Breaking News English Lesson: Grow a Garden

Home | Help This Site

Grow a Garden game breaks record for concurrent users (23rd June 2025)

The Reading / Listening - Grow a Garden - Level 6

A game about gardening has broken the record for the most users being online at the same time. The horticultural-themed game is called Grow a Garden. It first broke the record for simultaneous users on the 14th of June, when there were 16.4 million concurrent users. This surpassed the previous milestone of 14.3 million set by the blockbuster game Fortnite. Grow a Garden then shattered its own record on the 21st of June, with 21.3 million players. This made it the most‑played video game ever at a single moment. The game is owned by the online game platform Roblox. A spokesperson said the game's "global success is fuelled by exceptional user retention and vibrant social interactions".

Grow a Garden is a simulation game in which players tend to a patch of bare, virtual land. Budding gardeners buy seeds, plant vegetables, and grow flowers and herbs. They then harvest their produce to earn in-game currency and resources. Users can also upgrade their garden to obtain better tools and new areas. Good gardeners can level up to unlock rare seeds, exotic crops, and new biomes (like underwater gardens or magical forests). The BBC asked behavioural expert Professor Andrew Przybylski on whether the game could cultivate a love of gardening. He said: "It is unlikely that a game like this will encourage real-world gardening any more than Super Mario encourages plumbing."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Grow a Garden - Level 4 or Grow a Garden - Level 5

Sources

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj4edkdxz2xo
https://sherwood.news/markets/roblox-hits-a-52-week-high-as-a-wildly-simple-gardening-game-created-by-a-16/
https://www.soapcentral.com/pop-culture/roblox-s-grow-garden-breaks-world-record-16-4m-players-surpassing-fortnite-s-peak
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grow_a_Garden

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. GARDENING: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about gardening. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
game / gardening / record / users / blockbuster / players / video / global success /
simulation / patch / land / vegetables / herbs / currency / seeds / forests / plumbing
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. REAL GARDENS: Students A strongly believe real gardens are better than virtual gardens; Students B strongly believe virtual gardens are better. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. GARDEN TYPES: What do you think of these types of gardens? What are the good and bad things about them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	What You Think	Good and Bad Things
Rose gardens
Herb gardens
Butterfly gardens
Flower gardens
Vegetable gardens
Japanese gardens

MY e-BOOK

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

See a sample

5. RECORD: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "record". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. GAMES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best games at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

Grow a Garden
Minecraft
Grand Theft Auto
Fortnite
Formula Car Racing
Super Mario
Pokémon
Call of Duty

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	horticultural	a.	Happening at the same time.
2.	simultaneous	b.	An important moment or event.
3.	surpassed	c.	Full of life, energy, or colour.
4.	milestone	d.	Became bigger or better than something else.
5.	blockbuster	e.	Keeping something and not losing it.
6.	retention	f.	About growing plants and flowers.
7.	vibrant	g.	Something very popular and successful (like a movie or game).

Paragraph 2

8.	simulation	h.	Take care of something (like plants or animals).
9.	tend to	i.	Get something.
10.	obtain	j.	The system of pipes for water in a house or building.
11.	exotic	k.	A large area with its own plants, animals, and weather.
12.	biome	l.	From a faraway place and different or special.
13.	cultivate	m.	A game or activity that looks like real life.
14.	plumbing	n.	Grow plants or crops.

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

A game people played in gardens has broken a concurrent user record. T / F
Grow a Garden beat the record set by Minecraft. T / F
More than 16 million people played Grow a Garden at one time. T / F
The Grow a Garden maker said social interactions fuelled the record. T / F
In the game, players have to fight killer weeds. T / F
Grow a Garden players can sell the flowers and herbs they grow. T / F
Grow a Garden players can level up to unlock access to magical forests. T / F
An expert said Grow a Garden players will probably garden for real. T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

at the same time
surpassed
blockbuster
shattered
fuelled
tend to
earn
expert
cultivate
encourage

look after
smash hit
boosted
champion
beat
specialist
develop
simultaneously
receive
smashed

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

the most users being online
The horticultural-
This surpassed the
Grow a Garden then shattered
vibrant social
players tend to a patch
harvest their produce to earn
Good gardeners can level up to unlock
behavioural
the game could cultivate a

of bare, virtual land
previous milestone
love of gardening
rare seeds
at the same time
expert
themed game
its own record
interactions
in-game currency

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

single
simultaneous
set
vibrant
surpassed
platform
own
being

A game about gardening has broken the record for the most users (1) _________________________________ online at the same time. The horticultural-themed game is called Grow a Garden. It first broke the record for (2) _________________________________ users on the 14th of June, when there were 16.4 million concurrent users. This (3) _________________________________ the previous milestone of 14.3 million (4) _________________________________ by the blockbuster game Fortnite. Grow a Garden then shattered its (5) _________________________________ record on the 21st of June, with 21.3 million players. This made it the most‑played video game ever at a (6) _________________________________ moment. The game is owned by the online game (7) _________________________________ Roblox. A spokesperson said the game's "global success is fuelled by exceptional user retention and (8) _________________________________ social interactions".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

exotic
simulation
expert
currency
plumbing
herbs
unlikely
cultivate

Grow a Garden is a (9) _________________________________ game in which players tend to a patch of bare, virtual land. Budding gardeners buy seeds, plant vegetables, and grow flowers and (10) _________________________________. They then harvest their produce to earn in-game (11) _________________________________ and resources. Users can also upgrade their garden to obtain better tools and new areas. Good gardeners can level up to unlock rare seeds, (12) _________________________________ crops, and new biomes (like underwater gardens or magical forests). The BBC asked behavioural (13) _________________________________ Professor Andrew Przybylski on whether the game could (14) _________________________________ a love of gardening. He said: "It is (15) _________________________________ that a game like this will encourage real-world gardening any more than Super Mario encourages (16) _________________________________."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) A game about gardening has broken the record for the most ______
     a. users been online
     b. users be in online
     c. users being online
     d. users boing online
2) The ______
     a. horticultural-theme game
     b. horticultural-thyme game
     c. horticultural-themed game
     d. horticultural-teamed game
3) Grow a Garden then shattered ______
     a. its own record
     b. its sown record
     c. it sown record
     d. its soon record
4) This made it the most‑played video game ever at ______
     a. a single moment
     b. a shingle moment
     c. a singer moment
     d. a sin gall moment
5) fuelled by exceptional user retention and ______
     a. vibe rant social interactions
     b. vibrancy social interactions
     c. vibrant social interactions
     d. vibrate social interactions

6) a simulation game in which players tend to a patch of ______
     a. bare, virtual lands
     b. bare, virtual land
     c. bear, virtual land
     d. bare, virtue all land
7) Budding gardeners buy seeds, plant vegetables, and grow ______
     a. flowers and herbs
     b. flowers and curbs
     c. flowers and hordes
     d. flowers and herb
8) Good gardeners can level up to unlock rare seeds, exotic crops, ______
     a. and new biome
     b. and new beams
     c. and new bio homes
     d. and new biomes
9) Andrew Przybylski on whether the game could cultivate a ______
     a. love off gardening
     b. love of garden in
     c. love of gardening
     d. loves of gardening
10) encourage real-world gardening any more than Super ______
     a. Mario encourages plum in
     b. Mario encourages plumage
     c. Mario encourages blaming
     d. Mario encourages plumbing

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A game about gardening has broken the record for the most (1) _______________________________________________ at the same time. The horticultural-themed game is called Grow a Garden. It first broke the record (2) _______________________________________________ on the 14th of June, when there were 16.4 million concurrent users. This surpassed (3) _______________________________________________ of 14.3 million set by the blockbuster game Fortnite. Grow a Garden then (4) _______________________________________________ record on the 21st of June, with 21.3 million players. This made it the most‑played video game ever at a single moment. The game is owned by the (5) _______________________________________________ Roblox. A spokesperson said the game's "global success is fuelled by exceptional user (6) _______________________________________________ social interactions".

Grow a Garden is a simulation game in which players tend to a (7) _______________________________________________, virtual land. Budding gardeners buy seeds, plant vegetables, and grow (8) _______________________________________________. They then harvest their produce to earn in-game (9) _______________________________________________. Users can also upgrade their garden to obtain better tools and new areas. Good gardeners can level up to unlock rare (10) _______________________________________________, and new biomes (like underwater gardens or magical forests). The BBC asked behavioural expert Professor Andrew Przybylski on whether the game could (11) _______________________________________________ of gardening. He said: "It is unlikely that a game like this will encourage (12) _______________________________________________ any more than Super Mario encourages plumbing."

Comprehension questions

What theme does the article say the Grow a Garden game has?
What game has the record for the second most users playing at one time?
Which game saw 14.3 million users playing simultaneously?
What is the name of the company that owns the Grow a Garden game?
What kind of social interactions did the makers say the game had?
What do players grow besides vegetables and flowers?
What can players earn besides in-game currency?
What kind of forests can players access?
What did an expert say it was unlikely the game would cultivate?
What game did the expert say might not create a love of plumbing?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What theme does the article say the Grow a Garden game has?
a) a roses theme
b) a horticultural theme
c) a light theme
d) a recycling theme
2) What game has the record for the second most users playing at one time?
a) Pokémon
b) Minecraft
c) Fortnite
d) Grow a Garden
3) Which game saw 14.3 million users playing simultaneously?
a) Pokémon
b) Minecraft
c) Fortnite
d) Grow a Garden
4) What is the name of the company that owns the Grow a Garden game?
a) Roblox
b) GrowBox
c) GrowBlocks
d) RoBox
5) What kind of social interactions did the makers say the game had?
a) face-to-face social interactions
b) vibrant social interactions
c) major social interactions
d) interesting social interactions

6) What do players grow besides vegetables and flowers?
a) herbs
b) bamboo
c) weeds
d) shrubs
7) What can players earn besides in-game currency?
a) respect
b) points
c) resources
d) special fertilizer
8) What kind of forests can players access?
a) magical forests
b) rainforests
c) ice forests
d) bamboo forests
9) What did an expert say it was unlikely the game would cultivate?
a) a love of seeds
b) a love of plumbing
c) a love of grass
d) a love of gaming
10) What game did the expert say might not create a love of plumbing?
a) Pokémon
b) Minecraft
c) Super Mario
d) Fortnite

Role play

Role A – Grow a Garden
You think Grow a Garden is the best game. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least fun of these (and why): Minecraft, Fortnite or Pokémon.

Role B – Minecraft
You think Minecraft is the best game. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least fun of these (and why): Grow a Garden, Fortnite or Pokémon.

Role C – Fortnite
You think Fortnite is the best game. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least fun of these (and why): Minecraft, Grow a Garden or Pokémon.

Role D – Pokémon
You think Pokémon is the best game. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least fun of these (and why): Minecraft, Fortnite or Grow a Garden.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'grow'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'garden'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

•Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

broken

first

previous

shattered

single

fuelled

tend

buy

earn

level

expert

unlikely

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion - Grow a Garden

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'grow'?
What do you think of gardening?
What do you know about the Grow a Garden game?
Is real gardening or virtual gardening better?
Why do you think Grow a Garden is so popular?
What is your favourite game?
What is your favourite garden?
What are the good things about gardening?
What advice do you have for gardeners?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'garden'?
What do you think about what you read?
What do you think of gaming?
Would you like to play the Grow a Garden game?
What would you like to grow?
Do you think you would be good at gardening?
What do you know about biomes?
What do you know about plumbing?
What questions would you like to ask the game's maker?

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

A game about gardening has (1) ____ the record for the most users being online at the same time. The horticultural-themed game is called Grow a Garden. It first broke the record for simultaneous (2) ____ on the 14th of June, when there were 16.4 million (3) ____ users. This surpassed the previous (4) ____ of 14.3 million set by the blockbuster game Fortnite. Grow a Garden then shattered its own record on the 21st of June, with 21.3 million players. This made it the most‑played video game ever at a (5) ____ moment. The game is owned by the online game platform Roblox. A spokesperson said the game's "global success is fuelled by exceptional user retention and (6) ____ social interactions".

Grow a Garden is a simulation game in which players (7) ____ to a patch of bare, virtual land. Budding gardeners buy seeds, plant vegetables, and grow flowers and herbs. They then (8) ____ their produce to earn in-game currency and resources. Users can also upgrade their garden to obtain better tools and new areas. Good gardeners can level up to (9) ____ rare seeds, exotic crops, and new biomes (like underwater gardens or magical forests). The BBC asked behavioural (10) ____ Professor Andrew Przybylski on whether the game could (11) ____ a love of gardening. He said: "It is unlikely that a game like this will encourage real world gardening any more than Super Mario encourages (12) ____."

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) broached (b) breached (c) braked (d) broken
(a) usages (b) uses (c) abusers (d) users
(a) current (b) concurrent (c) currant (d) currency
(a) limestone (b) gravestone (c) millstone (d) milestone
(a) single (b) singled (c) singular (d) singles
(a) vibrant (b) vibrancy (c) vibrating (d) vibration
(a) mend (b) offend (c) fend (d) tend
(a) harvest (b) seclude (c) preclude (d) connect
(a) defrost (b) unlock (c) spook (d) hybrid
(a) expat (b) report (c) expert (d) pert
(a) cultivar (b) cult (c) cultivate (d) cultured
(a) plumage (b) plumbing (c) fabric (d) adding

Spelling

Paragraph 1

The llirtuoahurct-themed game
broke the record for euitassunmol users
there were 16.4 million erctoucnnr users
This russdspae the previous milestone of 14.3 million
fuelled by icneapxolet user retention
rvbanit social interactions

Paragraph 2

Grow a Garden is a iumsainolt game
earn in-game cuycrner and resources
toxeci crops
new embios
ttuvicael a love of gardening
any more than Super Mario encourages nbmpilug

Put the text back together

( 1 )   A game about gardening has broken the record for the most users being online at the same
(    )    a love of gardening. He said: "It is unlikely that a game like this will encourage
(    )    earn in-game currency and resources. Users can also upgrade their garden to obtain better
(    )    Grow a Garden is a simulation game in which players tend to a patch of bare, virtual
(    )    land. Budding gardeners buy seeds, plant vegetables, and grow flowers and herbs. They then harvest their produce to
(    )    milestone of 14.3 million set by the blockbuster game Fortnite. Grow a Garden then shattered its own record
(    )    moment. The game is owned by the online game platform Roblox. A spokesperson said the game's "global
(    )    on the 21st of June, with 21.3 million players. This made it the most‑played video game ever at a single
(    )    or magical forests). The BBC asked behavioural expert Professor Andrew Przybylski on whether the game could cultivate
(    )    real-world gardening any more than Super Mario encourages plumbing."
(    )    success is fuelled by exceptional user retention and vibrant social interactions".
(    )    time. The horticultural-themed game is called Grow a Garden. It first broke the record for simultaneous
(    )    tools and new areas. Good gardeners can level up to unlock rare seeds, exotic crops, and new biomes (like underwater gardens
(    )    users on the 14th of June, when there were 16.4 million concurrent users. This surpassed the previous

Put the words in the right order

A about gardening game has broken the record .
Most online users at same being the time .
This the previous of milestone surpassed 14 .3 million .
The moment single ever most‑played at a game .
Owned online platform by Roblox game the .
They in-game to their earn produce currency harvest .
They garden their tools obtain better upgrade to .
Gardeners seeds level unlock can rare up to .
The gardening of game a love cultivate could .
Games real world encourage like gardening this will .

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

A game about gardening has broken the record for / by the most users being online at the same timed / time. The horticultural-themed game is called Grow a Garden. It first broke the record for simultaneously / simultaneous users on the 14th of June, when there were 16.4 million current / concurrent users. This surpassed / ousted the previous milestone of 14.3 million set by the / a blockbuster game Fortnite. Grow a Garden then shuttered / shattered its own record on the 21st of June, with 21.3 million players. This made it the most‑played video game ever of / at a single moment. The game is owned by / at the online game platform Roblox. A spokesperson said the game's "global success is fuelled / fuels by exceptional user retention and vibrant social interactions".

Grow a Garden is a stimulation / simulation game in which players tend of / to a patch of bare, virtual land. Budding gardeners buy seeds, plant / plants vegetables, and grow flowers and herbs. They then harvest their producing / produce to earn in-game currency / currants and resources. Users can also upgrade their garden to obtain better tools and new areas. Good gardeners can level up for / to unlock rare seeds, exotic crops, and new biomes (like underwater gardens or magical forests). The BBC asked behavioural expert / expat Professor Andrew Przybylski on whether the game could cultivar / cultivate a love of gardening. He said: "It is likelihood / unlikely that a game like this will encourage real-world gardening any more than Super Mario encourages plums / plumbing."

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

_ g_m_ _b__t g_rd_n_ng h_s br_k_n th_ r_c_rd f_r th_ m_st _s_rs b__ng _nl_n_ _t th_ s_m_ t_m_. Th_ h_rt_c_lt_r_l-th_m_d g_m_ _s c_ll_d Gr_w _ G_rd_n. _t f_rst br_k_ th_ r_c_rd f_r s_m_lt_n___s _s_rs _n th_ 14th _f J_n_, wh_n th_r_ w_r_ 16.4 m_ll__n c_nc_rr_nt _s_rs. Th_s s_rp_ss_d th_ pr_v___s m_l_st_n_ _f 14.3 m_ll__n s_t by th_ bl_ckb_st_r g_m_ F_rtn_t_. Gr_w _ G_rd_n th_n sh_tt_r_d _ts _wn r_c_rd _n th_ 21st _f J_n_, w_th 21.3 m_ll__n pl_y_rs. Th_s m_d_ _t th_ m_st‑pl_y_d v_d__ g_m_ _v_r _t _ s_ngl_ m_m_nt. Th_ g_m_ _s _wn_d by th_ _nl_n_ g_m_ pl_tf_rm R_bl_x. _ sp_k_sp_rs_n s__d th_ g_m_'s "gl_b_l s_cc_ss _s f__ll_d by _xc_pt__n_l _s_r r_t_nt__n _nd v_br_nt s_c__l _nt_r_ct__ns".

Gr_w _ G_rd_n _s _ s_m_l_t__n g_m_ _n wh_ch pl_y_rs t_nd t_ _ p_tch _f b_r_, v_rt__l l_nd. B_dd_ng g_rd_n_rs b_y s__ds, pl_nt v_g_t_bl_s, _nd gr_w fl_w_rs _nd h_rbs. Th_y th_n h_rv_st th__r pr_d_c_ t_ __rn _n-g_m_ c_rr_ncy _nd r_s__rc_s. _s_rs c_n _ls_ _pgr_d_ th__r g_rd_n t_ _bt__n b_tt_r t__ls _nd n_w _r__s. G__d g_rd_n_rs c_n l_v_l _p t_ _nl_ck r_r_ s__ds, _x_t_c cr_ps, _nd n_w b__m_s (l_k_ _nd_rw_t_r g_rd_ns _r m_g_c_l f_r_sts). Th_ BBC _sk_d b_h_v___r_l _xp_rt Pr_f_ss_r _ndr_w Przybylsk_ _n wh_th_r th_ g_m_ c__ld c_lt_v_t_ _ l_v_ _f g_rd_n_ng. H_ s__d: "_t _s _nl_k_ly th_t _ g_m_ l_k_ th_s w_ll _nc__r_g_ r__l - w_rld g_rd_n_ng _ny m_r_ th_n S_p_r M_r__ _nc__r_g_s pl_mb_ng."

Punctuate the text and add capitals

a game about gardening has broken the record for the most users being online at the same time the horticultural themed game is called grow a garden it first broke the record for simultaneous users on the 14th of june when there were 164 million concurrent users this surpassed the previous milestone of 143 million set by the blockbuster game fortnite grow a garden then shattered its own record on the 21st of june with 213 million players this made it the most played video game ever at a single moment the game is owned by the online game platform roblox a spokesperson said the games global success is fuelled by exceptional user retention and vibrant social interactions

grow a garden is a simulation game in which players tend to a patch of bare virtual land budding gardeners buy seeds plant vegetables and grow flowers and herbs they then harvest their produce to earn ingame currency and resources users can also upgrade their garden to obtain better tools and new areas good gardeners can level up to unlock rare seeds exotic crops and new biomes like magical forests or underwater gardens the bbc asked behavioural expert professor andrew przybylski on whether the game could cultivate a love of gardening he said it is unlikely that a game like this will encourage real world gardening any more than super mario encourages plumbing

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Agameaboutgardeninghasbrokentherecordforthemostusersbeingo
nlineatthesametime.Thehorticultural-themedgameiscalledGrowaG
arden.Itfirstbroketherecordforsimultaneoususersonthe14thofJune,
whentherewere16.4millionconcurrentusers.Thissurpassedtheprevi
ousmilestoneof14.3millionsetbytheblockbustergameFortnite.Grow
aGardenthenshattereditsownrecordonthe21stofJune,with21.3milli
onplayers.Thismadeitthemost‑playedvideogameeveratasinglemom
ent.ThegameisownedbytheonlinegameplatformRoblox.Aspokesper
sonsaidthegame's"globalsuccessisfuelledbyexceptionaluserretenti
onandvibrantsocialinteractions".GrowaGardenisasimulationgamein
whichplayerstendtoapatchofbare,virtualland.Buddinggardenersbuy
seeds,plantvegetables,andgrowflowersandherbs.Theythenharvestt
heirproducetoearnin-gamecurrencyandresources.Userscanalsoupg
radetheirgardentoobtainbettertoolsandnewareas.Goodgardenersca
nleveluptounlockrareseeds,exoticcrops,andnewbiomes(likeunderw
atergardensormagicalforests).TheBBCaskedbehaviouralexpertProf
essorAndrewPrzybylskionwhetherthegamecouldcultivatealoveofga
rdening.Hesaid:"Itisunlikelythatagamelikethiswillencouragereal-w
orldgardeninganymorethanSuperMarioencouragesplumbing."

Free writing

Write about Grow a Garden for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

Gardening is one of the world's best hobbies. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Homework

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. VIDEO GAMES: Make a poster about video games. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. GARDENING: Write a magazine article about making people do gardening. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on gardening. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to encourage more people to garden. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

$US 9.99

Answers

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Back to the top

Help Support This Web Site

Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Download a sample of my book "1,000 Ideas & Activities for Language Teachers".

Breaking News English Lesson: Grow a Garden

Home | Help This Site

PRINT

LISTEN

READ

GRAMMAR

SPELL

WORDS