Advanced Syllabus • Week 1

Materials NorthStar 5 Focus on Grammar 5

Theme: Addiction Listening & Speaking Unit 1: “The Internet and Other Addictions” Grammar: Wish statements—expressing unreality Reading & Writing Unit 1: “Mickey’s Team” Writing: Autobiographical narrative; unreal past conditional Unit 22: Conditionals; Other Ways to Express Unreality Unit 23: More Conditions; The Subjunctive (New FOG has a new reading to start the chapter. The unit topic is essentially the same but the reading no longer focuses on elderly people)

Global Performance Outcomes Grammar

Second conditional G34; Third conditional G35; Mixed conditionals G36

Vocabulary

Sports V9; Personal feelings, opinions, and experiences V13; Computers and technology V16; Health, medicine, and exercise V21; Prefixes and suffixes V31

Listening

Can easily follow complex interactions between third parties in group discussion and debate, even on abstract, complex, unfamiliar topics L4

Reading

Can understand in detail lengthy, complex texts, whether or not they relate to his/her own area of specialization, provided he/she can reread difficult sections R1

Spoken Interaction

Can easily keep up with the debate in a formal discussion, even on abstract, complex, unfamiliar topics SI5

Spoken Production

Can vary intonation and place sentence stress correctly in order to express finer shades of meaning SP7

Writing

Can develop a clear description or narrative, expanding and supporting his/her main points with relevant supporting detail and examples W8

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Extension Activities

Advanced Syllabus • Week 1

Addiction Survey: In pairs, students create surveys on addiction and addictive personalities. They should use conditional structures as appropriate when considering the consequences of addition; e.g., “If you had drunk a lot of vodka last night, could you have made it to class today?” Pairs then interview other student pairs and report responses back to the entire class. As a class, students decide on an official class survey of 7–10 questions. For homework, each student interviews one or two people using this survey and reports/compares responses in class the next day. Group Presentations: Students research addiction and addictive personalities for demographics, statistics, and trends—see Suggested Websites. They should also answer the following questions: What most surprised you in your research? What most shocked you? Which addictions are problems in your country? In small groups, students organize their information and give brief class presentations about their findings. Class Debate: Class brainstorms a controversial issue related to addiction—legalization of marijuana, anti-smoking laws, health care, etc.—and chooses a topic for debate. Students divide into two groups, one arguing the pros and the other arguing the cons of chosen topic. Teacher judges the winning side of the debate.

Suggested Websites

http://www.netaddiction.com/ (Center for Internet Addiction website that includes self help, assessments/quizzes, and FAQs) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8493149.stm (“‘Internet addiction’ linked to depression, study says” online BBC article) http://www.poewar.com/autobiographical-writing-childhood/ (Series of question prompts for autobiographical writing, focusing on childhood years; site also includes links to autobiography writing templates and lesson plans/ideas) http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/northstar3e/videoworksheets.html (NorthStar video worksheet—Unit 1)

Suggested Films/Video

28 Days (2000)—Hollywood movie about a big-city journalist who goes into alcohol and drug rehab When a Man Loves a Woman (1994)—Hollywood movie about an alcoholic wife who enters recovery, forcing her husband to consider his enabling behavior

Suggested Portfolio/Writing Task

Write a one-page autobiographical essay about the following topic. Include at least four wish statements and past unreal conditionals in your essay. What is one event that changed your life? E.g., a first meeting with someone who affected you greatly, a natural disaster you experienced, the birth or death of someone significant to you, or a personal defeat or victory you experienced. Using the elements of character, technique, and theme, describe your personality and living circumstances before and after the event and the people who influenced you at that time. Reflect on how your life would be different if the event hadn’t happened, or if you had made different choices at the time.

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Advanced Syllabus • Week 2

Materials NorthStar 5 Focus on Grammar 5

Theme: Lying Listening & Speaking Unit 2: “Honesty Is the Best Policy” Grammar: Modals—degrees of certainty Reading & Writing Unit 2: “Lies and Truth” Writing: Opinion essay; introductory paragraph w/ thesis and hook; double comparatives Unit 4: Modals to Express Degrees of Necessity Unit 5: Modals to Express Degrees of Certainty

Global Performance Outcomes Grammar

Modal: can (ability, requests, permission) G17; Modal: could (past ability, possibility, polite requests) G18; Modal: would (polite requests) G19; Modal: should (advice) G22; Modal: may (possibility) G23; Modal: might (possibility) G24; Modal: have / have got to (obligation) G25; Modal: ought to (obligation) G26; Modal: must (obligation) G27

Vocabulary

Education V1; Family and relationships V14; Crime and the law V15; Travel and holidays/vacation V18; Science and processes V25; Idioms V30

Listening

Can recognize a wide range of idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms, appreciating register shifts L2

Reading

Can understand in detail a wide range of lengthy, complex texts likely to be encountered in social, professional, or academic life, identifying finer points of detail including attitudes and implied as well as stated opinions R3

Spoken Interaction

Can select a suitable phrase from a readily available range of discourse functions to preface his/her remarks appropriately in order to get the floor or to gain time and keep the floor while thinking SI8

Spoken Production

Can give clear, detailed descriptions of complex subjects SP2

Writing

Can expand and support points of view at some length with subsidiary points, reasons, and relevant examples W4

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Extension Activities

Advanced Syllabus • Week 2

Three Truths and a Lie: Students come up with three true statements about themselves and one untrue statement. They present their statements to the class who must guess which statement is untrue. Conversation Chain: Class stands/sits in a circle/semicircle. Teacher or a student starts the chain with a sentence using a past modal form; e.g., “I should have visited my friend last night, but I went home and slept instead.” The next student continues the chain—“I should have gone home and slept, but I played pool all night instead.”—and so on. Students should pay attention to the past participle form of the verb and should use as many different verbs as possible. Modal Game: Teacher brings pictures of celebrities to class, covers one picture with a piece of paper, and puts it on the board. Teacher slowly reveals parts of the picture to two students at a time who try to guess the identity of the celebrity using modals of certainty; e.g., “It could be Scarlett Johansson.” The first student to guess the celebrity’s identity without making a mistake wins. Hypothetical Situations: Class is divided into small groups. Teacher gives students three hypothetical situations. For example: “Imagine I came to class today with a black eye.” “Imagine I came to class today and my eyes were red and my cheeks were wet.” “Imagine I have missed a week of classes without explanation.” For each situation, each group comes up with two guesses using may, might, or could, e.g., “You might have gotten in a fight with your girlfriend.” and one assumption using must or have to explaining what happened and a reason for this assumption, e.g., “You must have been hit with a baseball because I know that you are the catcher on your team.” At the end of the activity, each group will have a total of nine sentences to share with the rest of the class. Honesty Surveys: In pairs, students create surveys with 5–10 scenarios that test a person’s honesty; e.g., “What would you do if you found a wallet in a taxi with $700 and a driver’s license inside?” Each pair then interviews another pair using their honesty survey. Note: This activity can be used to review conditionals.

Suggested Websites

http://www.blifaloo.com/info/lies.php (Information and links to information about how to detect lies) http://www.howstuffworks.com/lie-detector.htm (How lie detectors work; includes Mythbusters video of a lie detector test) http://www.goodcharacter.com/ISOC/Honesty.html (Honesty-related discussion questions, writing assignments, and student activities) http://www.wallettest.com/ (Information and results of a social experiment; includes video) http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/northstar3e/videoworksheets.html (NorthStar video worksheet—Unit 2)

Suggested Films/Video

Liar, Liar (1997)—Comedy about a lawyer who cannot lie for 24 hours The Invention of Lying (2009)—Comedy about a man who discovers how to lie in a world where everyone tells the truth The Thin Blue Line (1988)—Documentary examining the case of a man wrongly convicted of murder (see NorthStar Reading 2, p. 30)

Suggested Portfolio/Writing Task

See “Alternative Writing Topics” in NorthStar Advanced, Reading and Writing, p. 44.

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Advanced Syllabus • Week 3

Materials NorthStar 5 Focus on Grammar 5

Theme: Personality Listening & Speaking Unit 3: “The Bold and the Bashful” Grammar: Adjective clauses—identifying and non-indentifying Reading & Writing Unit 3: “The Road to Success” Writing: Topic sentences, illustration, and conclusion Unit 12: Adjective Clauses: Review and Expansion (New FOG has altered readings, but the topic remains the same) Unit 13: Adjective Clauses with Prepositions; Adjective Phrases (New FOG has an updated reading to start the chapter).

Global Performance Outcomes Grammar

Defining relative clauses G38; Non-defining relative clauses G39

Vocabulary

Entertainment (film, music, TV, etc.) V2; Free time activities V8; Describing people’s character V11; Describing people’s physical appearance V12; Family and relationships V14; Extreme adjectives/adverbs V22

Listening

Can understand enough to follow extended speech on abstract and complex topics beyond his/her own field, though he/she may need to confirm occasional details, especially if the accent is unfamiliar L1

Reading

Can skillfully use contextual, grammatical, and lexical cues to infer attitude, mood, and intentions and anticipate what will come next R5

Spoken Interaction

Can express himself/herself fluently and spontaneously, almost effortlessly. Has a good command of a broad lexical repertoire, allowing gaps to be overcome with circumlocutions. There is little obvious searching for expressions or avoidance strategies; only a conceptually difficult subject can hinder a natural, smooth flow of language SI1

Spoken Production

Can give a clear, well-structured presentation of a complex subject, expanding and supporting points of view at some length with subsidiary points, reasons, and relevant examples SP5

Writing

Can give elaborate descriptions and narratives, integrating sub-themes, developing particular points, and finishing with an appropriate conclusion W7

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Extension Activities

Advanced Syllabus • Week 3

Dating Game: Each student makes a list of at least three adjectives describing his/her personality. Then class brainstorms a list of questions for students to ask each other regarding their interests, background, and personality. Using these lists, students role play a dating game. One student plays a contestant looking for a potential husband/wife, while three others play eligible bachelors/bachelorettes. The first student chooses questions from the list to ask the eligible dates. At the end of the questioning, the student reveals his or her choice. Note: Every 10–15 minutes, the questioner and/or panel should change. Color Quiz Personality Test: Students take an online color quiz personality test in the computer lab—see Suggested Websites; otherwise, they can do it for homework. When they finish the brief quiz, students take detailed notes on their results. In class, teacher and students discuss the results and accuracy of the quiz. They can follow up with a written report on the quiz and class results. Adjective Clause Creative Writing: Teacher writes the following lists of words on the board. List 1: station, man, woman, tree, train, journey, illness, window, wallet, people. List 2: date, movie, dinner, restaurant, waiter, car, shirt, man, woman, ring. In pairs, students choose or are assigned one of the word lists. They must create a story using each word from their list in any order. Each time they use a word from the list, they must include an adjective clause after it; five of the clauses in their stories must be identifying clauses, and five must be non-identifying clauses. Pairs then share their stories with the class. Character Study: Students read a short story or watch part of a film and analyze a main character’s personality as a class. For homework, students can write a new scenario for the character based on the class analysis.

Suggested Websites

http://www.colorquiz.com/ (Color quiz personality test and information) http://www.planetpersonality.com/ (Links to personality tests—general, work, interests, abilities, etc.) http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp (Online Jung Type personality test) http://womeninbusiness.about.com/od/startingasmallbusiness/a/3traitsofentrep.htm (“Do You Have What It Takes to Become a Successful Woman Entrepreneur?” online article) http://www.brainy-child.com/article/successful-children.html (“Start Raising Successful Children” online article) www.phobialist.com (List of hundreds of phobias; can be used with Suggested Portfolio/Writing Task) http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/northstar3e/videoworksheets.html (NorthStar video worksheet—Unit 3) http://www.stickyball.net/adult/274.html (Ideas and questions for ESL lesson about palm reading and fortune telling)

Suggested Films/Video

Jerry McGuire (1966)—Drama about an ambitious sports agent who quits his powerful job to start his own business Hitch (2005)—Romantic comedy about a “dating doctor” who has his own romance problems

Suggested Portfolio/Writing Task

Choose a phobia (e.g., fear of frogs, fear of thunder and lightning, fear of the dentist, fear of flying, etc.) and write a one-page story about the daily life of a person with that phobia. Think about what the life of someone with an extreme case of the phobia would be like and how it would affect their personality over time.

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Advanced Syllabus • Week 4

Materials NorthStar 5 Focus on Grammar 5

Theme: Trends Listening & Speaking Unit 4: “The Tipping Point Grammar: Adverb clauses of result Reading & Writing Unit 4: “Silent Spring” Writing: Cause-and-effect essays; paragraph organization; strong conclusions; adverb clauses and discourse connectors Unit 18: Adverbs: Functions, Types, Placement, and Meaning Unit 19: Adverb Clauses (2nd reading was deleted from the new edition of FOG)

Global Performance Outcomes Grammar

Additive connectives: and, also, or, etc. G49; Comparative connectives: but, although, while, etc. G50; Consequential connectives: because, since, as, for, so that, etc. G51; Temporal connectives: when, after, while, etc. G52; Inversion after negative adverbs G53

Vocabulary

The environment V4; The natural world V5; Crime and the law V15; Computers and technology V16; Cities, towns, and facilities V23; Science and processes V25; Business and trade V27; Idioms V30; Prefixes and suffixes V31

Listening

Can follow extended speech even when it is not clearly structured and when relationships are only implied and not signaled explicitly L3

Reading

Can understand in detail a wide range of lengthy, complex texts likely to be encountered in social, professional, or academic life, identifying finer points of detail including attitudes and implied as well as stated opinions R3

Spoken Interaction

Can use language flexibly and effectively for social purposes, including emotional, allusive, and joking usage SI3

Spoken Production

Can deliver announcements fluently, almost effortlessly, using stress and intonation to convey finer shades of meaning precisely SP4

Writing

Can write clear, well-structured texts on complex subjects emphasizing the salient issues, expanding and supporting points of view at some length with subsidiary points, reasons, and relevant examples, and finishing with an appropriate conclusion W1

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Extension Activities

Advanced Syllabus • Week 4

Crime-Reducing Solutions: Teacher pre-teaches vocabulary before having students read Nicholas Kristof ’s editorial “To Catch a Thief ”—see Suggested Websites. Class discusses Kristof ’s opinion/thesis regarding creating ways to reduce crime. In small groups, students choose a specific non-violent crime (e.g., pick pocketing, graffiti, trespassing, etc.) and devise a creative way to reduce the crime. Groups present their solution to the class. For homework or as a writing exercise, students can write an op-ed piece similar to Kristof ’s. Warm-up Discussion: Class defines trend. In pairs or small groups, students discuss and answer the following questions: What are some areas in which trends occur? (e.g., fashion, tastes, economics, demographics) What are some examples of environmental trends? (e.g., global warming, deforestation, population growth) Which, if any, of these trends are you concerned about? Note: Teacher and/or class should come up with at least two more related questions to add to the list. Country Trends and Comparisons: Students choose environmental, social, or economic topics that interest them and then research associated trends in their own countries—see Suggested Websites. Individually or in pairs, students prepare a poster and write an accompanying report showing/listing these trends, possible reasons for them, and their own predictions. Students share their posters and reports to larger groups or to the whole class. Finally, the class discusses the following questions based on information gathered from the presentations and reports: Which countries are experiencing similar trends? Which countries are experiencing unique trends? If these trends continue, what might be the future consequences? If a trend has negative consequences, what can individuals do to reverse the trend? Local Fashion Trends: In small groups, students observe and take notes on fashion trends in and around the school. (This research can also be assigned for homework.) They report their findings and compare them with those of other groups—they should discuss similarities and differences in fashion between youth and adults, men and women, and then compare these trends to those in their own countries.

Suggested Websites

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/opinion/28kristof.html (“To Catch a Thief ” NY Times editorial about crime reduction) http://earthtrends.wri.org/ (Information on environmental, social, and economic trends by country) http://trendwatching.com/ (Consumer trends site with regular updates) http://databasin.org/climate-center (Articles, blogs, and data on monitored climate change areas such as Yosemite, Red Woods, etc.) http://www.longman.com/ae/northstar2e/books/ls_adv/TR/documents/LSAdv_vocab_4.pdf (NorthStar vocabulary worksheet) http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/northstar3e/videoworksheets.html (NorthStar video worksheet—Unit 4)

Suggested Films/Video

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)—Story of a young woman who becomes personal assistant to an important, difficult fashion editor An Inconvenient Truth (2006)—Documentary about global warming

Suggested Portfolio/Writing Task

Write three to five paragraphs about the following topic; use at least six adverb clauses in your writing. What is your relationship to nature, at home and/or in the US? For example, how does nature affect you? Are these effects positive, negative, or both? Include descriptions of natural surroundings and the emotions they evoke in you.

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Advanced Syllabus • Week 5

Materials NorthStar 5 Focus on Grammar 5

Theme: Cross-cultural insights Listening & Speaking Unit 5: “Feng Shui: Ancient Wisdom Travels West” Grammar: Spoken discourse connectors Reading & Writing Unit 5: “What Is Lost in Translation?” Writing: Comparison and contrast essay; block and point-by-point organization; adverb clauses of comparison and contrast Unit 20: Adverb and Adverbial Phrases Unit 21: Connectors

Global Performance Outcomes Grammar

Adverbs of sequence: first, next, finally, etc. G44; Additive connectives: and, also, or, etc. G49; Comparative connectives: but, although, while, etc. G50; Consequential connectives: because, since, as, for, so that, etc. G51; Temporal connectives: when, after, while, etc. G52

Vocabulary

Education V1; The natural world V5; House and home V10; Describing people’s character V11; Family and relationships V14; Places and buildings V17; Travel and holidays/vacation V18

Listening

Can skillfully use contextual, grammatical, and lexical cues to infer attitude, mood, and intentions and anticipate what will come next L10

Reading

Can understand any correspondence given the occasional use of a dictionary R2

Spoken Interaction

Can understand in detail speech on abstract and complex topics of a specialized nature beyond his/her own field, though he/she may need to confirm occasional details, especially if the accent is unfamiliar SI2

Spoken Production

Can produce clear, smoothly flowing, well-structured speech, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors, and cohesive devices SP8

Writing

Can produce clear, smoothly flowing, well-structured written texts, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors, and cohesive devices W6

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Extension Activities

Advanced Syllabus • Week 5

Interior Design: Based on feng shui principles, student pairs redesign their classroom and/or school. They present a sketch and explain their design as an oral presentation. After all presentations, class votes on the best design. Note: Students should pay close attention to the correct use of connectors in their presentations. Culture Shock Manual: Class is divided into two groups, one made up of students who have been in the U.S. less than a month, and the other made up of students who have been in the U.S. for a longer period of time. The first group creates a list of problems they have encountered with culture shock since arriving. The second group compares their experience and discusses how they coped with similar problems. Finally, class compiles culture shock examples and coping techniques as a manual for new KIC students. 4 Skills Practice: Teacher distributes NorthStar Video Worksheet—see Suggested Website. Students complete the pre-viewing questions, and then teacher shows NorthStar DVD video, “Japanese Gardens.” Students complete and discuss the rest of the worksheet. Depending on time, writing exercise can be done for homework. Cross-Cultural Dating/Marriage: As a warm-up, class discusses cross-cultural dating and international relationships in their countries and the US. Teacher provides a related article or story—see Suggested Websites. Students read and discuss the article/story, focusing on the positives and negatives of such a relationship. Based on the discussion and reading, students create a 10-question survey (e.g., “Have you ever dated someone from another country?”), interview students from outside the class, and report their findings the next day.

Suggested Websites

http://international.ouc.bc.ca/cultureshock/ (Culture shock article and related quizzes) http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/cultures_east-west-phylosophy.html (Point-by-point comparison lists of Eastern and Western Philosophies) http://fengshui.about.com/od/thebasics/qt/fengshuibasics.htm (7-point guide to getting started with feng shui at home) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPfB6GIjM9Q (Video of an international student’s presentation on his experience with culture shock) http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/northstar3e/videoworksheets.html (NorthStar video worksheet—Unit 5) http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/northstar2e/northstar2e/common_resources/adv/pdf/u05interactiv_sh.pdf (NorthStar worksheet on culture shock) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/world/asia/30brides.html (“Wed to Strangers, Vietnamese Wives Build Korean Lives” NY Times article about cross-cultural marriages) http://www.pbs.org/weblab/lovestories/stories/Crossing_Borders/story32795.shtml (Sample international love story from PBS website)

Suggested Films/Video

Lost in Translation (2003)—Drama/romance in which two Americans struggle to adjust to Japanese culture in Tokyo Bend it Like Beckham (2002)—Movie about the daughter of a traditional Indian family in London who struggles with her family’s expectations and her own soccer dreams

Suggested Portfolio/Writing Task

See “Alternative Writing Topics” in NorthStar Advanced, Reading and Writing, p. 122.

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Advanced Syllabus • Week 6

Materials NorthStar 5 Focus on Grammar 5

Theme: Religion Listening & Speaking Unit 6: “Spiritual Renewal” Grammar: Count and non-count nouns and their quantifiers Reading & Writing Unit 6: “The Landscape of Faith” Writing: Definition essay; supporting details; definite and indefinite articles Unit 6: Count and Non-Count Nouns (New FOG has an altered/ updated reading to start the chapter) Unit 7: Definite and Indefinite Articles (New FOG has severl updated exercises and additional communication practice games)

Global Performance Outcomes Grammar

Definite, indefinite, and zero articles G40; Quantifiers: some, any, many, much, a few, a lot of, all, etc. G41; Count and non-count nouns

Vocabulary

Food, cooking, and restaurants V7; Personal feelings, opinions, and experiences V13; Travel and holidays/vacation V18; Health, medicine, and exercise V21; Idioms V30

Listening

Can follow most lectures, discussions, and debates with relative ease L5

Reading

Can understand in detail lengthy, complex texts, whether or not they relate to his/her own area of specialization, provided he/she can reread difficult sections R1

Spoken Interaction

Can easily follow and contribute to complex interactions between friends in a group discussion even on abstract, complex, unfamiliar topics SI4

Spoken Production

Can give elaborate descriptions and narratives, integrating sub-themes, developing particular points, and finishing with an appropriate conclusion SP3

Writing

Can write clear, detailed, well-structured and developed descriptions and imaginative texts in an assured, personal, natural style appropriate to the reader in mind W2

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Extension Activities

Advanced Syllabus • Week 6

Group Work: Class discusses the concept of “random acts of kindness.” Then in small groups or pairs, students brainstorm and present possible random acts that they could perform. Warm-up Discussion: As a class, students define religion and brainstorm as many religions as they know. In pairs or small groups, students discuss and answer the following questions: What elements do all accepted religions have in common? What is a cult? What is the difference between a cult and a religion? Note: Teacher and/or class should come up with at least two more related questions to add to the list. 4 Skills Practice: Teacher distributes NorthStar Video Worksheet—see Suggested Website. Students complete the pre-viewing question, and then teacher shows NorthStar DVD video, “The Trappists of Mepkin Abbey.” Students complete and discuss the rest of the worksheet. Depending on time, writing exercise can be done for homework. Create a Cult: In small groups, students brainstorm and create new cults (e.g., “the Frutarians,” a cult of fruit lovers). They describe the group’s characteristics and lifestyles (e.g., name, hierarchy, places of worship, member qualifications, beliefs, rituals, food) and then present their cult to the class. Class votes on the best new cult. Religious Icons: Class brainstorms a list of famous/important religious figures in history. Each student selects one figure, researches him/her, and reports to the class. If possible, students should find visuals to accompany their presentations. Field Trip: Class tours a local religious venue and/or attends a local religious service (e.g., a gospel service in Harlem for NYC students). Students then write a personal narrative of their experience and summarize it for the class.

Suggested Websites

http://www.vatican.va/phome_en.htm (Official Vatican website) http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/muslims/ (PBS Frontline page about Islam with interviews, accounts, history, and related issues) http://www.liberaljudaism.org/index.htm (UK Liberal Judaism website) http://aren.org/ (Alternative Religions Education Network, with links to current news articles relating to various alternative religions) http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/atheism/index.shtml (Comprehensive, simple explanations and history of atheism) http://www.religioustolerance.org/ps_pray.htm (Information on religious law and school prayer) http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/northstar3e/videoworksheets.html (NorthStar video worksheet—Unit 6)

Suggested Films/Video

Witness (1985)—Drama about a policeman who moves into an Amish community to protect a young murder witness The Chosen (1981)—Drama based on a popular book about Jewish boys growing up in Brooklyn Gandhi (1982)—Biographical dramatization of the life of Indian spiritual and political leader Mahatma Gandhi

Suggested Portfolio/Writing Task

See “Alternative Writing Topics” in NorthStar Advanced, Reading and Writing, p. 146.

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Advanced Syllabus • Week 7

Materials NorthStar 5 Focus on Grammar 5

Theme: Business Listening & Speaking Unit 7: “Workplace Privacy” Grammar: Verb + gerund or infinitive Reading & Writing Unit 7: “In Business, Size Matters” Writing: Advantage/disadvantage essay; transition sentences; infinitives and gerunds Unit 16: Gerunds Unit 17: Infinitives

Global Performance Outcomes Grammar

Verb + used to + gerund (for something familiar) G15; Verb patterns with gerunds and infinitives G30; Dependent prepositions: afraid of, laugh at, for sale, at last, etc. G48

Vocabulary

Computers and technology V16; Shopping and services V19; Jobs and employment V20; Money and finance V26; Business and trade V27; Phrasal verbs V28; Idioms V30

Listening

Can understand complex technical information, such as operating instructions and specifications for familiar products and services L7

Reading

Can understand in detail lengthy, complex instructions on a new machine or procedure, whether or not the instructions relate to his/her own area of specialization, provided he/she can reread difficult sections R4

Spoken Interaction

Can argue a formal position convincingly, responding to questions and comments and answering complex lines of counterargument fluently without any support, and handling interjections well SI6

Spoken Production

Can give a clear, well-structured presentation of a complex subject, expanding and supporting points of view at some length with subsidiary points, reasons, and relevant examples SP5

Writing

Can write clear, well-structured expositions of complex subjects, emphasizing the salient issues W3

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Extension Activities

Advanced Syllabus • Week 7

Panel Discussion: Class discusses placing video cameras in KIC classrooms to monitor students and teachers, and comes up with a list of pros and cons. Students then split into small groups that represent the following panel roles: students, teachers, school administrators, and parents. Groups prepare for and participate in a class panel discussion with each group arguing their position. For homework, each student writes a report summarizing the arguments made for his/her group. Business Plan: Students brainstorm ideas for a new business. Class can opt for a single idea or multiple ideas in small groups. Students then create a business plan for the new business, outlining the product/service, staffing (size, positions, salaries, benefits, etc.), location, and marketing strategy. Advertising: Teacher and/or students bring in advertisements—these can be from magazines, TV, the Internet, etc. In small groups, students evaluate advertisements in terms of language, audience, technique, and effectiveness. They then create their own ad campaigns and present to class. Class votes on the best ad campaign. 4 Skills Practice: Teacher distributes NorthStar Video Worksheet—see Suggested Websites. Students discuss the pre-viewing question, and then teacher shows NorthStar DVD video, “They’ll Be Watching You.” Students complete and discuss the rest of the worksheet. Depending on time, writing exercise can be done for homework. Career Planning: Teacher and/or students provide a list of careers—see Suggested Websites. Each student selects one career—current, future, or imagined—from the list. Students research the career in terms of job description, requirements, earnings, and outlook. They then present their findings, along with reasons for choosing the job, to the class.

Suggested Websites

http://www.businessweek.com/ (Website for Business Week magazine) http://careerplanning.about.com/od/occupations/a/career_briefs.htm (Extensive list of career profiles with short descriptions of each job type, median salaries, etc.) http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs7-work.htm (Workplace privacy/employee monitoring factsheet from Privacy Rights Clearinghouse) http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/northstar3e/videoworksheets.html (NorthStar video worksheet—Unit 7)

Suggested Films/Video

Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price (2005)—Documentary examining the negative effects of retail giant Wal-Mart Michael Clayton (2007)—Hollywood drama/thriller involving layers of lies and cover-ups in the workplace

Suggested Portfolio/Writing Task

Write a one-page essay responding to the following prompt. Include at least ten gerunds and infinitives. People define success in different ways. Some people relate it to work, others to their personal life, and others to how people perceive them. How would you define success? What are some characteristics a person needs to be successful? What is your plan for success?

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Advanced Syllabus • Week 8

Materials NorthStar 5 Focus on Grammar 5

Theme: The military Listening & Speaking Unit 8: “Warriors without Weapons” Grammar: Direct and indirect speech Reading & Writing Unit 8: “When the Soldier Is a Woman…” Writing: Opinion essay; summary Unit 10: Direct and Indirect Speech Unit 11: Noun Clauses: Subjects, Objects, and Complements (New FOG has a new reading to start the chapter.)

Global Performance Outcomes Grammar

Reported speech G37; Noun clauses

Vocabulary

The media (newspapers, magazines, etc.) V3; Personal feelings, opinions, and experiences V13; Jobs and employment V20; Health, medicine, and exercise V21; Reporting verbs V32

Listening

Can understand a wide range of recorded and broadcast audio material, including some non-standard usage, and can identify finer points of detail including implicit attitudes and relationships between speakers L8

Reading

Can understand any correspondence given the occasional use of a dictionary R2

Spoken Interaction

Can participate fully in an interview as either interviewer or interviewee, expanding and developing the point being discussed fluently, spontaneously, and appropriately SI7

Spoken Production

Can deliver announcements fluently, almost effortlessly, using stress and intonation to convey finer shades of meaning precisely SP4 Can handle interjections well, responding spontaneously and almost effortlessly SP6

Writing

Can produce layout, paragraphing, and punctuation that are consistent and helpful W9 Can spell accurately, apart from occasional slips W10

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Extension Activities

Advanced Syllabus • Week 8

Survey & Interview: In pairs, students create 10 military-related opinion questions for a class survey. Class then discusses each pair’s questions and decides on an official class survey. Using the class survey, students conduct interviews with two people outside the class—one American and one non-American—and report their findings to the class. Students should use indirect speech when reporting. Debate: Class brainstorms military-related issues, e.g., mandatory military service, nuclear weapons, pre-emptive war, current conflicts, and decides on one for debate. Students split into two sides, one supporting and one opposing, and prepare arguments. Class debates, and teacher (or another class, if possible) decides the winning side. Warm-up Discussion: As a class, students discuss the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross. In pairs or small groups, they discuss and answer the following questions: What, if any, work does the Red Cross/Red Crescent do in your country? Have you ever donated blood or money to the Red Cross/Red Crescent or similar organizations? Have you ever volunteered for the Red Cross/Red Crescent or similar organizations? Have you ever taken advantage of services offered by the Red Cross/Red Crescent or similar organizations? Note: Teacher can distribute the NorthStar ICRC Internet worksheet for students to complete for homework instead or in addition—see Suggested Websites. 4 Skills Practice: Teacher distributes NorthStar Video Worksheet—see Suggested Websites. Students discuss the pre-viewing question, and then teacher shows NorthStar DVD video, “UNICEF.” Students complete and discuss the rest of the worksheet. Depending on time, writing exercise can be done for homework. Non-Profit Organizations: Teacher and/or students identify some non-profit organizations that work on military/peace issues or in war-torn areas (e.g., United States Institute of Peace, Doctors without Borders, etc.). In small groups, students research various aspects of one organization—mission, history, projects/programs, etc.—and report back to the class. Depending on time, interest, and level, students can create their own organizations for class presentations.

Suggested Websites

http://www.army.mil/ (US Army news, history, leaders, army life, etc.) http://www.usip.org/ (US Institute for Peace website with news, events, program details; can be used as a model for students to create a non-profit) https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2024.html (Global statistics on military service—women in the military, voluntary/mandatory, age, etc.) http://www.lettersofnote.com/ (Historically interesting letters, including scanned originals and transcripts—click on Popular Categories for themes, e.g., War, Complaint, Religion, Music, etc.) http://www.longman.com/ae/northstar2e/northstar2e/common_resources/adv/pdf/u08interactiv_sh.pdf (NorthStar ICRC Internet worksheet) http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/northstar3e/videoworksheets.html (NorthStar video worksheet—Unit 8)

Suggested Films/Video

A Few Good Men (1992)—Naval courtroom drama with a team of lawyers including one female officer Charlotte Gray (2001)—Story of a Scottish woman who joins the French Resistance during WWII

Suggested Portfolio/Writing Task

Write a one-page essay explaining your view on the following issue. Include at least two quotations stated in indirect form. Does a person have the right to refuse military service for religious, moral, or political reasons?

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Advanced Syllabus • Week 9

Materials NorthStar 5 Focus on Grammar 5

Theme: The arts Listening & Speaking Unit 9: “Boosting Brain Power through the Arts” Grammar: The passive voice and the passive causative Reading & Writing Unit 9: “The Cellist of Sarajevo” Writing: Narrative essay; descriptive language Unit 14: The Passive: Review and Expansion (New FOG has a new reading to start the chapter, although theme is the same. New edition also includes an additional communication practice game.) Unit 15: The Passive to Describe Situations and to Report Opinions

Global Performance Outcomes Grammar

Passive forms G16; Causative have/get G31

Vocabulary

Education V1; Entertainment (film, music, TV, etc.) V2; Free time activities V8; Crime and the law V15; Sounds V24; Compound nouns V29; Reporting verbs V32

Listening

Can follow films employing a considerable degree of slang and idiomatic usage L9

Reading

Can skillfully use contextual, grammatical, and lexical cues to infer attitude, mood, and intentions and anticipate what will come next R5

Spoken Interaction

Can relate his/her own contribution skillfully to those of other speakers SI9

Spoken Production

Can develop a clear description of narrative, expanding, and supporting his/her main points with relevant supporting detail and examples SP9

Writing

Can express himself/herself with clarity and precision in personal correspondence, using language flexibly and effectively, including emotional, allusive, and joking usage W5

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Extension Activities

Advanced Syllabus • Week 9

Music and IQ Experiment: Teacher finds a version of Albinoni’s “Adagio in G Minor” (mentioned in NS Reading One, p. 207) and has students discuss the piece. Teacher also finds a short IQ test—see Suggested Websites. Class splits into two groups. One group leaves the room and the other group stays and listens to Mozart for ten minutes. Then, the students take the IQ test and discuss the results and the experience. Fact-Guessing Game: Each student or student pair chooses a famous artist, musician, actor, or inventor and writes clues about him/her; the clues should be in passive form whenever possible. The rest of the class guesses the identity of the person based on the clues. Art Taboo: Teacher makes a deck of cards, each with an art or film-related topic and five related words on cards below (e.g., Cubism: Picasso, guitars, shape, painting, eyes). In teams, students pick cards and try to get others on their team to guess the topics without using the related words on the cards. Note: This is based on the game Taboo. Research and Presentations: Students research artists and make class presentations. This activity can be combined with a field trip to a local museum or gallery. Film Activity: Teacher shows some scenes from a film or TV show. Students transcribe the scenes. In pairs or small groups, students act out their scenes in class. If possible, scenes can be recorded. Variation 1: Students write their own scripts and act them out. Variation 2: Students rewrite an important scene from a movie and/or change one character’s personality trait or gender, and then explain how these changes would affect the original plot. Field Trip: Teacher arranges for class to visit a local art exhibit. Students research artists and/or artworks before the trip. If possible, students meet with a local artist, tour the artist’s studio, interview the artist, etc.

Suggested Websites

http://www.free-iqtest.net/ (One of several websites with free online IQ tests) http://www.metmuseum.org/home.asp (Website for NYC’s Metropolitan Museum of Art) http://www.moma.org/ (Website for NYC’s Museum of Modern Art) http://articles.latimes.com/2010/apr/25/local/la-me-lopezcolumn-20100425 (Short LA Times article “Music Lessons Build Brainpower”) http://www.zzounds.com/edu--civilwarmusic (Links to various sites containing Civil War music and poetry) http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/northstar3e/videoworksheets.html (NorthStar video worksheet—Unit 9)

Suggested Films/Video

Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995)—Drama about a composer and musician who shares his passion with high school students The Pianist (2002)—Drama about a Polish Jewish musician who struggles to survive WWII

Suggested Portfolio/Writing Task

Describe a work of art about which you have strong feelings in detail. Use at least three passive constructions, including one passive causative in your essay. The artwork can be a painting, photograph, sculpture, building, etc. Include some background information on the artist and artistic context, along with your personal connection to the artwork. For example, when did you first notice it? Why did it make such an impression on you? How does it make you feel?

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Advanced Syllabus • Week 10

Materials NorthStar 5 Focus on Grammar 5

Theme: Poverty Listening & Speaking Unit 10: “Microfinance: Changing Lives $50 at a Time” Grammar: Unreal conditionals—present, past, and mixed Reading & Writing Unit 10: “The End of Poverty” Writing: Argumentative essay—introduction, thesis, support, refutation, concession, conclusion; noun clauses in apposition Unit 1: Present Time (New FOG has a changed grammar focus (present time only, no future) and a totally new theme.) Unit 2: Past Time

Note: Week 10 is a review and expansion of all verb tenses, including conditionals. However, Week 1 focuses primarily on conditional forms.

Global Performance Outcomes Grammar

Present simple G1; Present continuous G2; Present perfect simple G3; Present perfect continuous; Past simple G4; Past continuous G5; Past perfect simple G6; Past perfect continuous G7; Future with going to G8; Future with present continuous and present simple G9; Future with will G10; Future continuous G11; Future perfect G12; used to + basic verb form (past habits and states) G13; would + basic verb form (past habits and states) G14; Second conditional G34; Third conditional G35; Mixed conditionals G36

Vocabulary

Computers and technology V16; Shopping and services V19; Money and finance V26; Business and trade V27

Listening

Can extract specific information from poor quality, audibly distorted public announcements (e.g., in a station or sports stadium, etc.) L6 Can take detailed notes during a lecture on topics in his/her field of interest, recording the information so accurately and close to the original that the notes could also be useful to other people L11

Reading

Can understand in detail a wide range of lengthy, complex texts likely to be encountered in social, professional, or academic life, identifying finer points of detail including attitudes and implied as well as stated opinions R3

Spoken Interaction

Can understand in detail speech on abstract and complex topics of a specialized nature beyond his/her own field, though he/she may need to confirm occasional details, especially if the accent is unfamiliar SI2 Can backtrack when he/she encounters a difficulty and reformulate what he/she wants to say without fully interrupting the flow of speech SI10

Spoken Production

Can give clear, detailed descriptions and presentations on complex subjects, integrating sub-themes, developing particular points, and finishing with an appropriate conclusion SP1 Writing Can write clear, well-structured texts on complex subjects emphasizing the salient issues, expanding and supporting points of view at some length with subsidiary points, reasons, and relevant examples, and finishing with an appropriate conclusion W1

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Extension Activities

Advanced Syllabus • Week 10

An Unfortunate Chain of Events: There are three main steps to this activity. 1. Teacher recites a detailed story, real or imagined, in which a series of bad things happens, and students take notes; e.g., “A man’s boss asks him to work late. When he finally finishes, he finds that he has missed the last bus home, so he decides to walk. Unfortunately, his path home takes him through a dangerous neighborhood where he gets mugged…” 2. In small groups, students have five minutes to write as many sentences as possible discussing the events of the story using the past or mixed unreal conditional; e.g., “Had his boss not asked him to stay late, he wouldn’t have missed the last bus.” 3. Each group reads their sentences one at a time, with the teacher and rest of the class evaluating them. A group gets a point for each logical, grammatically correct sentence. When all groups have read all sentences, the group with the most points wins. Note: For homework, students can write their own stories, and the activity can be repeated later in the week with a student rather than the teacher reciting the story. Warm-up Discussion: As a class, students define poverty. In pairs or small groups, they discuss and answer the following questions: What are the causes of poverty? How can we end poverty? Who is responsible for ending poverty? Is poverty a problem in your country? Is it a problem in the US? What organizations directly combat poverty, and how do they do it? What do you do to help the poor or less fortunate? Research Project/Presentation: Teacher provides a list of the 10 least developed countries. In pairs, students choose one of the countries and research the following questions for a class presentation: What in the country’s recent history has caused its extreme poverty? What in its present situation might be preventing it from developing? What might be done in the future to improve its condition? Student pairs present their findings to the class. Note: Students can research the following topics in addition or instead: United Nations Millennium Development Goals; Jeffrey Sachs’ Millennium Villages; Celebrities and Poverty Work (e.g., Bono, Angelina Jolie, Madonna).

Suggested Websites

http://www.thp.org (Website for The Hunger Project, a global non-profit fighting hunger) http://www.poverty.com/ (Information about poverty, related problems/diseases, and proposed solutions) http://www.millenniumvillages.org/ (Website for Millennium Villages and this approach to fighting poverty) http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ (Information, updates, and statistics for the UN Millennium Development Goals) http://www.pbs.org/pov/boysofbaraka/ (PBS website with information, updates, links to articles, film lesson plan and discussion questions, etc., related to The Boys of Baraka) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/25/AR2010072502662.html (Washington Post article “After Africa, some Baraka School alumni soar while others struggle” that follows up the Baraka program) http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/northstar3e/videoworksheets.html (NorthStar video worksheet—Unit 10)

Suggested Films/Video

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)—Story of an Indian boy who grew up in slums and won a national game show The Boys of Baraka (2005)—Documentary about boys from a violent US ghetto who are taken to Kenya and educated there

Suggested Portfolio/Writing Task

See “Alternative Writing Topics” in NorthStar Advanced, Reading and Writing, p. 260.

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