Benchmarks: Varies Depending on Which Activities Are Used

U.S. Education System

Adapted from:

NRS Levels: 3-6

Benchmarks: Varies depending on which activities are used

This lesson falls under the theme Education & Learningand helps students to understand the U.S. education system. This is also an easy way to incorporate technology into your lesson as it uses an interactive slide presentation, Youtube, and online exercises.

Activity 1

Begin with the interactive slide presentation below to assess what your students already know.

If you desire, you can show this Youtube video (9:37) to have your students listen to a complete explanation of the education hierarchy:

Activity 2

Print the following handout and have students complete in small groups. This can also be done as a large group via projection.

U.S. System of Education Fact Check (medium)

Activity 3

Your students can complete a class poll, partner interview, and prepare a 1-minute talk using the handout below.

Talking about Education

Activity 4

Using the information from their 1-minute talks, students can write several sentences or a paragraph describing their country’s education system. For lower level students, a volunteer (or advanced student) can write their sentences and they can be copied.

Activity 5

The 10-page lower-intermediate lesson from Heads Up English below includes an article on early graduation from high school and several listening, speaking, and vocabulary exercises. You can easily choose to print the article and just 1 (or more) of the exercises as the lesson is in pdf format. Another option is to read the article aloud to the students and then check their comprehension.

Early Graduation

Activity 6

If applicable to your students, it may be helpful to help them understandoptions such as Honor’s, Advanced Placement (AP), and Postsecondary Enrollment Options Program (PSEOP) that are available to many high school students.

You can show or have them write the following sentences and decide which optionis being described:

______is a college-level class. This type of class also gives you college credit if you score high enough on the final exam. (AP)

______move at a quicker pace than regular classes and usually cover additional topics. (Honor’s)

______allows Ohio high school students to earn college credit and/orhigh school graduation credit through the successfulcompletion of college courses. (PSEOP)