Theme 1: Home Life

Daily Routine

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about daily routines in the home.
• Exchange information about family routines in the home.

Understanding Signed Language

• Identify daily routines based on signed description.

Producing Signed Language

• Describe daily routines.
• Describe family members in relation to daily routines.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss typical daily routines and home life, including devices for the deaf (e.g. vibrating alarm clocks, TTY, etc.).
• Discuss the importance of family in daily routines.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Explore differences in health and fitness practices between hearing teenagers and deaf teenagers.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare daily routines of typical hearing teenagers and Deaf teenagers.

Communication Across Communities

• Access information about daily routines of individuals in the Deaf community from print and internet resources, journal entries, magazine articles, etc.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary related to personal care
• Vocabulary for parts of the body
• Adverbs of frequency
• Time and time expressions
• Sequencing stories

Rooms of the House and Household Chore

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about rooms of the house, furnishings, and chores.
• Discuss the home including its rooms, furniture, and household objects.

Understanding Signed Language

• Identify the rooms of the house and/or furniture based on signed description.
• Comprehend comments and commands about daily chores and the house.
• Understand the difference between two-dimensional and three-dimensional classifiers when discussing rooms, furniture, and household objects.

Producing Signed Language

• Describe the home, including its rooms, furniture, and household objects.
• Describe family members in relation to daily chores.
• Describe household responsibilities for self and/or family members.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss Deaf manners as related to food and meals.

Connections, Comparisons, and Communities

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare behaviors and manners related to food and meals in the Deaf and hearing communities.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary related to food and table settings
• Vocabulary related to opinions about food
• Direct and indirect objects
• Courtesy expressions
• Affirmative and negative commands

Food

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions related to food and shopping for food.
• Ask and answer questions about food at a celebration.
• Order and take an order for a meal in a variety of dining situations.
• Exchange opinions about food.

Understanding Signed Language

• Identify foods based on signed descriptions.
• Understand comments and commands about foods and/or celebrations.
• Identify foods based on visual aids.

Producing Signed Language

• Describe foods and/or shopping for food.
• Describe foods and menus in relation to celebrations.
• Describe a menu or recipe.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Explain the importance of deaf connections within the family structure and community.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Compare the role of the extended Deaf family.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare and contrast family interactions in Deaf and hearing cultures.
• Contrast ways to express possession.

Communication Across Communities

• Use print and Internet resources to access information about Deaf culture related to families.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Pet vocabulary
• Possessive adjectives
• Descriptive adjectives
• Pronouns (possessive and singular)
• Listing
• Contrastive structure
• Age and numbers
• Spatial placement

Childhood Experiences

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about childhood experiences.

Understanding Signed Language

• Understand signed communication about a childhood experience.

Producing Signed Language

• Produce presentations about childhood experiences.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss childhood experiences of famous Deaf individuals.

Connections, Comparisons, and Communities

Communication Across Communities

• Discuss handshape poetry as related to childhood experiences and stories.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Time clauses
• "When" clauses
• Conjunctions and transitions
• Temporal aspect
• Non-manual makers with time
• Sequencing of events
• Contrastive structure
• Possessive (using 's)
• Descriptive classifiers

Theme 2: Student Life

Classes and School Routines

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about classes and school routines.
• Give and understand basic instructions on class and school procedures.
• Exchange information about past, present and future school plans.

Understanding Signed Language

• Understand announcements related to the school day and schedule.
• Understand procedures for using the computer.

Producing Signed Language

• Produce signed presentations about classes and school routines.
• Present rehearsed and unrehearsed material, such as role-plays, skits, plays, and short narratives about classes and school routines.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss educational settings for Deaf students, such as residential schools, mainstreamed classes, and self-contained classrooms.
• Discuss types of educational programs for Deaf students (e.g. oral schools, cued speech schools, and TC programs).

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Identify educational and vocational options for Deaf students.
• Discuss schools and subjects studied in Deaf schools.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare and contrast school routines of Deaf students in various educational settings with those of hearing students.

Communication Across Communities

• Describe school routines of Deaf teenagers.
• Discuss local Deaf schools, such as the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School and the Model Secondary School for the Deaf.
• Research ASL offerings and policies in colleges, including courses available and acceptance of high school ASL courses as world language credits.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Multi-meaning signs
• Role-shifting
• Spatial relationships between individuals
• Computer terminology

School-Related Activities

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about school-related activities.
• Exchange information about past school-related activities compared to current school-related activities.
• Exchange complaints, suggestions and request related to school activities.

Understanding Signed Language

• Comprehend information about school-related activities.

Producing Signed Language

• Produce presentations about school-related activities.
• Present rehearsed and unrehearsed material about school-related activities such as role-plays, skits, poems, plays and short narratives.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss assistive devices used in school settings (e.g. hearing dogs, smoke alarms, etc.).

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Identify after-school activities and extracurricular sports available for Deaf students.

Communication Across Communities

• Identify Deaf activities offered in the community, such as Deaf clubs and the Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons (NVRC).

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary for school-related activities and sports

Health and Fitness

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about fitness and exercise.
• Ask and answer questions about a nutritional diet.
• Exchange information about maintaining good health.

Understanding Signed Language

• Understand a fitness or diet plan based on signed information.
• Comprehend information advocating a healthy lifestyle.
• Identify body parts based on signed information.

Producing Signed Language

• Produce presentations about health and fitness.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss adaptations for deaf players in team sports (drums instead of whistles in football, etc.).

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Discuss health and fitness issues as presented in P. E. class.
• Express height and weight using medical charts.
• Discuss medical information related to deafness.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare expressions of time pertaining to health in English and ASL (i.e. recurring and continuous time signs).
• Compare ways to express pain and injury in ASL and English.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary for giving advice for good health
• Commands
• Continuous and recurring time signs

Theme 3: Leisure Time

Indoor and Outdoor Activities

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about indoor and outdoor leisure time activities.
• Share opinions about indoor and outdoor leisure time activities.

Understanding Signed Language

• Understand signed announcements about indoor and outdoor leisure time activities.
• Comprehend narratives about indoor and outdoor leisure time activities.

Producing Signed Language

• Present information about indoor and outdoor leisure time activities.
• Describe when, where and how often one participates in indoor and outdoor leisure time activities.
• Tell about indoor and outdoor leisure time activities that took place in the past.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss how and where Deaf young people spend their leisure time.
• Discuss popular sports and sporting events within the Deaf community.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Discuss famous Deaf individuals studied in other classes (sports figures, musicians, artists, etc.).

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare indoor and outdoor activities of Deaf and hearing young people.

Communication Across Communities

• Explore information about Deaf activities in the community, such as Deaf clubs and the Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons (NVRC).

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary for locations of leisure time activities
• Vocabulary for expressing opinions
• Sequencing vocabulary
• Formal and informal questions
• Adjectives of description

Shopping

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions related to shopping.
• Ask for and give a detailed description of an item being purchased.
• Ask and answer questions regarding where items can be purchased and for how much.

Understanding Signed Language

• Comprehend descriptions of items for sale.
• Comprehend information about where specific items can purchased.

Producing Signed Language

• Tell about the purchase and/or sale of an item.
• Relate a shopping experience.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss the communication pattern of Deaf persons to be straightforward, including in buying and selling situations.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare the communication patterns of Deaf persons and hearing persons in buying and selling situations.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Expressions of quantity
• Expressions of politeness
• Descriptive adjectives
• Affirmative and negative commands

Special Events

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions related to special events (e.g. holidays, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, etc.).
• Ask for and give a detailed description of a special event.
• Ask and answer questions regarding plans for a special event.

Understanding Signed Language

• Comprehend descriptions of items needed for a special event.
• Comprehend invitations and announcements for special events.

Producing Signed Language

• Invite other to attend a special event.
• Describe a past, present or future celebration.
• Present rehearsed and unrehearsed material related to a special event, such as a skit, poem, play or short narrative.
• Respond to an invitation.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Identify special events within the Deaf community, such as Deaf Awareness Week.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Communication Across Communities

• Identify options for attending Deaf events or celebrations in the metropolitan area.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary related to celebrations and special occasions (food, activities)
• Extending, accepting and refusing invitations
• Extending good wishes

Theme 4: Vacation and Travel

Travel Plans and Activities

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Discuss and make travel plans.
• Ask and answer questions about travel and vacations, to include transportation schedules, modes of transportation, destinations and activities.
• Discuss past travel experiences.

Understanding Signed Language

• Comprehend signed communications providing travel information.

Producing Signed Language

• Describe past travel experiences and future travel plans.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss vacation spots and resorts that are popular among Deaf people.
• Discuss what Deaf teens enjoy doing while on vacation.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Discuss temperature and weather in various regions and countries.
• Do mathematical computations to compute travel costs.
• Discuss the impact of current events on foreign travel.

Communication Across Communities

• Use the Internet or other media to research information about a vacation destination and accommodations for the Deaf.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Modes of transportation
• Affirmative and negative commands
• Prepositions with places and transportation (classifiers)
• Vocabulary for places of interest

Countries and Nationalities

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about nationality and country of origin.
• Ask and answer questions about countries.

Understanding Signed Language

• Identify various countries and nationalities based on signed information.

Producing Signed Language

• Give geographical locations for countries, cities, and geographical features.
• Present information about nationalities and/or origins.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss other sign languages and where they are used.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Discuss sign language in other countries.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare and contrast different sign languages to ASL.

Communication Across Communities

• Locate and use resources with information about sign languages in other countries and their relationship to ASL.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary for geographic location (N, S, E, W, etc.)
• Adjective agreement and placement
• Propositions of location with cities and countries (classifiers)
• Modes of transportation
• Affirmative and negative commands
• Prepositions with places and transportation (classifiers)
• Vocabulary for places of interest
• State signs
• Country signs
• Contrastive structure
• Money vocabulary

Asking for and Giving Directions

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask for and give directions.
• Discuss where various places are located within the United States or another country.

Understanding Signed Language

• Understand directions based on signed information.
• Interpret signed directions with the assistance of a map.

Producing Signed Language

• Tell about going to a specific place using various time frames (past, present and future).
• Give directions to a destination.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss vacation destinations and the modes of transportation used to travel there.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare the ways that locations and directions are expressed in English and ASL.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary for places in a city
• Prepositions of location
• Affirmative and negative commands
• Directional verbs
• Role-shifting
• Real-world orientation/perspective