For 11th grade students

Topic: Climate change: Environmental pollution and global warming 

1. Fill in the gaps using following words: human impact, flooding, natural
selection, quality, deforestation

1. The severest ______ on the dolphins has been the loss of habitat. human
impact
2. They decided to widen out the river to avoid the ______. flooding
3. ______ is destroying large areas of tropical rainforest. deforestation
4. Urban environments imply low ______very high levels of light pollution,
and serious obscuration of the sky by tall buildings. air quality
5. ______ is a key element of Darwin's theory of evolution. natural selection

(Link of the website with sentences https://sentencedict.com/Natural

%20selection.html)

2. Mark the correct underlined word in each sentence

     1.  Climate change is a major environmental/weather issue.

     2. Most scientists believe that climate change is caused by 

         human activity/natural causes.

     3. As a result, the polar bears will be extinct/extant soon.

     4. Big corporations are polluting/cleaning our oceans.

     5. Rising sea levels endanger/support us all.

(Link of the website with sentences

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/sentences/english/pollution) 

3. Write a definition with your own words 

1. Greenhouse-
2. Melting-
3. Fossil fuels-
4. Species diversity-
5. Heatwaves-

4. Find pairs from column A and B

 A B

Insect interactions

Species risk

Protected decline

Extinction areas

Acid disaster

Natural rain

(Species interactions, Protected areas, Extinction risk, Acid rain, Natural disasters)

5. Write 5 sentences using the following words below

Public awareness, marine pollution, emission, poaching, drought

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6. Listen to a TED talk. Answer following questions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAmmUIEsN9A&ab_channel=TEDxTalks

1. Why does the speaker believe that emissions must stop completely?
2. How much do rich countries like Sweden need to reduce their emissions
by each year to stay below the two-degree warming target?
3. How many species are estimated to be going extinct every day, according
to the speaker?
4. How quickly do rich countries need to get down to zero emissions
according to the speaker?
5. What is the ultimate goal when it comes to civilization and climate change
according to the speaker?
7. Listen to a TED talk again. Decide whether the following statements are true or
false

T F
▢ ▢ The speaker first heard about climate change when they were
nine years old. False- eight years old

▢ ▢ The speaker initially found it strange that humans could be capable of

changing the Earth's climate. True

▢ ▢ The speaker believed that if climate change was really happening, it would
be talked about constantly in the media. True

▢ ▢ The speaker became ill at the age of 11 and was later diagnosed with
Down syndrome. False - Asperger's syndrome

▢ ▢ The speaker believes that climate change is an existential

threat that needs to be addressed urgently. True

▢ ▢ The speaker believes that rich countries like Sweden need to

reduce emissions by at least 50% annually. False – 15%

▢ ▢ The speaker believes that the media and leaders are not doing enough
to address climate change. True

▢ ▢ The speaker mentions that air pollution is masking the true extent of
global warming. True

▢ ▢ The speaker believes that climate justice and equity are important aspects
of

addressing climate change on a global scale.

8. Read the text

 The largest bear in the world and the Arctic's top predator, polar bears are a powerful
symbol of the strength and endurance of the Arctic. The polar bear's Latin name, Ursus
maritimus, means "sea bear." It's an apt name for this majestic species, which spends much
of its life in, around, or on the ocean–predominantly on the sea ice. In the United States,
Alaska is home to two polar bear subpopulations.

Considered talented swimmers, polar bears can sustain a pace of six miles per hour by
paddling with their front paws and holding their hind legs flat like a rudder. They have a thick
layer of body fat and a water-repellent coat that insulates them from the cold air and water.

Polar bears spend over 50% of their time hunting for food. A polar bear might catch only
one or two out of 10 seals it hunts, depending on the time of year and other variables. Their
diet mainly consists of ringed and bearded seals because they need large amounts of fat to
survive.

Polar bears rely heavily on sea ice for traveling, hunting, resting, mating and, in some
areas, maternal dens. But because of ongoing and potential loss of their sea ice habitat
resulting from climate change–the primary threat to polar bears Arctic-wide–polar bears
were listed as a threatened species in the US under the Endangered Species Act in May
2008. As their sea ice habitat recedes earlier in the spring and forms later in the fall, polar
bears are increasingly spending longer periods on land, where they are often attracted to
areas where humans live.

9. Choose the correct answers

1. How do polar bears hunt for their food?

A) They chase their prey on land

B) They catch fish with their paws

C) They hunt seals on the sea ice

2. What is the main reason for the loss of polar bears' sea ice habitat?

A) Overfishing

B) Pollution

C) Climate change

3. What adaptations do polar bears have to help them survive in the Arctic environment?

A) Thick body fur and sharp claws

B) Water-repellent coat and large body size

C) Camouflaged fur and excellent eyesight

4. What is the average speed of a polar bear when swimming?

A) 2 miles per hour

B) 4 miles per hour

C) 6 miles per hour

5. What is the main food source for polar bears?

A) Fish

B) Birds

C) Seals

6. How has the loss of sea ice affected polar bear populations?

A) It has caused an increase in population size

B) It has caused a decrease in population size

C) It has had no effect on population size

7. What activities do polar bears engage in on sea ice?

A) Hunting and traveling

B) Mating and resting

C) Sleeping and sunbathing

8. What measures have been taken to protect polar bear populations?

A) Banning all hunting of polar bears

B) Encouraging the development of sustainable energy sources

C) Creating protected habitats and monitoring populations

9. How have polar bears adapted to the changing Arctic environment?

A) By becoming more aggressive

B) By changing their diet

C) By spending more time on land

10. Make 5 questions to the text and ask your classmates

11. Divide into groups and prepare a little presentation about. Present your own
ideas

 What are the main causes of deforestation, and how do they affect the
environment?
  How can we educate others about the importance of protecting wildlife, and
what can we do to raise awareness about poaching?
 What are some innovative technologies or solutions that can help us manage
and reduce our garbage, and how can we support their development?

12. Divide into pairs and discuss following questions

1. What is climate change, and what are the main causes of it?

2. What are the potential consequences of continued climate change, and how can we
mitigate these consequences?

3. What are some natural disasters that are worsened by climate change, and how do they
impact communities?

4. How have natural disasters become more frequent or intense due to climate change?

5. How can we prepare for natural disasters, and what are some effective response
strategies?

6. What role do human activities play in causing natural disasters, and how can we reduce
our impact?

7. How do natural disasters and climate change disproportionately affect marginalized

communities?

8. How can individuals and communities reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to the
fight against climate change?

9. What are some successful examples of policy initiatives aimed at mitigating climate
change or reducing the risk of natural disasters?

10. How can countries work together to address climate change and reduce the risk of natural
disasters?

13. Role-play. Imagine that you and your classmates are representatives from
different countries and work to negotiate an agreement on how to address
climate change. Everyone should pick up one country and describe which
possibilities they have according to the country they have chosen.

14.  Write an e-mail of complaint to the local company asking them to reduce
emissions into the river due to the fact that the fish population significantly has
decreased.

Homework
15. Write a descriptive essay how you see the world in 50 years, describe what the
surrounding looks like, what will happen to wildlife and people. (150 - 200
words)