UNIT 1

THE FIRST WEEK IN THIS UNIT

In Unit 1, students will:
• Practice taking notes, interpret
graphs, and conduct a survey
• Practice simple present affirmative
statements, There is / There are, and
prepositions of location
• Write an introductory narrative

ABOUT THE PHOTO

The photo shows students at Victoria
College in Toronto, Canada, moving

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into their dorm at the beginning of
the semester. Explain to students that

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dorm is short for dormitory, a building
provided by the college/university

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where students live together and usually
share a room with another student. Most

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adult students will live at home with
their families, but if appropriate, ask if
students live in a dorm and if they share

c a room with another student. In the US,

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many students also live off campus, in
apartments near the college/university.
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Ask: Where do students in your country

usually live—at home, in dorms, or off
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campus?
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As a class, discuss students’ experiences

ACADEMIC Take notes; interpret graphs; living together with other people. On
take a survey the board, draw a two-column chart
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AT WORK Introduce yourself and others; and ask students to list the positives and
read and interpret visuals; identify strengths and negatives of living with another person.
First-year students move into
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weaknesses Ask students to identify some of the

Victoria College, in Toronto, Canada.
CIVICS Understand classroom expectations things the students are bringing
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with them in the dorm. (refrigerator,

microwave oven, musical instrument,
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clothing, etc.) Encourage students to

answer using There is / There are, which
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CCRS Level A: R 1, 2, 5, 7; W 2, 5; L 1, 6; Level B: R 1, 2, 5, 6, 7; W 2, 4, 5; L 1, 3, 6; they will review and practice in Unit 1.

Level C: R 1, 2, 7; W 2, 4, 5, 9; L 1, 3, 6; Level D: R 1, 2, 7; W 2, 4, 5, 9; L 1, 3, 6;
Preview the unit topic by telling
Level E: R 1, 2, 7; W 2, 4, 5, 9; L 6 students that one of the things they
ELPS Level 1 Standards 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10; Level 2 Standards 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10; probably do several times during the
Level 3 Standards 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10; Level 4 Standards 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10; first week at a new school or a new job is
to introduce themselves to people they
Level 5 Standards 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10
meet. Ask: When you introduce yourself
CIVICS 13-1; 13-2; 50-6 to a new person, what information do you
give them about yourself? (name, where
CASAS 0.1.2; 0.1.5; 4.1.2; 4.1.8; 4.1.9; 4.4.3; 7.1.1; 7.1.2; 7.4.4; 7.7.3 you’re from, how long you’ve been at
the school/job, what class(es) you’re
taking/what your job is, etc.)

The First Week 1

SAMPLE COPY, NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION

 A Read.

A
• Have students look at the photo and Hi. My name is Kenji, and
make ­predictions about the ­passage. I’m a student at the University
Ask: Who is he? What is his job? Where of California, San Diego. I’m a
student in the English language
is he now? Where does he live? program. I’m taking Listening and
• Ask students to read the passage all the Pronunciation in Room 142. There
are ten students in my class, four
way through without stopping. Then, men and six women. We are from
read the passage aloud to the class. five different countries. Our class
meets on Mondays, Wednesdays,
• Ask questions about the passage, and Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to
such as: What’s his name? Where does 12:30 p.m. My teacher is Ms. Burak.
he go to school? What class does he Her office is in Room 12.
take? How many students are in his
class? When is his class? Who is his
teacher? Where is her office?
B Complete the sentences about yourself. Answers will vary.

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B 1. My name is .
• Ask students to read the sentences 2. I’m a student at .

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and fill in the blanks. Tell students 3. I’m taking in Room .
that they can complete the

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4. There are students in my class, men and women.
­sentences with information about
5. I have class on .
a different class and teacher if

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days
6. My teacher is . His / Her office is in Room .
they want.
• Then, invite one or two volunteers
to read their sentences aloud.
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C ACADEMIC Listen to Gloria interview Kenji about his life in the United States. Take notes.
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Correct any mistakes in grammar or Then, compare your notes with a partner. 2 Answers may vary.
pronunciation.
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• Ask the other students ­questions

WRITING STRATEGY
about the volunteers’ information.
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When you take notes, you write a few words to help

Ask: What’s his / her name? What class you remember important information. You do not
is he / she taking? When is his / her write full sentences.
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class? Who is his / her teacher?

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C 2
• Read the Writing Strategy aloud to
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the class.
• Play the audio and ask students to 2 Unit 1
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listen without taking notes.

• Play the audio a second time
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and have them take notes about

MORE ACTION
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Kenji’s life. Remind students that

they should write key words, not For more practice with simple present statements, make
sentences. some false sentences about the passage in Exercise A
and ask students to correct you. For example:
T: His name is Koji.
ACADEMIC S: No, his name is Kenji.
Note taking is a key academic skill that
can help students when preparing
and studying for tests.

2 Unit 1

SAMPLE COPY, NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION

 Kenji: new student

Japan doesn’t work D

six months not married • Have students work in pairs and
21 years old take turns asking each other the
questions. Students should
mother, father, sister swims 4-5 times per week
compare their notes and answers
studies English photography and rock music with their partners’.
lives in student dorms laptop • If necessary, play some or all of the
audio again to clarify any difficult
questions.
• Call on one or two students to read
aloud their answers. Ask the class to
correct any mistakes.
D Look at your notes. Answer the questions about Kenji. • Then, ask students to close their
1. What country is Kenji from? He’s from Japan. books and ask each other as many
2. How long has he been in the United States? He has been in the United States for six months. questions about Kenji as they can

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3. Why is he in the United States? He studies English in college. remember.
4. How many people are in his family? Four. He has a mother, father, and sister.

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5. Where does he live? He lives in the student dorms.
CULTURE NOTE
6. Is he a new student? Yes, he is.

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7. Does he work? No, he doesn’t.
Read the Culture Note and explain that,
in the United States, it is ­considered

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8. Is he married? No, he isn’t.
impolite to ask about a person’s age,
9. How old is he? He’s 21. religion, or salary if you do not know
10. How often does he swim? He swims four or five times a week. them well. Ask students if this is the
11. What other interests does he have? He likes photography and music.
c same or different in their culture.
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12. What kind of music does he like? He likes rock music.
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13. What kind of computer does he have? He has a laptop.
14. How will he meet other students at college? What do you think? CIVICS
Answers may vary. He will meet other students in class, in the dorm, and at the pool.
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Explain that Americans consider it

rude to ask about things that are
CULTURE NOTE
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“too personal.” For Americans, age,

Americans usually do not ask about age or religion when they religion, and salary are considered too
first meet a person. They do not talk about their salary with
personal to ask about. Ask students to
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strangers or friends, and sometimes not even with family.

identify things that are too personal
to ask about in their own cultures. List
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students’ answers on the board. Ask:

The First Week 3 How would you feel if someone asked
you about something on this list? What
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would you think about a person who

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asked you one of these things?

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MORE ACTION
For more practice with note taking,
invite one or two students to write
their notes from Exercise C on
the board. Ask the class to make
suggestions for improvements. Then,
give a short talk about yourself and
ask students to take similar notes
about your life. Afterwards, students
can work in pairs to ask and answer
questions about you.

The First Week 3

SAMPLE COPY, NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION