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ESL Stages S3 and S4: Volcanoes, plate tectonics and the Earth’s crust Unit description This unit draws on the topic of volcanoes, plate tectonics and the Earth’s crust, to introduce and practise language skills for ESL students. The unit spans Level 4 – Level 6 of the Science CSF and within the unit there are a number of variations and S4 extension activities that suggest options depending on the students’ language needs, their year level and the teaching context. For example, the activity Making a model of a volcano would be better suited to Year 7 students than Year 10 students, who would more profitably do the later activity, Making a model of how plate boundaries move. Summary of tasks Language focus Assessment 1. Introductory activities Language functions ESL Companion 2. Making a model volcano—class talk Outcomes from the ESL Companion are specified throughout the unit. 3. Developing a class media file on disasters describing, classifying, showing cause and effect predicting, explaining Language features Observe students’ use of note-taking skills and use of the data grid in undertaking a research task. 4. 5. Student media file: getting the gist Fire down below: the composition of the earth—reading—making inferences there is/are, simple present and present continuous, use of topic sentences, sequence markers: eg. then, next, noun groups, reported speech, passive abbreviations Informal observation Planned observation Note students’ use of word stress and reported speech. 6. Understanding what causes a volcano. 7. Using a model of how plate boundaries move—writing an explanation Pronunciation Focused analysis Word stress, neutral (schwa) form 8. Writing an explanation Key terms Assess class talk on the basis of established criteria. Assess written explanation on the basis of established criteria. 9. Effects of volcanoes—links to literature study Volcanoes: dormant, active, extinct, eruption, cone, crater, lava Composition of the earth: Earth’s crust, magma, mantle, core, molten Tectonic plates: collision, divergent, convergent, ocean plate, continental plate, continental crust, folding, subduction, correlation, relationship, destruction 10. Researching a well-known volcano Resource File Language extension exercises Making a model to show plate movements ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST Self or peer assessment Students take notes using a listening grid as they listen to other students’ talks. PAGE 1 S3 and S4 learning outcomes addressed in this unit Communication Speaking and Listening Reading Writing ...in supportive classroom situations, express the gist of ideas and opinions. (ESSLS301) Interpret... a range of accessible mainstream texts in use across the curriculum ... (ESRES301) Communicate... through a range of text types after teacher modeling and support. (ESWRS301) ...present complex ideas and information in a sustained organised way. (ESSLS401) Contextual understanding Linguistic structures and features Strategies Write... texts from across the mainstream curriculum after appropriate teacher modeling. (ESWRS401) Interpret accessible texts from across the curriculum, drawing on related background information associated with the content and text type. (ESRES302) Demonstrate understanding of how the purpose and audience of a text can influence the content and form of the writing. (ESWRS302) Interpret a range of texts from across the curriculum in terms of their purpose, audience and context. (ESRES402) Draw on an understanding of different text types to adapt writing, taking some account of purpose and audience. (ESWRS402) Manipulate available spoken English repertoire to communicate in extended but predictable situations. (ESSLS303) Identify some of the qualities that improve the cohesion and accessibility of written texts. (ESRES303) … write cohesive texts for a range of purposes. (ESWRS303) Show sufficient control of basic structures and features... to participate effectively...(ESSLS403) Collaborate with the teacher to form strategies for improving...speech performance. (ESSLS304) Show an awareness of the role of the structures and features in a range of accessible mainstream texts. (ESRES403) Use a range of strategies for understanding text at the word, sentence and whole-text level... (ESRES304) Develop speaking and listening strategies to participate effectively in a supportive mainstream class. (ESSLS404) Find...information...and employ strategies for interpreting unfamiliar texts in common use ... (ESRES404) Show understanding of how shades of meaning can be expressed...to take account of purpose and context. (ESSLS402) ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST Use an expanding repertoire of English structures and features to convey a range of school-based language functions and shades of meaning. (ESWRS403) Focus on planning and editing writing to improve range and clarity of expression. (ESWRS304) Plan, review and redraft writing to enhance its fluency, accuracy, and appropriateness to purpose and audience. (ESWRS404) PAGE 2 Links to other Key Learning areas The unit links to content from the Geography strand from SOSE and the Earth and Space strand from Science. Suggestions for the mainstream classroom The context for this unit is an ESL classroom setting. However, most of the activities from the unit, including many of the language activities, would be relevant to all students in mainstream Science, SOSE or English classrooms. Activities and features from the unit suited to the mainstream context include: Visualising the topic Preparing for a talk Getting the gist of a factual report Guiding students to make inferences Using visual resources such as diagrams, models, etc. to practise and learn new terms and language Focusing on word stress Preparing a written explanation Assessment criteria for ESL written and spoken tasks Language activities working with a text. ESL Resources The text Science Worksheets (O’Toole, M., 1992) provides a wide range of useful language activities on this and other topics in the science area. ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST PAGE 3 Text-based tasks Language focus Assessment and notes 1. Introductory activities Language of description Assessment there is/are, there was/were, present continuous where verb to be is omitted, for example: There is something (that is) coming out of the top of the volcano. Preparatory language work In a preceding lesson, before starting the topic, model and practise a few examples of the language of description on the board. For example, point out the window and ask students to describe what they see. If no suitable view presents itself, sketch a scene on the board with trees, a sun, and some people, etc., and ask the class to describe the scene. Underline examples of the language of description, for example: There is a little girl (who is) sitting on a bench. What is a volcano? Use photographs and, if possible, a video of a volcanic eruption to help students visualise the topic. Ask a geography/science teacher for a suitable video. Alternatively the ABC Behind the News (BTN) series have several live sequences of an eruption. For a list see the BTN web site. www.abc.net.au/btn Ask students to name, describe and react to what they can see in the photograph or video segment and write the words on the board. Ask the class to organise the words from the blackboard into meaningful groups and find a label that best categorises each group. For example, words describing an eruption, words describing a volcano. Ask students to record the grouped terms into their workbooks. Ask students about volcanoes they have heard or read about, especially any in their country of origin. Be wary of introducing too many technical terms at this stage unless the students introduce them. Allow students to work with and build on the language they already have. Later in the unit they will be expected to use more appropriate terminology. ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST Typical vocabulary elicited from students The schwa Check that all students can recognise where and how to pronounce the schwa in the unstressed syllables as a failure to do so will affect the rhythm of their speech. Outcomes hot, fire, bright, yellow, gold, orange, black, scary, death, mountain, fountain, glow, dark, erupt, kill, burn, hole, rocks, flying, smoke, cloud, ash, noisy ESSLS303 ESSLS403 Likely key terms to be introduced (Speaking/Listening: LSF) (Speaking/Listening: LSF) Notes Visualising the topic with a photograph erupt, dormant, lava, active, inactive, cone It is helpful to use a photograph or a video segment rather than a diagram at this stage. This helps students visualise the topic and also enhances the elicitation of what they List new words on the board as they are introduced and ask students to repeat them after already know. Presented with a diagram students are more likely to only label it. Photos or video, on the other hand, you. For words of two or more syllables are likely to encourage description and reaction in addition indicate where stress falls using underlining. Ask students to do the same when copying new to naming activities. words into their workbook, for example: dormant, lava etc. Word stress Word stress Emphasise how, in many cases, the unstressed syllable is reduced to the neutral schwa sound, (ɘ) for example, the unstressed syllables in: dormant, lava, mountain and erupted. Integrate ongoing language work of this kind into the lesson in such a way that it is does not disrupt the momentum and interest of the topic. For example, routines need to be established so that students are used to new words being written with the word stress underlined. Where extensive language practice is required it may be best left till later in the lesson or else done in another lesson focusing on language extension work. PAGE 4 Text-based tasks Language focus Assessment and notes What is a volcano? (cont.) Distribute a labelled diagram of a volcano. Discuss the labelled terms and what they refer to, where appropriate finding links to everyday uses of the terms students may already know, for example, cone — ice-cream cone, vent—air vent, etc. Matching activity Choose some key terms from the diagram and write simple definitions for the terms. Make a set of cards so that each term has a matching definition. Give students either a term or its definition and ask them to circulate, trying to find their matching partner. As an extension activity, review the video for specific information using, for example, a cloze. ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST PAGE 5 Text-based tasks Language focus Assessment and notes 2. Making a model Class talk explaining an eruption Assessment Ask students to form groups to construct a volcano using plaster of Paris for the cone and surrounds. The eruption and subsequent lava flow can be simulated using bicarbonate of soda. (This activity would perhaps best suit lower secondary students. There is another model activity on plate tectonics later in this (activity 7.) which relates to middle secondary content.) Possible features of a spoken explanation Present tense, for example: Lava cools to form igneous rocks such as basalt. Sequence markers such as then, next, as. Language of cause and effect, for example: This causes it to…, results in a… Language of classification and description Use of is for naming or defining, for example: Lava is the molten rock, or magma, which is expelled from a volcano. Use of time markers, for example: Before we started the model we –… At the end of this talk I’ll … Use of connectives, for example: Because, without, but. Class talk Class talk explaining an eruption Students can use the completed model for a class talk explaining how the volcano works. Briefly model a possible structure of the talk and some likely language. The model-making task and talk could also be used as a variation for an end-of-unit revision activity. Each group will find their own way to explain what happens. Likely structure for the talk 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Introduction to grab the interest of the audience. General description or definition of the phenomenon. Sequenced explanation. Conclusion, perhaps relating back to the introduction. Respond to follow-up questions from the class after support and modelling. Class talk Sample talk starter. You have all seen pictures of volcanoes erupting and the destruction they cause. Today I’m going to use this model to explain what a volcano is and how it works. ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST The talk can form part of the students’ oral assessment. Make sure students have a clear understanding of the purpose of the talk, that is to explain how a volcano works. Criteria to look for include: appropriate body language (for example, eye contact and gestures) use of written prompts rather than extensive notes, while still maintaining eye contact with the audience appropriateness of the talk content to its purpose and audience appropriateness of the language of the talk to its purpose and audience effort made to speak clearly organisation showing appropriate beginning, middle, and end response to follow-up questions from the class. Outcomes ESSLS301 (Speaking/Listening: Communication) ESSLS302 (Speaking/Listening: Contextual understanding) ESSLS303 (Speaking/Listening: LSF) ESSLS304 (Speaking/Listening: Strategies) PAGE 6 Text-based tasks Language focus Assessment and notes 3. Class Media file on disasters S4 extension: Language of reporting Notes For the duration of the unit keep a class media file on natural disasters (including volcanoes), rotating responsibility for the collection and display of items through pairs of students. Displayed items and illustrations can then be referred to throughout the unit. Allow time at the end of each week for students to briefly report their findings. The ‘Earthwatch’ section in Education Age contains brief reports of disasters or important natural events and a world map showing where they occur. If possible, put aside each week’s map before the unit so you have a record of natural events that can be added to during the unit. Point out how reported speech is often (but not always), accompanied by a tense shift and other changes for example: present –> past present continuous –> past continuous will –> would present perfect –> past perfect now –> then today –> that day here –> there S4 extension media file Page 108 of Hazard -wise (Dolan, 1995) details common features of disaster reports including: the use of graphic pictures, bias towards local events, how the degree of coverage is determined by Australia’s relationship with the country, oversimplification of the effects of the volcano, and sensationalised reporting. Although not all these features are likely to emerge during the unit, it is important to encourage students to consider the type of coverage and not just the content. ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST This activity enables students to learn about the role and influence of the Australian media in covering world news. Comparison of media coverage of similar events in the students’ countries of origin would also be valuable. At the end of the unit, discuss reasons for variations in the coverage of world disasters. Language of reporting Point out that reported speech is useful when students need to quote sources when researching a topic, for example, The article claimed that … Setting aside time for a special language focus Although the focus on the language of reported speech is complementary to the unit on volcanoes, it can take away some momentum. One way around this is to set aside a period for language work of this kind. You can then make a brief reference to the point of language during the topic based lesson, but do more intensive work to practise the feature, for example, exercises and games, at another time including homework time. PAGE 7 Text-based tasks 4. Student media file: getting the gist Students practise getting the gist of a difficult short media article without necessarily understanding it in its entirety. Choose a suitable media article and ask students to practise ways to approach the article. Use the headings and any pictures to predict what the article might be about and terms that might be included. Explain to students that magazine or newspaper headlines are generally cryptic and may often involve a catchy play on words. Ask students to try reading the first paragraph, then skim over the first lines of subsequent paragraphs and read the last paragraph to see if this gives an overview of what the article is about. Ask students to place the articles into their workbook and write a short paragraph underneath that outlines the gist of the article. Model one or two examples of how this might be done on the board showing how it is not usually possible to transfer full sentences from the text, as they contain too much detail for this purpose. Language focus Assessment and notes Media file: Getting the gist Assessment Note that finding the gist is not necessarily the same as a summary and the difference between the two can be pointed out to students by referring to their different purposes. The purpose of finding the gist is to get an overview of what it is before reading more thoroughly. The purpose of a summary is usually to record the main ideas in condensed form. A summary, therefore, involves a more comprehensive process requiring thorough reading followed by the task of summarising a number of main points. Getting the gist of an article is an important reading skill and is also a good way to get an overview before beginning a summary. Outcomes ESRES301 (Reading: Communication) ESRES304 (Reading: Strategies) ESWRS302 (Writing: Contextual understanding) Paragraph written by students The short paragraph capturing the gist of the article can form part of the students’ assessment. Point out to students that you will be looking for: relevance to what is in the article the ability to capture the main thrust of the article in their own words. As a variation, students write a few lines giving their personal response to the article. ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST PAGE 8 Text-based tasks 5. Fire down below: the composition of the Earth Show the students a picture of an eruption and ask where all the fire and lava has come from. Show them a globe map of the Earth or briefly sketch a picture of the Earth on the board. Ask students what the insides of the earth are made of. Hand out an unlabelled cross-sectional diagram of the composition of the Earth. The most useful diagrams are those taken from text books used by the school’s science and/or SOSE teachers. Diagrams of the composition of the earth can be found in most geography and general science text books or the World Wide Web on the Volcano World site http://volcano.und.edu. Language focus Assessment and notes Key terms Notes Students may already be familiar with terms such as fire, lava, hot, molten, solid, liquid. Making inferences They will then need to become familiar with terms such as crust, mantle, molten lava, core, magma, plates. It is important when constructing questions on a reading text to include a mix of straightforward factual questions and questions requiring interpretation. Apart from being more challenging, the interpretive questions also elicit a more sophisticated level of language. Further language exercises. A range of ways the same passage of text can be used for language practice is shown in Resources 1 and 2 in the Resource File. Sketch the diagram on the board and discuss the likely composition of each section of the diagram. Hand out a short passage of text which summarises the composition of the earth as illustrated in the diagram on this page. (See Resource 1. Volcanoes and The Composition of the Earth in the Resource file at the end of the unit. In pairs, students use the information in the passage to label the diagram of the composition of the Earth using key terms from the text. Reading: making inferences Construct a range of questions on the text and diagram that require students to look for factual information and also require more thoughtful interpretive answers. See Resource 1 in the Resource File for an example. ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST PAGE 9 Text-based tasks 6. What causes a volcano? Show a diagram of the Earth’s crust. Diagrams can be found in most geography or science texts. Show how the Earth is divided into tectonic plates and demonstrate how they can move towards each other (collision) or move away (separation). Mark the plates on a globe or even on an orange and show how movement of one plate will affect the others. Distribute a map showing plate boundaries and their direction of movement. Model appropriate sentences describing the movement on the board. Copy a few maps from the ‘Earthwatch’ section in Education Age onto a handout and ask students to locate on their map where the volcanoes and earthquakes seem to be happening. Is there a relationship or correlation between the sites of such disasters and the location of the plates? Ask students to predict what will happen as two plates get close to each other. Use hand movements to demonstrate the three forms of plate collision as outlined in Notes. The cause of a volcanic eruption may promote some discussion in which case it is a good time to introduce the notion of the build up of pressure caused by the plate movements and the way weak fissures in the Earth’s crust allow the pressure to be released to produce a volcano. Shake a can of soft drink and ask students to describe what has happened inside. Then ask what will happen when you create a weak point by opening the top of the can. Note that a similar weakening of the Earth’s crust can be created by the three forms of collision or by the plates separating (diverging). ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST Language focus Assessment and notes Explaining key terms Notes Likely terms include: collide (with) collision, separate (from) separation, fold, slide, subduction, tectonic, mantle, crust, relationship ,correlation Note: The difficult terms relationship and correlation are essential for many VCE studies. Highlight the prefix co to show how the two terms are related. Draw a loaf of bread as a cue to the term Earth’s crust. Ask students to guess the meaning of subduction, using their knowledge of words such as submarine. Three types of plate collision 1. 2. 3. Subduction – one plate is forced under the other. Folding – one or both plates are pushed upwards. Sliding – two plates slide alongside each other. Ask which of the three types is likely to be responsible for causing: the Himalayas to be formed (2) earthquakes (1, 2, 3) volcanoes (1, 2, 3). Point out how the word stress can vary between different forms of the same word, for example: separate – verb, separate– adjective separation – noun Sample sentences for plate movement The African plate is moving towards the north. The Nazca plate is colliding with the South American plate. Language of prediction I think, perhaps, etc. + future tense PAGE 10 Text-based tasks 7. Using a model to explain how plate boundaries move Students make a model to help them describe how plate tectonics shape the Earth’s crust. Supply the appropriate materials and hand out the instructions on how to make the model as provided on Resource 2. S3S4 Resource File Ask students to make the model in groups of three. When they have completed the model, ask each student to demonstrate one form of plate movement first to the other members of the group, and later, to the class. The different forms of plate movement include: plate movement at divergent boundaries plate movement at convergent boundaries subduction at convergent boundaries folding at a convergent boundary. Language focus Assessment and notes Following instructions Notes Students will need to read the instructions carefully several times. Point out some language features of instructional writing, for example, the use of the imperative, absence of personal pronouns, precise and economical wording, large noun groups, for example, plain sheet of paper. Language game for extension work Divide the class into two teams. Each team takes turns calling out the first half of a sentences using causal conjunctions such as when, as, while. For an appropriate statement they get one point. If the other team responds appropriately they also get a point. (As explained in Resource 2. students will need to add another piece of cardboard in order to model plate folding.) At a convergent plate boundary, the plates move toward each other. If the example comes from the topic under study then the team gets double the points. If a team can’t respond in an allotted time the other team has the opportunity. For example, a one-point sentence might be: A. When a traffic light changes to red,… B. the cars stop. or C. As the moon moves around the Earth… D it pulls the ocean tides. To prepare students for the explanation, introduce examples of the language of cause and effect using sentences linked by causal conjunctions such as when and as. When the oceanic plate meets the continental crust the oceanic plate moves underneath it. This is called subduction. A two-points sentence might be: A. As the molten lava cools… B it becomes hard. Examples of the language of cause and effect At a divergent boundary, plates move away from each other. As the plates move away from each other new ocean crust is formed. As the plates move under each other the continents are pulled closer together until they collide. As they collide the Earth’s crust is folded upward to make mountains. ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST PAGE 11 Text-based tasks Language focus 8. Writing an explanation Language structures and features of As a revision of key terms and concepts covered so far in the unit, ask a written explanation students to prepare an explanation of how an eruption is produced Possible structures and features include: through one of the forms of plate movements and the build-up of Present tense pressure. Large noun groups For example: the hot, molten lava As a joint class exercise, model a likely structure and appropriate Sequence markers such as: language features of an explanation on the board. For further then, next, as... the, suggestions of how to model an explanation text refer to Chapter 9 in Passive voice Stage S3/S4 Teaching ESL support material. Language of cause and effect eg. : Ask students for suggestions for a topic sentence which could this causes it to.. , results in a.., as, when introduce the paragraph, for example: Most volcanic eruptions occur as (when) the Indo-Australian plate collides on the boundaries between tectonic plates. with the Eurasian Recommend to students that they begin paragraphs with some form of topic sentence whenever they can. Sketch a picture of an umbrella and write the topic sentence over the top. Explain that everything following in the paragraph should fall under the theme set by the topic sentence. If they introduce a new theme they will need another paragraph and another topic sentence. Ask them to illustrate the explanation with an appropriately annotated diagram drawn from the resources collected through the unit. This will most likely require the use of a cross-sectional diagram. Sequencing activity As a variation write the paragraph yourself or select one from a text book, then cut up the sentences. In pairs, students arrange the jumbled sentences in sequence. The activity develops an awareness of structure especially for students who are not up to the stage of writing their own paragraphs. Assessment and notes Assessment Outcomes ESWRS302 (Writing: Contextual understanding) ESWRS303 (Writing: LSF) ESWRS303 (Writing: Strategies) ESWRS403 (Writing: LSF) Writing folio Criteria include: appropriate organisation of paragraphs including the use of topic sentences Likely structure for the explanation appropriate cohesion within and between paragraphs 1. Title —–what the text is about clarity of expression 2. General description of the phenomenon effective use of language of explanation 3. Sequenced explanation linked by text suitability to its purpose and audience sequence markers evidence of changes in response to the consultation in 4. Conclusion, some general observation the drafting process or comment about the phenomenon understanding of the subject matter. Topic sentences Although sometimes a little contrived, beginning a paragraph with a topic sentence is an excellent way to help students organise a coherent paragraph. Notes Cross-section diagrams Some students might not be able to visualise the cross section diagrams and this inability can be quite significant in other subjects. Bringing in a layered cake and slicing it to reveal the different layers is a good way to demonstrate this concept. Volcanoes and earthquakes (Moores, 1995) provides vivid cross-sectional diagrams of the different forms of collision. ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST PAGE 12 Text-based tasks Language focus Assessment and notes 9. Effects of volcanoes Language of prediction Notes Introduce the term effect by discussing what the effects would be on the students, teachers, the buildings, etc. if the school caught fire. (See Notes for a sample list.) By using would in the question What would be the effect on students if the school caught fire? responses are elicited using the conditional, would, might, etc. Note: Students will most likely drop back to the use of will instead of would after a few sentences. This is not ‘wrong’ but rather a natural strategy to simplify the language task. Ask students to now brainstorm possible effects of a volcanic eruption. Point to possible effects on people, animals, plants, the atmosphere. Put student responses on the board and, where necessary, give prompts to ensure a fairly wide spread of effects, from infrastructure to people and the environment. Hand out a prepared list and ask students to compare their blackboard list with the handout. Where the lists correspond, ask them to copy the blackboard version beside the handout version. Try to find visuals to help explain difficult terms from the teacher list and try to elicit student explanations keeping teacher explanations to a minimum. Ask students to mark each effect with an N for neutral, + for positive and – for negative. Variation: Links to literature study As a possible variation, study the short story Heat by Jan Rhys in The Whole Story anthology as a class text. Alternatively ask students to read the story in their own time. ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST Language of cause and effect results in, causes the … to, ... makes the… it would make them… List of effects of an eruption tsunamis death evacuation destroyed crops ruined villages/cities damaged roads resettlement renewed growth tourist attraction geothermal energy (for example, for hot water) changed land forms, blocked rivers floods mudflows landslides fertilisation of soil preservation of relics of the past fires gases homelessness, closed airports media attention PAGE 13 Text-based tasks Language focus Assessment and notes 10. Researching a well-known volcano Abbreviations Notes Students research a well known volcano, for example, Vesuvius, St Helens, Pinatubo, Fuji, Krakatoa. Hand out a research grid to guide the search. Include a ‘What I have already learnt’ section on the grid. The grid could contain the following headings: location current state of activity, date(s) of major eruption(s) damage caused (includes lives lost) other interesting information. Stipulate that students need to refer to at least two references and record the information in point form only. Mt — Mountain, N — North, S — South St — Saint, (An example of a data grid is provided in the S3S4 Endangered animals unit Resource File.) At this level it is not necessary to include the publisher. Students use this information to prepare a brief informative talk to the class on the volcano they have researched. They use their notes as cues but need to expand them into sentences for the talk. If pairs are involved they will need to divide up the items. Listening grid While one student (or pair) presents the talk, the class record the information in point form on a grid. If necessary model this process by doing a set of notes for the first speaker yourself on the board while the talk is in progress. Citing references Show students how to cite a reference with publication date, for example: Hazard, P. & Wise, J. (1997), Volcanoes ( pp 56–78). The listening grid helps train students to focus and organise their listening (or reading) rather than just listening to what catches their attention. Organising the listening in this way also means that students are able to retrieve and make use of information at a later date. Data grid The What I already know column may be fairly empty in this task. However, the principle of starting research from what students know is very important. Depending on their experience with reference work, the students may need considerable help using the library. If they are relatively inexperienced then a library trail provides a useful introduction. (See Chapter 6 in Stage S3/S4 Teaching ESL support material. ) If you insist on note form, students will not be tempted to copy slabs from the text. Assessment Use this opportunity to discuss school expectations in relation to plagiarism, which may be quite different from what some more newly arrived students are accustomed to. Outcomes ESRES404 (Reading: Strategies) Alternatively, students write an informative report on their chosen volcano. ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST PAGE 14 VOLCANOES RESOURCE 1. LANGUAGE EXTENSION EXERCISES WITH A FACTUAL TEXT The changing composition of the Earth* The Earth is composed of three different layers, the crust the mantle and the core. The Crust is a very thin layer divided into many huge pieces called Plates that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. They float on top of hot, partly molten rock.. The mantle is much thicker and hotter than the crust. The core is divided into two layers: a solid inner core and a liquid outer core. The Earth is constantly changing. It can be changed slowly by wind and water erosion or quickly by volcanoes or earthquakes. Volcanoes occur when hot liquid rock called magma is pushed up from the mantle through cracks in the Earth’s crust. Most volcanoes are found where two plates are pushing against each other or moving apart. Many ocean islands have been formed by volcanic eruptions beneath the sea. Sample Exercises Exercise 1. Answer the following questions based on the reading passage and a suitable accompanying diagram A. Indicate whether the following statements are true or false 1. The Earth is made up of four layers. 2. The Earth can only change slowly. 3. Magma is hot liquid rock. B. Indicate whether the following statements are likely to be true. 1. All volcanoes are formed where two plates are moving apart. 2. If a new island appears suddenly in the ocean, there has probably been an eruption nearby. 3. When an earthquakes happens it is likely that volcanoes will be nearby. True/False True/False True/False Yes/No Yes/No Yes/No (The questions in B are interpretive, requiring students to make inferences based on what they have read.) ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST PAGE 15 VOLCANOES RESOURCE 1. (CONT.) Exercise 2: Cloze Complete the passage below, using each of the words supplied once. If you can’t find the word you need to leave it and come back to it later. core, plates, apart, crust, changing, volcanoes, magma, eruptions The changing composition of the Earth The Earth is made up of three different layers: the crust, the mantle and the ......................... The crust is a very thin layer divided into many huge pieces called ......................... that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. They float on top of hot, partly molten rock. The mantle is much thicker and hotter than the crust. The core is made up of very hot iron and nickel. The Earth is always .........................It can be changed slowly by wind and water erosion or quickly by.........................or earthquakes. Volcanoes occur when hot liquid rock called .......................... is pushed up through cracks in the Earth's .......................... Most volcanoes are found where two plates are pushing against each other or else moving............................ Many ocean islands have been formed by volcanic ......................... beneath the sea. Exercise 3: Annotating key terms onto a diagram. See Activity 5 in this unit. Exercise 4: Dictogloss activity. Use the text and diagram as a dictogloss activity. See the history ESL unit Why the British chose Australia for an example. The above exercises are less difficult if students do them in pairs. An important side benefit of language work of this kind is that students spend time working with a key text which summarises a difficult topic and models the use of a number of key terms in context. ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST PAGE 16 VOLCANOES RESOURCE 2. Making a model to explain plate movements Materials: shoe box, two sheets of A4 paper, cardboard, scissors, glue Instructions Cut a narrow slit in the top of a box. Cut a larger square in the side of the box. Slide two pieces of paper through the slit and about halfway into the box. Tape a block of cardboard or folded paper on the outside edge of one sheet of paper. Make sure the cardboard block is thicker than the slit in the box. The plain sheet of paper represents an oceanic plate. The sheet with the cardboard represents a plate with both oceanic crust and continental crust (the cardboard). Note that the continental crust rises above the oceanic crust. Divergent movement Show movement at a divergent plate boundary by pushing the paper up from inside the box. The sheets of paper will move away from each other. Convergent movement and subduction Show movement of convergent plates boundaries by pulling the plain sheet of paper down from inside the box. Now move the sheet with the continent so that the continent is adjacent to the narrow slit. Now pull the sheet with the oceanic plate. The oceanic plate will disappear beneath the edge of the continent. This is how subduction works. Convergent movement and folding The convergence and collision of two continental plates can also be shown in this way. Tape another cardboard block on the outside of the plain sheet of paper. Pull the two sheets into the box through the slit. The two plates will move together as for the subduction above. However, when the two continental plates collide, one or both are pushed upward. ESLS3/S4 VOLCANOES, PLATE TECTONICS AND THE EARTH'S CRUST PAGE 17 RESOURCES The ABC's Behind the News (BTN) series contains video footage of volcanic eruptions. See their home page on the World Wide Web to locate relevant extracts. www.abc.net.au/btn Also on the Internet, the Volcano World web site, provides useful information and accessible text and diagrams on volcanoes and the earth’s crust. http://www.volcano.und.edu. http://www.volcano.und.edu. Dolan, C., Hazard-wize, Classroom Resources for Teaching on Natural Hazards and Disasters, Emergency Management Australia, for the Australian Coordinating Committee for the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, Canberra, 1995. Moores, E., Volcanoes and Earthquakes, Allen & Unwin, St. Leonards, NSW, 1995. O’Toole, M., Science Worksheets, Rigby Heinemann 1992, contains diagrams and activities to practise the language of the topic. Rossner, R., The Whole Story, Addison-Wesley, 1988. 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