Last Day Party Pictures

Thank you all for the wonderful party, especially to our incredible dancers Laura Vila and Celinda Huaman. Our wonderful singer is Qiao Hong Xu.

A special thanks to our photographer, Atapon Sirikreingkrai, for these lovely photos!! His pictures are here on the Shutterfly website (some are double....not sure why). You need to create an account (sign in), then I have to accept you as a member.
http://mrswilcoxesl4.shutterfly.com/pictures/8

Happy Holidays!!

Look at holiday lights near Pasadena!!!

There are some beautiful places to see the Christmas lights near Pasadena. You will be amazed at these places. It's well worth it! You can even drive in a car with your PJ's and hot chocolate and see the lights! Thanks to this person who blogged this information.

http://ablogawayfromhome.blogspot.com/2007/12/neighborhood-christmas-light-displays.html

Want to learn English AND feed the hungry? Freerice.com

This website allows you to take vocabulary and grammar quizzes (different levels) and collect 10 grains of rice for every correct answer. The rice is donated to people who need food in the world.

This is a cool idea. Check it out. It's a great site to practice English!

http://www.freerice.com/category

Happy Holidays!

See how much you know about Christmas by taking these quizzes.
http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz2431621bd7338.html
http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz229312a31f0.html

Optional:
LEARN ABOUT OTHER DECEMBER HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/TM/WS_lp2255_tf.shtml
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/winter-holidays-around-the-world.html


********RESEARCH A CHRISTMAS TRADITION:**********

Some Christmas traditions in North America are:
Hanging stockings
Christmas trees
Mistletoe
Santa Claus
Christmas Caroling (singing)

1. Research a Christmas tradition on the Internet. Where does the tradition come from? There are many sources of information and different stories. Which one do you believe? Print it out.

2. Does your culture celebrate Christmas? If yes, how is it different than the way we celebrate in North America?

3. What does Christmas mean to you (even if you do not celebrate it)? Peace and joy? A time for family and giving? Overindulgence (buying and eating too much)?

If possible, please post your research result and your answers to the questions here in the comments.

Be prepared to discuss your research and questions in groups tomorrow! 

Learn About Idioms

My dear Students,

You are all the cream of the crop here in ESL. Okay, I will cut to the chase now. These websites will come in handy when you need to look up an idiom. It may not be as easy as pie but go out on a limb and give it a shot. Now, get cracking! :)

A list (and explanation) of American English idioms:
http://www.englishclub.com/ref/Idioms/A/index.htm

Test out your knowledge of idioms with quizzes:
http://a4esl.org/q/h/idioms.html
http://www.manythings.org/c/r.cgi/slang

Use 3 idioms that you've learned in a sentence and post them here in the comments.

What is an adjective clause?

Monday Lab- Adjective Clauses and Shopping!

Good afternoon my lovely Level 4 students! Who doesn't like to shop?-- (except me?)

1)  Shopping Story (Mistake)

~Pretend you bought something at your favorite store and you need to return/exchange it.  Write your story.
What was the item? When did you buy it and why? Where did you buy it? What was wrong with it? What do you want to do about it?

~Next, Research the store policy on the Internet and write it down the important information.

~Finish your story.  Use an adjective clause in your story. For example:
The shoes (that) I bought last week at Marshall's were too small, so I returned them.
Ralphs accepted the bread that was old/moldy and gave me a fresh one.
Sears would not accept the toaster (that) I tried to return yesterday because I bought it too long ago and they would not accept the used item.

Be prepared to report to the class tomorrow!! You may also post your story here in the comments.

__________________________________________________________

2) Adjective Clauses: Using Who and That (or Which)

Remember, adjective clauses add information about the noun it is describing using "who" (or "that") for people and  "that" for things. The clause comes right after the noun it describes!

The clerk is very nice. She works at the first register.
The clerk who/that is very nice works at the first register.
(She is replaced with the relative pronoun who (or that) and is inserted right after the noun it describes--the clerk)

Now you create one!

-------When that/who is the OBJECT of a dependent clause, then that/whom is optional (it can be deleted).

I listened to the violin music. My daughter played it.
I listened to the violin music (that) my daughter played.

The violin teacher just left for Korea. I've known her for 5 years.
The violin teacher (whom/that) I've known for 5 years just left for Korea.

"just left for _______" is an expression.

Now you create one!
__________________________________________________

3) Ventures Arcade Website Unit 7

Amazing Students

Say "Cheese!"

Tuesday Lab

Hello all,

Here are some things to do:

1) Take a Thanksgiving quiz:  
http://thanksgiving.spike-jamie.com/quiz.html
http://funschool.kaboose.com/fun-blaster/thanksgiving/quiz/index.html
http://puzzles.about.com/od/trivia/l/bl_thanksgivingquiz.htm

2) Type and print out your writing paragraph about advatages/disadvantages of a time saving device.

3) Learn about Thanksgiving (for ESL) This is good!
http://www.ego4u.com/en/read-on/countries/holidays/thanksgiving

4) Study Ventures 4 website, Unit 6 (see link on this page)

5) Review or watch "Digital Nation Videos" and make comments.

Discussing the Divine Comedy with Dante

If you like the background picture on my blog, go to this link to see and learn more about the artist and the famous people in the picture. Thanks to Long Hao and (Kenneth) Quiming Lui for your help!

http://cliptank.com/PeopleofInfluencePainting.htm

 

although & even though

This is funny. You've got to see it!

Grammar: Clauses of Concession--  using although and even though. These help us add new or surprising information to a statement (in contrast). Here is another website for more practice:

http://www.tolearnenglish.com/english_lessons/although-though-even-though

Technology Topic-- "Digital Nation" Frontline News

Happy Tuesday!

Today we begin talking about how technology changes our lives, and quite possibly our brains. Is technology an advantage? Does it help us save time and make us smarter/better? Or, is it a disadvantage, creating more problems than it solves? We will watch a Frontline News Story called Digital Nation about this topic and then have discussions. English subtitles (CC).

Today (Tuesday), just watch Chapter 1 and comment. (You can watch more if you want)

------------EACH VIDEO CHAPTER IS ONLY 6-12 MINUTES LONG---------------

1. Choose "watch online" to view the video
(Press the << button on the bottom right side of the video screen for English words)

2. Choose "transcript" if you want to read the words to the video separate.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/programs/categories/8.html

After watching a chapter, please post/comment 2 new vocabulary words that you have learned and a short comment/opinion about the topic in the chapter. You do not have to comment on every chapter this/next week, just the ones that interest you. Thanks!!!

Chapter 1    Distracted by Everything (Students at MIT- multi-tasking)
Chapter 2    What's it Doing to Their Brains? (Stanford-- multi-tasking)
Chapter 3    South Korea's Gaming Craze
Chapter 4    Teaching with Technology
Chapter 5    The Dumbest Generation?
Chapter 6    Relationships
Chapter 7    Virtual Worlds (IBM Company)
Chapter 8    Can Virtual Experiences Change us? (U.S. Military)
Chpater 9    Where are We Headed?

*****IF THIS IS TOO HARD, OR YOU ARE FINISHED WITH A FRONTLINE CHAPTER****

Go the California Distance Learning Project link under "Listening and Comprehension"
1. Choose Science and Technology
2. Choose one:
               *Ready, Click, Spend
               *Computers in the Classroom
               *Computer Virus
               *Video Games
3. Listen and do the activities (including writing)
4. Email the results to me (Alison Wilcox) at awilcox40@yahoo.com

Have fun!!!  :)

Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve.  You don't have to have a college degree to serve.  You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve.... You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve.  You only need a heart full of grace.  A soul generated by love. 

 ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

PCC CEC is in the News!

Speaking of making a difference, our own Ms. Barbara Fairfield is recognized for her outstanding teaching. She is a level 5 teacher. Take a look at this link.

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_16501290?IADID=Search-www.pasadenastarnews.com-www.pasadenastarnews.com

ONE person can make a difference...what are YOU waiting for?

Making a Difference- Continued...

Hello Class,

I hope you are getting more acquainted with the website! Today, please try to register as a follower so you can post your comments. Some of you have already posted your paragraph about a special person who helped other people (in your native country). Thank you to those who have posted already. It is so inspirational to read these! Also, you can watch this video from You Tube called "Power of One".

After posting your paragraph, please review for the Unit 5 Test (Ventures Arcade link) which is Tuesday.
Here is another website to practice the grammar "time clauses (until, as soon as, when, while, before, as long as) referring to the future tense". Remember that as soon as is similar to when.
Time clauses (future)

Happy computer lab day (Monday)!

Research a Volunteer Opportunity

This week you will research a volunteer opportunity in your area that you would consider doing. You may use the Internet, call your city's Chamber of Commerce, or visit a local business/agency/school. Please report to the class.

Where is the place? 
What is the name of the place?
What is the volunteer opportunity?
What would you be doing? Job Responsibilities?
Is there a time commitment?
Why would you want to volunteer there?

Please include contact details (location, phone #, contact person) and a picture, of possible.

Be ready to report to the class, and have fun!

People Who Make a Difference

We are talking/reading about people who make a difference. Now, it is your turn. Think about a person who made a difference in your native country. It may be a famous person or it may be an ordinary citizen. Write a paragraph that includes the following:

WHO made a difference?
WHAT did he or she do?
WHY did the person do it?
WHERE did it happen?
WHEN did it  happen?
HOW did this person make a difference?

PLease check back to read other students responses and comment on them, if possible.

Hello Class!

This is my first post. Remember to work in your workbook at home. This gives you extra practice and helps you remember what you have learned week to week.