Breaking News English Lesson on Spacesuits

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NASA spacesuits with built-in toilet (23rd February, 2018)

The Reading / Listening - Spacesuits - Level 6

Fashion designers and clothing experts are wandering how a new suit might change their industry. The suit is a little out of this world - literally. It is a spacesuit that has its own built-in toilet. The high-tech garb has been designed by NASA engineers to help astronauts deal with the call of nature in emergency situations in space. The new suits are called the Orion Crew Survival Systems Suits (OCSSS). They will be worn by astronauts on NASA's next-generation spacecraft, Orion, which will venture a lot farther away from Earth than previous space missions have gone. The spacecraft will not be advanced enough to reach Mars, but will be able to carry humans around the moon and back.

The OCSSS spacesuits will allow astronauts to survive for six days in emergency situations. The suit is fitted with a revolutionary waste disposal system that will allow astronauts to do things like urinate and defecate without taking it off. Astronauts will also be able to eat in the suit. NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio explained how important and how much of a life-saver the OCSSS space suit will be. He said: "Spaceflight is not always glamorous. People need to go the bathroom, even in a spacecraft. How is this waste treated such that it does not harm the astronaut or even kill them?" The suit's technology could be used in hospitals and in the camping and trekking industries in the future.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Spacesuits - Level 4 or Spacesuits - Level 5

Sources

https://www.space.com/39710-orion-spacesuit-waste-disposal-system.html
http://www.gulftoday.ae/portal/6c0c05d3-a6b5-4f7e-8cbe-98481effbf51.aspx
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/feb/15/nasa-space-poop-challenge-suit-designs

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. SPACESUITS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about spacesuits. 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?
fashion designers / experts / spacesuit / NASA / engineers / emergency / astronaut /
survive / waste disposal / life-saver / glamorous / bathroom / technology / future
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. SPACE TRAVEL: Students A strongly believe space travel is essential; Students B strongly believe it isn't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. HIGH TECH: What high-tech features could these items of clothing have? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Features	Usefulness
Suits
Shoes
Gloves
Jeans
T-shirts
Caps

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. WORLD: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "world". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. TOILETS: Rank these with your partner. Put the best things to improve toilets at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

TV screen
silent flush
no "up-splash"
scented toilet paper
warm seat
padded seat
music
Internet access

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	experts	a.	Extremely enjoyable or impressive.
2.	out of this world	b.	Clothing or dress, especially of a distinctive or special kind.
3.	literally	c.	An important assignment carried out for political, religious, or commercial purposes, usually involving travel.
4.	garb	d.	Exactly; precisely.
5.	call of nature	e.	A risky or daring journey or project.
6.	venture	f.	People who have a comprehensive and authoritative knowledge of or skill in a particular area.
7.	missions	g.	A nice or simple way to refer to a need to go to the toilet.

Paragraph 2

8.	revolutionary	h.	The action or process of throwing away or getting rid of something.
9.	disposal	i.	Go to the toilet (or somewhere else) to pass water from your body.
10.	urinate	j.	Walking a long way across mountains, deserts and other landscapes.
11.	defecate	k.	Having attractive of exciting qualities that makes certain people or things seem appealing or special.
12.	glamorous	l.	Go to the toilet (or somewhere else) to pass solid waste from your body.
13.	waste	m.	Involving or causing a complete or dramatic change.
14.	trekking	n.	Material that is not wanted; the unusable remains or by products of something.

Before reading / listening

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

The article said fashion designers helped design the new spacesuit. T / F
The new spacesuit will also let astronauts make telephone calls. T / F
The new spacesuit is called an Onion suit. T / F
A new spacecraft will be able to go around the moon and back. T / F
The spacesuit will let astronauts both urinate and defecate in it. T / F
Astronauts will have to take the suit off if they want to eat. T / F
An astronaut said spaceflight is not always glamorous. T / F
Hospitals could one day make use of the spacesuit's technology. T / F

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

experts
garb
deal with
venture
advanced
allow
disposal
urinate
glamorous
treated

travel
let
pee
clothing
dealt with
cutting-edge
specialists
exciting
manage
throwing away

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

Fashion designers and clothing
wondering how a new suit might change
The suit is a little out of this
help astronauts deal with the call
farther away from Earth than previous
fitted with a revolutionary waste
do things like urinate
Spaceflight is not always
how much of a life-saver the
camping and

world - literally
OCSSS space suit will be
space missions
glamorous
their industry
and defecate
experts
trekking
of nature
disposal system

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

worn
garb
advanced
built-in
wondering
industry
venture
nature

Fashion designers and clothing experts are (1) ______ how a new suit might change their (2) ______. The suit is a little out of this world - literally. It is a spacesuit that has its own (3) ______ toilet. The high-tech (4) ______ has been designed by NASA engineers to help astronauts deal with the call of (5) ______ in emergency situations in space. The new suits are called the Orion Crew Survival Systems Suits (OCSSS). They will be (6) ______ by astronauts on NASA's next-generation spacecraft, Orion, which will (7) ______ a lot farther away from Earth than previous space missions have gone. The spacecraft will not be (8) ______ enough to reach Mars, but will be able to carry humans around the moon and back.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

system
life-saver
future
allow
urinate
treated
fitted
glamorous

The OCSSS spacesuits will (9) ______ astronauts to survive for six days in emergency situations. The suit is (10) ______ with a revolutionary waste disposal (11) ______ that will allow astronauts to do things like (12) ______ and defecate without taking it off. Astronauts will also be able to eat in the suit. NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio explained how important and how much of a (13) ______ the OCSSS space suit will be. He said: "Spaceflight is not always (14) ______. People need to go the bathroom, even in a spacecraft. How is this waste (15) ______ such that it does not harm the astronaut or even kill them?" The suit's technology could be used in hospitals and in the camping and trekking industries in the (16) ______.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) The suit is a little out of this ______
     a. world - literally
     b. world - literary
     c. word - literally
     d. word - literary
2) It is a spacesuit that has its own ______
     a. building toilet
     b. bill tin toilet
     c. built-in toilet
     d. build tin toilet
3) designed by NASA engineers to help astronauts deal with the ______
     a. call off mature
     b. call of natured
     c. call of mature
     d. call of nature
4) They will be worn by astronauts on NASA's ______ spacecraft
     a. next-generational
     b. nest-generation
     c. necks-generation
     d. next-generation
5) The spacecraft will not be advanced enough ______ Mars
     a. to reach
     b. to arch
     c. too reach
     d. to retch

6) The suit is fitted with a revolutionary waste ______
     a. dispose all system
     b. this postal system
     c. disposal system
     d. this pose all system
7) NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio explained how important and how much ______
     a. off a life-saver
     b. of the life-saver
     c. of a live saver
     d. of a life-saver
8) He said: "Spaceflight is not ______"
     a. all ways glamorous
   b. always glamorous
     c. all weighs glamorous
     d. anyways glamorous
9) How is this waste treated such that it does not ______
     a. harm the astronaut
     b. harms the astronaut
     c. harmed the astronaut
     d. harming the astronaut
10) could be used in hospitals and in the camping and trekking ______ the future
     a. industry sin
     b. industrious in
     c. industrials in
     d. industries in

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Fashion designers and clothing experts (1) ___________________ a new suit might change their industry. The suit is a little out of this world - literally. It is a spacesuit that has its own (2) ___________________. The high-tech garb has been designed by NASA engineers to help astronauts deal with the (3) ___________________ in emergency situations in space. The new suits are called the Orion Crew Survival Systems Suits (OCSSS). They will be (4) ___________________ on NASA's next-generation spacecraft, Orion, which will venture a lot farther away from Earth than (5) ___________________ have gone. The spacecraft will not be advanced enough to reach Mars, but will be able to carry humans around the (6) ___________________.

The OCSSS spacesuits will allow astronauts to (7) ___________________ days in emergency situations. The suit is fitted with a revolutionary waste (8) ___________________ will allow astronauts to do things like (9) ___________________ without taking it off. Astronauts will also be able to eat in the suit. NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio explained how important and how much of a life-saver the OCSSS space suit will be. He said: "Spaceflight is (10) ___________________. People need to go the bathroom, even in a spacecraft. How is this (11) ___________________ that it does not harm the astronaut or even kill them?" The suit's technology could be used in hospitals and in the (12) ___________________ industries in the future.

Comprehension questions

What kind of experts are wondering about the new spacesuit?
Who designed the new spacesuit?
What will the spacesuit help astronauts deal with the call of?
Where won't the new spacecraft be able to go to?
Where will a new spacecraft be able to go to (and come back)?
How long will astronauts be able to survive in the spacesuits?
What will astronauts be able to do in the suit besides go to the toilet?
What did an astronaut say was not always glamorous?
Where did an astronaut say people needed to go?
What buildings could the suit's technology be used in one day?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What kind of experts are wondering about the new spacesuit?
a) astronomers
b) toilet experts
c) clothing experts
d) urinary tract experts
2) Who designed the new spacesuit?
a) NASA engineers
b) Armani
c) Boeing
d) George Bartholomew
3) What will the spacesuit help astronauts deal with the call of?
a) the wild
b) nature
c) mission control
d) their smartphone
4) Where won't the new spacecraft be able to go to?
a) the upper atmosphere
b) the moon
c) Australia
d) Mars
5) Where will a new spacecraft be able to go to (and come back)?
a) Mercury
b) Mars
c) the moon
d) the Sun

6) How long will astronauts be able to survive in the spacesuits?
a) five days
b) six days
c) seven days
d) eight days
7) What will astronauts be able to do in the suit besides go to the toilet?
a) generate electricity
b) make a tent
c) play games
d) eat
8) What did an astronaut say was not always glamorous?
a) clothes
b) spaceflight
c) space
d) peeing in one's suit
9) Where did an astronaut say people needed to go?
a) Mars
b) the bathroom
c) into space
d) to another galaxy
10) What buildings could the suit's technology be used in one day?
a) hospitals
b) lunar buildings
c) buildings on Mars
d) McDonald's

Role play

Role A – Warm Seat
You think a warm seat is the best thing to improve a toilet. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the most unnecessary of these (and why): TV screen, no "up-splash" or a silent flush.

Role B – TV Screen
You think a TV screen is the best thing to improve a toilet. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the most unnecessary of these (and why): warm seat, no "up-splash" or a silent flush.

Role C – No "Up-splash"
You think no "up-splash" is the best thing to improve a toilet. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the most unnecessary of these (and why): TV screen, warm seat or a silent flush.

Role D – Silent Flush
You think a silent flush is the best thing to improve a toilet. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the most unnecessary of these (and why): TV screen, no "up-splash" or warm seat.

After reading / listening

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

'space'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'suit'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• 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:

allow

six

like

always

such

future

wondering

own

call

help

next

back

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 - NASA spacesuits with built-in toilet

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

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'space'?
What do you think of spacesuits?
How could spacesuits change our fashions?
How useful are clothes with built-in toilets?
What other built-in features do clothes need?
What high-tech clothes would you like to see in the shops?
How often do you have an emergency call of nature?
What would space travel be like?
What do you know about NASA?

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

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'suit'?
What do you think about what you read?
How good are you in emergency situations?
How do you think the waste disposal system will work?
Would you go to the toilet in a suit?
How glamorous do you think space travel is?
How could this technology be used in hospitals?
Why is space travel important?
What questions would you like to ask the astronauts?

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)

Fashion designers and clothing (1) ____ are wondering how a new suit might change their industry. The suit is a little (2) ____ of this world - literally. It is a spacesuit that has its own built-in toilet. The high-tech (3) ____ has been designed by NASA engineers to help astronauts deal with the (4) ____ of nature in emergency situations in space. The new suits are called the Orion Crew Survival Systems Suits (OCSSS). They will be worn by astronauts on NASA's next-generation spacecraft, Orion, which will (5) ____ a lot farther away from Earth than previous space missions have gone. The spacecraft will not be advanced (6) ____ to reach Mars, but will be able to carry humans around the moon and back.

The OCSSS spacesuits will allow astronauts to survive for six days (7) ____ emergency situations. The suit is fitted with a revolutionary (8) ____ disposal system that will allow astronauts to do things like (9) ____ and defecate without taking it off. Astronauts will also be able to eat in the suit. NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio explained how important and how much of a life-saver the OCSSS space suit will be. He said: "Spaceflight is not always (10) ____. People need to go the bathroom, even in a spacecraft. How is this waste treated (11) ____ that it does not harm the astronaut or even kill them?" The suit's technology could be used in hospitals and in the camping and trekking industries (12) ____ the future.

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) expats (b) experts (c) expert (d) expertise
(a) into (b) out (c) up (d) over
(a) garble (b) gab (c) guard (d) garb
(a) whisper (b) call (c) shout (d) drain
(a) adventure (b) advent (c) vent (d) venture
(a) plenty (b) such (c) enough (d) so
(a) in (b) of (c) on (d) to
(a) vast (b) paste (c) waste (d) haste
(a) recreate (b) desecrate (c) procreate (d) urinate
(a) glamorous (b) humorous (c) porous (d) spurious
(a) such (b) much (c) touch (d) crutch
(a) in (b) at (c) of (d) to

Spelling

Paragraph 1

Fashion designers and clothing teesxrp
a new suit might change their itunsdyr
a little out of this world - iallyelrt
in cegemrnye situations
NASA's next-eeinoratgn spacecraft
veutrne a lot farther away

Paragraph 2

vesvuri for six days
waste oapsidls system
do things like tnueiar
etfaedce without taking it off
Spaceflight is not always osorlamgu
camping and rikkegtn

Put the text back together

(...) and defecate without taking it off. Astronauts will also be able to eat in the suit. NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio explained
(...) away from Earth than previous space missions have gone. The spacecraft will not be advanced
(...) glamorous. People need to go the bathroom, even in a spacecraft. How is this waste
( 1 ) Fashion designers and clothing experts are wondering how a new suit might change their industry. The suit is a little out
(...) with a revolutionary waste disposal system that will allow astronauts to do things like urinate
(...) designed by NASA engineers to help astronauts deal with the call of nature in emergency
(...) enough to reach Mars, but will be able to carry humans around the moon and back.
(...) by astronauts on NASA's next-generation spacecraft, Orion, which will venture a lot farther
(...) The OCSSS spacesuits will allow astronauts to survive for six days in emergency situations. The suit is fitted
(...) situations in space. The new suits are called the Orion Crew Survival Systems Suits (OCSSS). They will be worn
(...) how important and how much of a life-saver the OCSSS space suit will be. He said: "Spaceflight is not always
(...) be used in hospitals and in the camping and trekking industries in the future.
(...) of this world - literally. It is a spacesuit that has its own built-in toilet. The high-tech garb has been
(...) treated such that it does not harm the astronaut or even kill them?" The suit's technology could

Put the words in the right order

new industry . might a suit How change their
suit is The little out of world . this a
astronauts deal call Help nature . the of with
away a Venture from farther lot Earth .
around Carry and humans the back . moon
for to six Astronauts days emergencies . survive in
waste with Fitted system . disposal revolutionary a
urinate . do to astronauts like things Allow
even the Harm kill or astronaut them .
used in be The technology could hospitals . suit's

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

Fashion designers and clothing expats / experts are wondering how a new suit might change their industry. The suite / suit is a little out of this world - literally. It is a spacesuit that has its own building / built-in toilet. The high-tech garb / grab has been designed / designing by NASA engineers to help astronauts deal with the call of nature / natural in emergency situations in space. The new suits are called / call the Orion Crew Survival Systems Suits (OCSSS). They will be wearing / worn by astronauts on NASA's next-generation spacecraft, Orion, which will adventure / venture a lot farther away from Earth than previous space missions have gone. The spacecraft will not be advanced enough to reach Mars, but will be able / ability to carry humans around the moon and back.

The OCSSS spacesuits will allow astronauts to survival / survive for six days in emergency situations. The suit is fitted by / with a revolutionary waste disposal system that will allowance / allow astronauts to do things like urinate and defecate / delicate without taking it off. Astronauts will also be able to eat on / in the suit. NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio explained how important and how much / more of a life-saver the OCSSS space suit will be. He said: "Spaceflight is not always glamorous. People need to go the bathroom, even / ever in a spacecraft. How is this waste / paste treated such that it does not harm / harmful the astronaut or even kill them?" The suit's technology could be used in hospitals and in the camping and trekking industries at / in the future.

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)

F_s h__ n d_s_g n_r s _n d c l_t h_n g _x p_r t s _r_ w_n d_r_n g h_w _ n_w s__ t m_g h t c h_n g_ t h__ r _n d_s t r y . T h_ s__ t _s _ l_t t l_ __ t _f t h_s w_r l d - l_t_r_l l y . I t _s _ s p_c_s__ t t h_t h_s _t s _w n b__ l t -_n t__ l_t . T h_ h_g h - t_c h g_r b h_s b__ n d_s_g n_d b y N A S A _n g_n__ r s t_ h_l p _s t r_n__ t s d__ l w_t h t h_ c_l l _f n_t_r_ _n _m_r g_n c y s_t__ t__ n s _n s p_c_. T h_ n_w s__ t s _r_ c_l l_d t h_ O r__ n C r_w S_r v_v_l S y s t_m s S__ t s ( O C S S S ) . T h_y w_l l b_ w_r n b y _s t r_n__ t s _n N A S A ' s n_x t - g_n_r_t__ n s p_c_c r_f t , O r__ n , w h_c h w_l l v_n t_r_ _ l_t f_r t h_r _w_y f r_m E_r t h t h_n p r_v___s s p_c_ m_s s__ n s h_v_ g_n_. T h_ s p_c_c r_f t w_l l n_t b_ _d v_n c_d _n__ g h t_ r__ c h M_r s , b_t w_l l b_ _b l_ t_ c_r r y h_m_n s _r__ n d t h_ m__ n _n d b_c k .

T h_ O C S S S s p_c_s__ t s w_l l _l l_w _s t r_n__ t s t_ s_r v_v_ f_r s_x d_y s _n _m_r g_n c y s_t__ t__ n s . T h_ s__ t _s f_t t_d w_t h _ r_v_l_t__ n_r y w_s t_ d_s p_s_l s y s t_m t h_t w_l l _l l_w _s t r_n__ t s t_ d_ t h_n g s l_k_ _r_n_t_ _n d d_f_c_t_ w_t h__ t t_k_n g _t _f f . A s t r_n__ t s w_l l _l s_ b_ _b l_ t_ __ t _n t h_ s__ t . N A S A _s t r_n__ t R_c k M_s t r_c c h__ _x p l__ n_d h_w _m p_r t_n t _n d h_w m_c h _f _ l_f_- s_v_r t h_ O C S S S s p_c_ s__ t w_l l b_. H_ s__ d : " S p_c_f l_g h t _s n_t _l w_y s g l_m_r__ s . P__ p l_ n__ d t_ g_ t h_ b_t h r__ m , _v_n _n _ s p_c_c r_f t . H_w _s t h_s w_s t_ t r__ t_d s_c h t h_t _t d__ s n_t h_r m t h_ _s t r_n__ t _r _v_n k_l l t h_m ? " T h_ s__ t ' s t_c h n_l_g y c__ l d b_ _s_d _n h_s p_t_l s _n d _n t h_ c_m p_n g _n d t r_k k_n g _n d_s t r__ s _n t h_ f_t_r_.

Punctuate the text and add capitals

fashion designers and clothing experts are wondering how a new suit might change their industry the suit is a little out of this world literally it is a spacesuit that has its own builtin toilet the hightech garb has been designed by nasa engineers to help astronauts deal with the call of nature in emergency situations in space the new suits are called the orion crew survival systems suits ocsss they will be worn by astronauts on nasas nextgeneration spacecraft orion which will venture a lot farther away from earth than previous space missions have gone the spacecraft will not be advanced enough to reach mars but will be able to carry humans around the moon and back

the ocsss spacesuits will allow astronauts to survive for six days in emergency situations the suit is fitted with a revolutionary waste disposal system that will allow astronauts to do things like urinate and defecate without taking it off astronauts will also be able to eat in the suit nasa astronaut rick mastracchio explained how important and how much of a lifesaver the ocsss space suit will be he said spaceflight is not always glamorous people need to go the bathroom even in a spacecraft how is this waste treated such that it does not harm the astronaut or even kill them the suits technology could be used in hospitals and in the camping and trekking industries in the future

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Fashiondesignersandclothingexpertsarewanderinghowanewsuitmi
ghtchangetheirindustry.Thesuitisalittleoutofthisworld-literally.Itis
aspacesuitthathasitsownbuilt-intoilet.Thehigh-techgarbhasbeend
esignedbyNASAengineerstohelpastronautsdealwiththecallofnaturei
nemergencysituationsinspace.ThenewsuitsarecalledtheOrionCrew
SurvivalSystemsSuits(OCSSS).TheywillbewornbyastronautsonNAS
A'snext-generationspacecraft,Orion,whichwillventurealotfartheraw
ayfromEarththanpreviousspacemissionshavegone.Thespacecraftwi
llnotbeadvancedenoughtoreachMars,butwillbeabletocarryhumansa
roundthemoonandback.TheOCSSSspacesuitswillallowastronautsto
surviveforsixdaysinemergencysituations.Thesuitisfittedwitharevolu
tionarywastedisposalsystemthatwillallowastronautstodothingslikeu
rinateanddefecatewithouttakingitoff.Astronautswillalsobeabletoeat
inthesuit.NASAastronautRickMastracchioexplainedhowimportantan
dhowmuchofalife-savertheOCSSSspacesuitwillbe.Hesaid:"Spacefli
ghtisnotalwaysglamorous.Peopleneedtogothebathroom,eveninasp
acecraft.Howisthiswastetreatedsuchthatitdoesnotharmtheastronau
torevenkillthem?"Thesuit'stechnologycouldbeusedinhospitalsandin
thecampingandtrekkingindustriesinthefuture.

Free writing

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

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Academic writing

Spacesuit design is important to help new developments in clothes on Earth. 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. SPACESUITS: Make a poster about spacesuits. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. GOING TO THE TOILET: Write a magazine article about going to the toilet in emergency situations. Include imaginary interviews with people who designed and tested the OCSSS space suit.
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 spacesuits. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on what spacesuits need. 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

$US 9.99

Answers

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

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Breaking News English Lesson on Spacesuits

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