MODULE 1

People

Unit Goals
  • Meet People
  • Ask for Personal Information
  • Describe People and Occupations
  • Compare People’s Jobs
  • Write a Personal Description
Grammar
  • Review of Simple Present Be
  • Wh- Questions with Be
  • Be + Adjective (+ Noun)
Vocabulary
  • Occupations
  • Countries
  • Nationalities
  • Descriptive Adjectives
Listening
  • Focused Listening: An Interview, Personal Introductions
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Asking For and Giving Personal Information
  • Starting a Conversation
  • Contractions of be
  • Word Stress
Reading
  • The Best Job in the World
Writing
  • Writing Descriptions of People
  • Using Conjunctions
Video Journal

Where I Am a Local
In this video from National Geographic Learning, author Taiye Selasi talks about who she is, the places she comes from, and what it means to be a local somewhere.

MODULE 2

A Day in the Life

Unit Goals
  • Talk about a Typical Day
  • Talk about Free Time
  • Describe a Special Day
  • Talk about Hobbies and Interests
  • Plan a Party
Grammar
  • Review of Simple Present
  • Prepositions of Time
  • Adverbs of Frequency
Vocabulary
  • Daily Activities
  • Party Words
  • Celebrations and Festivals
Listening
  • Focused Listening: A Radio Show about an Astronaut’s Daily Life
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Talking about Daily Schedules and Free Time
  • Showing Interest
  • Verbs that end in -s
Reading
  • When Your Hobby is Also Your Job
Writing
  • Writing an Email to a Friend
Video Journal

Ruben’s Elevator
This film, from the National Geographic Short Film Showcase, gives a glimpse into the life of Ruben Pardo, the oldest manual elevator operator in Los Angeles, California.

MODULE 3

Going Places

Unit Goals
  • Talk about Your Possessions
  • Ask for and Give Travel Information
  • Ask for and Give Advice
  • Plan a Vacation
  • Describe a Place
Grammar
  • Possession
    Possessive Adjectives and Pronouns
    Belong to
  • Imperatives and should for Advice
Vocabulary
  • Travel Preparation and Stages
  • Travel Documents
  • Describing Places
Listening
  • General Listening: Conversations During Stages of Travel
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Identifying Possession of Items
  • Giving Personal Information for Travel Forms
  • Asking for and Giving Advice
  • Rising and Falling Intonation
Reading
  • Make Your Vacation More Interesting
Writing
  • Write a Description of a Place
  • Using because, so (conjunctions)
Video Journal

The UK in 100 Seconds
In this film, National Geographic Explorer Daniel Raven-Ellison gives a look at the landscapes that make up the UK and gives suggestions for how the use of land can be improved.

MODULE 4

Food

Unit Goals
  • Describe a Recipe
  • Order a Meal
  • Talk about Diets
  • Plan a Farm or Garden
  • Follow and Give Instructions
Grammar
  • Count and Non-count Nouns: a/an, some, and any
  • How much and How many with quantifiers: lots of / a lot of, a few, a little, not many, not much
Vocabulary
  • Food
  • Food Groups
  • Diets
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: Ordering a Meal in a Restaurant
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Role-play: Ordering a Meal
  • Talking about Quantities
  • Reduced Forms: Do you have… and Would you like…
  • Giving Instructions
  • Sequencing Information
Reading
  • Urban Farming
Writing
  • Writing Instructions
  • Sequencing Information
Video Journal

A Guerrilla Gardener in South Central LA
In this TED Talk, Ron Finley talks about LA Green Grounds, an organization he founded to show people in his neighborhood how to live a healthy and sustainable life that gives back to the community.

MODULE 5

Sports

Unit Goals
  • Describe Activities Happening Now
  • Compare Everyday and Present-Time Activities
  • Talk about Your Favorite Sports
  • Compare Sports and Activities
  • Write and Complete a Questionnaire
Grammar
  • Present Continuous
  • Simple Present and Present Continuous
  • Stative Verbs
Vocabulary
  • Doing Sports
  • Present-Time Activities
  • Team and Individual Sports
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: Phone Calls about Everyday Activities
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Talking about What People are Doing Now
  • Discussing Favorite Sports and Today’s Activities
  • Talking about Likes and Dislikes
  • Reduced Form: What are you…
Reading
  • eSports Go Global
Writing
  • Writing and Completing a Questionnaire
  • Closed and Open Questions
Video Journal

Free Soloing with Alex Honnold
In this video from National Geographic, climber and National Geographic Explorer Alex Honnold free solos (climbs without ropes) a massive rock formation in Yosemite National Park in California.

MODULE 6

Destinations

Unit Goals
  • Describe Past Vacations
  • Ask about a Trip
  • Talk about Your Weekend
  • Describe an Ancient Place
  • Find and Share Information Online
Grammar
  • Simple Past of Regular and Irregular Verbs
  • Simple Past of be
Vocabulary
  • Travel Activities
  • Emphatic Adjectives
Listening
  • General Listening: Conversations about Vacations and Weekend Trips
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Describing and Comparing Past Trips
  • Talking about Your Weekend
  • Discuss Where You Find Information
  • Sounds of -ed Endings
Reading
  • The Cradle of the Inca Empire
Writing
  • Writing an Online Post
  • Using Time References
Video Journal

Vietnam’s Green Jewels
This video from National Geographic gives information about the history and background of one of the world’s most beautiful places: Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay.

MODULE 7

Communication

Unit Goals
  • Talk about Personal Communication
  • Exchange Contact Information
  • Describe Characteristics and Qualities
  • Compare Types of Communication
  • Compare Formal and Informal Communication
Grammar
  • Verbs with Direct and Indirect Objects
  • Sensory Verbs
Vocabulary
  • Personal Communication and Trends
  • Electronics
  • The Senses
Listening
  • Focused Listening: Radio Call-in Show and Conversation Describing Sights, Sounds, and Other Sensations
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Asking for Contact Information
  • Giving Your Opinion
  • Making Plans
  • Sentence Stress for Clarification
Reading
  • Do You Speak “Elephant”?
Writing
  • Writing Emails
  • Asking for Information
  • Formal and Informal Writing
Video Journal

A New View of the Moon
In this video from National Geographic’s Short Film Showcase, filmmaker Wylie Overstreet takes a piece of the moon in a new way.

MODULE 8

Making Plans

Unit Goals
  • Talk about Plans
  • Plan a Project
  • Make Predictions
  • Solve a Problem
  • Describe Future Trends

Grammar

  • Future: Be going to
  • Future: Will
Vocabulary
  • Short- and Long-Term Life Plans
  • Types of Energy
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: An Interview with National Geographic Explorer Molly Ferrill about Her Latest Project
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Talking about Short- and Long-Term Plans
  • Making Predictions and Giving Opinions about the Future
  • Discussing a Personality Quiz
  • Reduced form of going to
Reading
  • Electricity from the Sun
Writing
  • Analyzing Graphs to Describe Trends
  • Describing Trends
Video Journal

A Virtual Choir 2,000 Voices Strong
In this TED Talk, composer Eric Whitacre talks about the virtual choir, a group of singers from around the world who come together online to make music and share their stories.

MODULE 9

Types of Clothing

Unit Goals
  • Compare Clothes
  • Buy Clothes
  • Decide What to Wear
  • Discuss Fashion
  • Describe Clothes
Grammar
  • Comparatives
  • Superlatives
Vocabulary
  • Articles of Clothing
  • Clothing Shopping
  • Descriptive Adjectives
  • Clothing Materials
Listening
  • Focused Listening: A Conversation between a Shopper and Assistant in a Shoe Store
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Talking about Clothes
  • Role-Play Different Shopping Experiences
  • Stressed and Weak Syllables
Reading
  • Pride through Fashion
Writing
  • Writing an Ad that Describes Clothes
  • Describing Objects
  • Adjective Order
  • Punctuation
Video Journal

How Your T-Shirt Can Make a Difference
In this video from National Geographic, the goods and resources that are used to make a T-shirt are shown, and a question is asked: How can your shopping and clothing care decisions make a difference?

MODULE 10

Lifestyles

Unit Goals
  • Give Advice on Healthy Habits
  • Compare Lifestyles
  • Ask about Happiness
  • Discuss the Importance of Sleep
  • Explain Healthy Activities
Grammar
  • Modals (could, should, must); have to
  • Questions with How
Vocabulary
  • Healthy and Unhealthy Habits and Lifestyles
  • Compound Adjectives
Listening
  • General Listening: Personal Descriptions of Lifestyles and Habits
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Discussing Healthy and Unhealthy Habits
  • Asking and Telling about Lifestyles
  • Approximation
  • Have to
Reading
  • The Need for Sleep
Writing
  • Writing a Paragraph about a Healthy Hobby or Activity
  • Paragraph Structure
Video Journal

Living Past 100
In this video from National Geographic, the region of Bama, China, is profiled. It is one of the healthiest and most beautiful parts of the country.

MODULE 11

Achievements

Unit Goals
  • Talk about Responsibilities
  • Interview for a Job
  • Talk about Personal Achievements
  • Plan for Success
  • Write a Resume
Grammar
  • Present Perfect
  • Present Perfect vs. Simple Past
  • Have you ever Questions
Vocabulary
  • Chores and Responsibilities
  • Personal Achievements
Listening
  • Listening for General Understanding and Specific Details: Job Interviews for a Tour Guide Position
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Interviewing for a Job
  • Catching Up with a Friend
  • Using Present Perfect and Simple Past in Conversations
  • Reduced Forms of have
Reading
  • Being the First in Less than Two Hours
Writing
  • Writing a Resume
  • Checking for Mistakes in Writing
Video Journal

Wasfia’s Journey
In this video from National Geographic’s Short Film Showcase, mountain climber, activist, and National Geographic Explorer Wasfia Nazreen talks about climbing the tallest mountain on each of the seven continents, and what her journey means to the people of her country.

MODULE 12

Decisions

Unit Goals
  • Give Advice about Money
  • Choose What to Use
  • Make Decisions about Money
  • Plan How to Raise Money
  • Compare and Contrast Options
Grammar
  • Real Conditionals: The Zero Conditional
  • Real Conditionals: The First Conditional
Vocabulary
  • Personal Finance
  • Money Verbs
  • Money Tips
Listening
  • Listening for Specific Details and Key Information: A Podcast about a Trip that Didn’t Waste Plastic
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Discuss How to Save Money
  • Talking about Choices
  • Conditional Intonation
Reading
  • Crowdfunding for a Better World
Writing
  • Write an Email about a Major Decision
  • Compare and Contrast
Video Journal

How to Buy Happiness
In this video from National Geographic Learning, social scientist Michael Norton talks about the ways that money can, and can’t, affect our well-being and that of those around us.

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