. Moss and Forensics - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson
Moss and Forensics - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson
Moss and Forensics - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson

Breaking News English Lesson: Moss and Forensics

The police use fingerprints, CCTV, and DNA to find criminals. A new study shows that moss is also useful. In the study, scientists looked at when the police used moss to help solve crimes. One scientist said he wanted the police to understand more about how important and useful moss was.

Moss first helped the police in 1929. In 2013, moss on a man's shoes helped the police to find where the man's baby was buried. The baby's father was put in prison for murdering his baby. Another scientist said she wanted the police to understand more about how moss can help them in their work.

Try the same news story at these levels:

  • https://www.greenmatters.com/pn/this-overlooked-plant-has-been-quietly-helping-forensic-experts-solve-crimes-new-study-reveals
  • https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/moss-is-so-unique-its-acted-like-fingerprints-to-help-solve-a-dozen-crimes/
  • https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251225080738.htm

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 :-)

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News

"Much has been said and written on the utility of newspapers; but one principal advantage which might be derived from these publications has been neglected; we mean that of reading them in schools."

The Portland Eastern Herald (June 8, 1795)

"News is history in its first and best form, its vivid and fascinating form, and. history is the pale and tranquil reflection of it."

Mark Twain, in his autobiography (1906)

"Current events provide authentic learning experiences for students at all grade levels. In studying current events, students are required to use a range of cognitive, affective, critical thinking and research skills."

Haas, M. and Laughlin, M. (2000) Teaching Current Events: It's Status in Social Studies Today.

Phrase Matching Paragraph 1
  1. The police use
  2. CCTV
  3. A new study
  4. moss is also
  5. scientists looked
  6. the police used moss to help
  7. he wanted the police to
  8. how important and useful
  1. understand more
  2. useful
  3. moss was
  4. shows that
  5. solve crimes
  6. fingerprints
  7. at when
  8. and DNA
Paragraph 2
  1. Moss first helped
  2. moss on a
  3. helped the
  4. find where the man's baby
  5. The baby's father was put
  6. she wanted the police to
  7. understand more about
  8. help them
  1. how
  2. understand
  3. in their work
  4. in prison
  5. man's shoes
  6. police
  7. the police in 1929
  8. was buried
Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The (1) _________________________________________________, CCTV, and DNA (2) _________________________________________________. A new study shows that moss (3) _________________________________________________. In the study, scientists looked at when (4) _________________________________________________ moss to help solve crimes. One scientist (5) _________________________________________________ the police to understand more about how important and (6) _________________________________________________.

Moss (7) _______________________________________________ police in 1929. In 2013, moss on a man's shoes helped the police (8) _______________________________________________ the man's (9) _________________________________________________. The baby's father was (10) _________________________________________________ for murdering his baby. Another scientist said she wanted the (11) _______________________________________________ more about how moss can help them (12) _________________________________________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Thepoliceusefingerprints,CCTV,andDNAtofindcriminals.Anewstudy showsthatmossisalsouseful.Inthestudy,scientistslookedatwhenthe policeusedmosstohelpsolvecrimes.Onescientistsaidhewantedthepo licetounderstandmoreabouthowimportantandusefulmosswas.Mossf irsthelpedthepolicein1929.In2013,mossonaman'sshoeshelpedthep olicetofindwheretheman'sbabywasburied.Thebaby'sfatherwasputin prisonformurderinghisbaby.Anotherscientistsaidshewantedthepolic etounderstandmoreabouthowmosscanhelpthemintheirwork.

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 — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

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

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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