Module Learning Outcomes

Module Two-Week Schedule

Grammar Preview

Delivery Mode Note

This module is designed to work equally well in three delivery modes. In-person students will complete vocabulary and grammar activities on paper or on the board, work in pairs and small groups for the discussion and writing workshop, and turn in written work in class or upload it to Canvas. Zoom students will use the same materials through screen-sharing and breakout rooms, with shared Google Docs replacing physical worksheets for pair and group work. Canvas students completing the module asynchronously will find all readings, grammar explanations, and practice activities posted as Canvas pages or PDFs, will submit the process paragraph through a Canvas assignment, and will complete the discussion board requirement through the Canvas Discussions tool with required peer replies. Instructors should confirm which combination of these modes applies to their section and adjust due dates and synchronous participation requirements accordingly.

Module Vocabulary: 10 Key Words

Original Reading: "Small Steps, Big Changes"

Why Healthy Habits Matter

Many people believe that good health depends only on willpower, but research shows that wellness is really about small, repeated actions. A single healthy meal or one good night of sleep will not change a person's life. However, when a person repeats a positive action every day, that action becomes a habit, and habits shape long-term health. Doctors and nutrition experts agree that most chronic diseases, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes, are strongly connected to daily lifestyle choices. This is why prevention has become such an important word in modern healthcare. Instead of only treating illness after it appears, many clinics and community health programs now focus on helping people build habits that stop illness before it starts.

Building a Morning Routine

One of the easiest places to begin is the morning. A consistent morning routine gives the body and mind a predictable start to the day. For example, some people drink a full glass of water immediately after waking up, since the body loses water during sleep. Others spend just ten minutes stretching or walking before breakfast. These actions seem small, but they send an important signal to the brain: the day has structure, and the body is a priority. Sleep specialists also note that people who wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day, even on weekends, tend to report better energy and better mental health overall.

Nutrition and the Immune System

Nutrition plays a central role in how the body defends itself. The immune system depends on vitamins, minerals, and proteins found in fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains. A person who eats a variety of colorful vegetables every day is giving their immune system the tools it needs to fight off common illnesses like colds. Since the human body cannot produce all the nutrients it needs on its own, food choices directly affect how well a person can resist infection. Some researchers believe that processed foods high in sugar can actually weaken immune function over time, although this claim continues to be studied and discussed among nutrition scientists.

Mental Health Is Physical Health

For many years, physical health and mental health were treated as separate topics. Today, most doctors understand that the two are deeply connected. Chronic stress raises levels of a hormone called cortisol, and over time, high cortisol levels can contribute to high blood pressure, poor sleep, and a weaker immune system. Because of this connection, many wellness programs now include meditation, breathing exercises, or short walks as part of a complete health plan. In my opinion, mental health deserves the same daily attention as diet and exercise, even though it is sometimes harder to measure.

When to Consult a Professional

Building healthy habits does not mean avoiding medical care. In fact, people who care about their wellness should still consult a doctor regularly, especially if they have a family history of chronic illness. A doctor can run tests, track changes over time, and recommend a plan based on a person's specific needs. Waiting until a symptom becomes serious is far more expensive and far more dangerous than scheduling a yearly check-up. Community clinics, student health centers, and telehealth services have made it easier than ever to consult a professional without missing work or school.

Starting Small

Perhaps the most encouraging fact about building healthy habits is that a person does not need to change everything at once. Health experts generally recommend starting with one small, specific change — such as drinking more water, walking after dinner, or going to bed fifteen minutes earlier — and maintaining that change for several weeks before adding another. Small steps, repeated consistently, truly can lead to big changes.

(Word count: approximately 530 words)

Vocabulary Practice: Fill in the Blank

Word Bank: nutrition, wellness, habit, routine, chronic, prevention, immune system, mental health, maintain, consult

1. My grandmother has a morning ________ that includes tea and a short walk.

2. Doctors recommend eating vegetables daily to strengthen the ________.

3. Before starting a new exercise plan, you should ________ your doctor.

4. It is hard to break a bad ________, but it is possible with practice.

5. Good ________ means eating a balanced variety of foods.

6. Regular check-ups are an important part of disease ________.

7. Many colleges now offer ________ programs to support students' overall health, not just their physical health.

8. Talking about feelings with a friend can support your ________.

9. Diabetes is considered a ________ illness because it requires long-term management.

10. She works hard to ________ a healthy weight through diet and exercise.

Comprehension Check Questions

Part A: Main Idea and Details

1. According to the reading, what is the real key to long-term health — one big change or many small habits?

2. Why do sleep specialists recommend waking up at the same time every day?

3. What role does nutrition play in the immune system, according to the passage?

4. What is the connection between chronic stress and physical health described in the reading?

5. According to the reading, what should a person do before adding a second healthy habit?

Part B: Think and Connect

1. Do you have a morning or evening routine? Describe it and explain how it affects your day.

2. The reading says mental health deserves the same daily attention as diet and exercise. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your opinion with an example from your own life or culture.

Reading Strategy: Facts vs. Opinions

Strong readers learn to notice the difference between a fact (something that can be proven true) and an opinion (someone's personal belief or judgement). Authentic texts, including health articles, often mix facts and opinions together, so readers must read carefully to tell them apart.

Practice: Find one more fact and one more opinion in "Small Steps, Big Changes" and write them below. Discuss with a partner why you classified each sentence the way you did.

Grammar Overview

Simple Present Tense

Use the simple present to talk about habits, routines, facts, and things that are generally true. Add -s or -es to the verb when the subject is he, she, or it.

• Form: subject + base verb (+s/es for third-person singular)

• Negative: subject + do/does + not + base verb

• Question: Do/Does + subject + base verb?

Spelling notes: Add -es after verbs ending in -ch, -sh, -ss, -x, -o (watch → watches; go → goes). Change -y to -i and add -es after a consonant (study → studies), but just add -s after a vowel + y (play → plays).

Common error: Forgetting the -s/-es with he/she/it. Incorrect: "She exercise every day." Correct: "She exercises every day."

Present Progressive Tense

Use the present progressive for actions happening right now, or for temporary situations and trends happening around the current time period (this week, this month, these days).

• Form: subject + am/is/are + verb-ing

• Negative: subject + am/is/are + not + verb-ing

• Question: Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?

Spelling notes: Double the final consonant in one-syllable verbs ending in a single vowel + consonant (run → running). Drop the silent -e before adding -ing (make → making).

Common error: Using the present progressive for habits instead of routines. Incorrect: "I am drinking coffee every morning." Correct: "I drink coffee every morning" (habit) versus "I am drinking coffee right now" (happening now).

Present Perfect Tense

Use the present perfect for actions or states that started in the past and continue into the present, or for past experiences when the exact time is not important.

• Form: subject + have/has + past participle

• Negative: subject + have/has + not + past participle

• Question: Have/Has + subject + past participle?

Common error: Using a specific past time word (yesterday, last year) with the present perfect. Incorrect: "I have started this habit yesterday." Correct: "I started this habit yesterday" (simple past) or "I have started this habit recently."

Stative Verbs

Stative verbs describe states rather than actions — thoughts, feelings, senses, and possession (know, believe, want, need, love, hate, seem, own, understand, prefer). These verbs are not normally used in the -ing form, even when talking about the present moment.

Common error: Incorrect: "I am wanting to change my habits." Correct: "I want to change my habits."

Subject-Verb Agreement

The verb must always agree in number with its subject, in every tense.

• Simple present: singular subject (he/she/it/a person's name) → verb + -s. Plural subject (they/we/two or more people) → base verb, no -s.

• Present progressive: the be verb changes (am/is/are) to match the subject; the -ing form itself never changes.

• Present perfect: has with singular subjects (he/she/it), have with plural subjects (I/you/we/they) and with the pronoun I.

Common error: Incorrect: "My habits has changed a lot." Correct: "My habits have changed a lot," because habits is plural.

For vs. Since

Both words are used with the present perfect to talk about time, but they answer different questions.

• For + a length/duration of time (for two weeks, for a year, for a long time)

• Since + a specific starting point (since 2022, since January, since I moved here)

Common error: Incorrect: "I have exercised since three months." Correct: "I have exercised for three months" or "I have exercised since March."

Grammar Practice Activities

Activity 1: Multiple Choice — Choosing the Correct Tense

1. My doctor always (recommend / recommends) a yearly check-up.

2. Right now, I (try / am trying) a new sleep schedule.

3. We (have followed / follow) a low-sugar diet since last year.

4. She (understands / is understanding) why sleep matters for the immune system.

5. My parents (has / have) practiced yoga for ten years.

6. He (drinks / is drinking) water right now because he just finished running.

7. Good nutrition (help / helps) the body fight illness.

8. They (have changed / changed) their eating habits since they moved to a new city.

Activity 2: Fill in the Blank — *For* or *Since*

1. I have had this habit ________ two years.

2. My sister has practiced meditation ________ 2023.

3. We have eaten dinner together every night ________ a month.

4. He has consulted the same doctor ________ he was a child.

5. She has maintained a regular exercise routine ________ several years.

6. They have lived a healthier lifestyle ________ last January.

Activity 3: Sentence Writing — Subject-Verb Agreement

Write one complete sentence for each subject, using the tense indicated. Pay careful attention to subject-verb agreement.

1. (simple present) My best friend __________________________________

2. (present progressive) Right now, the students __________________________________

3. (present perfect) My family __________________________________

4. (simple present) The nurses at that clinic __________________________________

5. (present perfect) I __________________________________

Parts of a Process Paragraph

Topic Choices

Assignment Requirements

• Length: one well-developed paragraph, 8–12 sentences

• Must include a clear title, topic sentence, at least four ordered steps, and a concluding sentence

• Steps must be connected with transition words (see table below)

• Must use at least four vocabulary words from this module's word list

• Must include at least three examples of the grammar structures from this module (simple present, present progressive, and/or present perfect), used correctly with subject-verb agreement

• Typed or neatly handwritten; submitted through the option that matches your class delivery mode (see Multimodal Submission Options below)

Transition Words for Process Writing

Model Text

How to Build a Water-Drinking Habit

Drinking enough water every day is a simple habit that supports the whole body, but it takes a clear plan to build. First, choose a reusable water bottle that holds a specific amount, such as 32 ounces, so you can track your progress easily. Next, set a goal to refill the bottle a certain number of times each day; most adults need at least two full bottles to stay hydrated. Then, connect drinking water to habits you already have, such as drinking a glass right after you wake up or before each meal. Meanwhile, keep the bottle somewhere visible, like your desk or your bag, because a habit is much easier to maintain when it is easy to see and remember. After that, track your progress for two weeks using a simple checklist or a phone app, since research shows that tracking a new habit increases the chance that it will continue. Finally, reward small successes, like a full week of reaching your goal, to keep yourself motivated. As a result, most people who follow these steps report feeling more energetic and notice that their skin and concentration improve within a month. I have followed this routine for six months, and it has become one of my most consistent healthy habits.

The Writing Process

Step 1: Prewrite. Choose your topic and brainstorm the steps of your process using the graphic organizer below.

Step 2: Draft. Write a full first draft using your topic sentence, ordered steps with transitions, and a concluding sentence. Do not worry about perfect grammar yet — focus on getting your ideas in order.

Step 3: Revise. Read your draft again (or exchange with a partner) and check the content and organization using the checklist below.

Step 4: Edit. Check grammar, spelling, punctuation, and subject-verb agreement.

Step 5: Publish. Submit your final paragraph using one of the multimodal options below.

Revision Checklist

Grading Rubric

Total: 20 points

Multimodal Submission Options

• Option 1 (Typed): Type your paragraph and submit it through the Canvas assignment link, or bring a printed/typed copy to class if enrolled in-person.

• Option 2 (Handwritten + Photo): Handwrite your paragraph neatly, take a clear photo, and upload the photo to Canvas. This option supports students who are still building digital typing skills.

• Option 3 (Audio Recording): Record yourself reading your paragraph aloud and submit the audio file through Canvas. This option builds oral fluency and supports students who benefit from an alternative to written submission.

Discussion Prompt

Post a response that addresses all three parts:

1. Personal: Describe one healthy habit or wellness routine that you currently practice or want to build. How long have you had this habit (use for or since)?

2. Cultural Comparison: Describe a health or wellness tradition from your culture or family (for example, a traditional remedy, food, exercise, or rest practice). How is it similar to or different from wellness habits you have seen in the United States?

3. Opinion: In your opinion, which matters more for long-term health — physical habits (diet, exercise) or mental health habits (rest, stress management)? Explain why.

Then reply to two classmates: ask a follow-up question to one classmate, and share a similarity or difference between your habit/tradition and theirs with the other classmate.

Discussion Requirements

Sentence Frames

Functional/Persuasive Language Phrases

Delivery Mode Adaptation

In-person students will discuss the three-part prompt orally in small groups, then one member of each group will report a summary to the whole class. Zoom students will be placed into breakout rooms of 2–3 to discuss the same prompt, using a shared Google Doc or the Zoom chat to note down key points before returning to the main session for a brief report-back. Canvas students completing this module asynchronously will post their original response directly to the Canvas Discussions tool and complete both required replies within the posted deadline, allowing time-flexible participation while still meeting the same communicative goals.

Discussion Grading Rubric

AI Tutor Practice Prompts

Extra Grammar Practice

Activity 1: Sentence Combining

Combine each pair of sentences into one sentence using an appropriate transition or connector, keeping correct verb tense.

1. I drink more water now. I feel more energetic.

2. She started yoga last year. She still practices it now.

3. He eats vegetables every day. He avoids sugary drinks every day.

Activity 2: Subject-Verb Agreement Practice

Circle the correct verb form.

1. Regular exercise (improve / improves) mental health.

2. My friends (has / have) joined a wellness program at work.

3. Sleep (play / plays) an important role in the immune system.

4. Doctors (recommends / recommend) drinking enough water daily.

5. My cousin (has maintained / have maintained) a healthy weight for years.

Activity 3: Word Form Practice

Complete the sentence with the correct form of the word in parentheses.

1. Her doctor gave her some helpful advice about ________. (nutrition/nutritious)

2. He is very ________ about eating healthy food. (habit/habitual)

3. Getting a check-up is a good ________ measure. (prevent/preventive)

4. She wants to ________ her energy throughout the day. (maintain/maintenance)

Campus Support Resources

• Tutoring Center: Offers free drop-in and appointment-based tutoring for ESL students, including help with grammar, vocabulary, and writing assignments.

• Writing Center: Provides one-on-one and small-group support for planning, drafting, and revising paragraphs and essays at any stage of the writing process.

• Library: Offers access to computers, printing, quiet study space, and librarian assistance for finding readable, level-appropriate materials on health and other topics.

• DSPS (Disability Support Programs and Services): Provides accommodations and support services for students with documented disabilities, including extended time, alternative formats, and assistive technology.

Summary by Skill Area

Extra Resources

Looking Ahead

Reflection Questions

1. Which vocabulary word from this module do you think you will use most often in real life? Why?

2. Which grammar structure — simple present, present progressive, or present perfect — did you find most challenging, and why?

3. What is one small healthy habit you could realistically start this week?

4. How did comparing your own wellness habits with a classmate's change or confirm your thinking?

5. What strategy helped you most when writing your process paragraph, and how will you use it in your next writing assignment?

ESL 304 Intermediate High | Module 1: Health and Wellness | Santa Ana College School of Continuing Education