| Hands-on English current events activityfor ESL Note: You are welcome to print, copy and use this activity with your students. You are also welcome to link to this site. However, please don't re-publish this activity anywhere without permission. (Don't miss the next activity--read below about our new Update Service!)
|
s u p p o r t| Reading activity,
with multi-level dictation: After Katrina, Mexico helps U.S.  Here is a short reading passage about the
relief convoy that came to San Antonio from Mexico. It is suitable for
beginners (with some help) as well as more advanced students. You can
read and discuss this with your students, and do as many of the
suggested activities as seem appropriate. We have also provided a
"multi-level dictation" further down, which makes a great lesson if
you'd like to use it that way.Suggested activities: 1) Discussion. See the discussion questions following the story; these could make for some very interesting discussions! 2) Map work. Trace a land route from Mexico City to San Antonio. Estimate the distance and travel time. 3) Math. Do some calculations about the meals. For example, 3 meals a day for 7,000 people is how many meals per day? How many meals for 3 weeks? Or, 5 cups of water a day each for 7,000 people is how many gallons? How many gallons for 21 days? 4) Job descriptions. Have the students figure out what kinds of jobs the Mexican soldiers will have to do, i.e., cooking, serving, cleanup, pitching tents, organizing the people, running the water purifiers, etc. It will be interesting to see if the students can organize a plan. One nice way to do this is to have the students work in small groups of 4 or 5, with one student designated as the "General" and the others as expert advisors. 5) Writing. Ask your students to imagine that they are one of the soldiers serving in this relief effort. Have them write a letter home, describing their first day on the job. (If your students are Spanish speakers, it would be most logical to write this 'letter home' in Spanish. In that case, ask the students to also write a summary of the letter in English to share with the rest of the class.) 6) Advanced vocabulary. Even beginning students like to learn about the more sophisticated terminology that they hear on the news. It's appropriate to introduce these once the students understand the story. For example: soldiers=military personnel, storm victims=evacuees, machines to make clean water=mobile water treatment plants, help=disaster relief/aid, army trucks=military vehicles/convoy. Reading: Mexico helps U.S. After Hurricane Katrina, many countries
offered help to the United States. On September 8, the Mexican army
brought help to victims of the storm. They drove 45 trucks from Mexico
to San Antonio, Texas, where many storm victims are staying.The
trucks carried 190 soldiers. Some of these soldiers are doctors, nurses
and engineers. They brought some big army kitchens and a lot of food.
They brought machines to make clean drinking water. They will give food
and water to 7,000 people for 3 weeks.When
the Mexican trucks drove into the U.S., many Americans came to watch.
They smiled and waved flags to greet the Mexicans. The last time the
Mexican army came to Texas was 159 years ago. In 1846, the U.S. and
Mexico were enemies. They fought a war against each other. But today
they are allies.The
Mexican army brought food, water and help for the storm victims. They
also brought something else--friendship. Thank you, Mexico!Discussion: • A news reporter said, "This is a historic day." Why did he say that? • Do you know about a disaster in your country? If so, what happened? Did you see it? Where did people go after the disaster? Who helped them? What kind of help did they get? How long was it before the people had their homes again? Multi-level dictation: How
to do it--We prefer having the students read and discuss the
text before writing a dictation, so that they are already familiar with
the story. There are five levels provided here for the dictation. Level
A is the easiest, and Level E (a blank piece of paper!) is the most
challenging. Before class, make separate copies of each level. You may
have to cut and paste your copy to fit each level onto one sheet. Make
sure the text is large enough to write comfortably in the blanks, and
if not enlarge the page first before reproducing.When you come to class,
bring some extra
copies of each level so that students can repeat the exercise at a more
difficult level, if they choose. You can let each student select which
level to start with. Once everyone has a paper, give the dictation by
reading each sentence aloud at natural speed, pausing between sentences
for students to write. You can repeat as often as the students wish.When
the students are finished writing, have them pair up with another
student to correct the dictation. Notice that the beginning students
have more information and can help advanced students correct their
papers! If the students wish to, you can repeat the exercise with the
students selecting a more challenging level each time.Note: (Shameless plug for Hands-on English!) We print a
multi-level dictation in each issue of Hands-on English, and this is one
of our most popular features! If you'd like more activities like this
one,
subscribe to our print publication (link at bottom of this page).
Thanks!Level A--Mexico helps U.S. After Hurricane
Katrina,
many countries offered _______ to the United States. On September ____
, the Mexican army brought _______ to victims of the storm. They drove
____ trucks from _________ to San Antonio, _________ , where many storm
victims are staying.The
trucks carried
_______ soldiers. Some of these soldiers are ___________ , nurses and
engineers. They brought some big army kitchens and a lot of ________ .
They brought machines to make clean drinking ________ . They will give
food and water to ___________ people for ____ weeks.When
the Mexican trucks
drove into the _______ , many Americans came to watch. They smiled and
waved flags to greet the Mexicans. The last time the Mexican army came
to Texas was _______ years ago. In ________ , the U.S. and Mexico were
enemies. They fought a ______ against each other. But ________ they are
allies.The
Mexican army brought
food, _______ and help for the storm victims. They also brought
something else--friendship. Thank ______ , Mexico!Level B--Mexico helps U.S. After Hurricane
Katrina,
________ ___________ offered help to the _________ _________ . On
____________ 8, the ___________ ________ brought help to victims of the
storm. They ________ 45 trucks ________ ___________ _____ San Antonio,
Texas, where _________ storm victims are staying.______
___________
carried 190 __________ . Some of these soldiers are ___________ ,
___________ ______ engineers. They brought some ______ __________
kitchens and ____ _______ _____ food. ________ __________
machines to make ________ _____________ water. They _______ _________
food _____ water to 7,000 ________ for 3 _________.When
the Mexican trucks
________ ________ the _____, many Americans _______ _____ __________ .
They ________ and waved flags ____ _________ the Mexicans. The last
time the Mexican army _______ _____ _________ was 159 _________ _______
. In 1846, ______ U.S. ______ ____________ ________ enemies. They
fought ____ ______ against ______ _________ . But _________ _______
______ allies.The
Mexican _______
___________ food, water ______ help ______ ________ storm victims.
_________ _______ _________ something else--friendship. __________
______, __________ !Level C--Mexico helps U.S. ________ Hurricane
Katrina, ________ ____________ offered _______ _____ ______ ___________
_________. On September 8, ______ ___________ ________ ________ help to
victims ______ ________ ___________. They ________ _____ ___________
_________ Mexico _____ San Antonio, Texas, __________ __________ storm
victims _______ _______________.The
__________ _____________ ______ ___________. ________ _____ _________
soldiers ______ ___________, __________ and _____________ .
They brought ________ ______ ________ _____________ and _____ ________
___ _________. They brought ___________ _____ _________ ________
______________ ________ . They ______ ________ _________ and _________
to
7,000 ___________ ______ ______ ___________.When
______ _____________ __________ ________ into ______ ________,
_________ _______________ _______ to ____________. _________
___________ and
waved _______ _____ _________ ______ Mexicans. The last time _____
_____________ _________ _______ _____ __________ ______ 159 _________
________ . In 1846, ______ ________ and ___________ ________
__________.
They _________ _____ _______ ___________ each other. But ________ they
_______ ___________.______
____________ ________ ___________
food, _________ ______ __________ for _____ _________ victims. They
_______ __________ ___________________ ________--friendship. _________
_______, _______________ !Level D--Mexico helps U.S. ________
_______________ _____________ , ________ ____________ ________________
_______ _____ ______ ___________ _________. _______ _______________
____, ______ ___________ ________ ________ _________ ____ ___________
______ ________ ___________. _________ ________ _____ ___________
_________ ___________ _____ ________ _____________ , _________ ,
__________ __________ ________ ___________ _______ _______________._______
__________ _____________ ______ ___________. ________ _____ _________
___________ ______ ___________, __________ ______ _____________ .
_________ ____________ ________ ______ ________ _____________ _____
_____ ________ ___ _________. __________ ____________ ___________ _____
_________ ________ ______________ ________ . _________ ______ ________
_________ _______ _________ ______ ____________ ___________ ______
______ ___________.________
______ _____________ __________ ________ _______ ______ ________,
_________ _______________ _______ _____ ____________. _________
___________ _______ __________ _______ _____ _________ ______
___________. ________ _________ _________ _____ _____________ _________
_______ _____ __________ ______ _______ _________ ________ . _______
_________, ______ ________ ________ ___________ ________ __________.
_______ _________ _____ _______ ___________ _______ __________. ______
________ _______ _______ ___________.______
____________ ________ ___________ ________, _________ ______ __________
________ _____ _________ ____________. _________ _______ __________
___________________ ________--_______________. _________ _______,
_______________ !Level E--Mexico helps U.S. Use a blank sheet of paper!Feedback. . .
Do you subscribe to Hands-on English?
 |
