Pets and Animals

I've always had pets ever since I was a little kid. I like the responsibility that comes along with taking care of animals! But they are also lots of fun to have around as well. What kinds of pets do you have? Popular pets are dogs and cats - most of the people I know have those. The dogs are cute but I think the cats are naughty because they play tricks on their owners! But there are other animals with fur and tails, like hamsters and rabbits. Some of my friends have birds, they are animals that can fly and have beaks and feathers. One of my friends has a parrot and he talks. Some of my friends have lizards, which have scales, and tortoises, which have shells. The tortoises are very slow, and sort of lazy, while the lizards are fast. I prefer to have a goldfish most of all - they are easy to take care of and pleasing to look at!

What kinds of pets do you have? What kind of pet do you wish you had?

Key Vocabulary:

• beak (noun): part of a bird's body, like their nose but hard like a shell.
• hamster (noun): a small animal, like a mouse but with more fur.
• lazy (adjective): slow, reluctant to work.
• bird (noun): one of the kingdom of animals, these animals have feathers and can fly
• lizard (noun): a reptile, has scales and can be found in several environments around the world.
• cat (noun): a mammal that has fur, a long tail, pointy ears and is a popular family pet.
• naughty (adjective): tricky, clever, not the best behavior.
• cute (adjective): lovable, attractive, sweet.
• parrot (noun): a type of bird that has the capability to mimic its owner's words.
• dog (noun): a mammal that is a popular family pet, usually large in size, with fur and makes a barking sound
• rabbit (noun): a mammal with soft fur and a short, stubby tail, with long floppy ears and likes to eat carrots.
• feather (noun): a part of a bird's body that is soft and helps it to fly.
• tail (noun): a part of an animal's body that is usually found on the back of the animal, can be long or short.
• fur (noun): a part of an animal's body that is very soft, like hair, and cover's the entire body.
• tortoise (noun): a type of reptile that is like a turtle, but lives on the land and does not swim. Has a hard shell and is very slow.
• goldfish (noun): a type of fish, it is usually orange in color and has big eyes.

 Vocabulary activity:

Look for the vocabulary words in the word search, then fill in the boxes below!

 

 

Grammar Point:

Even animals can have adjectives! Sometimes that is the only way to distinguish between one animal and another. An adjective is a descriptive word used to describe a noun. For example, if you wanted to describe an elephant, you might say that an elephant is gray, large, heavy, and loud. It's skin is rough and wrinkled. It has a long trunk. All of these adjectives can help someone visualize what an elephant might look like, even if they've never seen one before.

Grammar Activity:

Find a partner and take turns describing an animal using only adjectives. Do not say the name of the animal - your partner must guess what they think it is based on your clues! Bonus: ask your friend to draw a picture based on the adjectives you provide!

Going on Vacation!

 

School is almost over!  That means it's time to plan a vacation.  I love going on vacation because there is always somewhere new to visit!  But you have to make a plan first.  You have to find somewhere to stay.  There are many options for accommodation when you are on vacation. Most people stay in hotels, that might have a restaurant or swimming pool.  Or you can stay in a bed and breakfast. These are small, quaint and cozy places that offer a place to sleep and breakfast in the morning.  Budget travelers may choose to stay in hostels; these are cheaper than other types of accommodation because they offer few amenities.  Hostels are ideal for young backpackers, who can stay in dorm beds in a room with several other travelers, for a fraction of the cost of a hotel room.

Key vocabulary:

• options (noun): choices.
• accommodation (noun): a place to stay
• hotel (noun): a type of accommodation that is often expensive, and provides private rooms for guests.
• quaint (adjective): charming and cute (and a little old or traditional).
• cozy (adjective): comfortable.
• budget (noun, adjective): a plan for using an amount of money; inexpensive
• amenities (noun): extra things that make you more comfortable (in a hotel, for example, amenities include a TV, pool, exercise room, etc.)
• backpackers (noun): people who travel a long distance with only a large backpack as their luggage.
• dorm (noun): a room with beds for several people.
• fraction (noun): a small part of something.

 

Vocabulary Activity:

Fill in the blanks with a vocabulary word in the box below.

options	fraction	cozy
offer		budget
dorm		quaint
hotel	amenities	backpackers

1. We bought a small, old-fashioned house in a _____________ little village.

2. Hmmm. . . . I don’t want a single bed, but a double bed might be too big. Are there any other _______________?

3. You can buy a used car for a _______________ of the cost of a new one.

4. My brother is a college student. He lives in a _____________.

5. I like to have my own room when I travel.  Staying in a ____________ is worth the price for privacy!

6. _______________ airlines are often cheaper, but they don’t have as many amenities as other airlines.

7. The waiter should ______________ me a free glass of coffee.

8. The  _______________ I like at hotels include an indoor swimming pool, free breakfast, and laundry services.

9. When I go hiking, I see a lot of  __________ setting up their tents.

10. That sofa looks really soft and _______________.

Grammar Point:
When you plan for a vacation, you are talking about an event that will happen, that has not happened yet.  When you talk about situations that will happen, it is useful to use the future tense.  For example, if you are going to a place you've never been before, you would say, "I will visit Disney World" or "I am going to see the Eiffel Tower."

Grammar Activity:
Write a letter to a friend that describes an upcoming trip you are going to take.  Use the future tense to describe what you will do and see.  Make sure to list at least three activities in your letter.

Families

 

I love spending time with my family. We always have a good time and we do so many things! But my family is pretty large - there are five people in my family, my mother, my father, my older sister, my younger brother, and me. But my uncle recently got married and my new aunt had three children, so now we have almost thirty cousins! My grandmother was very happy because she likes to have a lot of grandchildren around. She has three daughters and four sons. Because there are so many people, we have to find large places to get together, like parks, or restaurants. So you can see, we usually have a lot of fun because there are always so many people around!

 

What are some things you like to do with your family?

 

Key Vocabulary:

• Family (noun): a unit of people that lives together and is related to one another. There are many types of families.
• Mother (noun): the female head of the household, who has children.
• Father (noun): the male head of the household, who has children.
• Sister (noun): a child in a family that is a girl and is a sibling to other children.
• Brother (noun): a child in a family that is a girl and is a sibling to other children.
• Uncle (noun): a man in a family that is a sibling of a mother or father.
• Aunt (noun): a man in a family that is a sibling of a mother or father.
• Cousins (noun): the children of aunts and uncles who are related to you, but not your brothers and sisters.
• Grandmother (noun): the mother of your mother or father.
• Grandchildren (noun): children who belong to a family with grandparents.
• Daughter (noun): a child in a family that is a girl.
• Son (noun): a child in a family that is a boy.

Vocabulary Activity:

 Match the vocabulary with its correct definition:

Family		a man in a family that is a sibling of a mother or father.
Mother		a child in a family that is a girl and is a sibling to other children.
Father		a man in a family that is a sibling of a mother or father.
Sister		a child in a family that is a boy.
Brother		the children of aunts and uncles who are related to you, but not your brothers and sisters.
Uncle		a child in a family that is a girl.
Aunt		the mother of your mother or father.
Cousins		the male head of the household, who has children.
Grandmother		the female head of the household, who has children.
Grandchildren		a child in a family that is a girl and is a sibling to other children.
Daughter		children who belong to a family with grandparents.
Son		a unit of people that lives together and is related to one another. There are many types of families.

Grammar Point:

In English, word order is very important. Otherwise, sentences will not make sense! The typical word order in English is Subject-Verb-Object. Every sentence should have a subject, but not all sentences will have objects. For example, "I ate" is a complete sentence, but "I food" is not. Likewise, "ran the race" is not a complete sentence, but "She ran the race" is ("She" is the subject, "ran" is the verb, and "the race" is the object). If you mix up word order, the sentence will contain all of the necessary parts, but it will not make sense. For example, "Tree the bird sat in" sounds a bit odd, right? Or "sleeping is she" - you need to change the word order so that it sounds less awkward (The bird sat in the tree, she is sleeping).

 

Grammar Activity:

Using the words above, fix the sentences so they are in the correct word order:

 

1. your there are in many people How family?
__________________________________________
2. my family. cousins in There fifteen are
__________________________________________
3. you have? many do brothers How
__________________________________________
4. many aunts are your in How family?
__________________________________________
5. you Are married ?
__________________________________________
6. daughter? have a Do son a you or
__________________________________________
7. your grandmother does live? Where
__________________________________________
8. sisters? Have got you any
__________________________________________
9. uncle your married? Is
__________________________________________
10. grandchildren? have any you Do

Taking a Test

School is almost over, but not quite. Soon we will be gone for the summer, but there is still much to be done! We have to take tests to show how much we have learned over the school year. Using our school books, we will study hard to pass the tests. If we are writing a composition, we will use a pen to make the writing look neat. If we are taking a math test, we will use a pencil so we can correct any mistakes, and maybe a ruler to make straight lines on graphs or charts. Every time we take a test, we have to arrange our desks in a way that other students cannot look over at our answers. When we finish the test early, we can use the computer so that other students can finish their tests quietly.

How do you study for a test? Are there any test subjects that are harder for you than others?

Key Vocabulary:

• Desk (noun): a piece of furniture used by students at school, where they do their work.
• Computer (noun): a machine that helps students access a lot of information at one time, where they can type papers and do research.
• Ruler (noun): a tool used in math to measure items and to create straight lines.
• Book (noun): an object that has many pages and contains a lot of information.
• Pencil (noun): a tool used to write, which uses lead and has an eraser to correct mistakes.
• Pen (noun): a tool used to write that uses ink and is more permanent than a pencil.

Vocabulary Activity:
Using the words above, fill in the crossword puzzle below!

 Grammar Point:

We use the first conditional to talk about something that will happen (the result), if a particular condition (which is likely to happen) is met. When we use "will" we are certain that something will happen. It is definite. But we can use "may" or "might" instead of will. This means that the consequence is not it is possible, but not definite. For example, you might play on a sports team. You could say "If we get seven points today, we will win the game. But if there is a tie, we might win the game" because during a tie, either team could win.

Grammar Activity: 

Using the vocabulary above, create some first sentences using the words "will," "may," and "might" to describe how you would take a test at school. How do you think you will do? What would happen if you used a pen instead of a pencil? What will happen if you study?

Shopping and Going To The Store

I love shopping!  Going to the store and picking out new clothes, or buying groceries for the week, is a lot of fun for me.  I like seeing new products, like shoes, purses, hats, scarves and more.  Sometimes however, I have to ask the shop worker questions about the things I need.  "Where can I find this pair of shoes?" or "How much does this shirt cost?" are some examples.  Sometimes I will get excited about certain products.  "I love the color of this hat!" or "This is a great sale!" I'll say out loud.  Other people in the shop might think I'm a little odd, but it's okay to be a little "different" if you have just scored a great deal!

Do you like shopping?  What are some of your favorite stores?

Key vocabulary:

• Groceries (noun): food sold in a store.
• Product (noun): goods that a company makes.
• Shoes (noun): a piece of clothing worn on the feet, usually comes in pairs.
• Purse (noun): an accessory used to hold personal possessions.
• Hat (noun): a piece of clothing worn on the head, usually protective.
• Scarves (noun): a piece of clothing worn around the neck, usually when it is cold.
• Shirt (noun): a piece of clothing worn over the chest or torso.
• Sale (noun): an event held in a store when products and goods are discounted in price.

Vocabulary Activity:
Fill in the crossword puzzle with the correct vocabulary words from the list above.

Grammar Point:
To make proper sentences, you must use punctuation.  Otherwise, your sentences become run-on sentence (a long sentence with many ideas, that can be cut into smaller sentences).  There are all different kinds of punctuation marks to choose from, but it is important to choose the right punctuation mark for the right sentence.  For example, a period " . " is good to use for regular statements.  "She is late." is an example of using a period at the end of a sentence.  It is the most frequently used punctuation.  When asking a question however, using a question mark " ? " is better.  "How many shirts do you have?" is a good example.  Sometimes when you want a sentence to "stand out," you can use a exclamation point " ! "  This can be used to show excitement, or a command.  "You are the best!" is an exciting sentence, but "Stop fooling around!" is a command.

Grammar Activity:
Find all of the punctuation marks in the paragraph at the top of the page.  Make new sentences using the punctuation marks you have found (one new sentence for each punctuation mark).

Sports and Games

Let the games begin!  Springtime is a great time to get outside and play some sports.  You can play all sorts of games outside.  Just find a park and go for a run, or get some friends together and challenge each other to a game of basketball.  If it's too cold, maybe you can try out ice skating or practice your hockey skills.  Baseball is a popular sport that's played in the warmer weather.  It involves throwing or "pitching" a baseball and hitting it with a baseball bat.  Then team members run around a set of bases.  If the player steps on all four bases after hitting the ball, it is called a "home run."  Does that sound odd?  Lots of parks have local baseball teams - you can watch a game for free and see for yourself!

What are some of your favorite sports and games?

Key vocabulary:

• Challenge (noun, verb):  to engage in a contest or show skill.
• Basketball (noun):  a game played by two teams of usually five players each on a rectangular court having a raised basket or goal at each end, points being scored by tossing the ball through the opponent's basket.
• Ice Skating (noun, verb): to glide over ice.
• Hockey (noun): a game played on ice between two teams of six skaters each, the object being to score goals by shooting a puck into the opponents' cage using a stick with a wooden blade.
• Baseball (noun): a game of ball between two nine-player teams played usually for nine innings on a field that has as a focal point a diamond-shaped infield with a home plate and three other bases,, forming a circle that must be completed by a base runner in order to score by hitting of a pitched ball with a wooden or metal bat and running of the bases, the winner being the team scoring the most runs.
• Pitch (verb): to throw a baseball to a batter during a game of baseball
• Bases (noun): the raised markers on a baseball field where players stand and run to during a game of baseball.
• Home Run (noun): a term when a baseball player runs in an uninterrupted, complete circle around the bases on a baseball field after hitting the ball.

Vocabulary Activity:

Grammar Point:
Sports and games are typically associated with verbs.  Verbs are words that describe nouns in action.  "Sonia runs in the park" describes an action Sonia is doing.  When you read the sentence, "Juan throws the baseball," you can picture what kind of activity Juan is performing.  Sometimes, verbs can also be used with adjectives.  "He walks slowly to the door" and "She sang sweetly" are some examples.

Grammar Activity:
Circle all of the verbs in the paragraph above.  Do the verbs in the paragraph describe nouns, adjectives, or both?  Why or why not?

Dining At A Restaurant

Going out to eat at a restaurant is a great experiences.  Although I enjoy cooking, I really like having other people cook for me too!  I also like to try new and different foods and then talk about them with my friends. It starts with an appetizer.  I like to order something small, like a green, leafy salad or a hot, hearty soup.  For the entree, there are lots of things to choose from.  Maybe I will order some spicy chicken, with a side of steamed rice.  Or perhaps I will order a large steak, with fluffy mashed potatoes and brown gravy.  Dessert is the best course, saved for last!  I love sweet desserts, like cheesecake, and cold desserts, like ice cream.  Sometimes I will indulge myself in a slice of rich, chocolate cake, but only after I have had a long rest between meals!

What are some of the things you like to eat when you go to a restaurant?

Key vocabulary:

• Appetizer (noun): the first part, or course of a meal, usually something small to satisfy the appetite, like a salad or a soup.
• Hearty (adjective): nourishing, filling.
• Entree (noun): the second part, or course of a meal, usually something more filling, like chicken, beef or fish.
• Spicy (adjective): hot or strong in flavor, associated with peppers and/or spices.
• Steamed (adjective): food that has been cooked using steam.
• Fluffy (adjective): soft, light in weight, airy.
• Dessert (noun): the final part, or course, of a meal, usually something sweet like cake, or ice cream.
• Indulge (verb): to allow oneself a food or experience that is typically not allowed.

Vocabulary Activity:
Fill in the boxes with the appropriate word from the word bank:

Grammar Point:
Adjectives are words that modify or "describe" a noun.  Adjectives are great for making your writing vivid and interesting.  You can picture a piece of chicken, but when I add the word "spicy" to it, you know that it is hot in flavor, maybe you can even picture the color of the chicken or the kind of spices used.  Adjectives are used to distinguish people, places and things from each other.  For example, there may be two boys in the room.  But if I say "The tall boy has a blue shirt, and the short boy has a red shirt" you can easily idenitify which boy I am referring to.

Grammar Activity:
Circle all of the adjectives in the paragraph above.  Create new sentences using ten adjectives of your choice from the ones you have circled.

The Best Book You Ever Read

I love reading.  I have always enjoyed reading because I love to explore new topics that interest me.  There are non-fiction books, which are publications based on real-life occurrences, events, people and places.  Reading non-fiction books about different countries, famous people, historic events and more helps build knowledge on a topic that interests me.  Similarly, there are fiction books that tell creative stories.  Some fiction stories are centered around genres like fantasy, mystery, science-fiction and more.  I enjoy fictional stories because I get to use my imagination.  Some of my favorite non-fiction books are biographies about famous people, like Cleopatra, Cesar Chavez, and Michelle Obama.  Some of my favorite fiction books are stories like Game of Thrones and Harry Potter, which are stories about wizards, magic and dragons.

What are some of your favorite non-fiction books?  What are some of your favorite fiction books?

Key Vocabulary:

• Non-fiction (noun) informative literature that is based on facts and situations that occur in every day life.
• Fiction (noun): literature that is based around creative and imaginative writing, such as fairytales, science-fiction, young adult fiction, and more.
• Publication (noun): a written work that has been produced by a company and released to the public, as a book, magazine or article.
• Occurrence (noun): something that happens
• Genre (noun): styles or categories, particularly about literature, art and music.
• Imagination (noun): using your mind to create an idea or an image in your head, which you can use to create your own stories.
• Biography (noun): non-fiction literature about the life of a person.

Vocabulary Activity:

Word Search:  Circle the words found on the left of the Word Search

Grammar Point:
Biographies are non-fiction books that tell stories about famous people. People's names are a special kind of noun called proper nouns.  A proper noun must be capitalized to show that it is the name of a person, place or thing (such as "Canada" or "Thanksgiving").

Grammar Activity:
Circle all of the proper nouns in the paragraph above.  Once you have found them, list five proper nouns.  Bonus points if they are people, places or things you'd like to read more about!

At the Museum

This weekend, I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  I think that museums are very interesting places.  The "Met" has some of the finest works of art in the world.  There are paintings, sculptures, sketches, and sometimes there are even films.  That is not the only kind of museum however.  The American Museum of Natural History is also a famous museum.  There you will find artifacts from around the world, as well as exhibits about animals, geology and ancient history.  Another interesting museum is the National Air and Space Museum.  That museum is dedicated to the study of air and space transportation and technology, and you can see rockets, old air planes and even models of aircraft scientists are currently working on.

Have you ever been to a museum?  What kind of museum was it, and what was your favorite part?

Key vocabulary:

• Museum (noun): a building where objects that are important to history, art, or science are kept and shown to the public.
• Sculpture (noun): art or craft of making statues or other objects by carving, chiseling, or molding
• Sketch (noun): a drawing or painting that was done in a hurry or without detail, sometimes done to prepare for later work.
• Artifact (noun): an object made by human beings.
• Geology (noun): the study of the physical structure of the earth and how it has changed over time.
• Ancient (adjective): Something that is very old, or from a long time ago.

Vocabulary Activity:

Instructions: Write the correct word in the space before its definition.

A.    ancient

B.     artifact

C.    geology

D.    museum

E.     sculpture

F.     sketch

1.		_________ is the study of the physical structure of the earth and how it has changed over time.
2.		_________ is any object made by human beings.
3.		a building where objects that are important to history, art, or science are kept and shown to the public is called a _______________
4.		a drawing or painting that was done in a hurry or without detail. __________ are sometimes done to prepare for later work.
5.		Something that is very old, or from a long time ago, can be described as ____________
6.		__________ is the art or craft of making statues or other objects by carving, chiseling, or molding.

Grammar Point:
Many times you will go to a museum and see artifacts that are from many years ago.  These artifacts are from the past, and when we describe them, it is useful to use the past tense.  For example, if you wanted to discuss a sculpture you saw, it would not make sense to say "This sculpture is made in 1492" because the year 1492 was a long time ago.  Instead, you might say "This sculpture was made in 1492,"  to show that it was a piece of art made in the past, not the present.  "These arrowheads were used by the Iroquois Indians" and "This dress was worn by Queen Elizabeth" are also good examples of verbs used in the past tense to describe things that happened long ago.

Grammar Activity:
Find an artifact in your home and write a museum label to describe it.  State what the artifact is (art, history, science, etc), where it came from, what year it was made, and how it was used.  Be sure to use the correct tense to describe your object.