SUPER STARFISH AND HIS SEARCH FOR SNOW

               By Gina Andros

               Super Starfish and His Search For Snow

On Sunday, Super Starfish was feeling super well.

He heard it was winter now, but he really couldn’t tell. 

He wanted to see the weather change he learned the months and then…

He marked off every day that past with one gigantic pen,

On Monday, he felt magnificent- which means he was feeling great!

On Tuesday, he was impatient- which means he could not wait.

On Wednesday, he was wonderful and excited don’t you know?

On Thursday, he was tumbling, as he bundled up for all the snow.

On Friday, he was fascinated he tracked the storm from high and low,

On Saturday, he felt suspense-meaning eager,
for this winter storm to blow.

But eventually he realized- which means he learned,
the snow would never be….

Because he was a starfish who lived deep down in the sea.

He felt a little foolish -which means silly,
although the snow he did adore,

So he decided very quickly to swim up and meet the shore!

On Sunday, he was stunned-which means he felt a bit of shock…

As he dreamed about the snow- it arrived, while he laid out upon a rock!

All week Super Starfish was enthusiastic- meaning excited,
to see something called snow,

Although he had to travel a bit, he then drifted back down below.

Super Starfish is so clever which means he’s really smart.

He knew what his goal was, right from the very start.

The snow would come again and he’d know just where to look,

If he forgets how to get there, he’ll follow the steps inside this book.

The End Song:

The end… the end, that is the end my friend. I hope you like the story! The end, the end, the end!

This children’s story has a fun rhyme scheme, educates students about the days of the week and is a perfect teaching tool when discussing winter weather with ESL students who may not even know what snow is. Some less obvious concepts include positions in space such as “under“, “on” and “in“. The story  also has a variety of new words and reveals an assortment of “bigger words” that  describe feelings which go beyond the very common and sometimes under stimulating words “sad”, “happy”, and “mad”. The main character is Starfish and I think he’s unique. :)

New Vocabulary:

1.magnificent(maɡˈnifəsənt)- very good, very beautiful, and excellent. Adjective.

2.impatient(imˈpāSHənt)- quick to anger. Upset easily when approached. Short tempered and restless. Adjective.

3.fascinated(ˈfasəˌnāt)- strong interest and attention. Attracted to and draw by something.Verb.

4.eager(ˈēɡər)- in a hurry to have or do something. Wanting something badly. Adjective.

5.decided (dəˈsīdəd)-to make a choice. To figure out a solution or to settle.Verb.

6.stunned (stənned)- dazed and shocked. Surprised and temporally unable to react.Verb. 

7.enthusiastic (inˌTH(y)o͞ozēˈastik)- showing enjoyment. Feeling eager and very interested. Adjective.

8.clever (ˈklevər)- very smart, able to understand quickly. Adjective.

Practice: Unscramble the new vocabulary words

1. tagmniifcen is_____________.
2. reeag is________.
3. dddciee is _________.
4. vrelec is___________.
5. ipatentim is__________.
6. citnaedsf is _________.
7. nundets is __________.
8. suthasicitne____________.

Grammar point: Capitalization

When is capitalization necessary? How to know when to capitalize (use an uppercase letter) at the start of a word. Rule #1 is to always use a capital letter at the start of a sentence and after a period. Rule #2 is to Capitalize proper nouns, titles, and names. There are other rules to learn when using a capitalization, but rule #1 and #2 will help with the most common uses of capitalization.

Exercise:
Write a brief description of what you do each day of  the week and include capitalization throughout when needed. Include at least 20 words that need to be properly capitalized in your written description.

To learn more about capitalization refer to the article below:
https://www.boundless.com/writing/textbooks/boundless-writing-textbook/style-structure-grammar-5/mechanics-32/using-capital-letters-148-3239/

                                              Bullies

Vocabulary words:

1. Bully (ˈbo͝olē)- Someone who is unkind. A person who is mean and hurts others with words or actions. Noun

2. Financial (fīˈnan(t)SHəl)- refers to a money status of an individual. Having to do with an amount of wealth. Adjective

3. Detest (dəˈtest)- a strong word for hate. A high level of dislike. Verb

4. Dangerous (ˈdānj(ə)rəs)- something that may cause harm or injury. Adjective

5. Prejudice (ˈprejədəs)- a negative act against another group of people without any reasons or actual knowledge. An unkind opinion about others who are different than the person with the opinion. Noun

6. Opinion (əˈpinyən)- a personal judgment about something. An idea in an individual that is not always based on facts or evidence. A persons belief. Noun

7. Consequences (ˈkänsikwəns)- a negative result of an inappropriate action. A punishment for a wrong. An outcome or a result. Noun.

 8. Pledge (plej)- a promise. A commitment to an idea. An emotional contract. Noun

Practice:
Fill in the blank next to a word that rhymes with a vocabulary word.

1. Substantial is a word that rhymes with ____________.

2. Fully is a word that rhymes with ______________.

3. Jealous is a word that rhymes with _____________.

4. Gracious is a word that rhymes with_____________.

5. Ledge is a word that rhymes with_______________.

6. Undressed is a word that rhymes with_____________.

7. Virginian is a word that rhymes with________________.

8. Audiences is a word that rhymes with ______________.

                                                         
Many students have experienced bullying in their lives, but many ESL students experience  bulling situations more frequently because they are new and unfamiliar with the language and culture. There are ways to help ESL students with bullying issues. Read the article at the link below to understand more about what ESL students experience and how to help them deal with bullies.
http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/55612/

Grammar point: What is an adjective? An adjective is a word or phrase naming an attribute of something, it is added to a noun or pronoun to modify (describe) the word. Examples of adjectives are words that describe size shape, amount, time, emotion, or personality. Example: The funny girl used humor to mask her sadness. To describe taste: The lemon was very sour. To describe touch: The prickly cactus will hurt you so do not touch it. To describe sound: The blaring crowd at the basketball game made my ears ring. Adjectives come in 3 forms or degrees. Normally it is ued in a positive degree such as the word sweet. Then there is the comparative word sweeter. Lastly there is the superlative form sweetest.

Exercise:
Select 3 ajectives found in the passage above. Create a chart with three columns and at the top of each column, title the colomn with the 3 forms of adjectives. Then fill in the missing forms of each in the appropriate spots. What it should look like:

 Positive Degree |  Comparative | Superlative
                            |                       |
1.        Smart             Smarter          Smartest

2.        Happy             Happier         Happiest

3.

                                         

                                         


                                         

Children and Technology

     Most people embrace technology and try to learn and adapt to how it evolves. The apple products are so popular among children and adults alike, I can't believe it. Cell phones are so smart that I even have trouble with them! It's not an uncommon thing to see a young child in public using a device as a form of entertainment. Teenagers don't call each other anymore, they only text. I am surprised  Elementary children have cell phones and pre-k children use tablets, Ipads, and Kindles to take photos, read books, watch videos, and play games.

      There is a real disconnection in the communication process between parents and their children, as well as the verbal communication between friends and peers. Some may argue that technology aides in the communication process but I feel that it makes communication impersonal and often abbreviated. It also does not allow family time to take place efficiently. It's difficult to pry children away from their gadgets and bring them back to reality. I think the skills learned in social settings are being derailed and communication abilities are being compromised. Everything's at the click of a button which can make inappropriate things available to children. 

       I insist on quality family time without interruptions from cell phone notifications, constant gaming, or endless text message alerts. We need to just shut everything down and come back to the present time and exist with each other without technology getting in the way. I am afraid that soon technology will replace everything that is genuine and real. I try to encourage real conversations, outdoor fun, and board games with family.
       I allow some technology in my toddler's life but not too much. I want his imagination to grow and his life experiences to be vast. I want him to explore and learn through play. Technology will not take over my home and I hope children's technology use is monitored closely.

1. Evolves (ēˈvälv)- changes towards progress. Something that grows and switches from it's original form.Verb.

2. Entertainment (ˌen(t)ərˈtānmənt)- something that is enjoyable and amuses people. Noun.

3. Communication (kəˌmyo͞onəˈkāSH(ə)n)- when people give each other news and information. Noun.

4. Abbreviated (əˈbrēvēˌātid)- something that is cut short or stopped early. Adjective.

5. Efficiently (i-'fi-shent)- To produce or make something in a progressive way. Creating something without being wasteful. 

6. Inappropriate (ˌinəˈprōprēət)- not proper or acceptable (good) behavior in a situation. Not the right way to act while in a certain situation. Adjective.

7. Imagination (iˌmajəˈnāSH(ə)n)- the action of being creative and inventing new ideas. To dream about and act out make believe (not real) situations. Noun.

8. Vast (vast)- of a great amount. A larger quantity than normal, a space that is immeasurable. Adjective.

Practice: Draw a line to match the word with a synonym (a word with the same meaning)

Evolves                                                                                                               Grows  

Entertainment                                                                                                     Message

Communication                                                                                                  Pleasure

Abbreviated                                                                                                         Impolite

Efficiently                                                                                                           Shortened

Inappropriate                                                                                                       Advance

Imagination                                                                                                         Creativity

Vast                                                                                                                      Huge

To understand more about the way technology impacts children's lives read this article:

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00094056.2001.10521686?journalCode=uced20#.VDnyEvldXQQ

Grammar point: 

Apostrophes ( ' ) are used in all forms or writing and it is sometimes difficult to know when and how to use them. Knowing a few of the rules will help you understand more about how and when to use them. The most common uses of this punctuation mark is to make contractions and show possession. The rules are to #1. When using an apostrophe to show possession with a singular noun add an apostrophe and the letter s. Examples- A man's lunch, Mrs.Scarpitta's apartment, my best friend's car.

Another rule #2. An apostrophe is also used with contractions. The apostrophe is placed in the space where letters have been removed. Examples- Doesn't (does not), isn't (is not), can't (can not), it's ( it is) and you've (you have).

Exercise:

In the paragraphs above there are some apostrophes used. Write the words that have apostrophes and explain why each one has been used. Then create three sentences where you use a word with an apostrophe in each sentence.

                                                                                                        

HALLOWEEN FOR ME

              The month of October is a very exciting month. I personally celebrate my wedding anniversary and original dating anniversary in this month. But after all my romantic celebrations, one of my favorite holidays arrives, Halloween! I absolute love dressing up and being someone new. I try to dress as something that does not relate to me. I like to be different because that is who I am normally. Not everyone enjoys Halloween because they do not appreciate scary things. I love to be frightened because I like to be brave. I am very courageous in places such as haunted houses and terrifying corn mazes. 

              Pumpkin flavored items are common during the month of October and who doesn't like a unique flavor once in a while? I believe that apples taste best when you pick them yourself. Sadly I have never been able to go and participate in that activity yet. Pumpkin picking is traditional too and carving them is a wonderful family activity. I think two fantastic aspects of Halloween are the costume parties and contests. I like being able to see all the interesting and imaginative costume ideas that others create. I also use my creative side when ever I make my own costume or decorate my home for Halloween. I have purchased costumes before but I like to invent costumes as well. I do a good amount of explaining when I choose to do that, but I don't mind because it makes a great topic for conversation. I am happy to have so many children in my life because trick or treating is both fun and rewarding. I have a serious love for candy and I almost always bring my own "trick or treat bucket". I enjoy Halloween the most because dressing up, being crafty, and eating candy are some of my favorite things to do. Not every part of the world celebrates Halloween the way Americans do, some do not celebrate at all. 

                                                              

                                                 

1. Exciting (ikˈsīdiNG)- causing eagerness and a desire to do something. Thrilling and very inviting. Adjective.

2. Anniversary (ˌanəˈvərs(ə)rē)- an important date. A day that a couple was married in a previous year. Noun.

3. Celebrations (ˌseləˈbrāSH(ə)ns)- an enjoyable social activity where people enjoy a holiday or important event together. Plural noun.

4. Courageous (kəˈrājəs)- to be brave, not afraid, not fearful of some thing scary. Adjective.

5. Terrifying (ˈterəˌfīng)- something that causes great fear. Very scary or frightening. Verb.

6. Participate (pärˈtisəˌpāt)- to be a part of something. To join in or take part in an activity. Verb.

7. Traditional (trəˈdiSH(ə)n(ə)l)- a custom, a ritual, something that has been done repeatedly over a long period of time. Adjective.

8. Imaginative (iˈmaj(ə)nədiv)- a quality of a person having to do with being creative. Inventiveness. Adjective.

9. Rewarding (rəˈwôrdiNG)- something that is productive and fulfilling. Benificial and provides self satisfaction. Adjective.

10. Crafty (ˈkraftē)- to be good at making decorative items and other things by hand. To be skillful at art. Adjective.

For practice draw a line form the definition to the word:

1.To join in or take part in an activity.                                                                Exciting

2. Very scary or frightening.                                                                                Crafty

3. Good at making decorative items by hand.                                                      Rewarding

4. A custom or a ritual.                                                                                         Terrifying

5.  An enjoyable social activity where people enjoy a holiday                            Anniversary

6. Something productive and fulfilling.                                                                Celebrations

7. Not fearful of some thing scary.                                                                        Imaginative

8. Thrilling and very inviting                                                                                 Participate

9. A day that a couple was married.                                                                       Courageous

10. Inventiveness.                                                                                                   Traditional

Halloween is a fun and exciting holiday and can be very enjoyable. Some cultures don't celebrate Halloween and others have different traditions around the world. To find out more about Halloween check out this article:  http://www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org/halloweenglobal.php

Grammar Point:Most people know a noun to be a person, place ,or thing. But a noun can also be an idea. For example an Anniversary is a noun but it isn't something you can touch, it is just an idea. There are also different kinds of nouns. There are count nouns which are things that can be counted. (ex. pumpkins or celebrations) and mass nouns can not be counted (ex.corn).

Exercise:

Can you make your own list of nouns and include 3 nouns that are ideas, 3 count nouns, and 3 mass nouns? What other types of nouns are you familiar with? Look up the word "noun" and give me the name and definition of a different kind of noun that I used in the paragraph above. Example: Proper noun.