Happy Nowruz! (Norooz?)

On March 20th, people all over the world are celebrating Norooz.  Norooz is an important Persian holiday. Many people clean their homes very well -- some shake it up so much that they get new furniture -- to prepare for the party. The party is always exactly at the time of the equinox that happens between winter and the beginning of spring. 

 Although many North Americans don't know about Norooz, our presidents always wish people well during it. In 2023, Biden gave a speech about brave women in Iran.  In 2025, Trump's white house said, "Warmest wishes to all those in the United States and around the world that celebrate Nowruz.  Nowruz is a joyous occasion for the Persian people, marking the beginning of spring, and the Persian New Year."

 The US traditions of spring cleaning and Easter eggs may come from Norooz.

 

Click to listen and read:  A Conversation about Nowruz in the USA!

Do you celebrate Nowruz?  Do you know anyone who celebrates the vernal equinox?  

Do you do spring cleaning?  

I won't give up on us

Tell me about a time you persisted and it was good.

Thank you for the music!

 

One of my former students recently told me that this was his favorite song.

Thank you for coming to class.

Thank you for listening to me.

Thank you for telling me stories about your families and other places.

Did any song help you with your English?  What song?

(Do wop)Yes, I do

 

Practice Question Words

Do you like music?

Did you learn a lot?

Will you come back

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland.

He started more than forty churches.

Legend says he got rid of all the snakes in Ireland.

St. Patrick's Day is a celebration of Irish heritage in the USA,

NOT a celebration of St. Patrick.

People wear green and have parties with a lot of beer and whisky.  Stores have sales.

St. Patrick might not be happy that leprechauns -- mythical mischievous little fairies--symbolize his day.

In elementary school, any child (of any heritage) who doesn't wear green on St. Patrick's day gets pinched.  (I think some anti-bullying efforts may be stopping that now.  Tell your child to wear green anyway) 

There are usually many parades and many parties on St. Patrick's day.

Video: History of St. Patrick's Day

Usually there are parades in all the major US cities.  Some cities die fountains green.  Chicago usually dies a major river green.  People wear green.  

Some people want to change St. Patrick's Day to Immigrant's Day.

"Danny Boy" is a famous Irish song

Bide means stay and wait. It's an old word.  Don't use it.

A classic navy drinking song for St. Patrick's day.  Listen to the song and look at the words.  Can you point to the words you hear?  It's fast!

("till his sober"= "until he's sober" in good English.  Sober is the opposite of drunk.  You are sober if you don't drink any alcohol.)

drunken-adjective (description word) for someone who drank too much alcohol.  Often "drunk."

sailor-occupation-work on a boat

Video of a famous Christian Irish Blessing.

Pi Day

 

I planned to walk around the block with you, but it seemed awfully cold for that.

Some families celebrate Pi Day by eating pie.  I once made an apple pie and cut the Pi symbol in the top of it.  I usually buy pie at Trader Joes.  Since some of you like to cook, I'm posting videos about making pie for Pi Day.

Did you ever make a pie?  What kind? Do you like to do math?  Did you enjoy Geometry class?

Prepositions on maps

 

More explanation, examples, and practice with prepositions

Did you ever use a map?  Can you give directions from school to your home?

Taking the bus

 Dash buses in Alexandria are all FREE! (No $ to ride)

Crossword with six words 

Learning Chocolate vocabulary practice

Say it like this: bus conversation videos

Do you take the bus to school?  How long does it take?

Spring Forward

Don't forget to change your clock!  

Do you get enough sleep?  Do you sleep well?  Do you know how to treat insomnia safely?

International Women's Day

The symbolic colors for IWD are purple, green, and white. Purple represents justice, dignity, and empowerment. Green represents hope, growth, and new beginnings. White represents equality, freedom, and truth. 

 How is International Women's Day celebrated in different countries?  What are the best jobs for women?

Move your clock one hour forward!

Chatty teacher challenge....

EL Civics- 

Don't Cry Over Prom Dress Prices (if you have a daughter that needs a prom dress, go to Centreville HS this weekend)

For many young people in the USA, high school prom is the only formal dance they ever attend. 

Used dresses are much cheaper than new dresses, and they are often very beautiful.  

You may also find a good free dress at Centreville High School tomorrow or next weekend.

Kids that are willing to make and wear duct tape clothes can win the

Stuck-at-Prom Scholarship -- Grand Prize winners get $15,000, runner ups $1,000.

My daughter entered it (I bought $60 of duct tape), but she didn't win anything.  

My children already went to prom, 

but I still click the link to see all the duct tape dresses.

Did you go to a formal dance in High School?  

Did your child go to prom? 

Would you let your child go to prom?

Happy Grammar Day!

 

Grammar is something to try to remember and use. Practice making  and speaking many, many examples.

These links go to the grammar for Low Intermediate.  Please tell me if a link doesn’t work.

  

Parts of Speech -- http://easyesolgrammar.blogspot.com/2014/02/parts-of-speech.html

Present Continuous (also called present progressive) --http://easyesolgrammar.blogspot.com/2014/10/present-continuouspresent-progressive.html

Simple Present

http://easyesolgrammar.blogspot.com/2014/02/simple-present.html

Simple Past

http://easyesolgrammar.blogspot.com/2014/02/simple-past.html

Memorize and Practice Using Irregular Verbs

Future with will

http://easyesolgrammar.blogspot.com/2014/05/simple-future-with-will.html

Future with going to

http://easyesolgrammar.blogspot.com/2014/01/future-with-going-to.html

Pronouns

http://easyesolgrammar.blogspot.com/search?q=pronouns

Count/non-count

http://easyesolgrammar.blogspot.com/2014/02/count-non-count.html

Prepositions of time

http://easyesolgrammar.blogspot.com/2014/02/prepositions-of-time.html

Pronouns (short substitute for a noun)

subject and  object pronouns

When to use her vs. hers

Use Indefinite Pronouns:  someone vs. anyone, everyone, no one

Comparing 2 things (comparative) or 3+ things (superlative)

http://easyesolgrammar.blogspot.com/2014/02/comparative-adjectives-comparing.html

Adjective Order http://easyesolgrammar.blogspot.com/2014/02/order-of-adjectives.html

(Adjective order is usually taught at a high advanced level, but our book introduces the basics of it.  Some of the exercises are HARD!)

But you NEVER... (Practice routines and "how often...")

Practice Frequency Adverbs...

Quiz: Click on the words to put them in the sentence in the correct order. Make a mistake? Click in the box to start over.

Examples of how long vs. how often by the BBC.

What do you always do?  What do you never do?  What do you rarely do?

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras Webquest

Gap Fill "Take me to the Mardi Gras" --- 

Lyric Video-- Mardi Gras Mambo

Do you like parades?  Did you ever go to a Carnival or Mardi Gras Celebration?  

(Please write about it!)  Do you ever eat pancakes on "Fat Tuesday?"  Are you going to a pancake supper tonight?

Battle of Adwa

Ethiopia is the only African country to never be colonized by Europe

because they won the battle of Adwa when they beat Italy.

It's now a holiday - celebrated this year on March 2.

Happy Compliment Day!

 I like the second formula (for men) better than "OMG."  It's good for women too.

Please don't say, "I like the way that you smell" if the person is not wearing perfume, cologne or a scented lotion.  It's not okay in my culture unless you have been romantically involved for a while.  Complimenting eyes or a smile is also romantic.

What's the best compliment that you ever heard?  Do people often compliment each other in other countries?  Yes?  Which country?  No?  Why?