Dear daytime students,
Due to the winter storm, Monday’s English classes (Monday, January 26th) are canceled.
Please stay safe and warm, and we’ll see everyone on Tuesday, January 27th.
Category: Uncategorized
Halloween 🎃 👻
Halloween, which takes place every October 31st, is one of the most popular holidays in the United States. Originally based on the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”), Halloween has evolved into a modern celebration where children of all ages dress up in costumes and go door-to-door “trick-or-treating,” asking for candy from friends & neighbors.
Halloween is also a time to enjoy the spookier side of life. People celebrate ghosts, zombies, haunted houses, and all things creepy and fun – often with Halloween parties for children and adults alike.
For more information about Halloween, check out wikipedia.
Halloween Vocabulary
- 🚪 Trick-or-treat – the Halloween activity where children dress up and go door to door for candy
- 🎃 Pumpkin – a round orange vegetable often carved into a jack-o’-lantern
- 👻 Ghost – the spirit of a dead person, often imagined as white and floating
- 🧙 Witch – a woman with magical powers, often shown with a broomstick and pointed hat
- 🧛 Vampire – a creature that drinks blood and avoids sunlight
- 🧟 Zombie – a dead person who comes back to life, usually walking slowly
- 🕷️ Spider – a creepy-crawly insect often used in Halloween decorations
- 🕸️ Web – what a spider makes to catch insects; also used as decoration
- ☠️ Skeleton – the bones of a body, often shown as decorations or costumes
- 🏚️ Haunted house – a spooky or abandoned house believed to have ghosts
- 😱 Scary – something that causes fear or makes you feel afraid
- 🦇 Bat – a flying animal often linked with vampires and the night
- 🍫 Chocolate / Candy – a sweet treat made from cocoa, popular during Halloween. Sweet treats given to children who go trick-or-treating.
- 🎭 Costume – special clothing worn to look like someone or something else
- 💀 Skull – the bone part of a head, often used as a spooky symbol
Here are 5 fun & interesting facts about Halloween:
- 🎃 Origins in Ancient Celtic Festival: Halloween comes from the ancient Celtic festival Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”), celebrated on October 31st. It marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter, a time when people believed the boundary between the living and the dead became blurred.
- 👻 Costumes to Scare Spirits: People originally wore costumes and masks to scare away or confuse ghosts and evil spirits that were thought to return on Halloween night.
- 🍬 Trick-or-Treating Traditions: The practice of trick-or-treating began in medieval Europe as “souling,” when poor people would go door-to-door on All Souls’ Day (Nov 2), offering prayers for the dead in exchange for food.
- 🕯️ Jack-o’-Lanterns Came from Turnips: Before pumpkins, the Irish carved turnips into lanterns to ward off evil spirits. When they immigrated to America, they found that pumpkins were more plentiful and easier to carve.
- 🦇 Popular with Americans: Halloween is one of the most popular holidays in the U.S., with Americans spending billions of dollars each year on costumes, candy, decorations, and parties.
Banana Oat Pancakes
Vocabulary
Picky –
Toddler –
Banana –
Oat –
Shoveled in –
A Toddler Favorite
These banana oat pancakes are great for a picky toddler. Many toddlers spit out veggies but pasta gets shoveled in. But all toddlers love these pancakes!
Ingredients
- 1 banana
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup rolled or quick cooking oats
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
Optional additions:
- 1 tablespoon flax seed meal
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter, almond butter, or other nut butter
- ¼ cup fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, chopped strawberries, or chopped mango
InstructionsThe above version has just nut butter and flaxseed meal added.
In a medium bowl, mash the banana with a fork. Crack the egg into the bowl, and beat it together with the banana.
Stir in the oats, vanilla, and cinnamon.
At this point, you can stir in any add-ins, like flaxseed meal, nut butter, and fruit.
The above version has just nut butter and flaxseed meal added.
And here’s a version with blueberries!
Heat a pan over medium heat, and add the oil. Put the batter into the hot pan (I like to make small pancakes), and cook for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown.
Enjoy!!!!
Grammar: The Past Perfect Tense
What is the Past Perfect Tense and why do we use it?
The past perfect tense is used to talk about an action that happened before another action in the past.
Structure:
had + past participle
The past participle is usually the same as the past tense for regular verbs (e.g., walked, played), but can be different for irregular verbs (e.g., eaten, gone, seen).
“had” stays the same for all subjects (I, you, he, she, etc.).
Why Use the Past Perfect? 🤷♂️
It helps show what happened first in the past when there are two past actions.
compare:
Past Simple only:
I left when he came.
(Not clear which happened first.)
Past Perfect + Past Simple:
I had left when he came.
(Now it’s clear: I left before he came.)
Here Are Some Common Words with Past Perfect: before, after, when, already, just, never
Example One:
She had finished her homework before she ate dinner.
– First she finished her homework, then she ate dinner.
Example Two:
By the time I arrived at the station, my train had already left.
– First the train left the station, then I arrived at the station (late) 😢
Test yourself: Quiz time
1.By the time we arrived at the theater, the movie _____. 🍿
A. started
B. was starting
C. had started
D. has started
2. She was tired because she _____ all night. 🥱
A. worked
B. had worked
C. has worked
D. works
3. After he _____ lunch, he went out for a walk. 🚶
A. had eaten
B. was eating
C. eats
D. ate
4. They _____ the bus before we got to the stop. 🚏 🚍
A. had missed
B. miss
C. missed
D. were missing
5. I didn’t want to watch the movie again because I _____ it already. 🚫 📽️
A. see
B. was seeing
C. had seen
D. have seen
Answers: 1) C. had started 2) B. had worked 3) A. had eaten 4) A. had missed 5) C. had seen
INDEPENDENCE DAY!
Independence – n., freedom from outside control
Federal – adj., of or being a form of government
Parade – n., a great show or display, a public procession
Demonstrate – v., to show clearly
Patriotism – n., love for one’s country
Reflect – v., to realize, to consider
Expat (Expatriate) – n., a person who lives in a foreign country
Embassy – n., the official residence and offices of an ambassador
Homesick – adj., longing for home and family while absent from them
Colonies – n., an area over which a foreign nation has control
Highlight – n., something which is especially interesting
Spectacular – adj., striking, sensational
On July 4th, Americans all over the world celebrate Independence Day. In the United States, it is a federal holiday, so many people don’t have to work. Parades, picnics, and barbecues take place during the day, with fireworks lighting up the sky at night. Americans demonstrate their patriotism on July 4th, reflecting on their freedom and the things they love about their country.
American expats living out of the United States still observe the 4th of July. American embassies all over the planet host parties and events. Individuals celebrate with their friends, and many get a little homesick.
The holiday marks the separation of the 13 colonies from the rule of Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence (the document) was completed on the 4th of July, 1776. But it was not signed until August!
A highlight of Independence Day in New York City is the evening fireworks display, this year to be held near the Brooklyn Bridge, on the lower East River. The spectacular display is the largest Independence Day celebration in the nation. For more information and where to watch the fireworks: https://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/where-to-watch-the-4th-of-july-fireworks
Happy Independence Day!
Weekend Classes – End of Year Party!
It’s hard to believe, but the 2024 – 2025 school year has come to an end!
Sunday, June 15th, was our final day of weekend classes. We wrapped things up with a joyful end of school year party – a wonderful celebration and a delicious trip around the culinary world!
We had a tremendous selection of foods: arepas, tacos, dumplings, cheesecake & salads – you name it, we ate it!
The event also featured fantastic performances from each of our classes. Lynne’s W1 class sang the Elvis classic “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Louisa’s W2 class performed “Everything at Once” by Lenka, and Joan’s W3 students talked about their favorite places around New York City.
Congratulations to all the students! Have a safe & happy summer – see you all in September!
Around the House
Singular and Plural Nouns with Articles
We use plural nouns when we talk about more than one item. We add an (s) to the noun.
- I have many books..
- I have a cat and two dogs.
We use the article a and an before a singular noun for an item that is not specific to the listener.
- I have an old computer.
- She has a nice house.
- I have a big kitchen.
- I don’t have an umbrella.
Once the listener knows about the item, we use the article the instead of a or an.
- To make an omelet, crack an egg. Then whisk the egg.
- Then get a pan. Cook the egg in the pan.
- Then get a plate. Put the egg on the plate.
- Then get a fork. Use the fork to eat the omelet.
When we talk about items in general, use the plural form, often without the article the.
- Books are important.
- Do you like apples?
- Everybody needs friends.
- I don’t like watching movies.
We use the article the before plural nouns when we refer to a specific group of items.
- I bought the books you asked for.
- The streets in my town are very clean.
- I love the cookies my mother makes.
- The students in my class like to play games.
Read the dialog and look for nouns and articles.
Aimee: So, Todd, do you like your house?
Todd: I do. It’s a nice house, but it’s an old house. It’s very old.
Aimee: How many rooms are in your house?
Todd: My house has four rooms, a living room, a bedroom, an office, and a kitchen.
Aimee: That sounds big. How about bathrooms? How many bathrooms do you have?
Todd: I have one bathroom.
Aimee: Oh, nice. Do you have a TV?
Todd: I do have a TV in the living room, and I have a couch and a table.
Aimee: Wow. What about your kitchen? Do you have a kitchen?
Todd: I do. I have a very small kitchen. The kitchen has a stove, a table, and a refrigerator. I can cook, but it’s not easy.
Aimee: Oh, how many chairs do you have in the kitchen?
Todd: We only have two chairs. It’s very, very small.
Aimee: How about books, Todd? Do you have books?
Todd: I have a rule. I only keep two books.
Aimee: What?
Todd: Yeah. If I want a new book, I must get rid of a book.
Aimee: Wow. That is so strict.
Todd: It is. It is very strict, but it reduces clutter.
Aimee: Sounds nice. Sounds like a great house.
Todd: It is. Old and small, but nice.
Source: https://www.elllo.org/english/grammar/L2-04-AimeeTodd-House-HowMuch-many.htm