Breaking News English Lesson: COVID Vaccine

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Delivery of COVID vaccine needs 8,000 jumbo jets (12th September, 2020)

The Reading / Listening - COVID Vaccine - Level 6

Whenever scientists create a vaccine for COVID-19, governments worldwide will be scrambling for cargo aircraft. Distributing the vaccine will be one of the biggest logistical operations ever. Aviation experts have forecast that transporting the vaccine across the globe will require around 8,000 747 freight planes. This is sufficient to ship 7.8 billion doses of any vaccine - one dose for everyone on Earth. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned governments they must start planning for the "mission of the century". It said: "Even if we assume that half the needed vaccines can be transported by land, the air cargo industry will still face its largest single transport challenge ever."

IATA has warned governments that many obstacles must be overcome to ensure the effective distribution of a vaccine. One critical element of this is the creation of temperature-controlled cargo hubs and warehouses. It is essential the vaccine be kept at the same temperature throughout its journey. This would require extensive training of staff worldwide, who must quickly become expert in safely handling and moving the vaccine. IATA said a further challenge would be security and cross-border controls. It said: "Vaccines will be highly valuable commodities. Arrangements must be in place to ensure that shipments remain secure from tampering and theft."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

COVID Vaccine - Level 4 or COVID Vaccine - Level 5

Sources

https://www.airlineratings.com/news/transporting-covid-19-vaccine-will-require-8000-747s/
https://simpleflying.com/iata-covid-19-vaccine/
https://gulfnews.com/world/getting-covid-19-vaccines-to-everyone-airlines-plan-8000-jet-airlift-1.1599664999202

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. VACCINES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about vaccines. 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?
scientists / vaccine / cargo / aircraft / aviation / dose / transport / mission / century /
obstacles / distribution / critical / warehouse / journey / training / worldwide / theft
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. VACCINE: Students A strongly believe there will be a vaccine; Students B strongly believe there won't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. COVID-19: How risky are these places because of COVID-19? What can we do to reduce the chances of catching COVID-19? How effective is this? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	How Risky	What We Can Do	Effectiveness
In the street
On a train
In a mall
In a restaurant
At home
In class

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. AVIATION: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "aviation". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. MISSION OF THE CENTURY: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important missions for the 21st century at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

A COVID-19 cure
Landing on Mars
A carbon neutral world
A nuclear free world
1,000 hour battery life
Anti-ageing creams
An end to war
Free global wifi

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	scrambling	a.	The flying or operating of aircraft.
2.	logistical	b.	Performing an action or achieve a result hurriedly, clumsily, or with difficulty.
3.	aviation	c.	Predict or estimate a future event or trend.
4.	forecast	d.	The earth.
5.	globe	e.	Relating to or involving organization and planning.
6.	dose	f.	An important assignment carried out for political, religious, or commercial purposes, typically involving travel.
7.	mission	g.	A quantity of a medicine or drug taken or recommended to be taken at a particular time.

Paragraph 2

8.	obstacle	h.	The action or process of supplying goods to stores and other businesses or organisations.
9.	distribution	i.	Having or involving authoritative knowledge.
10.	critical	j.	A thing that blocks one's way or prevents or hinders progress.
11.	hub	k.	Having a decisive or crucial importance in the success, failure, or existence of something.
12.	expert	l.	A useful or valuable thing, such as water or time.
13.	commodity	m.	The effective center of an activity, region, or network.
14.	tampering	n.	Interfering with something in order to cause damage or make unauthorized alterations.

Before reading / listening

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

Governments do not have enough planes to distribute a COVID vaccine. T / F
The world needs 8,000 777 jumbo jets to distribute the vaccine. T / F
A transport group called delivering a vaccine the mission of the decade. T / F
Transporting a vaccine by air will be a challenge if half is moved by road. T / F
There are very few obstacles in transporting the vaccine. T / F
The vaccine must be kept at the correct temperature while in flight. T / F
Staff need to be experts in handling the vaccine. T / F
Authorities are worried about vaccine theft. T / F

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

scrambling
forecast
dose
assume
ever
obstacles
essential
expert
commodities
tampering

measure
interfering
in history
products
specialist
presume
predicted
struggling
crucial
hurdles

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

one of the biggest logistical
freight
one dose
planning for the mission
face its largest single transport
many obstacles must be
temperature-controlled cargo hubs
kept at the same temperature
cross-border
ensure that shipments

overcome
of the century
and warehouses
controls
operations ever
remain secure
planes
challenge ever
throughout its journey
for everyone on Earth

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

dose
scrambling
assume
warned
freight
face
logistical
mission

Whenever scientists create a vaccine for COVID-19, governments worldwide will be (1) _____________________ for cargo aircraft. Distributing the vaccine will be one of the biggest (2) _____________________ operations ever. Aviation experts have forecast that transporting the vaccine across the globe will require around 8,000 747 (3) _____________________ planes. This is sufficient to ship 7.8 billion doses of any vaccine - one (4) _____________________ for everyone on Earth. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has (5) _____________________ governments they must start planning for the "(6) _____________________ of the century". It said: "Even if we (7) _____________________ that half the needed vaccines can be transported by land, the air cargo industry will still (8) _____________________ its largest single transport challenge ever."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

border
theft
hubs
valuable
obstacles
handling
effective
extensive

IATA has warned governments that many (9) _____________________ must be overcome to ensure the (10) _____________________ distribution of a vaccine. One critical element of this is the creation of temperature-controlled cargo (11) _____________________ and warehouses. It is essential the vaccine be kept at the same temperature throughout its journey. This would require (12) _____________________ training of staff worldwide, who must quickly become expert in safely (13) _____________________ and moving the vaccine. IATA said a further challenge would be security and cross-(14) _____________________ controls. It said: "Vaccines will be highly (15) _____________________ commodities. Arrangements must be in place to ensure that shipments remain secure from tampering and (16) _____________________."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) governments worldwide will be scrambling ______
     a. four cargo aircraft
     b. for cargo aircraft
     c. form cargo aircraft
     d. fore-cargo aircraft
2) Distributing the vaccine will be one of the biggest logistical ______
     a. operations ever
     b. operations never
     c. operations every
     d. operations sever
3) transporting the vaccine across the globe will require around 8,000 ______
     a. 747 freight planes
     b. 747 fright planes
     c. 747 flight planes
     d. 747 frayed planes
4) This is sufficient to ship 7.8 billion doses of any vaccine - ______ everyone
     a. one does for
     b. one dozen for
     c. one douse for
     d. one dose for
5) that half the needed vaccines can be transported by land, the ______
     a. air cargo industrial
     b. air cargo industrious
     c. air cargo industry
     d. air cargo in dust tree

6) IATA has warned governments that many obstacles ______
     a. must be come over
     b. must be overcome
     c. must be go over
     d. must be ongoing
7) One critical element of this is the creation of temperature-controlled ______
     a. car go bibs
     b. cargo bobs
     c. car go shrubs
     d. cargo hubs
8) It is essential the vaccine be kept at the same temperature ______
     a. thoroughly its journey
     b. threw out its journey
     c. thorough out its journey
     d. throughout its journey
9) require extensive training of staff worldwide, who must quickly ______
     a. become expat
     b. become expert
     c. become expect
     d. become ex-spurt
10) be in place to ensure that shipments remain secure from ______
     a. temper in and bereft
     b. Tampa ring and deft
     c. tamper ring and thief
     d. tampering and theft

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Whenever scientists (1) ____________________ for COVID-19, governments worldwide will be scrambling for cargo aircraft. Distributing the vaccine will be one of the biggest (2) ____________________. Aviation experts have forecast that transporting the vaccine across the globe will require around 8,000 747 freight planes. This is (3) ____________________ 7.8 billion doses of any vaccine - (4) ____________________ everyone on Earth. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned governments they must start planning for (5) ____________________ the century". It said: "Even if we assume that half the needed vaccines can be transported by land, the air cargo industry will still face (6) ____________________ transport challenge ever."

IATA has warned governments that (7) ___________________ be overcome to ensure the effective distribution of a vaccine. One critical element of this is the creation of temperature-controlled (8) ____________________ warehouses. It is essential the vaccine be kept at the same temperature throughout its journey. This (9) ____________________ training of staff worldwide, who must quickly become expert (10) ____________________ and moving the vaccine. IATA said a further challenge would be security and cross-border controls. It said: "Vaccines will (11) ____________________ commodities. Arrangements must be in place to ensure that shipments remain secure from (12) ____________________."

Comprehension questions

What did the article say governments would be scrambling for?
Who forecast lots of planes would be needed?
How many doses of the vaccine would 8,000 planes ship?
What did a transport group say governments should start planning for?
What did the article say was facing its largest ever transport challenge?
What did the travel group IATA say must be overcome?
What did the article say needed to be temperature controlled?
What do staff need to be expert in?
What controls would be a challenge when moving the vaccine?
What must shipments of the vaccine be secure from besides tampering?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What did the article say governments would be scrambling for?
a) vaccines
b) cargo aircraft
c) airplane fuel
d) pilots
2) Who forecast lots of planes would be needed?
a) pilots
b) doctors
c) engineers
d) aviation experts
3) How many doses of the vaccine would 8,000 planes ship?
a) 7.9 billion
b) 7.7 billion
c) 7.8 billion
d) 7.6 billion
4) What did a transport group say governments should start planning for?
a) the mission of the century
b) an increase in air travel
c) the worst-case scenario
d) a spike in coronavirus cases
5) What did the article say was facing its largest ever transport challenge?
a) the pharmaceutical industry
b) the air cargo industry
c) the railways
d) a bus network

6) What did the travel group IATA say must be overcome?
a) many obstacles
b) fear
c) side effects of the vaccine
d) prejudices
7) What did the article say needed to be temperature controlled?
a) airplanes
b) syringes
c) cargo hubs and warehouses
d) hospitals and clinics
8) What do staff need to be expert in?
a) handling the vaccine
b) flying
c) giving injections
d) detecting symptoms
9) What controls would be a challenge when moving the vaccine?
a) flight controls
b) remote controls
c) mind control
d) border controls
10) What must shipments of the vaccine be secure from besides tampering?
a) heat
b) cold
c) theft
d) radiation

Role play

Role A – A COVID-19 Cure
You think a COVID-19 cure is the most important mission of this century. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their missions. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): landing on Mars, an anti-ageing cream or 1,000-hour battery life.

Role B – Landing on Mars
You think landing on Mars is the most important mission of this century. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their missions. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): a COVID-19 cure, an anti-ageing cream or 1,000-hour battery life.

Role C – An Anti-Ageing Cream
You think an anti-ageing cream is the most important mission of this century. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their missions. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): landing on Mars, a COVID-19 cure or 1,000-hour battery life.

Role D – 1,000-Hour Battery Life
You think 1,000-hour battery life is the most important mission of this century. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their missions. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): landing on Mars, an anti-ageing cream or a COVID-19 cure.

After reading / listening

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

'COVID'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'vaccine'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• 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:

scientists

operations

require

dose

mission

half

effective

element

same

expert

cross

theft

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 - COVID Vaccine

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 'COVID'?
When do you think scientists will create a vaccine?
Would you have the vaccine?
Why won't anti-vaxxers have the vaccine?
What do you think of the logistics of distributing the vaccine worldwide?
What is your government doing about COVID-19?
What was the 'mission of the century' before this vaccine?
What was the mission of the twentieth century?
What is the best way to distribute the vaccine to every person on Earth?

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 'vaccine'?
What do you think about what you read?
What obstacles are there in distributing the vaccine?
Who should get the vaccine first?
How will life in your country change if there is a vaccine?
Would you buy a COVID vaccine online?
What happens if we cannot find a vaccine?
How much vaccine theft do you think there will be?
What questions would you like to ask the aviation experts?

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)

Whenever scientists create a vaccine for COVID-19, governments worldwide will be (1) ____ for cargo aircraft. Distributing the vaccine will be one of the biggest logistical operations (2) ____. Aviation experts have forecast (3) ____ transporting the vaccine across the globe will require around 8,000 747 freight planes. This is sufficient to ship 7.8 billion doses of (4) ____ vaccine - one dose for everyone on Earth. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned governments they must start planning for the "mission (5) ____ the century". It said: "Even if we assume that half the needed vaccines can be transported by land, the air cargo industry will still (6) ____ its largest single transport challenge ever."

IATA has warned governments that many obstacles must (7) ____ overcome to ensure the effective distribution of a vaccine. One critical element of this is the creation of temperature-controlled cargo (8) ____ and warehouses. It is essential the vaccine be kept at the same temperature throughout its journey. This would require extensive training of staff worldwide, who must quickly become expert (9) ____ safely handling and moving the vaccine. IATA said a further challenge would be security and (10) ____ -border controls. It said: "Vaccines will be (11) ____ valuable commodities. Arrangements must be in place to ensure that shipments remain secure from tampering and (12) ____."

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) scribbling (b) scrubbing (c) scrambling (d) scrimping
(a) ever (b) every (c) even (d) eventual
(a) that (b) which (c) what (d) such
(a) any (b) neither (c) which (d) such
(a) on (b) of (c) at (d) to
(a) head (b) skull (c) back (d) face
(a) do (b) have (c) be (d) will
(a) dips (b) cribs (c) bobs (d) hubs
(a) in (b) of (c) as (d) on
(a) crescent (b) cross (c) star (d) asterisk
(a) height (b) highly (c) highs (d) heighten
(a) thieve (b) thief (c) theft (d) thieved

Spelling

Paragraph 1

acrimglnsb for cargo aircraft
one of the biggest stgaliiolc operations
avnatiio experts
747 giretfh planes
7.8 billion seods of any vaccine
Even if we asmsue that

Paragraph 2

many cbetosals must be overcome
the efceiftve distribution of a vaccine
remuprtatee-controlled cargo hubs
tvesxeeni training of staff
highly valuable cidotoesimm
secure from neatmpigr and theft

Put the text back together

( 1 ) Whenever scientists create a vaccine for COVID-19, governments worldwide will be scrambling for cargo
(...) IATA) has warned governments they must start planning for the "mission of the century". It said:
(...) air cargo industry will still face its largest single transport challenge ever."
(...) warehouses. It is essential the vaccine be kept at the same temperature throughout its
(...) sufficient to ship 7.8 billion doses of any vaccine - one dose for everyone on Earth. The International Air Transport Association (
(...) be in place to ensure that shipments remain secure from tampering and theft."
(...) border controls. It said: "Vaccines will be highly valuable commodities. Arrangements must
(...) aircraft. Distributing the vaccine will be one of the biggest logistical operations ever. Aviation
(...) of a vaccine. One critical element of this is the creation of temperature-controlled cargo hubs and
(...) in safely handling and moving the vaccine. IATA said a further challenge would be security and cross-
(...) experts have forecast that transporting the vaccine across the globe will require around 8,000 747 freight planes. This is
(...) IATA has warned governments that many obstacles must be overcome to ensure the effective distribution
(...) journey. This would require extensive training of staff worldwide, who must quickly become expert
(...) "Even if we assume that half the needed vaccines can be transported by land, the

Put the words in the right order

worldwide   aircraft   .   for   Governments   cargo   be   will   scrambling
sufficient   This   to   doses   .   7.8   billion   is   ship
for   planning   of   the   century   .   the   mission   Start
needed   by   vaccines   be   can   land   .   The   transported
its   ever   .   Face   challenge   single   largest   transport
of   hubs   .   controlled   temperature   creation The   cargo
its   at   temperature   Kept   journey   .   same   throughout   the
require   of   staff   This   training   extensive   worldwide   .   would
a   IATA   would   said   security   .   further   challenge   be
secure   that   tampering   .   Ensure   from   shipments   remain

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

Whenever scientists create a vaccine for COVID-19, governments worldwide will be scamming / scrambling for cargo aircraft. Distributing the vaccine will be one of the biggest logistical / logic operations ever. Aviation expats / experts have forecast that transporting the vaccine across the global / globe will require around 8,000 747 freight / fright planes. This is sufficient to ship 7.8 billion doses of any vaccine - one dose / hose for everyone on Earth. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has waned / warned governments they must start planning for the "mission of the centurion / century". It said: "Even if we assume that half the needy / needed vaccines can be transported by land, the air cargo industry will still face its largest single transport challenge never / ever."

IATA has warned governments that many obstacles / tentacles must be overcome by / to ensure the effective distribution of a vaccine. One critical element of there / this is the creation of temperature-controlled cargo hubs and warehouses. It is essential / essence the vaccine be kept at the same temperature throughout its / one's journey. This would require extensive training of staff worldwide, who must quickly / quick become expert in safely handling and movement / moving the vaccine. IATA said a further challenge would be security / allergy and cross-border controls. It said: "Vaccines will be highly / height valuable commodities. Arrangements must be in place to ensure that shipments remain secure from / to tampering and theft."

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)

W h_n_v_r s c__ n t_s t s c r__ t_ _ v_c c_n_ f_r C O V I D - 1 9 , g_v_r n m_n t s w_r l d w_d_ w_l l b_ s c r_m b l_n g f_r c_r g_ __ r c r_f t . D_s t r_b_t_n g t h_ v_c c_n_ w_l l b_ _n_ _f t h_ b_g g_s t l_g_s t_c_l _p_r_t__ n s _v_r . A v__ t__ n _x p_r t s h_v_ f_r_c_s t t h_t t r_n s p_r t_n g t h_ v_c c_n_ _c r_s s t h_ g l_b_ w_l l r_q__ r_ _r__ n d 8 , 0 0 0 7 4 7 f r__ g h t p l_n_s . T h_s _s s_f f_c__ n t t_ s h_p 7 . 8 b_l l__ n d_s_s _f _n y v_c c_n_ - _n_ d_s_ f_r _v_r y_n_ _n E_r t h . T h_ I n t_r n_t__ n_l A_r T r_n s p_r t A s s_c__ t__ n ( I A T A ) h_s w_r n_d g_v_r n m_n t s t h_y m_s t s t_r t p l_n n_n g f_r t h_ " m_s s__ n _f t h_ c_n t_r y " . I t s__ d : " E v_n _f w_ _s s_m_ t h_t h_l f t h_ n__ d_d v_c c_n_s c_n b_ t r_n s p_r t_d b y l_n d , t h_ __ r c_r g_ _n d_s t r y w_l l s t_l l f_c_ _t s l_r g_s t s_n g l_ t r_n s p_r t c h_l l_n g_ _v_r . "

I A T A h_s w_r n_d g_v_r n m_n t s t h_t m_n y _b s t_c l_s m_s t b_ _v_r c_m_ t_ _n s_r_ t h_ _f f_c t_v_ d_s t r_b_t__ n _f _ v_c c_n_. O n_ c r_t_c_l _l_m_n t _f t h_s _s t h_ c r__ t__ n _f t_m p_r_t_r_- c_n t r_l l_d c_r g_ h_b s _n d w_r_h__ s_s . I t _s _s s_n t__ l t h_ v_c c_n_ b_ k_p t _t t h_ s_m_ t_m p_r_t_r_ t h r__ g h__ t _t s j__ r n_y . T h_s w__ l d r_q__ r_ _x t_n s_v_ t r__ n_n g _f s t_f f w_r l d w_d_, w h_ m_s t q__ c k l y b_c_m_ _x p_r t _n s_f_l y h_n d l_n g _n d m_v_n g t h_ v_c c_n_. I A T A s__ d _ f_r t h_r c h_l l_n g_ w__ l d b_ s_c_r_t y _n d c r_s s - b_r d_r c_n t r_l s . I t s__ d : " V_c c_n_s w_l l b_ h_g h l y v_l__ b l_ c_m m_d_t__ s . A r r_n g_m_n t s m_s t b_ _n p l_c_ t_ _n s_r_ t h_t s h_p m_n t s r_m__ n s_c_r_ f r_m t_m p_r_n g _n d t h_f t . "

Punctuate the text and add capitals

whenever scientists create a vaccine for covid19 governments worldwide will be scrambling for cargo aircraft distributing the vaccine will be one of the biggest logistical operations ever aviation experts have forecast that transporting the vaccine across the globe will require around 8000 747 freight planes this is sufficient to ship 78 billion doses of any vaccine one dose for everyone on earth the international air transport association iata has warned governments they must start planning for the mission of the century it said even if we assume that half the needed vaccines can be transported by land the air cargo industry will still face its largest single transport challenge ever

iata has warned governments that many obstacles must be overcome to ensure the effective distribution of a vaccine one critical element of this is the creation of temperaturecontrolled cargo hubs and warehouses it is essential the vaccine be kept at the same temperature throughout its journey this would require extensive training of staff worldwide who must quickly become expert in safely handling and moving the vaccine iata said a further challenge would be security and crossborder controls it said vaccines will be highly valuable commodities arrangements must be in place to ensure that shipments remain secure from tampering and theft

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

WheneverscientistscreateavaccineforCOVID-19,governmentswor
ldwidewillbescramblingforcargoaircraft.Distributingthevaccinewillb
eoneofthebiggestlogisticaloperationsever.Aviationexpertshavefore
castthattransportingthevaccineacrosstheglobewillrequirearound8,
000747freightplanes.Thisissufficienttoship7.8billiondosesofanyvac
cine-onedoseforeveryoneonEarth.TheInternationalAirTransportAs
sociation(IATA)haswarnedgovernmentstheymuststartplanningfort
he"missionofthecentury".Itsaid:"Evenifweassumethathalftheneede
dvaccinescanbetransportedbyland,theaircargoindustrywillstillfaceit
slargestsingletransportchallengeever."IATAhaswarnedgovernment
sthatmanyobstaclesmustbeovercometoensuretheeffectivedistributi
onofavaccine.Onecriticalelementofthisisthecreationoftemperature-
controlledcargohubsandwarehouses.Itisessentialthevaccinebekept
atthesametemperaturethroughoutitsjourney.Thiswouldrequireexte
nsivetrainingofstaffworldwide,whomustquicklybecomeexpertinsafe
lyhandlingandmovingthevaccine.IATAsaidafurtherchallengewouldb
esecurityandcross-bordercontrols.Itsaid:"Vaccineswillbehighlyval
uablecommodities.Arrangementsmustbeinplacetoensurethatshipme
ntsremainsecurefromtamperingandtheft."

Free writing

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

All governments must get hundreds of airplanes ready to move the vaccine. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

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. VACCINES: Make a poster about vaccines. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. LOGISTICS: Write a magazine article about all governments having to be ready right now with enough planes to transport a COVID vaccine. 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 vaccines. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to distribute the vaccine effectively. 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: COVID Vaccine

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