Theme: Media Listening One:News Resisters (A radio news report) Listening Two:CornCam (A report on an unusual website)
Critical Thinking
Skills
Compare sources of
news
Recognize assumptions
about media
Interpret graphs
Infer information
not explicit in the interview
Hypothesize another's
point of view
Analyze goals of news
reportage
Listening Tasks
Listen for main ideas
Listen for details
Provide evidence to
support answers
Relate listenings
to personal values
Synthesize information
from both listenings
Listen to student
broadcasts and analyze them
Evaluate a TV news
program
Speaking Tasks
Make predictions
Summarize points
Act out a scripted
conversation
Give a newscast
Express and defend
opinions
Interview a news specialist
Pronunciation
Reducing and contracting
auxiliary verbs
Vocabulary
Context clues
Synonyms
Idiomatic expressions
Descriptive adjectives
Dictionary work
Word definitions
Grammar
Passive voice
Unit
2: The Achilles Heel
Theme:
Overcoming Obstacles Listening One: Dreams of Flying and Overcoming Obstacles
(A college application essay) Listening Two:The Achilles Track Club Climbs Mount Kilimanjaro
(A television news report)
Critical Thinking
Skills
Identify personal
obstacles
Rank the value of
personal qualities
Analyze narrative
techniques in an essay
Hypothesize another's
point of view
Analyze sensitive
language referring to disabilities
Infer meaning not
explicit in the text
Compare and contrast
two life histories
Frame contrasting
points of view on disability issues
Listening Tasks
Summarize main ideas
Listen for details
Relate listening to
knowledge of the world
Identifying connecting
themes between two listenings
Identify thought groups
in speech
Watch and analyze
a movie
Listen to classmate's
reports and pose questions
Speaking Tasks
Make predictions
Construct and perform
a dialogue
Practice using synonyms,
parallelism, and prepositional phrases to enrich a narrative
Plan and give a three-minute
speech
Orally summarize research
on overcoming obstacles
Pronunciation
Thought groups
Vocabulary
Context clues
Word definitions
Figurative language
Grammar
Gerunds and infinitives
Unit
3: Early to Bed, Early to Rise…
Theme: Medicine
Listening One:Teen Sleep Needs (A radio news report) Listening Two:Get Back In Bed (A conversation with
a doctor)
Critical Thinking
Skills
Interpret a cartoon
Interpret a quotation
Compare and contrast
sleep habits
Hypothesize scenarios
Draw conclusions about
sleep deprivation
Propose solutions
to problems
Analyze a case of
sleep deprivation and its consequences
Listening Tasks
Converse with a classmate
and take notes
Summarize main ideas
Listen for details
Interpret speaker's
tone and emotions
Relate listening to
personal experiences
Compare information
from two listenings
Identify emphasis
in speech and its meaning
Speaking Tasks
Make predictions
Use new vocabulary
in a guided conversation
Make contrastive statements
using appropriate intonation
Act out scripted dialogues
Interrupt politely
to clarify or confirm information
Role-play a meeting
Conduct a survey and
report results
Report survey results
to the class
Pronunciation
Contrastive stress
Vocabulary
Context clues
Word definitions
Grammar
Present unreal conditionals
Unit
4: The Eye of the Storm
Theme:
Natural Disasters Listening One:Preparing for a Hurricane (A radio news
report) Listening Two: Hurricane Hunters (A radio news report)
Critical Thinking
Skills
Use context clues
to guess meaning
Analyze a speaker's
emotions
Infer word meaning
from context
Hypothesize another's
point of view
Make judgments
Support opinions with
information from the reports
Listening Tasks
Listen to a report
with static interference
Relate previous knowledge
to listening
Identify chronology
in a report
Identify a speaker's
emotions
Summarize main ideas
Listen for specific
information
Identify intonation
patterns in speech
Listen to student
reports and take notes
Watch a disaster movie
and take notes
Speaking Tasks
Make predictions
Share personal experiences
and fears
Construct and perform
a dialogue
Express surprise,
shock, and interest in news
Present an emergency
weather report
Conduct an interview
Present a movie review
Pronunciation
Listing intonation
Vocabulary
Context clues
Word definitions
Synonyms
Word forms
Grammar
Adjective clauses
Unit
5: You Will Be This Land
Theme: Conservation Listening One: Interview with a Medicine Priest
(A conversation with a Cherokee spiritual leader) Listening Two:"Ndakinna"—A Poem
(An Abenaki poem)
Critical Thinking
Skills
Interpret quotations
Draw conclusions
Support generalizations
with examples
Evaluate situations
according to a criteria set forth in the listening
Infer information
not explicit in the interview
Hypothesize another's
point of view
Evaluate personal
conservation efforts
Analyze symbolism
in a poem
Listening Tasks
Summarize main ideas
Listen for details
Relate personal experience
and values to the listening
Take dictation
Compare and contrast
viewpoints in the listenings
Identify sounds
Listen for specific
information
Listen to and ask
questions about student research
Speaking Tasks
Make predictions
Express opinions
Interview a classmate
Read aloud or recite
a poem
Ask for and give examples
Role-play a meeting
Use new vocabulary
to assess personal conservation habits
Report research findings
Pronunciation
th sounds
Vocabulary
Word definitions
Synonyms
Context clues
Word forms
Grammar
Advisability in the
past—past modals
Unit
6: It's Better to Give Than to Receive
Theme:
Philanthropy Listening One:Oseola McCarty (A report on the life
of a philanthropist) Listening Two:Please Donate or Volunteer (Two public
service announcements)
Critical Thinking
Skills
Make judgments
Identify personal
assumptions about philanthropy
Correlate abstract
principles with concrete examples
Hypothesize rationales
for philanthropic actions
Critique public service
announcements
Compare and contrast
information
Rank desirable employee
qualities
Listening Tasks
Identify main ideas
Listen for details
Listen and take notes
using a graphic organizer
Synthesize information
from both listenings
Interpret speakers'
intent by analyzing intonation
Listen to and evaluate
student presentations
Research a charitable
organization or philanthropist through telephone inquiries
Speaking Tasks
Make predictions
Express and support
opinions with examples
Construct and perform
a dialogue
Use new vocabulary
to discuss examples of charitable efforts
Ask for clarification
using tag questions
Use gambits that indicate
priorities
Develop and perform
a public service announcement
Report research findings
Pronunciation
Intonation of tag
questions
Vocabulary
Context clues
Word definitions
Synonyms
Grammar
Tag questions
Unit
7: Emotional Intelligence
Theme:
Education Listening One:Can You Learn EQ? (A psychology radio
program) Listening Two:Test Your EQ (An emotional intelligence
test)
Critical Thinking
Skills
Interpret a cartoon
Define notions of
intelligence
Identify and later
reevaluate assumptions about intelligence
Hypothesize another's
point of view
Connect principles
of emotional intelligence to specific behaviors
Interpret quotations
Analyze past encounters
according to principles of emotional intelligence
Listening Tasks
Preview a listening
Take notes while listening
using a graphic organizer
Listen for details
Provide information
from the listening to support answers
Relate listening to
personal experiences
Integrate information
from both listenings
Listen to classmates'
stories and take notes
Listen to and evaluate
student responses
Watch and analyze
student role plays
Speaking Tasks
Make predictions
Support opinions with
examples
Compose and perform
a dialogue using new vocabulary
Recount an emotional
experience
Use opening gambits
to restate information for clarification or emphasis
Restate quotations
Perform a role play
Conduct an interview
Pronunciation
Unstressed vowels
Vocabulary
Context clues
Synonyms
Idiomatic expressions
Grammar
Direct and indirect
speech
Unit
8: Goodbye to the Sit-Down Meal
Theme:
Food Listening One: French Sandwiches (A radio news report) Listening Two:Food in a Bowl (A conversation about
food trends)
Critical Thinking
Skills
Identify and analyze
food trends
Relate general factors
to specific behaviors
Interpret meaning
from text
Compare traditional
and contemporary food practices
Infer word meaning
from context
Compare and contrast
two restaurants
Infer situational
context
Listening Tasks
Summarize main ideas
Listen for details
Interpret speaker's
tone and attitude
Relate listening to
local food trends
Classify vowel sounds
Listen to student
food shows and evaluate using a rubric
Listen to a food show
on TV
Speaking Tasks
Make predictions
Share ideas on food
trends
Use tone of voice
to indicate attitude in a role play
Use new vocabulary
in free conversation
Compose and perform
a dialogue
Practice gambits which
call attention to a particular item
Explain how to use
a tool
Develop and perform
a food show
Report research on
food trends
Pronunciation
Spelling and sounds:
oo and o
Vocabulary
Context clues
Synonyms
Definitions
Figurative meanings
of words
Vocabulary classification
Idiomatic expressions
Grammar
Phrasal verbs
Unit
9: Finding a Niche: The Lives of Young Immigrants
Theme:
Immigration Listening One: A World within a School (A radio news
report) Listening Two: The Words Escape Me (A song)
Critical Thinking
Skills
Compare personal experiences
Recognize personal
assumptions
Hypothesize scenarios
Infer word meaning
from context
Analyze language usage
Compare and contrast
two immigrant experiences
Infer meaning not
explicit in text
Propose solutions
Listening Tasks
Identify main ideas
Listen for supporting
details
Interpret speaker's
tone and pitch
Relate listening to
personal values and interests
Take a dictation
Identify points of
view in two listenings
Classify sounds
Listen to and comment
on student plans
Speaking Tasks
Make predictions
Express opinions
using new vocabulary
Restate themes of
the unit in a guided conversation
Practice gambits to
hesitate in response to a question
Ask and answer questions
about a chart
Simulate a school
board meeting
Collaborate to develop
an education plan
Conduct an interview
Compare interview
results
Pronunciation
Discriminating between
sh, z, ch, and j
Vocabulary
Context clues
Synonyms
Definitions
Idiomatic expressions
Grammar
Present and past—contrasting
verb tenses
Unit
10: Technology: A Blessing or a Curse?
Theme:
Technology Listening One:Noise in the City (A radio news report) Listening Two: Technology Talk (A talk radio show)
Critical Thinking
Skills
Interpret cartoons
Compare opinions about
technology
Analyze paradox in
a poem
Make judgments
Hypothesize scenarios
Draw conclusions
Define a problem and
propose a solution
Listening Tasks
Infer situational
context
Listen for main ideas
Listen for supporting
details
Interpret speaker's
tone and word usage
Take notes while listening
Listen for specific
information in student responses
Listen for emphasis
in speech
Evaluate student commercials
Listen to classmates'
research findings and ask questions
