Welcome to Environment, Weather, Science and Technology!
Hello everyone! In this chapter, we are going to explore three closely connected topics from our curriculum: Environment (สิ่งแวดล้อม), Weather (ลมฟ้าอากาศ), and Science and Technology (วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี). You will learn the essential vocabulary, sentence structures, and reading skills needed to understand news, weather charts, notices, and simple scientific explanations at the Lower Secondary level (ม.1–ม.3, targeting CEFR A2).
Don't worry if science words in English seem scary at first! We will break everything down step-by-step with clear examples, friendly tips, and easy-to-remember patterns.
Note: For topics about daily routines, your school, or personal hobbies, please see the other chapters in this section such as "Self, family and people around us" and "School, education and careers".
---Part 1: Weather (ลมฟ้าอากาศ)
Talking about the weather is one of the most common everyday uses of English. It helps us plan our day, dress appropriately, and make polite conversation!
1. Essential Weather Words
Notice how we often turn a noun (the thing) into an adjective (the describing word) by simply adding -y:
• Sun (noun) \(\rightarrow\) Sunny (adjective): "Today is bright and sunny."
• Rain (noun) \(\rightarrow\) Rainy (adjective): "Take an umbrella on a rainy day."
• Cloud (noun) \(\rightarrow\) Cloudy (adjective): "The sky is grey and cloudy."
• Wind (noun) \(\rightarrow\) Windy (adjective): "Hold your hat; it is very windy!"
• Storm (noun) \(\rightarrow\) Stormy (adjective): "We stayed inside during the stormy night."
2. Describing Temperature
We use simple scale words to talk about how hot or cold it feels:
• Hot (ร้อน) \(\rightarrow\) Warm (อบอุ่น) \(\rightarrow\) Cool (เย็นสบาย) \(\rightarrow\) Cold (หนาว)
3. Useful Sentence Frames for Weather
When someone asks: "What is the weather like today?" or "How is the weather?", here are easy ways to answer:
• It is + adjective: "It is warm and sunny."
• It is + verb-ing: "It is raining heavily right now." (Present continuous)
• It will be + adjective: "It will be windy tomorrow." (Future simple with will)
4. Reading Weather Charts and Symbols (Non-linear Media)
On exams, you will often see a table or symbols instead of full sentences. Here is how you transfer information from a table into real English:
• Symbol of a cloud with rain drops: Rainy / Showers
• High: \(33^\circ\text{C}\) / Low: \(24^\circ\text{C}\): The highest temperature is \(33\) degrees Celsius, and the lowest is \(24\) degrees Celsius.
• Sentence transfer: "In the morning it will be sunny, but in the afternoon it will be rainy."
Key Takeaway for Weather: Use It is + adjective ("It is cloudy") to describe current weather, and It will be + adjective for forecasts.
---Part 2: The Environment (สิ่งแวดล้อม)
Our environment includes everything around us — the air, water, trees, and animals. In this unit, we learn how to talk about nature and how to protect our planet.
1. Core Vocabulary for Nature and Problems
• Earth / Planet: Our world.
• Forest: A large area covered with trees.
• Ocean / Sea / River: Bodies of water.
• Pollution (มลพิษ): Dirty or harmful things in the air, water, or land.
• Trash / Garbage / Waste (ขยะ): Things we throw away.
• Smoke (ควัน): Grey or black gas produced by burning things or from cars.
2. Actions to Protect the Earth: The 3 Rs
A great memory trick for helping the planet is the 3 Rs:
1. Reduce (ลดการใช้): Use less! "Reduce electricity by turning off lights."
2. Reuse (ใช้ซ้ำ): Use things again! "Reuse plastic bags and cloth bags."
3. Recycle (นำกลับมาใช้ใหม่): Turn old waste into new things! "Recycle glass bottles and paper boxes."
3. Quantity Words with Environment Topics
In ม.1–ม.3, you need to use quantity words accurately:
• Much / A little / Little: Used with uncountable nouns (e.g., water, pollution, smoke, plastic).
Example: "There is too much smoke in the city." / "We only have a little clean water."
• Many / A few / Few: Used with countable plural nouns (e.g., trees, bottles, bins, animals).
Example: "There are many trees in the national park." / "A few students picked up garbage."
• A lot of / Lots of / Some / Any: Can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns!
Example: "We collected a lot of plastic bottles." / "Is there any clean water left?"
4. Environmental Notices, Signs, and Slogans
You will often see short signs (สัญลักษณ์และป้ายประกาศ) in parks or around school:
• "Do not litter." = Do not drop trash on the ground.
• "Save Water." = Turn off the tap when not using it.
• "Keep off the grass." = Please walk on the path, not on the lawn.
• "Recycle Plastic Here." = Put your empty plastic bottles in this specific bin.
Key Takeaway for Environment: Remember the 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and watch your quantity words: many/few for countable things (bottles), much/little for uncountable things (pollution, water).
---Part 3: Science and Technology (วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี)
Science is about finding out how things work, and technology is about using science to make helpful tools, like computers and smartphones!
1. Helpful Vocabulary
• Computer / Laptop / Smartphone: Electronic devices we use every day.
• Internet / Website: The online network where we find information.
• Screen / Keyboard / Mouse: Parts of a computer setup.
• Button: A small part you press to turn a device on or off.
• Turn on / Switch on: Start an electric machine ("Turn on the laptop.").
• Turn off / Switch off: Stop an electric machine ("Turn off the monitor after class.").
• Experiment: A scientific test done to learn something new.
• Energy / Electricity: Power used to run machines or light our homes.
2. Multi-Step Instructions: How to Use Equipment
When giving advice, instructions, or rules for using equipment (คำชี้แจง / คำแนะนำ), we use Sequencing Connectives to make the steps clear and easy to follow:
• First (ลำดับแรก)
• Second / Next / Then (ลำดับที่สอง / ต่อมา / จากนั้น)
• Finally (ในที่สุด / ลำดับสุดท้าย)
Step-by-Step Example: Searching for Science Information Online
1. First, turn on your computer and connect to the internet.
2. Second, open a safe web browser.
3. Next, type your topic into the search bar (for example: "weather in Thailand").
4. Then, press the Enter key and choose a reliable website.
5. Finally, read the facts and take notes in your notebook.
Key Takeaway for Science and Technology: When explaining how to operate equipment or do an experiment, always guide your reader using sequencing words: First, Second, Next, Then, Finally.
---Part 4: Grammar for Talking About Our World
Let's look at three grammar tools from our syllabus that will make your speaking and writing much stronger!
1. Simple Passive Voice (is / are + Past Participle)
We often use the Passive Voice in science and environmental news when the action or the object is more important than who did it.
Formula: Subject + is / are + Verb 3 (Past Participle)
• Active: People collect plastic bottles every Monday.
• Passive: "Plastic bottles are collected every Monday."
• Active: Workers clean the science lab daily.
• Passive: "The science lab is cleaned daily."
Helpful tip: If the subject is singular (one thing), use is. If the subject is plural (many things), use are.
2. Conjunctions for Reason and Result: 'Because' and 'So'
These two words link ideas together, but they show different directions:
• Because introduces the reason (ทำไม / เพราะว่า):
"The streets are wet because it rained all night."
(Result: wet streets \(\leftarrow\) Reason: it rained)
• So introduces the result (ดังนั้น):
"It rained all night, so the streets are wet."
(Reason: it rained \(\rightarrow\) Result: wet streets)
3. Expressing Opinions on News and Public Topics
In ม.3, you are expected to share reasoned opinions about events in your community and the world (สาระที่ 1):
• Opinion Starters:
- "I think..." (ฉันคิดว่า...)
- "I believe..." (ฉันเชื่อว่า...)
- "I feel..." (ฉันรู้สึกว่า...)
- "I agree with..." / "I disagree with..." (ฉันเห็นด้วย / ไม่เห็นด้วย)
• Adding a Reason:
- "I think we should plant more trees because they give us clean air."
- "I believe solar energy is good because it does not make smoke."
4. Expressing Wants and Polite Requests
When working on science projects or asking for help, use polite formulas:
• Offering help: "Need some help?" / "What can I do to help?"
• Accepting help: "Yes, please." / "Certainly, thank you."
• Refusing politely: "I'm afraid I can manage, but thank you!" / "I'm sorry, but we have enough tools."
• Requesting: "Could you help me turn on the projector, please?" \(\rightarrow\) "Sure, go right ahead."
Part 5: Reading Skills for Science & Environment Texts
When you read a short story, news update, or advertisement, school exam questions will check these specific skills:
1. Topic (หัวข้อเรื่อง) vs. Main Idea (ใจความสำคัญ)
• Topic: What the text is about in just 1 to 3 words. (e.g., "Air pollution" or "A stormy weekend").
• Main Idea: The complete key message that the writer wants you to understand. (e.g., "Planting trees helps reduce air pollution in big cities.").
2. Answering the "5 Ws and 1 H" Questions
Read actively by searching for these answers in the text:
• Who (ใคร): The people, scientists, or students involved.
• What (ทำอะไร): The event, project, or natural phenomenon.
• Where (ที่ไหน): The location (school garden, laboratory, northern provinces).
• When (เมื่อไร): The time, date, or season (yesterday, next month, during summer).
• Why (ทำไม): The reason (look for words like because or so that).
• How (อย่างไร): The method or process (look for step-by-step words like first, next, by using...).
3. Reading Aloud Tips (การอ่านออกเสียง)
Remember that reading aloud is an assessed indicator in ม.1–ม.3:
• Final consonant sounds: Don't forget to pronounce the ending sound clearly, especially words like clouds, forest, project, and planet.
• Pausing (การแบ่งวรรคตอน): Pause briefly at commas (,) and make a clear stop at periods (.). Never rush through the whole sentence in one breath!
Quick Review & Practice Check
Let's test what you have learned! Try answering these three quick questions:
1. Fill in the blank: "First, plug in the cord. ________, press the power button to switch on the screen."
Answer clue: Use a sequencing word like Next, Second, or Then.
2. Choose the correct word: "There is too (many / much) trash in the river."
Answer clue: Trash is uncountable, so the correct choice is much.
3. Passive Voice check: Complete the sentence: "Old newspapers ________ (recycle) by our class every Friday."
Answer clue: Newspapers is plural, so we use are recycled.
Final Encouragement: Great job! You now have the key vocabulary, grammar structures, and reading tools needed to understand and talk about weather, the environment, and modern technology. Keep practicing, speak clearly, and care for our planet!