The Reading / Listening - Earth Prize - Level 3

Three sixteen-year-olds from India have won this year's Earth Prize. This award is the world's largest environmental sustainability competition for teenagers. Teens can win by developing innovative solutions to global eco-challenges. The three Indian teenagers won by inventing a biodegradable powder made from old tamarind seeds. A tamarind is a tropical fruit that is used in sauces and desserts. The powder attracts microplastics when it is put in water. The microplastics stick together and form a mass that we can see. The mass of microplastics and powder can then be removed from the water with a magnet. The powder is a simple, cheap way to make water safer to drink in rural areas.

The three teenagers called their invention 'Plas-Stick'. They were extremely happy to win an award for it. They said: "Being named the global winners of the Earth Prize is incredibly special for all of us, especially as the first team from India to receive it." They added: "Tiny bits of plastic hide in our drinking water, but they're too small to see. We made a special powder from thrown-away tamarind seeds that acts like a magnet for these tiny plastics." Their website outlines another benefit. It said: "The collected plastic is safely turned into small useful items… so it can't return to nature. This simple method helps protect people, animals, and our planet from invisible plastic pollution."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Earth Prize - Level 0,  Earth Prize - Level 1   or  Earth Prize - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/3-teens-win-global-earth-prize-for-inventing-tamarind-powder-that-easily-removes-microplastics/
  • https://www.ndtv.com/feature/indian-teenagers-win-earth-prize-2026-for-turning-tamarind-seeds-into-microplastic-filter-11579235
  • https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/edugraph/of-tamarind-seeds-and-microplastic-prnt/cid/2163540


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. MICROPLASTICS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about microplastics. 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?
       sixteen-year-olds / award / sustainability / teenagers / biodegradable / microplastics /
       invention / extremely happy / drinking water / tamarind / return to nature / planet
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. SUSTAINABILITY: Students A strongly believe sustainability should be a core subject in all schools; Students B strongly believe that's not necessary. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. ECO-CHALLENGES: How big are these challenges? What can we do about them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Challenges

What We Can Do

Plastic pollution

 

 

Climate change

 

 

Biodiversity loss

 

 

Deforestation

 

 

Ocean Acidification

 

 

Water pollution

 

 
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. MAGNET: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "magnet". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. DRINKING WATER: Rank these with your partner. Put the biggest threats to drinking water at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Microplastics
  • Factory waste
  • Oil spills
  • Dirty rivers
  • Farm chemicals
  • Sewage
  • Garbage
  • Not enough rain

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. award a. Using things in a way that does not harm the future.
      2. sustainability b. Something new that someone has made or created.
      3. competition c. Using new and clever ideas.
      4. innovative d. An event where people try to win by being the best.
      5. invention e. An important prize that someone gets for doing something well.
      6. biodegradable f. In the countryside, away from towns and cities.
      7. rural g. Able to break down naturally and not harm the environment.

    Paragraph 2

      8. extremely h. Unable to be seen.
      9. tiny i. Very, very, very.
      10. powder j. An object that can pull some metals towards it.
      11. seeds k. Things that make the environment dirty or harmful.
      12. magnet l. A dry substance made of very small particles.
      13. invisible m. Small parts of a plant that can grow into new plants.
      14. pollution n. Very small.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The winners of a prize are three sixteen-year-olds from India.     T / F
  2. The Earth Prize is a sports competition.     T / F
  3. The teenagers made a special powder from seeds from a tropical fruit.     T / F
  4. The powder makes water look dirtier.     T / F
  5. The powder the students invented is called "Plastic Stick".     T / F
  6. The teenagers were not so happy about winning the award.     T / F
  7. Tiny bits of plastic in our drinking water are easy to see.     T / F
  8. The collected microplastic is turned into useful items.     T / F

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

  1. won
  2. largest
  3. innovative
  4. old
  5. simple
  6. called
  7. happy
  8. extremely
  9. tiny
  10. protect
  1. biggest
  2. very, very small
  3. used
  4. easy
  5. very
  6. keep safe
  7. received
  8. named
  9. creative
  10. pleased

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

  1. Three sixteen-
  2. A tamarind is a tropical
  3. The powder attracts
  4. be removed from the water with
  5. make water safer to drink
  6. They were extremely
  7. Tiny
  8. We made a special powder from thrown-
  9. plastic is safely turned into small
  10. This simple method helps protect
  1. bits of plastic
  2. microplastics
  3. in rural areas
  4. people
  5. away tamarind seeds
  6. a magnet
  7. useful items
  8. fruit
  9. happy to win an award
  10. year-olds from India

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
attracts
seeds
award
rural
won
removed
sauces
solutions

Three sixteen-year-olds from India have (1) ______________________________________________ this year's Earth Prize. This (2) ______________________________________________ is the world's largest environmental sustainability competition for teenagers. Teens can win by developing innovative (3) ______________________________________________ to global eco-challenges. The three Indian teenagers won by inventing a biodegradable powder made from old tamarind (4) ______________________________________________. A tamarind is a tropical fruit that is used in (5) ______________________________________________ and desserts. The powder (6) ______________________________________________ microplastics when it is put in water. The microplastics stick together and form a mass that we can see. The mass of microplastics and powder can then be (7) ______________________________________________ from the water with a magnet. The powder is a simple, cheap way to make water safer to drink in (8) ______________________________________________ areas.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
magnet
receive
method
happy
small
invention
safely
incredibly

The three teenagers called their (9) ______________________________________________ 'Plas-Stick'. They were extremely (10) ______________________________________________ to win an award for it. They said: "Being named the global winners of the Earth Prize is (11) ______________________________________________ special for all of us, especially as the first team from India to (12) ______________________________________________ it." They added: "Tiny bits of plastic hide in our drinking water, but they're too (13) ______________________________________________ to see. We made a special powder from thrown-away tamarind seeds that acts like a (14) ______________________________________________ for these tiny plastics." Their website outlines another benefit. It said: "The collected plastic is (15) ______________________________________________ turned into small useful items... so it can't return to nature. This simple (16) ______________________________________________ helps protect people, animals, and our planet from invisible plastic pollution."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Teens can win by developing innovative solutions to ______
     a.  global eco-challenge is
     b.  global eco-challenge
     c.  global eco-challenges
     d.  global eco-challengers
2)  A tamarind is a tropical fruit that is used in ______
     a.  sources and desserts
     b.  sauces and deserts
     c.  sources and deserts
     d.  sauces and desserts
3)  The microplastics stick together and form a mass that ______
     a.  we can sees
     b.  we can seeing
     c.  we can seen
     d.  we can see
4)  The mass of microplastics and powder can ______
     a.  then be removed
     b.  then been removed
     c.  them be remove
     d.  then be remove
5)  The powder is a simple, cheap way to make water safer to drink ______
     a.  in rural area
     b.  in rural areas
     c.  in rurally arenas
     d.  in rural arenas

6)  They were extremely happy to win an ______
     a.  award for it
     b.  awards for it
     c.  reward for it
     d.  reward four it
7)  Being named the global winners of the Earth Prize is incredibly special for ______
     a.  all at us
     b.  whole of us
     c.  all of us
     d.  all of use
8)  We made a special powder from thrown-away tamarind seeds that acts ______
     a.  likes a magnet
     b.  like a magnet
     c.  liked a magnet
     d.  likely a magnet
9)  The collected plastic is safely turned into ______
     a.  small usefully items
     b.  small useful item
     c.  small use full items
     d.  small useful items
10)  helps protect people, animals, and our planet from ______
     a.  invisible plastic polluted
     b.  invisible plastic pollutant
     c.  in visible plastic pollution
     d.  invisible plastic pollution

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Three sixteen-year-olds from India (1) __________________________________________________ year's Earth Prize. This award is the world's largest environmental sustainability (2) __________________________________________________. Teens can win by developing innovative solutions to global eco-challenges. The three Indian teenagers won by inventing (3) __________________________________________________ made from old tamarind seeds. A tamarind is a tropical fruit that is used in sauces and desserts. The powder (4) __________________________________________________ it is put in water. The microplastics stick together and form a mass that we can see. The mass of microplastics and powder can then (5) __________________________________________________ the water with a magnet. The powder is a simple, cheap way to make water safer to drink (6) __________________________________________________.

The three teenagers (7) __________________________________________________ 'Plas-Stick'. They were extremely happy to win an award for it. They said: "Being named the (8) __________________________________________________ the Earth Prize is incredibly special for all of us, especially as the first team from India to receive it." They added: "Tiny bits of plastic (9) __________________________________________________ drinking water, but they're too small to see. We made a special powder from thrown-away tamarind seeds that acts (10) __________________________________________________ for these tiny plastics." Their website outlines another benefit. It said: "The collected plastic is safely turned into small useful items... so it can't (11) __________________________________________________. This simple method helps protect people, animals, and (12) __________________________________________________ invisible plastic pollution."

Comprehension questions

  1. Who can enter the Earth Prize competition?
  2. What did the three Indian teenagers invent?
  3. What is a tamarind?
  4. How are the microplastics and powder removed from the water?
  5. Why could this powder be useful in rural areas?
  6. What is the name of the teenagers' invention?
  7. How did the teenagers feel about winning the Earth Prize?
  8. How many times has India now won the Earth Prize?
  9. What do the collected microplastics not go back to?
  10. What is the collected plastic turned into after it is removed?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Who can enter the Earth Prize competition?
a) environmentalists
b) anyone
c) children
d) teenagers
2) What did the three Indian teenagers invent?
a) a new kind of water
b) a biodegradable powder
c) a new award
d) a tamarind seed
3) What is a tamarind?
a) an eco-challenge
b) a chemical
c) a desert
d) a tropical fruit
4) How are the microplastics and powder removed from the water?
a) with a filter
b) using paper
c) with a magnet
d) with the help of the Sun
5) Why could this powder be useful in rural areas?
a) It's peaceful.
b) There are many tamarind trees.
c) It's sunny.
d) It makes water safer to drink.

6) What is the name of the teenagers' invention?
a) Plastic Stick
b) Plaster Stick
c) Plas-Stick
d) Plus-Sticker
7) How did the teenagers feel about winning the Earth Prize?
a) extremely happy
b) excited
c) good
d) amazed
8) How many times has India now won the Earth Prize?
a) seven
b) two
c) one
d) three
9) What do the collected microplastics not go back to?
a) the shops
b) nature
c) oil
d) basics
10) What is the collected plastic turned into after it is removed?
a) useful items
b) seeds
c) chemicals
d) oil

Role play

Role  A – Microplastics
You think microplastics are the biggest threat to our drinking water. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their threats aren't as serious. Also, tell the others which is the least serious of these (and why): dirty rivers, farm chemicals or not enough rain.

Role  B – Dirty Rivers
You think dirty rivers are the biggest threat to our drinking water. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their threats aren't as serious. Also, tell the others which is the least serious of these (and why): microplastics, farm chemicals or not enough rain.

Role  C – Farm Chemicals
You think farm chemicals are the biggest threat to our drinking water. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their threats aren't as serious. Also, tell the others which is the least serious of these (and why): dirty rivers, microplastics or not enough rain.

Role  D – Not Enough Rain
You think not enough rain is the biggest threat to our drinking water. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their threats aren't as serious. Also, tell the others which is the least serious of these (and why): dirty rivers, farm chemicals or microplastics.

After reading / listening

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

'prize'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'microplastics'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • award
    • solutions
    • old
    • sauces
    • together
    • simple
    • happy
    • incredibly
    • hide
    • acts
    • collected
    • protect

    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 - Earth Prize

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'prize'?
    3. Have you ever won a prize?
    4. Should there be more awards for sustainability?
    5. What eco-challenges do you know of?
    6. What do you know about tamarind?
    7. What do you think of the tamarind-seed powder?
    8. Should teenagers be encouraged to invent things at school?
    9. What problems do microplastics cause?
    10. Do you worry about the safety of your drinking water?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'microplastic'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you think of the name 'Plas-Stick'?
    5. Would you use this new invention?
    6. What can we use instead of plastic?
    7. What other types of pollution are you worried about?
    8. What will the world be like if we use even more plastic?
    9. What can we do to protect our planet from invisible pollution?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the teenage prizewinners?

    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)

    Three sixteen-year-olds from India have (1) ____ this year's Earth Prize. This award is the world's largest environmental sustainability competition for teenagers. Teens can win (2) ____ developing innovative solutions to global eco-challenges. The three Indian teenagers won by inventing a biodegradable powder made (3) ____ old tamarind seeds. A tamarind is a tropical fruit that is used in (4) ____ and desserts. The powder attracts microplastics when it is put in water. The microplastics stick together and (5) ____ a mass that we can see. The mass of microplastics and powder can then be removed from the water with a magnet. The powder is a simple, cheap way to make water safer to drink in (6) ____ areas.

    The three teenagers called their invention 'Plas-Stick'. They were (7) ____ happy to win an award for it. They said: "Being named (8) ____ global winners of the Earth Prize is incredibly special for all of us, especially as the first team from India to receive it." They added: "Tiny bits of plastic (9) ____ in our drinking water, but they're too small to see. We made a special powder from thrown-away tamarind seeds that acts like a magnet for (10) ____ tiny plastics." Their website outlines another benefit. It said: "The collected plastic is (11) ____ turned into small useful items... so it can't return to nature. This simple method helps protect people, animals, and our planet (12) ____ invisible plastic pollution."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    (a)     winner     (b)     won     (c)     wins     (d)     winning    
    (a)     at     (b)     by     (c)     of     (d)     that    
    (a)     as     (b)     to     (c)     at     (d)     from    
    (a)     sourcing     (b)     sauces     (c)     saucers     (d)     sources    
    (a)     firm     (b)     form     (c)     farm     (d)     frame    
    (a)     rurally     (b)     rear     (c)     rural     (d)     rearing    
    (a)     extreme     (b)     extremes     (c)     extremely     (d)     extremity    
    (a)     a     (b)     for     (c)     the     (d)     by    
    (a)     hides     (b)     hiding     (c)     hidden     (d)     hide    
    (a)     these     (b)     them     (c)     there     (d)     they    
    (a)     safely     (b)     safety     (c)     safe     (d)     save    
    (a)     for     (b)     at     (c)     from     (d)     of

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. this awdar is the world's largest
    2. environmental utaibinliaysst competition
    3. Teens can win by developing innovative isosuonlt
    4. a tamarind is a oirtcalp fruit
    5. the powder tatscart microplastics
    6. make water safer to drink in rulra areas

    Paragraph 2

    1. teenagers called their noniivetn 'Plas-Stick'
    2. they were xtremleye happy
    3. iclyebridn special
    4. their website outlines another ientfeb
    5. so it can't return to nrteau
    6. invisible plastic toolnuipl

    Put the text back together

    (    )   and desserts. The powder attracts microplastics when it is put in water. The microplastics stick
    (    )   award for it. They said: "Being named the global winners of the Earth Prize is incredibly special for all
    (    )   away tamarind seeds that acts like a magnet for these tiny plastics." Their website outlines another
    (    )   benefit. It said: "The collected plastic is safely turned into small useful items... so it can't return to
    (    )   environmental sustainability competition for teenagers. Teens can win by developing innovative
    (    )   from the water with a magnet. The powder is a simple, cheap way to make water safer to drink in rural areas.
    (    )   nature. This simple method helps protect people, animals, and our planet from invisible plastic pollution."
    (    )   of us, especially as the first team from India to receive it." They added: "Tiny bits of
    (    )   plastic hide in our drinking water, but they're too small to see. We made a special powder from thrown-
    (    )   powder made from old tamarind seeds. A tamarind is a tropical fruit that is used in sauces
    (    )   solutions to global eco-challenges. The three Indian teenagers won by inventing a biodegradable
    (    )   The three teenagers called their invention 'Plas-Stick'. They were extremely happy to win an
    (  1  )   Three sixteen-year-olds from India have won this year's Earth Prize. This award is the world's largest
    (    )   together and form a mass that we can see. The mass of microplastics and powder can then be removed

    Put the words in the right order

    1. from   have   India   prize   sixteen-year-olds   the   Three   won   .
    2. by   can   developing   innovative   solutions   Teens   win   .
    3. A   biodegradable   from   made   old   powder   seeds   tamarind   .
    4. A   fruit   in   is   sauces   that   tropical   used   .
    5. areas   drink   in   Make   rural   safer   to   water   .
    6. an   award   extremely   happy   They   to   were   win   .
    7. first   from   India   it   receive   team   The   to   .
    8. bits   hide   in   of   our   plastic   Tiny   water   .
    9. a   Acts   for   like   magnet   plastics   these   tiny   .
    10. into   is   items   Plastic   safely   small   turned   useful   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Three sixteen-year-olds from India have winner / won this year's Earth Prize. This award is the world's largest environmental sustainability competition for / to teenagers. Teens can win by development / developing innovative solutions to global / globally eco-challenges. The three Indian teenagers won at / by inventing a biodegradable powder made from old tamarind seeds. A tamarind is a tropical / tropically fruit that is used in sauces and desserts / deserts. The powder attracts / attractive microplastics when it is put in water. The microplastics stick together and form a mass that we can look / see. The mass of microplastics and powder can then be removed from the water with a magnet. The powder is a simple, cheap way to make water safer to drink on / in rural areas.

    The three teenagers called their invent / invention 'Plas-Stick'. They were extremely / extreme happy to win an award for it / them. They said: "Being named the global winners of the Earth Prize is incredibly special / specialist for all of us, especially as the first / fast team from India to receive it." They added: "Tiny bits of plastic hidden / hide in our drinking water, but they're too small to see. We made a special power / powder from thrown-away tamarind seeds that acts like / likes a magnet for these tiny plastics." Their website outlines another benefit. It said: "The collected plastic is safely turned onto / into small useful items... so it can't return to nature. This simple method helps protect people, animals, and our planet from / to invisible plastic pollution."

    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)

    Thr__  s_xt__n-y__r-_lds  fr_m  _nd__  h_v_  w_n  th_s  y__r's  __rth  Pr_z_.  Th_s  _w_rd  _s  th_  w_rld's  l_rg_st  _nv_r_nm_nt_l  s_st__n_b_l_ty  c_mp_t_t__n  f_r  t__n_g_rs.  T__ns  c_n  w_n  by  d_v_l_p_ng  _nn_v_t_v_  s_l_t__ns  t_  gl_b_l  _c_-ch_ll_ng_s.  Th_  thr__  _nd__n  t__n_g_rs  w_n  by  _nv_nt_ng  _  b__d_gr_d_bl_  p_wd_r  m_d_  fr_m  _ld  t_m_r_nd  s__ds.  _  t_m_r_nd  _s  _  tr_p_c_l  fr__t  th_t  _s  _s_d  _n  s__c_s  _nd  d_ss_rts.  Th_  p_wd_r  _ttr_cts  m_cr_pl_st_cs  wh_n  _t  _s  p_t  _n  w_t_r.  Th_  m_cr_pl_st_cs  st_ck  t_g_th_r  _nd  f_rm  _  m_ss  th_t  w_  c_n  s__.  Th_  m_ss  _f  m_cr_pl_st_cs  _nd  p_wd_r  c_n  th_n  b_  r_m_v_d  fr_m  th_  w_t_r  w_th  _  m_gn_t.  Th_  p_wd_r  _s  _  s_mpl_,  ch__p  w_y  t_  m_k_  w_t_r  s_f_r  t_  dr_nk  _n  r_r_l  _r__s.

    Th_  thr__  t__n_g_rs  c_ll_d  th__r  _nv_nt__n  'Pl_s-St_ck'.  Th_y  w_r_  _xtr_m_ly  h_ppy  t_  w_n  _n  _w_rd  f_r  _t.  Th_y  s__d:  "B__ng  n_m_d  th_  gl_b_l  w_nn_rs  _f  th_  __rth  Pr_z_  _s  _ncr_d_bly  sp_c__l  f_r  _ll  _f  _s,  _sp_c__lly  _s  th_  f_rst  t__m  fr_m  _nd__  t_  r_c__v_  _t."  Th_y  _dd_d:  "T_ny  b_ts  _f  pl_st_c  h_d_  _n  __r  dr_nk_ng  w_t_r,  b_t  th_y'r_  t__  sm_ll  t_  s__.  W_  m_d_  _  sp_c__l  p_wd_r  fr_m  thr_wn-_w_y  t_m_r_nd  s__ds  th_t  _cts  l_k_  _  m_gn_t  f_r  th_s_  t_ny  pl_st_cs."  Th__r  w_bs_t_  __tl_n_s  _n_th_r  b_n_f_t.  _t  s__d:  "Th_  c_ll_ct_d  pl_st_c  _s  s_f_ly  t_rn_d  _nt_  sm_ll  _s_f_l  _t_ms...  s_  _t  c_n't  r_t_rn  t_  n_t_r_.  Th_s  s_mpl_  m_th_d  h_lps  pr_t_ct  p__pl_,  _n_m_ls,  _nd  __r  pl_n_t  fr_m  _nv_s_bl_  pl_st_c  p_ll_t__n."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    three sixteenyearolds from india have won this years earth prize this award is the worlds largest environmental sustainability competition for teenagers teens can win by developing innovative solutions to global ecochallenges the three indian teenagers won by inventing a biodegradable powder made from old tamarind seeds a tamarind is a tropical fruit that is used in sauces and desserts the powder attracts microplastics when it is put in water the microplastics stick together and form a mass that we can see the mass of microplastics and powder can then be removed from the water with a magnet the powder is a simple cheap way to make water safer to drink in rural areas

    the three teenagers called their invention plasstick they were extremely happy to win an award for it they said being named the global winners of the earth prize is incredibly special for all of us especially as the first team from india to receive it they added tiny bits of plastic hide in our drinking water but theyre too small to see we made a special powder from thrownaway tamarind seeds that acts like a magnet for these tiny plastics their website outlines another benefit it said the collected plastic is safely turned into small useful items so it cant return to nature this simple method helps protect people animals and our planet from invisible plastic pollution

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Threesixteen-year-oldsfromIndiahavewonthisyear'sEarthPrize.Thi
    sawardistheworld'slargestenvironmentalsustainabilitycompetitionf
    orteenagers.Teenscanwinbydevelopinginnovativesolutionstoglobal
    eco-challenges.ThethreeIndianteenagerswonbyinventingabiodegra
    dablepowdermadefromoldtamarindseeds.Atamarindisatropicalfruit
    thatisusedinsaucesanddesserts.Thepowderattractsmicroplasticswh
    enitisputinwater.Themicroplasticssticktogetherandformamassthat
    wecansee.Themassofmicroplasticsandpowdercanthenberemovedfr
    omthewaterwithamagnet.Thepowderisasimple,cheapwaytomakew
    atersafertodrinkinruralareas.Thethreeteenagerscalledtheirinventio
    n'Plas-Stick'.Theywereextremelyhappytowinanawardforit.Theysai
    d:"BeingnamedtheglobalwinnersoftheEarthPrizeisincrediblyspecialf
    orallofus,especiallyasthefirstteamfromIndiatoreceiveit."Theyadded
    :"Tinybitsofplastichideinourdrinkingwater,butthey'retoosmalltosee
    .Wemadeaspecialpowderfromthrown-awaytamarindseedsthatactsli
    keamagnetforthesetinyplastics."Theirwebsiteoutlinesanotherbenef
    it.Itsaid:"Thecollectedplasticissafelyturnedintosmallusefulitems...s
    oitcan'treturntonature.Thissimplemethodhelpsprotectpeople,anim
    als,andourplanetfrominvisibleplasticpollution."

    Free writing

    Write about Earth Prize for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

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    Academic writing

    We should ban all plastic. 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. MICROPLASTICS: Make a poster about microplastics. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. TEENAGE INVENTORS: Write a magazine article about creating more awards for teenage inventors. 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 microplastics. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to stop them entering the environment. 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

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    Answers

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

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