MODULE 1

Food for Life

Unit Goals
  • Contrast General and Current Actions
  • Describe Regional Foods
  • Describe Favorite Dishes
  • Discuss Diet Trends
  • Give Details to Support Your Ideas
Grammar
  • Verb Tense Review: Simple Present and Present Continuous
    I almost never buy fruit at the supermarket.
    My father is buying all our food at the farmers’ market.
  • Simple Past (Regular and Irregular)
    We walked to the restaurant last night.
Vocabulary
  • Healthy Diets
  • Types of Food

Listening

  • General and Focused Listening: An Interview about Rice Farming
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Comparing Diets
  • Discussing Types of Food
  • Linking Words Together
Reading
  • The Paleo Diet: Natural and Healthy?
Writing
  • Writing Main Ideas and Supporting Details
Video Journal

Wide Awake Bakery
This National Geographic Short Film Showcase video describes how baking delicious bread can change your life.

MODULE 2

Express Yourself

Unit Goals
  • Talk about Yourself
  • Make Small Talk with New People
  • Start a Conversation
  • Discuss Endangered Languages
  • Give Examples
Grammar
  • The Present Perfect vs. The Simple Past
    He has traveled to many countries.
    We met 10 years ago.
  • Already, Yet, Ever, and Never + the Present Perfect
Vocabulary
  • Culture and Communication
  • Small Talk
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: Conversations about Small Talk
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Talking about Yourself
  • Starting a Conversation
  • Have or Has vs. Contractions
Reading
  • Endangered Languages
Writing
  • Giving Examples
Video Journal

Marie’s Dictionary
This National Geographic Short Film Showcase describes Marie’s efforts to archive her native Wukchumni language and save her language and culture for others.

MODULE 3

Cities

Unit Goals
  • Make Predictions about Your City or Town
  • Explain What Makes a Good Neighborhood
  • Discuss the Pros and Cons of City Life
  • Evaluate Solutions to a Problem
  • Explain What Makes a Good City
Grammar
  • Future with Will
    Cities will be noisier in the future.
  • Will + Time Clauses
    Before I move to the city, I’ll look for a job.
Vocabulary
  • Changing Cities
  • City Life
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: A Radio Interview about Jardin Nomade in Paris
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Discussing the Future of Your City
  • Describing the Pros and Cons of Cities
  • Stressed Syllables Before -tion Suffix
Reading
  • Streets for People
Writing
  • Writing a Paragraph with a Good Topic Sentence
Video Journal

How to Reinvent the Apartment Building
In this TED Talk, Moshe Safdie talks about reinventing high-rise apartment buildings and making them better.

MODULE 4

The Body

Unit Goals
  • Discuss Ways to Stay Healthy
  • Talk about Healthy Lifestyles
  • Suggest Helpful Natural Remedies
  • Describe the Benefits of a Positive Attitude
  • Explain an Idea Using Details
Grammar
  • The Comparative, Superlative, and Equative
    Henry is healthier than his father.
  • Infinitive of Purpose
    You can drink tea with honey to help a sore throat.
Vocabulary
  • Human Organs
  • Everyday Ailments
Listening
  • Focused Listening: Discussions about Different Lifestyles
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Talking about Staying Healthy
  • Suggesting Easy Remedies
  • Linking with the Comparative and Superlative
Reading
  • Attitude Is Everything
Writing
  • Writing a Paragraph Using Supporting Details
Video Journal

Living Beyond Limits
In this TED Talk, Amy Purdy explains how obstacles can help us be creative.

MODULE 5

Challengues

Unit Goals
  • Talk about Facing Challenges
  • Describe Past Accomplishments
  • Discuss Steps Toward a Goal
  • Describe a Personal Challenge
Grammar
  • Past Continuous vs. the Simple Past
    I saw him yesterday. He was riding a bike.
  • Past Continuous with the Simple Past
    We were eating dinner when you called.
  • Enough, Not Enough, Too + Adjective
    He was old enough to sail alone.
Vocabulary
  • Physical and Mental Challenges
  • Phrasal Verbs
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: An Interview with Dr. Jenny Daltry, Wildlife Conservationist and Ecologist
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Discussing Challenges
  • Talking about Abilities
  • Words That End in -ed
Reading
  • Making a Difference: Bali
Writing
  • Writing a Paragraph about a Challenging Experience
Video Journal

Success Story: Recycling in the Philippines
In this National Geographic video, we learn how communities in the Philippines created a solution for discarded plastic fishing nets.

MODULE 6

Transitions

Unit Goals
  • Talk about Different Stages in Your Life
  • Talk about the Best Age to Do Something
  • Ask Questions to Get More Information
  • Discuss Changes Caused by Technology
  • Describe an Important Transition in Your Life
Grammar
  • The Past Perfect
    I had lived alone before I moved to Mexico.
  • How + Adjective / Adverb
    How tall is he?
Vocabulary
  • Describe Life Events
  • Adjectives for Age
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: Conversation about Becoming an Adult
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Talking about Events in Your Life
  • Getting More Information
  • The Schwa Sound /ə/ in Unstressed Syllables
Reading
  • Innovation in Africa
Writing
  • Writing a Paragraph to Describe a Life Transition
Video Journal

The Magic Washing Machine
In this TED Talk, Hans Rosling explains the incredible effect a simple machine can have on our lives.

MODULE 7

Things That Matter

Unit Goals
  • Discuss Spending Habits
  • Talk about Needs and Wants
  • Discuss What Makes People’s Lives Better
  • Talk about Different Lifestyles
  • Set Priorities
Grammar
  • Passive Voice (Present Tense)
    A large amount of plastic is thrown away every day.
  • Passive Voice with By
    The plastic bottles are washed by powerful machines.
Vocabulary
  • Spending Habits
  • Irregular Past Participles
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: Discussions about Needs and Wants
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Discussing Spending Habits
  • Talking about Priorities
  • Content vs. Function Words
Reading
  • A Zero-Waste Lifestyle
Writing
  • Writing about Your Future Life
Video Journal

The Dogist
In this National Geographic Short Film Showcase video, Elias Weiss Friedman explains how he finds happiness while taking photos of dogs.

MODULE 8

Conservation

Unit Goals
  • Talk about Consequences
  • Discuss Ways to Solve Future Problems
  • Describe a Situation
  • Discuss Conservation Projects
  • Explain a Conservation Issue
Grammar
  • Real Conditionals in the Future
    If we don’t control pollution, more sea animals will become extinct.
  • Review of Quantifiers
    There are too many endangered species.
Vocabulary
  • Climate Change
  • Adverbs of Manner
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: A Radio Program about The Bluefin Tuna
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Talking about Issues That Affect Nature and Their Consequences
  • Talking about Protecting Animals
  • Phrases in Sentences
Reading
  • Making a Difference: Small Changes
Writing
  • Writing a Paragraph about an Environmental Issue
Video Journal

Life Lessons from Big Cats
In this TED Talk, Beverly and Dereck Joubert explain how getting to know the personalities of big cats can help protect Africa.

MODULE 9

Life Now and in the Past

Unit Goals
  • Discuss Life in the Past
  • Contrast Different Ways of Life
  • Talk about How Things Were Done in the Past
  • Discuss Historical Facts
  • Describe a Historical Wonder
Grammar
  • Used to
    People used to travel by horse and carriage.
  • Separable Phrasal Verbs
  • Passive Voice in the Past
    A large amount of plastic bags were used every day.
Vocabulary
  • Life in the Past
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: A Talk about the Sami People
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Comparing Life Now and in the Past
  • Discussing How Things Used to Be in the Past
  • Reduction of Used to
Reading
  • The Silk Routes: One of the New 7 Wonders
Writing
  • Writing a Paragraph about a Historical Wonder
Video Journal

Searching for Genghis Khan
This National Geographic Learning video describes how Albert Lin uses the power of technology in the search for historical sites.

MODULE 10

Travel

Unit Goals
  • Talk about Organizing a Trip
  • Talk about Different Kinds of Vacations
  • Use English at the Airport
  • Discuss Travel
  • Describe a Cultural Event
Grammar
  • Expressing Necessity
    I must make a reservation.
  • Expressing Prohibition
    You must not take pictures here.
Vocabulary
  • Travel Preparations
  • At the Airport
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: Conversations about Vacations
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Discussing Preparing for a Trip
  • Describing Things You Do at the Airport
  • Reduction of have to and has to
Reading
  • Four Reasons Why Traveling Is Good for You
Writing
  • Writing a Travel Blog
Video Journal

Why Art Thrives at Burning Man
In this TED Talk, Nora Atkinson describes how curiosity and engagement are inspired by this art festival.

MODULE 11

Careers

Unit Goals
  • Discuss Career Choices
  • Ask and Answer Job-Related Questions
  • Talk about Career Planning
  • Explain New Careers
  • Create a Personal Profile
Grammar
  • Modals for Giving Advice
    You should choose a career that fits your personality.
  • Indefinite Pronouns
    Everyone in the audience was laughing.
Vocabulary
  • Careers and Jobs
  • Participial Adjectives
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: An Interview with a Restaurant Owner in Thailand
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Discussing Career Choices
  • Talking about Career Planning
  • Intonation in Questions
Reading
  • Changing Careers
Writing
  • Writing a Personal Profile
Video Journal

Joel Sartore: The Photo Ark
In this National Geographic video, Joel Sartore talks about his work documenting animal species.

MODULE 12

Celebrations

Unit Goals
  • Describe a Celebration
  • Compare Holidays in Different Countries
  • Express Congratulations and Good Wishes
  • Talk about Rituals
  • Share Opinions about Holidays
Grammar
  • Comparisons with as…as
    New Year’s is as exciting as Independence Day.
  • Would rather
    I’d rather have a big party.
Vocabulary
  • Festivals and Holidays
  • Expressions for Celebrations
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: Discussions about Local Celebrations or Holidays
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Describing Celebrations
  • Expressing Congratulations and Good Wishes
  • Question Intonation with Lists
Reading
  • The Rituals of Life Events
Writing
  • Writing a Substantiated Opinion
Video Journal

Dance of the Flyers: Jacinta’s Journey
In this National Geographic Short Film Showcase video, Jacinta describes her journey as the first female flyer in Mexico.

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