Sinking Cities Unit: IB DP English B HL - Practice for Paper 2 & Individual Oral

All around the world, cities are sinking. This is an environmental global issue that you should be discussing with your students.

A thought-provoking and engaging unit about this global issue, which develops reading, writing, listening and speaking skills for English B HL! Need I say more?!

This bundle includes:

• An introductory, writing activity which gives students an overview of leaflets, brochures & pamphlets as text types, and includes a writing prompt about sinking cities for them to create their own text type.

• A listening comprehension activity about sinking cities.

• A reading comprehension activity about sinking cities.

• Detailed instructions for an oral presentation where students compare & contrast 2 sunken cities and present their findings in an oral presentation, in order to practice for the English B HL Individual Oral.

How it works:

Resource 1: writing activity

Provides a detailed overview of leaflets, brochures and pamphlets as text types, along with an engaging writing prompt about sinking cities that students use to create their own text type. Includes rubrics (English B HL Paper 1).

Resource 2: Listening comprehension

Students answer 19 listening comprehension questions based on 3 audios about sinking cities. I used this as practice for Paper 2 (listening comprehension) for the English B Exam. Answers & audio are included.

Resource 3: Reading comprehension

Students answer 32 reading comprehension questions, based on 3 written texts about sinking cities. 2 bonus reflection questions are included, along with an answer key. I used this as practice for Paper 2 (reading comprehension) for the English B Exam.

Resource 4: Sunken Cities research & oral presentation

In pairs, students compare and contrast two sunken cities and present their findings in the format of an oral presentation. The presentation follows the same format as the English B HL Individual Oral. Includes detailed instructions, guiding research questions and rubrics.

✅ This unit can be linked to many of the English B themes: "identities", "experiences", and "sharing the planet".

✅ Interdisciplinary connections to Theory of Knowledge

✅ Engaging formative or summative assessment

✅ Highly relevant for any other English/EFL curriculum you may be teaching - where you are looking to develop productive, receptive and critical thinking skills with your students.

Click here for more engaging, English B units which develop critical-thinking and communication skills!