MODULE 1

Where We Live

Unit Goals
  • Talk about How Long or How Often
  • Discuss Why People Move
  • Give Reasons and Explain Results
  • Discuss Improving Communities
  • Describe Places to Live
Grammar
  • Present Perfect
    She has moved three times in her life.
    It’s been raining all day.
  • So… that
    It’s so dry here that we had to move.
Vocabulary
  • Migration
  • Where You’re from
Listening
  • Focused Listening: A Discussion about Migration Factors
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Discussing Reasons for Staying or Moving
  • Describing an Ideal Place to Live
  • Contractions with Auxiliary Verbs
Reading
  • Quality of Life
Writing
  • Writing a Paragraph Describing a City
Video Journal

The World’s Biggest Melting Pot
In this National Geographic video, we learn about the benefits of living in a multicultural city.

MODULE 2

The Mind's Eye

Unit Goals
  • Express Degrees of Liking
  • Discuss Mental Influences
  • Talk about Personal Characteristics
  • Discuss Improving Your Memory
  • Describe an Emotional Experience
Grammar
  • Infinitives and -ing Forms
    He loves to eat chocolate.
    We enjoy staying here each year.
  • Using Could, May, and Might
    Ed isn’t here. He might be sick.
Vocabulary
  • Cognitive Milestones
  • Personality Characteristics
Listening
  • Listening for General Understanding and Specific Information: An Interview about Cognitive Biases
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Discussing Mental Influences
  • Describing Emotions
  • Th Sounds
Reading
  • How Memories are Made
Writing
  • Writing about an Emotional Experience
Video Journal

Can You Really Tell If a Kid Is Lying?
In this TED Talk, Kang Lee explains the effect of telling lies in children.

MODULE 3

Changing Planet

Unit Goals
  • Discuss Pollution
  • Discuss Causes and Effects
  • Discuss Animal Populations
  • Consider the Effects of Climate Change
  • Summarize Your Ideas
Grammar
  • The Passive 1
    Pollution is caused by vehicles.
  • The Past Perfect
    By the time sea level had risen ten feet…
Vocabulary
  • Pollution
  • Large Numbers
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: An Interview about Extreme Weather Events
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Discussing Cause and Effect
  • Talking about Slogans
  • Linking Words Together
Reading
  • Is Coffee in Danger?
Writing
  • Writing a Summary of Your Ideas
Video Journal

Tales of Ice-bound Wonderlands
In this TED Talk, Paul Nicklen explains how a changing ecosystem can hurt the animals that live there.

MODULE 4

The Good Life

Unit Goals
  • Talk about the Things You Value
  • Discuss Important People or Events
  • Discuss Good Financial Habits
  • Talk about Great Jobs
  • Express Agreement or Disagreement
Grammar
  • Infinitives and -ing Forms 2
    Finding out / To find out the information is important.
  • The Passive 2
    He’s given money every week.
    He was being given the money yesterday.
Vocabulary
  • Things You Value
  • Expressions Related to Money
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: A Conversation about Life-Changing Moments
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Discussing Important People or Events
  • Expressing Agreement and Disagreement
  • Saying To
Reading
  • Want a Better Job? Work for a Better Company
Writing
  • Writing an Opinion Paragraph
Video Journal

A Life Lesson from a Volunteer Firefighter
In this TED Talk, Mark Bezos describes how every act of generosity matters.

MODULE 5

Survival

Unit Goals
  • Say How Things Could Be Different
  • Discuss the Survival of Species
  • Talk about Threats to Survival
  • Discuss Rescues
  • Give Advice about Difficult Situations
Grammar
  • Unreal Conditionals
    Dinosaurs are extinct, but if the comet had missed, they might have survived.
  • Using Wish and Hope
    I wish (that) earthquakes didn’t happen.
    I hope (that) we get no more earthquakes this year.
Vocabulary
  • Conditions of Species
  • Natural Disasters
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: A Talk about Types of Fossils
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Talking about the Survival of Species
  • Giving Advice about Difficult Situations
  • Emphasis to Express Meaning
Reading
  • A Birthday to Remember
Writing
  • Writing a Paragraph Giving Advice
Video Journal

Three Things I Learned While My Plane Crashed
In this TED Talk, Ric Elias explains how your life can be changed by an event.

MODULE 6

Art Matters

Unit Goals
  • Report Other People’s Ideas
  • Express Opinions about Public Art
  • Talk about Types of Art
  • Discuss the Value of Art
  • Produce a Biographical Profile
Grammar
  • Reported Speech
    Sara said (that) she was going to the gallery the next day.
  • Adjective Clauses 1
    The architect who / that created the building just won an award.
Vocabulary
  • Art
  • Types of Art
Listening
  • Listening for General Understanding: A Radio Call-in Show about Public Art
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Discussing Opinions about Art
  • Talking about Profiles of Artists
  • Thought Groups
Reading
  • The Art Bubble
Writing
  • Writing a Biographical Profile
Video Journal

Antarctica: While You Were Sleeping
In this National Geographic Short Film Showcase video, Joseph Michael describes how art can raise awareness of issues related to Antarctica.

MODULE 7

Getting Around

Unit Goals
  • Compare Methods of Travel
  • Discuss Transportation Choices
  • Ask How to Get Around
  • Discuss Alternatives to Travel
  • Review Places or Experiences
Grammar
  • The Passive 3
    Your passport must be shown.
    The flight might be delayed.
  • Indirect Questions
    Do you know when the bus leaves?
Vocabulary
  • Transportation
  • Public Transportation
Listening
  • Focused Listening: An Interview about Self-Driving Vehicles
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Talking about Transportation
  • Discussing Reviews
  • Reduced Auxiliaries Are and Have
Reading
  • The Future of “Travel”?
Writing
  • Writing a Review
Video Journal

SpaceX’s Plan to Fly You Across the Globe in 30 Minutes
In this video, Gwynne Shotwell explains how a new way to travel around the world is possible.

MODULE 8

Competition

Unit Goals
  • Talk about Playing and Doing Sports
  • Discuss Types of Competitors
  • Talk about Useful Skills
  • Discuss Winning and Losing
  • Compare or Contrast Two Topics
Grammar
  • Tag Questions
    He’s very competitive, isn’t he?
  • Adjective Clauses 2
    There are other players who are better.
Vocabulary
  • Sports
  • Sports Skills
Listening
  • Listening for General Understanding and Specific Information: A Radio Interview about Running a Marathon
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Discussing Competition
  • Comparing and Contrasting Two Topics
  • Intonation and Emphasis to Express Attitude
Reading
  • When Losing Means Winning
Writing
  • Writing a Compare and Contrast Text
Video Journal

What I Learned When I Conquered the World’s Toughest Triathlon
In this TED Talk, Minda Dentler describes the personal challenges of a triathlon competition.

MODULE 9

Danger

Unit Goals
  • Speculate about a Mystery
  • Discuss Why People Study the Past
  • Talk about Solving Mysteries
  • Discuss Theories and the Truth
  • Describe a Physical Object
Grammar
  • Modals to Discuss the Past
    It’s a possibility that an earthquake could have happened.
  • Noun Clauses
    The detectives did not know who did it, but they did know when and where it happened.
Vocabulary
  • Mysteries of the Universe
  • Mystery Stories
Listening
  • Listening for General Understanding: A Conversation about Historical Figures
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Talking about Studying the Past
  • Describing Mysterious Objects
  • Intonation for Lists
Reading
  • Back to the Moon?
Writing
  • Writing a Description
Video Journal

From Ancient to Modern
In this National Geographic video, we learn how ancient cultures have influenced our contemporary culture.

MODULE 10

Mysteries

Unit Goals
  • Speculate about a Mystery
  • Discuss Why People Study the Past
  • Talk about Solving Mysteries
  • Discuss Theories and the Truth
  • Describe a Physical Object
Grammar
  • Modals to Discuss the Past
    It’s a possibility that an earthquake could have happened.
  • Noun Clauses
    The detectives did not know who did it, but they did know when and where it happened.
Vocabulary
  • Mysteries of the Universe
  • Mystery Stories
Listening
  • Listening for General Understanding: A Conversation about Historical Figures
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Talking about Studying the Past
  • Describing Mysterious Objects
  • Intonation for Lists
Reading
  • Back to the Moon?
Writing
  • Writing a Description
Video Journal

From Ancient to Modern
In this National Geographic video, we learn how ancient cultures have influenced our contemporary culture.

MODULE 11

Learning

Unit Goals
  • Discuss Technology and Learning
  • Talk about Learning
  • Discuss Educational Choices
  • Talk about the Value of Play
  • Describe Problems and Solutions
Grammar
  • Could have, Should have, Would have
    I should have applied for a scholarship.
  • The Future in the Past
    He was going to study German in Berlin, but he had to cancel when his mother got sick.
Vocabulary
  • Technology and Learning
  • Educational Choices
Listening
  • Listening for General Understanding: A Talk about Research into the Experience of Learning
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Talking about Learning
  • Describing Problems and Solutions
  • Enunciation
Reading
  • Games: More Than Just Fun
Writing
  • Writing an Email Giving Suggestions
Video Journal

Solar Power
In this National Geographic video, Shabana Basij-Rasikh explains the importance of education for girls.

MODULE 12

Innovation

Unit Goals
  • Speculate about the Future
  • Talk about Positive Outcomes
  • Describe Inventors and Inventions
  • Talk about Good Habits
  • Discuss Purposes and Results
Grammar
  • Modals to Discuss the Future
    I will probably get a new device soon.
    This innovation may make a lot of money.
  • Talking about the Future
    I’m going there tomorrow.
Vocabulary
  • Inventions
  • Inventors and Inventions
Listening
  • General and Focused Listening: A Podcast about Competition and Innovation
Speaking and Pronunciation
  • Talking about Positive Outcomes
  • Discussing Purposes and Results
  • Stress in Compound Nouns
Reading
  • Daily Habits of Successful Innovators
Writing
  • Writing about Purpose and Results
Video Journal

Why You Should Make Useless Things
In this TED Talk, Simone Giertz describes how playing and asking questions can lead to innovation.

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