Category Archives: Animals

Rats, Bats, Birds and Whales Are Talking and Scientists Are Listening!

“Scientists are using machine learning to eavesdrop on naked mole rats, fruit bats, crows and whales — and to communicate back.” E. Anthes, The New York Times, Aug. 30, 2022

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

Naked mole rats live in large, underground colonies and have an elaborate vocal repertoire. Credit: Felix Schmitt for The New York Times

 

Excerpt: The Animal Translators, Emily Anthes, The New York Times, Aug. 30, 2022

“The naked mole rat may not be much to look at, but it has much to say.The wrinkled, whiskered rodents, which live, like many ants do, in large, underground colonies, have an elaborate vocal repertoire. They whistle, trill and twitter; grunt, hiccup and hiss.

And when two of the voluble rats meet in a dark tunnel, they exchange a standard salutation. ‘They’ll make a soft chirp, and then a repeating soft chirp,’ said Alison Barker, a neuroscientist at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, in Germany…Not only did each mole rat have its own vocal signature, but each colony had its own distinct dialect, which was passed down, culturally, over generations. During times of social instability — as in the weeks after a colony’s queen was violently deposed — these cohesive dialects fell apart. When a new queen began her reign, a new dialect appeared to take hold…The field is young and many projects are still in their infancy; humanity is not on the verge of having a Rosetta Stone for whale songs or the ability to chew the fat with cats. But the work is already revealing that animal communication is far more complex than it sounds to the human ear, and the chatter is providing a richer view of the world beyond our own species…Studies of animal communication are not new, but machine-learning algorithms can spot subtle patterns that might elude human listeners… These experiments may also raise ethical issues, experts acknowledge. “If you find patterns in animals that allow you to understand their communication, that opens the door to manipulating their communications,” Mr. Mustill said.

But the technology could also be deployed for the benefit of animals, helping experts monitor the welfare of both wild and domestic fauna. Scientists also said that they hoped that by providing new insight into animal lives, this research might prompt a broader societal shift.”

From:  Rhymes with Orange By Hilary Price

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

NOTE: Lessons can also be used with native English speakers.

Level: Intermediate – Advanced

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

Time: Approximately 60 minutes. 

Materials: Student handout (from this lesson) and access to news article.


Objective: Students will read and discuss the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and improving oral skills. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic through group work and writing. 

I. Pre-Reading Activities

 Predictions: Analyzing headings and photos

Directions: Examine the titles of the post and of the actual article.  Examine any photos, then create a list of  words and  ideas  that you  and your group members think might be related to this article.  

II. While Reading Activities

Word Inference

Directions: Try  to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. You use a dictionary, thesaurus, and Word Chart for assistance. 

  1. Scientists are using machine learning to eavesdrop on mole rats and  fruit bats.
  2. Mole rats are wrinkled whiskered rodents, which live, in large, underground colonies.
  3. They have an elaborate vocal repertoire.
  4. The mole rat colonies have  times of social instability as when the queen was violently deposed.
  5. Machine-learning systems have excelled at analyzing human language.
  6. In recent years, scientists have begun deploying this technology to decode animal communication.
  7. Scientists are not on the verge of having a Rosetta Stone for whale songs.
  8. Scientists definitely are not prepared to chew the fat with cats!
  9. Machine-learning algorithms can spot subtle patterns that might elude human listeners. 
  10. To learn more about the vocalizations of Egyptian fruit bats, researchers used video cameras and microphones to record groups of the animals.

Grammar Focus: Word -Recognition

Directions: Students choose the correct word to complete the sentences taken from the article. They are to choose from the options presented.

Decoding the meaning/mean of animal call/calls also requires/require large amounts of/for data about the context surrounds/surrounding each squeak and squawk.

To learn more/most about the vocalizations of Egyptian fruit bats, researchers used/use video cameras and microphones to/too record groups of a/the animals for 75 days. 

Then/Than they reviewed the recordings, painstakingly noting/note several important details, such as witch/which bat was vocalizing and on/in what context, of/for each of nearly 15,000 calls.

Reading Comprehension: Identify The  Speakers

Directions: Read the following quotes from the speakers in the article. Then identify the speakers. 

  1. “They have a little conversation.”
  2. “Let’s try to find a Google Translate for animals.”
  3. “This is like we’ve invented a telescope — a new tool that allows us to perceive what was already there but we couldn’t see before.”
  4. “One of the things that’s really great about animal sound is that there are still so many mysteries and that those mysteries are things which we can apply computation to.”
  5. “You can just get a direct, subjective, from the animal’s mouth how-are-they-feeling.”
  6. “The bats are pugilistic, frequently quarreling in their crowded colonies, and the vast majority of their vocalizations are aggressive. Basically, they’re pushing each other. Imagine a big stadium and everybody wants to find a seat.” 

 

III. Post Reading Activities

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?

Discussion Questions for Comprehension /Writing

Directions: In groups answer the following questions.

  1. Would you like to know what animals are talking about?
  2. Why or why not?
  3. Think of ways this might be helpful to animals in general.
  4. How might this be helpful to humans?
  5. List three new ideas  that you’ve learned about the topic from the reading,  two things that you did not understand in the reading, and one thing you would like to know that the article did not mention.  Share your responses with your class.

 

ANSWER KEY

Category: Animals, Biology, Education, Science | Tags:

Some Scientists Want to Resurrect the Tasmanian Tiger…Others Say No

“If you haven’t heard of the Tasmanian tiger, it’s not because it’s unworthy of discussion: it’s famously not a feline but a dog-like marsupial, a predator that humans hunted to extinction…Now the ‘de-extinction’ company Colossal Biosciences wants to genetically resurrect the Tasmanian tiger.” B.  Chappell, NPR August 20, 2022

 ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key

The last living thylacine in captivity yawns at the Hobart Zoo. Thylacines were capable of opening their jaws as wide as 80 degrees. 1933.

Excerpt: A plan to bring the Tasmanian tiger back from extinction raises questions, By Bill Chappell, NPR August 20, 2022

“The Tasmanian tiger [is] also known as the thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) or the Tasmanian wolf.

Whatever you call it, this mythically beautiful carnivorous marsupial was a true ‘masterpiece of biological advancement’, the company says of the project. Yet, the story of its extinction is a tragedy of human interference and aggression.

A pair of [Tasmanian Tigers] thylacines (Thylacinus cynocephalus) in the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., in 1906. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The thylacine had trademark stripes and, rare in the animal world, abdominal pouches in both females and males. Australian researchers have called it ‘a dingo with a pouch’ or ‘a dog with a pouch’ — but its DNA also has a lot in common with the kangaroo.

Colossal, which has previously aired plans to resurrect the woolly mammoth, is intent on giving the thylacine ‘a second chance at life.’

Why the Tasmanian Tiger Went Extinct: A captured Thylacine (1869), photo by Victor Prout, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

Humans have been blamed for the animal’s extinction, especially after a bounty program was instituted in Tasmania to protect sheep and other animals. 

But in 2017, Andrew Pask, a biosciences professor, led research that found the thylacine also suffered from a lack of genetic diversity.

‘The population today would be very susceptible to diseases, and would not be very healthy’ if it still existed, Pask said back in 2017.

Pask is now part of Colossal’s new project to bring the thylacine back. When asked if his view on its viability had changed, he said via email that the plan will incorporate diverse DNA sources.”

 

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

NOTE: Lessons can also be used with native English speakers.

 

Level: Intermediate – Advanced

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

Time: Approximately 60 minutes. 

Materials: Student handout (from this lesson) and access to news article.


Objective: Students will read and discuss the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and improving oral skills. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic through group work and writing. 

I. Pre-Reading Activities

 Predictions: Analyzing headings and photos

Directions: Examine the titles of the post and of the actual article.  Examine any photos, then create a list of  words and  ideas  that you  and your group members think might be related to this article.  

II. While Reading Activities

Word Inference

Directions: Try  to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. You use a dictionary, thesaurus, and Word Chart for assistance. 

  1. The Tasmanian Tiger became  extinct in 1936.
  2. If you haven’t heard of the Tasmanian tiger, it’s not because it’s unworthy of discussion.
  3. It’s famously not a feline but a dog-like marsupial.
  4. The Tasmanian tiger is a  predator that humans hunted to extinction.
  5. The company Colossal Biosciences wants to genetically resurrect the Tasmanian tiger.
  6. This mythically beautiful carnivorous  marsupial was a true masterpiece of biological advancement.
  7. If the Tasmanian tiger lived today it would be very susceptible to disease.
  8. Cloning is a very specific scientific process. 
  9. The first embryo is expected in the next few years.
  10. Colossal Biosciences  is known as the ‘de-extinction’ company. 

Grammar Focus: Word -Recognition

Directions: Students choose the correct word to complete the sentences taken from the article. They are to choose from the options presented.

Humans has/have been blamed for the animal’s/animals extinction, especially after a bounty program is/was instituted in Tasmania to/too protect sheep and another/other animals.

But in/on 2017, Andrew Pask, an/a biosciences professor, led research that found/find the thylacine also suffer/suffered from an/a lack of genetic diversity.

 

Reading Comprehension Fill-ins

Directions: Place students in groups and after they have read the entire article, have them complete the following sentences  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.

The ___had trademark___ and, ___in the animal world, abdominal ___in both ___and___. Australian ___have called it ‘a___with a ___or ‘a dog with a pouch’ — but its ___also has a lot in common with the kangaroo.

___, which has previously aired plans to resurrect the___, is intent on giving the thylacine ‘a second chance at life.’

WORD LIST: DNA, researchers, woolly mammoth females, pouches,   dingo,    thylacine, stripes,  rare,  males, pouch,  Colossal, 

 

III. Post Reading Activities

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?

Discussion Questions for Comprehension /Writing

Directions: Have  students discuss the following questions/statements. Afterwards,  students share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the topics mentioned.

Pre-Reading Questions:

Have you ever read an article  or thought about animals today that are near extinction?

Do you ever wonder how these animals came to be on the extinction list today?

Have you ever thought about what would happen if scientists were able to bring an extinct animal back to life?

Directions: After reading the article answer the following questions and share your answers as a class.

  1. What is the Tasmanian tiger?
  2. When did the last specimen die?
  3.  According to scientists, why did the  Tasmanian tiger become extinct?
  4. According to the article the  Tasmanian tiger has a lot in common with which  animal living today?  
  5. According to the article how would the animals be created?
  6. Why were bounty programs organized to kill the Tasmanian tiger?
  7. How would the return of this animal affect the ecosystem in Tasmania?
  8. When do scientists intend to create the first embryo?
  9. What other animal does Colossal intend to bring back?
  10. Some scientists such as Beth Shapiro thinks that  we should focus on helping the wildlife currently struggling to stay alive. Do you agree or disagree with this idea? Please explain why or why not.
  11. After reading this article do you think bringing back an extinct species is a good idea? A bad idea?  Explain your answers.
  12. List three new ideas  that you’ve learned about the topic from the reading,  two things that you did not understand in the reading, and one thing you  would like to know that the article did not mention.  Share your responses with your class.

ANSWER KEY

 

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

Directions: Search the web and find 10 of the World’s most Endangered Animals in 2022 and answer the following questions:

Were you surprised at the types of animals listed?  Explain why or why not?

Have you ever visited any of the animals in a zoo? 

In which part of the world are the animals located?

Explain (if you can) why are the animals endangered.

Create a list explaining ways we might help save some if not all of the endangered animals on this list. 

Debate

Directions: Divide students into two teams for this debate. Both teams can use information from the article and sources from the Web  to support their arguments. 

Team A will list five reasons that support arguments for  resurrecting  the Tasmanian Tiger.

Team B will list  five reasons that support arguments against resurrecting  the Tasmanian Tiger.

Each team will have time to state their points of view,  and the teacher decides which team made their points.

For organization, have students use Pros and Cons Scale organizer  from Freeology:

Category: Animals, Biology, Education, Environmental, Technology | Tags: ,

Improving Our Wildlife Will Improve Our Lives

“Sweden’s announcement that it is to build a series of animal bridges is the latest in global efforts to help wildlife navigate busy roads.” The Guardian, Jan. 23, 2021

Reindeer viaducts in Sweden will keep herds safe from traffic as they roam in search of grazing. Photograph- Pawel Garski.:Alamy

 

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key

Excerpt: How creating wildlife crossings can help reindeer, bears – and even crabs, The Guardian, Jan. 2021

“Every April, Sweden’s main highway comes to a periodic standstill. Hundreds of reindeer overseen by indigenous Sami herders shuffle across the asphalt on the E4 as they begin their journey west to the mountains after a winter gorging on the lichen near the city of Umeå.

Red crabs on Christmas Island climb a bridge designed for their protection. Photograph- Chris Bray Photography:Swell Lodg

As Sweden’s main arterial road has become busier, the crossings have become increasingly fractious, especially if authorities do not arrive in time to close the road. Sometimes drivers try to overtake the reindeer as they cross – spooking the animals and causing long traffic jams as their Sami owners battle to regain control.

‘During difficult climate conditions, these lichen lands can be extra important for the reindeer,’ says Per Sandström, a landscape ecologist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences who works as an intermediary between the Sami and authorities to improve the crossings.

A wildlife overpass in Banff national park, in the Canadian Rockies. Photograph- Ross MacDonald:Banff National Park

This week, Swedish authorities announced they would build up to a dozen “renoducts” (reindeer viaducts) to aid the crossings and allow reindeer herds to reach grazing more easily…The country’s 4,500 Sami herders and 250,000 reindeer have been hit hard by the climate crisis, battling forest fires in the summer and freezing rain in the winter that hides lichen below impenetrable sheets of ice…The renoducts are part of a growing number of wildlife bridges and underpasses around the world that aim to connect fractured habitats. On the Yucatán peninsula in Mexico, underpasses have been used to shield jaguars from traffic.

Mountain lions live in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Natural canopy bridges in the Peruvian Amazon have helped porcupines, monkeys and kinkajous pass over natural gas pipelines…To help save the mountain lion population from local extinction, an $87m (£63m) wildlife bridge is planned over the 101 highway north of LA, which would be the largest in the world… A 2014 study found that fencing off the road and installing wildlife passes had maintained high genetic diversity in black and grizzly bear populations…a big fall in roadkill along the highway, also significantly reducing human mortality from animal collision.”

Key Things to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines CDC (Centers for Disease Control)

 

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

NOTE: Lessons can also be used with native English speakers.

Level: Intermediate – Advanced


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


Time: Approximately 60 minutes.


Materials: Student handout (from this lesson) and access to news article.


Objective: Students will read and discuss the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and improving oral skills. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic through group work and writing.

Pre-reading

 Predictions: Using a Pre-reading Organizer

Directions: Examine the title of the post and of the actual article. Next examine  any photos. Write a paragraph describing what you think this article will discuss. A pre-reading organizer may be used.

Pre-reading Organizer By Scholastic

 

II. While Reading Activities

Word Inference

Directions: Try to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. You use a dictionary, thesaurus, and Word Chart for assistance.

  1. Every year hundreds of reindeer shuffle across the asphalt in Sweden.
  2. The reindeer are overseen by indigenous Sami herders.
  3. They begin their journey west to the mountains after a winter gorging on the lichen near the city of Umeå.
  4. Per Sandström is a landscape ecologist at the Swedish University of Agricultural.
  5. Sometimes drivers try to overtake the reindeer as they cross.
  6. During difficult climate conditions, these lichen lands can be extra important for the reindeer.
  7. Swedish authorities announced they would build up to a dozen “renoducts” (reindeer viaducts) to aid the crossings.
  8. It is hoped the crossings will allow herders to find fresh grazing lands and alleviate traffic jams.
  9. Natural canopy bridges in the Peruvian Amazon have helped porcupines and monkeys.
  10. The wildlife bridges help avert some of the billions of animal deaths that happen on the roads every year.

 

Grammar Focus: Identifying Prepositions

Directions: The following sentences are from the news article.For each sentence choose the correct preposition from the choices listed. Note that not all prepositions listed are in the article.

Some Prepositions: at,as, across, around,by, during,for, from, in, into,of, on,to, over,off, through, up,with, since,

It is hoped the crossings will allow herders___find fresh grazing lands and alleviate traffic jams, and also help moose and lynx ___move around the landscape. The country’s 4,500 Sami herders and 250,000 reindeer have been hit hard___the climate crisis, battling forest fires___the summer and freezing rain ___the winter that hides lichen ___impenetrable sheets ___ice… ___southern California, there have been signs ___inbreeding ___lions___ the Santa Monica Mountains because busy freeways around Los Angeles have isolated populations___ low genetic diversity.

 

Reading Comprehension: Identify The  Speakers

Directions: Read the following quotes from the speakers in the article. Then identify the speakers.

  1. “During difficult climate conditions, these lichen lands can be extra important for the reindeer.”
  2. “When habitat is isolated, we can have impact on individual animals where they might not be able to find water or food. We can also have impact on the genetic diversity of populations.”
  3. “We’re woefully behind the rest of the world. In Europe, it’s become second nature in some areas.”

III. Post Reading Activities

Graphic Organizers: Finding The Main Idea

Directions:  Have students use this advanced organizer from Write Design to assist them with  discussing  or writing about  the main idea and points from the article.

Discussion Questions for Comprehension /Writing

Directions: Have  students discuss the following questions/statements. Afterwards,  students share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the topics mentioned.

  1. Can you think of ways that climate change has affected our wild life in the U.S.?
  2. Why do the Sami herders have to take their reindeer across Sweden’s highway every April?
  3. What are renoducts and what purpose do they serve?
  4. What are some of the climate problems Sami herders have encountered?
  5. According to the article, which animals benefit from these crossings the most?
  6. What other countries have provided protection for their animals from heavy vehicle traffic?
  7. According to the article, approximately how many animal deaths occur on the roads every year world wide?
  8. Why has there been inbreeding among the lion population in the Santa Monica Mountains?
  9. How are humans protected by the animal bridges?
  10. Do you agree or disagree that more animal bridges should be built? Provide a reason for your answer.
  11. What new information have you learned from this article?

3-2-1-Writing

Directions: Allow students 5 minutes to write down three new ideas they’ve learned about the topic from the reading, two things they did not understand in the reading, and one thing they would like to know that the article did not mention. Review the responses as a class.

ANSWER KEY

Category: Animals, Biology, Climate, Environmental | Tags:

How Animals Play and What We Can Learn From Them

“The animal world is full of games. And tucked in among wrestling monkeys, belligerent birds and wily coyotes are lessons for us all.” E. Vance, The New York Times

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key

Baby elephants at play. Credit- Smithsonian Magazine

Excerpt: Where the Wild Things Play, Erik Vance, New York Times

“As a sophomore in college I interned at a lab that studied dolphin behavior. The animals spent most of the year doing back flips and spraying water onto tourists at a theme park…In their off months, they hung out with behavioral scientists who studied them. Almost all dolphin [studies] involved games and toys.

Dolphins at play. Credit- New Scientist

Language, consciousness, communication — all of them are easier to study if the animal thinks it’s playing a game. I remember the lead researcher telling me, ‘It has to be fun or they just won’t participate. You cannot force a dolphin to do anything.’ But you can always get them to play…Dolphins are not the only animals that like to play (though they may be the cleverest). The animal kingdom is full of frolicking, frisking, gamboling and romping critters. And while it’s YouTube gold, it also tells us a lot about what’s going on in their heads. And it may help parents better understand how their kids play.

Kitten with string -credit- catslovetoknow

All sorts of animals play for all sorts of reasons. A fawn frolics in the meadow to become more agile. A kitten chases string so that one day it can chase a mouse. 

New Zealand Kea. Photo credit- Lafeber

New Zealand keas, which are large parrots, seem to play just to irritate humans… Keas have been known to rip apart boots, tents and even car parts while campers sleep. I’ve seen them drop branches and rocks on tourists’ vehicles just to watch them thump or break a windshield…Unlike most animals, which become dominant as they age, keas are most dominant as juveniles. Perhaps kea society is just what happens when you put children in charge…Marc Bekoff, Ph.D., a professor emeritus at the University of Colorado, Boulder, has spent decades watching various animal play.

Coyote pack. Credit- Realtree

After hundreds of hours watching wild juvenile coyotes, he’s noticed all sorts of fundamental rules around fun. For instance, play has to be fair. If you tackle another coyote, you have to let it tackle you back, even if you are dominant. Those that play fair, who can discern the subtle signals of how and when to play, become popular playmates and solidify their place in the pack… The young coyotes who don’t play fair basically leave their group. Not because they’re driven out, they just leave their group because other animals don’t want anything to do with them…So, fairness and turn-taking are key to animal play.

Baby gorillas at play. credit-Transitions Abroad

Nowhere is this clearer than during gorilla tag…As with the human version, gorilla tag can devolve into wrestling matches, but even then they take turns winning… play has become a fascinating way to study how animals think. It’s hard to define yet anyone can recognize it when they see it… So why do it? What’s the benefit of play? And what can humans take from it?..Dr. Bekoff noticed that coyote play rarely escalates into real fighting the way it does in human kids. ‘Play breaks down really fast sometimes when a bully starts playing…They don’t learn to negotiate play and the subtle give and take of social cues.’He doesn’t study humans but says he is regularly contacted by school psychologists worried about bullying.”

“Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. joined forces with his top surrogate Thursday morning [July 23, 2020] releasing a video of a conversation with former President Barack Obama that cast the current occupant of the White House as unworthy and Mr. Biden as the perfect leader to replace him.” A. W. Herndon, The New York Times

 

IN MEMORY OF JOHN ROBERT LEWIS

Born: February 21, 1940 — Died: July 17, 2020

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

NOTE: Lessons can also be used with native English speakers.

Level: Intermediate – Advanced


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


Time: Approximately 2 hours.


Materials: Student handout (from this lesson) and access to news article.


Objective: Students will read and discuss the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and improving oral skills. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic through group work and writing.

I. Pre-Reading Activities

 Predictions: Using a Pre-reading Organizer

Directions: Examine the title of the post and of the actual article. Next examine the photos. Write a paragraph describing what you think this article will discuss. A pre-reading organizer may be used. (Below San Juan Edu chart)

II. While Reading Activities

Word Inference

Directions: Try to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. You use a dictionary, thesaurus, and Word Chart for assistance.

  1. At theme parks, dolphins love to spray water onto tourists.
  2. I quickly noticed a few things about dolphin research.
  3. Their idle amusement turns out to reveal an almost artistic ability.
  4. The animal kingdom is full of frolicking, frisking, gamboling and romping critters.
  5. A fawn frolics in the meadow to become more agile.
  6. Keas spend their days doing aerial acrobatics for no reason scientists can discern.
  7. They’re thinking in very sophisticated ways.
  8. Dr. Taylor studies kea intelligence and stressed that they are not malicious.
  9. Unlike most animals, keas are most dominant as juveniles.
  10. Marc Bekoff has noticed all sorts of fundamental rules around fun.

 

 Grammar Focus: Structure and Usage

Directions: The following groups of sentences are from the article. One of the sentences in each group contains a grammatical  error.  Identify the sentence (1, 2, or 3 ) from each group that contains the grammatical error.

I

  1. Human play develop predictably as we get older.
  2. We start out with simple peekaboo.
  3. The animal world is full of games.

II

 

  1. Dolphins are not the only animals that like to play.
  2. The animal kingdom is full of frolicking critters.
  3. All sorts of animals play for all sorts of reasons.

III

  1. Marc Bekoff has spent decades watching juvenile coyotes.
  2. Fairness and turn-taking are key to animal play.
  3. They’re thinking in very sophisticated ways.

Reading Comprehension

True /False/NA-Statements

Directions: Review the following statements from the reading.  If  a statement is true they mark it T. If the statement is  not applicable, mark it NA. If the statement is false  mark  it F and provide the correct answer. 

  1. The author first learned about dolphin behavior in a zoo.
  2. To the author, observing dolphins can be exciting.
  3. Language, consciousness, communication are easier to study if the animal thinks there’s food involved.
  4. You cannot force a dolphin to do anything.
  5. The author co-wrote a paper about the odd bubble rings they [dolphins] blow and play with.
  6. A kitten chases string so that one day it can grow muscles.
  7. New Zealand keas are large  kangaroos.
  8. Keas are native to the high mountains.
  9. Keas are most dominant as old adults.
  10. Fairness and turn-taking are key to animal play.

 

III. Post Reading Activities

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?

 

Discussion Questions for Comprehension /Writing

Directions: Have  students discuss the following questions/statements. Afterwards,  students share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the topics mentioned.

  1. Have you ever had the opportunity to work with animals? If yes, describe your experience.
  2. Where did the author first learn about dolphin behavior?
  3. Almost all dolphin experiments involve what?
  4. What are the three major things that behavioral scientists study in dolphin behavior?
  5. According to the article what might parents better understand about their kids?
  6. Within a coyote pack what happens when a member does not play ‘fair’ with the other pack members?
  7. According to the article what is the greatest lesson humans can learn about play from animals?
  8. What new information have you learned from this article?

 

3-2-1-Writing

Directions: In 5 minutes to write down three new ideas  you’ve learned about the topic from the reading,  two things  that  you did not understand in the reading, and one thing you  would like to know that the article did not mention. Review the responses as a class.

ANSWER KEY

Category: Animals, Education, Social Issues

While Humans are Sheltered Wild Animals Are Free to Roam

“Goats in Wales; coyotes in San Francisco; rats, rats, everywhere: With much of the world staying home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, animals have ventured out where normally the presence of people would keep them away.” S. Garcia, The New York Times

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key

Goats are seen outside a church in Llandudno, Wales, on March 31, 2020.PHOTO- REUTERS

 

Even lions are enjoying the peace and quiet, a set of new photos from South Africa’s Kruger National Park shows. CNN

 

Excerpt: When Humans Are Sheltered in Place, Wild Animals Will Play, Sandra E. Garcia, The New York Times

“Under the cover of night, in their feathered, silken, cream-colored coats, they trotted into Llandudno, a seaside town in Wales.

On Thursday evening, a herd of Great Orme Kashmiri goats galloped through the desolate streets of the small town looking for food. Some goats got their fill from hedges, others climbed building walls.

‘They are very mischievous,‘ Andrew Stuart, a Llandudno resident who spotted the goats, said in an interview. ‘They seem a bit wary of humans, they wouldn’t go past me at one point and were very cautious.’

Luckily for the goats, there weren’t many humans around.

More than a billion people worldwide are staying at home under guidance from their governments, socially distancing themselves from one another to avoid the spread of the coronavirus, which has claimed over 43,000 lives globally, including 2,300 in Britain…But with the country under lockdown because of the coronavirus, the goats saw an opportunity to get a whiff of their neighboring town and hopped right to it. In the video Mr. Stuart recorded, the goats can be seen running down the middle of a street.

‘They were just racing through the town,’said Mr. Stuart, who called a nonemergency police line. ‘They are in town because it is so quiet, because hardly anyone is about.’

There is also hardly anyone outside in San Francisco — except for the coyotes.

A pack of sleeping coyotes in the middle of a usually busy San francisco-Sacremento Bee

A coyote relaxes in front of the Golden Gate Bridge – Mar 25, 2020 The Sacremento Bee

Residents in San Francisco have been under orders to practice social distancing for two weeks, leaving their homes only to buy groceries, go to pharmacies and participate in other essential tasks. The streets have been left to the coyotes, which seem to be venturing farther into the city because there are so few cars, according to Deb Campbell, a spokeswoman for San Francisco Animal Care and Control…

A group of dolphins swim in the Mediterranean Sea at the Calanques National Park, off the coast of south-eastern France, on March 19, 2020.PHOTO- AFP

Social distancing has not increased wild animals’ populations, but it does seem to have changed their behavior in seeking new food sources, said Jim Fredericks, chief entomologist at the National Pest Management Association…Ever since Louisiana imposed a lockdown, causing restaurants to shut down, the rats in New Orleans are almost certainly wondering where the usual French Quarter crowds — and their trash — have gone.This moment of desperation for the rodents can become an opportunity for communities trying to control the pest population, since rats are more likely to be lured by traps and baits, Dr. Fredericks said.

A puma walks along a street during dawn in a neighbourhood before being captured and taken to a zoo in Santiago, Chile, on March 24, 2020.PHOTO- REUTERS

A wild deer roams in a deserted street during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown in the port city of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, on March 31, 2020.PHOTO- AFP

Dr. Riegel and her team are taking advantage of that…New York City is known for its large population of already brazen rats, including the notorious Pizza Rat. There has not been a change in behavior from pests in the city, according to Katy Hansen, the spokeswoman for the Animal Care Centers of NYC…

Scopoli’s shearwater birds on the Mediterranean Sea at the Calanques National Park, with Marseille in the background, off the coast of south-eastern France, on March 19, 2020.PHOTO- AFP

But there is a possibility that with the absence of people, and their trash, New York rats become even more brazen in their search for food, as a gang of macaques did in Lopburi, Thailand, last month.

A woman watches monkeys as they search for food in front of her shop near Prang Sam Yod temple in Lopburi, Thailand, on March 17, 2020.PHOTO- REUTERS

The macaques are usually fed by tourists who visit the ancient city, but with an 85 percent drop in tourism, the monkeys became more aggressive in their search for food.

Spotted Malabar civet… A critically endangered mammal not seen until 1990 resurfaces for the first time in India during lockdown.

Squirrels roam undisturbed inside Solari Park, emptied due to the coronavirus emergency lockdown, in Milan, Italy, on March 29, 2020.PHOTO- EPA-EFE

Humans can easily forget that the cities and towns they call home and frequently visit are also home to wild animals, like the Great Orme goats.”

 

ADDITIONAL TEACHING SITES FOR STUDENTS

FUN GAMES TO LEARN ENGLISH (For young ESL Learners)

“The aim of this site is to provide a resource for students to practice English in an engaging and fun way. Other similar sites are more geared towards providing teachers with resources to give to their students, but the intention this site is to be a resource that language learners can use independently…The games are aimed at a relatively low level of English, with pretty much all the content being around elementary level. A lot of the vocabulary content would probably even be more introductory or pre-elementary level.” ~Owen Dwyer~

Owen Dwyer’s site for Kids

 

The English Club:

Learn English : ESL Games :”Try these fun vocabulary games for ESL learners to test your understanding of English words. All games have answers available.”

ALSO:

Coronavirus COVID-19 Vocabulary

https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/coronavirus-covid19.php?sb

“This glossary of terms related to coronaviruses and COVID-19 in particular is intended for learners of English though it may be of interest to a wider audience. In times of crisis, knowing and understanding the terminology involved may help alleviate some of the fears and even panic that such times breed.”

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

NOTE: Lessons can also be used with native English speakers.

Level: Intermediate – Advanced


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


Time: Approximately 2 hours.


Materials: Student handout (from this lesson) and access to news article.


Objective: Students will read and discuss the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and improving oral skills. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic through group work and writing.

 Predictions: Analyzing headings and photos

Directions: Examine the title of the post and the actual article.  Examine each of the photos, Describe what you see in the photo? Notice the background.What do you think the animals are wondering?

Next, create a list of  words and  ideas  that you  and your group members think might be related to this article. 

II. While Reading Activities

Word Inference

Directions: Students are to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. They may use a dictionary, thesaurus, and Word Chart for assistance.

  1. The goats trotted into Llandudno, a seaside town in Wales.
  2. Some goats got their fill from hedges, others climbed building walls.
  3. They are very mischievous.
  4. People worldwide are staying at home under guidance from their governments.
  5. People are getting a glimpse of what animals do when they are left alone.
  6. The Great Orme goats’ descendants are wild animals that roam and forage in the large park.
  7. The goats saw an opportunity to get a whiff of their neighboring town.
  8. People should only go out to get groceries, go to pharmacies and participate in other essential tasks.
  9. In San Francisco, the streets have been left to the coyotes, which seem to be venturing farther into the city.
  10. Social distancing has not increased wild animals’ populations, but it does seem to have changed their behavior.

Whimsical Vocabulary Organizer by Danielle Mays

Grammar Focus:Identifying Prepositions

Directions: The following sentences are from the news article.For each sentence choose the correct preposition from the choices listed. Note that not all prepositions listed are in the article.

Some Prepositions: at,as, across, around,by, during,for, from, in, into,of, on,to, over,off, through, up,with, since,

Additional Prepositions:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_prepositions

Goats in Wales; coyotes___San Francisco… With much___the world staying home___prevent the spread___the coronavirus, animals have ventured out where normally the presence ___people would keep them away.

Under the cover___night,___their feathered, silken, cream-colored coats, they trotted ___Llandudno, a seaside town in Wales… The goats live ___Great Orme Country Park,___Conwy, Wales. They were a gift___Queen Victoria.

 

Reading Comprehension

Identify The  Speakers

Directions:  Hand out the following quotes from speakers in the article. Group members are to identify the speakers from the article.

  • “They seem a bit wary of humans, they wouldn’t go past me at one point and were very cautious.”
  • “The streets have been left to the coyotes, which seem to be venturing farther into the city because there are so few cars.”
  • “What we are also seeing is that they are looking for food in places they had not before.”
  • “Animals are opportunistic and feed off trash… The restaurants [were] producing a lot of trash, and right now, a lot of that is just gone.”

III. Post Reading Activities

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?

Discussion Questions for Comprehension /Writing

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

  1. According to the article what effects do less people in the cities have on the wild life?
  2. Are there any wild animals native to your area? Which ones?
  3. Have you seen more wild animals since people have been sheltered?  Which ones?
  4. In your opinion, do  the animals in the photos seem hostile, friendly or afraid? 
  5. Why would wild animals venture into cities when people are not present?
  6. According to Jim fredericks, what has changed in wild animals since humans have been sheltered?
  7. What are the residents in Louisiana going to do about the rat infestation?
  8. Unlike Louisiana what problem does New York City have with their rats?

 

Group Activity: Research and Writitng

Directions:  With group members Choose several wild animals (goats, coyotes, rats, turkeys etc.) and research the animal. Write a brief report on your animal. Provide information such as where did the animals originate, what is their normal diet, how do they act around people (think about the  monkeys in Thailand)

 

3-2-1-Writing

Directions: In 5 minutes to write down three new ideas  you’ve learned about the topic from the reading,  two things  that  you did not understand in the reading, and one thing you  would like to know that the article did not mention. Review the responses as a class.

ANSWER KEY

Category: Animals, Biology, Birds, Climate, Environmental, Marine Animals | Tags:
Older Entries →