Fire in the Sky: The Perseid Meteor Shower
Grammar: Culture class
A Level 4 English lesson exploring culture.
What's in this lesson
A Level 4 (upper intermediate) ESL culture class on culture. The worksheet has a reading and discussion questions.
From the reading: The Oldest Light Show on Earth
Every August, Earth passes through a river of cosmic debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle, a massive icy rock that orbits the Sun roughly every 130 years. As Earth crosses this trail, tiny fragments — some no bigger than a grain of sand — slam into our atmosphere at speeds of around 59 kilometres per second, burning up in brilliant streaks of light. This spectacular display is known as the Perseid meteor shower, and it has been reliably thrilling sky-watchers for at least two thousand years. Chinese astronomers documented it as far back as 36 AD.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever watched a meteor shower? What did it feel like?
- Should governments spend more on space observation than ocean exploration?
- How might ancient civilisations have explained a sudden shower of shooting stars?
Fire in the Sky: The Perseid Meteor Shower
Grammar: Culture class
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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