Mother's Day

What better way to celebrate the most significant person in your life, than to devote a whole day to it? A very special day is vastly approaching, and it only comes but once a year. Who is the most important woman in your life? If it is your mom, grandma, aunt, or teacher... get your art supplies and hug tickets ready! These are all essential supplies to create your gifts for this holiday.

Why do we celebrate this special day every year? This holiday is celebrated in many parts of the world, most often in May or March, to honor mothers and motherhood. In countries such as Europe, Mother's Day began as "Laetare Sunday", to honor the Virgin Mary and your "mother" church. It has been said that children who used to serve in houses were given that day off so they could visit their mothers and families. On their way home, children would pick flowers to give to their mothers and to the church when they got there. Be sure to show appreciation to your mother on May 9th, for all of the wonderful things she does for you!

VOCABULARY:

Significant- important; major

Devote- to give up or concentrate on a particular persuit, occupation, or purpose

Vast- very great in number, quantity, amount, etc.

Essential- absolutely necessary; important

Honor- respect; admire

Virgin Mary- the mother of Jesus

Appreciation- gratitude; thankful recognition

SENTENCES:

1. It is important to ______ and respect your friends and family.

2. Show _______ to your mother on her special day by expressing your love for her.

3. Who is the most ________ person in your life?

4. Mother's Day began to celebrate the _________ and the mother church.

5. Hugs are one ________ gift to give on Mother's Day.

6. We should ________ more time to thanking the people that mean the most to us.

7. The _______ majority of people in the United States celebrate Mother's Day.

GRAMMAR POINT:

We have worked on various parts of speech throughout our blogging experience. For our last blog of the year, can you figure out what part of speech each vocabulary word is? Work with a partner to distinguish which words are nouns, verbs, adjectives or adverbs, and explain why.

Rain, rain... leave or stay?

What do you do on a rainy day? My rainy day routine has changed since I was a kid. When I was a child, unlike other children I knew, I enjoyed a rainy day once in a while. Instead of dreading the rain, embrace it! Try to think of creative, fun things to do inside your home. I'll give you a few examples...

First, think OBSTACLE COURSE! Regardless of how big or small your home is, you can set up an obstacle course to play with your friends, or even by yourself. You can set up a hula hoop station, a zig-zag crawl, balloon toss, jumping jacks station, or any other event you can think of. Race against the clock to see who can get the fastest time, or if you're racing yourself, see if you can beat your previous time!

Next on my list is TENTS. Who doesn't love making a cool tent to hang out in on a rainy day? Take the pillows or cushions from your couch or your bed, a few chairs or stools from the kitchen table, and a blanket from the den, and you've got yourself the ideal tent. Turn off the lights and use flashlights to save energy and create a spooky mood!

Lastly, PUZZLES and BOARD games are always fun on a rainy day. Everyone has their favorite board game that they like to play. Puzzles are a great activity to do by yourself, or with a group of friends. Puzzles challenge your mind and make you think.

I hope these ideas help you the next time mother nature decides to call it a rainy day. Enjoy these ideas, but always remember to keep your parents informed of what you are doing. It is important to be safe, and to always have fun!

VOCABULARY:

Routine- a customary or regular course of procedure

Dread- to fear greatly; be in extreme apprehension of

Embrace- to take or receive gladly or eagerly

Obstacle course- an event, situation, course of action, or the like that presents many challenges or difficulties

Previous- coming or occurring before something else; prior

Ideal- a conception of something in its perfection

Challenge- a call to engage in any contest, as of skill, strength, etc.

Informed- prepared with information or knowledge

SENTENCES:

1. Keep your parents ________ of the fun activities you are planning.

2. Try not to _______ rainy days... instead, ________ them and make the best of it!

3. My morning _______ starts by waking up, getting out of bed, and brushing my teeth.

4. I absolutely love a challenging _________.
5. ________ to playing board games, I made my own tent.

6. It is important to _______ yourself because it's how we know what we are capable of.

7. Although a rainy day may not be _______, there are many things to do to keep you busy.

GRAMMAR POINT:

Sequencing is the following of one thing after another. The succession of events in the paragraphs above can be recognized by the words "first, next, and lastly". The sequencing of events takes place in every day life. Think about your routine when you get up in the morning. Write a paragraph sequencing your morning routine, by using all or some of the following words: first, later, next, then, finally.

Help Save Our Earth!

Air pollution is a problem that affects people around the world. Dirty air is caused by emissions that come from factories, automobiles, and garbage. All over the world, soot, ashes, and chemicals are being emitted into the air and making it dirty.
Air pollution can be seen or smelled, but sometimes it is invisible. Regardless of whether you can see it or not, it is there, and it can cause a lot of damage. Humans can suffer with asthma, dizziness, fatigue, and even more serious diseases. Animals, plans, and fish are innocent bystanders.

The United States has been fighting air pollution for many years, and unlike other countries, our efforts are working. New technology helps control the emissions on cars and factories. Kids like you can help with air pollution too. Ask your parents to walk, bike ride, or carpool instead of driving their car all the time.

Visit this website to learn more about air pollution, and ways that kids like you can help: http://www.clean-air-kids.org.uk/airquality.html

VOCABULARY:

Emissions- something that is discharged or ejected.

Soot- a black substance produced during burning of coal, wood, or oil.

Ash- The powdery residue that remains after burning.

Chemicals- a substance produced by or used in a chemical process.

Emitted- to send forth or release.

Regardless- apart from, not considering.

Asthma- allergic disorder of respiration.

Fatigue- tiredness; exhaustion.

Bystanders- people who are present but not involved.

Technology- creation and use of technical means and their relation with society, life and the environment.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE: Click this link to complete the crossword puzzle created for you... http://www.variety-games.com/CW/Puzzles/17985113116974141229-puzzle.htm

GRAMMAR POINT:
Can you think of some ways to help keep our air clean? Write a haiku, as discussed in class, about the earth and your contribution to keeping it a healthy, clean place to live.

All Sports!

Do you have a favorite sport? Perhaps you prefer to watch a certain sport on television, but do not necessarily enjoy partake in playing it. There are so many different sports played and enjoyed throughout the United States, and the world.
Did you know that children who play sports are known to do better in school? WOW! It's true! Playing sports is great exercise, and of course beneficial for health reasons, but there are even more reasons to give it a try. Studies show that children who play sports learn teamwork skills, and goal-setting skills. These are talents that can be used on and off the playing field.
GOOAAALLLL!!! If you have ever scored a goal or touchdown, sunk a basket or won a match, you know how good it feels to succeed at something. Without even knowing it, you are boosting your self-confidence... HOORAY! Self-confidence and pride are characteristics that you need, in order to believe in yourself, and make your goals and dreams come true.

VOCABULARY:
Partake- to share along with others; to participate.
Beneficial- helpful; advantageous.
Talents- a special ability or aptitude.
Self-Confidence- confidence in one's own judgement, ability, or power.
Pride- a high opinion of one's own dignity, importance, or superiority.
Characteristics- a unique feature or quality.

SENTENCES: Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary words.

To have _________ and _________ in yourself, means that you have two positive ___________ that will be _________ to you on the playing field and in life. When you ________ in activities and hobbies with others, they will realize your special _________ and you will be a successful team player. You must believe in yourself!

GRAMMAR POINT:
Interjections are words or phrases used to show expression. Can you find the interjections in the paragraphs above? Think of 5 interjections that you most commonly use and write them on a piece of paper. Compare with your partner and see if you wrote similar ones.

You Scream, I Scream, We All Scream For...

Everyone has a favorite dessert, or maybe even a whole list of favorites. Depending on where you are in the world, what country you are from, or what your tastebuds enjoy, your favorite dessert may be different than the average American. Although most of our desserts originated in other countries, we have altered or modified them to best fit the "sweet tooth" of people in our country.
Those of you from Paris would know that the pastry is most popular in France. In Mexico, Flan is a well-known dessert item, and in China, a dessert might contain red beats or dates. Here in the United States, the top five desserts are listed below:
1. Ice Cream!
2. Chocolate Cake
3. Apple Pie
4. Jello
5. Cheesecake
Marco Polo is known as being the man to bring our number one dessert (ice cream) to Italy. He did this way back in the 17th century. The first ice cream recipe in the United States was made in 1792. The first flavor ever made was vanilla. It is still the most popular, as 29% of Americans prefer it! Can you guess what comes in second place? If you guessed chocolate, you are correct! Chocolate comes in a distant second, as only 9% of Americans prefer it.

VOCABULARY:
Tastebuds- an oval sensory end organ on the surface of the toungue; what helps us to taste.
Average- a typical amount, rate, degree; the norm.
Pastry- a sweet baked food made of dough, especially the shortened paste used for pie crust.
Flan- a dessert of sweetened egg custard with a caramel topping.
Dates- brown fruit with a crusty, sugary skin.
Century- any group or collection of 100.
Distant- far off or apart from.
Prefer- to set or hold before or above other persons or things in estimation.

SENTENCES:
1. I will go to the bakery and buy a ______ and orange juice for breakfast.
2. Hmm... my _______ are craving chocolate chip cookies and a cold glass of milk.
3. My great-grandmother is nearly an entire _______ old.
4. Do you ________ chocolate or vanilla icecream?
5. The ________ student in 3rd grade is 8 years old.
6. If you are in the mood for a sweet, caramel dessert, you should try _______.
7. I long for a heavy snowfall, in the _______ future.
8. My sister asked me if I wanted to try a great Chinese dessert called _______.

GRAMMAR POINT:
A pronoun can replace a noun or another pronoun. Here is a list of some pronouns that you use every day: his, mine, I, we, her, they, us, ours, me. Interview your family members about their favorite dessert. Write a paragraph explaining what you found out, and only use the name of each family member once! When you are finished, circle the pronouns that you used.

Hair, Hair, Everywhere...

What type of hair do you have? Dark or light? Curly or straight? Often times we have similar hair to a parent, because of genetics. I take after my dad, who has dark, curly hair. For some people, hair can be a fun and beautiful way of expressing oneself. On the other hand, some people never pay much attention to the way their hair looks. Others change their hair cut or hair color to spice up their appearance or maybe reveal a different look. Typically, we notice the hair on a person's head before anything else. This is the hair that is exposed and most noticeable.
Did you know that the human body is covered with hair from head to toe? Well, almost head to toe... Aside from the palms of our hands, the soles of our feet, our eyelids and lips, human beings have hair everywhere. Some hair may be difficult to see, or even seem invisible to the naked eye, but it is true! Hair is actually a modified type of skin. Can you believe it? Also, hair grows more quickly in hot months than cooler winter months, and more slowly at night that during the day. Pretty fascinating, right?

VOCABULARY:
Often- many times; frequently.
Genetics- a branch of biology that deals with inherited traits.
Reveal- to make known.
Noticeable- evident; observable.
Invisible- impossible to see; not visible.
Modified- to change in form or character; to make less extreme or strong.
Fascinating- possessing the power to charm or allure; captivating.

SENTENCES:

1. My mother's haircut was very ________; she chopped 12 inches off yesterday!

2. The new art exhibit was absolutely __________.

3. I do not get my haircut very _______, only about twice each year.

4. My brother wanted to _______ his new haircut to his friends, but he was nervous because it was so short!

5. _______ gave me curly hair.

6. Did you know that hair is actually a _______ type of skin?!

7. Do you see hair on your hands or does it appear to be _______?

GRAMMAR POINT:
A question mark means the speaker is asking something, so it should be read in a questioning voice. Think of a question, read it outloud to yourself, and listen to what your voice does. Your voice usually goes up at the end of the question, which indicates that you are asking something. Practice this by reading the questions above. Make three of your own questions using vocabulary words learned in this lesson, and don't forget to use your questioning voice when reading them outloud!

Pen Pals Rock!

Do you know what a pen pal is? Pen pals are people who write to each other on a regular basis. Pen pals correspond with one another through letters or emails, writing about their lives, hobbies, family, and interests. A pen pal relationship can begin at an early age and last for decades, or can last for as little as a school year. You can make a friend who lives in your own state, your country, or even across the world. These friendships can last a lifetime!

Do you keep in touch with family or friends from your home country? It is important to learn and gain knowledge about your native culture and life-style. Befriending a student from your home country is an ideal way to do this. While creating a friendship with someone, you are also practicing reading and writing skills, as well as improving your knowledge about your home country.

VOCABULARY:

correspond- to communicate by exchange of letters.

hobbies- an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation.

decade- a period of ten years.

gain- to get (something desired), especially as a result of one's efforts.

befriend- to make friends or become friendly with; act as a friend to; help; aid.

ideal- a standard of perfection or excellence.

improve- to bring into a more desirable or excellent condition.

SENTENCES: Fill in the blanks using the vocabulary words listed above.

I have lived in this house for over a ___________.

Snow days are ____________ for relaxing on the couch and watching movies.

I attempted to ____________ the new kid at school.

People ____________ with one another by writing letters and sending emails.

I need to ____________ my geometry skills before the big test next week.

I will _____________ knowledge by going to school every day.

Some of my ___________ include playing sports, reading, and traveling.

GRAMMAR POINT:

During class we discussed past, present, and future tense. Using at least two tenses, write a letter to a student from your native country. Use the format of a letter (also discussed in class), and include your hobbies, interests, and facts about your family and life-style here in New York. Also, be sure to ask your pen pal questions that you'd like to find out about them.