Saturday, January 31, 2009

The Wind and the Sun



The wind and the sun were arguing about who was stronger. Then they saw a man walking down a road.
The sun said, “I know how to settle this argument. Let’s see who can force this man to take his coat off. Let’s see which one of us can force this man to take his coat off. You can begin.”
The sun hid behind a cloud and the wind began to blow and blow; but the harder it blew, the more the man pulled his coat tighter. Finally, the wind gave up, saying, “OK, I give up. It’s your turn.”
Then the sun took its turn. It came from behind the clouds and smiled down upon the man. Within a few minutes, the man took off his coat because of the sun’s warmth.

VOCABULARY
What is the part of speech?
(noun, pronoun, verb, infinitive, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction)
a. to argue The wind and the sun were arguing. ________________
b. argument I know how to settle this argument. _________________
c. to settle I know how to settle this argument _________________
d. to force Who can force this man to take his coat off? _______________
e. to give up The wind gave up. I give up. ________________
f. to be one’s turn It’s your turn. _________________
g. to take one’s turn The sun took its turn. ________________
h. to turn When you get to the corner, turn right. ________________
i. to turn off Turn your cell phone (TV, CD. radio) off. ________________
j. to turn around Stand up. Now turn around and face the class. _____________
i. __________________________________________________________________

Two-word verbs
Look at the story and notice the two-word verbs. For example.
a. the wind and sun were arguing about . . .
b. a man was walking down . . .
c. I know how to . . .
d. to take off his . . .
e. The wind gave up (the contest, his seat
f. The sun smiled down upon . . .

YOUR TURN
Please write your own sentences using
1. argue about _______________________________________________________
2. walk down _______________________________________________________
3. know how to _____________________________________________________
4. take off _______________________________________________________
5. put on _______________________________________________________
6. listen to _______________________________________________________
7. buy (something) for (someone) _______________________________________________________________
8. take (something) back [return] _______________________________________________________________
9. write (a letter or email) to (someone)
_______________________________________________________________

GRAMMAR
1.
Please tell me, what are the subjects and what are the 14 past and past continuous verbs?
Subject past tense past continuous tense singular/plural
a. the wind and the sun were arguing √
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.

2.
POSSESSIVE NOUNS
When you have two nouns together and the second noun belongs to the first noun, then use an apostrophe to show possession,
For example:
a. the sun’s warmth [the warmth of the sun] I can feel the sun’s warmth.
b. Sally’s pen, [the pen that belongs to Sally] Sally’s pen is blue.
c. the doctor’s office, [the office of the doctor] I’m going to the doctor’s office.
d. the ladies’ room [the room where the ladies go to the bathroom]
Where’s the ladies’ room? PLEASE NOTE THE PLURAL then S’
e. Charles’s apartment [the apt. where Charles lives] PLEASE NOTE THE NAME,
then S’ Charles’s apartment is on Powell Street.
YOUR TURN:
Please write a sentence with each of these possessive nouns
1. the books that belongs to Bill
_______________________________________________________________
2. the room where men go to the bathroom _______________________________________________________________
3. the pen that belongs to Mr. Jones
_______________________________________________________________
4. the house where your parents live
_______________________________________________________________
5. something that belongs to your friend
_______________________________________________________________

3.
Let’s + base form means that you are asking someone else to join you in doing something.
For example, Let’s go out to lunch. Let’s watch some TV together. Let’s play mahjong.
YOUR TURN. Please write your own sentence using Let’s + base form

4.
BECAUSE OF + a noun because of the sun’s warmth
Notice the difference between
For example: I’m studying English because I want to get a better job.
I come to school because of my poor English.
YOUR TURN
Write two sentences
a. because ________________________________________________________
b. because of ________________________________________________________

5. Find the comparatives in this story
Single-syllable adjective comparative
a. strong stronger
b.
c.
YOUR TURN
Please use the three adjectives above and write your own sentences with the comparatives.
1.
2.
3.

THE HARDER….THE MORE
The harder the wind blew, the more the man pulled it tigher

THE comparative adjective + noun, THE MORE + subject and verb
For example The better the sale, the more I buy.
The sweeter the candy, the more I like it.
The harder the bed, the worse I can sleep. I like a soft bed.
The softer the bed, the better I can sleep.

YOUR TURN
Write one sentence using
THE comparative adjective + noun, THE MORE + subject and verb

________________________________________________________________________


CONVERSATION
Tell me about an argument you had with someone.

sgati©2009

The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing



One day, a wolf found a sheepskin. He thought that this would be an
1
easy way of getting his prey, so he wrapped himself in it and crept into the
2
middle of a flock of sheep. The wolf could then walk around and not be
3
noticed and could carefully choose the finest young lamb for his lunch.
4 5

At the same time, the shepherd was preparing for his own lunch. The
6
shepherd moved into the middle of the flock and grabbed one of the sheep
7
and killed it on the spot. He was very surprised to find that underneath the
8 9
sheepskin was the wolf.


The moral of this story is this: The wicked often fall into their own traps. 10 11 12
VOCABULARY (words and idioms) Circle the meaning.

1. sheepskin n.
(a) a coat (b) a blanket
(c) the skin of a sheep with the wool still attached, used to make clothing and rugs

2. prey n.
(a) to say a prayer (b) before (c) an animal hunted or caught for food

3. creep crept v. past
(a) a cracker
(b) to run
(c) to move with the body close to the ground, as on hands and knees.

4. notice noticed v. past
(a) to observe through the senses
(b) to sing some notes
(c) not here

5. lamb n. (a) a young dog (b) a young cat (c) a young sheep

6. shepherd n.
(a) a person who keeps the sheep together in a flock
(b) a cowboy
(c) a big ship
(d)
7. grab grabbed v. past
(a) to eat
(b) to walk around
(c) to take hold of something quickly

8. on the spot an idiom (a) immediately (b) dirty (c) a stain
YOUR TURN: Write your own sentence using on the spot
______________________________________________________________________
9. underneath prep. (a) over (b) under (c) on top of

10. moral n. (a) a song (b) a poem (c) a lesson of ethical or practical value

11. wicked adj. (a) evil (b) angry (c) happy

12. trap n. pl.
(a) a machine or device that springs shut suddenly, used for catching game or
other animals (b) a vacation (c) to fall down

13. The title of this story is THE WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING
clothing and clothes are synonyms. They have the same or similar meanings
PRONOUNCE “CLOTHES” just like “CLOSE” (as in CLOSE THE DOOR.)
clothing is used in a more general way:
For example:
What is appropriate clothing for school? For a party? For a baseball game?
clothes is used more often. Dirty clothing is a sign of a poor person.
For example: She wears nice clothes. I bought some new clothes.
YOUR TURN: You write a sentence using CLOTHES.
_______________________________________________________________________

GRAMMAR
1. Work with your partner and find . . .
TENSE
SUBJECTS and VERBS; PRESENT/PAST SINGULAR/PLURAL INFINITIVE
a. a wolf found √ to find
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j
k.
l.
m.
n.
o.

2. YOUR TURN.
For each of the SIMPLE PAST TENSE VERBS in the story, write your own sentences.
a.
b.
d.
e.
j.
k.
l
m.

3. possibilities in the future use would or could with a base form
c. would be
f. could walk
g. could not be (past participle)
h. could choose
YOUR TURN.
Write your own sentences using would be, could walk, could not be (past participle) and could choose
1.
2.
3.
4.

PAST PARTICIPLES
examples
VERB Present past past participles
To find find/s found found
To go go/goes went gone
To eat eat/eats ate eaten
*To be am/is/are was/were been
To walk walk/walks walked walked
To choose choose/s chose chosen
To notice notice/s noticed noticed


*BE + a noun/nouns I’m a student. They are students.
*BE + adjective I’m happy.
*BE + ing (verb) We’re studying English.
*BE + prepositional phrase We’re in school now.
*[BE in the passive voice] The ball was thrown by the pitcher.


CONVERSATION
Please work with a partner AND talk about each answer. THEN write a complete sentence for your answer.

1. What animal found a sheepskin? _________________________________________________________________
2. What animals are the wolf’s prey?
_________________________________________________________________

3. What did the clever wolf do in order to catch his prey?
_________________________________________________________________
4. Who died in this story
_________________________________________________________________

5. Why did the shepherd kill the wolf?
_________________________________________________________________

6. What does the moral THE WICKED OFTEN FALL INTO THEIR OWN TRAPS mean? _____________________________________________________________________
7. What kind of person is “a wolf in sheep’s clothing”? (Do you know a person who is a wolf in sheep’s clothing?)

______________________________________________________________________

sgati©2009

Saturday, January 10, 2009

I Have a Dream Speeech


Martin Luther King, Jr.
"I Have a Dream"
delivered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. on
August 28, 1963

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. *We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by a sign stating: "For Whites Only."* We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."¹

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of
Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!³

We Shall Overcome


Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Date of birth: January 15, 1929
Place of birth: Atlanta, Georgia
Date of death: April 4, 1968 (aged 39)
Place of death: Memphis, Tennessee, by assassination
Major organizations: Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Notable prizes: Nobel Peace Prize (awarded in1964)
Presidential Medal of Freedom (1977, awarded posthumously)
Congressional Gold Medal (2004, awarded posthumously)

The American Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968) refers to the reform movements in the United States aimed at abolishing racial discrimination of African-Americans. The "Southern Freedom Movement" was about the struggle for civil rights under law (freedom from White domination), but more importantly, it was about fundamental issues of freedom, respect, dignity, and economic and social equality.

This song, WE SHALL OVERCOME, was sung by all those who joined in this civil rights movement.

1. We shall overcome (2) We shall overcome some day
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
We shall overcome some day

2. The Lord will see us through (2)
The Lord will see us through some day.
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
The Lord will see us through some day.

3. We’re on to victory (2) We’re on to victory some day.
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
We’re on to victory some day.


4. We’ll walk hand in hand; we’ll walk hand in hand
We’ll walk hand in hand some day.
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
We’ll walk hand in hand some day.

5. We are not afraid; we are not afraid.
We are not afraid today.
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
We are not afraid today.

6. The truth shall make us free; the truth shall make us free.
The truth shall make us free some day.
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
The truth shall make us free some day.

7. We shall live in peace; we shall live in peace.
We shall live in peace some day.
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
We shall live in peace some day.


Will is a modal (helping verb). It tells us something about the future and is used with the base form of the verb.

to overcome is a verb, meaning to conquer obstacles or problems.

Write all the future verbs in this song:
1. We (will) shall overcome [shall can be used for
1st person singular (I) and first person plural (we), but we usually say, will .
2.
3.
4.
5.

We’re on to victory. = Soon we will be victorious/ we will win.

We are not afraid. = present tense of the verb “to be”

What’s the difference? I believe. I do believe.
Gati©2008

A Slip of the Tongue Rhyme

A RHYME TO REMEMBER
From a slip of the foot, you may soon recover,
But a slip of the tongue, you may never get over.

In good English, we probably would say the first line this way:
You may soon recover from a slip of the foot.

VOCABULARY
1. “to recover from” means
(a) to remember something (b) to get better (c) to read a book

2. “a slip of the foot” ,meams
(a) a mistake in playing football (b) a piece of paper under your shoe
(c) a fall

In good English, we probably would say the second line this way:
You may never get over a slip of the tongue.

3. “to get over” means
(a) to recover from something (b) to climb over a wall (c) to make money

4. “a slip of the tongue” means
(a) food from a cow (b) something you said you now wish you hadn’t said
(c a cover for your face

CONVERSATION Talk to your partner. Then write your answer.
5. How can you prevent a slip of the foot?
6.
_____________________________________________________________
7. How can you prevent a slip of the tongue?
8.

GRAMMAR
9. What is the subject of the first line? __________
10. What is the verb? __________
11. What is the subject of the second line? __________
12. What is the verb? __________
13. Your turn. What else can you recover from or not recover from?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Please write your own sentence using “can recover from” and

________________________________________________________________________
14. another sentence using “cannot recover from”.
_______________________________________________________________________
sgati©2009

The Ant and the Cricket


The Ant and the Cricket Adapted from Aesop
1.
A silly young cricket, accustomed to sing
Through the warm, sunny months of gay summer and spring,
Began to complain when he found that at home,
His cupboard was empty, and winter had come.
Not a crumb to be found
On the snow-covered ground;
Not a flower could he see,
Not a leaf on a tree.
“Oh! What will become,” says the cricket, ”of me?”
2.
At last, by starvation and famine made bold,
All dripping with wet, and all trembling with cold,
Away he set off to a miserly ant,
To see if, to keep him alive, he would grant
Him shelter from rain,
And a mouthful of grain.
He wished only to borrow;
He’d repay it tomorrow;
If not, he must die of starvation and sorrow.
3.
Says the ant to the cricket, “I’m your servant and friend,
But we ants never borrow; we ants never lend.
But tell me, dear cricket, did you lay nothing by
When the weather was warm?” Quoth the cricket, “Not I!
My heart was so light
That I sang day and night,
For all nature looked gay.”
“You sang, sir, you say?
Go then,” says the ant, “and dance winter away!”
4.
Thus ending, he hastily lifted the wicket,
And out of the door turned the poor little cricket.
Folks call this a fable. I’ll warrant it true:
Some crickets have four legs, and some have but two.
Aesop was a Greek storyteller who lived around 550 BCE (Before the Common Era).

[The term BC is short for "Before Christ". Historical dates before the birth of Christ become smaller as they approach the theoretical but non-existent Year Zero. Historical dates after the birth of Christ are classified as AD, short for the Latin phrase Anno Domini, or "in the year of our Lord". Contrary to popular belief, AD does not stand for "After Death". Modern scholars believe the actual birth of Christ would fall around 7 to 4 BC, which renders the actual year of 1 AD relatively meaningless historically.
The Gregorian solar calendar that counts days as the basic unit of time, grouping them into years of 365 or 366 days. It is also divided into twelve months of irregular length.]

He told fables. Fables are talking-animal stories that usually end with a moral. These life lessons help us think about life’s problems and how we can face them.

Verse 1 Make a check____usage __________________tense _______
NOUNS singular/plural subject/object verb present/past infinitive

1. a cricket √ √ began √ to begin
2. months √ √
3. ____________________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________________________________

6. ____________________________________________________________________

7. ____________________________________________________________________

8. ____________________________________________________________________

9. ____________________________________________________________________

10. ____________________________________________________________________

11. ____________________________________________________________________










Verse 2 Make a check____usage __________________tense _______
NOUNS singular/plural subject/object verb present/past infinitive

1. ____________________________________________________________________

2..__________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________________________________

6. ____________________________________________________________________

7. ____________________________________________________________________

8. ____________________________________________________________________

9. ____________________________________________________________________

10. ____________________________________________________________________

11. ____________________________________________________________________

12. ____________________________________________________________________

13. ____________________________________________________________________

Verse 3 Make a check____usage __________________tense _______
NOUNS singular/plural subject/object verb present/past infinitive

1. ____________________________________________________________________

2..__________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________________________________

6. ____________________________________________________________________

7. ____________________________________________________________________

8. ____________________________________________________________________

9. ____________________________________________________________________

10. ____________________________________________________________________

11. ____________________________________________________________________

12. ____________________________________________________________________
Verse 4 Make a check____usage __________________tense _______
NOUNS singular/plural subject/object verb present/past infinitive

1. ____________________________________________________________________

2..__________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________________________________

6. ____________________________________________________________________

7. ____________________________________________________________________

8. ____________________________________________________________________

9. ____________________________________________________________________


Verse 1 Verse 2
Infinitives
1. 4.
2. 5.
3. 6.

Verse 1 subject verb object (of verb) (of prep) (of infinitive) possessive
PRONOUNS
1. he √ found
2. His √
3. ____________________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________________________________
Verse 2 subject verb object (of verb) (of prep) (of infinitive) possessive
PRONOUNS

1. ____________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________

5, ____________________________________________________________________

6. ____________________________________________________________________

7.____________________________________________________________________
Verse 3 subject verb object (of verb) (of prep) (of infinitive) possessive
PRONOUNS
1. ____________________________________________________________________

2..__________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________________________________

6. ____________________________________________________________________

7. ____________________________________________________________________

8. ____________________________________________________________________

9. ____________________________________________________________________
Verse 4 subject verb object (of verb) (of prep) (of infinitive) possessive
PRONOUNS
1. ____________________________________________________________________

2..__________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________




descriptive ADJECTIVES tell about nouns
Verse 1
1. a silly young cricket
2. ____________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________

5, ____________________________________________________________________
descriptive ADJECTIVES tell about nouns
Verse 2
1. ____________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________
descriptive ADJECTIVES tell about nouns
Verse 3
1. ____________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________
descriptive ADJECTIVES tell about nouns
Verse 4
1. ____________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________











Some rhymes are perfect rhymes, like sing and spring.
Others are “almost rhymes” like home and come.

What are the rhymes in each of the verses of this story-poem?
VERSE 1
1. food rhymes with _____________
2. see rhymes with _____________ and __________________


VERSE 2
1. bold rhymes with _____________
2. ant rhymes with _____________
3. rain rhymes with _____________
4. borrow rhymes with _____________ and ___________________

VERSE 3
1. friend rhymes with _____________
2. by rhymes with _____________
3. light rhymes with _____________
4. gay rhymes with _____________ and ___________________

VERSE 4
1. wicket rhymes with _____________
2. true rhymes with _____________


Work with a partner to rewrite the story in simple sentences, verse by vers.e
VERSE 1
___________________________________________________________________


VERSE 21
.___________________________________________________________________


VERSE 3
___________________________________________________________________


VERSE 4
.___________________________________________________________________



sgati©2009

Thirty Days Hath September


Thirty days hath* September, [*hath is an old way to say has or have]
April, June, and November.
All the rest have thirty-one,
except February alone
which has four and twenty-four
till leap-year gives it one day more.

1. CONVERSATION
Please answer the questions in complete sentences.
a. What do September, April, June, and November have in common?

____________________________________________________________

2. Questions that ask about things in common can be answered with BOTH or ALL.
For example,
a. Q: What do you and your husband have in common?
A: My husband and I have an interest in travel in common. We both like to travel.

b. Q: What do you and your classmates have in common?
A: We all are studying English.

c. Q: What do you and your partner have in common?
A: ________________________________________________________________

3. What does “all the rest” refer to in this poem?
_____________________________________________________________

4. Use the only with a noun, for example, the only meal, the only book,
the only student I am the only student from Japan in this class.
Your turn. You write a sentence with the only.
___________________________________________________________

5. What is different about February?
________________________________________________________________________



6. How often does “leap year” come?
________________________________________________________________________

7. GRAMMAR Count and non-count nouns

count nouns singular plural
a/an/one book books
a/one child children
an/umbrella umbrellas


non-count nouns singular
coffee
rice
furniture
homework
news
advice

ALL THE . . . = ALL OF THE
e.g. All (of) the restaurants in Chinatown are expensive.
We ate all the rice in the refrigerator.


8. all the (all the + a noun non-count or plural )

Your turn. Please write all the + count noun
a. ________________________________________________________________

all the + non-count noun
b. _______________________________________________________________

or all my/your//his/her/our/their (all my + a noun non-count or plural )
all my + count noun
c. _______________________________________________________________

all my + non-count noun
d. _______________________________________________________________



9.Find the subjects and verbs in the rhyme. Underline the subjects with one line.
Underline the verbs with two lines.

10. What is “it” in the last line? ___________________________________

11. Choose has or have for the following sentences:

a. September, April, June, and November ___________________ _______ days.

b. All _________________________ __________ 31 days.

c. February ____________ ______ days.

d. In leap-year, February __________ ______ days.

12. Is the poem a mnemonic [a memory help]? ____yes _____no
13. If yes, why? ____________________________________________________



14. Knuckles

1 There is also a mnemonic [a memory help].
2 Count on the knuckles of one's hand to remember the numbers of days of the months.
3 Count knuckles as 31 days, depressions between knuckles as 30 (or 28/29) days.
4 Start with the pointer knuckle as January,
5 6 Count one finger at a time towards the pinky knuckle (July), saying the months as you go.
7 Then jump back to the pointer knuckle (now August) and continue for the remaining months.


sgati©2009

The Best Things in Life are Free







The moon belongs to everyone.
The best things in life are free.


The stars all shine for everyone.
They're shining there for you and me.


The flowers in spring;




The sunbeams that shine –
They’re yours; they’re mine.



And love can come to everyone.
The best things in life are free.





1. VOCABULARY Circle the meaning.
Moonbeams
(a) rays of light from the moon (b) kinds of candy (c) the Chinese calendar

2. RHYMES are words that have the same vowel sounds. e.g. see and tea

What words rhyme in the song?
a. ______________rhymes with free.
b. spring rhymes with _______________ .
c. shine rhymes with ________________ .


3. POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS replace the noun with a pronoun.

Possessive adjectives Possessive pronouns

my book/s mine
your book/s yours
his book/s his
her book/s hers
its leg/s its
our books/s ours
your book/s yours
their book/s theirs

In the song, “They’re yours; they’re mine.”
Yours and mine refer to ____________________________________

4. IRREGUAR SUPERLATIVES (compared to all others)
the best
adjective comparative superlative
good better than the best
bad worse than the worst
far farther than the farthest

Your turn. Please write your own sentences using the superlative.

a. the best ________________________________________________________

b. the worst ________________________________________________________

c. the farthest ________________________________________________________



5. Work with your partner and find . . .
TENSE
SUBJECTS and VERBS; PRESENT/PAST SINGULAR/PLURAL INFINITIVE
a. moon belongs √ √ to belong
b. things are √ √ to be
c._____________________________________________________________________

d. _____________________________________________________________________

e. _____________________________________________________________________

d. _____________________________________________________________________

e. _____________________________________________________________________

f. _____________________________________________________________________

g. _____________________________________________________________________

h. _____________________________________________________________________

i. _____________________________________________________________________

j. _____________________________________________________________________


6. PREPOSITIONS (a group of words consisting of a preposition and an object)
e.g. with my friend behind the big desk on top of it for him

How many prepositional phrases can you find?
a. to everyone
b.
c.
d.

sgati©2009

Fuzzy Wuzzy



Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear.
Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair.
Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t fuzzy, was he?

Please write in complete sentences.
1. What was the bear’s name? _______________________________________

2. Did he have any hair? _________________________________________

3. Was he fuzzy? ________________________________________________

GRAMMAR Tag Questions
Look at the verb (present or past tense) in the sentence to know what tag question to use. Affirmative in the main sentence, negative in the tag question or negative in the main sentence, affirmative in the tag question.

For example: With the verb TO BE
a. Your name is Sally, isn’t it?
b. He is your brother, isn’t he?
c. I’m not late, am I?
d. You weren’t here yesterday, were you?
Now, please write one tag question for TO BE in the PRESENT TENSE and one tag question for the PAST TENSE 4.__________________________________________________________________
5.__________________________________________________________________
With other verbs: TO HAVE
e. Your sister doesn’t have a car, does she?
f. You didn’t have dinner yet, did you?

TO GO
g. He never goes to church, does he?
h. He never went to church, did he?

TO EAT
i. He always eats breakfast at 7 a.m, doesn’t he?
j. He didn’t eat breakfast yet, did he?

Now, please write one tag question for ANY VERB in the PRESENT TENSE and one tag question for the PAST TENSE 6.__________________________________________________________________
7.__________________________________________________________________
Use CAN and CAN’T as modals.
k. You can’t check books out without a library card, can you? (This is NOT allowed. permission)
l. He can get to school in a half hour, can’t he? (This is something he is able to do. ability)

Your turn. 8. ___________________________________________________________

Use WILL and WON’T as modals
m. You’ll be back in an hour, won’t you?
n. He won’t be going to China for New Years this year, will he?
o. My teacher will correct all our sentences, won’t she?
Your turn. 9. ___________________________________________________________

10. NOUNS (common and proper nouns)
common
people

______________________________________________________________________
places

______________________________________________________________________
things

______________________________________________________________________
ideas



Proper nouns = nouns that are capitalized
people

______________________________________________________________________
places

______________________________________________________________________
things

______________________________________________________________________
ideas

11.What are the nouns in the poem?
Make a check √. Common Proper
a.
b.
c.
12. Verbs (action or being)
Tense (time) Make a check √. Present Past
a.
b.

13. Adjectives (describes a noun or pronoun; common and proper adjectives)
a.

14. Pronouns (takes the place of a noun;
Make a check √. can be used as a subject object possessive
a.

15. Adverbs (adds and tells about verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs;
a. in this case, “NOT”

sgati©2009