Відкритий урок з англійської мови

Тема уроку: Environmental Problems and Ways to Their Solution

9 Клас
Спеціалізованої школи №211
Оболонського району
м. Києва

Вчитель-методист: Фаусєк Г.П.

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Objectives:

 to practice extended use of active vocabulary on the topic;

 to develop students reading , listening and speaking skills;
 to introduce some information about recycling;
 to teach students responsibility for keeping the environment clean.

Equipment needed: a TV set, a casette recorder.

Material needed: a video “Save the Planet” (Video activity Book Enterprise 3); a
tapescript; handouts for vocabulary work and reading; Quiz “Are you environmentally
friendly?”

Procedure

1. Introducing the topic of the lesson

Teacher: Today we’re going to continue our work on the topic “The Earth Is Dearer
than Gold”. We’re going to dwell on the most vital environmental problems and
solutions to them. You ‘re going to do some vocabulary work, watch a short video film
and discuss the problems the people in the film are facing, you’re going to listen to
people talking about the importance of recycling and at the end of the lesson you’ll do a
quiz to see how friendly you are to the environment.

2. Warm up activity

Teacher: To begin with, I’d like you to read the quotations on the blackboard and
discuss them in two groups. What does the quotation mean to you? Do you agree or
disagree with the author?

a) “Harmony with land is like harmony with a friend: you cannot cherish his right
hand and chop off his left…The land is one organism.”
Aldo Leopold
b) “Destroying rainforest for economic gain is like burning a Renaissance Painting to
cook a meal.”
Edward O. Wilson
3. Vocabulary Work

Teacher: Now you are going to do some vocabulary work. Do the tasks in pairs.

(Handout # 1)

a) Match the words with their definitions.

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 b) Cross out the odd word.
c) Match the words in the list with the nouns.
4. Watching the video and discussing it

(Handout # 3)

Teacher: You’re going to watch a short video film about the problem an English village of
Dunich is facing today. Fill in the gaps with the missing words and get ready to answer the
questions on the blackboard:

- What is the problem that the village is facing today?

- What is the problem caused by?
- What do people think of the changes of the climate?
5. Reading and discussing
(Handout # 2)

a) Pre-reading task
Teacher: Could you name the most serious problems of the environment?
b) While-reading task
Teacher: Now read the text and complete the sentences. They touch the most vital
environmental problems:
- Greenhouse effect;
- Deforestation;
- Depletion of ozone layer.
Work in three groups.
c) Post-reading task
Fill in the table below. Suggest your solution to the problem.
6. Listening and discussing

SB Ex.35. p. 60

Teacher: Recycling is one of the possible ways to reduce the environmental pollution.
Some waste is biodegradable, they are not dangerous for the environmental as they
compose in some time. How long does it take waste to compose? Let’s look at this table
on the blackboard:

Paper takes 2-14 weeks

Cotton rag 1-5 months
Wood stake 13 years
Tin can 100 years
Aluminium can 200-500 years
Plastic bottle 450 years
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Glass bottle never

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a) Pre-listening task

Teacher: Do you take part in any recycling programmes or have you ever participated in
such activities? Discuss it in pairs and report about your classmate’s contribution to
recycling.

b) While-listening task

Teacher: Now you’re going to listen to five people talking about recycling ideas. Match
the speakers to the sentences. SB Ex. 35, p.60. Before listening to the conversation, I want
you to look at the blackboard. There are some words you might not know:

Turnout a number of people who are present at the event;

To show up to come;
Cardboard material like very stiff thick paper which is used for making boxes;
To crap to get rid of (smth which is no longer useful or needed);
To shred cut into small pieces;
To trade in you give it as part of the payment for smth else.
Teacher: Pay attention to the questions on the blackboard. When listening to the speakers,
try to find the answers to them.

1. Why is recycling of the aluminium can a successful programme?

2. What event was held at Centre City Zoo? What was the cost of admission? What did
the visitors watch and learn?
3. How can schoolchildren contribute to the recycling programme?
4. What is the aim of cardboard recycling scheme?
5. Whom can you help saving your old phone cards and recycling them?
c) Post-reading task

Teacher: Answer the questions. Which of these recycling programmes could you
participate in to help the environment?

7. Round table discussion.

Teacher: And now let’s have a round table discussion. Speak about the problems our
planet is facing today and their effect on it. Use the language in the box and suggest
solutions.

8. Quiz “Are you environmentally friendly?”

(Handout # 4)

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Teacher: To sum up what you have discussed, I want you to do the quiz in order to see if
you are environmentally friendly. Compare your score with your classmates’, think of how
you could increase your awareness of these problems and get ready to give a feedback.

9. Summing up and homework.

Teacher: Environmental problems are of great concern to us. Solution of ecological

problems requires the cooperation of all nations. By working together, we can really make
a difference to our planet- but don’t forget, we can make a difference as individuals, too.
We can all do a bit to save the planet and make our world a better place to live on, so I
hope you will remember to do so.

Now we have come to the end of the lesson. Your homework for the next lesson is Ex. 6,
p.61. Write an essay.

I appreciate your hard work at the lesson today. Your marks are…

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 Handout #1
1. Match the environmental words with their definitions.

1. Ecology a) The process of collecting used products in order to

produce useful materials which can be used again (instead
of throwing them away as rubbish).

2. Acid rain b) Carbon dioxide and other harmful gases in the atmosphere
which are believed to be the cause of a gradual warming
of the surface of the Earth (are believed to be the cause of
the greenhouse effect).

3. Deforestation c) The natural surrounding in which animals or plants

usually live or grow.

4. Endangered d) Fuels such as gas, coal, oil, which are produced from
species ancient plant material.

5. Extinct e) A rain which contains unusually large amount of harmful

chemicals as a result of the burning of substances such as
coal & oil.

6. Global f) No longer existing.

warming

7. Greenhouse g) The destruction of forest, resulting from excessive

gases clearing.

8. Ozone layer h) Animals that are threatened with extinction

9. Fossil fuels i) The preservation of valuable natural resources that exist in

limited amount from the damaging effects of human
activity.

10. Conservation j) The increase of world temperatures due to the greenhouse

effect

11. Recycling k) Layer in the upper atmosphere containing a high amount

of ozone gas that absorbs the suns ultraviolet radiation.

12. Habitat l) The relationship between the air, land, water, animals,
plants, etc., usually of a particular area.

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Keys: 1-l, 2-e, 3-g, 4-h, 5-f, 6-j, 7-b, 8-k, 9-d, 10-i, 11-a, 12-c.

2. Cross out the odd words.

1) pollution, radiation, destruction, population, environment;

2) to damage, to endanger, to destroy, to rain, to create;

3) safe, nuclear, dangerous, poisonous, harmful;

4) paper, waste, glass, wood, plastic, metal;

5) rare, valuable, disappearing, extinct, disease

6) recycle, reuse, redo, reprocess;

3. Match the words in the list with the nouns. Use each word only once. Which of
the collocations are used to describe threats to the environment? Which describe
possible ways to solve environmental problems?

Acid Plant National

Oil Endangered Illegal

Forest Fine Nuclear

Recycle Factory Environmental

Greenhouse Conservation Thick

2 Acid 12 Plant 5 National

9 Oil 1 Endangered 15 Illegal

Keys

10 Forest 14 Fine 6 Nuclear

13 Recycle 3 Factory 4 Environmental

11 Greenhouse 7 Conservation 8 Thick

1 ________ species 6 _______ waste 11 _______ gases

2 ________ rain 7 _______ areas 12 _______ trees
3 ________ emissions 8 _______ smog 13 _______ household
waste
4 ________ awareness 9 _______ spills 14 _______ factories
5 ________ parks 10 _______ fires 15 _______ fishing

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Keys:

1 endangered species 6 nuclear waste 11 greenhouse gases

2 acid rain 7 conservation areas 12 plant trees
3 factory emissions 8 thick smog 13 recycle household
waste
4 environmental awareness 9 oil spills 14 fine factories
5 national parks 10 forest fires 15 illegal fishing

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 Handout #2
1. While-reading task
Read the text and complete the sentence using the words from the box. You may have to
make some changes in the word forms.
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
burn destroy atmosphere experience
cans produce hold drive

The Earth has been getting hotter because we are (1) _______ too many "greenhouse
gases". These gases (2) _______ the heat. Trees and plants help take gases such as carbon
dioxide from the (3) _______, but we have now (4) _______ too many trees.
There are not enough trees and plants to do this job.
We make carbon dioxide when we (5) ______ wood or (6) _____ cars. CFCs (other
dangerous gases) are in refrigerators and aerosol (7) ______. Tin greenhouse effect is
noticeable in the warmer temperatures that people have (8) _____ over the last two
decades.

THE TROPICAL FORESTS

destroy encourage flood in danger
international medicine protect supply

Tropical forests or rain forests are moist, densely wooded areas with an annual
rainfall of 200 cm. The largest rain forests in the world are found in South America.
Tropical forests have (1) _____ us with many sorts of plants for food, (2) ____ and
industry. They could probably supply many more. They also reduce (3) ______, keep
water clean, and slow down the greenhouse effect. However, the tropical forests are being
(4) _____ to make room for things like farms, mines and plants. About 20 million hectares
are lost each year – an area more than twice the size of Austria.
WWF is working to (5) _____ and save the forests that are (6) ______; to plant new
trees for fuel wood and to slow down the greenhouse effect and to (7) _____ governments
to think about the forests and their importance when giving (8) ______ aid.

THE OZONE LAYER

dangerous cancer chemicals holes
acid absorb diseases radiation

There is a layer of gas called ozone. It covers the Earth. It protects us from the
dangerous rays of the sun because ozone gas (1) _____ the sun's ultraviolet (2) ____.
However, when ozone gets near the Earth (in (3) _____ rain, for example) it is also very
(4) _____ itself and causes (5) ______.
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 There are now (6) ______ in the ozone layer. Some (7) _____ used in refrigerators
and in the production of foam plastics reduce the ozone layer, allowing harmful
ultraviolet rays to enter the Earth's atmosphere, thereby contributing to skin (8) ____.

2. Post-reading task
a) Fill in the table below.
Problems Effects Solutions to problems
1. Global warming 1. Change in the world 1. Reduce use of aerosols;
climate
2. 2. 2.
b) Suggest your solutions to the problems.

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 Handout #3
Watching video
1. Fill in the gaps with one word.
Dunich is on the (1) ______ coast of England.
There used to be houses and (2) ______ were the cliffs are now.
The sea is taking away the (3) _______ . Fields, farmland, (4) ____ and even (5) _____ are
under (6) _____ due to floodwater. This area could soon become (7) ______ . Global
(8)______ is changing the (9) ______ all over the world. There are more (10) ______ in
some areas and more droughts in others.
2. Watch the environment survey again and fill in the missing words in the speech
bubbles. Then, match them to the people in the pictures.

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 3

Tapescript

Speaker 1
One of the most successful recycling programmes around today is that of the aluminum
can. This programme, which began in 1968, has shown us the value and importance of
recycling. Recycling aluminum helps the environment in two ways. Firstly, 95% less
energy is used to recycle a can than to make a new one. Secondly, by recycling them, we
are keeping cans out of our overflowing rubbish dumps and landfill sites.

Speaker 2

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Last weekend thousands of people showed up at Centre City zoo. The unusually large
turnout was due to 'plastic recycling day'. In an effort to help the environment, the zoo
offered 50% off the cost of admission to anyone who brought in a clean, empty plastic
bottle for recycling. Visitors to the zoo watched plastic recycling demonstrations and
learnt about all the recycled products available. It was such a successful event that similar
events are planned for the near future.

Speaker 3
Summer is nearly over and, this September, as the children get ready to head back to
school, here are some environmentally friendly tips to keep in mind. Firstly, try to reuse
whatever you can from last year. You may be able to buy second hand books as well.
Then, make sure you buy only recycled paper and notebooks. If you really must buy
something new, make sure it's something that can be used again next year - and the next.

Speaker 4
A UK based charity has found a way to use cardboard recycling to help adults with
learning disabilities. The scheme involves a shop called 'Scrap for Play' where shredded
cardboard is made into bedding for horses and farm animals. The trainees are sent to pick
up the used cardboard from local businesses and taught how to use the shredding machine.
The shredded cardboard is then sold to local farmers, who use it to make warm bedding
for their animals. This scheme is providing job training and employment for people in
need, while at the same time helping the environment.

Speaker 5
The next time you use your phone card to call a friend or make dinner reservations, you
could be helping to feed a starving child in India. A new scheme means that each card can
be traded in by a child at a soup kitchen for a meal of bread, lentils, vegetables and dessert.
So, save your old phone cards and recycle them. You could be saving a child's life.

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 Handout #4
PERSONALITY QUIZ
ARE YOU ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY?
It is personal action that will help preserve the world's environment. Actions, which are
simple and quick. There are many actions each person can take every day. Try this test to
know if you are environmentally aware.
Each positive answer gives you one point, each negative answer gives you a zero. You:
1. Would rather walk or ride a bike than use means of transportation.
2. Turn off light and other electrical equipment when not in use.
3. Take shorter showers to save water.
4. Write on both sides of paper to save trees.
5. Put on more clothing in winter instead of turning up the electric heater.
6. Buy products that are recycled, recyclable, reliable, repairable, refillable, reusable.
7. Try to cook several meals at a time.
8. Repair leaking taps.
9. Use mugs or glasses instead of paper cups.
10. Make sure the refrigerator door is fully closed.
11. Use the clothes line rather than a dryer.
12. Use energy efficient light bulbs.
13. Do not pour oil, fat, milk, chemicals down the sink.
14. Do not drop litter around.
15. Look for opportunities to reduce trash.
16. Reuse bags, containers, paper, boxes and other items.
17. Select products with the least wasteful packaging.
18. Buy, sell or donate used goods such as clothes, furniture or appliances.
19. Encourage your friends to be environmentally friendly.
Count your score and analyse the results.
16—19: You definitely think globally and act locally. Good for you.
11—15: You are quite environmentally friendly but there are actions you can take to be
more environmentally aware.
Less than 11: You could be characterized as a person who doesn't make an effective and
posi¬tive contribution to the environmental protection. You forget that this is the world for
you and your future children to live in. Try not to be so indifferent to the world's
environment. Learn how to preserve it.

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