Children in US safest for two decades

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

A report says American children are safer today than they were 20 years ago. The study is from the Child Well-Being Index, which has been made since 1975. It measures the quality of life among US children. The best figure is that child death rates have gone down by a third since 1975. Suicide rates among teens have fallen and fewer children experience violent crime. Teen births are at their lowest level in decades. Children are also better educated today.

The report highlighted some negatives. Child health has worsened. A major cause of this is obesity. Teenagers are spending longer indoors using technology. This may protect kids from physical dangers outdoors but can harm their health. Child poverty still affects millions of children. This has not changed in the past 20 years. About 20 per cent of children lived in poverty in 2013. This is about the same as it was in 1995.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20141217/New-report-finds-that-American-children-are-generally-safer-better-educated.aspx
http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-american-kids-safer-healthier-balancing-20141218-column.html
http://childandfamilypolicy.duke.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Child-Well-Being-Report.pdf

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	children are safer today than they	a.	crime
2.	the Child Well-	b.	level in decades
3.	It measures the quality	c.	third since 1975
4.	down by a	d.	Being Index
5.	Suicide rates	e.	educated
6.	violent	f.	of life
7.	at their lowest	g.	among teens
8.	better	h.	were 20 years ago

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ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	The report highlighted some	a.	was in 1995
2.	Child health has	b.	dangers
3.	A major cause of this	c.	their health
4.	Teenagers are spending	d.	worsened
5.	protect kids from physical	e.	is obesity
6.	harm	f.	poverty
7.	Child	g.	negatives
8.	about the same as it	h.	longer indoors

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

A report says American children are safer today (1) ___________________ 20 years ago. The study is from the Child (2) ___________________, which has been made since 1975. It measures the (3) ___________________ among US children. The best figure is that child death rates have gone down by a third since 1975. (4) ___________________ among teens have fallen and fewer children experience (5) ___________________. Teen births are at their lowest level in decades. Children (6) ___________________ educated today.

The report highlighted (7) ___________________. Child health has worsened. A major (8) ___________________ obesity. Teenagers are spending longer indoors (9) ___________________. This may protect kids from physical dangers outdoors (10) ___________________ health. Child poverty still affects millions of children. This (11) ___________________ in the past 20 years. About 20 per cent of children lived in poverty in 2013. This is about the (12) ___________________ 1995.

CHILDHOOD SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about childhood in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about childhood for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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