THE EXCURSION

Devised by Joan M. Diez Clivillé

Artwork by Ivan Solé Martínez

Level: Lower Intermediate

The main object of the activity is to make students aware, in a pleasant way, of the need to respect Nature and look after the environment. I have also tried to encourage student motivation towards Natural History and Science, which explains why I am dealing with a few basic concepts and some specific vocabulary belonging to those fields.

Warming up activity: Find out whether your students like going to the country. Let them tell you about any excursions they have made... the itineraries, the activities, the stories, etc. Then explain the following situation: A group of students living in an industrial town travel by coach to “The Woods”, a lovely spot in the country where they intend to carry out a number of activities...

The Boardgame: Make groups of 4/5 students and do the “Starting Out Activity”. Afterwards, students take it in turns to throw the dice and ‑starting at the “Town”‑ move their counters on the board. On their way to the country and back, the students will be asked to perform some tasks and answer some questions. The tasks vary (see separate sheets) and must be done ‑one at a time‑ whenever a student lands on boxes No. 6, 16, 26 or 36. Should the students succeed, they get a piece from a puzzle that will eventually be completed. A very special task awaits those who land on “The Woods”. Students who land on box No. 11 will be slightly delayed: they miss a turn because of a flat tyre in their coach. Whenever a student lands on any of the other boxes s/he must try a question. If his/her‑answers are correct, again s/he gets a piece from the puzzle. There are 35 pieces in all. Obviously, the teacher should have cut them out beforehand. Game ends when the students have won all the pieces. Then they proceed to do the puzzle. This portrays a country scene. The students describe it and comment on it. Do they notice anything wrong or unusual? What do they think is the “moral” of it all?

Post‑activity: To round off the activity, the students could make a wallchart on the topics of country life and/or environment protection. Why not organize an excursion too? Don’t forget your cameras!

THE EXCURSION - TASKS

STARTING OUT ACTIVITY

Give stds. a copy of the grid below. Allow them 1 minute to write lists of words according to the categories given. Read their answers. The student with the most correct words will be the first to throw the dice. Should there be a draw, toss a coin to decide who plays first.

WHAT´ S IN THE COUNTRYSIDE?

ANIMALS

PLANTS

THINGS

THE EXCURSION ‑ OUESTIONS AND ANSWER KEY

1) What are the main components of air? (Nitrogen and Oxygen)

2) The petals. the stem, the sepal and the corolla are all of a ... (Flower)

3) Can we say that spiders are insects? (No. Insects have 6 legs; spiders have 8)

4) What is Charles Darwin famous for? (His Theory of the Evolution of the Species)

5) What are the oceans called? (Antarctic, Arctic, Atlantic, Indian and Pacific)

6) Where is the trachea and what does ¡t do for you? (In your chest. It carries air from the throat to the bronchial tube)

7) What are the main components of blood? (Red cells, White cells, Platelets and Plasma)

8) Name an infectious disease (Flu, Measles, Mumps...)

9) What do the roots of a plant do for it? (Absorb water and food from the soil)

10) What can you do with a barometer? (Measure atmospheric pressure)

11) Which insects eat royal jelly? (Future queen bees)

12) What can you do with a microscope? (Examine very small objects)

13) What do diamonds and graphite have in common? (Both are pure forms of carbon)

14) Explain what algae are . (very simple plants found chiefly in water)

15) What do the letters RNA stand for? (Ribonucleic acid)

16) What´s in a seed? (Food for a new plant to grow)

17) Who discovered penicillin? (Alexander Fleming)

18) What does your liver do for you? (It produces bile and purifies the blood)

19) Name a source of energy. (Electrical, Fuel, Nuclear, Sunlight... )

20) What is genetics about ? (The study of the ways in which characteristics are passed from parents to their young)

21) Why is a cactus able to survive in very dry weather? (It keeps water inside. Its leaves are very small or just thorns, to reduce evaporation)

22) Name 3 products made from petroleum. (Butane, Diesel oil, Paraffin, Petrol... )

23) What's the percentage of water ín the human body? (About 70%)

24) Why do scientists use Latin to name animals and plants? (It is an international convention)

25) Name a famous volcano you know about. (Etna, Stromboli, Teide)

THE EXCURS ION - TASKS (CONTINUED)

BOX No. 6.

The students pass by many farms along their way to "The Woods". They point at the different animals they see and draw them. Rearrange the letters to form words and draw the corresponding pictures.

BOX No. 16.

Rocks are very interesting to look at, there are so many of them! Try and find the names of 9 minerals in the letter soup . If you need a clue, you may be interested to know that the letters around the box are the first two of the words you are looking for.

BOX No. 26

Going to the country is certainly very interesting and relaxing... provided the insects do not bother you all the time. How many can you name? Look at the pictures and do the crosswords.

BOX No. 36.

The students admire many flowers as they travel. Look at the pictures. Can you recognize the different flowers? Write their names below the boxes.

"THE WOODS "

At one point during their rambles through the woods, the students meet Mrs Warren, a lady who has always lived far from the bustle and hustle of big cities. She talks to the kids, who learn that she had been a farmer for some time. Read her story.