists like Juan Guillermo Martín

8. What does the fight over the San José show?
Answer: (d) How tricky it can be to decide who owns underwater treasures
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. There are resolved disputes over the ownership of the San José treasure among Spain, indigenous groups, the US company, and the Colombian government. (Answer: False)
2. Some are convinced of the treasure’s value, and there are clear international rules on who owns shipwrecks, following guidelines from the United Nations. (Answer: False)
3. The Colombian government, Spain, a US company, and indigenous groups all peacefully agreed on who owns the treasure from the San José shipwreck. (Answer: False)
4. Archaeologists like Juan Guillermo Martín and diver Rodrigo Pacheco Ruiz believe the San José is a significant historical artifact that should be preserved for its scientific and historical value rather than for monetary gain. (Answer: True)
5. Some archaeologists believe the San José wreck should be excavated for research purposes and to recover any valuable artifacts. (Answer: False)
6. The San José was attacked by the British during a war between Spain and Britain, and it was discovered in the 1980s by a US company. (Answer: True)
7. The San José shipwreck sank in 1708 off the coast of Colombia with valuable items like gold, silver, and emeralds on board. (Answer: True)
8. The Colombian government wants to display the San José in a museum, while others see it as a potential $18 billion treasure. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧