My Family

Here is a picture of me with some of my family at my wedding (not all of my family!). My husband Zak and I just got married last August. From left to right, you can see my sister-in-law Kathy. She is holding my nephew James. Next to Kathy is my father Julio and my mother Maria Luisa. I am in the middle. Behind me is my husband Zak (he is very tall!). Next to Zak is my brother Alfredo. Next to Alfredo is my brother Ignacio. Next to Ignacio are my aunt Ines and my uncle Jorge. They came from Argentina to be at my wedding. Not all of my brothers and sisters are in this picture.

I have five brothers and one sister. My parents live in St. Louis, Missouri. They moved to the United States from Argentina about 35 years ago. I am the youngest of the seven children. My oldest brother Julio lives in Italy and is studying to become a priest. My sister Maria lives in St. Louis with her husband and three children. My brother Ignacio lives in St. Louis, too. My brother Federico lives in St. Louis with his wife and son. My brother Alfredo lives in Washington, D.C. and he works with environmental disaster relief. Finally, my brother Jose lives in a monastery in Oklahoma.

I have two families: one in the United States (my parents, brothers and sisters) and one in Argentina (my aunts, uncles, and cousins). We are the only family in the U.S., so we are a small family here. In Argentina, we are part of a very big family.

Please tell me a little bit about your family. Write at least 5 sentences (if there is time and you want to write more, you can). Think about these questions: How many brothers and sisters do you have? Where do they live? Where do your parents live? Does any of your family live with you? If yes, who lives with you?

Celebrity Daily Schedule

This is a picture of Michael Jordan. He is a very famous basketball player. He is very popular in Chicago. What do you think he does every day? Maybe he gets up at 7:00 in the morning. He wakes up early. Next, he eats breakfast with his family. He eats a healthy breakfast. Then, he goes to the gym to play basketball. After that, he lifts weights and runs. He is very strong. Next, he goes home to eat lunch with his family. He plays with his children after lunch. Then, he watches TV in the afternoon. At night, he eats dinner with his family. He goes to bed at 10:00. He doesn't go to bed late.

With your group, think of a different famous person. Do you have a favorite actor/actress, singer, athlete, writer, etc? What do you think they do every day? Use your imagination! (Don't forget to add an -s to the verb).

Goodbye Winter! Hello Summer!

This is the last week of winter term. You have all been wonderful students and I am very proud of your hard work! Are you excited for the party on Friday? I am excited to see your tables, eat food from your country, and watch the dancing!

It is not always easy to learn English because you have to study, do your homework, take quizzes, and practice outside of class. What is some good advice you can give to new students who want to learn English? For example, I tell many of my students to do their homework because it is important to study outside of the classroom.

Can you think of other advice?

My Favorite Room

My favorite room in my apartment is my living room. It's a big living room. There's a large couch between two end tables. There are lamps on the end tables. There are two arm chairs next to the couch, in front of two big windows. There's a table between the two arm chairs. There's a coffee table in front of the couch. There's a TV in front of the coffee table.

I love this room because it is decorated like the 1960's. The couch, arm chairs, end tables, and lamps are all from Zak's grandparents' basement. The colors of the room are orange, brown, yellow, green, and white.

It's my favorite room because this is where I spend most of my time. I sit and relax with my husband. We watch TV. We read the newspaper. I prepare for my classes. I take a nap. We eat many of our meals in this room.

What is your favorite room in your apartment? What does it look like? Use adjectives! Describe the location of each thing. Tell me WHY this room is your favorite.

My Family

Here is a picture of me with my parents and my husband Zak when I graduated from graduate school. This was a very happy day for me! My parents, Julio and Maria Luisa, drove up to Chicago from St. Louis to celebrate with me. I look up to my parents because they have been happily married for almost 40 years. I hope that Zak and I can do the same. My mother and father have always been very supportive of everything I do. All they want is for their children to be happy. I have 5 brothers and 1 sister and we are all very happy! Julio is studying in Rome, Italy to be a priest. Maria lives in St. Louis, Missouri with her husband and three children. Ignacio lives in St. Louis with my parents and he volunteers for a non-profit organization. Federico is in Afghanistan with the Navy Reserve. He will be coming back home next month to his wife and son. Alfredo lives in Washington D.C. and he works in disaster relief management. Jose is studying to be a monk in Oklahoma. I live in Chicago with my husband and I teach ESL at Asian Human Services.

What about your family? Who are your parents? How many brothers and sisters do you have? What are their names? What do they do? How often do you see them and talk to them? Don't worry about grammar and spelling!

How often...?

In class, we have been talking about our daily schedules and how often we do things. Please make these sentences true by using one of the adverbs of frequency below. Rewrite the sentences.

always
usually
often
sometimes
seldom
rarely
never

About the teacher:
1. Our teacher teaches on Tuesday.
2. Our teacher is absent.
3. Our teacher gives homework for the weekend.
4. Our teacher brings food into class.
5. Our teacher loses patience when students don't understand.
6. Our teacher tells funny stories.
7. Our teacher wears jeans to class.
8. Our teacher comes to class on time.

About you:
9. I am late for class.
10. I don't want to do the homework.
11. I go on trips on the weekend.
12. I buy lottery tickets.
13. I spend time with my best friend.
14. I am tired at the end of class.
15. I think about quitting school.
16. I ask the teacher questions.

My Daily Schedule

My schedule is busy on the weekdays. First, I wake up at 7:00 in the morning. After that, from 7:00 to 7:45, I brush my teeth, take a shower, get dressed, and eat breakfast. Then at 7:45, I leave the house and my husband drives me to work. I get to work at 8:15. I start teaching at 9:15 and continue until 1:00. From 1:30 to 2:30, I eat my lunch. Then, in the afternoon, I plan lessons, meet with other teachers, and do activities to help the students. At 5:00, I go home. Then, I make dinner, eat dinner, and do the dishes. After that, I watch TV, read the newspaper, and write emails. Finally, I brush my teeth and go to bed at 11:00. I am usually tired when I go to bed.

Now, tell me about your daily shedule. Please include times and details about your activities.