Download CLIL Earth Sciences The Earth

CLIL Earth Sciences
Planet Earth
Warm-up
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Vocabulary
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The Earth is the third planet from the Sun.
The Earth is the second largest planet in
the solar system.
The Earth is about 4.5 billion years old.
89% of the Earth is covered in water.
The Earth’s atmosphere is 77% oxygen.
superficie (L.07)
placche (L.12)
galleggiano (L.12) margine (L.16) terremoti (L.18)
secolo (L.27) Check
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Answer the questions.
1 What is a terrestrial planet?
2 How many terrestrial planets are there in the
solar system?
3 What is the process of plate tectonics?
4 What occurs where two plates meet?
5 Why is the Earth unique in the solar system?
6 In the past there were more than 365 days in
a year. Why?
Reading
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Find the English translations for these words
in the text.
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How much do you know about planet Earth?
In pairs. Decide if these statements are true
or false. Write T or F.
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Read the description of the Earth and check
your answers to exercise 1.
Listening
5 a
Listen to an astronaut describing
the view of Earth from space. Tick 4 the
things you can see from space.
deserts
airports
houses
roads
cars
The Earth
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The Earth is the third planet from the Sun in the
solar system and the fifth largest. Its diameter
is approximately 12,700 km and it is about
4.5 billion years old. Earth is a terrestrial planet,
which means it is made mostly of rock and metal,
and it has a very high density. A terrestrial planet
also has a slow rotation, a solid surface, no rings
and not many satellites. Mercury, Venus and Mars
are also terrestrial planets.
Earth is different from other terrestrial planets
because its crust is divided into separate solid
plates, which float on top of the hot mantle below.
The name that describes this process is plate
tectonics. The surface of the Earth is divided into
approximately twelve large plates and many small
ones. A plate boundary is where one plate meets
another. Mountains, ocean trenches, volcanoes,
and earthquakes all occur on plate boundaries.
Approximately 71% of the Earth’s surface is water.
Earth is the only planet in the solar system where
water exists in a liquid form on the surface. Liquid
water is essential for life as we know it. The Earth’s
atmosphere is 77% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 2%
other gases such as carbon dioxide. The Earth has
one satellite – the Moon. The gravitational forces
T4 20
continents
large cities
clouds
people
the Pyramids
b
T4 21 Listen. What can’t you see from the
Moon (which is further away)?
c In pairs. Check your answers.
A What can you see from space?
B You can see…
Writing 6
Portfolio
Write a short description (75–100 words) of
an astronaut’s view of the Earth from space.
Use exercise 5 to help you. Include this
information:
natural and man-made objects you can see
the colours you can see
a famous visible object you would like to see
from space
between the Earth and the Moon slow the Earth’s
rotation by about 2 milliseconds per century. This
means that 900 million years ago there were 481
18-hour days in a year!
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DT Think English CB1 3P.indd 23
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