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