. Bees - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson
Bees - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson
Bees - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson

Breaking News English Lesson: Bees

A scientist found a new bee species in Australia. It has horns on its head. It was named Megachile lucifer. "Lucifer" is a name for the Devil. The scientist said: "These horns are very. devilish. I wanted to call it a devil-like name." Lucifer means "light bringer". The scientist wants to bring light to conservation issues.

Australia has 2,000 species of bees. The scientist said there are many bee species we do not know about. The Lucifer bee is the first of its kind to be found in 20 years. The scientists is worried that the new bee could be in danger. This is because of habitat loss. Climate change is also a danger.

Try the same news story at these levels:

  • https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/animals/megachili-hackeriapis-lucifer-new-bee-species-discovered-near-bremer-range-region-c-20631937
  • https://au.news.yahoo.com/discovered-australian-native-bee-still-190930895.html
  • https://phys.org/news/2025-11-devilishly-distinctive-bee-species-western.html

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. A scientist found a new
  2. It has horns
  3. "Lucifer" is a name
  4. These horns are very
  5. I wanted to call it a devil-
  6. Lucifer means
  7. The scientist wants to
  8. conservation
  1. devilish
  2. "light bringer"
  3. bee species
  4. issues
  5. for the Devil
  6. bring light
  7. on its head
  8. like name
Paragraph 2
  1. Australia has 2,000
  2. there are many bee
  3. we do not
  4. the first of
  5. The scientist is
  6. the new bee could be
  7. This is because of habitat
  8. Climate change is also
  1. in danger
  2. its kind
  3. a danger
  4. species
  5. loss
  6. know
  7. species of bees
  8. worried
Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A scientist (1) _________________________________________________ bee species in Australia. It has horns (2) _________________________________________________. It was named Megachile lucifer. "Lucifer" is (3) _________________________________________________ the Devil. The scientist said: "These horns (4) _________________________________________________. I wanted to call it a devil-like name." Lucifer (5) _________________________________________________. The scientist wants to (6) _________________________________________________ conservation issues.

Australia (7) ____________________________________________ of bees. The scientist said there are many bee species we do (8) ________________________________________________. The Lucifer bee (9) _________________________________________________ of its kind (10) _________________________________________________ in 20 years. The scientist is worried that the new bee could be in danger. This (11) _________________________________________________ habitat loss. Climate change is (12) _________________________________________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AscientistfoundanewbeespeciesinAustralia.Ithashornsonitshead.It wasnamedMegachilelucifer."Lucifer"isanamefortheDevil.Thescienti stsaid:"Thesehornsarevery. devilish.Iwantedtocallitadevil-likena me."Lucifermeans"lightbringer".Thescientistwantstobringlighttoco nservationissues.Australiahas2,000speciesofbees.Thescientistsaid therearemanybeespecieswedonotknowabout.TheLuciferbeeisthefir stofitskindtobefoundin20years.Thescientistsisworriedthatthenewb eecouldbeindanger.Thisisbecauseofhabitatloss.Climatechangeisals oadanger.

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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