Breaking News English Lesson: Eco-anxiety

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UK doctors to treat people suffering from eco-anxiety (22nd July 2024)

The Reading / Listening - Eco-anxiety - Level 6

Eco-anxiety is a medical condition affecting an increasingly larger number of young people worldwide. Doctors in the UK have been advised to raise the topic of climate change during consultations with patients. New guidelines encourage doctors to discuss the dangers of global warming. A health consultation might now consist of a medical diagnosis, along with advice on how to reduce carbon footprints. It might also include help on how to deal with eco-anxiety. The Daily Mail newspaper cited critics of the guidelines who called them "seriously unethical". They said: "Doctors should spend their precious time treating patients rather than lecturing them on 'politicised issues'."

The United Nations has described eco-anxiety as "an emergency crisis hidden in plain sight". Eco-anxiety is defined as stress caused by the constant worry about the environment and the climate crisis. The UN said the condition will severely affect the mental health of children. Downtoearth.com wrote: "Extreme weather events like wildfires, heatwaves, droughts, storms, and floods lead to displacement and food shortages, causing psychological harm to humans. They lead to anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress." A UN survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a study were distressed about the climate. The youngsters felt, "sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless, and guilty".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Eco-anxiety - Level 4 or Eco-anxiety - Level 5

Sources

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13637313/Now-doctors-told-lecture-climate-change-Health-leaders-tell-medics-look-eco-distress-promote-remote-appointments-cut-emissions.html
https://phys.org/news/2024-07-trillions-lost-worker-productivity-due.html
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/eus-carbon-border-tax-mechanism-unfair-to-developing-countries-cse

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. ECO-ANXIETY: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about eco-anxiety. 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?
eco-anxiety / medical / worldwide / climate change / medical diagnosis / patients /
crisis / stress / environment / extreme weather / droughts / food shortages / anxious
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. HELP: Students A strongly believe help should be given to all children from elementary school for eco-anxiety; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. ANXIETY: Do you get anxious about these things? How can we help people with these anxieties? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	My Anxiety	How We Can Help
The environment
Money
Family
Studying
Looks and appearance
Relationships

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. DOCTOR: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "doctor". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS: Rank these with your partner. Put the worst at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

wildfires
heatwaves
droughts
storms
blizzards
hurricanes
floods
sandstorms

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	condition	a.	A person who judges or gives opinions about something, like a movie or book.
2.	raise	b.	Cause to occur or to be talked about or considered.
3.	consultation	c.	Finding out what is wrong with someone or something.
4.	diagnosis	d.	An illness or other medical condition.
5.	cited	e.	Not doing the right thing.
6.	critic	f.	A meeting to talk about something and get advice.
7.	unethical	g.	To say where you got information from.

Paragraph 2

8.	constant	h.	When people have to move from their home to another place.
9.	severely	i.	A long time with no rain.
10.	drought	j.	Very upsetting and causing emotional pain.
11.	displacement	k.	Something that doesn't change.
12.	psychological	l.	Very badly or seriously.
13.	traumatic	m.	Feeling bad because you think you did something wrong.
14.	guilty	n.	About the mind and how it works.

Before reading / listening

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

Eco-anxiety has started to affect the aged all over the world. T / F
UK doctors will advise patients on how to reduce their carbon footprint. T / F
Critics said it was unethical to ask doctors to talk about the climate. T / F
Critics said doctors should start lecturing people on politics. T / F
The UN said eco-anxiety was a hidden crisis in plain sight. T / F
The UN said eco-anxiety would severely affect young people. T / F
Website says extreme weather can cause post-traumatic stress. T / F
Many youngsters are starting to feel empowered. T / F

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

condition
raise
consultations
diagnosis
unethical
crisis
constant
psychological
distressed
guilty

catastrophe
opinion
immoral
ashamed
bring up
continual
anguished
illness
mental
meetings

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

Eco-anxiety is a medical
during consultations
advice on how to reduce
critics of the guidelines who called them
spend their precious time treating
an emergency crisis hidden
floods lead to
food
post-
distressed

carbon footprints
shortages
patients
about the climate
with patients
traumatic stress
condition
in plain sight
"seriously unethical"
displacement

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

raise
medical
cited
treating
consultation
issues'
condition
footprints

Eco-anxiety is a medical (1) _____________________ affecting an increasingly larger number of young people worldwide. Doctors in the UK have been advised to (2) _____________________ the topic of climate change during consultations with patients. New guidelines encourage doctors to discuss the dangers of global warming. A health (3) _____________________ might now consist of a (4) _____________________ diagnosis, along with advice on how to reduce carbon (5) _____________________. It might also include help on how to deal with eco-anxiety. The Daily Mail newspaper (6) _____________________ critics of the guidelines who called them "seriously unethical". They said: "Doctors should spend their precious time (7) _____________________ patients rather than lecturing them on 'politicised (8) _____________________."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

severely
psychological
guilty
plain
distressed
droughts
constant
depression

The United Nations has described eco-anxiety as "an emergency crisis hidden in (9) _____________________ sight". Eco-anxiety is defined as stress caused by the (10) _____________________ worry about the environment and the climate crisis. The UN said the condition will (11) _____________________ affect the mental health of children. Downtoearth.com wrote: "Extreme weather events like wildfires, heatwaves, (12) _____________________, storms, and floods lead to displacement and food shortages, causing (13) _____________________ harm to humans. They lead to anxiety, (14) _____________________ and post-traumatic stress." A UN survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a study were (15) _____________________ about the climate. The youngsters felt, "sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless, and (16) _____________________".

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Eco-anxiety is a medical condition affecting an ______
     a. increasingly largest number
     b. increasingly larger numbers
     c. increasingly larger number
     d. increasing larger number
2) consist of a medical diagnosis, along with advice on how to ______
     a. reduce carbon footprint
     b. reduce carbon feet prints
     c. reduce carbon feet print
     d. reduce carbon footprints
3) It might also include help on how to ______
     a. deal to eco-anxiety
     b. deal with eco-anxiety
     c. deal of eco-anxiety
     d. deal up eco-anxiety
4) The Daily Mail newspaper cited critics of the guidelines who called ______
     a. them seriously ethical
     b. them seriously unethical
     c. them serious unethical
     d. then seriously unethical
5) spend their precious time treating patients rather than lecturing them ______
     a. on 'politicised issue'
     b. at 'politicised issues'
     c. on 'politicised issues'
     d. of 'politicise issues'

6) described eco-anxiety as an emergency crisis hidden ______
     a. in plane site
     b. in plane sight
     c. in plain site
     d. in plain sight
7) Extreme weather events like wildfires, heatwaves, droughts, ______
     a. storm, end floods
     b. storm sand floods
     c. storms, and floods
     d. storms, and flood
8) They lead to anxiety, depression and ______
     a. post-traumatic stress
     b. post-traumatic stressed
     c. past-traumatic stress
     d. post-trauma tic stress
9) A UN survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a ______
     a. study were distrusted
     b. study were digressed
     c. study were distressed
     d. study were digested
10) The youngsters felt sad, anxious, angry, powerless, ______
     a. hapless, and guilty
     b. hopeless, and guilty
     c. helpless, and guilty
     d. helpless, and guilt

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Eco-anxiety is (1) ____________________ affecting an increasingly larger number of young people worldwide. Doctors in the UK have been advised to (2) ____________________ of climate change during consultations with patients. New guidelines encourage doctors to (3) ____________________ of global warming. A health consultation might now consist of a medical diagnosis, along with advice on how to (4) ____________________. It might also include help on how to deal with eco-anxiety. The Daily Mail newspaper (5) ____________________ the guidelines who called them "seriously unethical". They said: "Doctors should spend their precious time treating patients rather than (6) ____________________ 'politicised issues'."

The United Nations has described eco-anxiety as "an emergency crisis (7) ____________________ sight". Eco-anxiety is defined as stress caused by the constant worry about the environment and the climate crisis. The UN said the condition (8) ____________________ the mental health of children. Downtoearth.com wrote: "Extreme weather events like wildfires, heatwaves, droughts, (9) ____________________ lead to displacement and food shortages, causing (10) ____________________ humans. They lead to anxiety, depression and (11) ____________________." A UN survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a study were distressed about the climate. The youngsters felt, "(12) ____________________, powerless, helpless, and guilty".

Comprehension questions

Who is eco-anxiety affecting?
What might doctors have to discuss the dangers of?
What might doctors give advice on cutting?
What did the Daily Mail newspaper call new guidelines for doctors?
What did critics say doctors should not give lectures on?
Where did the UN say the eco-anxiety was hidden?
How did the UN say eco-anxiety would affect children?
What will extreme weather lead to besides food shortages?
What does extreme weather lead to besides anxiety and depression?
What percentage of people in a study were distressed about the climate?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Who is eco-anxiety affecting?
a) world leaders
b) old people
c) young people
d) people near Antarctica
2) What might doctors have to discuss the dangers of?
a) global warming
b) obesity
c) sugar
d) not exercising
3) What might doctors give advice on cutting?
a) cholesterol
b) calories
c) waistlines
d) carbon footprints
4) What did the Daily Mail newspaper call new guidelines for doctors?
a) brilliant
b) seriously unethical
c) much called for
d) inspiring
5) What did critics say doctors should not give lectures on?
a) weather
b) bones
c) politicised issues
d) death

6) Where did the UN say the eco-anxiety was hidden?
a) in journals
b) in plain sight
c) in the Internet
d) in the clouds
7) How did the UN say eco-anxiety would affect children?
a) considerably
b) badly
c) largely
d) severely
8) What will extreme weather lead to besides food shortages?
a) injuries
b) displacement
c) riots
d) higher insurance costs
9) What does extreme weather lead to besides anxiety and depression?
a) post-traumatic stress
b) wet feet
c) cancelled sports events
d) damage
10) What percentage of people in a study were distressed about the climate?
a) 56%
b) 57%
c) 58%
d) 59%

Role play

Role A – Heatwaves
You think heatwaves are the worst weather events. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their events aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): hurricanes, floods or blizzards.

Role B – Hurricanes
You think hurricanes are the worst weather events. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their events aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): heatwaves, floods or blizzards.

Role C – Floods
You think floods are the worst weather events. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their events aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): hurricanes, heatwaves or blizzards.

Role D – Blizzards
You think blizzards are the worst weather events. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their events aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): hurricanes, floods or heatwaves.

After reading / listening

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

'anxiety'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'crisis'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• 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:

medical

topic

consist

deal

cited

time

sight

constant

affect

food

stress

felt

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 - Eco-anxiety

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 'eco-anxiety'?
How bad is a condition like eco-anxiety?
What do you think doctors know about eco-anxiety?
How anxious are you about the environment?
How does concern about the environment change how you live?
Has the climate crisis affected what you want to do in the future?
Is it unethical to ask doctors to advise patients about climate change?
Should doctors be more political?
What advice do you have for people with eco-anxiety?

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 'crisis'?
What do you think about what you read?
Why is eco-anxiety "an emergency crisis hidden in plain sight"?
What might trigger someone with eco-anxiety?
How can we help children with eco-anxiety?
Does extreme weather make you worry more about the future?
Does the climate crisis make you think about not having children?
How can we help children who feel helpless?
What would you like to ask a young person with eco-anxiety?

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)

Eco-anxiety is a medical condition affecting an increasingly larger (1) ____ of young people worldwide. Doctors in the UK have been advised to (2) ____ the topic of climate change during consultations with patients. New guidelines (3) ____ doctors to discuss the dangers of global warming. A health consultation might now consist of a medical diagnosis, (4) ____ with advice on how to reduce carbon footprints. It might also include help on how to deal with eco-anxiety. The Daily Mail newspaper (5) ____ critics of the guidelines who called them "seriously unethical". They said: "Doctors should spend their precious time treating patients rather than (6) ____ them on 'politicised issues'."

The United Nations has described eco-anxiety as "an emergency crisis (7) ____ in plain sight". Eco-anxiety is defined as stress caused by the constant worry about the environment and the climate crisis. The UN said the condition will severely (8) ____ the mental health of children. Downtoearth.com wrote: "Extreme weather events like wildfires, heatwaves, (9) ____, storms, and floods lead to displacement and food shortages, causing psychological harm to humans. They (10) ____ to anxiety, depression and post-(11) ____ stress." A UN survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a study were distressed (12) ____ the climate. The youngsters felt, "sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless, and guilty".

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) numbering (b) numbers (c) numeral (d) number
(a) rise (b) arise (c) arouse (d) raise
(a) entourage (b) encourage (c) discourage (d) courageous
(a) longing (b) longs (c) along (d) alongside
(a) sighted (b) slighted (c) cited (d) sated
(a) lecturing (b) teaching (c) scolding (d) discoursing
(a) ridden (b) hidden (c) bidden (d) beholden
(a) affect (b) confect (c) infect (d) effect
(a) drafts (b) droughts (c) draughts (d) doubts
(a) cause (b) head (c) lead (d) arrive
(a) aromatic (b) dramatic (c) traumatic (d) enigmatic
(a) at (b) on (c) of (d) about

Spelling

Paragraph 1

New giieluedsn
A health iotounlnscat
a medical isgiosnda
called them seriously ciuhlntae
spend their peucrois time treating patients
lecturing them on doliieispct issues

Paragraph 2

hortdgsu, storms, and floods
causing locsoilgphcay harm to humans
post-iaucmtrat stress
idsresetds about the climate
youngsters felt, "sad, uasinox …
helpless, and giluyt

Put the text back together

(...) consultations with patients. New guidelines encourage doctors to discuss the dangers
(...) The United Nations has described eco-anxiety as "an emergency crisis hidden in plain
(...) crisis. The UN said the condition will severely affect the mental health of children. Downtoearth.com wrote: "Extreme
(...) stress." A UN survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a study were distressed
(...) sight". Eco-anxiety is defined as stress caused by the constant worry about the environment and the climate
(...) said: "Doctors should spend their precious time treating patients rather than lecturing them on 'politicised issues'."
(...) with eco-anxiety. The Daily Mail newspaper cited critics of the guidelines who called them "seriously unethical". They
(...) on how to reduce carbon footprints. It might also include help on how to deal
(...) weather events like wildfires, heatwaves, droughts, storms, and floods lead to displacement and food
(...) people worldwide. Doctors in the UK have been advised to raise the topic of climate change during
(...) about the climate. The youngsters felt, "sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless, and guilty".
(...) of global warming. A health consultation might now consist of a medical diagnosis, along with advice
(...) shortages, causing psychological harm to humans. They lead to anxiety, depression and post-traumatic
( 1 ) Eco-anxiety is a medical condition affecting an increasingly larger number of young

Put the words in the right order

an medical increasingly affecting A condition larger number .
to advice carbon With how footprints . reduce on
Include with on deal help to eco-anxiety . how
the Critics guidelines called unethical . of seriously them
time treating their patients . precious should Doctors spend
An sight . in plain crisis emergency hidden
caused Stress the about worries environment . by constant
health severely of the children . It'll affect mental
and floods and Storms shortages . lead to displacement
study were distressed . a Young people in UN

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

Eco-anxiety is a medical / medicine condition affecting an increasingly larger number of young people worldwide. Doctors in the UK have been advising / advised to raise the topic of climate change during contractions / consultations with patients. New guidelines discourage / encourage doctors to discuss the dangers of global warming. A health / healthy consultation might now consent / consist of a medical diagnosis, along with advice on how to reduce carbon footprints. It might also include help on how to deal with / to eco-anxiety. The Daily Mail newspaper cited critics of / at the guidelines who called them "seriously unethical". They said: "Doctors should spend their precious / precocious time treating patients rather than lecturing them on 'politicised issue / issues'."

The United Nations has proscribed / described eco-anxiety as "an emergency crisis hidden in plain sight". Eco-anxiety is defined / definition as stress caused by the constant / constantly worry about the environment and the climate crisis. The UN said the condition will severely / severe affect the mental health of children. Downtoearth.com wrote: "Extreme / Extremely weather events like wildfires, heatwaves, draughts / droughts, storms, and floods lead to displacement and meal / food shortages, causing psychological harm to humans. They lead to anxious / anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress." A UN survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a study were digressed / distressed about the climate. The youngsters felt, "sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless, and guilt / guilty".

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

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

_c_-_nx__ty _s _ m_d_c_l c_nd_t__n _ff_ct_ng _n _ncr__s_ngly l_rg_r n_mb_r _f y__ng p__pl_ w_rldw_d_. D_ct_rs _n th_ _K h_v_ b__n _dv_s_d t_ r__s_ th_ t_p_c _f cl_m_t_ ch_ng_ d_r_ng c_ns_lt_t__ns w_th p_t__nts. N_w g__d_l_n_s _nc__r_g_ d_ct_rs t_ d_sc_ss th_ d_ng_rs _f gl_b_l w_rm_ng. _ h__lth c_ns_lt_t__n m_ght n_w c_ns_st _f _ m_d_c_l d__gn_s_s, _l_ng w_th _dv_c_ _n h_w t_ r_d_c_ c_rb_n f__tpr_nts. _t m_ght _ls_ _ncl_d_ h_lp _n h_w t_ d__l w_th _c_-_nx__ty. Th_ D__ly M__l n_wsp_p_r c_t_d cr_t_cs _f th_ g__d_l_n_s wh_ c_ll_d th_m "s_r___sly _n_th_c_l". Th_y s__d: "D_ct_rs sh__ld sp_nd th__r pr_c___s t_m_ tr__t_ng p_t__nts r_th_r th_n l_ct_r_ng th_m _n 'p_l_t_c_s_d _ss__s'."

Th_ _n_t_d N_t__ns h_s d_scr_b_d _c_-_nx__ty _s "_n _m_rg_ncy cr_s_s h_dd_n _n pl__n s_ght". _c_-_nx__ty _s d_f_n_d _s str_ss c__s_d by th_ c_nst_nt w_rry _b__t th_ _nv_r_nm_nt _nd th_ cl_m_t_ cr_s_s. Th_ _N s__d th_ c_nd_t__n w_ll s_v_r_ly _ff_ct th_ m_nt_l h__lth _f ch_ldr_n. D_wnt___rth.c_m wr_t_: "_xtr_m_ w__th_r _v_nts l_k_ w_ldf_r_s, h__tw_v_s, dr__ghts, st_rms, _nd fl__ds l__d t_ d_spl_c_m_nt _nd f__d sh_rt_g_s, c__s_ng psych_l_g_c_l h_rm t_ h_m_ns. Th_y l__d t_ _nx__ty, d_pr_ss__n _nd p_st-tr__m_t_c str_ss." _ _N s_rv_y f__nd th_t 59 p_r c_nt _f y__ng p__pl_ _n _ st_dy w_r_ d_str_ss_d _b__t th_ cl_m_t_. Th_ y__ngst_rs f_lt, "s_d, _nx___s, _ngry, p_w_rl_ss, h_lpl_ss, _nd g__lty".

Punctuate the text and add capitals

ecoanxiety is a medical condition affecting an increasingly larger number of young people worldwide doctors in the uk have been advised to raise the topic of climate change during consultations with patients new guidelines encourage doctors to discuss the dangers of global warming a health consultation might now consist of a medical diagnosis along with advice on how to reduce carbon footprints it might also include help on how to deal with ecoanxiety the daily mail newspaper cited critics of the guidelines who called them seriously unethical they said doctors should spend their precious time treating patients rather than lecturing them on politicised issues

the united nations has described ecoanxiety as an emergency crisis hidden in plain sight ecoanxiety is defined as stress caused by the constant worry about the environment and the climate crisis the un said the condition will severely affect the mental health of children downtoearthcom wrote extreme weather events like wildfires heatwaves droughts storms and floods lead to displacement and food shortages causing psychological harm to humans they lead to anxiety depression and posttraumatic stress a un survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a study were distressed about the climate the youngsters felt sad anxious angry powerless helpless and guilty

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Eco-anxietyisamedicalconditionaffectinganincreasinglylargernum
berofyoungpeopleworldwide.DoctorsintheUKhavebeenadvisedtorai
sethetopicofclimatechangeduringconsultationswithpatients.Newgui
delinesencouragedoctorstodiscussthedangersofglobalwarming.Ahe
althconsultationmightnowconsistofamedicaldiagnosis,alongwithad
viceonhowtoreducecarbonfootprints.Itmightalsoincludehelponhowt
odealwitheco-anxiety.TheDailyMailnewspapercitedcriticsoftheguid
elineswhocalledthem"seriouslyunethical".Theysaid:"Doctorsshould
spendtheirprecioustimetreatingpatientsratherthanlecturingthemon
'politicisedissues'."TheUnitedNationshasdescribedeco-anxietyas"a
nemergencycrisishiddeninplainsight".Eco-anxietyisdefinedasstres
scausedbytheconstantworryabouttheenvironmentandtheclimatecri
sis.TheUNsaidtheconditionwillseverelyaffectthementalhealthofchild
ren.Downtoearth.comwrote:"Extremeweathereventslikewildfires,h
eatwaves,droughts,storms,andfloodsleadtodisplacementandfoods
hortages,causingpsychologicalharmtohumans.Theyleadtoanxiety,
depressionandpost-traumaticstress."AUNsurveyfoundthat59perc
entofyoungpeopleinastudyweredistressedabouttheclimate.Theyou
ngstersfelt,"sad,anxious,angry,powerless,helpless,andguilty".

Free writing

Write about eco-anxiety for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

Eco-anxiety will become an unstoppable pandemic that we must stop now. 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. ECO-ANXIETY: Make a poster about eco-anxiety. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. DOCTORS: Write a magazine article about doctors advising all patients on eco-anxiety. 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 eco-anxiety. Ask him/her three questions about eco-anxiety. Give him/her three of your ideas. 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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