. Moss and Forensics - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson
Moss and Forensics - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson
Moss and Forensics - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson

Breaking News English Lesson: Moss and Forensics

The police often use fingerprints, CCTV, and DNA to find criminals. A new study shows that moss is also used. Moss grows everywhere. These tiny plants can help in police investigations. The study is in the journal Forensic Sciences Research. Scientists looked at all the cases in which moss was used to help solve crimes. Lead scientist Dr Matt von Konrat said: "We wanted to highlight the significance of botanical evidence because. investigators may be overlooking it." He added: "We're hoping that our study helps show how important these tiny plants can be."

The earliest reported case of moss helping the police was in 1929. Moss on a skeleton helped police know when a person had died. 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 found the baby's body. He said: "Based on the bits of moss, we knew what sort of micro-habitat we were looking for." The father was convicted of murder. Forensic scientist Jenna Merkel said: "We aim to raise awareness of forensic botany." She wants the police to understand 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
  1. The police often
  2. Moss grows
  3. These tiny plants can help in
  4. moss was used to help solve
  5. highlight the significance of
  6. investigators may be
  7. We're hoping that our
  8. show how important these
  1. study helps
  2. crimes
  3. use fingerprints
  4. everywhere
  5. tiny plants can be
  6. police investigations
  7. overlooking it
  8. botanical evidence
Paragraph 2
  1. The earliest reported case of moss
  2. helped police know when a
  3. scientists found moss
  4. This helped the police
  5. what sort of micro-habitat we
  6. The father was convicted
  7. We aim to raise awareness
  8. understand how moss can help
  1. them in their work
  2. on a man's shoes
  3. of murder
  4. of forensic botany
  5. helping the police
  6. to find where
  7. person had died
  8. were looking for
Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The (1) _________________________________________________ fingerprints, CCTV, and DNA to find criminals. A new study shows that moss is also used. Moss grows everywhere. These (2) _________________________________________________ help in police investigations. The study is (3) _________________________________________________ Forensic Sciences Research. Scientists looked at all the cases in which moss was used to (4) _________________________________________________. Lead scientist Dr Matt von Konrat said: "We wanted to highlight the significance (5) _________________________________________________ because. investigators may be overlooking it." He added: "We're hoping that our study helps show how important these tiny (6) _________________________________________________."

The earliest reported case of moss (7) _________________________________________________ was in 1929. Moss on a skeleton helped police know (8) _________________________________________________ had died. In 2013, scientists found moss on a man's shoes. This helped the police to find where the man's (9) _________________________________________________. Dr von Konrat found the baby's body. He said: "Based on the bits of moss, we knew what sort of micro-habitat we (10) _________________________________________________." The father was convicted of murder. Forensic scientist Jenna Merkel said: "We (11) _________________________________________________ awareness of forensic botany." She wants the police to understand how moss can help them (12) _________________________________________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Thepoliceoftenusefingerprints,CCTV,andDNAtofindcriminals.Anews tudyshowsthatmossisalsoused.Mossgrowseverywhere.Thesetinypl antscanhelpinpoliceinvestigations.ThestudyisinthejournalForensicS ciencesResearch.Scientistslookedatallthecasesinwhichmosswasuse dtohelpsolvecrimes.LeadscientistDrMattvonKonratsaid:"Wewanted tohighlightthesignificanceofbotanicalevidencebecause. investigato rsmaybeoverlookingit."Headded:"We'rehopingthatourstudyhelpss howhowimportantthesetinyplantscanbe."Theearliestreportedcaseo fmosshelpingthepolicewasin1929.Mossonaskeletonhelpedpolicekn owwhenapersonhaddied.In2013,scientistsfoundmossonaman'ssho es.Thishelpedthepolicetofindwheretheman'sbabywasburied.Drvon Konratfoundthebaby'sbody.Hesaid:"Basedonthebitsofmoss,wekne wwhatsortofmicro-habitatwewerelookingfor."Thefatherwasconvict edofmurder.ForensicscientistJennaMerkelsaid:"Weaimtoraiseawar enessofforensicbotany."Shewantsthepolicetounderstandhowmossc anhelpthemintheirwork.

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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