The United Kingdom is about to do something big by stopping its use of coal power after 142 years. The last coal power station in the country, Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station near Nottingham, will stop working on Monday. This is a major step for the UK in fighting climate change because coal is a dirty fossil fuel that releases a lot of greenhouse gases when it's burned.
The UK has a long history with coal power, being where it all began. Coal has been crucial in providing electricity for the nation, from the first coal-fired power station in London in 1882 to its major role in the twentieth century. But as we learned more about climate change, it became clear that we needed to switch to cleaner energy sources.
In the 1990s, the UK started using more gas instead of coal for electricity, but coal still played a big part for many years. By setting climate targets in 2008 and deciding to stop using coal power by 2015, the UK showed leadership in fighting climate change and encouraged other countries to do the same.
Renewable energy has grown a lot in the UK, making up over half of the country's power by the first half of 2024. This shift to green power led to days without using coal as early as 2017. Closing Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station is a big move towards a more sustainable and eco-friendly energy future in the UK.
Original news source: UK to finish with coal power after 142 years (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Divide the students into two teams. Write down key words from the article on small pieces of paper. One student from each team will pick a piece of paper and without saying anything, they need to act out the word while their team guesses. Set a time limit for each round and keep score.
– News Summary
Instructions: Ask students to work in pairs and summarize the main points of the article in their own words. Encourage them to focus on key information such as why the UK is stopping the use of coal power and the history of coal power in the country. Afterward, have some pairs share their summaries with the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Prepare a list of statements related to the article (e.g., "Stopping the use of coal power is essential for fighting climate change"). Have students walk around the classroom and ask their classmates for their opinions on each statement. Encourage them to engage in discussions and exchange viewpoints. Afterward, discuss the most common opinions as a class.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article on the board. Divide the students into small groups and ask them to choose a word to draw without using letters or numbers. The other group members have to guess the word. This activity will help reinforce vocabulary from the article in a fun and creative way.
– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Pose a question related to the article to the class (e.g., "Why is it important for countries to shift to cleaner energy sources?"). Ask students to think about their answer individually first, then pair up with a classmate to discuss their thoughts. Finally, have a few pairs share their answers with the whole class and encourage a group discussion on the topic.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
The UK is stopping its use of coal power to fight climate change because coal releases a lot of greenhouse gases when burned.
The last coal power station in the UK that will stop working is Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station near Nottingham.
Coal is considered a dirty fossil fuel because it releases a lot of greenhouse gases, which contribute to climate change, when it is burned.
In the 1990s, the UK started using more gas instead of coal for electricity.
The UK has shown leadership in fighting climate change by setting climate targets in 2008 and deciding to stop using coal power by 2015, which encouraged other countries to do the same.
By the first half of 2024, over half of the UK's power came from renewable energy sources.
The UK started having days without using coal for power as early as 2017.
Closing Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station represents a big move towards a more sustainable and eco-friendly energy future in the UK.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
The United Kingdom is to do something big by its use of coal power after 142 years. The last coal power station in the country, Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station near Nottingham, will stop working on Monday. This is a step for the UK in fighting climate change because coal is a dirty fuel that releases a lot of gases when it's burned. The UK has a long history with coal , being where it all began. Coal has been crucial in providing electricity for the nation, from the first coal-fired power in in 1882 to its major role in the twentieth century. But as we learned more about climate change, it became clear that we needed to to cleaner energy sources. In the 1990s, the UK started more gas instead of coal for electricity, but coal still a big part for many . By setting climate targets in 2008 and deciding to stop using coal power by 2015, the UK showed leadership in fighting climate change and encouraged other countries to do the same. Renewable has a lot in the UK, making up over half of the country's power by the first half of 2024. This shift to green power led to days without using coal as early as 2017. Closing Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power is a big move towards a more sustainable and eco-friendly energy in the UK.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is coal power and why is it considered bad for the environment?
2. How do you think the UK's decision to stop using coal power will impact the fight against climate change?
3. Do you think other countries should follow the UK's example and stop using coal power? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if your country decided to prioritize renewable energy sources over coal power?
5. Do you think it's important for countries to set climate targets like the UK did in 2008? Why or why not?
6. What are some benefits of using renewable energy sources instead of coal power?
7. How do you think the closure of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station will affect the local community?
8. Do you think the UK's shift towards renewable energy will inspire other countries to do the same? Why or why not?
9. What role do you think individuals can play in supporting the transition to cleaner energy sources?
10. How do you think the environment will benefit from the UK's decision to stop using coal power?
11. Do you believe that investing in renewable energy is a better long-term solution than relying on fossil fuels like coal? Why or why not?
12. How can young people like us contribute to the fight against climate change in our own communities?
13. Do you think the closure of coal power stations will lead to job losses in the energy sector? Why or why not?
14. What are some challenges countries may face when transitioning from coal power to renewable energy sources?
15. Why do you think it's important for governments to take action against climate change, like the UK did by stopping the use of coal power?
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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