March Madness

          March Madness is the name for a college basketball tournament that easily captures the attention of so many basketball enthusiasts annually.  Viewers who do not even consider themselves avid basketball fans find themselves near a television keeping up with the games.  Many people root for specific teams based on the predictions they make, and other people cheer on certain teams based on colleges that have been attended by people they know.  Today the top eight teams will move on to the Elite Eight round, where they will fight for positions in the illustrious final four spots.  Soon a national champion will be named.

Vocabulary:

captures: (v.) grabs or holds someone

avid: (adj.) showing excitement or enthusiasm for something

root: (v.) to cheer or support

elite: (adj.) a special part of a group that is better than the rest

illustrious: (adj.) admired and famous

champion: (n.) winner



Vocabulary Exercise:
Please write your own sentence for each of the words above.   Use the definitions and the examples of the use of the words in the paragraph above.

1. captures ________________________________________________________
2. avid ___________________________________________________________
3. root ___________________________________________________________
4. elite ___________________________________________________________
5. illustrious ______________________________________________________
6. champion ______________________________________________________




Grammar Point: Adverbs

Adverbs modify verbs and tell us when something happens, how something happens or where something happens.  Adverbs can be classified as adverbs of manner, adverbs of time, adverbs of place, or adverbs of frequency.

Adverbs of manner tell us how the action occurs.  An example from the paragraph above is the word "easily" in "March Madness is the name for a college basketball tournament that easily captures the attention of so many basketball enthusiasts annually."

Adverbs of time tell us about the time that the action takes place.  An example from the paragraph above is the word "today" in "Today the top eight teams will move on to the Elite Eight round, where they will fight for positions in the illustrious final four spots."

Adverbs of place tell us where the action occurs.  An example from the paragraph above is the word "near" in "Viewers who do not even consider themselves avid basketball fans find themselves near a television keeping up with the games."

Adverbs of frequency tell us how often the action occurs.  An example from the paragraph above is the word "annually" in "March Madness is the name for a college basketball tournament that easily captures the attention of so many basketball enthusiasts annually."



Grammar Activity: 
Underline the adverb in each sentence, and state whether it is an adverb of manner, time, place, or frequency.

1.  The office manager is coming here. __________________
2.  I wake up early in the morning to get ready for work. _____________________
3.  She drove slowly with the baby sleeping in the backseat. __________________
4.  He asks the same question daily. _____________________
5.  I never take the train to work. _______________________
6.  They carefully filled in the answers on their test. __________________
7.  The teacher always writes the homework on the board.  ________________
8.  Mom went somewhere to pick up dinner.  ___________________
9.  Tomorrow you need to study for your math test. _________________
10.  You answered correctly.  ____________________

Snow Day!

   

     We are ecstatic that today was a snow day!  Receiving a phone call that school is closed for snow is the best surprise! Weather men and women predicted that this would be the biggest storm during the month of March.  Although there was not as much snow accumulation as predicted, the roads were more icy and more dangerous than people expected them to be.  It is better to be cautious and to stay off the roads when the weather is bad.  The benefit of snowy weather, however, is that students have no school!

Vocabulary:

ecstatic: (adj) feeling an extreme amount of happiness

accumulation: (n) a large gathering of something

dangerous: (adj) unsafe and likely to cause harm

cautious: (adj) careful to avoid danger

benefit: (n) the positive result



Vocabulary Exercise:
Please write your own sentence for each of the words above.   Use the definitions and the examples of the use of the words in the paragraph above.

1. ecstatic ________________________________________________________
2. accumulation __________________________________________________________
3. dangerous _______________________________________________________
4. cautious _________________________________________________________
5. benefit __________________________________________________________




Grammar Point: Comparatives and Superlatives

Comparative adjectives are used to form sentences between two objects.  For one syllable adjectives, add the ending -er to the end of the word to form a comparative.  For two syllable adjectives, either add the ending -er or place the word "more" in front of the adjective.  For three syllable adjectives, place the word "more " in front of the adjective.  Here is an example from the text of a comparative:

- Although there was not as much snow accumulation as predicted, the roads were more icy and more dangerous than people expected them to be.


Superlative adjectives are used to form sentences between three or more objects.  For one syllable adjectives, add the ending -est to the end of the word to form a comparative.  For two syllable adjectives, either add the ending -est or place the word "most" in front of the adjective.  For three syllable adjectives, place the word "most " in front of the adjective.  Here is an example from the text of a superlative:

- Weather men and women predicted that this would be the biggest storm during the month of March. 


There are also irregular comparatives and superlatives.  Here are some examples:

1. good:
-Comparative: better
     It is better to be cautious and to stay off the roads when the weather is bad. 
-Superlative: best
    Receiving a phone call that school is closed for snow is the best surprise!


2. bad:
-Comparative: worse
-Superlative: worst




Grammar Activity: 
Please fill in the blank with the proper form of the comparative or superlative form of the adjective in parentheses.

Comparatives:
1.  Mike is __________________ (tall) than Nick.
2.  Kaitlyn is _________________ (smart) than Maria.
3.  Tom is ___________________ (good) than his brother at doing laundry.
4.  Danielle is __________________ (serious) than Alyssa.

Superlatives:
5.  That is the __________________ (adorable) baby.
6.  Diego is the _________________ (small) in the class.
7.  This is the __________________ (bad) day ever.
8.  Ashley is the __________________ (kind) girl.

St. Patrick's Day

     St. Patrick's Day is coming soon!  This holiday is celebrated every year on March 17 as national holiday in Ireland.  St. Patrick's Day is also celebrated in other parts of the world, too, including the United States.  On St. Patrick's Day there will be a big parade in New York City.  Bands from around the country are going to march and play traditional Irish songs.  Many people will wear green in celebration of this day!  Two symbols that are known for being related to St. Patrick's Day are the lucky four-leaved clover, which is shown in the photo above, and the leprechaun. According to Irish belief, there is a leprechaun who knows where there is a pot of gold located. Everyone wants a pot of gold!


Vocabulary:

including: (prep) containing part of a whole

parade: (n) a public event in which people march, possibly with bands or floats

traditional: (adj) describing something that has been passed down from generation to generation based on customs or beliefs

symbols: (n) things used to represent an object or belief

related: (adj) describing something that is connected to something else

belief: (n) trust or faith in someone or something


Vocabulary Exercise:
Please write your own sentence for each of the words above.   Use the definitions and the examples of the use of the words in the paragraph above.

1. including ________________________________________________________
2. parade __________________________________________________________
3. traditional _______________________________________________________
4. symbols _________________________________________________________
5. related __________________________________________________________
6. belief ____________________________________________________________


Grammar Point: Simple Future Verbs
The simple future tense refers to an action that is in the future and has not occurred.  Here are three examples of sentences from the paragraph above that use the simple future tense:

1. On St. Patrick's Day there will be a big parade in New York City.
2. Bands from around the country are going to march and play traditional Irish songs.
3. Many people will wear green in celebration of this day!

The simple future tense uses the helping verbs "will" or "shall" and the base form of the verb. (See examples 1 and 3.)  It can also be used with a form of the verb "go" and the infinitive of the verb. (See example 2.)


Grammar Activity: 
Please fill in the blanks with the future tense of the verb in parentheses.  You may use the helping verbs "will" or "shall" with the base form of the verb, or you may use a form of the verb "go" with the infinitive of the verb.

1.  I ______________________ (shop) at the mall for a dress.
2.  He _____________________ (eat) all of his dinner, because he is so hungry.
3.  She ______________________ (buy) a cake for the party.
4.  They ___________________ (travel) the world together.
5.  We __________________ (miss) our friends when they move to South Carolina.

Valentine's Day

 

     It's Valentine's Day!  This is the day of the year when people are showing love for the people they care about.  People are decorating their houses with hearts.  Many boyfriends are buying flowers and chocolate for their girlfriends.  Many couples are going on dates and are eating at fancy restaurants. There are also people who are telling their loved ones how much they appreciate them.  Students are even exchanging cards with their classmates.  It is a wonderful time of the year to acknowledge the ones you love and to be thankful for the people around you.


Vocabulary:

decorating: (v) to be currently making something look better or to be currently adding items related to a holiday

fancy: (adj) describing something that looks or is expensive

appreciate: (v) to respect and to be grateful for someone or something

exchanging: (v) to be currently giving something and receiving something in return

acknowledge: (v) to recognize

thankful: (adj) describing someone who is grateful and happy to have something


Vocabulary Exercise:
Please fill in the blank with the correct vocabulary word.

1. Sam is ___________________ Christmas gifts with Hailey.

2. I ___________________ that I can always learn more as a teacher.

3.  I am __________________ to have a loving family.

4.  Do you _____________________ the fact that you have food, clothing, and a warm home?

5.  Mom is ______________________ the house for St. Patrick's Day.

6. That is a very _____________________ table for a simple house.


Grammar Point: Present Continuous Verbs
The present continuous tense is formed by using the present tense form of the verb "to be" and the present participle (-ing) form of the verb.  Here are three examples of sentences from the paragraph above that use the present continuous:

1. People are decorating their houses with hearts.
2. Many boyfriends are buying flowers and chocolate for their girlfriends.
3.  Many couples are going on dates and are eating at fancy restaurants.

We can use the present continuous when we are talking about something that is currently happening, something that is temporary, something that is changing, or something that is happening again and again.


Grammar Activity:
Please write three sentences of your own that contain the present continuous tense.

1. ________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________

Stay Healthy, Everyone!

     As someone who was recently home sick with the Flu, I urge you to try to stay healthy!  It is certainly not fun to be stuck in bed with uncomfortable symptoms.  This time of year, germs spread inside rooms with windows closed, especially classrooms.  It is important to take good care of your body in order to try to prevent yourself from getting sick. Remember to eat healthy, to wash your hands often, and not to share food or drinks with anyone.  Many doctors also recommend getting up-to-date vaccinations, including the Flu shot.  Good luck, everyone!

Vocabulary:

urge: (v) to strongly encourage or advise

uncomfortable: (adj) describing something that is causing slight pain or unease 

symptom(s): (n) a physical side effect that a person feels

especially: (adv) used to emphasize one specific thing

prevent: (v) to stop something before it happens

recommend: (v) to suggest or advise

vaccination(s): (n) a shot or treatment that is used to prevent illness

Vocabulary Exercise:
Please fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary word from above.

1.  I love all types of candy, _____________ Skittles.
2.  All students must have proof of their _____________ before beginning kindergarten.
3.  Her mom _____________ her to always dress professionally for every job interview.
4.  My _______________ include a headache and a fever.
5.  I ________________ that you go see the new movie starring Jennifer Lopez.
6.  He felt ________________ going to his ex-girlfriend's birthday party.
7.  Make sure that you brush your teeth at least twice a day to ___________ cavities.



Grammar Point: Verbs in the Present Tense
Verbs are used to describe actions, and verbs in the present tense show an action that is happening now or is a scheduled occurence.  For example, in the passage above, some verbs in the present tense include "urge", "spread", "prevent", "eat", "wash", "share", and "recommend".

Here are a few more example of a verb in the present tense used in sentences:
Brendan walks his dog every night.
Connor goes to dinner with his friends on Fridays.
Lauren helps her cousins with their homework.



Grammar Activity:
Write three sentences of your own using verbs in the present tense!
1. _______________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________

Super Bowl 51

     Did you watch Super Bowl 51 on Sunday night?  If so, you saw an exciting, historical game!  Many experts predicted that the New England Patriots would be victorious, naming the head coach of the Patriots, Bill Belichick, one of the most successful head coaches ever to coach in NFL Football.  Many were surprised when the Atlanta Falcons led the game with the winning score for the entire game.  Falcons fans were hopeful for a win, but they were shocked when the Patriots tied the game with few seconds left in the fourth quarter.  In the first Super Bowl to ever go into overtime, the New England Patriots scored a touchdown, winning the game.  This meant that Tom Brady, the quarterback of the Patriots, became the quarterback with the most Super Bowl wins in NFL history.


Vocabulary:
historical- (adj) describing something in the past
predicted- (v) past tense for the word "predict" meaning to make a guess about an event in the future
victorious- (adj) describing a winner
successful- (adj) describing one who has accomplished a goal
entire- (adj) whole or total
hopeful- (adj) describing one who believes that what is possible will be good
overtime- (n) the name for extra time in sports to break a tie


Vocabulary Exercise: Create your own sentence for each vocabulary word.  Remember to start each sentence with a capital letter and end each sentence with correct punctuation.

1. historical: _______________________________________________

2. predicted: _______________________________________________

3. victorious: ______________________________________________

4. successful: ______________________________________________

5. entire: __________________________________________________

6. hopeful: ________________________________________________

7. overtime: _______________________________________________


Grammar Point: Articles
Articles are words that are used before a noun to make it clear what the noun refers to.  The article "the" is a definite article that refers to one specific thing.  The articles "a" and "an" are indefinite articles that do not refer to a particular thing.  "A" is used before a noun that starts with a consonant.  "An" is used before a word that starts with a vowel.


Grammar Activity:
Please write 3 sentences that each include one of the three articles.

ENL Voki

Why You Should Join the Middle School's Cultural Club

     If you choose to become a member of the Middle School's Cultural Club, you will be choosing to embark on a unique journey!  As a member of the Cultural Club, you will become part of an inclusive community of learners.  The Middle School Cultural Club has created an extracurricular environment for students to share their similarities and to celebrate their differences.  Students feel comfortable and welcome there.  Members of the club are excited to share knowledge about their cultural backgrounds and countries related to their family's ethnicity. Not only do members teach others about the traditions, customs, and holidays celebrated by their family members, but members also show others aspects of culture, like how the cultural foods taste, how to dance a popular dance, and how to speak the native language of other countries.  They're currently working on digital presentations to display the many aspects of the country they have chosen to represent their ethnic backgrounds.  Students learn from one another and have fun doing so!  It is extremely important for students to learn to be accepting of one another and to appreciate and respect the cultural experiences and beliefs of peers.

Vocabulary:
embark: (v) to begin something new
unique: (adj) unlike anything else
inclusive: (adj) containing everything as one whole
extracurricular: (adj) outside of the regular activities
ethnicity: (n) a group that shares a similar culture, religion, or language
popular: (adj) liked by many people
native: (adj) defining people from a certain place or speaking a certain language

Vocabulary Exercise:
Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary word based on the definitions above.
1.  The __________________ activities that John participates in are baseball and Drama Club.
2.  Boots are very ________________ in the winter, because so many people like to wear them.
3.  Michael is starting a new job, and he is very excited to ________________ on this adventure.
4.  Word problems in math are difficult, even for _______________ English speakers.
5.  Our classroom creates a _______________ environment, because everyone is treated equally and works towards the same goals as a team.
6.  Molly is very proud of her Irish ___________________, and she shows this when in each of her Irish-step dancing shows.
7.  Tara has a very ______________ sense of style and wears very different clothes than other girls her age.


Grammar Point: They're, There and Their
They're, there and their are three words that sound the same but have very different meanings.
"They're" is short for "they are".
Example:  They're coming to the party.
"There" is a place.
Example:  Place the bowl of chips there, please.
"Their" shows possession.
Example:  They are bringing their new puppy to show everyone.

Grammar Exercise:
Write your own sentences for they're, there and their.  Please write one sentence for each word.