This was our last class before the holidays!  We will be taking a break to celebrate Christmas and most importantly to celebrate the end of 2021!  I wish you all a restful and pleasant break.  Thank you for help making 2020 a successful year despite all odds!

Enjoy the holiday and see in January.  Classes resume January 11th. 

Merry Christmas!
Kelly

P.S. If you want to do some homework, check out the general resources or back archive of past homework on the blog.

This week we used the websites Random Street View and Drive and Listen to discuss possible travel destinations and life in other countries or places around the world.

Listening:
Learners can try a listening activity from the BBC's 6 Minute English about tourism or an exam about the effects of tourism. For something a bit more challenging, try Catching Up After a Trip.

For original version listening, try an episode of the Armchair Explorer to "travel" within the constrictions of confinment.  Some options are Arabia: a 5,000-mile Journey Through the Heart of the Middle East,Descent into the Unknown: Inside the Greenland Ice CapLand of the Thunder Dragon: Exploring Bhutan
Reading:
Learners can try a short reading activity about traveling such as A Travel Guide (B1) or Holiday With a Friend (B2).

For original version, you can read the text that accompanies this slideshow about crazy images captured on street view or any of the articles from the Guardian about Google Street View.

Writing:
This week, choose one of the random street view photographs from this website and write a text describing life in this scene.  What is the daily routine like there? The weather? The sounds? Be descriptive!!!

Best,
Kelly

This week's conversation topic was inspired by a recent book I read called A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear: A Utopian Plot to Liberate an American Small Town. Talking about this story from Grafton, New Hampshire led our conversation to small town life, utopias and politics, and of course, BEARS.

Listening:
Learners can try an activity from from Randall's Listening Lab about outdoor safety when it concerns wildlife or for something a little more challenging, The Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia.

For original version listening, try your hand at Libertarian Summer Camp from NPR or about Why People Move to NH as Part of the Free State Movement.

Reading:
Learners can try a short reading activity about American Black Bears that includes reading and vocabulary work.

For original version, you can read the article that first tipped me off to the Grafton saga, The Town that Went Feral or some texts about bears: Bear Talk or an article that dispels common myths about bears.

Writing:
This week, I would like you to write a story about a conflict in a small town. You can make it up or draw on your own knowledge or experiences.  What are the different sides fighting for? Is there a solution to the problem?

Best,
Kelly

 This week was a family affair!  We spent the hour talking about the newest McCown business, Hallow's Pizza, and of course, everything related to pizza!

Listening:
Learners can try an activity from from Randall's Listening Lab about ordering pizza or from British Council about ordering food in a café.

For original version listening, watch an episode from the Youtube Channel called A Pizza Show or a TED talk entitled Pizza Physics.

Reading:
Learners can try a short reading activity about the history of pizza or read a short dialogue about ordering food.

For original version, you can practice reading some of the captions from their Instagram or website.

Writing:
This week, I would like you to write an ODE TO PIZZA!  Why is pizza the greatest of all foods?  Please be very descriptive in your writing about the most hallowed of meals.  On the contrary, if you happen to  be one of those rare people who finds pizza overrated, tell me why!

Best,
Kelly

This week we talked about entrepreneurship, self-employment, family business and small businesses.  We talked about how these folks are weathering the pandemic and we also brainstormed creatively about new businesses to start and how we would do so. 

Don't forget that next week, we are going to take a look at the newest McCown business, Hallow's Pizza.  Please send me your audio message with questions about the food cart, the pizza, or the business and we will use the questions and answers in class next week.

Listening:
Learners can try an activity from British Council about Starting a Business or an activity about What is an Entrepreneur?

For original version listening, try a short Storycorp story about a family business in Brooklyn or if you have a bit more time, try an episode of How I Built This.

Reading:
Learners can try one of many articles from the British Council Business Magazine.

For original version, check out an article from the Atlantic, such as Start-Ups Aren't Cool Anymore or How to Get Rich By Losing Lots of Money.

Writing:
This week for writing, write a text about a business that you would like to start. What need would you be meeting? What service or product would you provide? How do you picture your day to day operating this business?

Best,
Kelly

This week we discussed stages of life, comparing perspectives, drawbacks and advantages of being an infant, toddler, child, teen, adult, middle aged or senior.

Don't forget that Friday November 13th and Friday November 20th I am offering make-up classes for those who have missed sessions since the beginning of the schoolyear! Please get in touch to make sure you have a spot!

Listening:
Learners can try an activity from Six Minute English about the Teenage Brain.  For something more challenging check out a listening comprehension task about Senior Citizens.

For original version listening, try a podcast episode from Freakonomics called Think Like a Child or an episode from This American Life such as Return to Childhood or Kid Logic.

Reading:
Learners can try reading a text from Breaking News English about the imminent challenges of an aging population.

For original version, check out an article about how brain functioning morphs with age or an article from the BBC about the Benefits of Getting Older.

Writing:
This week for writing, write an essay comparing different ages of life.  How have you, your beliefs and your habits changed from a child, teen, adult, or into middle age? How do you imagine yourself when you are older?

Best,
Kelly

  This week we used the fantastic website Atlas Obscura to explore the world virtually.  From their website:

We are a global community of explorers, who have together created a comprehensive database of the world’s most wondrous places and foods —21,711 of them contributed by our community so far, and more every day, from a secret apartment atop the Eiffel Tower to bridges built out of living roots, from a temple shaped like a chicken to an island ruled by cats, from a fruit that tastes like chocolate pudding to a spicy chutney made out of red ants.


Listening:
Learners can try an easy activity about sightseeing tours, or one of the many activities at ESL Video aboutTravel and Adventure | ESL Video
For original version listening, try any of the wonderful videos available for viewing at Atlas Obscura:

• These Grandmothers Are Preserving Ukraine’s Folk Music Traditions
• How a Border Village Keeps the Memories of Divided Families Alive
• On the Hunt for Signtronix Signs in Greater Boston
• Meet the Man Who Built North Dakota’s Enchanted Highway

 
 Reading:
Learners can try reading
Travel guide | LearnEnglish Teens - British Council
or Where Would you go if...?

For original version, please read any of the articles over in the Stories section at Atlas Obscura.

Writing:
This week for writing, please compose your own article about a place that you feel should be included in the Atlas Obscura compendium of places of wonder.  What sets it apart? How did you discover it?

One last thing!  I am offering make up session on Friday November 13th and Friday November 20th for anyone who has missed sessions in September or October.  If you need to make up classes, please get in touch to schedule a session.

Best,
Kelly

  Everything is different in 2020, the year of the pandemic, but in class we kept our yearly tradition of honoring Halloween by turning off the lights, lighting the candles and telling creepy stories.  Happy Halloween everybody!

Listening:
Learners can check out Scary Ouija Board Stories, or try a listening comprehension activity about Horror Films from the British Counci. For something more involved, you can listen to the Terror of Blue John Gap.

For original version listening, try some creepy podcasts to get you in the Halloween vibe:

• Family Ghosts
• The NoSleep Podcast
• Strange Phenomenon
• Haunted Places

Reading:
Learners can try reading some classic ghost stories, such as The Yellow Ribbon, Babysitter, The Hook,  The Viper. Or you can try a reading comprehension activity about Halloween and its origins.

For original version, you could read an article about how Halloween looks different this year. Across the U.S., cities and towns have gotten creative to celebrate the holiday during the covid-19 pandemic.

Writing:
This week for writing, try to get creative by writing a composition that starts with "I don't believe in the paranormal, but one day..."

Best,
Kelly

 The US Election is just a few short weeks away! As I was busy readying my absentee ballot, we took the chance to discuss the ins and outs of the American electoral system and the 2020 elections: the process, the issues, the possible future scenarios.

Listening:
Learners can try a couple of activities from BBC Learning English: Hacking Help for US Elections or Can You Trust the Polls? Another option is US Elections: How Does it Work?

For original version listening, try some videos from The Guardian: Georgia, Civil Rights and QAnon or What If Trump Doesn't Concede the Election?

Reading:
Learners can try a reading comprehension activity about the Presidential Election or any of the election coverage from VOA English.

For original version, try some articles about the issues: Where Does Trump Stand on the Issues? and What Does Joe Biden Want to Do?  Another take is from El Pais in English: United States is an Imperfect Democracy from its Founding.

Writing:
This week for writing, please write a report on the upcoming US Elections detailing the process, the issues, and what is unique about the 2020 elections.  Finally, go ahead and make a prediction on what you believe the outcome will be and why.

Best,
Kelly

 This week is a holiday in the United States (Columbus Day), and we took this as a chance to discuss the topic of explorers: looking at the famous voyages of explorers such as Columbus, Magellan, Shackleton and others.  This is a great chance to practice your mastery of the past tense! Now, on to the homework.

Listening:
Learners can try an article (with audio) from VOA English about the current controversy around Columbus statues. For something else, try an episode of Six Minute English about Scott and the Antarctic.

For original version listening, try out the documentary Columbus in America, which depicts some of the dark sides of discovery for indigenous people.

Reading:
Learners can try their hand at an article about Amazing Aventures from British Council.

For original version, try an article from PBS about why some people are celebrating Indigenous People's Day instead of Columbus Day.  Do you sympathize with this effort?

Writing
Choose one of the world's famous explorers (check this link for ideas) and write a text outlining what their exploration entailed and what they discovered.    How are their achievements viewed today? Be especially careful with the past tense!

Best,
Kelly