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Let’s talk about… Climate Change

Exercise 1: Work with a partner and add some ideas to the columns below.

(a) What do you think of when you hear the (b) In what ways have we tried to slow down
expression ‘Climate Change’? climate change?

• extreme weather • recycling

• ozone layer •
• •
• •
• •
• •

Exercise 2: Match the vocabulary to the images below.

the greenhouse effect deforestation hydro-electricity solar panels

wind turbine tidal energy greenhouse gases global warming

1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 7. 8.

jih

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Exercise 3: Match the vocabulary to the definitions.

1. fossil fuels n A. someone who doesn’t eat meat.

2. conserve v B. adjective to describe something that uses little energy.
3. global warming n C. gas, oil and coal are examples of these.
4. rising sea-level n D. the amount of carbon dioxide a person’s activities produce.
5. polar ice caps n E. one hour, once a year when people worldwide turn off electric appliances.
6. consumption n F. machines with blades which rotate using wind and generate electricity.
7. vegetarian n G. disconnected from an electricity supply.
8. vegan n H. the rising of the earth’s temperature.
9. environmental laws n I. area of land on earth that is covered with ice.
10. carbon footprint exp J. keep and protect.
11. wind turbines n K. increase in the height of the sea due to melting ice caps.
12. off-the-grid exp L. someone who doesn’t consume any animal products.
13. sustainable living n M. the act of eating, buying or using products.
14. Earth Hour n N. rules that must be followed to protect the environment.
15. energy-efficient adj O. using renewable energies without creating waste.

Exercise 4: Ask and answer the questions below with a partner.

1. Have you heard of Earth Hour? Do you take part in it every year?
2. What are some of the causes of global warming?
3. Have you noticed the sea-level rise in your country?
4. What effect does the melting of the polar ice caps have on people and animals?
5. Do you recycle? Have you reduced your consumption of things?
6. Would you consider following a vegetarian or vegan diet to help the environment?
7. What environmental laws or rules are there in your country?
8. Do many houses in your country have solar panels or wind turbines?
9. Would you consider living off-the-grid for the purpose of sustainable living?
10. Do you or does anyone you know use energy-efficient cars?

Exercise 5: How green are you?

Take the quiz on the next page to find out how big your carbon footprint is!

Instructions:
1. Read through the questions and choose your answers.
2. Compare your answers with a new partner. Who has the biggest carbon footprint?
3. Are you going to take any steps to become more environmentally friendly? What?

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How big is your carbon footprint?

1. How do you get to school/work?

* I walk . * I carpool. * I drive. * I take the bus or train.

2. Do you recycle or compost your rubbish?

* I recycle and compost. * I recycle paper & plastic. * I don’t recycle.

3. How often do you travel by plane?

* 0 – 2 times a year. * 3 – 5 times a year. * More than 5 times a year.

4. How often do you eat meat?

* I’m vegan / vegetarian. * 1 - 3 times a week. * More than 3 times a week.

5. Do you buy fruit and vegetables in plastic packaging?

* Yes, usually. * Yes, sometimes. * Very rarely.

6. Do you unplug your appliances at night or leave them on standby?

* Yes, I unplug most appliances. * Sometimes. * No, I leave most things plugged in.

7. Do you buy plastic bags at the supermarket or bring your own?

* I always buy plastic bags. * Sometimes, when I forget mine. * I always bring my own bags.

8. How often do you eat organic?

* Never . * Sometimes. * Often.

9. How often do you buy new clothes or household items?

* I usually buy second hand. * Once or twice a year. * Every month.

10. Do you use energy-efficient light bulbs?

* Yes. * Sometimes. * No.

11. Do you often take baths instead of showers or leave the tap running?

* I often take baths and leave the tap * I sometimes * I rarely take baths and never
running when brushing my teeth. take baths. leave the tap on.

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Exercise 4: Vocabulary Game – Cut up the cards below.

climate change conserve global warming

n v n

rising sea-level polar ice caps recycle

n n v

consumption vegetarian vegan

n n/adj n/adj

environmental laws solar panels wind turbines

n n n

off-the-grid sustainable living Earth Hour

exp n n

energy-efficient fossil fuels carbon footprint

adj n n

greenhouse gas ozone layer reforestation

n n n

tidal energy hydro-electricity biodiesel

n n n

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Teacher’s Notes
Lesson: Let’s talk about…Climate Change Level: B2 Time: 1 hour

Preparation:
- Cut up the cards on Page 2. One set for every 2-4 students.
- Print handouts.

Teaching Method:

Step 1:
- Students work with a partner to add vocabulary/ideas under the questions given in exercise 1 before
extending vocabulary by completing the picture/vocabulary match in exercise 2:
- Elicit ideas and answers and add them to the board as shown below.
1. What do you think of when you hear the expression ‘Climate Change’?
Possible answers: fossil fuels, global warming, ozone layer, greenhouse gas, carbon footprint,
deforestation, …
2. What ways have we tried to slow down climate change?
Possible answers: electric cars, solar power, wind turbines, hydroelectricity, reforestation, biodiesel, tidal
energy, …

Step 2:
- Students complete exercise 3 individually, matching the vocabulary to the definitions.
- Students compare their answers with a partner.
- Go through the answers, giving further examples for difficult vocabulary.

Step 3:
- Students ask and answer the questions in pairs or small groups.
- Encourage them to repeat the new vocabulary in their responses.

Step 4:
- Students work alone to choose their answers in the quiz in exercise 4 before comparing with a new
partner and discussing how they might change their habits to decrease their carbon footprint in the
future.
- Monitor and elicit feedback

Step 5:

- Put students into small groups and give a set of cards from exercise 4 to each group.
- Students take turns in picking a card and describing the word they see. Students must not show the
other students their card. They can (a) give a definition/synonym, (b) give an antonym, or (c) make a
sentence omitting the word. The other students should guess the word/phrase.
- Demonstrate the activity before the students begin.

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Answers & Pronunciation

Lesson: Let’s talk about…Climate Change Level: B2 Time: 1 hour

Exercise 2: Vocabulary: British: American:

A. wind turbines
biodiesel ˈbaɪəʊ ˈdiːzəl ˌbaɪˈoʊ ˈdisəl
B. hydro-electricity
carbon footprint ˈkɑːbən ˈfʊtprɪnt ˈkɑrbən ˈfʊtˌprɪnt
C. deforestation
climate change ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ ˈklaɪmət ʧeɪnʤ
D. solar panels
conserve kənˈsɜːv kənˈsɜrv
E. the greenhouse effect
F. greenhouse gases consumption kənˈsʌm(p)ʃən kənˈsʌmpʃən

G. tidal energy Earth Hour ɜːθ ˈaʊə ɜrθ ˈaʊər

H. global warming energy-efficient ˈɛnəʤi-ɪˈfɪʃənt ˈɛnərʤi-ɪˈfɪʃənt
environmental laws ɪnˌvaɪərənˈmɛntl lɔːz ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmɛntəl lɔz
fossil fuels ˈfɒsl fjʊəlz ˈfɑsəl ˈfjuəlz
Exercise 3:
global warming ˈgləʊbəl ˈwɔːmɪŋ ˈgloʊbəl ˈwɔrmɪŋ
1. C
2. J greenhouse gases ˈgriːnhaʊs ˈgæsɪz ˈgrinˌhaʊs ˈgæsəz
3. H hydro-electricity ˈhaɪdrəʊ-ɪlɛkˈtrɪsɪti ˈhaɪˌdroʊ-ɪˌlɛkˈtrɪsəti
4. K off-the-grid ɒf-ðə-grɪd ɔf-ðə-grɪd
5. I
6. M ozone layer ˈəʊzəʊn ˈleɪə ˈoʊˌzoʊn ˈleɪər
7. A polar ice caps ˈpəʊlər aɪs ˈkæps ˈpoʊlər aɪs kæps
8. L recycle riːˈsaɪkl riˈsaɪkəl
9. N
reforestation ˌriːˌfɒrɪˈsteɪʃən ˌrifɔrəˈsteɪʃən
10. D
11. F sea-level siː ˈlɛvl si ˈlɛvəl
12. G solar panels ˈsəʊlə ˈpænlz ˈsoʊlər ˈpænəlz
13. O
tidal energy ˈtaɪdl ˈɛnəʤi ˈtaɪdəl ˈɛnərʤi
14. E
15. B vegan ˈviːgən ˈvɛgən
vegetarian ˌvɛʤɪˈteərɪən ˌvɛʤəˈtɛriən
wind turbines wɪnd ˈtɜːbɪnz wɪnd ˈtɜrbaɪnz

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