ESL Holiday Lessons.com: National Agriculture Day

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

National Agriculture Day is a day to appreciate and celebrate the work of farmers and the agricultural industry. Perhaps few of us stop and think about the vital work that takes place every day by food producers. Without them, there would be no produce in the stores and little food on the table. It takes place on the first day of spring – a busy day in the farming calendar. Communities, cooperatives, companies and universities all make their own campaigns to highlight the importance of agriculture, for food, jobs and exports. It is one of the most important parts of the economy and a key part of our environment. Agriculture is also the oldest industry in the world.

In America, each farmer feeds more than 144 people. This is a huge increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Developments in technology, better pesticides and more efficient farming means farmers grow more crops. Agricultural products fall into different groups, the main ones being foods, fibers and raw materials. In recent years, crops have been used to grow biofuels, which has created a whole new area of agriculture. Recent times have also seen a rise in the farming of drugs, especially for cocaine and heroine. Agriculture is the world’s largest employer. About 35 percent of the world's workers rely on agriculture for their living. Even though it employs a third of the world’s workers, agriculture generates less than five percent of the world’s income.

Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	appreciate and celebrate the	a.	the table
2	the vital work that takes place every	b.	of our environment
3.	food on	c.	day by food producers
4.	a busy day in the	d.	industry in the world
5.	a key part	e.	work of farmers
6.	Agriculture is also the oldest	f.	farming calendar

Paragraph 2

1.	each farmer feeds	a.	agriculture for their living
2	a huge increase from 25	b.	more than 144 people
3.	more efficient farming means	c.	5% of the world’s income
4.	crops have been used to	d.	farmers grow more crops
5.	35% of the world's workers rely on	e.	people in the 1960s
6.	agriculture generates less than	f.	grow biofuels

LISTENING GAP FILL

National Agriculture Day is a day _________________ celebrate the work of farmers and the agricultural industry. Perhaps _________________ and think about the vital work that takes place every day by food producers. Without them, there would be no produce in the stores and _________________ the table. It takes place on the first day of spring – a busy day in _________________. Communities, cooperatives, companies and universities all make their _________________ highlight the importance of agriculture, for food, jobs and exports. It is one of the most important parts of the economy and _________________ environment. Agriculture is also the oldest industry in the world.

In America, each farmer _________________ 144 people. This is a huge increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Developments in technology, better pesticides _________________ farming means farmers grow more crops. Agricultural products fall into different groups, the _________________ foods, fibers and raw materials. In recent years, crops have been used to grow biofuels, which has created _________________ of agriculture. Recent times have also seen a rise in the farming of drugs, especially for cocaine and heroine. Agriculture is the world’s largest employer. About 35 percent of the world's _________________ agriculture for their living. Even though it employs a third of the world’s workers, agriculture _________________ than five percent of the world’s income.

WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

National Agriculture Day is a day to appreciate and __________ the work of farmers and the agricultural industry. Perhaps __________ of us stop and think about the __________ work that takes place every day by food producers. Without them, there would be no produce in the stores and little food on the __________. It takes place on the first day of spring – a busy day in the farming __________. Communities, cooperatives, companies and universities all make their __________ campaigns to highlight the importance of agriculture, for food, jobs and __________. It is one of the most important parts of the economy and a __________ part of our environment. Agriculture is also the oldest industry in the world.

calendar
vital
key
own
celebrate
table
exports
few

In America, each farmer __________ more than 144 people. This is a __________ increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Developments in technology, better pesticides and more __________ farming means farmers grow more crops. Agricultural products __________ into different groups, the main ones being foods, fibers and raw materials. In __________ years, crops have been used to grow biofuels, which has created a whole new area of agriculture. Recent times have also seen a __________ in the farming of drugs, especially for cocaine and heroine. Agriculture is the world’s largest employer. About 35 percent of the world's workers __________ on agriculture for their living. Even though it employs a third of the world’s workers, agriculture __________ less than five percent of the world’s income.

efficient
rely
fall
rise
feeds
generates
huge
recent

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.

National Agriculture Day is a day to appreciate and celebration / celebrate the work of farmers and the agricultural industry. Perhaps few / two of us stop and think about the vital / vitality work that takes place every day by food producers. Without them, there would be no produce in the stores and little / small food on the table. It takes place on the first day of spring / springs – a busy day in the farming calendar. Communities, cooperatives, companies and universities all make their own campaigners / campaigns to highlight the importance of agriculture, for food, jobs and experts / exports. It is one of the most important parts of the economy and a key part of our environment. Agriculture is also the oldest industrial / industry in the world.

In America, each farmer foods / feeds more than 144 people. This is a huge / hugest increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Developments in technology, better pests / pesticides and more efficient farming means farmers grow more crops. Agricultural products fall into different groups, the main ones being foods, fibers and raw / roar materials. In recent years, crops have been used to growth / grow biofuels, which has created a whole new area of agriculture. Recent times have also seen a rise in the farming / farm of drugs, especially for cocaine and heroine. Agriculture is the world’s largest employment / employer. About 35 percent of the world's workers rely on agriculture for their living. Even though it employs a thirty / third of the world’s workers, agriculture generates less than five percent of the world’s income.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

National Agriculture Day is a day to appreciate and celebrate the (1) ____ of farmers and the agricultural industry. Perhaps few of us stop and think about the (2) ____ work that takes place every day by food producers. Without them, there would be no produce in the stores and (3) ____ food on the table. It takes place on the first day of spring – a busy day in the farming calendar. Communities, cooperatives, (4) ____ and universities all make their own campaigns to highlight the importance of agriculture, for food, jobs and (5) ____. It is one of the most important parts of the economy and a key part of our environment. Agriculture is also the oldest (6) ____ in the world.

In America, each farmer (7) ____ more than 144 people. This is a huge increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Developments in technology, better pesticides and more (8) ____ farming means farmers grow more crops. Agricultural products fall into different groups, the main ones being foods, fibers and (9) ____ materials. In recent years, crops have been used to grow biofuels, which has created a whole new area of agriculture. Recent times have also seen a (10) ____ in the farming of drugs, especially for cocaine and heroine. Agriculture is the world’s largest employer. About 35 percent of the world's workers rely (11) ____ agriculture for their living. Even though it employs a third of the world’s workers, agriculture (12) ____ less than five percent of the world’s income.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	workers	(b)	workaholic	(c)	works	(d)	work
2.	(a)	virtual	(b)	vital	(c)	viral	(d)	vitality
3.	(a)	small	(b)	few	(c)	little	(d)	tiny
4.	(a)	companies	(b)	companions	(c)	company’s	(d)	companies’
5.	(a)	experts	(b)	exported	(c)	exports	(d)	expert
6.	(a)	industrial	(b)	industries	(c)	industry’s	(d)	industry
7.	(a)	feeding	(b)	feeds	(c)	foods	(d)	food
8.	(a)	efficient	(b)	efficiently	(c)	efficiencies	(d)	efficiency
9.	(a)	roar	(b)	rawer	(c)	raw	(d)	rawness
10.	(a)	raise	(b)	rose	(c)	risen	(d)	rise
11.	(a)	in	(b)	on	(c)	at	(d)	of
12.	(a)	generates	(b)	generation	(c)	generator	(d)	generate

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	a day to eppateaicr
2.	the ivalt work that takes place
3.	no pceoudr in the stores
4.	farming dlarecna
5.	jobs and psxerot
6.	the oldest itnurysd
Paragraph 2
7.	fesed more than 144 people
8.	better dsiscetepi
9.	raw mtaiseral
10.	dtereac a whole new area
11.	the world’s largest eprlyome
12.	a hidrt of the world’s workers

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	materials. In recent years, crops have been used to grow biofuels, which has created a whole
( )	highlight the importance of agriculture, for food, jobs and exports. It is one of the most important
( )	in the farming calendar. Communities, cooperatives, companies and universities all make their own campaigns to
( )	In America, each farmer feeds more than 144 people. This is a huge increase from
( )	farmers grow more crops. Agricultural products fall into different groups, the main ones being foods, fibers and raw
( )	25 people in the 1960s. Developments in technology, better pesticides and more efficient farming means
( )	of us stop and think about the vital work that takes place every day by food producers. Without them, there
( )	third of the world’s workers, agriculture generates less than five percent of the world’s income.
( )	drugs, especially for cocaine and heroine. Agriculture is the world’s largest employer. About 35
( )	percent of the world's workers rely on agriculture for their living. Even though it employs a
( 1 )	National Agriculture Day is a day to appreciate and celebrate the work of farmers and the agricultural industry. Perhaps few
( )	parts of the economy and a key part of our environment. Agriculture is also the oldest industry in the world.
( )	new area of agriculture. Recent times have also seen a rise in the farming of
( )	would be no produce in the stores and little food on the table. It takes place on the first day of spring – a busy day

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	farmers to celebrate of day and work a appreciate the
2.	about work place think vital takes day the that every
3.	produce no be would there , them Without
4.	economy important one parts of of the the most
5.	is in also the the world oldest Agriculture industry
6.	feeds than people farmer more 144 each
7.	farmers more efficient means grow crops farming
8.	grow crops been to biofuels have used
9.	largest world’s the is Agriculture employer
10.	world’s the of third a employs it workers

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURE DAY SURVEY

Write five questions about National Agriculture Day in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out. Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITING

Write about National Agriculture Day for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

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 more information about National Agriculture Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about National Agriculture Day. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. POSTER: Make your own poster about National Agriculture Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.