Did the Real T. rex Resemble the One in Jurassic Park? By Brian Switek, National Geographic News

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key.

When Spielberg’s film “Jurassic Park” (based on the Michael Crichton novel) was first released in 1993 it was a tremendous hit. The new 3D version was recently released and the movie still has a strong following with the main attraction still being (according to various reviews) the mighty T- Rex.  During the last 20 years new and interesting discoveries have been made by scientists about T-rex. The following article and lesson plan discusses these discoveries of the “real” Tyrannosaurs-rex.  After reading the article you just might want to see the movie (again).

Actor Jeff Goldblum runs for his life from the T. rex in Jurassic Park. Photo- Geeksonfilm.

Excerpt:

“Scientists know much more about Tyrannosaurus rex than they did 20 years ago. No dinosaur is more cherished than Tyrannosaurus rex. The Cretaceous king of the tyrants epitomizes the size, ferocity, and bizarre nature of dinosaurs that continues to enchant us.

Scene from Jurassic Park 3-D. Credit- Universal City Studios, Inc. & Amblin Entertainment, Inc.

We’re so smitten with T. rex that we are continually bringing the dinosaur back to life through art and film. Perhaps no restoration of the great carnivore has been as influential or celebrated as the genetically engineered tyrant that terrorizes Jurassic Park…

Sue, the most complete fossil skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex specimen ever found. Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. Photo- WikiCommons

It’s hard to pick a single coolest discovery about Tyrannosaurus rex itself over the last 20 years, says University of Maryland tyrannosaur expert Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. Paleontologists have started to understand how drastically T. rex changed as it grew into an adult and to make sense of the neurological “CPU [central processing unit] and sensors of the killing machine” that made T. rex so deadly, says Holtz. 

Sue, Skull Full Frontal. Field Museum of Natural History Chicago. Photo- WikiCommons.

Of all the dinosaur’s traits, the maw of T. rex has probably inspired the most nightmares—and much of the cutting-edge science. The predator’s deep, reinforced skull was set with an array of thick, serrated teeth that evolved to pierce and cut simultaneously..As Denver Fowler and colleagues presented at the annual Society of Vertebrate Paleontology meeting last fall, toothmarks on Triceratops skulls hint that T. rex had a step-by-step method of decapitating Triceratops. Yet the destructive power of T. rex wasn’t isolated in its jaws. The dinosaur’s neck muscles played a major role in the carnivore’s ability to kill and consume prey…

The tyrannosaur could have thrown a 110-pound chunk of meat 15 feet into the air and caught it again—a frightening ability known as “inertial feeding.”

T. rex didn’t use its teeth and jaws just to pierce the flesh and crush the bones of prey. Tyrannosaurs also bit each other. Healed wounds on the skulls of tyrannosaurs—such as theteenage T. rex nicknamed Jane—show that these theropods tussled by biting each other on the face. (Arm wrestling wasn’t an alternative, apparently, though T. rex’s small arms were heavily muscled and strong for their size.)

Restoration (based on MOR 980) with parasite infections. Photo- Wikipedia

This bit of prehistoric behavior might explain why some of the largest carnivores of all time were ultimately killed by much smaller organisms. The lower jaws of many T. rex are pockmarked with smooth-sided holes. Some researchers thought that these were bite wounds from fatal attacks by rivals, but in 2009 Ewan Wolff and colleagues proposed that these injuries were created by tiny microorganisms that cause the same kind of damage in birds of prey. .. Face-biting would be a direct way for the harmful microorganisms to jump from one T. rex to another. Thanks to tooth-damaged bones, researchers also know that tyrannosaurs cannibalized each other and could have picked up parasites that way.

Even when paleontologists downgrade the abilities of T. rex, the dinosaur still seems scary. One of the most famous scenes in Jurassic Park is the Jeep chase, with an angry T. rex almost making a snack of the smarmy chaos theorist Ian Malcolm.

Size comparison of selected giant theropod dinosaurs and a human. Photo- Wikicommons.

Could T. rex really run fast enough to keep up with a speeding car? The work of researcher John Hutchinson and colleagues suggests not. The escaping Jeep looks like it’s moving 40 miles per hour or more… but the dinosaur’s movement indicates that the T. rex is moving only about 10-15 miles per hour. This fits what the dinosaur’s skeleton suggests about its speed. By Hutchinson’s calculations, T. rex walked about 6 miles per hour and ran about 15-25 miles per hour. A top speed of 25 miles per hour may seem meager, but the only humans able to exceed it are highly trained Olympic athletes. If you were unfortunate enough to be caught off guard by a T. rex out in the open, you’d stand no chance of outrunning the carnivore… But to date, Jurassic Park’s T. rex is the best committed to film. “I think the movie pretty much nailed it,” Hutchinson says, “as much as ‘it’ can be nailed, given the uncertainties.” Holtz agrees:  The movie gave Tyrannosaurus a seriously high but justifiable level of awesome”…

Sadly, we’re never going to get to witness a living T. rex chase after dinosaurian prey—or even after us—to know for sure how closely Jurassic Park’s informed speculation matches reality.” Read more…

 

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

Level: Intermediate -Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, speaking and listening with vocabulary and grammar activities.

Time: Approximately 2 hours.

Materials: Student handouts (from this lesson) access to news article, and video.

Objective: Students will read the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and learning new vocabulary. Students will express their understanding of the topic through discussions, and writing.

I. Pre-Reading Tasks

•  Predictions

Directions:  Ask students to examine the title of the post, and of the actual article they are about to read. Then, have them  examine the photos. Based on these sources,  ask students to write a paragraph describing what they think this article will discuss.

KWL Chart

The K-W-L chart is used to activate students’ background knowledge of a topic in order to enhance their comprehension skills.

The K-W-L stands for: what I Know, what I Want to learn, and what I did Learn.

Directions: Have students use the KWL chart from Michigan State University to list the information they already know about Tyrannosaurs-rex (T-rex).  Later in the Post- Reading segment of the lesson, students can fill in what they’ve learned about the topic.

II. While Reading Tasks

Word Inference

Directions: Students are to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. They may use a dictionary or thesaurus for assistance. Have the students write sentences using each word. In addition students can use this wonderful Word Map By Education Oasis to further their understanding.

Sentences

1. No dinosaur is more cherished than Tyrannosaurus rex.
2. The Cretaceous king of the tyrants epitomizes the size, ferocity, and bizarre nature of dinosaurs.
3. Perhaps no restoration of the great carnivore has been as influential or celebrated as the genetically engineered tyrant that terrorizesJurassic Park.
4. Paleontologists have started to understand how drastically T. rex changed as it grew into an adult.
5. Of all the dinosaur’s traits, the maw of T. rex has probably inspired the most nightmares.
6. The predator’s deep, reinforced skull was set with an array of thick, serrated teeth.
7. The predator had an even more formidable bite than the movie portrayed.
8. T. rex  had the most powerful estimated bite force of any terrestrial predator.
9. After T. rex made a kill or found a carcass to scavenge, it could be a delicate feeder.
10. Researchers also know that tyrannosaurs cannibalized each other.

Reading Comprehension

True / False

Directions:  The following statements were taken from the article.  If  a statement is true, students write (T) if  a statement is false they  write (F)  and  provide the correct answer from the article.

1. People love the  Tyrannosaurus rex more than any other dinosaur.
2. Over the last 20 years ago there hasn’t  been any new discoveries made about Tyrannosaurus rex.
3. In the 20 years since Jurassic Park debuted, the dinosaur has become even scarier.
4. Of all the dinosaur’s traits, the maw of T. rex gave people bad dreams.
5. The bite force of    an adult T. rex  was almost as powerful as other large predators.
6. T. rex could really run fast enough to keep up with a speeding car.
7. The pockmarked holes on the lower jaws of many T. rex  were injuries created from fatal attacks by rivals.
8. Researchers know that tyrannosaurs cannibalized each other.
9. To date, Jurassic Park‘s T. rex is the best committed to film.
10. Thanks to cloning, we might get to witness a living T. rex chase after dinosaurian prey one day.

 Grammar Focus

Word Order Puzzle

Directions:  The following 5 sentences from the reading are out of order. Have students arrange them in the correct order.  Students can find the original sentences in the reading to check their work. The first group to arrange all five sentences correctly wins!

1. cherished more Tyrannosaurus rex is dinosaur  than  No.
2. maw dinosaur’s inspired  traits, has nightmares all of Of  T. rex  most  the the the probably.
3. in  isolated  destructive  T. rex The jaws its wasn’t  of  power.
4. fast thing, the very moving For T. rex actually one  movie’s  wasn’t.
5. shown  The film behaviors care the throughout dinosaur’s parental include series.

III. Post Reading  Activities

 Reading Comprehension Check

 KWL Chart

Directions:  Have students  fill in the last column of the KWL chart if they used one in the pre-reading segment of this lesson.

Discussion/Writing Tasks 

Directions: Place students in groups and have them answer the following questions. After, have the groups share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the discussion topics. Review ESL Voices Modes of Essay Writing.

1. The article states, “No dinosaur is more cherished thanTyrannosaurus rex. The Cretaceous king of the tyrants epitomizes the size, ferocity, and bizarre nature of dinosaurs that continues to enchant us.”  Provide possible reasons for this fascination people have with T. rex.
2. In the film “Jurassic Park”, scientists were able to clone the different pre-historic species. Cloning is a real process which involves creating genetic copies of biological matter. In your opinion, do you foresee scientists actually cloning any type of  pre-historic mammal? Provide reasons why or why not.
3.   From the article, “The dinosaur’s behaviors shown throughout the film series include, parental care, family hunting, puncture-and-pull feeding, chasing prey with a fast walk.” Restate this phrase in your own words. For example, how would you describe the phrase “parental care”?
4. If a real Tyrannosaurus rex was cloned today, describe what you think would happen to it as it grew older.  For example, who would care for it? Where would it stay? ( keep in mind how big  a T. rex grows (see chart above) and how much space it would need). Will people have to pay a price to view it? (as opposed to making donations to view this wonder). For a comparison, find out how large animals in zoos and sanctuaries are cared for today.

 IV. Listening Activity   

Video Clip: Tyrannosaurus REX (Extreme Survivor)

Introduction: The following video clip (approximately 25 minutes long)  is an excerpt from the Clash of the Dinosaurs series episode Extreme Survivors featuring the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex produced by Discovery Channel in 2009.

While Listening Tasks

True /False/ NA statements

Directions: Review the statements with students before the watching the video.  As students listen to the video if  a statement is true they mark it T  if the statement is  false they  mark  it F and provide the correct answer. If there is no information available for a statement then students write NA.

1. Of all the dinosaurs Tyrannosaurus Rex has the worst reputation as a killer.
2. A T. rex can grow to be 18 ft tall and and 40 ft long.
3. Tyrannosaurus Rex was one of the worst dinosaur parents.
4. Tyrannosaurus rex means “Jurassic Park Lizard”.
5. The adult T. rex will guard their nest for as long as 3 months.
6. The T. rex hatchlings are safe as soon as they are born because their parents are so big.
7. The T. rex babies may be 9 ft long and weigh from 5 to 8 pounds.
8. The Tyrannosaurus rex sense of smell is so acute it is equivalent to 100 blood hounds.
9. The animal most dangerous to Tyrannosaurus rex was the flying Pterodactyl.
10. TheTriceratops could reach up to 6 tons in weight.
11. The most dangerous part of the triceratops was its swinging head which resembled a giant white Rhinoceros, with 3 foot long horns and a body encased a bony shield.
12. According to scientists the Triceratops usually lost the battles with T. rex .
13. Triceratops were meat eaters.
14. Scientists have learned that the bacteria inside a T. rex’s mouth was mild, as long as they brushed their teeth with leaves as they ate.
15. A huge meteor lead to the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Link to video

Post-Listening Tasks

Questions for Discussion

Directions:Place students in groups and have them discuss the following questions.

1. After listening to this video has your personal idea of Tyrannosaurus rex changed in any way? If yes, describe in what way. If no, describe your original opinion.

2. Did  you agree with everything the scientists discussed?

3. What new information did you learn from this video?

4. With your group members, make up questions that you would like to ask the speakers.

ANSWER KEY: Jurassic Park and T. rex

Related Activities

Enchanted Learning has wonderful  T. rex Worksheets.

Education World  offers printable and interactive activities about dinosaurs that students can do online and off, in or out of class.

Tags: Jurassic Park, Tyrannosaurs-rex

Dolphins may be calling each other by name By Brad Lendon, CNN

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key.

We knew Dolphins were smart, but just how smart? Well according to researchers at the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program Dolphins know and address each other by name!

Excerpt:

“Imagine two dolphins swimming in the Gulf of Mexico. You hear a series of clicks, whistles and whines coming from each, much like a conversation in dolphin language. It might go something like this:

Bottlenose dolphins swim (and chat) at a research center in Key Largo, Florida. Photo CNN

“Hey Flipper, weren’t those sardines last night the best?”

“Not bad, Fluke. But I’m more of a squid eater.”

We can’t be sure they were discussing dinner, but scientists do think dolphins call each other by name.

It seems one dolphin can call another specifically by mimicking the distinct whistle of that other dolphin.

Hi I'm Jay!

Randall Wells, one of the authors of a new study on dolphin behavior: These whistles actually turned out to be names. They’re abstract names, which is unheard of in the animal kingdom beyond people…Wells, of the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, worked with scientists from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts, the Chicago Zoological Society and the Walt Disney World Resort, on the study of what they call “vocal copying” in dolphins. It was published last month in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B… Each dolphin produces its own unique signature whistle that describes its individual identity… The new study suggests that in fact dolphins are mimicking those they are close to and want to see again…

Dolphins Florida Keys By Wonderings...

Researchers found that dolphins that were familiar with each other for a significant amount of time would mimic the whistle of another in that group when they were separated… “The fact that animals are producing whistle copies when they are separated from a close associate supports the idea that dolphins copy another animal’s signature whistle when they want to reunite with that specific individual…

A Pod oF Bottlenose dolphins surf in the waves around the research vessel Johnson-Sea-Link. Photo by CIOERT

The whole vocal experience puts dolphin communication closer to that of humans than any other species, the report said…These animals are living in a murky, estuary environment. They have to maintain group cohesion and stay in contact with one another and coordinate their activities — how do you do that when you can’t see one another?” read more…

Dolphins at sunset. Photo channel 13-New York- PBS

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

Level: Intermediate -Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, speaking and listening. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: Approximately 2 hours.

Materials: Student handouts (from this lesson) access to news article, and video.

Objective: Students will read the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and learning new vocabulary. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic of dolphin communication through discussions, and writing.

I. Pre-Reading Tasks

Brainstorming

Directions: Place students in groups, ask students to think about what they already know about Dolphins.  Next, have students look at the pictures in the text and generate ideas or words that may be connected to the article. Debrief as a class and list these ideas on the board.

Have students use this Brainstorming chart by Very Novel.com for assistance.

II. While Reading Tasks

Vocabulary

Word Inference

Directions: Students are to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. They may use a dictionary or thesaurus for assistance. Have the students write sentences using each word.

1. Imagine two dolphins swimming in the Gulf of Mexico.
2. …one dolphin can call another by mimicking the distinct whistle.
3. They’re abstract names, which is unheard of in the animal kingdom.
4. Each dolphin produces its own unique signature whistle.
5. Five volunteers listened to the calls to distinguish the matches.
6. Dolphins copy another animal’s signature whistle when they want to reunite.
7. “Frequent copying of signature whistles would … render the identity information of the whistle unreliable.
8. The whole vocal experience puts dolphin communication closer to that of humans.
9. The bottlenose dolphin signature whistle stands out.
10. Besides humans, bottlenose dolphins appear to be the other main example of affiliative copying.

Reading Comprehension

True / False

Directions:  The following statements were taken from the article.  If  a statement is true, students write (T) if  a statement is false they  write (F)  and  provide the correct answer from the article.

1. It seems one dolphin cannot  call another specifically by mimicking the distinct whistle of that other dolphin.
2. These whistles actually turned out to be signals for help.
3. Each dolphin produces its own unique signature whistle that describes its individual identity.
4. The new study suggests that in fact dolphins are mimicking those dolphins they have never met.
5. To conduct the study, the researchers listened to recordings of about 250 wild bottlenose dolphins made around Sarasota Bay from 1984 to 2009.
6. Captive dolphins at the Seas aquarium at  Sea World were also recorded.
7. Whistle copying was not found in dolphins that happened to cross paths in the wild, the report said.
8. Additionally, the mimicking is not frequent, the researchers said.
9. The whole vocal experience puts dolphin communication closer to that of humans than any other species,
10. These animals are living in a clear, estuary environment.

Grammar

Structure and Usage

Directions: The following groups of sentences are from the article (some may be abbreviated versions). One sentence in each group contains a grammatical  error. Students are to identify the sentence (1, 2, or 3 ) from each group that contains the grammatical error and make the correction.

 I.

We can’t be sure they was discussing dinner.

“These whistles actually turned out to be names.

They’re abstract names, which is unheard of in the animal kingdom.

II.

“Each dolphin produces its own unique signature whistle

Five volunteer listened to the calls to distinguish the matches.

Additionally, the mimicking is not frequent, the researchers said.

III.

The whole vocal experience puts dolphin communication closer to that of humans.

The bottlenose dolphin signature whistle stands out.

Besides humans, bottlenose dolphins appear to be the other main example affiliative copying.

III. Post Reading Tasks

WH-How Questions

Directions: Have students use the  WH-question format to discuss or to write the main points from the article.

Discussion/Writing Tasks

Directions: Place students in groups and have them answer the following questions. After, have the groups share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the topics.

1. The article states, “It seems one dolphin can call another specifically by mimicking the distinct whistle of that other dolphin.” How would you interpret this with humans?
2. The article states, “Besides humans, bottlenose dolphins appear to be the other main example of affiliative copying…” Explain the difference between dolphins recognizing each other and other species (e.g., the Pride of lions).
3. With your group members create a list of other studies this might lead to where dolphins are concerned. Share the list with the class.

IV. Listening Activity 

You Tube Video: Scientists: Dolphins use names to talk to each other By TheBrandNewWorld·

Introduction: Here is a video of Dr. Randall Wells at the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program as he explains the uniqueness of Bottlenose dolphins identifying each other by name.

 While Listening Tasks 

True  /False statements

Directions: Review the statements with students before the watching the video.  As students listen to the video if  a statement is true they mark it T  if the statement is  false they  mark  it F and provide the correct answer.

1. Scientists have spent the past 50 years studying bottlenose dolphins In Sarasota Bay Florida.
2. Scientists noticed that the mammals would wave to each other.
3. Dr. Randall Wells said that these were random waves.
4. The whistles were actual  abstract names.
5. This behavior is common in the animal kingdom.
6. Dr. Randall Wells has been studying dolphins in Sarasota Bay area since the 70s.
7. The  scientists discovered that the bottlenose dolphins come up with their own names when they’re very young.
8. The animals will call another individual’s name to get their attention.
9. This proves that the dolphins understand both their own identity and the identity of the other animal as well.
10. Scientists plan to use these findings to better understand other  mammals in their environment.

 Post Listening Tasks

Questions for Discussion

Directions:Place students in groups and have them discuss the following questions.

1.  Did  you agree with everything the speaker said?  Discuss which comments  you agreed with and which ones you tended not to agree with.   Explain why.

2. With your group members, make up questions that you would like to ask the speakers.

ANSWER KEY: Dolphins may be calling each other by name

Tags: Bottlenose dolphins, communication

Field Station Pandora By Edward Rothstein, The New York Times

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key.   (NEW: Previous Lesson Plans Page)

Note: Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Exhibit until May 5, 2013-Lesson Plan

In the 1950s  the idea of  having an artificial satellite in our Earth’s orbit was considered to be an idea  from fantasy comics or science fiction novels.  A mere sixty-three years later we now have the  International Space Station (ISS) in orbit.  There is a long list of sci-fi movies and novels from earlier years that expressed  ideas and dreams  which today are  realities. James Cameron’s Avatar is in this category… somewhere between fact and fiction.  The Avatar Exhibition is currently being shown at The Liberty Science Center.  This article  questions certain “scientific” aspects of the exhibition.

Avatar- The Exhibition.Credit- Suzanne DeChillo:The New York Times.

The International Space Station, as seen from Space Shuttle Endeavour in May 2011 Photo- Wikipedia

Excerpt:

“One thing I learned at “Avatar: The Exhibition” is how to say that phrase in Na’vi, the language invented for the blue-skinned natives of the moon Pandora in James Cameron’s blockbuster 2009 film. There are also buttons to press that let me practice my Na’vi pronunciations of “palulukan” and “nantang” in case either of those beasts — translated as “thanator” and “viperwolf” — find their way to the Liberty Science Center.

Thankfully, the need will probably never arise, though there are sketches of such creatures here, along with film props like a “soil sample kit” used by scientists exploring Pandora, some 250 trillion miles from Earth; an “exopack atmosphere filtration system” that presumably allows humans to breathe in its poisonous atmosphere; and a glowing model of a Lucinaria fibriata (which the movie’s reference book describes as a herbaceous plant with animal-like intelligence)….What were these objects doing here? What is a traveling exhibition about a science-fiction film doing in a science museum? It might seem unusual, perhaps, but if this show didn’t make it here, a similar one might have.

An early model for Jake, a character in James Cameron’s 2009 film Avatar. Credit- Suzanne DeChillo:The New York Times

Science centers have become so large, their budgetary needs so high and their social missions so ambitious that they can seem more like multiplexes than museums. To draw large audiences they must offer blockbuster experiences; to justify a broad financial embrace they must fuel populist nostrums; to maintain cutting-edge reputations they must pull out all the technological stops…

So it was only a matter of time before these phenomena joined forces: why not a science center exhibition about “Avatar”? The movie’s high-tech tale about corporate Earthlings strip-mining a pastoral paradise could keep interest brewing in Mr. Cameron’s plans for sequels; science centers could tap into the film’s audience and mythology, and along the way some science might even come into play.

Scene fron Avatar. Photo- Wondering Fair.

This might be a little unfair to the Liberty Science Center because no science center readily abandons its mission’s kernel, even if temptations abound. But surely much more might be asked of this material. It was fine when first created by the EMP Museum in Seattle: part of that institution is devoted to science fiction. But taken out of that context it seems forced and frail, despite the frequent genuflection toward science.

Much emphasis, for example, is placed on how the film’s make-believe creatures were shaped by intelligent design. (How would six-legged viperwolves walk, and what advantages come with six limbs? What kind of trees would grow on a surface with 20 percent less gravitational force than Earth’s and an atmosphere 20 percent more dense?) 

There is also a light table that lets us place cards with plant and animal names on its touch screen, sprouting images and information we can explore…Actually the accouterments of science (including a notebook supposedly filled with observations by Sigourney Weaver’s scientifically credentialed character) are more common here than the substance.

We learn a bit about bioluminescence and a smattering of other things, but the material is so slight that we have to keep being reassured how scientifically authentic this imagined world is…

An interactive game explains bioluminescence. Credit- Suzanne DeChillo:The New York Times

The more potent connection, though, is found in the immense technological apparatus used to create the movie. As the exhibition explains, actors wore motion-capture suits with reflective spots that were filmed using 170 cameras from “every angle…Several years ago this was startling and clever, though it was realizing an approach familiar from video games. And you can play with a “virtual camera” here: its small screen shows scenes from Pandora, the image altering with the camera’s position. But this is really a simulation of a simulation; many similar effects are now reproducible on smartphones…And that is about it. 

Scene from Avatar. Photo- KC.com

We hear, again and again, in video interviews here, how much care went into the film, how a linguist was commissioned to create a language, how music was composed to evoke Na’vi culture. But in the end we are left with impressions not too different from what was created by prerelease publicity. (The DVD set has a more informative feature on the making of the movie.) Perhaps I should be thankful for the two things I learned. The first is that the mineral being strip mined on Pandora is called unobtanium, a word “used by engineers since the 1950s to refer to any substance with miraculous properties that would perfectly solve a tricky engineering problem — but doesn’t exist.”

scene from Avatar. Photo- Avatarblog.

Note: The “Avatar: The Exhibition” runs through May 19 at the Liberty Science Center, 222 Jersey City Boulevard, Liberty Park, Jersey City; lsc.org.

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

Level: Intermediate -Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, speaking and listening. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: Approximately 2 hours.

Materials: Student handouts (from this lesson) access to news article, and video.

Objective: Students will read the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and learning new vocabulary. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic through discussions, and writing.  In addition, students will be able to answer the question What is the difference between Science fiction and Science?

I. Pre-Reading Tasks

• Predictions

Analyzing headings and photos

Directions:  Ask students to read the title of the post and of  the article.  Then, have them  examine the photos. Based on these sources,  ask students to create a list of  words and  ideas  that they think might be related to this article.

Pre-reading Discussion Questions

Directions: Have students discuss the following questions in small groups, then share their answers as a class.

1. Have you seen the movie Avatar? Did you like it? Explain what you liked or did not like about this movie.
2.  Did you learn any new scientific information or did you feel it was a film made for pure enjoyment?

II. While Reading Tasks

•  Vocabulary

Word Inference

Directions: Students are to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. They may use a dictionary or thesaurus for assistance. Have the students write sentences using each word.

1. …the blue-skinned natives of the moon Pandora in James Cameron’s blockbuster 2009 film.
2. Thankfully, the need will probably never arise, though there are sketches of such creatures…
3. There is also a sculptured pair of Na’vi shoes you can try on that are like the ones used by avatars…
4. Science centers have become so large,… and their social missions so ambitious that they can seem more like multiplexes than museums.
5. To draw large audiences…they must fuel populist nostrums; to maintain cutting-edge reputations they must pull out all the technological stops.
6. So it was only a matter of time before these phenomena joined forces: why not a science center exhibition about “Avatar”?
7. It was fine in the EMP Museum in Seattle: part of that institution is devoted to science fiction. 
8. Much emphasis, for example, is placed on how the film’s make-believe creatures were shaped by intelligent design.
9. … but the material is so slight that we have to keep being reassured how scientifically authentic this imagined world is.

• Reading Comprehension

Sentence Fill-ins

Directions: Place students in groups and after they have read the entire article, then have them complete the following paragraphs taken from the article. They can use the words and terms from the list provided, or provide their own terms. They are to find the meanings of any new vocabulary.

One thing I learned at ___” is how to say that___ in Na’vi, the language invented for the ___of the moon Pandora in James Cameron’s blockbuster 2009 film. There are also buttons to press that let me practice my Na’vi pronunciations of “palulukan” and “nantang” in case either of those beasts — translated as “thanator” and “viperwolf” — find their way to the ___.Thankfully, the need will probably never arise, though there are___of such creatures here, along with___like a “soil sample kit” used by scientists___, some 250 trillion miles from Earth; an “exopack atmosphere filtration system” that presumably allows___ to breathe in its ___atmosphere; and a glowing model of a Lucinaria fibriata (which the movie’s reference book describes as a herbaceous plant with animal-like intelligence).

There is also a___pair of Na’vi ___you can try on that are like the ones used by ___(who have the bodies of the Na’vi but the remote-controlled consciousness of humans___in pods back at headquarters); Na’vi are 1.67 times human size.

What were these___doing here? What is a___ about a science-fiction film doing in a science museum? It might seem ___ perhaps, but if this show didn’t make it here, a similar one might have.

___have become so large, their ___needs so high and their social missions so ___that they can seem more like multiplexes than museums. To draw large ___they must offer ___experiences; to justify a broad___embrace they must fuel___ nostrums; to maintain cutting-edge reputations they must pull out all the___stops.

Word List

film props, unusual, blue-skinned natives, sculptured,  Liberty Science Center.

“Avatar: The Exhibition, traveling exhibition, humans, audiences, ambitious,  

phrase, Science centers , blockbuster,  financial,  technological, sketches, 

 shoes, exploring Pandora, poisonous, enclosed, populist, budgetary, objects, avatars.

•  Grammar Focus

Using Adjectives  to describe pictures    

Directions: Place students in groups, and have them choose a picture from this lesson. Each group will  write a descriptive paragraph using adjectives. As a class review the adjectives from each group, then share the paragraphs with the class.

For a review of Adjectives visit ESL Voices Grammar

III. Post Reading Tasks

• Reading Comprehension Check

WH-How Questions

Directions: Have students use the  WH-question format to discuss or to write the main points from the article.

Who or What is the article about?

Where does the action/event take place?

When does the action/event take place?

Why did the action/event occur?

How did the action/event occur?

 Graphic Organizer

Directions: Students could use this  Topic/Concept/Theme organizer from Write Design to assist them with  discussing  or writing about  the main topic or theme of the article.

 

Discussion/Writing Tasks

Directions: Place students in groups and have them answer the following questions. After, have the groups share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the topics.

1. The article states, “ Science centers have become so large, their budgetary needs so high and their social missions so ambitious that they can seem more like multiplexes than museums. To draw large audiences they must offer blockbuster experiences.” How would you say this in your own words?
2. This same Avatar exhibition did very well when it was first created by the EMP Museum in Seattle. Why is this?
3. What group of people would be interested in viewing the Avatar exhibition? For example adults, teens, children?
4. The article states, “ We learn a bit about bioluminescence and a smattering of other things, but the material is so slight that we have to keep being reassured how scientifically authentic this imagined world is.” Explain this statement in your own words.
5. In your opinion, when does science fiction become science?
6. What were the most significant ideas in this article?

IV. Listening Activity  

Video :A Tour of  the Avatar Exhibition at Liberty Science Center

Excerpt written by Joseph Galbo

“What’s unique about the exhibits at Liberty Science Center (LSC) is their commitment to interactive education. No one walks into the LSC expecting a conventional museum experience, and the Avatar exhibit does not disappoint. Among the more conventional props encased in glass and information plaques, there is also a smart board (see the video below at the 2:42 mark) where visitors can place a small tile down and see how the plants and animals in Avatar went from concept, to 3D model, to film. On the other side of the exhibit, a live performance capture studio (10:05) lets people “perform” a scene from Avatar and then share the video on YouTube. On that same side, visitors can pick up a “virtual camera” (12:36) and reshoot one of three scenes from the movie. The quality obviously isn’t comparable to the film itself, but it is still a lot of fun.” Read more…

•  While Listening Tasks

True  /False statements

Directions: Review the statements with students before the watching the video.  As students listen to the video if  a statement is true they mark it T  if the statement is  false they  mark  it F and provide the correct answer

1. The first exhibit is a sample mineral called unobtanium.
2. Unobtanium is  made-up  science term.
3. There was a reproduction of an Armored police car.
4. The car was lighter than a compact car.
5. Another exhibition was of an actual costume worm by a character that showed details like mud and dirt.
6. There was an exhibit  of the light plant with animal-like intelligence attracted to human or animal energy.
7. There is also an interactive pool table that allows people to touch the screen and learn information about pool.
8. One of the displays was a  book of sketches of ideas of plant-life on the planet.
9. There is also a pair of Na’vi shoes that are like the ones worn by avatars.
10.  According to the tour guide Na’vi are smaller than humans.
11. There was a language center where you could practice pronunciations of the Latin language.
12. The second half of the exhibit  deals with the process, techniques and science that went into the filming of avatar
13. Another display allows you to act in a scene from the movie.

•  Post Listening Tasks

Questions for Discussion

Directions:Place students in groups and have them discuss the following questions.

Tags: Avatar Exhibition, EMP Museum, Liberty Science Center

What They Say, and What You Hear, Can Differ, VOA, Science

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key.

Conversations. Photo courtesy of Contact

According to the study performed by The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) most people answered “yes” when asked the question, “Can A Man Marry His Widow’s Sister?” They didn’t realize they were saying that a dead man could marry his grieving wife’s sister. What one person hears can be different from what is said. The following excerpt provides some glimpses into semantic illusions, a phenomenon where  listeners or readers fail to recognize an inaccuracy or inconsistency in spoken or written text.

Excerpt:

“The brain isn’t always entirely accurate when it comes to processing language, according to a new study. The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) finds we may not be processing every word see hear or read.

This can mean our brain doesn’t pick up on changes made to key words in a sentence, even if they change its meaning.

Consider this  example: “After a plane crash, where should the survivors be buried?”

Many of us pick up on words like “plane crash” and “buried,” so we may think we’re being asked where those who died in the crash should be buried, rather than realizing the question is about those who actually survived the crash.

The study shows that roughly half the people asked this question answer it as if they are being asked about the victims and not the survivors…This has something to do with what are known as semantic illusions.

These are words that may fit the general context of a sentence, even though they don’t actually make sense. They can challenge  traditional methods of language processing, which assumes we develop our understanding of a sentence by thoroughly weighing the meaning of each  word.

Instead, the researchers  found  these semantic illusions show that, rather than listening and analyzing each word, our language processing is based only on  shallow and incomplete interpretations of what we hear or read.

To find out what’s happening in our brains when we process sentences containing semantic illusions, Professor Hartmut Leuthold, from the Center for Cognitive Neuroimaging at the University of Glasgow, led his colleagues in research that used Electroencephalography (EEG) devices to read, measure and record ‘brain waves’.

Looking at the EEG patterns of volunteers who read or listened to sentences containing semantic anomalies, researchers found that when  volunteers were tricked by the semantic illusion,  their brains had not even noticed the unusual words.

Conversation. Photo E MoM

The researchers’ analysis also showed that the volunteers used these shallow processing methods even more when they were stressed or faced more difficult or multiple tasks.

If you want to make sure that the correct message gets across to your listener or reader, the study suggests a few  tricks.” read more…

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

Level: Intermediate -Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, speaking and listening. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: Approximately 2 hours.

Materials: Student handouts (from this lesson) access to news article, and video.

Objective:   Students will read and share their thoughts about the article through discussions. hey will learn new vocabulary, and  express their views on the topic by writing.

I. Pre-Reading Tasks

• Stimulating background knowledge

Brainstorming

Directions: In groups, have students generate ideas/words that may be connected to the article.  Students can use the UIE brainstorming chart (sample) for brainstorming the meanings.

Examples: brain, mind, listen, hear, conversation.

• Pre-reading Discussion Questions

Directions: Have students discuss the following questions.

1. Have you ever been in a situation when there was a complete misunderstanding in your conversation with another person?  Describe it in detail.
2. Why do you think people don’t really “listen” to each other during conversations?
3. Do you think people aren’t paying attention to conversations due everyone constantly  “texting” and  using their cell phones? If so, explain in what ways.

Tags: Carnegie Mellon University, Dr.Jamshed Bharucha, semantic illusions, Tufts University

So Much Life on a Little Patch of Earth  By Carol Kaesuk Yoon, The Science Times

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

Left- A moth first seen on Carol’s living room window; A clutch of house sparrow eggs were found abandoned in her birdhouse. Photo credit- Merrill Peterson

Carol Kaesuk Yoon is the author of the book Naming Nature: The Clash Between Instinct and Science. She and her husband an entomologist, are very interested in all species of animals, insects, plants, and in general all living organisms. What’s interesting is that many of these exotic organisms have been discovered in her crowded neighborhood, right inside her own house. What Yoon learns is that any patch of land can contain assorted organisms.

Excerpt:

I’ve logged thousands of miles to catch a glimpse of one exotic creature or another, to Costa Rica to be dazzled by the bird known as the resplendent quetzal, to Hawaii to admire sea turtles, to Venezuela to spy man-eating anacondas. So it seemed more than a little odd that the one time I made a sighting worthy of a scientific publication, I was looking out of my living room window.  This window does not face onto pristine wilderness. It looks at my neighbor’s bathroom window…Yet out of that window — actually on the window — I saw a creature that I would later learn had never before been seen alive anywhere in North America. 

A resplendent quetzal. Photo credit Greg Lavaty NYT

It was a tiny moth less than half an inch long, with elegant forewings held tentlike over its back, each painted in fluorescent yellow, iridescent blue, and black. All I knew was that my husband, Merrill Peterson, who is an entomologist at Western Washington University, ought to go out and catch it with his net, which he did.

After several weeks of reading and e-mailing scientists near and far, some of whom would become his co-authors on a publication about the moth, Merrill learned it was Oecophora bractella, a denizen of Europe’s woodlands and a species rare throughout most of its range, even considered threatened in some areas.

t was the sort of sighting we knew would never happen at our house again. Until Merrill came across another species in the backyard — one that had never been seen on the West Coast — a relative of wasps and bees known as a sawfly. And the list of unexpected species that have shown up, sometimes actually on our doorstep, has only grown longer.

It was enough to prompt us to ask if there was something really special about our home, something ecologically unique. But if I invited you over for a look at our unassuming little yard, I think you would come to the same conclusion that we did. There simply is not.

Man-eating anaconda. Photo credit National Wildlife

So what exactly is going on? The very same thing, I’d guess, that is going on at your house and everyone else’s. Any patch of earth, large or small, turns out to be a mad surprise party of species — fluid, unpredictable and wild — and a microcosm of what is happening and has always been happening around the corner and around the globe…

Sea Turtles Photo credit Hawai’i Magazine

The vast and ever-changing diversity of our home quickly came into focus as Merrill and I and our two children began reeling off what we’d seen. There were Homo sapiens for sure, the raccoons that got into the crawl space, the meal moths that haunted the pantry, the hummingbird that flew in the window, the enormous spiders that prowl the basement laundry room every winter, and of course the range of creatures that have been our companions over the years, including dog, tortoise, rubber boa, garter snakes, gecko, scorpion and beetles…”

Read this delightful article in its entirety to find out what happens when Carol and her family begin a project to identify every species they find in and outside of their home!

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

Level: Intermediate -Advanced

Language Skills: reading, speaking and listening. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: approximately 2 hours.

Materials: student handouts (from this lesson) access to news article, and mp3 listening segment.

Objective:  Students will read and examine Carol Kaesuk Yoon‘s  idea that we need to develop an awareness and  appreciation for the various organisms living with and around us.

I. Pre-Reading Tasks

•  Prediction

Analyze headings and photos.

Directions: Have students read the title of the post, and the title of the  article. Next have them  analyze the photos to see if  they can predict what  information the article will discuss.  Then based on this information,  direct students to make a list of ideas, words and phrases they might find in this article.

II. While Reading Tasks

• Vocabulary

 Word Inference

Directions: Students are to infer the meanings of the words in bold (taken from the article) and use a dictionary or thesaurus for assistance.

1. This window does not face onto pristine wilderness.
2. It was a tiny moth less than half an inch long, with elegant forewings…
3. over its back, each painted in fluorescent yellow, iridescent blue, and black.
4. … my husband, Merrill Peterson, who is an entomologist at Western Washington University…
5. Until Merrill came across another species in the backyard…
6. …if there was something really special about our home, something ecologically unique.
7. We are quite likely to reap more than our share of the whirlwind of introduced species…
8. In fact, probably what is the oddest about the living things on our property is the inordinate amount of attention…
9. This obsession stems, in large part, from a decision I made one winter solstice.
10.  Can you count a species if it leaves behind nothing but scat or bite marks?
11. There were Homo sapiens for sure…
12. I was floored by that infinitude of life and by the fact that it changed each week…
13. Our unimpressive lawn became a kaleidoscope of mysteries…
14. A newly noticed stain on the fence proved to be a burgeoning lichen.
15. Sure enough, as the spring migration moved through…
16. It also attracts insects, and by morning a whole new world of nocturnal life was revealed to us.

Questions for Comprehension  Fill-ins (from word list)

Directions: Place students in groups, have them read the article, then complete the   following sentences from the article excerpt. They are to use the words and terms from the list provided.  Have students find the meanings of any new words they might encounter. An alternate activity is to allow students to insert their own words or terms into the blanks.

1. I’ve___ of miles to catch ___of one exotic creature or another, to___to be dazzled by the bird known as the resplendent quetzal, to___to admire sea turtles, to ___to spy man-eating___.
2. So it seemed more than a little odd that the one time I made a sighting worthy of a ___ I was looking out of my living room___.  This window does not face onto pristine wilderness. It looks at my neighbor’s bathroom window…
3. After several weeks of___ scientists near and far, some of whom would become his ___on a publication about the moth, Merrill learned it was___, a denizen of ___woodlands and a species rare throughout most of its range, even considered ___in some areas.
4. It was the sort of___ we knew would never happen at our house again. Until Merrill came across___ in the backyard, one that had never been seen on the ___a relative of___ known as a sawfly. And the list of unexpected___that have shown up, sometimes actually on our___ has only grown longer.
5. It was enough___us to ask if there was something really ___about our home, something ___unique. But if I___you over for a look at our___, I think you would come to the same ___that we did. There simply is not.
6. So what exactly is going on? The very same thing, I’d guess, that is going on at your ___and everyone else’s. Any patch of earth, large or small, turns out to be a ___of species, fluid, unpredictable and wild; and a microcosm of what is happening and has always been happening around the corner and around the globe.
7. In fact, probably what is the ___about the living things on our___ is the inordinate amount of attention, bordering on the bizarre, that we have paid them. This ___stems, in large part, from a decision I made one winter___.

Word List:

Oecophora bractella,  Europe’s, threatened, ecologically, logged thousands,  sighting,  anacondas,  wasps and bees,  obsession, a glimpse, scientific publication,  West Coast,   window,  solstice, unassuming little yard,  mad surprise party, reading and e-mailing,   co-authors,    species,   invited,   conclusion,   house,   another species,  doorstep,  to prompt,   special,  oddest,   property,  Costa Rica, Hawaii, Venezuela

III. Post Reading Tasks

• Reading Comprehension Check

Directions: Have students use the  WH-question format to discuss or to write the main points from the article.

 WH-question format

Directions: In groups or as a class students can answer the WH-questions to check what they’ve learned about the topic.

WH-How Questions

Who or What is the article about?

Where does the action/event take place?

When does the action/event take place?

Why did the action/event occur?

How did the action/event occur?

Graphic Organizer

Directions:  Another option is to have students use a graphic organizer to assist them with  discussing  or writing about  the main points from the article.

Advanced Spider map By writedesignonline

 Questions for Reflection and Discussion
Directions: Place students in groups and have then answer the following questions. After, have the groups share their thoughts as a class.

1. The author states, “ …It’s true that our part of northwestern Washington, also known as the Fourth Corner, is the entry point for goods, people and vehicles coming from points north and west. We are quite likely to reap more than our share of the whirlwind of introduced species that humanity has been rapidly sowing around the globe.” In your own words explain what she means. Provide examples of how this might occur.
2. What does Yoon mean by “ So what exactly is going on? The very same thing, I’d guess, that is going on at your house and everyone else’s. Any patch of earth, large or small, turns out to be a mad surprise party of species…”
3. Near the end of her article Yoon states, “ For those, like children, with eyes open wide, rarities can abound.” What does she mean by this statement?
4. Have you ever discovered a strange insect, bird, or animal near your house or in your neighborhood? If so, describe the incident.
5. In your opinion, do people have a tendency to ignore their surroundings? Can you provide examples?

• Essay Writing

Directions:  Have students choose a topic and write an essay.

Review ESL Voices Modes of Essay Writing.

1.  Write an essay in which you support the importance of people paying attention to the various species that live near them.
2. Some might complain that they work too hard and just don’t have the time to explore the area around their house. Write an essay in which you provide support for this statement.
3. The author’s husband is an entomologist. Write an essay describing this profession. How many years of college does it require? Where is the best place for an  entomologist to work?

IV. Listening Activity     Title of  MP3: Naming Nature, Interview  By Living on Earth

“Biologist and New York Times science writer Carol Kaesuk Yoon talks with host Jeff Young about how the science of taxonomy conflicts with our everyday sensory experience of the world. Yoon’s new book is called Naming Nature: The Clash Between Instinct and Science.”

Note: This is a listening piece without visual. It comes with a complete transcript. Have students listen first, then answer the  following questions.

Questions for Listening Comprehension- True / /False statements

Directions: Review the statements with students before the watching the video.  As students listen to the video if  a statement is true they mark it T  if the statement is  false they  mark  it F and provide the correct answer.

1. Ms. Yoon believes  that we all see and perceive  the world with the same basic sensory perception of life.
2. The first things Ms. Yoon  discusses is a Hawaiian tribe and their names for different fish or birds.
3. The point of the quiz is for listeners  to guess which one sounds like a bird and which one sounds like it’s a fish.
4. The first pair of names is chunchuiket and the second name is maoozt.
5. For the second pair, the first name is chichikia and the second one is katon.
6. The third pair is  Teris and the second one is takaikit.
7. According to Yoon, animal sounds are very often used as the actual name for the organism.
8. The next story that the narrator (Young)  ask Yoon to discuss is about a rich  tribe of people who  have lost the ability to name the things that they see in nature.
9. According to Yoon there’s evidence that there’s actually a physical spot in the brain that may be devoted to the ordering and naming of living things.
10. Willi Hennig  was a news reporter who had figured out a way to order and name living things that was based much more on evolutionary relatedness.
11. Yoon states that  the things that we call fish, if you look at them on an evolutionary tree of life they’re not a single cohesive group.
12. Three organisms that  Yoon compares on the  evolutionary tree  are a salmon, a lungfish and a dog.
13. On a correct evolutionary tree you’ll discover that lungfish and cows are more closely related to each other.
14. All scientists agree that the group known as fish should be abandon all together.

Tags: Carol Kaesuk Yoon, The Science Times