Update on Blogging+ Creating Self Study Tests Online

I am fortunate to have picked up new private students as well as picked up afternoon hours Wednesdays and Fridays in Loudong teaching PE and Art. I also want to start studying my Chinese again. That means I don't have the leisure time to create online self reviews/tests and personal pages for my private students for each week. I am hoping that can do it by themselves.

Here are the 2 websites I use to create self tests, and review games.

Studystack
Quizlet

Its very user friendly, create a free account, input the new vocabulary word and the definition, then save it. Voila! Easy!

For definitions, I use the Cambridge English-Traditional Chinese Dictionary. Its great for showing several definitions, sentence examples and is pretty comprehensive. It has more words than the pocket electronic dictionaries and is a good resource for your English homework and self study.

For entertainment as well as educational purposed, use YouTube to find videos related to your week's subject of study.

Some Channels for ESL study are:

Bookbox English: They have read along stories that are mostly world folk tales and fables.

Rachel's English (American English) I highly recommend this channel!

Best English Learning Videos

Let's Talk, with American Accent Training

ESL and Popular Culture (British English)


See you next class!

Triathlon

Vocabulary Review/Self Test

1. What is the order of the different sports in a triathlon?
2. Why is it hard to train for a triathlon?
3. Does anyone you know ever participated in a triathlon?
4. Would you want to train in a triathlon?

Energy Sources

Reading: Energy sources
Vocabulary Review/Self Test

1. How does Bill Nye's house save energy?
2. What is denim insulation?
3. What is very expensive about his house?
4. How is his house like your house? How is your house different from him?

The Treasure Map

Reading:The Treasure Map
Pre-Reading Questions:
1. Do you think a treasure map really exists?
2. Have you read any books about treasure hunting?
3. Have you ever dreamed of finding treasure?

Vocabulary: Review/Self Test
treasure, treat, symbol, fence, rushed, curved, stream, railroad, image, grabbed, picture, island, exists, treasure hunt, flash across

Happy Easter!

 Easter is a spring holiday that celebrates the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and thus is associated with the symbols of rebirth, new life which in the Northern Hemisphere is the essence of the season of Spring. After the death of winter with its short, days and long nights, that barren darkness, the days begin to lengthen and the earth wakes up.

In pre-Christian Europe this time was also celebrated by a fertility festival and some of those symbols of fertility, like the egg and bunny have been absorbed by modern Easter secular culture.

I think the butterfly life cycle is a relevant Easter lesson that demonstrates, not only the Risen Christ story but that central theme of metamorphosis, transformation and new life.

Kindergarten and emergent readers (Yellow Bear):
Yellow Bear class is super busy with their phonics reading, story book, and speech memorization. If we had time I'd have them read this booklet.
Reading: When is Easter? 
Sight words: when, does

                                 

Pre-Intermediate Readers (Vincent):
Reading 1: Easter Customs and Traditions
Vocabulary: Crucifixion, Good Friday, fortnight, currants, in many respects, customs, traditions, on behalf, legendary character
Conversation: Do you celebrate Easter?

Reading 2: Easter Sunday
Vocabulary: angel, alive, bury, block, cave, celebrate, empty, promise, rise, 

Intermediate Readers (Phoebe and Jaimie):
Reading 1: What is Easter?
Vocabulary: celebrated, celebration, resurrection, service (church), original

Reading 2: The Crucifixion
Vocabulary: cloak, criminal, crucify, forgive, garments, governor, kneel, mock, palace, spit, thorns, tunic, weep

Conversation: Happy Easter!

Advanced Readers:
Reading: Easter

Resources:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/easter/
http://www.kidssoup.com/Easter/easter.html#freeEastercrafts
http://www.eslkidstuff.com/EasterGames.htm#.VRqenPyUeCo
http://www.esolcourses.com/topics/easter.html
http://www.eslflow.com/Cultureandcelebrationslessonplans.html
http://www.theholidayzone.com/easter/eread.html

My Little Kidney Beans

I. Vocabulary:
1. cotton
2. poured
3. soggy
4. sprout
5. fascinating
6. pot
7. soil
8. watered
9. noticed
10. wait
11. legumes

II. Self Review/Test

III. Extra
The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
Goes to Seed (Magic School Bus Season 1, Episode 11)
Growing Beans (Time Lapse)

Colorful Chameleons

I. Vocabulary:

1. various
2. surroundings
3. match
4. reflects
5. temperature
6. heat
7. mood
8. bright
9. mate

II. Review/Quiz



III. Extra
How Do Animals Change Color? (Video)
The Curse of the Chameleon (Traditional Zulu story)
Chameleons (Interactive Reading)
The Mixed Up Chameleon By Eric Carle

Phoebe's Page

Lessons

2/27 Trees

3/8 The Colorful Chameleon

3/15 My Little Kidney Beans

3/22 World Climates

3/29 Energy Sources

April:

Easter
Treasure Map
Triathlon
Classical Music Concert

May:
Self Study

Extra:

Quizlet Vocabulary Self Review
The First Well (story)
 Pop songs
Adventure Time's The Dentist 

Phoebe means "radiant, bright", she was one of the original Titans in Greek mythology.

Trees

2/27 Class: Trees

Vocabulary: Online Games/Quiz

1. shade: The sun was hot, and there were no trees to offer us shade.

太陽火辣辣的，沒有樹讓我們遮陽。

The children played in/under the shade of a large beach umbrella.       孩子們在一把大沙灘遮陽傘下的陰涼處玩耍。

2.  provide: This booklet provides useful information about local services.

這本小冊子提供了有關當地服務機構的有用資訊。

All meals are provided throughout the course.

整個期間都提供三餐。

The author provides no documentary references to support her assertions.

作者沒有提供參考文獻來支援她自己的論點。

We have concerns about whether the government will be able to provide viable social services for poorer families/provide poorer families with viable social services.

我們十分關切政府是否能為弱勢家庭提供可行的社會服務。

Putting more police on patrol doesn't provide a real solution to the problem of increasing violence.     加派更多警力巡邏並不能真正解決暴力事件不斷增長的問題。

3. seeds: Sow the seeds (= put them in the ground) about 3 cm deep.

把這些種子種進約三釐米深的地方。

The chemical will stop all seeds from sprouting (= starting to grow).

這種化學製品可制止種子發芽。

The farmers grow these crops for seed (= for planting to grow more crops, rather than for eating).     農民種這些作物是爲了育種。

4. produce: France produces a great deal of wine for export.

法國生產大量葡萄酒供出口。

Red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow.

紅血球細胞在骨髓內生成。

She works for a company that produces (= makes for sale) electricalgoods.

她在一家生產電子產品的公司工作。

I was wondering whether I could produce a meal out of what's left in the fridge.

我不知道能否用冰箱裡剩的東西做一頓飯。

She's asked me to produce a report on the state of the project.

她要求我就這項工程的狀況寫一份報告。

5. breathe: It's so airless in here - I can hardly breathe.

這裡太悶了——我幾乎不能呼吸。

The instructor told us to breathe in deeply and then breathe outslowly.

教練讓我們深吸氣，然後慢慢吐氣。

I'm sorry if I'm breathing (= blowing out air containing) garlic fumes allover you!

如果我口裡的大蒜味兒薰著你了，我很抱歉！

6.  helpful: She's such a pleasant, helpful child!

她可真是個討人喜歡又樂於助人的孩子！

I'm sorry, I was only trying to be helpful.

真抱歉，我只是想幫忙。

He made several helpful suggestions.

他提了幾個很有幫助的建議。

7. wood: He gathered some wood to build a fire.

他撿了些木頭生了一堆火。

She fixed a couple of planks of wood to the wall for shelves.

她將一些木板固定在牆上當作架子。

Mahogany is a hard wood and pine is a soft wood.

紅木是硬木，松木是軟木。

The room was heated by a wood-burning stove.

這個房間是靠燒木頭的爐子來取暖。

8. material: building materials, such as stone

建築材料，如石頭

Crude oil is used as the raw (= basic) material for making plastics.

原油是製造塑膠的原料。

9. fuel: Wood, coal, oil, petrol and gas are all different kinds of fuel.

木材、煤炭、石油、汽油和煤氣是不同種類的燃料。

Plutonium is a fuel used to produce nuclear energy.

鈽是一種用來産生核能量的燃料。

nuclear fuel

核燃料

unleaded fuel

無鉛燃料

The new exhaust system, it is claimed, will lower fuel consumption.

據稱新的排氣裝置會降低燃料的消耗。

10. plant: native plants and animals

原產於當地的動植物

garden/greenhouse/indoor plants

花園／溫室／室內植物

a tomato plant

一株番茄

Comprehension Questions:
1. What do trees provide?
2. What do trees produce?
3. How are trees helpful?
4. Whats the difference between provide and produce?

Extra: The Most Amazing Thing About Trees (video)
Short Movie: The Legend of the Three Trees (24 min.)
Extra: Of Forests and Men