2017 Viral Videos

So... Get a piece of paper and try to describe what is happening or what just happened.  Post your best descriptions in comments. Good Luck!!

Did you ever have a situation similar to one of these videos?  Write about it!  (Also, write descriptions of some of the videos!   Which video is the most interesting?)

Happy Yalda!

While you see Christmas decorations everywhere, many people in the USA celebrate different holidays from different cultures.

https://www.facebook.com/cbc/videos/853128431525431/

Do you like snow?

When I was a child, my mom and I caught snowflakes with a frozen blue cooler insert (The thing you put in the freezer to keep stuff in your cooler cool) and looked at them under a microscope.  I used a magnifying glass with my children.  Snowflakes are beautiful.

Do you like snow?  Is this your first snow?  Do you have any memories in the snow?  Are you enjoying the snow today?

NO SCHOOL TODAY-- FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13

 write about how you are and what you are doing .

How are you?  What are you doing?

You Bring Out the Best in Me

Can you find misspellings in this next song?

In casual texting English, wanna=want to

coz='cause=because

gonna = is going to (future with a plan)

What are your best memories of English class?  What are the best activities?  What challenges you to do your best? 

Little Things

Relax, keep practicing, and register for the next class.  Whatever your level, you are improving.
Little things add up to big things.

What little things make you happy?  What little things make you happier with another person?
Are you looking forward to any little things during the holidays?

Are you ready?

I am so proud of the English improvement in this class.  If I am moving you up, please be nice and consider the people who worked really hard, improved a whole lot, but still aren't ready.

Please bring money for registration today!!

Is money important?

I've never liked this song, but it's catchy and repetitive and I promised Joan 

that I would play it for you.  I showed off your wonderful writing about great gifts to her, and she remembered this song.

My father-in-law said he knew a man who said that he wouldn't marry a girl just for her money, but that he would only date rich girls until he found one he could love.

 What are the best things rich people have?  Do you think relationships are easier when you have money?

Remember

Evening class:  We have our pot-luck party tonight.  

Bring food if you can.  

Come with or without food.

Please register for the next class.

Please come tonight even if you won't register.

What will you remember from English class?

Little bitty

Little bitty = very small  I saw someone listening to this little bitty song on the field trip bus today...

Describe something that's little bitty, but you value it a lot -- like a baby, child, or wedding ring.

Should I Stay or Should I Go

Practice using "Should"

What should you do today?

All I have to do is dream

What do you have to do this week?

Do I have to say the words?

(A cross to bear is a big problem that will improve your character if you survive it.)

Yes, in English class you have to say the words.  What other times do you have to speak English?

Good TImes

"Let's cut the rug" means "Let's enjoy dancing."  No one says that anymore.

This next song is fast (a challenge!!!) and refers to alcoholic drinks.
If you can sing this, I want to hear it!!  I think if you like it, it's worth practicing.

Describe a good time!

Why Should I Care?

I always think people should care, but I think singing this will help you pronounce questions with should.  Be careful to say "Should I?"  Not "I should" in a question.

Can you write about a time that your own emotions surprised you?

Should I...

Did you ever have a crush on an actor or a singer?  Who do you like?

I'll Be Watching...

Do you think that public cameras and social media make our lives better?  What are the pros and cons?

History

Do you have a favorite story from history?  Please write it for me.

Somewhere Only We Know

Do you have a special place that makes you think of happy memories?  Where?

Gubernatorial Election

Today is the gubernatorial election.  Virginia's governor is now Ralph Northam.

A governor is similar to a president, but only for the state.  Virginia's Gubernatorial elections are always one year after presidential elections.  We always change governors because governors can never stay for two terms in a row.

The Democrat running is Ralph Northam.  The Republican is Ed Gillespie. 
Clifford Hyra is the Libertarian candidate.  The Libertarian party is the third largest political party in the USA, but it is very, very small in comparison to Republican and Democrat.

The governor can call special sessions of Virginia's legislature.  The governor can veto -- say NO -- to any laws he doesn't like.  If the governor vetoes a law, it may still become law if two-thirds of the legislature vote for it again.  Governors can also cancel punishments for people, including the death penalty.  Governors suggest things for the legislature to talk about.

Virginia also votes for local representatives.  Current Map of Voting Districts
 Websites and Information about all the candidates in Virginia

We will also vote on whether Fairfax County Public Schools can borrow about $315 million to build new buildings and improve old ones.

Political Terms We Talked About Today


Do you vote for the local government in your country?  Does the local government have a lot of power in your country?

Sentimental Journey

Write about a vacation, a trip, or a location that makes you happy to think about.

Describe the street where you live

Describe the street where you live, where you lived or where you want to live!  (Don't say the names of the streets, just what the homes and surroundings look like.)

I am grateful I knew you...

Describe someone from a long time ago that really helped you.

Who knew?

Tell me about something that happened that really surprised you.

Irregular Verb Practice

Do you know a lot of irregular verbs?  How did you study?

Quizlet Flash Cards--Irregular Verbs

Learn and Practice a LOT of irregular verbs

Can you tell a story or make up a song about the past?  Maybe something like:

The most common irregular verb is the verb to be.  Can you practice it with this memory test?

It's You

Describe someone or something new in your life.

Up to vs. Up for

What are you up to this weekend?  Are you up for adventure?

Walk on

Do you like to hike?  Do you like to take long walks in the city?  Where do you like to hike?  How do you get there?

This is YOUR blog. The blog is YOURS...

Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns

What are your favorite possessions?

Shape of You

This song is too SEXY for me!!

Can you find any examples of past tense, present tense or present continuous in this song?

She's always a woman...

Describe a woman that you love.

Practicing Grammar...

Do vs. Does

don't vs. doesn't

Simple Present Practice -- Don't forget the s

a, an, or the

future with will

will not =won't

Questions with "will"

future with going to

Future that I'm not going to do

Are you going to practice?

AM going to...

Practice Blue Units 1 and 2 for review

What do you want to do?  What won't you ever do?

Listen and Repeat...

Tell me about some things you usually do and some things you are doing now.

What did you do last weekend?

In the USA, we say ON the weekend, not at

What do you do every weekend?  What did you last weekend?

Don't they know it's the end of the world?

BBC Video about Negative Questions

(British accents, but the main idea is good in American English too.)

What helps you feel better when you get bad news?

Swim

Shiro the Dog the Loved Marilyn

Did you enjoy the story of Shiro?  People can't see Shiro swim anymore, but there are now statues of both Shiro and Marilyn on the shores of their islands.

Did you ever learn about a love story that goes with a place?  Where?  Tell me the story.

Stressed Out (Fast Challenging Songs)

Today's vocabulary reminded me of a couple of songs, but they are really difficult for this level.

Don't stress out trying to understand, but if you like them, repeat them until you can sing too.

Do you think caring what other people think stresses you out?  What stresses you out?  What makes you happy?  Did you enjoy your childhood?  What did you like to do when you were a child?

Love is a battlefield...

Do you know people who always fight with the people they love?  What is the best way to calm an angry person down?

Describing People and using simple present tense

What do you usually do on Tuesdays?

Want to study grammar?

Can you find any English Grammar mistakes in this grammar video?

Some people in our class got an excellent grammar education before this class.  Some never had a chance to learn grammar before.  If you want to practice grammar that you should master before going to high intermediate, try these links.

Can you name the parts of speech?

Simple Present

Present Continuous=Present Progressive

Simple Present vs. Present Continuous

future with will

future with going to

Simple Past

Challenge: Adjective Order

Our Hearts will Go On...

It's going to be a Great Day!

What are you looking forward to?  What are you going to do that is going to be fun?

The Moon

Are you eating moon cake?  Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to my Chinese students!  Please write about your celebration!

Many families get together to eat moon cakes in China.  What is your favorite holiday?  What do you do on that holiday?

Learning to fly...

Please change ain't got to"don't have" just because I'm an English teacher.

What are you learning?

Who are you?

I've never felt this way in my relationship with my husband, but I've definitely felt it with teenagers...

Who are you?  What's your name?  Where are you from?  Tell me about your job and/or your family.

Like a Bridge Over Troubled Water

Like a bridge over troubled water...

Practice Simple Present with "will"

Who do you turn to when life is difficult?  Who turns to you when life is rough?  How can we comfort friends and ease their worries?

The Start of Something New

Do you like to do new things?  Can you tell me about a time you started something new?  Is there anything new you really want to learn in this class?

Englishman in New York

I don't recommend that you ever say "I'm a legal alien," even if it's true.  It sounds like "illegal alien" which is much more common to hear.  "I have a tourist visa" or "I have a student visa" or "I have a green card" is much more common.

What surprises you about living here?  What cultural habits do you want to keep wherever you go?

Fight Song

Learning English can feel like a real battle.  Celebrate your small wins.  If you learn a new vocabulary word, you win.  If you understand a conversation, you win.  If you understand something today that you couldn't understand yesterday, you win. Tell me about a recent victory.

Gold Star Mother's Day

Some people honor the mothers of military members who died in service today.

Do you have children?  How old are they?  Did you ever serve in the military?  Do you have a family member that has served in the military?  Do you have required military service in your former country?  Is it good to require military service?

Nice to meet you, anyway....

Please describe someone you just met!

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

This Mozart melody is probably the most popular little kid song and beginning violin tune in the United States.  When I hear it, I remember my oldest daughter practicing her violin while my four-year old and two-year old sang "Twinkle"  "ABC" and "Baa Baa Black Sheep"

ABC Song

Baa Baa Black Sheep  -- 

(We don't say "Have you any" for questions anymore.  We say "Do you have any")

Do you have children?  How many?  How old are they?  Did they ever sing these songs?  

Does anyone in your family play an instrument?

Staying Alive

My son sings this song when he does CPR.  Have you learned CPR?  You may take it at Plum Center when your English is stronger.
ACE Medical Classes (You may want to search for Plum or Pimmit)
Community Medical Classes Taught in Spanish (including CPR)

Has anyone helped you live well here in the USA?  Tell me about them.  Do you have good advice on how to live really well on just a little money?  Do you cook any delicious, healthy, inexpensive meals?

I'll Run Forward

Do you like to exercise?  Do you like to run?

I Don't Love You

One of my teenagers likes to listen to depressing music.  She tells me that today is the anniversary of "My Chemical Romance's" latest album.

What makes you feel better when you are stressed, tired, sad, or angry?

Happy Hobbit Day!!

Today is Bilbo's birthday.  Bilbo is the main character in The Hobbit, one of my daughter's favorite books.

Do you like to read?  What do you usually read?  Can you recommend a good easy-to-read book in English?

Happy International Peace Day!

How can we make our lives more peaceful?  Can we make the world more peaceful?  How?

Where do we begin?

Please describe someone you love.
(You don't have to describe a romantic partner -- a friend or family member is fine.)

CHALLENGE: Happy Talk-like-a-pirate Day!

Best Pirate Parties in North America!

Pirate Lingo to English Dictionary

Did you ever pretend to be a pirate when you were a child?  How about your children?
What games did you like to play when you were a child?

I want peace.

Please don't write, "wanna."  Write "want to."

What do you want to do in the next few weeks?

I'll be right here

What do you do to stay in touch with people you can't see often?  How do you keep the relationships happy and strong?

I will be...

What do you do to make other people happy?  What do you want to do?

Like a bridge...

Write about a time someone helped you when you needed it.

I always Remember Your Smile...

Tell me about a memory that makes you smile.

Farewell...

So what are your plans?  Where are you going to go?  What are you going to do?

Night Crossing

Article: Creative Ways to Get Across the Berlin Wall

Harriet Tubman

Song: a student's video with many images of slavery and escape.

A sky full of stars

calendar for star-watching

Do you want to learn about the stars/constellations in this area?  Lecture and Ceiling Projections

at  David M. Brown Planetarium

1426 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA 22207   703-228-6070

Monday, August 7th, 7:30 – 9:00 ish PM

(The website asks people not to bring small children)

Other Nearby Planetariums

Shop without Virginia Taxes!

So, the back-to-school shopping season starts this weekend with no taxes on inexpensive clothes, shoes, school supplies, and emergency supplies.  Most things need to cost less than $100 to be eligible.  Virginia will charge tax on most items over $100.

Wal Mart Ads
K-mart ads
Target Ads
Office Depot Ads

"Bad boy" lament about back to school---

Inexpensive emergency supplies are tax-free this weekend, but most hardware will be taxed.

Super-challenge  -- fast lyrics.
(Parody of people in advertisements...)  

Don't try to understand every word.  Some of them (automatic circumcisors?) don't exist.  

Are you shopping this weekend?  Did you find any bargains?

Follow the Drinking Gourd

Follow the drinking gourd-- safeshare no ad link

What did the lyrics mean to escaping slaves?

Is it really good to be a king?

Our story didn't mention that Mumbere was a teenaged leader of a (military?) rebel group in Uganda.

When Mumbere went back to Uganda, he agreed to only be king for ceremonies and culture.  

He wasn't supposed to have any political or ruling power.

In the 1990s, there was an insurgency (unsuccessful revolution) 

by the Allied Democratic Forces (an Islamic group labeled "terrorist") in Rwenzururu.  

Uganda kicked out the Allied Democratic Forces, and they are now based in Congo.

Mumbere was arrested twice this year because the Ugandan government thinks 

Mumbere doesn't want the Ugandan Government to rule Rwenzururu.  

Many people died when the soldiers came to arrest Mumbere.

Challenging Youtube Videos about Charles Mumbere

Our theme "you can't judge a book by its cover" works both ways.  There are many intelligent, educated people that work service jobs in the United States.  You don't expect a king to be your mother's CNA, but it can happen.  Likewise, some people we admire as heroes aren't all good.

Is it really good to be a king or queen?  If you had power, what would you like to do to change the world?  Is it possible for a king to be good?  If it is possible, what would a good king look like?

I dreamed a dream...

I dreamed a dream...

Lyric Video of I dreamed a dream  (Can you find which 4 words are different?)

In these videos, people declared their dreams -- their unreasonably difficult goals -- and they worked hard to achieve them.  What are your dreams?

Cool Change...

This song is to celebrate the cooler weather and to give my introverted students a theme song.
(Thanks for talking about guests last class!)

Have you ever gone sailing?  Do you like to be alone?

 I love getting to know you, but I also like reading books or working on this blog when I'm home by myself.

 Please describe a time when you felt happy while you were alone.

Have you ever...

(wished is not spelled with an h)

Learn and practice present perfect...

We've seen a lot of rain today!  How many rainbows have you seen this year?  Where were you?  What were you doing when you saw one?

Have you ever gone to Virginia Beach?  When?  What did you do?

Beach Vacation

Language Guide: Vocabulary by the Sea

Practice beach vocabulary  LC Beach Vocabulary II

Clothes

Women's Clothing    Men's Clothing

Do you like to go to the beach?  What is your favorite beach?  Why?  What do you do at the beach?

Surfer Dad

Have you ever gone surfing?  Do you like to go to the beach?  What is your favorite beach?  

What do you think is important for health?

What do you always do every day?

We use simple present tense when we talk about every day, when we use frequency adverbs, and when we use non-action (stative) verbs.

(Grammar Teacher Notes for this next video:  When you write, put a space between every and day unless it's an adjective right before a noun.  Also don't put an a between is and getting.)

simple present grammar practice

frequency adverb practice

non-action verbs

Tell me about yourself and your routines.  What do you do every day?  Can you tell me about changing a routine so that it worked better?

What makes you feel young and happy?  What makes you feel comfortable?  What makes you feel free?

Remember High School?

Did you enjoy high school?  What was your schedule?  Did you have a favorite teacher?  Did you play any sports?  Did you do any clubs?  Write about your school.

Computer Class

1.  Set up a google drive account
2. Write an email to me at Pimteacherlaurie@gmail.com
--Parents:  Pretend I am your child's teacher.  Write to me as Ms. Scheible and tell me why your child can't come to school.
--Single students:  Pretend I am your college professor.  Write to me as Ms. Scheible and ask for an extension on a deadline.

In the USA, school is compulsory.  Your child can only be absent for illness, doctor's appointments, or the death of a close family member.  They cannot stay home because they didn't finish their homework or because they are afraid of bullies.

Many colleges and high schools have official policies that encourage students to change deadlines if there is too much to finish in one day.  (No one should have three exams and two research papers due on the same day, but it happens.)  Deadlines can only be changed if you ask for the change before the deadline, and many professors don't like to comply with the policy.

3. Practice vocabulary spelling  (Sidelink: Vocabulary-->summer vocabulary--> spelling)
4. Lyric game  (Bottom of reading/listening list)

Homeschooling

Homeschooling

Do you know anyone who is homeschooled or homeschooling?  Do you think it's a good idea?  If you homeschooled, would you want to unschool, school-at-home, or use a co-op?  Would you travel a lot?

Three Cups of Tea

Do you believe that three cups of tea can make you family?  Do building relationships and schools really lead to peace?  How else can people promote peace?

Gift to be Simple

Tis the Gift to Be Simple

Places you can go to learn more about the Shakers and their history

The first video says "tis the gift," but this one says "tis a gift to be simple. "

The gift is the gift you already know about.  A gift is one of many.

Practice using a, an, or the

What should a simple life look like?  Do you want your life to be simple?

You've got personality

Practice Additional Vocabulary to Describe Personality

What traits do you value most in your friends?

Organ Donation

Organs that can be donated after death are the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, pancreas and small intestines. Tissues include corneas, skin, veins, heart valves, tendons,ligaments and bones.

The approximate maximum time for the following organs/tissues is: Lung (4-6 hours); Heart (4-6 hours); Liver (24 hours); Pancreas (24 hours); Kidney (72 hours); Corneas (14 days); Bone (5 years); Skin (5 years); Heart valves (10 years).

FAQ (frequently asked questions) about Organ Donation

The lady in our story is not the only non-family living kidney donor in the USA...

According to Google, head transplants on monkeys were done in the 70's, 

and a human one is planned.  The one we were talking about today may happen in China.

Challenging News Reading -- Head transplant volunteer won't do it after all.

What do you think about organ donation?  What did you think of the reading today?

Love that Body

Vocabulary: inside the body
Practice Vocabulary about internal organs
More Practice Vocabulary about internal organs
(Warning:  This is a sexier video -- in meaning (not pictures) -- than I usually put on here.)

What is your best physical trait?  

(I like my eyes.  My daughter likes her long wavy hair.  My son likes his muscular arms...)

You've got a friend

What is the difference between here and hear?

Describe one of your friends.  What is important to do to be a good friend?

Help!

Do you like to help people?  How?

What makes you smile?

What makes you happy?

Riding on a donkey

In the story we read, Jackie Mitchell quit baseball when her exhibition games got uncomfortable for her.  In her last game, she had to throw the ball while sitting on a donkey.  This isn't an expression.  She was really riding a donkey, just like the lady in the next video.

Have you ever ridden a donkey?  Have you ever ridden an elephant?  Have you ever ridden a horse?  Write about it.

Hall of Fame

"Gonna" is not an English word although you often see it written in texts and in lyrics.

 "Gonna" is how we pronounce "going to" when we use "going to" to show future tense.

Hall of Fame for baseball players in Cooperstown, NY

The Hall of Fame shows  information about the best baseball players ever in the USA.  Both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig are in the Hall of Fame.

• Write about a time that you or a team that you liked won.
• Do you want to be famous for being excellent at something?  What?  
• Who do you admire because they are excellent?