Human Rights for Summer School

I have taught human rights several times for my social studies classes, and now I will present something to my ESL students. I will pick and choose from my past lessons and apply them to what writing lessons we had learned from our completed textbook Great Writing 1.

My past lessons:

•  This is a nice introduction to the story of human rights, with an example of China's crackdown on human rights lawyers in 2014, a well as Taiwan's treatment of SE Asian migrant workers. (September 2015)
•  This lesson is about Identity and Otherness and its relation to human rights using readings about acid attacks on women and the first Muslim mayor of London Sadiq Khan. (July 2016). I'll never forget this lesson because I had them draw identity maps and I was honored with the privilege that in almost every class, 1-2 students disclosed their sexual orientation to me, some even before me telling their parents.
• This lesson is a little bit more difficult, having the students discuss with a partner Needs vs Wants. There is a list of the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights here with some Mandarin translation. (August 2015)

Introduction: I'll introduce the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights with some of my previous material and corresponding booklets. (Class Handout)
Activities: 

• Needs vs. Wants
• HR Tree
• HR Timeline

Resources:
http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/edumat/activities.shtm

Unit 8 ESL: Pulling it All Together and Preparing for More

It's the end of the academic year and we have made it through the entire Great Writing 1 textbook, having ordered it late. I am very proud that we muscled through it. I believe the students' writing has improved the past two years I taught these kids and they are now prepared for their writing class next year with a different teacher.

Our previous lesson, Unit 7 was our most difficult with writing complex sentences using adjective clauses. One of my co-teachers told me they don't learn that until 9th grade. The hardest part of teaching them is weaning them off of relying on writing everything with simple sentences. I have to require using at least one compound and one complex sentence. I told them good English has variety, not repetition. That's very hard to reinforce when they read so little English. I think writing has to be reinforced by reading literature and they just don't have the time the way their curriculum and education system is organized.

May/June 2019

WEEK 1 Reviewing Parts of a Paragraph
Class 1: pg. 208-211
Class 2 pg. 212-214

WEEK 2 Combining Sentences with a Connector
Class 1: pg. 215-218
Class 2: pg.219-221

WEEK 3 Peer Editing
Class 1: pg. 222-224a
Class 2 pg. 224b-226

WEEK 4 Original Student Writing
Class 1: pg. 227 (Activity 22)
Class 2: pg. 227 (Activity 23)

The ppt is a work in progress at the moment:

ESL Unit 5: Writing in the Present Progressive

After the Lunar New Year, week one was a little hard to get everyone back into the grind. Week one of the second semester, my A-Classes are wrapping up Great Writing Book 1's Unit 4's timed writing, while my B level class has just started Unit 4. Next week, my A classes will start Unit 5.

February-March 2019

WEEK 1 The Present Progressive Tense: Machu Picchu and Writing from Pictures
Class 1: pg. 130-133
Class 2 pg. 134-137

WEEK 2 Writing From Pictures + Complex Sentences Review
Class 1:pg. 138-141
Class 2: pg.142-145

WEEK 3 Editing and Vocabulary Building
Class 1: pg. 146-149
Class 2 pg. review and quiz

WEEK 4 Orignal Student Writing
Class 1 and 2: pg. 149-151

ESL Unit 4: Writing in the Past Tense

Let us see how much A class can get done before the Lunar New Year. I am happy that this unit has readings on such humanitarians such as labor organizer Cesar Chaves and author/peace activist Helen Keller.

January 2019

WEEK 1 The SimplePast: Cesar Chavez
Class 1: pg. 100-103
Class 2 pg. 104-105

WEEK 2 Irregular Verbs: Helen Keller
Class 1:pg. 106-109
Class 2: pg.110-112

WEEK 3 Editing
Class 1: pg. 113-114
Class 2 pg. 115-117

WEEK 4 Complex Sentences
Class 1: pg. 119-121
Class 2 pg.  122-127

ESL Unit 3: Writing About the Present

December

WEEK 1 Practicing Simple Present Tense
Class 1: pg.72-75
Class 2 pg. 76-79

WEEK 2 Editing Practice
Class 1: pg. 80-85
Class 2: pg. 86-89

Quiz #4

WEEK 3 Grammar Review and Editing
Class 1: pg. 90-92
Class 2 pg. 93-94

WEEK 4 Original Student Writing
Class 1: pg. 53-55
Class 2 pg.  56-58

Quiz #5

ESL Unit 2: Understanding Paragraph Basics

October/November

WEEK 1 Practicing Adjectives and Paragraphs
Class 1: pg. 37-38
Class 2 pg. 39-42

WEEK 2 Paragraphs: Titles and Topic Sentences
Class 1:pg. 43-45
Class 2: pg.

WEEK 3 Topic Sentences
Class 1: pg. 46-49
Class 2 pg. 50-52

WEEK 4 Body of Paragraph
Class 1: pg. 53-55
Class 2 pg.  56-58

WEEK 5 Self -Editing and Concluding Sentences
Class 1: pg. 59-60
Class 2: pg. 61-64

WEEK 6 Original Student Writing
Class 1:pg.65
Class 2: pg. 66-69

MIDTERMS

Independence and Bastille Day for ESL

For summer school ESL we will do some cultural readings on the American Independence Day and the French Bastille Day.  This marks a major difference from the focus on grammar in the previous semester. They didn't do so much reading comprehension before, so I'm curious to see how the next two weeks will go. I doubt we will get to the second reading (let alone the writing), although many of the vocabulary words are the same, but I will try. Here is the corresponding handout.

My niece on July 4th, 2018

I. Intro Discussion
Which countries' flags are red, white and blue? What do the colors symbolize?

• Independence Day

 1.)獨立紀念日 in the US, the official name for the Fourth of July holiday  
2.) 美國獨立紀念日  a day on which a country celebrates being independent from 
foreign rule

• the 4th of July 美國獨立紀念日（紀念美國於1776年7月4日脫離英國獨立）a national holiday in the US that celebrates the country's independence from Great Britain in 1776

Ex: Fireworks have long been an American tradition on the Fourth of July.七月四日國慶日放煙火是美國人長期以來的傳統。

EX: We met for the first time at the fireworks on the Fourth of July.

the July 4th holiday 美國獨立紀念日假期

II. American Independence Day
Vocabulary:

1. Independence Day 獨立紀念日 
2. independent (adj.)
3. national pride (phrase) EX: The country's national pride has been damaged by its sporting failures.體育運動方面的失利使這個國家的民族自尊心受到了傷害。
4. Parade (n.)
5. Speech (n.)
6. Display(n.)
7. Event(n.)
8. history(n.)
9. Banner(n.)
10. Nationwide (adj.)

American Independence Day Reading:

Independence Day in the United States is also known as the Fourth of July. It is a national holiday that commemorates (紀念，緬懷) the Declaration of Independence (美國獨立宣言) on July 4, 1776. This was the day the USA was born (出生) and became independent from Great Britain (大不列顛). The terms “Independence Day” and the “Fourth of July” are a well-known part of the USA’s cultural (與文化有關的)language. People celebrate with national pride. There are fireworks, parades, sporting events and lots more. It is one of the biggest days on America’s holiday calendar (大事記). Politicians (從政者) make speeches celebrating America’s history (歷史) and traditions (傳統). In particular (特別), attention turns to Thomas Jefferson’s speech that declared (公開聲明的) the United States of America as an independent nation (國家).

Independence Day is a red, white and blue affair (事務). The whole of the country displays American flags and banners. There are many festivals (會演，節) that enact (上演；表演) famous events from America’s history. It is also a day when the nation gets outdoors. Picnics and barbecues with family and friends are the most popular ways to celebrate. In the evening, there are thousands of fireworks displays across the country. One of the most popular is the Macy’s department store (百貨公司) show on New York’s East River. This is televised (用電視播放) nationwide by the NBC TV channel. Also in New York, you can witness (目擊) the Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island康尼島. Indeed (的確，實在), American food is of course a big part of the day and millions of hot dogs, burgers and pizzas are eaten.

Extra:

• Thomas Jefferson's speech
• Use the Summer ppt and review "Picnic"

III. Bastille Day 巴士底日

+France’s ideals理想: liberty, equality and fraternity 法國的理想：自由，平等和博愛

• democratic ideals 民主理想
• We are committed to the ideal of equality. 我們奉行平等原則。

Vocabulary:

1. Village (n.)
2. Tricolor (adj.)
3. Commemorate (v.)
4. Prison (n.)
5. Monarchy (n.)
6. Occasion (n.)
7. Supporter (n.)
8. Signal (v.)
9. Creation (n.)
10. republic(n.)

Bastille Day is France’s most important national holiday. It is celebrated on the 14th of July every year. Every city, town and village becomes red, white and blue as everyone hangs out the French tricolor flag. The holiday’s name in French is Fête Nationale, which means “National Celebration". The 14th of July commemorates the storming (突襲；攻佔) of the Bastille on the 14th of July, 1789. The Bastille was a prison that held prisoners who disagreed with the French monarchy. The biggest celebrations are on Paris’ famous Champs-Élysées 香榭丽舍大街. There are parades, military bands and festivities (慶祝活動) during the day, and fireworks displays in the evening. It is a wonderful, happy occasion when French people show their pride (自尊) in their country.

Bastille Day celebrates the most important day in French history. The storming of the Bastille prison marked the beginning of the French Revolution法国大革命. The prison was a symbol (標誌，象徵) of the total (徹底的) power of King Louis the 16th. Most French people were very poor and hated how the monarchy and its supporters were so wealthy. The Bastille only had seven prisoners when Parisians attacked it, but it signaled Louis 16th’s power was no longer absolute (完全的). Parisians (巴黎人的) believed their actions meant they were free. It led to the creation of the first French republic in 1792 and the three French ideals (理想) of liberty, equality, and fraternity. The French national anthem (國歌), La Marseillaise, was written that same year and became official in 1795.

                                            Les Misérables/悲慘世界 (2012)

IV. Comparing: What is similar and what is different about the US and France's independence celebrations?

A. Writing a Comparative Paragraph:

1. Use a Venn Diagram, then write a paragraph.
2. Topic Sentence: Tells the main idea

The American Independence Day and France's Bastille day are both important national celebrations.

or

The 4th of July in the US and Bastille Day in France are both important independence celebrations.

3. Detail Sentences: Give examples of similarities and differences

4. Closing Sentence: Summarize the paragraph, or restate the main idea.

V. Discussion: What about Taiwan?

1. How is Taiwan similar or different compared to the US and France? Use a 3 circle Venn Diagram.
2. What is considered " national pride" for Taiwanese?

Resources:

https://eslholidaylessons.com

https://www.testden.com/toefl/writing-tutorial/compare-and-contrast-paragraph.htm

https://eslflow.com/comparisoncontrast.html

https://gushi.tw/tag/frenchrevolution/
https://www.bilibili.com/video/av1486381/

Homeschooling English: What my Daughter's English Looks Like

My 6th grader is an excellent student, 2nd in her class 2 years in a row. In other words, her Mandarin is better than her classmates'. She is really thriving in her alternative, rural elementary school. Her teachers are wonderful.

Having said that, I do worry about her English writing. Her comprehension and vocabulary are fabulous as she's an avid reader but compared to her peers back home, she isn't doing much research or essay writing.

I have been pretty lax about supplementing her English. I give her materials and she completes them when she wants. Now time to step up the writing.

This is what she is working on now:

Vocabulary::

240 Vocabulary Words 5th graders need to know (pdf/ buy/ Quizlet)

240 Vocabulary Words 6th graders need to know (pdf/buy/Quizlet)

Latin and Greek root words: English from the Roots Up/Flashcards/Quizlet: 50 Roots,  pg 1-10, )

6th-8th Grade Word List

Literature

Goodreads List

Poetic Terms

Poetry: 24 Must Share Poems, A Poem a Day

Writing

Great Writing: Book 2 and 3

365 Days of Writing Prompts (she loves this)

Writing Resources:

How to Write

Planning

Topics