science

Confusing Animals

Boost A2 ESL speaking skills with this interactive info-gap activity. Students compare commonly confused animals like bees and wasps to improve vocabulary, listening, and conversational fluency.

Topic: Turtles vs. Tortoises
Scenario_description:
Read about your animal. Then, answer your partner's questions and ask them about their animal to learn the differences.
Player_count: 2
Blocks:
- Text_holder_id: 1
  Text:
  Turtles spend most of their lives in the water. They have webbed feet or flippers to help them swim. Their shells are usually flat and light. Most turtles eat both plants and small fish.
  Questions:
  - Asker_id: 2
    Question: Where do turtles spend most of their time?
    Options:
    On dry land
    In the water
    In trees
    Correct_answer: In the water
  - Asker_id: 2
    Question: What do turtles have to help them swim?
    Options:
    Long legs
    Webbed feet or flippers
    Big wings
    Correct_answer: Webbed feet or flippers
  - Asker_id: 2
    Question: What is a turtle's shell usually like?
    Options:
    Very heavy and round
    Flat and light
    Soft and hairy
    Correct_answer: Flat and light
- Text_holder_id: 2
  Text:
  Tortoises live only on land and do not swim. They have thick, sturdy feet like an elephant's feet to walk on ground. Their shells are heavy and shaped like a dome. Most tortoises only eat plants.
  Questions:
  - Asker_id: 1
    Question: Can tortoises swim?
    Options:
    Yes, they are fast swimmers
    No, they live only on land
    Only in deep oceans
    Correct_answer: No, they live only on land
  - Asker_id: 1
    Question: What do a tortoise's feet look like?
    Options:
    Elephant's feet
    Duck's feet
    Cat's paws
    Correct_answer: Elephant's feet
  - Asker_id: 1
    Question: What shape is a tortoise's shell?
    Options:
    Flat
    Square
    Dome-shaped
    Correct_answer: Dome-shaped
Topic: Bees vs. Wasps
Scenario_description:
Are they the same? Read your text and talk to your partner to find out how bees and wasps are different.
Player_count: 2
Blocks:
- Text_holder_id: 1
  Text:
  Bees are fuzzy and have round bodies. They are very important because they help flowers grow by carrying pollen. Most bees are not aggressive and only sting if they are scared. They eat nectar from flowers.
  Questions:
  - Asker_id: 2
    Question: What does a bee's body look like?
    Options:
    Smooth and thin
    Fuzzy and round
    Long and blue
    Correct_answer: Fuzzy and round
  - Asker_id: 2
    Question: Why are bees important for flowers?
    Options:
    They eat the leaves
    They carry pollen
    They make the ground cold
    Correct_answer: They carry pollen
  - Asker_id: 2
    Question: When do bees usually sting?
    Options:
    Whenever they see a person
    Only if they are scared
    To eat food
    Correct_answer: Only if they are scared
- Text_holder_id: 2
  Text:
  Wasps have smooth, shiny skin and very thin waists. They are predators and eat other insects like flies and caterpillars. Unlike bees, some wasps can be aggressive and may sting many times.
  Questions:
  - Asker_id: 1
    Question: What kind of skin do wasps have?
    Options:
    Fuzzy and soft
    Smooth and shiny
    Rough and dry
    Correct_answer: Smooth and shiny
  - Asker_id: 1
    Question: What do wasps like to eat?
    Options:
    Only flower nectar
    Other insects
    Fruit and bread
    Correct_answer: Other insects
  - Asker_id: 1
    Question: How many times can a wasp sting?
    Options:
    Only once
    Many times
    They cannot sting
    Correct_answer: Many times
Topic: Squid vs. Octopi
Scenario_description:
Dive into the ocean! Read about your sea creature and exchange facts with your partner to see what makes them unique.
Player_count: 2
Blocks:
- Text_holder_id: 1
  Text:
  Squid have long, triangular bodies. They have eight arms and two extra long tentacles for catching food. Squid usually live in large groups called shoals and swim very fast in the open ocean.
  Questions:
  - Asker_id: 2
    Question: What shape is a squid's body?
    Options:
    Round
    Triangular
    Square
    Correct_answer: Triangular
  - Asker_id: 2
    Question: How many extra long tentacles does a squid have?
    Options:
    Two
    Eight
    Ten
    Correct_answer: Two
  - Asker_id: 2
    Question: Do squid live alone or in groups?
    Options:
    They always live alone
    In large groups called shoals
    In small family houses
    Correct_answer: In large groups called shoals
- Text_holder_id: 2
  Text:
  Octopi have round heads and eight arms, but they do not have tentacles. They usually live alone in dens on the ocean floor. They are very smart and like to hide in small spaces or change their color.
  Questions:
  - Asker_id: 1
    Question: Does an octopus have tentacles?
    Options:
    Yes, two long ones
    No, it only has eight arms
    Yes, four short ones
    Correct_answer: No, it only has eight arms
  - Asker_id: 1
    Question: Where does an octopus usually live?
    Options:
    In the open ocean
    In dens on the ocean floor
    On top of the water
    Correct_answer: In dens on the ocean floor
  - Asker_id: 1
    Question: What can an octopus do to hide?
    Options:
    Change its color
    Swim in a shoal
    Fly out of the water
    Correct_answer: Change its color