LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERSSNOW LEOPARDS
LinguaHouse
Jan. 11, 2021
Level: Advanced (C1-C2)
Type of English: General English
Tags: Animals; Animals and Plants; Numbers; Video Talk; Vocabulary Lesson
Publication date: 01/11/2021
This is a challenging and fast-paced lesson that includes a large volume of vocabulary. Students examine photos of snow leopards and discuss the adaptations that make them successful before watching a video about this animal. Students work in pairs to recover different lexis and explain it to each other, and briefly explore the imperial measurement system used in the video. In the final stage of the lesson, there is a choice of a roleplay or web quest activity (by Stephanie Hirschman).
- CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English.
- CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English.
- CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English.
- CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English.
- CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio (MP3).
- CLICK HERE to download/watch the video (MP4).
AUDIO/VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Snow leopards are one of the world’s most elusive cats. Nicknamed ghosts of the mountains, they live in the world’s highest ranges and are one of the least understood felines.
Snow leopards inhabit the highest altitude (documented) of any cat. Their habitat includes the highest mountain ranges across Central Asia, with altitudes up to 20,000 feet. Snow leopards have adapted to thrive in these extremely high elevations, where the air has low levels of oxygen. They’ve developed wide nasal passages and large chest cavities that increase the volume of air breathed in. And they have smaller and more numerous red blood cells than typical cats, maximizing the amount of oxygen absorbed by the body.
Snow leopards can endure temperatures as low as negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 C). To keep warm in this inhospitable climate, snow leopards have the densest fur of all cats, with nearly 26,000 hairs per square inch. A human only has about 1,300 per square inch. Snow leopards also have giant paws that act as snowshoes, distributing their weight so they can walk on top of snow instead of sinking in. To stay warm while they rest, snow leopards wrap their furry tails around their bodies like a blanket.
Snow Leopard tails are balancing tools. The snow leopard tail is one of the thickest and longest tails of all big cats. It can grow up to 90% as long as their bodies (onscreen measurement given - body 44 in/1.1 m and tail 40 in/1m). The long tail acts as a counterweight, similar to a tightrope walker’s balancing bar. This helps snow leopards to hunt agile wild sheep and goats in steep, rugged environments. It helps them balance and quickly pivot as they chase nimble prey.
Snow leopards can leap farther than any other animal. Snow leopards can grow to 7 feet (2.1m) long, including their tail. Thanks to strong legs, they can leap distances up to 50 feet (15.2 m) - that’s 7 times their own length. Snow leopards’ front legs are shorter than their hind legs, helpful for quick starts and rapid speeds. Their broad, muscular chests are like shock absorbers, dampening the impact of nearly vertical hunts.
Snow leopards are vulnerable to extinction. By some estimates, there could be fewer than 8,000 wild snow leopards. Climate change might impact their habitat, reducing the big cats’ range and food sources. Increased ranching and herding has caused the decline in wild prey, and conflict between snow leopards and humans has developed. When wild prey is scarce, snow leopards prey on domestic livestock. This causes herders to lose income, and some then kill the cats in retaliation. Community-based conservation efforts have focused on reducing this conflict. Creating greater understanding and protection of these mountain ghosts is needed to prevent them from disappearing entirely.
Adapted from: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/general-english/snow-leopards. Accessed on August 12, 2022. © 2008–2022 LinguaHouse.com. All rights reserved.
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