I won’t give up 

I love this song because it gave us the message of never give up an always keep trying.

Jason Mraz is a very good singer known for the achievements he had made professionally and his support on charities. He focus a lot on the environment and to help others in poverty condition. In 2010, he was named the humanitarian of the year and he had won the awards for his good actions.  He was very thoughtful on writing this song, giving it the special meaning and makes us think that we can do everything we intend if we put a little of effort.  Also the video is pretty good because it show us that even if you are young, old or have a serious sickness, you can stand on your feet and keep walking until you reach the finish line. That's why I choose this song so everyone never give up and even if you make mistakes you should try even though you fall many times, because of mistakes we learn. 

Gangnam Style

Gangnam Style

            I choose to do the Gangnam style   music because it’s a funny song and its getting popular everywhere in the country. I like this song because its kpop its part of the same company as big bang and 2NE1.. PSY is funny and I also like it because it made it huge everywhere and people like it because it’s a catchy song and funny. The music video is random and draws attention. The dance is one that is simple and everyone can do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60MQ3AG1c8o

Transformation - SAT Vocabulary Flocabulary

I have a vocabulary test tomorrow so I started comparing words to the definition on Quizlet. But there were many words in the definition that I did not get the meanings. So, to some words I added more definition for myself to study. These are the words that will be on the test below.

Myopic – short-sighted

Ratiocinate – to think, contemplate (to think hard)

Render – to say, or to make people (thing) do something

Recapitulate – to repeat, reiterate (repeat)

Loquacious - talkative

Verbose - wordy

Gregarious – sociable (like to be in groups)

Elocution – the art of public speaking (how to speak)s

Circumlocution – indirect language

Recalcitrant - defiant

Cogent – intelligent, viable

Seminal – original, ground-breaking

Meritorious – deserving of praise of merit

Redact – to revise, edit

Placate – to soothe, appease (make people calm down)

Tedious – boring, dull

Tomes – a large book

Peruse – to examine carefully

Entomology – the study of insects

Ostracize – to exclude (opposite word is include) from a community

Pariah – an outcast

Persevere – to persist (continue through), remain constant

Latent – present but hidden

Burgeon – to come forth, blossom

Diligently – carefully, showing care

Paragon – model of perfection, example

Commodious – spacious, roomy

Clairvoyant – able to see and detect things that others cannot

Cosmopolitan – wordly, sophisticated, international

Vast – enormous, immense

Voluminous – large, ample

Exorbitant – excessive (too big)

Extravagant – excessive, over-the-top

Colossus – an enormous structure

Synopsis – a summary

Cadence - rhythm

Cavort – to prance, dance about

Boisterous – loud, energetic

Daft – insane, foolish

Deft – skilled, adept

This is the song that goes up with the vocabularies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFtDCfSJIlM

These words will not be on the test (hopefully), but I still wanted to learn the meanings so I looked it up.

Paradox – looks right but it is not

Harbinger – a person who leads something new

Ambiguous – more then one meaning/possibility

Vague – unclear, not specific

By the way, I really like this word. It sounds really cool to me.

Vignette – small/short stories connected together

(vign = vine, ette = small in French)

From Woof to Squeak: The 10 Most Popular Pets in the United States.

 

Dogs, cats, birds, fish, horses, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, turtles, and gerbils, are considered the top 10 of popular pest in the United States. Most people would say they own a dog or cat or a fish. Because they’re considered the most common pets the kids would identify themselves with. Personally, I love all of those animals! Because when I was little my mom let me kept most of them.

When I was in kindergarten I had six dogs, four cats, four birds, eight fishes, one rabbit, and two turtles. But as you have probably known it, I didn’t have the chance to own a hamster, gerbils, or a horse. Although my grandparents did own horses, I never got one for my birthday until them thought I was old enough to have one. (I’m still waiting since now I moved). Many people said I was lucky to get the chance to have all of those pets, but what they didn’t known is that I had to take care of all of them by myself. But I always believed that it was all worth it, because all of them always brought light in my life when I was sad or alone. And were there to support me.

That’s why I decided to made my info graphic Tuesday on the ten most popular pests in America, in honor for all of them, my pets, who had died and went away. But still own a spout in my heart. Especially for my fist pet, Lala, who is still alive and recently had puppies. Please if you see someone who is mistreating an animal do something, not just let them suffer. They need someone to look up for them.

  

 

2012 Election

Who Do you think is going to win the 2012 presidential elections?

Mit Romney (R)                                                                                             Barack Obama (D)

                        

             

                     

We all know that this year election will be very competitive or not… You can find the latest predictions on who will win here. I don't know. I think these things are really impossible to say who’s going to win. I think Mitt Romney is the most electable candidate on the Republican side And Obama has done a poor job as President and the economy sucks, but he took out one of the most wanted guy in the planet, Osma Bin Laden which can help him in the election day and he has a lot of backers. Personally i think Obama is gonna win this year because he knows what his doing and also an smart president But Mitt Romney can also win too because he has the business experience Which he can fix the economy 

So overall i think Obama will take this year no doubt about that.

                                              Cartoons Jokes

    

Protests over anti-Islam film

Protests over anti-Islam film

 Today I just want to touch  upon a story that is in the news about  the protests over the anti-Islam movie. The movie can be seen on YouTube I don’t want you to watch it it is very bad and a lot of people in the world are mad about it. The movie was made in los angles California. The  movie director of the movie is a Jews men. the movie has made a lot of people mad the reason is that the say a lot of things  about prophet  Muhammad( may peace be upon him)    millions  of people have gone to the streets to protest. The protest have gone ugly people have been killed. One of being the us ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three other Americans have dead. 

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL4JGxPXvfM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j143YQYU0s

Sesame Street 123 (:

I'm a huge fan of Sesame Street, out of all the charter's Elmo is my favorite. I watched my youngest cousin learn by just watching Sesame Street. I have seen how he learned to count and speak by just watching television, which I never thought it was possible. I believe this television show is creative because it teaches kids around the world about anything, such as learning the alphabet, writing, speaking, identifying colors and much more.

Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett came up with the making of Sesame Street. It was created on November 10, 1965. It was started with the help of companies like Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Ford Foundation and Carnegie Institute. Ever since they been having famous guests on the show, it's made it more fun for the kids.

The purpose of this television show is not only to teach kids a new way of learning but to bring families and kids together. Today Sesame Street has been working with kids all around the world to work on achieving there highest potential in education.

Here is one the songs Sesame Street uses to teach kids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ECK62aDJdI

Friday-Student Choice: Embrace the Chaos: Teacher Demo

I learned to “embrace the chaos” while serving in the Peace Corps in Bangladesh, but I never imagined that more than ten years later, I’d still be learning how to do it in my U.S. classroom.

For the second year in a row, my Level 4 EL (English Learner) Skills class is my last class of the day. Although I think I have an amazing class full of 10th and 11th graders, it’s a challenge. Let me explain. My class is full of students from around the globe who are almost fully fluent orally in English. However, their reading and writing skills as well as academic vocabulary and content still need time and work. These students attend rigorous classes all day, but tend not to talk much in class or interact with students outside the EL world. For this reason, our 6^th period class rolls around and students finally feel comfortable in a classroom and ready to pair-share the hour away!

I am thankful that my students get along so well and feel so at home in my classroom. And I understand how they must be craving the interaction and comfort level of EL 4 at the end of the day. However, the chatter and off-topic questions or comments are my biggest challenge as a teacher. We have established classroom norms and I think my participation clipboard is helping, but I may need another new strategy this year. If you have any ideas, let me know!

In the meantime, we’ll embrace the chaos and keep plugging along in hopes that the chatter will die down and students will get down to business. I suppose it’s not so bad to have a classroom full of kids who trust their teacher, feel comfortable enough to express themselves and ask awkward questions, and enjoy each other’s company!

 

What's in the News?: Immigration in MN: Teacher Demo

On September 11th of this year, the largest number of immigrants in a Minnesota ceremony were recently sworn in as new citizens of the United States. 1,509 people from nineteen countries stood up to take the oath and pledge their allegiance to the United States of America. I am proud to have worked and taught with students, parents, and friends who have also stood in this exact same spot to become citizens of their new home. I feel it is an honor to have such an amazing group of people from around the world who want to make this country, our country, my country home.

If you, someone in your family or a friend will need to take their citizenship test soon, find study resources like flashcards and FAQ in multiple languages here. Best of luck and WELCOME!

Read the article: Cultures & immigration beat: A glimpse of the new 'Old World'

by Allie Shah from the Star Tribune (9/11/12)

 

Vocabulary Wednesday: Teacher Demo

The three words I want to explore are tinker, curate, and multiple meaning word.

Tinker – Verb – To repair adjust or experiment

When I was little, I liked to tinker with Tinker Toys.

Curate – Verb - to pull together, sift through, and select for presentation, as music or Web site content

Note that this word has several meanings, but the one I’m most interested in is #4 on this dictionary reference.

I hope the information and topics that I curate on this blog are interesting to my students and to the general public.

Multiple Meaning Word – Noun/ Part of Speech

According to our text, a multiple-meaning word is, “words that mean more than one thing.” (153). Unfortunately, our book does not into detail with the information we really need about multiple meaning words (MMW). MMW is a general terms for any words that are spelled and/or sound the same but have different meanings.

Forms of  MMW are:

Homonym: Words that share the SAME SOUND and SAME SPELLING but have different meanings

          Examples: tongue & tongue ::: wave & wave ::: duck & duck

Here’s the kicker: ALL HOMONYMS ARE HOMOPHONES!

Homophone: A Homograph is a word that may be spelled the SAME, sounds the SAME, but has a different meaning.

Examples: won & one ::: their & there ::: too, to, two

Homograph: Words that MAY or MAY NOT sound alike, have the SAME spellings, but different meanings.

          Examples: read & read ::: lead & Lead

My students created A to Z Taxonomies of multiple meaning words yesterday.

Infographic Tuesday: Who we are: Teacher Demo

As an English Langauage teacher, I think it's important to point out that all of the wonderful langauges my students were born speaking are often far more common than English. Currently, I have speakers of Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Kurdish, Somali, Chinese, Tibetan and Arabic in my classes. The students often encounter the stigma that comes with having an accent or sounding 'non-native-like." People are not pausing to appreciated the complex and rich linguistic and cultural history each person brings.

Almost every new student in our EL program speaks two or more languages. This is a huge asset to education and society. I am proud of the students I teach and I think their ability to speak multiple languages is an amazing asset that will serve them well in the days, weeks, and years to come.

English may be considered "The World Language" to some, but in my class and in our school it is simply the language of the majority. Stepping into a non-English speaking country is when a monolingual English speaker gets a dose of reality that we are truly in the minority.

Music Monday: Garden of Your Mind Remix: Teacher Demo

Growing up, one of my favorite television shows was Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. If you’ve never seen it, Mr. Rogers was a simple 30 minute show that consisted of one cardigan clad middle-aged man who lead the viewer in memorable and easy to sing songs, lessons on how everyday items were created, the importance of personal hygiene, what it means to be neighborly, and the power of an imagination. I absolutely loved it and Fred Rogers became a bit of a guru for me. I will fully admit that while home on breaks from college or thereafter, I would gladly settle on PBS and watch Mister Rogers just as I did when I was little…and I always learned something!

The Mister Rogers, Fred Rogers, passed away in 2003 but his legacy lives on. His life was full and included many special recognitions and awards, including being inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1999.

PBS digital studios recently came up with an ingenious Remix of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. I think it does a fabulous job of capturing the inspiration and imagination we take away from this amazing program. And it’s a song I think kids today can enjoy, even though they may have never watched the original MRN.

Enjoy the Remix: Mister Rogers Remixed - Garden of Your Mind

http://video.pbs.org/video/2244712132/