Trapped in a Cave

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Open Ended

According to the previous information, who became trapped in the cave?

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Open Ended

Where does this story occur?

Multiple Choice

Look at the slide with the map of Thailand.

True or False: The cave that the boys became trapped in is located in the capital of Thailand.

• True

• False

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​Vocabulary Time!

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Multiple Choice

People who explore caves

• cavers

• chambers

• emerged

• elite

Multiple Choice

Came out of

• elite

• emerged

• cavers

• murky

Multiple Choice

identified as being among the top or the best at something

• emerged

• chambers

• cavers

• elite

Multiple Choice

the usual weather in a place

• climate

• current

• chambers

• elite

Multiple Choice

water moving in a certain direction

• current

• chambers

• elite

• murky

Multiple Choice

rooms; enclosed spaces

• chambers

• cavers

• elite

• emerged

Multiple Choice

a place where two things join

• cavers

• junction

• elite

• murky

Multiple Choice

not clear; dark or cloudy

• murky

• elite

• chambers

• stalactites

Draw

Draw an example of stalactites.

Let’s Read!

Where in the World:
Thailand
Thailand is a country in
Southeast Asia. Tham
Luang cave is located in
northern Thailand—an
area known for its many
mountains.

Deep inside the dark cave, 12 young soccer players stood with
their coach. The boys had spent the afternoon exploring a giant cave
called Tham Luang Nang Non. It was a few miles outside their
hometown in northern Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia.
Now they were hiking back out. But they needed to hurry. It was
June 23, 2018. One of the players was having his 17th birthday party
soon. There was one problem though. Water swirled ahead of them.
It blocked their way out of the cave.
The boys were confused. When they had come in earlier, it had
been dry.
Then they realized the awful truth: The cave had flooded. They
were trapped inside.

Open Ended

Pause and Think: What problem did the soccer players have?

Outdoor Trip
The boys in the cave were part of the Wild Boars soccer team.
Earlier that day, they had hopped on their bikes after practice. They
were close with their assistant coach, “Coach Ek.” He often took
them on outdoor trips like this one.
Soon, the boys were riding through farmland and into the
mountains. At the mouth of the cave, they set down their bikes. A
faded sign warned visitors not to enter the cave during the rainy
season. That’s when the cave floods. Luckily, the rainy season was
still weeks away.
But the boys’ knowledge of the rainy season wouldn’t help them.
The climate had been changing. In the days before June 23, the area
had gotten more rain than usual.

Open Ended

Pause and Think: Why did the boys think it was safe to go into the cave?

Thierry Falise/LightRocket via
Getty Images

The Cave
In the Thai language, Tham
Luang Nang Non means “The
Cave of the Sleeping Lady.” The
cave is more than 6 miles long
and has many narrow passages
and tunnels.

Swirling Water
The boys stepped through the cave’s entrance and into a big, airy
room. Thick stalactites hung down like dragon teeth. As they traveled
farther into the cave, it became completely dark. They were having
so much fun exploring that they delayed leaving.
Three hours later, the boys decided to head back. But when they
did, they saw the swirling water blocking their way. Coach Ek calmly
told the boys the water would go down. The team found an area of
dry ground and got ready to spend the night.
The boys hadn’t brought any food with them. But at least they had
water. The water dripping from the cave walls had been filtered
through the rocks, cleaning it. The boys cupped their hands to catch
the drops. Then one by one, they fell asleep.

Open Ended

Pause and Think: How did the boys get water to drink?

Linh Pham/Getty Images

The Helpers
In this photo, rescuers are
pumping water out of the
cave. It took more than two
weeks to find the boys and
rescue them.

Dangerous Diving
As the boys slept, their worried families called for help. A local rescue
group rushed to the cave. It had started raining heavily.
At the cave’s opening, the rescuers saw the swirling water. They knew
the boys must be trapped. Once the cave flooded, the water wouldn’t go
down until the end of the rainy season. That was months away.
The rescue team sprang into action. An expert caver was called in. He
had created maps of the cave. A team of Thai navy SEALs also arrived.
The SEALs are highly trained divers. But they didn’t have the gear or
experience to dive through a flooded cave.
On June 26, the rescue workers started to lose hope. Were the boys
even still alive? They had been trapped for three days. The water was
cold and murky. The current was strong. Only a few people in the world
could dive in water like that. If those divers didn’t come right away, the
boys would die.

Open Ended

Pause and Think: Why was it so difficult to rescue the boys?

Thai
Navy/Polaris/Newscom

Thai navy SEALs dive
down into a flooded
tunnel. The rope they are
holding helped them find
their way in the dark
water.

“Keep Fighting”
By this point, the Wild Boars were very hungry. The cave was damp
and chilly. Coach Ek kept reminding the boys how strong they were.
“Keep fighting,” he told them. “People are looking for us.” And he was
right.
More than 1,000 volunteers had gathered at the cave entrance. It
became known as base camp. Scientists, members of the military, and
doctors had joined the rescue mission. The world’s best cave divers had
come to help too.
On July 2, two expert divers dove into the water. After a while, they
found an air pocket in the cave. One of the divers rose to the surface
and took off his mask. He was hit by an awful smell. It was human
waste! That meant the boys must be close by. Moments later, he saw all
12 boys and Coach Ek.

The news spread around the world. The Wild Boars were alive! But
they needed food and supplies. And getting to them wouldn’t be easy.
Cave divers would have to squeeze through narrow passages. Their
gear could break. One wrong move could be deadly.
Despite the danger, six SEALs and a Thai army doctor were able to
reach the boys. They brought food, medicine, and blankets. Over the
next few days, the SEALs made more dives to deliver supplies.
Then tragedy struck.
Late on the night of July 5, one of the SEALs drowned. His death sent
a wave of sadness through base camp. But the other SEALs knew they
still had a job to do. They needed to get the boys out alive.

Open Ended

Pause and Think: What happened on July 2?

Royal Thai Navy Facebook
Page via AP Images

FOUND!
This photo was taken inside the
cave after the divers reached
the boys. It went viral around
the world.

The Rescue
On July 8, the rescue team headed into the cave. They had decided
divers would carry the boys out through the water. The plan was risky. It
was possible that not everyone would survive.
A 14-year-old boy named Note would be the first one brought out. He
was given a breathing mask attached to an air tank. A diver pulled him
underwater. With one hand, the diver held a rope. It would guide him
through the murky water. With the other hand, he held Note.
After more than five hours, the diver reached an area where 100
rescuers were waiting. The rescuers passed Note from hand to hand
until he was finally at the mouth of the cave. The first boy was saved.

Open Ended

Pause and Think: How was Note brought out of the cave?

Kyodo News Stills via Getty
Images

Showing Thanks
The boys were very thankful for
everyone who worked to get
them out. Here, they hold a
picture of Saman Gunan, the
navy SEAL who drowned during
the rescue.

Forever Changed
The news spread quickly: The first boy had been rescued! People
around the world cheered. Over the next two days, the other boys
and Coach Ek were brought to safety too.
Today the boys’ lives are back to normal. But the boys have also
changed. They’re more patient. They’re thankful for small things.
And now some want to become navy SEALs, just like the brave
men who saved them.

Open Ended

Pause and Think: How did being trapped and rescued affect the boys?

Multiple Choice

1. The article’s first section describes ______.

• A. a soccer practice

• B. the bike ride to the cave

• C. the moment when the boys realized they were trapped

• D. a sign outside the cave

Multiple Choice

2. Why didn’t the boys have any food with them in the cave?

• A. They had lost it on the way to the cave.
• B. They hadn’t planned to stay long.
• C. They forgot to bring it.
• D. They were fasting.

Multiple Choice

3. The water dripping from the cave walls had been filtered through the rocks. As a result, it was ______.

• A. clean enough to drink
• B. delicious
• C. dirty and smelly
• D. dripping very quickly

Multiple Choice

4. In which section of the article can you learn the name of the first boy brought out of the cave?

• A. “Swirling Water”
• B. “Dangerous Diving”
• C. “The Rescue”
• D. “Forever Changed”

Multiple Choice

5. Which statement below is NOT true based on the article?

• A. All the boys in the cave were soccer players.
• B. All the boys and Coach Ek got out of the cave alive.
• C. Coach Ek is an experienced diver.
• D. Diving in the cave was dangerous.

Multiple Choice

6. In what way did the experience in the cave change the boys?

• A. It made them more patient and grateful.

• B. It made them more fearful.

• C. It made them want to become doctors.

• D. It made them want to become cavers.

Open Ended

7. What made diving in the cave so dangerous?

Poll

Did you like this lesson overall?

• Yes

• No

Open Ended

What did you like about this lesson?

Open Ended

What should I change?

Good job!