Don't Let Summer Slow You Down

Congratulations!! You survived another year of school!! I hope you enjoy your summer vacation and to help you not slow down with all that you have learned in ESL I have some suggestions:
 

1. Watch movies and T.V. shows in English with the English subtitles.

2. USE THIS BLOG!!!  Play the games, check out the on-line classes, use the sources!

3. Read Ms. A’s Food Blog for new ideas: http://jicuisine.blogspot.com/ 

4. Grab an English language book at your local library or check out these on-line books (trust me, these are cool, not boring!!): http://www.orcabook.com/client/client_pages/tumble.cfm

5. Visit a national park or museum:

·         In West Orange: Thomas Edison National Park (bring your student ID and ask for discounts) http://www.nps.gov/edis/index.htm

·         In Newark – The Newark Museum (just a quick bus trip or train ride) http://www.newarkmuseum.org/

·         Jersey City – The Liberty Science Center and Liberty State Park: http://lsc.org/    

6. Keep a Journal and write in English!  Write about your summer adventures!

7. Listen to music in English

8. Speak to your friends in English

9. Text to your friends in English

10. Use social media (facebook, twitter) in English

 Have fun this summer!  For those not traveling, don’t just stay home being bored…check out these ideas, be creative, try something new, stay safe, and hope to see you again in September!!  Ms. A.  

Ms. A's new Blog- Check It Out!!

Hi Everyone...I hope you are having fun getting ready for your finals..."Party for your brain!" LOL!  I wanted to share with you my new blog, is all about the great food and cultures of New Jersey and having you as my students inspired the idea, so....THANKS!  Check it out, but only after you are done studying!! Ms. A.

(Click on the green words! ) Jersey International Cuisine

ESL 2 Final Exam Review: Reading, Plotting, Skimming and Taking Notes, Revise and Edit, and Listening

Reading Test: You will read a new story that is realistic fiction.  Realistic Fiction stories are not real, but have the possibility of being real.  To do well on the test you need to practice your reading skills.  Use the following links to help improve your reading:

• http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/trophies/rsr/build1/RR_e_5_7.htm
• http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/trophies/test_tutor/grade5/skill7/iditarod.htm

Plotting: When you plot a story you are writing about the different parts of the story. A plot has SIX parts: Introduction (this includes the setting and characters), Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. 

·         Learn the Parts of a Plot: http://quizlet.com/8460586/parts-of-the-plot-diagram-flash-cards/

Use the following links to help you learn and practice the concept of plotting a story:

·         Easy: http://www.learner.org/interactives/story/cinderella.html  

·         Medium: http://www2.smarttutor.com/player/swf/RC_StoryStructure_L4_V1_T4a.swf

Skim and Take Notes: to skim and take notes means to read and find the details and main idea. 

*On your final you will have a new reading and you will have to Skim and Take Notes to find the SUMMARY STATEMENT!

• Main Idea / Summary Statement: the most important information
• Details: words and phrases that give specific information
• To get the main idea, you need to find the details
• To get the details, answer the W? words
• W? Words: who, when, what, where, why, how

How to Skim and Take Notes:

• 1^st: Read the Title
• 2^nd: Turn the Title Into A Question
• 3^rd: Use the w? words to find the details
• 4^th: Read and answer the w?
• 5^th: Use the information from the w? to write a Main Idea Sentence / This sentence will answer your Title Question

Revise and Edit: to Revise and Edit means to read something and find the grammar mistakes, spelling, and punctuation mistakes, then correct these mistakes.  For the final, you will have to Revise and Edit a paragraph.

Revise and Edit Practice

• http://www.quia.com/rr/393396.html
• http://www.funbrain.com/spell/index.html
• http://www.missmaggie.org/scholastic/editdan_eng_launcher.html
• http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hme/k_5/proofread/proof.htm
• Go to the following site and click on CLICK HERE TO START YOUR ACTIVITY

http://www.iknowthat.com/com/App?File=Paintball.htm&Type=S&App=Paintball&Topic=Topic2

Listening: To test your English listening skills, you will receive a list of incorrect sentences.  Then you will listening a reading about the sentences.  After, you will use the information that you heard to correct the sentences.   To prepare for the listening part of the final you will need to practice your English listening skills, use the following to help…

• http://www.englishmedialab.com/listening.html

·         Scroll Down the Page for a list of Listening Activities – http://www.esl-lab.com/

·          http://www.eslfast.com/

·          http://www.eslfast.com/robot/

2013 ESL 5 Themes and ESL 5 Lit Final Exam Reviews

This is your on-line final exam review.  Find your class to start STUDYING!!  THE HARDER YOU WORK THE BIGGER THE REWARD!!!

ESL 5 Themes (HSPA STYLE PERSUASIVE TEST)

·         Reading Practice:

o   English Language Study Zone (click on level 410 or 570): http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/courses/elc/studyzone/
o   HSPA Persuasive and Narrative Reading TESTS:
http://www.lvhs.org/HSPA%20PREP/index.html

·         Persuasive Essay Writing:

o   On-Line Persuasive Writing Tutorial:

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/writing/minilessons.asp?topic=Persuasive

Sample Persuasive Essay:

 http://www.thewritesource.com/studentmodels/ws2k-summer.htm

·         Revise and Edit Practice:

o   http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/resources/online/2003/grade4/writing.htm

o   http://www.mytaks.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55:revising-and-editing-practice&catid=35:taks-all-levels&Itemid=55

·         Speaking: You were graded on your speaking during your last class presentation

·         Listening Practice:

o   Scroll Down the Page for a list of Listening Activities – http://www.esl-lab.com/

o   http://www.eslfast.com/

o   http://www.eslfast.com/robot/

ESL 5 Literature: (HSPA STYLE NARRATIVE TEST)

·         Reading Practice

o   RECOMMENDED READING FOR FINAL EXAM:

http://www.biguniverse.com/readkidsbooks/read/376/moby-dick-illustrated-classic

o   English Language Study Zone (click on level 410 or 570): http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/courses/elc/studyzone/

·         Expository Essay:            

o   Basic Organization: http://www2.asd.wednet.edu/pioneer/barnard/wri/essay_model.htm

o   Sample HSPA Style Expository Essay: 
http://www.thewritesource.com/studentmodels/ws2k-friendship.htm

http://www.thewritesource.com/studentmodels/ws2k-cheated.htm

·         Literary Terms:

Literary Terms QUIZ:

ohttp://www.worsleyschool.net/socialarts/simile/page2.html

Literary Terms GAMES:

ohttp://www.newton.k12.ks.us/tech/fling3.html

ohttp://www.quia.com/hm/80390.html

ohttp://www.quia.com/cb/8285.html

ESL 2 Final Exam Review: Compare and Contrast Essay

Compare and Contrast Essay: an essay in which two or more topics are compared by writing about the similarities and differences.

Understanding Compare & Contrast:

·         http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela4/m/comparecontrastl2.cfm

·         http://www.fcatexplorer.com/media/parent/tiplister/flash/tip114a.swf

Compare and Contrast Practice:

·         Easy: http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela4/m/comparecontrastp.cfm

·         Medium: http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela4/o/comparingcontrasting4p.cfm

·         Hard: http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/trophies/rsr/build1/RR_e_4_13.htm

WRITING ASSIGNMENT:

You will compare and contrast American Schools vs. Schools from Your Country by writing a FIVE paragraph compare and contrast essay.  Following the directions to get you started:

• 1^st – Use the following link to get organized and write a compare and contrast outline:

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/compcontrast/map.html  

• 2^nd – Using the ideas from your outline type your essay
• 3^rd- Submit your essay on Turnitin.com

ESL 5 Lit Final Exam Reading Review

Moby Dick is a great American novel written by Herman Melville.  It is about the life or sailors on the whaling ship the Pequod.  A whale ship is a large boat used for hunting whales.  The name of the boat is the Pequod and its captain is Captain Ahab.  Two of the mains characters, Ishmael and Queequeg, are first time sailors on this big voyage.  In Chapter 19 the two new sailors are warned about Captain Ahab.

Chapter 19 – The Prophet

Important Characters:

·         Ishmael

·         Queequeg

·         Captain Ahab

·         Pequod – the ship…a big boat

Learn about the characters at:

http://www.gradesaver.com/moby-dick/study-guide/character-list/

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/mobydick/canalysis.html

ASSIGNEMENT: Read Chapt. 19 and Summarize :
- Write a pargraph summarizing chap. 19, use the link provided

http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/42/moby-dick/665/chapter-19-the-prophet/