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1. Stories about American Life

   Format(s): Text, Website

   Special English news stories about American life, produced by Voice of America, written for English language learners.

2. Fun with Weather

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   This three-part weather-themed lesson for young learners connects weather, clothing, and feelings vocabulary. The target structures covered are: asking about the weather; comparing weather; using the modal auxiliary, should; and the question word, when. The lessons utilize all four skills and include such activities as going outside, singing, journaling, dressing a toy puppy, role play, and letter writing. Flashcards, riddles, a song, reading material, a listening script, and a sample letter are included.

3. Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids

   Format(s): Website

   For kindergarten through high school curriculum. From the U.S. Government Printing Office.

4. Smithsonian History and Culture

   Format(s): Text, Website

   Lesson plans and resources for teaching and learning about American culture, art, and history.

5. Stories about U.S. History

   Format(s): Text, Video, Website

   Special English news stories about U.S. History, produced by Voice of America, written for English language learners.

6. Lesson Plans Related to Art and Design

   Format(s): Text, Website

   From the Smithsonian, lesson plans and resources for teaching and learning about American culture, art, history, and other topics.

7. Amazing Animals

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   “Animals” is a three-part lesson plan for young learners with a zoo animal theme. The first lesson is full of activities to describe animals, with Simon Says, guessing games, and learning stations. The second lesson is about desert animals, but other types of animals could be chosen depending on student interest. This lesson teaches prepositions of place. The final lesson, using the Language Experience Approach, leads up to a trip to the zoo (real or virtual). The class constructs a story of their experience and reads it together. Animal flashcards are included.

8. A Tale of Two Animals

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   An Indonesian fable is the theme of this three-part lesson for young learners. Students practice with the past-tense verbs used in the fable. By listening, reading and ordering the sentences, and copying a paragraph of the story, students become very familiar with the fable. The lessons finish with homework to write a play based on the fable. Students may select and perform the best play from their group.

9. Health and Fitness

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   The theme of health offers a variety of language-learning possibilities. This three-part lesson plan for young learners can be adapted to other audiences. It includes a reading, a dialogue, and a listening script. The first lesson asks learners to analyze lifestyle choices and give advice. The second lesson takes students to a sporting goods store, where they consider the language they need to talk with a sales clerk. The third lesson is about food choices, including ways to prepare foods. A follow-up activity researches how a famous athlete stays healthy.

10. Houseboats

    In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 2 Format(s): Text

    This lesson uses a text about the houseboats of Kashmir to give students practice with descriptions, compound words, and participles. The lesson plan could be adapted to tourist destinations familiar to the students. Students are asked to write a description of their homes and create a tourism brochure for their own cities or towns.

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