The Reading / Listening - Mission Jurassic - Level 3

This year will see one of the world's biggest ever dinosaur digs. Paleontologists from across the globe will go to a special site in the U.S. state of Wyoming to join the dig. A paleontologist is someone who studies fossils. The dig is called Mission Jurassic. Researchers from the USA, England and Holland will join the Mission Jurassic team. They will try to find bones from dinosaurs that lived in the area 150 million years ago, in the Jurassic Era. The site of the dig is known as the Jurassic Mile. It is roughly 2.6 square kilometers in size. Scientists have already uncovered many interesting things over the past two years. These include dinosaur footprints, plant fossils and the bones of a 30-metre-long Diplodocus.

The bones found at the dig will go on display in Indianapolis - at the world's largest children's museum. Professor Paul Barrett, a researcher at the museum and a co-leader of the dig, said: "This is an area that hasn't been...extensively studied....The hope is to find new material of previously described species and, if we're lucky, new species of dinosaurs and the animals and plants that lived around them." Another museum professor, Richard Herrington, said: "This site offers a rare opportunity to build a picture of what the real Jurassic ecosystem would have looked like 150 million years ago." He hopes to find fossils, "from plants and invertebrates to ancient crocodiles, mammals, lizards and marine life".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Mission Jurassic - Level 0 Mission Jurassic - Level 1   or  Mission Jurassic - Level 2

Sources
  • http://www.nhm.ac.uk
  • https://www.thetimes.co.uk
  • https://www.bbc.com


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. DINOSAURS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about dinosaurs. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       dinosaur / dig / state / fossils / mission / Jurassic / 150 million years ago / footprints /
       museum / researcher / lucky / professor / ecosystem / crocodiles / mammals / lizards
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. DINOSAUR DIGS: Students A strongly believe dinosaur digs are very important; Students B strongly believe they aren't.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. LIFE IN THE PAST: What are the good and bad things about life in the past? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Good

Bad

150 million years ago

 

 

10,000 years ago

 

 

2,019 years ago

 

 

100 Years ago

 

 

Twenty years ago

 

 

Last year

 

 

MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. GLOBE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "globe". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. SPECIES: Rank these with your partner. Put the most interesting species to study at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • eagles
  • squid
  • mammals
  • crocodiles
  • dinosaurs
  • sharks
  • lizards
  • spiders

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. dig a. The hole or mark left in the soft ground after someone or something walks on it.
      2. paleontologist b. The earth.
      3. globe c. A thousands or millions or years old animal or plant left in a rock.
      4. site d. An event in which scientists search in the ground for old bones, old jewelry and signs of the past.
      5. fossil e. The hard, white parts of our body (or the body of an animal or fish) that make our human (or animal or fish) shape.
      6. bone f. A scientist who studies fossils of animals and plants.
      7. footprint g. A place where a particular event or activity is happening or has happened.

    Paragraph 2

      8. display h. A group of living things that are very similar and can breed and produce young.
      9. museum i. Not happening or existing very often.
      10. extensively j. Found in, or produced by the sea.
      11. species k. A building in which objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest are stored and exhibited.
      12. rare l. A chance or situation that makes it possible to do something.
      13. opportunity m. In a way that covers or affects a large area.
      14. marine n. Put somewhere so everyone can see it.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. The world's biggest ever dinosaur dig will take place this year.     T / F
  2. A paleontologist is someone who studies chickens and ducks.     T / F
  3. The Jurassic Era was 150,000,000 years ago.     T / F
  4. Scientists found a 30-metre-long Diplodocus bone.     T / F
  5. The bones found at the dig will go in London's Natural History Museum.   T / F
  6. The area of the dig has not been really studied so much.     T / F
  7. Researchers hope to find a new species of dinosaur.     T / F
  8. Researchers hope to find ancient crocodiles.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. globe
  2. site
  3. find
  4. roughly
  5. uncovered
  6. display
  7. extensively
  8. lucky
  9. opportunity
  10. marine
  1. unearthed
  2. sea
  3. about
  4. location
  5. a lot
  6. fortunate
  7. world
  8. chance
  9. show
  10. discover

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. Paleontologists from across
  2. dinosaurs that lived in the area
  3. It is roughly 2.6 square
  4. dinosaur
  5. the bones of a 30-metre-
  6. go on
  7. new species
  8. This site offers a rare
  9. the real Jurassic
  10. marine
  1. opportunity
  2. long Diplodocus
  3. display
  4. ecosystem
  5. kilometers in size
  6. life
  7. footprints
  8. of dinosaurs
  9. the globe
  10. 150 million years ago

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
bones
globe
square
join
ever
site
footprints
team

This year will see one of the world's biggest (1) ____ dinosaur digs. Paleontologists from across the (2) ____ will go to a special site in the U.S. state of Wyoming to (3) ____ the dig. A paleontologist is someone who studies fossils. The dig is called Mission Jurassic. Researchers from the USA, England and Holland will join the Mission Jurassic (4) ____. They will try to find (5) ____ from dinosaurs that lived in the area 150 million years ago, in the Jurassic Era. The (6) ____ of the dig is known as the Jurassic Mile. It is roughly 2.6 (7) ____ kilometers in size. Scientists have already uncovered many interesting things over the past two years. These include dinosaur (8) ____, plant fossils and the bones of a 30-metre-long Diplodocus.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
rare
largest
previously
life
display
ecosystem
lived
area

The bones found at the dig will go on (9) ____ in Indianapolis - at the world's (10) ____ children's museum. Professor Paul Barrett, a researcher at the museum and a co-leader of the dig, said: "This is an (11) ____ that hasn't been...extensively studied....The hope is to find new material of (12) ____ described species and, if we're lucky, new species of dinosaurs and the animals and plants that (13) ____ around them." Another museum professor, Richard Herrington, said: "This site offers a (14) ____ opportunity to build a picture of what the real Jurassic (15) ____ would have looked like 150 million years ago." He hopes to find fossils, "from plants and invertebrates to ancient crocodiles, mammals, lizards and marine (16) ____".

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  This year will see one of the world's biggest ______ digs
     a.  every dinosaur
     b.  over dinosaur
     c.  even dinosaur
     d.  ever dinosaur
2)  Paleontologists from across the globe will go to a special site in the ______
     a.  U.S. states of Wyoming
     b.  U.S. state of Wyoming
     c.  U.S. stated of Wyoming
     d.  U.S. strait of Wyoming
3)  They will try to find bones from dinosaurs that lived ______
     a.  in the arena
     b.  in the areas
     c.  in the area
     d.  in the aura
4)  It is roughly 2.6 square kilometers ______
     a.  inch size
     b.  inches
     c.  in sized
     d.  in size
5)  Scientists have already uncovered many interesting things over the ______
     a.  past two years
     b.  passed two years
     c.  parsed two years
     d.  post two years

6)  go on display in Indianapolis - at the world's largest ______
     a.  child's museum
     b.  children's museum
     c.  children museum
     d.  child museum
7)  This is an area that hasn't been...extensively studied....The hope is to ______
     a.  find new material
     b.  find news material
     c.  find newt material
     d.  find newly material
8)  previously described species and, if we're lucky, new ______ dinosaurs
     a.  spree seas of
     b.  spade seas of
     c.  specials of
     d.  species of
9)  This site offers a rare opportunity to build a picture of what the real ______...
     a. Jurassic echo cistern
     b. Jurassic echo system
     c. Jurassic ecosystem
     d. Jurassic eco-cistern
10)  from plants and invertebrates to ancient crocodiles, mammals, lizards ______
     a.  and mariner life
     b.  and marine life
     c.  and marrying life
     d.  and marlin life

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

This year will see (1) ___________________ world's biggest ever dinosaur digs. Paleontologists from across the globe will go (2) ___________________ site in the U.S. state of Wyoming to join the dig. A paleontologist is someone (3) ___________________. The dig is called Mission Jurassic. Researchers from the USA, England and Holland will join the Mission Jurassic team. They will try (4) ___________________ from dinosaurs that lived in the area 150 million years ago, in the Jurassic Era. The site of the (5) ___________________ as the Jurassic Mile. It is roughly 2.6 square kilometers in size. Scientists have already uncovered many interesting things over the past two years. These include dinosaur footprints, plant fossils and the (6) ___________________ 30-metre-long Diplodocus.

The bones found at the dig will go (7) ___________________ Indianapolis - at the world's largest children's museum. Professor Paul Barrett, a researcher (8) ___________________ and a co-leader of the dig, said: "This (9) ___________________ that hasn't been...extensively studied....The hope is to find new material (10) ___________________ species and, if we're lucky, new species of dinosaurs and the animals and plants that lived around them." Another museum professor, Richard Herrington, said: "This site (11) ___________________ opportunity to build a picture of what the real Jurassic ecosystem would have looked like 150 million years ago." He hopes to find fossils, "from plants and invertebrates to ancient crocodiles, mammals, lizards (12) ___________________".

Comprehension questions

  1. Where in the USA will the dig be?
  2. What does a paleontologist study?
  3. How many countries are the researchers from?
  4. How long ago was the Jurassic Era?
  5. How many square kilometers is the dig site?
  6. Where is the world's largest children's museum?
  7. Where does Professor Paul Barrett work?
  8. What will researchers find if they are lucky?
  9. What kind of opportunity did a professor call this dig?
  10. What kinds of crocodiles did a researcher hope to find?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Where in the USA will the dig be?
a) Nebraska
b) Indianapolis
c) Wyoming
d) the Rocky Mountains
2) What does a paleontologist study?
a) fossils
b) eggs
c) marine life
d) dragonflies
3) How many countries are the researchers from?
a) 2
b) 3
c) 4
d) 5
4) How long ago was the Jurassic Era?
a) 15,000,000 years ago
b) 1,500,000 years ago
c) 15,000 years ago
d) 150,000,000 years ago
5) How many square kilometers is the dig site?
a) 2.5 square kilometers
b) 2.7 square kilometers
c) 2.6 square kilometers
d) 2.9 square kilometers

6) Where is the world's largest children's museum?
a) Nebraska
b) Indianapolis
c) Wyoming
d) the Rocky Mountains
7) Where does Professor Paul Barrett work?
a) at National Geographic
b) Siberia
c) the Pyramids
d) a children's museum
8) What will researchers find if they are lucky?
a) an egg
b) new species of dinosaurs
c) DNA
d) gold
9) What kind of opportunity did a professor call this dig?
a) a golden opportunity
b) a rare opportunity
c) a good opportunity
d) a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
10) What kinds of crocodiles did a researcher hope to find?
a) ancient ones
b) scary ones
c) big ones
d) rare ones

Role play

Role  A – Dinosaurs
You think dinosaurs are the best species to study. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which are the least interesting of these (and why): lizards, eagles or squid.

Role  B – Lizards
You think lizards are the best species to study. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which are the least interesting of these (and why): dinosaurs, eagles or squid.

Role  C – Eagles
You think eagles are the best species to study. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which are the least interesting of these (and why): lizards, dinosaurs or squid.

Role  D – Squid
You think squid are the best species to study. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which are the least interesting of these (and why): lizards, eagles or dinosaurs.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'dinosaur'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'fossil'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • largest
    • studied
    • material
    • around
    • rare
    • life
    • ever
    • state
    • join
    • 150
    • 2.6
    • include

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Huge 'Mission Jurassic' dinosaur dig to start

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'dinosaur'?
    3. What do you think of dinosaurs?
    4. Why is it important we study dinosaurs?
    5. What do you think of the job of a paleontologist?
    6. How did the dinosaurs die out?
    7. What is your favorite dinosaur?
    8. Would you like to join the dig?
    9. What was life like 150 million years ago?
    10. Should scientists use DNA to bring dinosaurs back?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'bone'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you think of dinosaur exhibitions?
    5. How exciting is it to find a new kind of dinosaur?
    6. What do you think of the Jurassic Park movies?
    7. What will the earth be like in 150 million years from now?
    8. Should we study paleontology at school?
    9. Was the world better in the time of the dinosaurs?
    10. What questions would you like to ask a paleontologist?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    This year will see one of the world's biggest (1) ____ dinosaur digs. Paleontologists from across the globe will go to a special (2) ____ in the U.S. state of Wyoming to join the dig. A paleontologist is someone who studies fossils. The dig is called Mission Jurassic. Researchers from the USA, England and Holland will (3) ____ the Mission Jurassic team. They will try to find bones from dinosaurs that lived in the (4) ____ 150 million years ago, in the Jurassic Era. The site of the dig is known as the Jurassic Mile. It is roughly 2.6 square kilometers (5) ____ size. Scientists have already uncovered many interesting things over the past two years. These include dinosaur footprints, plant fossils and the bones of a 30-metre-(6) ____ Diplodocus.

    The bones found at the dig will go (7) ____ display in Indianapolis - at the world's largest children's museum. Professor Paul Barrett, a researcher at the museum and a co-leader of the dig, said: "This is an area that hasn't been... (8) ____ studied....The hope is to find new material of previously (9) ____ species and, if we're lucky, new species of dinosaurs and the animals and plants that lived around them." Another museum professor, Richard Herrington, said: "This site offers a (10) ____ opportunity to build a picture of what the (11) ____ Jurassic ecosystem would have looked like 150 million years ago." He hopes to find fossils, "from plants and invertebrates to ancient crocodiles, mammals, lizards and marine (12) ____ ".

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     every     (b)     over     (c)     ever     (d)     event    
    2. (a)     site     (b)     strait     (c)     slight     (d)     sight    
    3. (a)     join     (b)     connect     (c)     link     (d)     merge    
    4. (a)     area     (b)     arena     (c)     aura     (d)     aria    
    5. (a)     as     (b)     on     (c)     at     (d)     in    
    6. (a)     longest     (b)     longing     (c)     length     (d)     long    
    7. (a)     on     (b)     at     (c)     of     (d)     in    
    8. (a)     extended     (b)     extension     (c)     extensive     (d)     extensively    
    9. (a)     described     (b)     description     (c)     describes     (d)     describe    
    10. (a)     bare     (b)     rare     (c)     care     (d)     fare    
    11. (a)     really     (b)     real     (c)     reality     (d)     realism    
    12. (a)     life     (b)     lively     (c)     lifer     (d)     living

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. from across the loebg
    2. 150 omiilln years ago
    3. It is rolhgyu 2.6 square kilometers
    4. cevenourd many interesting things
    5. dinosaur ftsnpotori
    6. plant slfsois

    Paragraph 2

    1. go on apdysli
    2. the world's largest children's meumsu
    3. new scpseie of dinosaurs
    4. the real Jurassic comesyets
    5. nncieta crocodiles
    6. inearm life

    Put the text back together

    (...)  area that hasn't been...extensively studied....The hope is to find new material of previously described
    (...)  team. They will try to find bones from dinosaurs that lived in the area 150 million years
    (...)  in size. Scientists have already uncovered many interesting things over the past two years. These include dinosaur
    (...)  globe will go to a special site in the U.S. state of Wyoming to join the dig. A paleontologist is someone who studies
    (...)  fossils. The dig is called Mission Jurassic. Researchers from the USA, England and Holland will join the Mission Jurassic
    (...)  The bones found at the dig will go on display in Indianapolis - at the world's largest children's
    (...)  ago, in the Jurassic Era. The site of the dig is known as the Jurassic Mile. It is roughly 2.6 square kilometers
    (...)  footprints, plant fossils and the bones of a 30-metre-long Diplodocus.
    (...)  picture of what the real Jurassic ecosystem would have looked like 150 million years ago." He hopes to
    (...)  find fossils, "from plants and invertebrates to ancient crocodiles, mammals, lizards and marine life".
    1  ) This year will see one of the world's biggest ever dinosaur digs. Paleontologists from across the
    (...)  museum. Professor Paul Barrett, a researcher at the museum and a co-leader of the dig, said: "This is an
    (...)  them." Another museum professor, Richard Herrington, said: "This site offers a rare opportunity to build a
    (...)  species and, if we're lucky, new species of dinosaurs and the animals and plants that lived around

    Put the words in the right order

    1. of   biggest   ever   dinosaur   One   world's   digs   .   the
    2. site   the   to   U   .S   .   special   in   Go   a
    3. studies   paleontologist   someone   is   A   who   fossils   .
    4. bones   try   to   dinosaurs   .   find   will   They   from
    5. interesting   have   already   Scientists   many   things   .   uncovered
    6. area   been   hasn't   studied   .   An   that   extensively
    7. lived   and   them   .   plants   animals   around   The   that
    8. build   picture   .   to   A   opportunity   a   rare
    9. like   .   would   have   ecosystem   looked   What   Jurassic   the
    10. fossils   hopes   find   He   plants   .   to   from

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    This year will see one of the world's biggest event / ever dinosaur digs. Paleontologists from across / crossed the globe will go to a special sight / site in the U.S. state of Wyoming to join / joint the dig. A paleontologist is someone who studies fossils. The dig is called Mission Jurassic. Researchers from the USA, England and Holland will join the Mission Jurassic team. They will try to find boned / bones from dinosaurs that lived in the arena / area 150 million years ago, in the Jurassic Era. The site of the dig is knowing / known as the Jurassic Mile. It is rough / roughly 2.6 square kilometers in size. Scientists have already uncovered many / much interesting things over the past two years. These include dinosaur footprints, plant fossils and the bones of a 30-metre-long / length Diplodocus.

    The bones found at the dig will go in / on display in Indianapolis - at the world's largest children's / children museum. Professor Paul Barrett, a researcher on / at the museum and a co-leader of the dig, said: "This is an area that hasn't been...extensive / extensively studied....The hope is to find news / new material of previously described species and, if we're lucky, new species / specials of dinosaurs and the animals and plants that lived around them / that." Another museum professor, Richard Herrington, said: "This site offers a rarity / rare opportunity to build a picture of what the real Jurassic ecosystem would have looked like / likely 150 million years ago." He hopes to find fossils, "from plants and invertebrates to ancient crocodiles, mammals, lizards and marine live / life".

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    T h_s   y__ r   w_l l   s__  _n_ _f   t h_  w_r l d ' s   b_g g_s t  _v_r   d_n_s__ r   d_g s .   P_l__ n t_l_g_s t s   f r_m  _c r_s s   t h_  g l_b_  w_l l   g_  t_ _  s p_c__ l   s_t_ _n   t h_  U . S .   s t_t_ _f   W y_m_n g   t_  j__ n   t h_  d_g .   A   p_l__ n t_l_g_s t  _s   s_m__ n_  w h_  s t_d__ s   f_s s_l s .   T h_  d_g  _s   c_l l_d   M_s s__ n   J_r_s s_c .   R_s__ r c h_r s   f r_m   t h_  U S A ,   E n g l_n d  _n d   H_l l_n d   w_l l   j__ n   t h_  M_s s__ n   J_r_s s_c   t__ m .   T h_y   w_l l   t r y   t_  f_n d   b_n_s   f r_m   d_n_s__ r s   t h_t   l_v_d  _n   t h_ _r__   1 5 0   m_l l__ n   y__ r s  _g_,  _n   t h_  J_r_s s_c   E r_.   T h_  s_t_ _f   t h_  d_g  _s   k n_w n  _s   t h_  J_r_s s_c   M_l_.   I t  _s   r__ g h l y   2 . 6   s q__ r_  k_l_m_t_r s  _n   s_z_.   S c__ n t_s t s   h_v_ _l r__ d y  _n c_v_r_d   m_n y  _n t_r_s t_n g   t h_n g s  _v_r   t h_  p_s t   t w_  y__ r s .   T h_s_ _n c l_d_  d_n_s__ r   f__ t p r_n t s ,   f_s s_l   p l_n t s  _n d   t h_  b_n_s  _f  _  3 0 - m_t r_- l_n g   D_p l_d_c_s .

    T h_  b_n_s   f__ n d  _t   t h_  d_g   w_l l   g_ _n   d_s p l_y  _n   I n d__ n_p_l_s   -  _t   t h_  w_r l d ' s   l_r g_s t   c h_l d r_n ' s   m_s__ m .   P r_f_s s_r   P__ l   B_r r_t t ,  _  r_s__ r c h_r  _t   t h_  m_s__ m  _n d  _  c_- l__ d_r  _f   t h_  d_g ,   s__ d :   " T h_s  _s  _n  _r__   t h_t   h_s n ' t   b__ n . . ._x t_n s_v_l y   s t_d__ d . . . . T h_  h_p_ _s   t_  f_n d   n_w   m_t_r__ l  _f   p r_v___s l y   d_s c r_b_d   s p_c__ s  _n d ,  _f   w_' r_  l_c k y ,   n_w   s p_c__ s  _f   d_n_s__ r s  _n d   t h_ _n_m_l s  _n d   p l_n t s   t h_t   l_v_d  _r__ n d   t h_m . "   A n_t h_r   m_s__ m   p r_f_s s_r ,   R_c h_r d   H_r r_n g t_n ,   s__ d :   " T h_s   s_t_ _f f_r s  _  r_r_ _p p_r t_n_t y   t_  b__ l d  _  p_c t_r_ _f   w h_t   t h_  r__ l   J_r_s s_c  _c_s y s t_m   w__ l d   h_v_  l__ k_d   l_k_  1 5 0   m_l l__ n   y__ r s  _g_. "   H_  h_p_s   t_  f_n d   f_s s_l s ,   " f r_m   p l_n t s  _n d  _n v_r t_b r_t_s   t_ _n c__ n t   c r_c_d_l_s ,   m_m m_l s ,   l_z_r d s  _n d   m_r_n_  l_f_" .

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    this year will see one of the worlds biggest ever dinosaur digs paleontologists from across the globe will go to a special site in the us state of wyoming to join the dig a paleontologist is someone who studies fossils the dig is called mission jurassic researchers from the usa england and holland will join the mission jurassic team they will try to find bones from dinosaurs that lived in the area 150 million years ago in the jurassic era the site of the dig is known as the jurassic mile it is roughly 26 square kilometers in size scientists have already uncovered many interesting things over the past two years these include dinosaur footprints plant fossils and the bones of a 30metrelong diplodocus

    the bones found at the dig will go on display in indianapolis  at the worlds largest childrens museum professor paul barrett a researcher at the museum and a coleader of the dig said this is an area that hasnt been extensively studied the hope is to find new material of previously described species and if were lucky new species of dinosaurs and the animals and plants that lived around them another museum professor richard herrington said this site offers a rare opportunity to build a picture of what the real jurassic ecosystem would have looked like 150 million years ago he hopes to find fossils from plants and invertebrates to ancient crocodiles mammals lizards and marine life

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Thisyearwillseeoneoftheworld'sbiggesteverdinosaurdigs.Paleontolo
    gistsfromacrosstheglobewillgotoaspecialsiteintheU.S.stateofWyom
    ingtojointhedig.Apaleontologistissomeonewhostudiesfossils.Thedig
    iscalledMissionJurassic.ResearchersfromtheUSA,EnglandandHollan
    dwilljointheMissionJurassicteam.Theywilltrytofindbonesfromdinosa
    ursthatlivedinthearea150millionyearsago,intheJurassicEra.Thesite
    ofthedigisknownastheJurassicMile.Itisroughly2.6squarekilometersi
    nsize.Scientistshavealreadyuncoveredmanyinterestingthingsovert
    hepasttwoyears.Theseincludedinosaurfootprints,plantfossilsandthe
    bonesofa30-metre-longDiplodocus.Thebonesfoundatthedigwillgoo
    ndisplayinIndianapolis-attheworld'slargestchildren'smuseum.Prof
    essorPaulBarrett,aresearcheratthemuseumandaco-leaderofthed
    ig,said:"Thisisanareathathasn'tbeen...extensivelystudied....Theho
    peistofindnewmaterialofpreviouslydescribedspeciesand,ifwe'reluck
    y,newspeciesofdinosaursandtheanimalsandplantsthatlivedaroundt
    hem."Anothermuseumprofessor,RichardHerrington,said:"Thissiteo
    ffersarareopportunitytobuildapictureofwhattherealJurassicecosyste
    mwouldhavelookedlike150millionyearsago."Hehopestofindfossils,"
    fromplantsandinvertebratestoancientcrocodiles,mammals,lizardsa
    ndmarinelife".

    Free writing

    Write about Mission Jurassic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    It is important to find out more about dinosaurs. Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. DINOSAURS: Make a poster about dinosaurs. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. PALEONTOLOGY: Write a magazine article about paleontology being a subject taught at high school. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on dinosaurs. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your opinions on paleontology. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

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    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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