Describe This Picture

Look at the picture above. Please use adjectives to describe this picture. What do the men look like? What are they wearing? Where are they standing? Use your imagination!

Welcome to Level 2 ESL Class!

Welecome to Level 2 ESL! This term we will learn about family, home, neighborhood, a typical day, food, shopping, jobs, and past tense.

Please write an introduction about yourself. Here are some ideas to write about:

Tell me your name.
Where are you from?
How old are you?
Do you have children? If yes, how many?
Where do you live now?
Why did you come to Chicago?
What do you like about living in Chicago?

Tell me as much as you can about yourself. Don't worry about grammar and spelling! Just WRITE, WRITE, WRITE!

Christmas in Chicago

Christmas is next week!  Do you like this holiday?  Why or Why not?

My husband Zak and I are going to do a lot of driving over the holiday. This is our first Christmas as a married couple.  We want to spend time with both of our families.

First, we are going to drive to St. Louis, Missouri to see my family.  I'm really looking forward to spending time with my family.  My sister had a baby in August and I'm so excited to meet my new nephew!  We are going to eat dinner at my sister's house on Christmas Eve (the day before Christmas).

After dinner, we are going to drive to Peoria, Illinois to see Zak's family. This is the first year that I am going to spend Christmas day with Zak's family.  We are going to wake up early to open gifts.  After that, we are going to eat breakfast.  At night, we are going to eat dinner with his grandparents and his aunt and uncle.   

What are your plans for Christmas?  Who are you going to see?  Where are you going to go?    What are you going to do?  Be descriptive.  Don't worry about grammar!

What happened?

What do you think happened in this picture? Why was Ronald McDonald arrested by the police?

Tell me a story about this picture in the PAST TENSE. Be descriptive. Use your imagination.

Don't worry about grammar and spelling, just WRITE, WRITE, WRITE!

Moving to Chicago

I moved to Chicago from St. Louis, Missouri to go to college. When I moved to Chicago, I had to pack all of my things in boxes. I called all of my friends to say goodbye. I was nervous and excited to move to a new city. I traveled in car to Chicago for five and a half hours with my father and brother. When they drove away, I was very sad. I missed my family and friends.

When I moved to Chicago, I had to leave behind a few things that I could not bring with me. I had to leave behind a car. I used the car every day in St. Louis, but in Chicago I had to use the train and bus. It is too expensive to have a car in Chicago. I had to leave behind my cat. I loved my cat so much, but there was not enough room for him to live with me in Chicago.

What are two things that you had to leave behind in your native country? Please tell me how this made you feel.

The Perfect Meal

Talking about food in class is making me hungry! What about you?

My perfect meal would be pastel de carne (a bottom layer of ground beef with tomato sauce, pimenton, eggs, onions, and a layer of mashed potatoes on top). My father would make the meal because he makes the best pastel de carne! I would need lots of bread so I can soak up all the delicious juices. I would drink a large glass of water. For dessert, I would have a large bowl of fresh fruit like in the picture you see above.

What is your perfect meal? Be very descriptive and use adjectives! I want to be able to taste your perfect meal!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is on Thursday. This is a very important holiday for Americans. It is a day to gather with family and friends to give thanks and enjoy a very large meal. Some of the popular foods are turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, and pumpkin pie.

Do you celebrate this holiday? Why or why not? What do you do on Thanksgiving? Where do you go? Who do you see? What do you eat?

Is there a holiday like Thanksgiving in your native country?