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 police investigations. In the study, scientists looked at all the cases in which the police used moss to help solve crimes. Lead scientist Dr Matt von Konrat said he wanted the police to understand more about moss. He wrote: "We're hoping that our study helps show how important these tiny plants can be."
Moss first helped the police in 1929. In 2013, scientists found moss on a man's shoes. This helped the police to find where the man's baby was buried. Dr von Konrat said: "Based on the bits of moss, we knew what sort of micro-habitat we were looking for." The baby's father was convicted of murder. Another forensic 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- The police use
- CCTV
- scientists looked
- the police used moss to
- Lead scientist
- understand more
- We're hoping that our study
- how important these
- about moss
- helps
- help solve crimes
- and DNA
- tiny plants can be
- at all the cases
- Dr Matt von Konrat
- fingerprints
- Moss first helped the
- scientists found moss
- This helped the police to
- what sort of micro-habitat we were
- The baby's father was convicted
- forensic
- she wanted the police
- how moss can help
- scientist
- find where
- of murder
- police in 1929
- them in their work
- on a man's shoes
- looking for
- to understand more
The (1) _________________________________________________, CCTV, and DNA to find criminals. A new study shows that moss (2) _________________________________________________ in police investigations. In the study, scientists looked at (3) _________________________________________________ in which the police used moss to (4) _________________________________________________. Lead scientist Dr Matt von Konrat said he wanted the police to understand (5) _________________________________________________. He wrote: "We're hoping that our study helps show how important these tiny (6) _________________________________________________."
Moss (7) _________________________________________________ police in 1929. In 2013, scientists (8) _________________________________________________ a man's shoes. This helped the police to find where the man's (9) _________________________________________________. Dr von Konrat said: "Based on the bits of moss, we knew what sort of micro-habitat (10) _________________________________________________ for." The baby's father was convicted of murder. Another forensic scientist (11) _________________________________________________ the police to understand more about how moss can help them (12) _________________________________________________.
Put a slash (/) where the spaces areThepoliceusefingerprints,CCTV,andDNAtofindcriminals.Anewstudy showsthatmossisalsousefulinpoliceinvestigations.Inthestudy,scient istslookedatallthecasesinwhichthepoliceusedmosstohelpsolvecrime s.LeadscientistDrMattvonKonratsaidhewantedthepolicetoundersta ndmoreaboutmoss.Hewrote:"We'rehopingthatourstudyhelpsshowh owimportantthesetinyplantscanbe."Mossfirsthelpedthepolicein192 9.In2013,scientistsfoundmossonaman'sshoes.Thishelpedthepolice tofindwheretheman'sbabywasburied.DrvonKonratsaid:"Basedonth ebitsofmoss,weknewwhatsortofmicro-habitatwewerelookingfor."T hebaby'sfatherwasconvictedofmurder.Anotherforensicscientistsaid shewantedthepolicetounderstandmoreabouthowmosscanhelpthem intheirwork.
Student surveyWrite 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 questionsSTUDENT 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 writingWrite 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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