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Compound nouns on Earth Day for A2+ students

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This time I decided to make a lesson plan with ideas on how to teach compound nouns. Soon we will be celebrating Earth Day so I focused on vocabulary related to the environment. There is a wide choice of tasks. Among the others, you will find a video quiz, a Pictionary game, and a letter from Mother Earth to a human.
Below you can find the ideas and all the materials you may need.

 

 

1. Students work in pairs or small groups and match the words in order to get compound nouns.

Compound nouns – cards

 

2. Students work in small groups and complete the tasks on the worksheet.

Compound nouns – student worksheet

How we can protect the environment – student worksheet

 1  Use the nouns in the box and match them with the definitions. There are two extra nouns that you do not need.

recycle bin       waste paper      electricity bill      biodegradable packaging     rubbish dump     local producer    solar panel

 

  1. packaging which is able to decompose naturally in a way which is not harmful to the environment – ……………………………………………………………………….
  2. used paper which can be recycled and used again – ……………………………………………………………………….
  3. a place where people are allowed to leave their rubbish – ……………………………………………………………………….
  4. a device which changes energy from the sun into electricity – ……………………………………………………………………….
  5. a container for waste which will be recycled, for example, paper, metal or glass – ……………………………………………………………………….

 

2  Write your own definitions for the following compound nouns. Use ‘which’ or ‘who’.

  1. local producer – ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
  2. disposable packaging – ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
  3. plastic cup – ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
  4. energy-saving light bulb – ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
  5. air conditioning – ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

3  Complete the sentences with the correct compound nouns.

  1. In order to save some energy, turn off the …………………………………… …………………………………….. when the temperature is bearable.
  2. You shouldn’t burn these old newspapers. It’s …………………………………… …………………………………….. which can be recycled.
  3. No one wants to live near a …………………………………… …………………………………….. .
  4. A …………………………………… …………………………………….. absorbs the sun’s energy and generates electricity or heating.
  5. My mum always takes a …………………………………….. …………………………………… when she goes shopping.

4  Complete the letter which our Mother Earth has written to us people. Use at least three compound nouns you have learnt in this lesson.

 

Dear Human,

I am writing to you because I am getting more and more concerned about my health state. There are numerous reasons for this.
Firstly, ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Secondly, …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Also, ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I strongly believe you can help me heal the wounds I have got from all the irresponsible people who do not care for the environment. You could start with ..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
It would be a good idea to ….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Why don’t you …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
It is high time you started to act if you want the next generations to live in a clean and friendly world.

I am looking forward to your ‘save the planet’ actions.

With all my love,

Mother Earth

3. Students watch the video and complete the quiz.

‘Eco-friendly Earthship home in Ontario’ – video quiz

‘Eco-friendly Earthship home’ – video quiz (printable)

4. Students play ‘Compound nouns Pictionary game’.

It is an easy game to play. A student is drawing pictures in order to make his or her team guess the compound noun he/she has selected. All you need is the list of compound nouns and a blackboard. It is a good game to finish the lesson.

Compound nouns – Pictionary game cards

 

 

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