Intermediate: Lab 4 (25-word stories)

This week we will try writing our own stories… exactly 25 words long! To help you, Shayna will give you a worksheet which you can also get here (from this blog by Bill Ferriter).

1. When you write your story, remember that your reader should understand:
- the situation
- the character(s)
- the feelings

2. You should use third person (he, she, they) in your story. The story does not need to be true.

3. If you have trouble thinking of ideas for a story, here are a few you could choose from:

• A cooking disaster
• Losing something
• A sad event
• An exciting event
• A funny event
• An argument
• A mistake
• Something memorable
• A problem at school
• Something that happens at a party

4. Write your first draft and do your editing on the worksheet.

5. Email your story to Shayna by Thursday at 5pm. Hand in your worksheet Monday, March 5.

Foundations: Spelling (Quiz 2)

On Friday, February 17 we will have another spelling quiz. This quiz will be over vocabulary from Units 5 and 7.

The password for the study list is foundations.

http://quizlet.com/9768093/interchange-intro-units-57-vocab-flash-cards/

Foundations: Lab 3 (Tongue Twisters)

“Tongue twisters” are pronunciation games. Many languages have them. This week, you will practice some English tongue twisters.

Go to http://www.esl4kids.net/tongue.html or http://www.uebersetzung.at/twister/en.htm .

1. Read the tongue twisters there and choose your 3 favorite.  Do not choose ones we have talked about in class.  Write them below.
2. Talk to three people and ask them to say the tongue twisters you chose.
3. Ask each person which tongue twister they think is the hardest.
4. Write your results here.

Tongue twisters:

1.

2.

3.

	Name	Which one was hardest?  (1, 2, or 3)
Person 1
Person 2
Person 3

5. Pick out your favorite tongue twister, ideally one that is difficult for you.  Practice saying it aloud.  You will have to say it for the class this Friday.

6. Bring your paper to class Friday, February 17.

Intermediate: Lab 3 (Valentine’s Day)

Introduction
1. Valentine’s Day is a holiday from Europe, also celebrated in the United States and many other countries. What does Valentine’s Day celebrate?

2. Have you seen Valentine’s Day things being sold in your local stores? (Wal-Mart, Kroger, etc.) What kinds of things have you seen?

3. What are the popular colors for this holiday?

You can read about the history of Valentine’s Day here.

Reading
Now look at this graphic and answer the questions: Valentine’s Day by the Numbers

4. When did Saint Valentine’s Day become associated with love and romance?

5. List three things that are popular gifts on Valentine’s Day:

6. How many Sweethearts candies are produced every year?

7. What is the most popular gift from flower shops around Valentine’s Day?

8. Which roses are the most popular?

9. Which town in Arkansas has a “love-ly” name?

10. What drink is popular on Valentine’s Day?
Listening
Now listen to the following radio story and answer the questions. You can read the story, but for listening practice, you should listen the first time without reading.

A-Twitter Over Updated Sweethearts Candy by Patty Wight (NPR, February 14 2010)

11. How do people describe the taste of Sweethearts candy? (check all that apply)
_____ Yummy
_____ The messages are like talk
_____ Delicious chalk
_____ Apple pie
_____ Weird tasting
_____ Like medicine

12. How long has the Necco Company been making Sweethearts?

13. Now they have “revamped” the recipe. From context, what do you think this word means?

14. What three things have been revamped?

15. Are Sweethearts a popular Valentine’s Day candy? How popular?

16. Name two original flavors of Sweethearts:

17. Name two new flavors:

18. Name two new messages printed on the candies:

19. Near the end, the story mentions people’s “palates.” From the context, what do you think this word means?

Intermediate: Lab 2 (Family & neighborhood issues)

Watch the following short videos and answer the questions about what  you see and hear.

Video 1: The Cosby Show – Babysitting (“The Juicer”)

“Babysitting” – minding or taking care of a child or other person for a short time. A babysitter is responsible while the parents are gone.

The Huxtable Family:

• Vanessa – older sister
• Rudy – younger sister
• Peter – Rudy’s friend
• Cliff – father
• Clair – mother

1. Polite request: Vanessa is babysitting her sister and her sister’s friend. Mother (Clair) asked her to do this. Write what Clair might have said to make the request. Use “Would you mind….?” (p 39 in your textbook)

“Vanessa, I have to go out. ______________________________________________________”

2. Vanessa and Rudy both do some things that are wrong. What family rules or guidelines did they break? (Example: In class, a student who does not bring a pen or pencil has broken the class guideline “Always bring a pen or pencil to class.”)

Vanessa:
Rudy:

3. What was Vanessa’s excuse for not watching Rudy and Peter? (p 40 in your textbook)

 

Video 2: The Cosby Show – “Where did this cake come from?”

4. Cliff (the father) gives Olivia (the little girl) some cake. Then he acts guilty. He tries to “cover up” his action. How does he do this?

5. Clair (the mother) comes in. She knows something is wrong. Write her reaction. Circle the word she stresses.

Olivia: “He did it!”

Clair: “______________________________________________________”

6. Imagine what happened before this scene. What did Clair probably tell Cliff about the cake?
Video 3: The Cosby Show – Clean Your Plate

7. Rudy is not following a family rule. What is the rule?
Video 4: Local news – Neighborhood Feud

8. What is the problem in this neighborhood?

9. One neighbor is being stubborn. How?

10. Imagine that you live in this neighborhood. What will you do to help solve the problem?