Arrested clock-making teen invited to White House

Arrested clock-making teen invited to White House (20th September, 2015)

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

President Barack Obama has invited the Texas student who was arrested over a clock he made for school to the White House. Teachers believed Ahmed Mohamed, 14, had brought a homemade bomb to school. The police questioned Ahmed for hours and then realised it was all a mistake. Ahmed's story then went viral on the Internet. President Obama tweeted: "We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great."

Ahmed's arrest has put the focus on Islamophobia and of how people treat Muslims. Ahmed said that because of his religion, kids at school called him a 'terrorist'. He said the police made him feel as though he was a criminal and a terrorist. His school even suspended him. Twitter offered him a training contract and Google invited him to a science fair. Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg said: "The future belongs to people like Ahmed."

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://cnnphilippines.com/world/2015/09/18/US-Texas-student-Ahmed-clock-bomb.html
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/northwest-dallas-county/headlines/20150917-fame-from-arrest-over-clock-puts-teen-in-viral-vortex.ece
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/sep/17/ahmed-mohamed-is-tired-excited-to-meet-obama-and-wants-his-clock-back

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.	arrested over a clock	a.	all a mistake
2.	homemade	b.	viral
3.	The police questioned	c.	he made
4.	realised it was	d.	America great
5.	Ahmed's story then went	e.	bomb
6.	on the	f.	to like science
7.	inspire more kids like you	g.	Ahmed for hours
8.	It's what makes	h.	Internet

MY e-BOOK

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

See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	Ahmed's arrest has put the focus	a.	was a criminal
2.	how people treat	b.	contract
3.	because of his	c.	on Islamophobia
4.	him feel as though he	d.	him
5.	His school even suspended	e.	Muslims
6.	Twitter offered him a training	f.	fair
7.	invited him to a science	g.	people like Ahmed
8.	The future belongs to	h.	religion

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

President Barack Obama (1) ___________________ Texas student who was arrested over a clock (2) ___________________ school to the White House. Teachers believed Ahmed Mohamed, 14, had brought (3) ___________________ to school. The police questioned Ahmed for hours and then (4) ___________________ a mistake. Ahmed's story then went (5) ___________________. President Obama tweeted: "We should inspire more kids like (6) ___________________. It's what makes America great."

Ahmed's arrest has (7) ___________________ Islamophobia and of how people treat Muslims. Ahmed said (8) ___________________ religion, kids at school called him a 'terrorist'. He said the police (9) ___________________ as though he was a criminal and a terrorist. (10) ___________________ suspended him. Twitter offered him a training contract and Google invited him (11) ___________________. Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg said: "The future (12) ___________________ like Ahmed."

AHMED MOHAMED'S CLOCK SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Ahmed Mohamed's clock 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 Ahmed Mohamed's clock for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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