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!

Dangerous Dogs

I. Vocabulary: pat, dangerous, touch, bite, attack,
Self Review/Test

(Scottish accent)

Honey Bee

One third of the food we eat benefits from bee pollination. What would happen if bees go extinct? Watch "Why bees are important."

Reading: Honey Bees
Vocabulary Self Review/Test

Extra: Bee Movie

Kangaroo Elsie

Reading: Kangaroo Elise
Vocabulary Self Review/Test

Writing: Writing a Letter
Write a formal/informal letter, writing a thank you note

Homework: Write a a letter of 5-10 sentences to a friend, teacher or family member.

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

Robert and The Scariest Night: Chapters 1-5

Chapter 1  Vocabulary:

1. Egypt
2. exhibit
3.shuddered, shivered
4. "creeps me out"
5. chicken-hearted
6. "don't bet on it"
7. horror (adj)
8. collection
9. decorate
10. creepy
11. regular (adj)
12. impress
13. guarantee

II. Self Review/Test (Ch 1)

Comprehension:

1. What is the story about?

2. Who is the main character?

3. Where does the story take place?

4. Why are the kid's so impressed?

5. What do you think will happen next?

Chapter 2 " Surprise Party" Vocabulary:
1. in advance
2. pacing
3. strict
4. wink
5. gave in- past tense of ' to  give in'
6. skeleton
7. peering
8. fake- phony
Chapter 2 Review/Test

Comprehension:
1. What are some of their Halloween decorations?
2. Which decorations are your favorite?
3. Explain the Halloween tree.

Chapter 3,  " Too Late Now" Vocabulary:
1. prize-award
2. miscellaneous
3. figures
4. cackle
5.cart
6. relief
7. tease
8. spoil
9. control
10. weird

Chapter 3 Review/Test
Comprehension:
1. Why did Robert feel weird at the party store?
2. Who is Charlie?
3. What is Robert worried about at the end of the chapter?

Chapter 4, " Uncle Albert" Vocabulary:
1. staggered
2. tarantula
3. cobwebs- spider webs
4. double take
5. challenge

Comprehension:
1. Why did Robert freak out at breakfast?
2. What is the challenge for Robert's Dad?
3. What "pet name" does Robert's Dad call Robert?
4. What are Robert's pets?

Chapter 5, "Welcome" Vocabulary:
1. claw
2. observe
3. suspiciously
4. plenty-really
5. curious

Comprehension:
1. Did Matt get scared?
2. Whose costume at the party is your favorite? Why?
3. What kinds of music did they play?

Chapter 4 and 5 Self Review/Test

Water Cleans Our Bodies + Super Vinegar

I. Vocabulary:
1. everywhere
2. minerals
3. nodded
4. dirt
5. fingernails
6. lied
7. vinegar
8. sour
9. stomach
10. digest
11. liver
12. disease

II. Self test/ Review

III. Extra

The Importance of Water (video, British English)

Learn About the Water Crisis

Made of Cheese + Science Class Adventures

I. Vocabulary

1. adventure
2. wildlife
3. chemicals
4. tests
5. protect
6. museum
7. camping
8. field
9. full moon
10. shining
11. joking
12. rock

II. Self test/Review


III. Extra
Fun Science Games for Kids
Bill Nye the Science Guy

Vincent's Page

 I. Classes

February/Winter Break: Great Animal Migrations

March:
Water Cleans Our Bodies
Super Vinegar

Made of Cheese 
Science Class Adventures

Robert and The Scariest Night

April:
Easter

The Kangaroo Elsie

Honey Bee

Dangerous Dogs, Riding the Roller Coaster, Safe Swimming

May:

Self study

EXTRA:
Nat'l Geographic Kid's Games

Great Animal Migrations

The vocabulary is taken from the Junior Nat Geo magazine article "Great Animal Migrations" by Samantha Dowd.

I. Vocabulary: Red Crabs
Quiz/Review Games

1. migration: These animals migrate annually in search of food.

這些動物為尋找食物每年都遷徙。

In September, these birds migrate 2000 miles south to a warmerclimate.

九月，這些鳥會向南遷徙2000英里到更溫暖的地方。

2. spectacle : It was a strange spectacle to see the two former enemies shakinghands and slapping each other on the back.

見到兩個宿敵握手言歡，彼此拍肩，真是一幅奇怪的場景。

We witnessed the extraordinary spectacle of an old lady climbing atree to rescue her cat.

我們目睹了一件奇事：有個老婦人爬上樹去救她的貓

3. annual: an annual event/visit/holiday

一年一度的大事／每年一次的訪問／每年的假期

annual income/salary/profit

年收入／年薪／年利潤

Companies publish annual reports to inform the public about theprevious year's activities.

公司發布年度報告，告知公眾上一年的具體業務。

4. moist: Keep the soil in the pot moist, but not too wet.

讓花盆中的土保持濕潤，但不要太濕。

approving This cake is lovely and moist!

這個蛋糕很好吃，非常鬆軟！

5. breed: The blackbird, like most birds, breeds in the spring.

   畫眉和大多數鳥一様是在春天繁殖。

6. release: Coal power stations release sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere.

燃煤發電站向大氣中排放二氧化硫。

Hormones are released from glands into the bloodstream.

荷爾蒙從腺體分泌出來進入血液中。

7. process: the digestive process消化過程
the ageing process 衰老的過程It's all part of the learning process. 這完全是學習過程的一部分。

8. obstacle: The biggest obstacle in our way was a tree trunk in the road.

我們路上最大的障礙是橫在路上的一棵樹。

This decision has removed the last obstacle to the hostages' release.

這個決定清除了釋放人質的最後障礙。

9. witness: She was witness to the tragic event. 她目睹了這悲劇。

10. oddest (odd): Her father was an odd man. 她父親是個古怪的人。
What an odd thing to say. 說起來多古怪的一件事啊。The skirt and jacket looked a bit odd together.

這裙子和夾克搭配看上去有點怪。

That's odd (= surprising) - I'm sure I put my keys in this drawer andyet they're not here.

真奇怪——我肯定把鎖匙放進這個抽屜了，可是卻不見了。

It's odd that no-one's seen him. 奇怪的是沒人見過他。It must be odd to live on the 43rd floor. 住在43層一定很怪異。

EXTRA: Red Crabs (Nat'l Geographic)
Science Screen Report (Video)
Invasion of the Red Crab

II. European White storks
III. White Naped Cranes
IV. Asian Elephants
V. Humpback Whales
VI. Dragonflies

EXTRA: Great Animal Migrations (Nov. 2010)
 Animal Migration Gallery
Animal Quizzes