Bar Mitzvah Blog

All the boys and girls are turning thirteen. The boys are studying their religion as they move through seventh grade, and therefore are becoming men, officially. Its time to plan a big party, amassing huge lists of friends and family that can be whittled down into smaller lists of close friends and family. Time to hire the photographer, who assures me she will capture every great moment. If not, I'm sure she can recreate the moment and then capture it with today's amazing technology!

Ideas on my party come from the many parties that I attend, as I critique and appraise the various styles. Those gowns overdone, those dresses just right, those mothers proud of their sons, those mothers who can't let go of their sons. Some great tasting food, too much food, just enough food followed by way, way too much desserts of every variety ever made. Meanwhile, the boys and girls interact with each other and with the occasional adult who enters their sphere. They really are growing up, each individual at his or her own pace. Soon my son will reach the magic plateau, and be declared a man. Of course, we all know there is much more growing, learning and socialization to round him out. But all in all, the bar mitzvah, rarely celebrated in an understated manner, does have a great significance in the life of this blossoming teenager.

Vocabulary:

1. officially (adjective) - with the stamp of approval

2. amassing (verb) - gathering quantities of

3. recreate (verb) - make happen again

4. critique (verb) - assess and criticize

5. plateau (noun) - level to climb to

6. understated (adjective) - not flashy

Practice:

1. The candidate was _______ sworn into office.

2. They worked day and night ______ large quantities of grapes to make wine.

3. The scientists attempted to ________ the conditions of the explosion.

4. We ______ the play according to our own worldview.

5. The students studied hard as they attempted to reach the honor roll _______.

6. The normally flamboyant rock star had an _________ look for his meeting with the prime minister.

Grammar point:

Adjectives are used to describe a person, place or thing. Find all adjectives used in this blog.

Hair Blog

My hair was curly, full and long. Until, of course, I chopped it all off one day. I had worn my hair long for years, only occasionally getting a trim or slightly different styling. However, the years of brushing it out, untangling a bad hair day's hair, had built up to a point of which I was only vaguely aware. That point was the tipping point, the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Clouds of that insidious dust, tree pollen, mingled into my seemingly luxurious strands, added to the tipping point. So on one otherwise lazy Saturday, I went to an appointment with my regular hair stylist. I had only one direction for her, which was to "make it short." A few inches off and it seemed short, scary short, but the stylist kept cutting. Sometimes I would look away, waiting for the finished product, but then a sideways glance in the mirror would show the drastic progress. After a long period where I believe I took no breaths, my time in the chair was finished. I shook my head, the hair flowed side to side, but much less than before. It was a new look, a new me. Best of all, it was so much easier to care for, so much less time needed to prepare my hair for any event. Yes, I now had so much more time to do my make-up and try to have my face look good!

Vocabulary:

1. chopped (verb) - sudden cutting

2. untangling (verb) - taking out knots

3. aware (adjective) - knowledgable of

4. insidious (adjective) -wickedly pervasive

5. sideways (adjective) - furtive

6. progress (noun) - movement toward a result

Practice:

1. The chef _______ the vegetables into tiny pieces.

2. The sailor demonstrated the art of ___________ complicated knots.

3. As she awoke she was only dimly ______ of her suroundings.

4. The racist thinking spread ___________ ideas on the campus.

5. The racers cast ________ glances at their nearest competitors.

6. Trying to reach the trapped miners was slow but rewarding _______.

Grammar point:

Transitional words or phrases show the direction of our thoughts from one sentence to the next. Some transition words/phrases in this blog are: however, sometimes, after a long period, best of all.

Welcome Spring

The signs of spring are everywhere. Tree branches, long barren over the dark dreary days of winter, have sprouted green everywhere. My neighbors, who maybe had a view of my activities through the bare trees, now have their views blocked. Interior living and thinking turns more and more to the outdoors and social events. I already smell barbecues in the backyard. My gardener is gearing up for lots of work and plenty of billed charges. The tulips in my yard are beginning to show their gentle faces filled with color to the world in spring.

Too bad, though, about those nasty trees. Without regard for the humans who live, work, and play all around them, they spew "pollen" into the air. While the buds and leaves fill out, the trees continue to emit their nasty dust. Worst of all, that dust is aimed at those sensitive allergy sufferers like me, causing weeks of red eyes and flu like symptoms. Maybe we should just have plenty of palm trees, or giant cacti that never bloom. Oh! how I miss those clear, crisp, cold days of winter.

Vocabulary:
1. barren (adjective) - devoid of life
2. sprouted (verb) - began to grow
3. regard (adjective) - the ability to care
4. spew (verb) - gush out
5. buds (noun) - initial growth
6. symptoms (noun) - ill effects

Practice:
1. The surface of the moon appeared _____________.
2. After the first rain, the seeds all ______________.
3. The children show __________ for protecting the environment.
4. The smokestacks continuously ________ black smoke in the air.
5. The little flower ________ showed a tinge of color to come.
6. The school nurse carefully checked each child for _________ of the disease.

Grammar point:
It is important to maintain the correct "verb" tense. If you are writing about something that happened in the past, the verbs in the writing must also be written using the past tense.

Cardinal Guilt

Last spring my small dog Oreo went roaming about in the backyard. I realized something was dreadfully amiss when I saw three birds, one a flashing bright red and two more brownish, swooping back and forth over Oreo's head. I ran to the spot and saw Oreo trying to swipe at a tiny reddish object, which upon closer inspection proved to be a baby cardinal. The bird had probably fallen from a hidden nest, could not yet fly, and its parents and extended family were attempting to scare off the dog from mauling the curious object. My daughter and I rescued the bird, but couldn't really save it, and, alas, it sucumbed to the grievous injuries a week later.

This spring, we decided to create a haven for birds, a virtual place of freedom for winged creatures. Birdfeeder hanging on a pole, providing food and sustenance for the nesting parents and hatchlings. They have flocked to our backyard, scarlet cardinals, tiny yellow finches, ordinary sparrows and cooing doves. However, even in paradise, always a culprit to blame! "When Squirrels Attack" seemed to be filming right in the backyard. Sharp raps on the window proved to be only momentary respite from the furry creatures attempts to steal all the food. Humans being smarter and wealthier, I exchanged one hanging pole for a better, taller one, and the birdfeeder now swings free of the rodent like animals. After all, don't they have nuts to eat?

Vocabulary:

1. roaming (verb) - wandering and exploring

2. amiss (adjective) - wrong, out of place

3. haven (noun) - place of refuge

4. sustenance (noun) - nourishment needed to survive

5. hatchlings (noun) - newborn birds

6. respite (noun) - temporary break

Practice:

1. My friend was never comfortable in one place and was always _________ around.

2. I could tell from their sad faces that somehing was ____.

3. The hurricane survivors struggled across the flood to reach a safe _______.

4. Bread and water provided enough ______ to keep them alive.

5. The students watched in awe as three little _____ emerged from their eggs.

6. The truce provided a much wanted ____ from the fighting.

Grammar Point:

A description tells what someone or something is like. You can describe a real or made-up person or place. Make sure you use "details" to help your readers "see" the place you are describing. You can use sensory words to tell your reader how things look, sound, feel, smell, or taste.

Hurricane or Just Insane?

The forecast was dreary, with lots of rain predicted. It was going to be very windy as well, according to various forecasters. Seemed like a good day to stay inside and get around to those leftover chores. Even so, nobody warned me of the potential to be scared out of my mind as the wind picked up and its intensity increased throughout the day. In the afternoon, gusts of wind wracked the house, and they appeared to be prying the skylights off the roof. Later, the row of 15 foot tall trees in my backyard swayed drunkenly to the ground and back again and again, until they finally all fell. When the electricity was lost and remained off, I had enough.

The next day was wet, but the wind had definitely dissipated. Still without power, we took a drive for hot food and drink, and to survey the neighborhood. Giant trees were down on each block, entangled with electric, telephone and television wires. Slabs of concrete sidewalk were shifted straight in the air; they had been no match for the tree roots that had grown for many years, and had held tenaciously while the trunks fell over. When electricity was restored after 48 hours, it felt like civilization had also returned. However, debris of the aftermath was evident everywhere.

Vocabulary:

dreary (adjective) - dark and glum

intensity (noun) - focused strength

swayed (verb) - moved from side to side

wracked (verb) - swept over violently

dissipated (verb) - slowly diminished

slabs (noun) - flat expanses

Practice:

1. The gray clouds and cold rain made me fell _______.

2. The dog studied the cat in its front yard with fierce ________.

3. The tightrope walker _________ from side to side.

4. Food poisoning caused him to be _________ with pain.

5. The snow slowly _________ as the sun warmed the ground.

6. The cranes placed large ________ for the basement foundation.

Grammar Point:

Did you notice that my writing style is using the past tense?

Activity:

Find the verbs that are used in the past tense. Have fun!!

What do you think about travel?

Traveling to other states and to other countries is rewarding in many ways. First of all, if I am traveling away from home, it means that I am on vacation. So, I am relieved of the daily routines that we fall into, which sometimes become tedious. It also means that I am spending time, hopefully quality time, with my family and perhaps close friends. Relieved of my daily routines, I can be more relaxed and therefore more myself.

Traveling also provides a fabulous look at the manner in which people from other cultures live their lives. When I have visited El Salvador, I have seen many more people living without the luxuries we in the United States are accustomed to. However, the people's character and interactions with others are admirable, just their daily routines are harder. In other parts of the United States, the people may own similar things like me, but perhaps their values differ from the typical New Yorker. I would say, for example, that the typical Californian is more sensitive to the environment than we are, although going green is certainly spreading everywhere. Seeing the world from the perspective of others far away gives great insight into our own lives.

Vocabulary:
1. tedious (adjective) - repetitive and boring
2. quality (adjective) - of good substance
3. relieved (verb) - free of
4. fabulous (adjective) - especially good
5. typical (adjective) - most common
6. perspective (noun) - point of view

Practice:
1. Doing the same math questions everyday became ___________.
2. The pieces fit perfectly together, so it was clear the carpenter had done _____ work.
3. Since I had studied all the class notes, I was ________ of my worries about the test.
4. The famous chef made a ________ dessert.
5. It is a ______ day when my dog does nothing but eat and sleep.
6. The astronauts had an amazing ___________ of the clouds over the earth.

Grammar Point:
When you write, it is a good idea to add "details". Details make your writing more interesting. You can add details to tell what, when, where, and how.

~ Finally, what a beautiful day! ~

I was out enjoying the sunshine today. The temperature reached well into the 50's, and I could shed the heavy winter jacket. My daughter and I decided to do what women and girls do on a nice sunny day - we went shopping! However, when we go shopping on a nice day, it is only to buy things we actually need. Otherwise, we only allow ourselves to go window shopping. (Perhaps a few unneeded, luxury items are acceptable).

Upon returning to my house, I found my two dogs enjoying the nice weather in their own special way. In other words, they were sleeping. Sleeping, yes, but seemingly dreaming of a far off land, where dogs ran free and ate whenever they wished to eat. Yet, because of that occasional howl of a wolf that they could discern in the distance in that land, my dogs never let their dreams transport themselves too fully there. Lying in the sunshine on a human couch was wild enough for them.

Vocabulary:
1. luxury (adjective) - non-essential, not necessary
2. items (noun) - things
3. acceptable (adjective) - having approval
4. discern (verb) - become aware of
5. transport (verb) - carry to another place
6. occasional (adjective) - every so often

Practice:
1. The high priced store sold mainly ___________ goods.
2. Please remove those _________ that are made of metal.
3. None of the budget cuts were __________ to our department.
4. If you listen closely, you can __________ a faint voice.
5. The fantasy writing allowed the book to __________ me to a far away place.
6. Even bad people do an ___________ good deed.

Have fun practicing!!!

Grammar Point:
In this paragraph, my writing style includes sentences that demonstrate "cause and effect". For example, a beautiful day (cause) led my daughter and I to go shopping (effect). Another example, the nice weather (cause) led my dogs to take a dreamy nap (effect). "Cause and effect" help the reader to understand the reasons for an action to develop in the story.

~ A Cold Winter Day ~

The fat chunky snowflakes drifted down over the sidewalk, over the grass, over my car, over my weekend plans. No mall shopping, no visiting friends; maybe we could still go out to a nice restaurant later tonight? Well, make the best of it. Get the kids into their outdoor gear, hats, gloves, boots, and jackets. Get my stuff on, out into the cold, everyone gets a snow shovel and an area to start working on.


The white stuff is heavy but it is fun to push to the side and expose the brick, the blacktop, the sidewalk. The white everywhere reminds me of sand everywhere. Hopefully, the warm weather will arrive soon. The beach is waiting for me, with no shoveling to be done, except by some other mother's younger kids. I can almost feel the hot sun, the lounge chair, a cold drink. Oops, I forgot how cold it is out here, it is time to let my husband finish the job.

Vocabulary:

1. chunky (adjective) - large and solid

2. blacktop (noun) - paved driveway surface

3. shoveling (verb) - using a tool to move snow aside

4. lounge chair (noun) - low, reclining seat used at a resort or beach

5. sidewalk (noun) - concrete pathway for pedestrians

6. gear (noun) - outdoor clothing and accessories worn to keep warm

Practice:

1. Half of the students liked smooth peanut butter and half liked the ______ variety.

2. The color of the bricks made a nice contrast to the _________.

3. After a winter snow storm, people have to spend many hours _________.

4. It gave little support, but the ______ ______ was great for relaxing on the beach.

5. With so many cars passing, it was prudent to stay on the ___________.

6. The mountaineers were very careful that their _______ was in order.

Grammar point:

In this post, I have used a few nouns. A noun is used to describe a person, place, animal, or thing. Can you identify any additional nouns used in the blog?

What a great book!!!

Hurray!!! I finally completed reading El Amor en los Tiempos del Colera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Love in the Time of Cholera). Reading this novel in my native Spanish was a great experience, however, so many obstacles were thrown in my path to always prevent my sitting down with the book for more than ten minutes at a time. Work, children, dogs, and others managed to interrupt my reading sessions.

Then, on the beach in Aruba, peace and quiet at last. The richness of the language, the tempo and perfect choice of words transported me to another time and place during my childhood. I was transported to the setting of this amazing book, as well as to the setting of growing up in a Spanish speaking country. It has been at least 20 years since I read a novel for pure enjoyment in my native Spanish and it truly was an indescribable experience.

Vocabulary:

1. native (adjective) - first language learned growing up
2. obstacles (noun) - difficulties or items that stop you from doing something
3. interrupt (verb) - stop an activity without notice
4. sessions (noun) - periods of time set aside for an activity
5. tempo (noun) - pace and speed
6. transported (verb) - taken to another place physically or mentally
7. indescribable (adjective) - unable to describe with words

Practice:
Please write a comment about a similar experience you have had in which you felt truly moved by the words in a book or by the story itself in a book you have recently read?

Grammar point:
Adjectives are words used to describe or modify another person or thing in a sentence. Can you find any other adjectives used in this blog?

To blog? Is this an official new "verb"?

When I started my current ESL class at Molloy College, I was totally freaked out about the concept of "blogging". Due to multiple personal responsibilities, I have not been keeping up to date with the advancements of technology in the new millennium in the school environment, so when I when I was asked by my professor to start a blog, create a "voki", and add a "podcast" or "vodcast", I did not know where to begin to file the new English words into my ESL brain.



I have been aware that technology is an inseparable part of every day life. The developments in technology are simply amazing. No one is free from technology. Technology has taken over the world - the internet, texting, twitter, e-mail, and more. These words did not exist in my world twenty years ago when I learned to speak English. I am deeply concerned about the future of English Language Learners because even though I know that technology is a great, indispensable asset in our lives, it is creating additional new challenges for our students which requires the acquisition of complex language skills in order to successfully navigate in the world of technology.

Vocabulary:

1. freaked out: (idiom) big surprise, shock

2. blogging: (verb) communication via internet

3. multiple: (adjective) many

4. up to date: (idiom) the present, current

5. advancements: (adjective) new developments with a positive effect

6. environment: (noun) surrounding, the world

7. to file: (verb) to keep organized

8. inseparable: (adjective) can not be separated

9. indispensable: (adjective) can not live without it

10. asset: (noun)to gain

11. acquisition: (noun) to obtain

12. navigate: (verb) to move from one place to another with ease

Practice:

Please write a short comment about your own experience using technology. Were you "freaked out" with a recent development in technology? Do you agree or disagree that technology and our lives are inseparable?

Grammar point:

Verbs are words used in a sentence that convey actions. Can you identify any other verbs used in this blog?