Class: 22^nd/23^rd February 2013

Unit 4: Maps (Changes)

Can-Do Objectives: Make comparisons and talk about changes

                              Discuss changing trends

                                      Interpret maps and facts

Pages: 38, 39, 47

Grammar:   Verbs followed by ON and verbs followed by IN;

Pronunciation: /j/ and /dʒ/

Vocabulary: noun into adjective; difference between adjective and adverb forms; battleship, indicator, graph, grid, marginally,

Homework:

           Workbook – pg. 24 ex 1, pg. 26 ex 7 & 8, pg. 27 ex 9 & 10; pg. 30 ALL

Notes: Indium is the mineral I was referring to when I was talking about what touchscreens are made of. If you are interested in learning more about the subject, below is a link for an article about recent research into this area of technology.

http://www.fraunhofer.de/en/press/research-news/2011/january/Touchscreen_Made_of_Carbon.html

By the way, money CAN buy happiness! Watch and read the transcript of this TED talk I found on www.ted.com about one of our topics of this last class. On this site you will find talks on many different subjects. However, what is even more interesting for you is the fact that you can see the transcript by clicking at the bottom of the image on Show transcript and selecting English.

Enjoy!

http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_norton_how_to_buy_happiness.html

Finally, congratulations on your 1 minute country presentations.

Remember: Start thinking about your Oral Project. 

Jamie Oliver: This is the famous English chef whose photo is included in you textbook. I thought that you might enjoy watching a few brief videos.

The first one is about where some hamburger meat comes from in the U.S. He talks about the FDA which is the American government agency in charge of determining which foods and drugs are healthy and which are not.

The second one is about making salads and some of the recommendations and suggestions he makes were brought up during our last class.

The third video is for those of you who enjoy cooking and want to add a bit of variety to your diet.

I hope you enjoy them.

Jamie Oliver: Food Revolution

Jamie Oliver's principles for superb salads

Greek chicken, herby vegetable couscous & tzatziki

Class: 15^th/16^th February 2013

Unit 4: Maps (Changes)

Can-Do Objectives: Make comparisons and talk about changes

                              Discuss changing trends

                              Talk about results

Pages: 41, 42, 44, 47

Grammar: get and become; comparisons; verbs into nouns

Vocabulary: to nourish, to gather, thus, hence, ubiquitous, harvest, food for convenience

Homework:

- Write about how a town or country has changed (250-300 words). (Base it on pg 42 ex. 4a and pg. 47 ex 9a)

- Find facts about the country assigned in class to tell the rest of the class when we next meet. Make it interesting (1 minute speaking).

Remember: Rewrite your drafts as soon as possible. If you have any doubts about my corrections or comments, either write an e-mail or ask me the following class. As of next class (22^nd/23^rd February) we will be adding 15 minutes to each class to make up for the cancelled class dates in May (3^rd/4^th).

About the food industry

The following is a link to a rather long but extremely interesting video about the food industry in the United States. It’s in English but with subtitles in Spanish.

You don’t have to watch it in one sitting. Split it up into various sessions.

http://vimeo.com/30620523

Class: 25^th/26^th January, 2013

Unit 3: Learning a language

Can-Do Objectives:  Talk about languages and ways to learn them

  Describe experience of language learning

                               Discuss plans and priorities

Pages: 32, 33, 35 and 37

Grammar: Collocations with language

Vocabulary: remark, underline, highlight, emphasize, grip, grasp, grab

Homework: Workbook – pg. 19, 21 (not ex. 14), 22 and 23

Remember: Next class will be our last class in January. We will not meet again until the 15^th/16^th of February.

Comments: Thanks to you all for your comments evaluating the class. I shall do my best to take them into consideration.

ACCENTS

I’m including the video below that will hopefully allow you to realize that there are many (infinite) accents in English. I confess that I don’t fully understand many of these.  So, if I don’t, why should you?

The English Language In 30 Accents (Animated)

Class: 18^th/19^th January 2013

Unit 3: Learning a language    

Can-Do Objectives:         Talk about languages and ways to learn them

                                      Describe experience of language learning

                                      Discuss plans and priorities

Pages: 30 -31

Grammar: Phrasal verbs and equivalent

Vocabulary: to get to grips with, to get by, to take up, cumbersome, bulky, ricochet

Homework: Workbook pgs. 17, 18, 20

Remember: Next class will be our last class in January. We will not meet again until the 15^th/16^th of February.

Comments: Thanks to you all for doing the Trial Reading Exam. Also, your comments on identity, language learning and education were quite enlightening. Everyone and anyone who studies English should read 1984 by George Orwell. He wrote:

         

          “The decline of a language must ultimately have political

and economic causes.”

Check out this link on Phrasal Verbs:

http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/caneng/phrasal.htm

Class: 11^th/12^th January 2013

Unit 3: Language and Literature

Can-Do Objectives: Describe a book and give a personal response

Pages: 29, 34, and 36

Grammar: Present forms / Adverbs / diphthongs

Vocabulary: Worth, worthwhile, for what it’s worth, endorse, clout, boast, feature, spawn, surge, hectic, crave, tap into, guise, coarse, insight, thrive

Homework: Finish Unit 2 in the Workbook

Remember: Please, please send me your Written Project Drafts if you haven’t already done so. Also, for those of you who might be interested in learning more about literature and book clubs here is the website mentioned in class - http://www.oprah.com/packages/oprahs-book-club-2.html