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Typing

Learn to Type | Type Better | Type Faster - Typing.comWorld's most popular free typing program! Typing.com’s K–12 typing curriculum features touch typing, digital citizenship, coding lessons, and games.

Computer Vocabulary

Mouse Skills

Mouse Tutorial

Practice using a mouse. Then try a skills test!

WEEK 6

Listening and Comprehension

Drop and cover? Or evacuate?

What to do if there's an earthquake in the Pacific Northwest.

Don't worry if you don't understand everything in this video. The questions below will ask you about the most important information. Watch this on YouTube with the captions on and turn the playback speed down to help you understand.

Answer the questions about the video below.

Grammar

Past Simple Online Quiz

https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verb-tenses_past_quiz.php

Reading

Open the story to read about the snow pack on Mt. Hood.

ESOL News Oregon - 2026-01-23 Snow on Mt Hood (Intermediate)(JANUARY 23, 2026) It is January, but Mt. Hood does not have much snow. Experts say the "snowpack" (the amount of snow on the ground) is very low this winter. Why is this happening? In mid-January, the weather was very warm. Temperatures on the mountain reached 60°F. This warm weather melted the

WEEK 5

Vocabulary and Spelling

Natural Disasters

Unit 09 Preview: https://www.learningchocolate.com/word-set/natural-disasters

Healthy Lifestyle

Unit 06 Review: https://www.learningchocolate.com/word-set/healthy-lifestyle

Grammar

Simple Present Review

Quantity

https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/esol23/chapter/quantity/

Negatives and Questions

https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/esol23/chapter/4-2/

BONUS: A Halloween Story!

WEEK 4

Reading

The Promise of a Song

‘I Will Always Love You’ more than 50 years later, from Dolly to Elvis to Whitney

In 1973, country singer Dolly Parton wrote two songs in one afternoon. One was “Jolene.” The other was “I Will Always Love You.” Today, many people know the song because of Whitney Houston’s version, but Dolly Parton wrote it first.

A Song About Saying Goodbye

Dolly Parton moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1964 to become a successful singer and songwriter. She began working with country singer Porter Wagoner. They sang together on television and made music for several years.

By 1973, Parton wanted to have her own music career. She wanted to become a star on her own. However, she also felt thankful to Wagoner for helping her. She did not know how to tell him she wanted to leave.

Parton decided to write a song to explain her feelings. She sang “I Will Always Love You” to Wagoner in his office. He cried because the song was so beautiful. He agreed to let her leave and begin her own career.

Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner on The Porter Wagoner Show. Photo from Country Thang Daily, https://www.countrythangdaily.com/dolly-parton-porter-wagoner-feud/

Elvis Presley Wants the Song

In 1974, Elvis Presley wanted to record his own version of the song. Parton was very excited. However, Presley’s manager said that Presley would record it only if Parton gave him half of the rights to the song.

Parton would have lost half of the money and control connected to her songwriting. She decided to say no, even though she was very upset. She later explained that she cried all night.

Whitney Houston Makes the Song Famous

In 1992, the movie The Bodyguard was released. It starred Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. Houston recorded “I Will Always Love You” for the movie.

Houston’s version was very different from Parton’s original country song. It began with Houston singing without musical instruments. Then the music became stronger, and Houston sang with great power.

The song became a huge success around the world. It stayed at number one in the United States for 14 weeks and in the United Kingdom for 10 weeks. Houston’s recording also won a Grammy Award in 1994.

Parton was driving her car when she first heard Houston’s version on the radio. She was so surprised and excited that she had to pull over. She could not believe how powerful the new version sounded.

Whitney Houston and Dolly Parton at 1994 Grammys. Photo from Billboard Magazine, https://www.billboard.com/lists/dolly-parton-not-eligible-grammy-i-will-always-love-you/

How Parton Used the Money

Houston’s recording sold millions of copies. Parton earned more than $10 million in the 1990s from the song’s royalties. Royalties are money that songwriters receive when other people use or record their music. Parton often joked that the money she earned from the song was enough to buy Elvis Presley’s famous Graceland home many times over.

Parton used some of this money to invest in a shopping center in a Black neighborhood in Nashville. She did this as a tribute to Houston. She often called it, ‘the house that Whitney built.’

Today, “I Will Always Love You” remains a famous song. Its story shows how one songwriter’s work can reach millions of people through another singer. It also shows how important it can be to believe in your own work and make your own decisions.

Dolly Parton passed away from cancer on the 25th of August of this year, 2026, at 80 years old. Whitney Houston sadly passed away in 2012 at the age of 48. Elvis Presley also passed away young, in 1977 at 42 years old. The legacy their treasured song, however, will live on…always.

This article was summarized in part with ChatGPT from an article from BBC News called “The story of I Will Always Love You, 50 years on - from Dolly Parton to Whitney and Elvis” https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68543777

Reading Comprehension

Listening

Lyrics to 'I Will Always Love You'

If I should stay

I would only be in your way

So I'll go, but I know

I'll think of you every step of the way

And I will always love you

I will always love you

You

My darling, you

Mm hmm

Bittersweet memories

That is all I'm taking with me

So goodbye, please don't cry

We both know I'm not what you, you need

And I will always love you

I will always love you

You

I hope life treats you kind

And I hope you have all you dreamed of

And I wish to you joy and happiness

But above all this, I wish you love

And I will always love you

I will always love you

I, I will always love you, you

Darling, I love you

Ooh, I'll always, I'll always love you

WEEK 3

PCC Computer Skills

Log into MyPCC

my.pcc.edu

Get a digital student ID

https://www.pcc.edu/enroll/registration/id-cards/

Grammar

Simple Past and Future with the Be verb

https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/esol23/chapter/2-3/

Present Tenses and Parts of Speech

https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/esol23/chapter/2-2/

Reading

Omar goes to the doctor

Easy Reading

Cancer patient advocates for home radon testing

Medium Challenge Reading

Vocabulary and Spelling

Health Problems

https://www.learningchocolate.com/word-set/health-problems-1

Medical Jobs

https://www.learningchocolate.com/word-set/medical-jobs

WEEK 2

Listening - We Speak NYC - Episode 1: Welcome Parents

Watch the video and then answer the questions below.

Welcome Parents Vocabulary Questions -

Now that you've watched the video, drag and drop the correct word in the blank of each sentence. Check your answers when you're finished. Click the blue arrow at the bottom to advance to the next slide. There are three slides of questions. On the last slide, match the correct term with the definition.