Secret Life of the Kingfisher | Discover Wildlife | Robert E Fuller

This is a simple Ted: https://ed.ted.com/on/nY05Ib2z

Every day, people throw away many things, such as plastic bottles, old newspapers and food packages. All this waste usually goes to large landfills where it stays for many years and may pollute the environment.

Recycling is becoming more popular in many cities. People collect used materials and send them to special centers. There, machines clean, sort and change these materials so that they can be used again to make new products.

Many streets and schools now have different coloured bins for paper, plastic, glass and metal. By putting rubbish into the correct bin, people make recycling much easier.

Recycling also helps save natural resources. For example, when we recycle paper, fewer trees need to be cut down to make new paper.

If more people recycle, our planet will become cleaner and healthier.

Prompt: Now I want to design a teaching activity. The topic is Save the Planet – Recycle. I have already prepared pictures and videos, but I still need a suitable text for students to use during the lesson. I have two teaching objectives: one is vocabulary expansion, and the other is guessing words from context students are 12-14 years old

Video link: https://youtu.be/Lfj8SKFlTpI?si=Dm_OH-aQiLhXH3tO

Text link: How to Make Pancakes – Step-by-Step Guide (generate by ChatGPT) (Prompt: Based on this video, please generate an English article titled "How to make pancakes".)

Pancakes are a classic breakfast favorite loved by people of all ages. They’re soft, fluffy, and easy to make with simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Whether you’re cooking for family, friends, or just yourself, this guide will help you make delicious pancakes from scratch.

Ingredients

To make basic pancakes, you’ll need:

All-purpose flour – the base of your pancake batter

Baking powder – helps the pancakes rise and become fluffy

Salt – enhances flavor

Sugar – adds sweetness

Milk – liquid to combine the dry ingredients

Egg – binds everything together

Melted butter or oil – adds richness and keeps pancakes from sticking

You can adjust amounts depending on how many pancakes you want to make.

Step 1 – Mix Dry Ingredients

In a mixing bowl, combine:

Flour

Baking powder

Sugar

A pinch of salt

Stir these together so the baking powder spreads evenly through the flour.

Step 2 – Add Wet Ingredients

In another bowl, whisk together:

Milk

Egg

Melted butter (or oil)

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined — don’t overmix. A few small lumps are okay!

Step 3 – Heat the Pan

Preheat a non-stick skillet or frying pan over medium heat. You can oil or butter the surface lightly so the pancakes don’t stick and get a nice golden color.

Step 4 – Cook the Pancakes

Use a ladle or spoon to pour batter onto the heated pan. Cook until bubbles form on the surface — this usually takes about 1–2 minutes. When bubbles appear and the edges look set, flip the pancake with a spatula and cook the other side until golden brown.

Step 5 – Serve and Enjoy

Stack your pancakes on a plate and serve hot! Classic toppings include:

Maple syrup

Fresh fruit

Butter

Honey

Powdered sugar

Feel free to get creative — pancakes can be served sweet or savory, depending on your taste.

Tips for Perfect Pancakes

➡️ Don’t overmix your batter — overmixing can make pancakes tough.

➡️ Cook on medium heat so the pancakes brown nicely without burning.

➡️ Adjust thickness — if the batter seems too thick, add a splash more milk.

➡️ Fluffy pancakes come from not flipping too early; wait for bubbles and set edges before turning.

A fortune cookie is a crisp and sugary cookie wafer made from flour, sugar, vanilla, and sesame seed oil with a piece of paper inside, a "fortune", an aphorism, or a vague prophecy. The message inside may also include a Chinese phrase with translation or a list of lucky numbers used by some as lottery numbers. 

The history of fortune cookies

Most historians believe fortune cookies were first made in California in the early 1900s. One common story credits Japanese immigrants, who created similar cookies inspired by a traditional Japanese cracker called tsujiura senbei. These cookies were served in Japanese tea gardens.

Later, Chinese restaurants in America began serving fortune cookies to customers after meals. During World War II, many Japanese-American businesses closed, and Chinese restaurants continued the tradition, which helped spread the cookies across the country.

Today, fortune cookies are popular in Chinese restaurants throughout the United States and many other Western countries, even though they are not a traditional dessert in China.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortune_cookie)