President’s Day is a national holiday in the United States, celebrated on the third Monday of February. It honors two of the most respected leaders in American history: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Both were born in February and are remembered for their strong leadership and lasting impact on the country.
George Washington was the first president of the United States. He led the American army to victory in the Revolutionary War and helped create the new government. Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president. He led the country during the Civil War and worked to end slavery. His famous speech, the Gettysburg Address, is still studied today.
George Washington 1732-1799Abraham Lincoln 1809-1865
Reading biographies is a great way to learn about these presidents. For English learners, books like Who Was George Washington? (ISBN-139780448448923) and Who Was Abraham Lincoln? (ISBN-139780606040068) are excellent choices. These books use simple language and include helpful illustrations and timelines. They show how each man grew up, faced challenges, and became a leader.
Biographies help us understand history and the values of honesty, courage, and service. They also improve reading skills and vocabulary. On President’s Day, take time to explore the lives of Washington and Lincoln. Their stories can inspire us to be better citizens and lifelong learners.
📚 Tip: Try reading with a friend or writing a short summary after each chapter. It’s a fun way to practice English and learn about American history!
Every January, people in the United States honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, a time when many Americans fought for equal rights for all people—no matter their skin color.
Vocabulary:
Equality – the state of being equal, especially in rights and opportunities
Justice – fairness in the way people are treated
Peaceful protest – showing disagreement without violence
Civil rights – the rights of citizens to freedom and equality
Dr. King believed in peaceful protest. He gave powerful speeches, including the famous “I Have a Dream” speech, where he spoke about a future where children of all races could live and learn together in harmony. His words inspired millions and continue to give hope today.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is more than just a holiday. It’s a day to remember the importance of justice, kindness, and respect. Many people celebrate by volunteering in their communities, helping others, and learning more about history.
📝 Try This: Write a short paragraph about a dream you have for a better world. Use words like “peace,” “respect,” and “hope.”
Dr. King’s dream was big—but he showed us that change begins with one voice. What will your voice say today?
Movies are wonderful – for watching, for thinking about, and for escaping – just for a little while – everything else around us.
VOCABULARY:
Persistence – n., sticking with and doing something you believe in
Depict – v., to show, to tell about
Struggle – n., difficulty, a hard time doing something
Platforms – n., different internet sites and sources for watching movies and video
Defeating – v., to overpower, to conquer
Repressive – adj., when freedoms are limited
Political unrest – n., troubled government, conflict among leaders
Forcibly displaced – adj., forced to move out of one’s home
Intimate – adj., private, personal
Uprising – n., a movement that seeks to overthrow an established government or situations
Siblings — n.pl., brothers and sisters
Soon-to-be – adj., in the near future
brutal — adj., cruel, very mean
Khmer Rouge – n., a radical Communist group that ruled Cambodia in the ‘70s and killed millions of people
Diligence – n., strong and consistent effort
Empire – n., a large territory ruled by a single ruler
Access — n., entry, opening
Especially interesting, to us, are movies about the immigrant experience: stories of hope and courage and persistence, above all. To leave one’s home country, no matter the circumstances, is a brave and often dangerous step to take. Here are 6 films that depict and celebrate that struggle. All are available to borrow from the New York Public Library (free), or can be streamed on various platforms (cost about $4).
A Korean American family searches for their American dream on a farm in Arkansas, a state in the deep South of the USA. They face many challenges in their new life in the Ozark Mountains, but finally realize the strength of their family, no matter where home is.
This animated film tells the story of Marjane Satrapi, a yung girl whose family dreams of defeating the Shah in the 1979 Iranian Revolution. However, as Marji grows up, she sees how repressive the new Iran is. Her parents send her to study in Europe, but when she returns home, she finds that both she and her homeland have changed too much.
Surprised to see this Disney classic among movies about immigrants? After being forced out of their Colombian homeland by political unrest, the Madrigal family is blessed with magical gifts. When the family’s powers begin to fade, Mirabel – the only member of the family who was not granted a special ability – is the one to bring everyone together and save the magic. At the center of Encanto, the fear of being forcibly displaced again is part of this sweet story.
4. FOR SAMA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsvBqtg2RM0 FOR SAMA is an intimate journey into the female experience of war. A love letter from a young mother to her daughter, the film tells the story of Waad al-Kateab’s life through five years of the uprising in Aleppo, Syria. She falls in love, gets married and gives birth to Sama, all while terrible and life-changing conflict swirls around her. Should she leave to save her daughter? It is an impossible choice.
5. FLEE
FLEE – Official Trailer In FLEE, Amin’s life has been defined by his past and a secret he’s kept for over 20 years. Forced to leave his home country of Afghanistan as a young child with his mother and siblings, Amin now struggles with how his past will affect his future in Denmark and the life he is building with his soon-to-be husband.
6. THE DONUT KING
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY2jXx0OP88 An immigrant story with a twist, The Donut King follows the journey of Cambodian refugee Ted Ngoy, who escaped the brutalKhmer Rouge and arrived in California in the 1970s. Through a mixture of diligence and luck, he built a multi-million dollar donut empire up and down the West Coast. A tale of success and loss – who gets access to the American Dream, and what happens when you achieve it.
Medicine – something used for the treatment or prevention of disease
Uganda – a country in East Africa
fern – a flowerless plant with feathery or leafy fronds
antibacterial – substances that kill bacteria or prevent them from growing
consume – eat, drink, or ingest
Read the Article –
Humans have used plants as medicine since prehistory. Scientists have now found that chimpanzees use plants to heal themselves. Researchers conducted a study of chimpanzee behavior in a forest in Uganda. The researchers observed a male chimp with an injured hand looking for a fern. The fern may have reduced the swelling in its hand. Another chimp with an infection ate the bark of a tree. This may have helped to cure the animal.
The researchers say there is a correlation between the chimpanzees’ ills and the healing properties in plants. The researchers tested the plants the chimpanzees ate. They found that 88 percent of them had antibacterial properties. A researcher said: “Results suggest that Budongo chimpanzees consume several [plants] with potent medicinal properties.” She said the research may lead to a greater use of medicinal plants in our lives.
Our last post was about the variety of students we have in our Adult Literacy Program. In this post we will look at the variety of people that make up New York City. New York City remains one of the most exciting and diverse cities on the planet and it’s the people that make it that way. Humans of New York is a website that documents everyday New Yorkers, like YOU! Check out it’s websiteand Facebook. The photographer takes portraits of New Yorkers he sees and briefly interviews them. You get to learn a little bit about that stranger you see on the subway, the person in front of you in line, your neighbors, your fellow New Yorkers. Let us know what interesting people you find in the comments sections.
Like lima beans, “opera” is an acquired taste. I didn’t always like lima beans and I didn’t always like opera. But I’ve always loved music and eventually, I’ve learned to love both!
The first music I remember listening to, when I was four or maybe even three years old, was the music my parents liked: Jimmy Dorsey, Patty Paige, Perry Como. In grade school, I sang in the chorus and became familiar with popular songs arranged in 2-part and 4-part harmony. I joined a church choir and sang sacred music by some of the greatest composers: Bach, Handel and Byrd. Meanwhile, back in my bedroom, I would shut myself away and listen to my LPs (= long playing records) of popular teen music: Dave Clark Five, The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, as well as music written for musical theater: Oklahoma!, Carousel, The Sound of Music, South Pacific,The Man of La Mancha, and many, many more. This was the music that I loved the best. I listened to these records so many times that I learned every single word by heart!
After I graduated from college, I wanted a career as a singer in musicals. I auditioned for nearly two years but my dream never came true. And have you noticed? There was still no opera in my life. Instead, I became involved in a business career. I went to see a few operas but I didn’t understand them and was really bored by it all.
Then one day, my voice teacher (I was still taking voice lessons) asked if I wanted to sing in the chorus of an opera. I said, “yes, sure, why not”. I had to learn the music on my own and that was very difficult because it was in Italian and I didn’t speak Italian then! But I went to the rehearsal and while singing with everyone, could not believe how beautiful the music was. It “blew me away”. Ever since that night, I began to learn more about opera.
Operas require that you do a little “homework” before you go to see them. It helps to read a synopsis (summary) of the story, and then the libretto (the text that is sung). Next, I listen to the whole opera and follow the text with a side-by-side translation. Finally, I listen to the opera all by itself, sometimes with my eyes closed so I can imagine what it might look like on the stage. Then and only then do I feel prepared to go see a live performance.
When I was little, I didn’t like lima beans. But as I grew older, I began to like them more and more. Now, I love lima beans…just like I love opera.
In fact, a friend and I started a small opera company in NYC called Chelsea Opera. But that story is the next blog.
But I’m curious: is there something you like now that you didn’t like when you were little? What kind of music do you listen to? Do you know why you like it? Have you ever listened to or seen an opera?
