Hedgehog Helpers
WORKSHEET
1. Suggested Use
Environment, animal protection, and community focus, followed by B1-level vocabulary and grammar activities.
2. Suggested Activities
A. Project-based learning
Students work in groups to create a short report or presentation on local wildlife that needs protection. They choose one local animal and explain what dangers it faces in towns or cities. They then suggest how people can help it survive (like building safe spaces, feeding, or reporting injuries). Encourage students to use structures from the video, e.g. The number of ___ is falling fast; We still don’t know enough about ___. Groups present their report to the class or write it as an article.
B. Mediation task: Processing text (+ note-taking)
Have students watch the video again whilst reading along with the videoscript. Students make notes of the most important information then write a short summary of the video (approx 70-90 words).
C. Pronunciation task: Silent letters and consonant clusters (/gh/, /th/, /str/)
Write examples from the text with the consonant clusters, or have students identify them using a copy of the script, e.g.
hedgehog (silent d)
through (gh = /θruː/)
threats (thr-)strimmers, strong, extinction (str- cluster)
Model and drill the pronunciation, then have students practise reading sentences from the script aloud. In pairs, students test each other - one reads a sentence with a silent-letter word; the other identifies the silent letter or difficult sound.
3. Vocabulary
Nature
hedgehog
creatures
animals
wild
species
extinction
project
volunteers
scientists
threats
land
holes
cameras
Verbs & actions
live
survive
help
protect
reduce
collect
check
invite
return
fall
start
look through
make a difference
Adjectives
important
healthy
different
wild
national
artificial
ready
4. Grammar
Past simple:
In the 1950s, there were millions of them in the UK; Today, there are only hundreds of thousands; Fluffy was ready to return to the wild.
Passive voice (present and past):
The number of hedgehogs is falling; Cameras with motion sensors are going up in many places; Artificial intelligence will look through millions of photos, but humans still need to check them
Modal verbs:
Humans and animals have to live alongside each other; Hedgehogs could not survive without help; Scientists can find the threats and try to reduce them
Purpose clauses with to and so that:
A new national project is starting to discover where ….; Humans support creatures like hedgehogs so both animals and people can live better…
TRANSCRIPT
Hedgehog Helpers
NARRATOR:
Wherever we live in the world, humans and animals have to live alongside each other. So how can we do this successfully? In the UK, the number of hedgehogs is falling fast. One hedgehog, called Fluffy, could not survive without help from an animal sanctuary. Workers there say more and more hedgehogs need treatment every year.
SOUNDBITE - Martin Maylin:
“A lot of the risk, the injuries they face are from machinery, strimmers and things like that. Often road related injuries, unfortunately being hit by a car. Sometimes they get trapped so they will fall down holes.”
NARRATOR:
Hedgehogs are now at risk of extinction. In the 1950s, there were millions of them in the UK. Today, there are only hundreds of thousands. We still don’t know enough about hedgehogs, so it’s difficult to protect them. That is why a new national project is starting. It could be very important. If scientists discover where hedgehogs are in trouble, they can find the threats and try to reduce them. And if they see places where hedgehogs are healthy, they can do the same things in other areas.
Cameras with motion sensors are going up in many places around the country. Artificial intelligence will look through millions of photos, but humans still need to check them. The project invites volunteers to look at the photos online and say what animals they see.
SOUNDBITE - Benjamin Evans:
“We show you pictures, you click on the side what species you’ve seen. And then it’ll show you another picture.”
NARRATOR:
It is simple to do from home, but it can make a big difference to the hedgehogs. When humans support creatures like hedgehogs, both animals and people can live better, side by side. And sometimes, there is a happy ending. After four months of care, Fluffy is ready to return to the wild.