Electronic Waste

Click on this link to find the reading text. Then try to do some of the exercises below.Compiled and designed by Anne Cairns, courtesy of Inorganic Market.

E-Waste Vocabulary exercises

Click on this link to view or print the worksheets.

A Message of Life

CLICK ON THE ARROW TO WATCH THE VIDEO.
Tasks after watching:

I. Discuss with your partner:
a. how the young man changes through different phases of his life;
b. a viewpoint of yours that has changed as you were becoming older.

II. Consider the following:
1. What is that that makes this video clip a commercial?
2. Do you think it is effective?
3. How can commercials influence those who watch them?
4. Are commercials more powerful on TV or in the print?

Say your opinion:
1. Do the young people today face more problems in the world than the older generations?
2. Does the individual behaviour impact the future of the world?
3. Does the technology make people happier?
4. What could be disastrous consequences of using too much technology?
5. Have you changed anything in your life that is now more environment friendly?

III. Compare:
1. the way people lived before and after the 4th (internet) technological revolution;
2. the way people communicated in the past and now;

IV. Speculate how people will live in the future if we don't stop the environmental degradation. In a group write a warning message to your Prime Minister.

IV. Listening comprehension / writing / reading
1. Write down the scrypt of this commercial. Ask your teacher for help in difficult spots. Print it out.
2. Cut the text in smaller segments and have your partner re-compose it.

Ocean Acid Test by Oceana

CLICK ON THE ARROW TO WATCH THE VIDEO.

I. Comprehension task during listening:
Circle the right answer:
1. Ocean acidification is due to a. carbon dioxide b. dead fish c.garbage.
2. Eco systems of the oceans are a. fine b. in danger c. dead.
3. Oceans absorb about a. 15% b. 30% c. 50% of CO2.
4. Added carbon reduces a. water b. light c. carbonate in the ocean.
5. Carbonate is a building block of a. ocean water b. ocean ships c. shells.
6. If acidification keeps growing, it could a. grow b. decrease c. disolve shells.
7. Calcification is formation of a. shells b. pebbles c. fish eggs.
8. An eco system is in danger if any one species a. lives b. thrives c. dies.
9. The content of CO2 in the atmosphere should not exceed 450 ppm (parts per million).
10. If it continues at the current rate, at the end of the century the ocean acidity will a. double b. triple c. remain the same.

II. Share your thoughts and information with your group:
1. Why are alternative energy sources good for the oceans?
2. Make a list of everyday things that are carbon dependent.
3. Come up with a list of changes in your life style that can reduce carbon emissions.
4. Find on the internet how you can measure your "carbon footprint". Go to www.carbonfootprint.com

Plant trees for change with Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai

Official Google Blog: Plant trees for change with Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai

1. Discuss about:
a) benefits of forests
b) harms of deforestation.

2. Find facts about Canadian forests and the forests in your country. Write a report and bring it to the class.

3. Find more information about the first African Nobel Prize winner, Wangari Maathai. Bring the facts to your group and write a short biography together.

3. Draw a poster for the International Year of Forests, 2011.

Polar Bears in Jeopardy

Global warming is melting the polar ice caps, robbing the bears of the ice floes they need to hunt prey. Forced to fast for longer periods, polar bears will become too thin to reproduce and many scientists predict they could become extinct by the end of this century. At the same time, their natural habitat is under increasing assault from expanded development

TASKS

1. Discuss:

• What are the consequences of global warming on the polar bear?
• The polar bear is the most polluted animal. What do you think, is the reason for that?
• What is the "development" that harms the polar bear habitat?
• If the polar bear went extinct, what would be the consequences?

2.

Rewrite the first two sentences using relative clauses instead of the participles.

Teaching ESL for Sustainability

Click here to view our slides at the workshop Teaching ESL for Sustainability at the 2009 TESL Ontario Conference.