Includes video transcripts for TED Talks.

"21st Century Reading was created through a partnership between TED, a nonprofit dedicated to spreading ideas through short, powerful talks and National Geographic Learning. 21st Century Reading provides the ideal forum for learners of English to make connections with topics ranging from science to business to global issues. Using TED Talks as the springboard to share ideas, this new four-level reading series shows learners how to understand and respond to ideas and content in English.

Featuring extraordinary stories presented by inspiring thinkers and doers, TED Talks ignite curiosity and introduce learners to ideas which can change the world.

TED Talks use authentic language, delivered by experts in their field, providing learners with models of English that are real and relevant to their academic studies.

Critical and Creative Thinking skills – including analysis, evaluation, synthesis, reflection, inference, and problem-solving – are fully integrated into every unit, to help learners develop academic skills.

Scaffolded reading and vocabulary tasks guide learners to a better understanding of the key ideas, skills, and language." (Publisher's Website)

SCOPE AND SEQUENCE:

UNIT 1: LIFE CHANGES (Interdisciplinary)

Lesson A

Reading
The Power to Change: Biographical article

Reading skills
Understanding sequence words
Creating a timeline

Critical Thinking
Interpreting a person’s statement
Reflecting on own experience

Lesson B

TED Talks
Try Something New for 30 Days /
Matt Cutts

Academic Skills
Understanding main ideas and key details
Recognizing attitude
Identifying facts and opinions

Critical Thinking
Evaluating challenges
Reflecting on own experience

Project
Planning a 30-day challenge

UNIT 2: TEAM POWER (Business / Leadership)

Lesson A

Reading The Marshmallow Challenge : Research article

Reading Skills
Identifying main ideas in paragraphs
Identifying supporting details

Critical Thinking
Interpreting a person’s statement
Reflecting on own experience

Lesson B

TED Talks
Build a Tower, Build a Team / Tom Wujec

Academic Skills
Understanding main ideas and key details
Understanding stages in a process
Summarizing main ideas

Critical Thinking
Inferring reasons
Reflecting on personal strengths
Applying ideas

Project
Designing a team-building task

UNIT 3: OCEAN WONDERS (Life Science)

Lesson A

Reading
Messages from the Sea: Scientific article

Reading Skills
Identifying purpose
Identifying referents

Critical Thinking Inferring meaning from context
Evaluating and justifying an opinion

Lesson B

TED Talks
Underwater Astonishments / David Gallo

Academic Skills
Understanding main ideas and key details
Recognizing tone and message
Synthesizing information using a Venn diagram

Critical Thinking
Questioning a speaker
Reflecting on own experience

Project Researching and presenting examples of adaptation

UNIT 4: WHAT WE WEAR (Sociology / Fashion)

Lesson A

Reading
The Science of Style: Research report

Reading Skills
Making connections
Understanding a process

Critical Thinking
Inferring reasons
Reflecting on own experience

Lesson B

TED Talks Wearing Nothing New / Jessi Arrington

Academic Skills
Understanding main ideas and key details
Recognizing point of view
Comparing messages

Critical Thinking
Interpreting statements
Reflecting on personal style

Project Researching for a poster session on clothing

UNIT 5: MOMENTS AND MEMORIES (Psychology / History)

Lesson A

Reading
Preserving the Past: Biographical article

Reading Skills
Identifying approximate numbers
Understanding visuals

Critical Thinking
Inferring meaning from context
Reflecting on own experience

Lesson B

TED Talks
One Second Every Day / Cesar Kuriyama

Academic Skills
Understanding main ideas and key details
Recognizing a message
Identifying true statements

Critical Thinking Interpreting a statement
Synthesizing ideas
Evaluating an argument
Reflecting on own experience

Project Planning a media show about memories

UNIT 6: BUILDING SOLUTIONS (Architecture and Design)

Lesson A

Reading Living Spaces: Magazine-style article

Reading Skills
Organizing supporting details
Understanding reasons

Critical Thinking Synthesizing information
Analyzing problems

Lesson B

TED Talks
Ingenious Homes in Unexpected Places / Iwan Baan

Academic Skills
Understanding main ideas and key details
Summarizing ideas using a concept map
Recognizing attitude

Critical Thinking
Inferring reasons
Applying ideas to own experience

Project
Researching for a talk about an unusual structure

UNIT 7: ROADS TO FAME (Communication / Sociology)

Lesson A

Reading
Going Viral: Magazine-style article

Reading Skills
Scanning for numbers
Understanding a graph
Identifying transition words

Critical Thinking
Inferring attitude
Reflecting on own experience

Lesson B

TED Talks
Why Videos Go Viral / Kevin Allocca

Academic Skills
Understanding main ideas and key details
Recognizing a message
Summarizing ideas using a concept map

Critical Thinking
Applying ideas to other contexts
Reflecting on reasons

Project
Researching and presenting a viral video

UNIT 8: FACE OFF (Conservation / Engineering)

Lesson A

Reading
Lions Killed Near Nairobi: News report

Reading Skills
Identifying cause and effect
Visualizing details
Understanding infographics

Critical Thinking
Reasoning and justifying an opinion
Reflecting on possible solutions

Lesson B

TED Talks
My Invention that Made Peace with Lions / Richard Turere

Academic Skills
Understanding main ideas and key details
Recognizing tone and message
Summarizing ideas using a process diagram

Critical Thinking
Making predictions
Interpreting meaning
Questioning a speaker

Project
Researching and presenting on human–animal conflict

UNIT 9: COMMUNITY VOICES (Visual Arts / Sociology)

Lesson A

Reading
Art in the Community: Biographical article

Reading Skills
Understanding a paragraph’s purpose
Understanding references

Critical Thinking
Interpreting a reaction
Making predictions
Applying ideas to other contexts

Lesson B

TED Talks
Before I Die, I Want To… / Candy Chang

Academic Skills
Understanding main ideas and key details
Making predictions
Recognizing point of view

Critical Thinking
Interpreting a speaker’s statement
Making predictions
Synthesizing and applying ideas

Project
Conducting a survey about your community

UNIT 10: ROBOTS AND US (Technology / Robotics)

Lesson A

Reading Robots Like Us: Scientific article

Reading Skills
Identifying main and supporting ideas in paragraphs
Making comparisons

Critical Thinking
Evaluating pros and cons
Reflecting on own experience

Lesson B

TED Talks
The Rise of Personal Robots / Cynthia Breazeal

Academic Skills
Understanding main ideas and key details
Understanding sequence
Summarizing main ideas

Critical Thinking
Analyzing problems

Project
Creating a design for a new robot

Students at a low-intermediate (US), B1 (CEFR) level Publisher's Website.