Updated: ESL Reading Assignments for Week of Jan. 28

Monday, Jan. 28. Unit 2, Games, continued.
Preparation: Finish reading p. 12 and answer A and C on p. 13. Do Before you Read on p. 15. Then do Reading and A and B, p. 15.

In class: We'll go over your answers and discuss the questions in C, p. 13, and C, p. 15.

Note: Check your email for a vocabulary mini-quiz to help you with the Readings in Unit 2. Find the word in its context to determine the meaning. Try to figure out the meaning without the dictionary if possible. I'll post the answers on the blog Sunday so you can correct it yourself. Put the words that are new for you in your vocabulary notebook and bring it to class Monday.

Wednesday, Jan. 30. Class cancelled. See my email on reading an extra chapter and extra credit for the blog.

Friday, Feb. 1. Lab Reading due. Read the chapters or pages in your book that I assigned to you Friday plus one extra chapter or story (see Wednesday email). Do a summary of each chapter (not more than 2 paragraphs per chapter) and be prepared to tell the class about what you have read (in less than 5 minutes). It might help to talk about your book in English with a friend or your roommate before the class. Hand in your summaries. Bring the book on Monday in case I need to look at it while you are doing the quiz. Keep the book to read over the weekend.

In class: We'll review vocabulary and information in Unit 2. Bring your vocabulary notebook with the words and definitions from the mini-quizzes.
Extra credit: With a partner or partners, outside of class, try to make up a board game as described under Games and You, p. 16. Answer the questions and make a board for your game. Bring it to class and show us how to play the game.

Monday, Feb. 4. Review and Quiz on Unit 2.
Preparation: Study vocabulary of Unit 2. Bring your lab reading book and vocabulary notebook to class.

In class: We'll review some more and then have the quiz.

Heikinpäivä 2008 video memories ...

By Toshi (Mickey) Mita

The day was -27 degrees Celsius, so it was very cold. But many people joined the Polar Bear event. They were diving into the canal, which was frozen at Houghton. Each diver wore a costume. If you want to do that, you can do it!! But it doesn't guarantee your life.... (Videos © Toshi Mita. Reprinted with permission.)

Hello from Suzanne

Hello Guys,
Great job on this blog, Michele. I hope you all stay warm and get some sleep this weekend.

For the writing class, please bring your Paragraphs at a Glance book to class on Monday, and don't forget to bring in a map for our conversation class, too.

Suzanne

Updated: ESL Reading Calendar for Week of Jan. 14

Monday, Jan. 14. “Changing Maiden Names”
Preparation: Do Before You Read, p. 7, and the Reading (p. 6) and Scanning. Re-read if necessary and then do the After You Read, p. 7, B and C. Bring vocabulary notebook to class with new words added for this first chapter.
In class: We will go over your answers on p. 7 and do A together in class.

Wednesday, Jan. 16. Lab assignment due. (See below)
Preparation: Do Lab Assignment 1 to hand in. Do the Vocabulary expansion crossword on p. 8. You may do it in the book. We’ll go over it in class. Bring your vocabulary notebook up to date and bring it to class.
In class: Review of vocabulary and main ideas in the readings for Unit 1.

Friday, Jan. 18. No afternoon class: Homecoming. I will return your books and lab assignments at the end of Suzanne's writing class, about noon today in Mannerheim 121.

This weekend is Heikinpäivä, the Finnish-American celebration of Mid-Winter. See the schedule at http://pasty.com/heikki/sched.html
See Michele if you want to take some photos for the blog or write about one of the events. I will need photos of the Polar Bear Dive for Keweenaw Now, too.

Lab assignment for reading: Due Jan. 16

You have each been assigned a reading in your book, a library book, or on the Internet (those whose books have not arrived). Write a short summary of these pages and make a list of at least 8 vocabulary words you learned. On your paper, for each word, copy the sentence containing the word and write what you think it means, based on the context. If you can’t figure it out, check the English-English dictionary. Write D next to the word if you had to look it up in the dictionary.

Hand in the book and your paper Wednesday, Jan. 16, in class. I'll return the book on Friday so you can continue reading. Be sure to indicate which pages you read. If your reading was on line, be sure to put the exact URL of the pages on your paper. Feel free to read more than the pages assigned.

Conversation class presents puppet shows

The ESL Conversation class recently presented three puppet shows based on folk characters and fairy tales. Instructor Suzanne Van Dam said students worked together making the puppets as well as playing the roles of the characters in teams of two. Here are some photos of the project.

Kumiko and Fumiya presented Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Kazuki and Mickey (Toshi) dramatized a Japanese tale about Hachiko, a very loyal dog.

Kumiko and Fumiya made these puppets and presented the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Cassie Van Dam, Instructor Suzanne's daughter, donated the puppet theatre for the ESL Conversation class puppet show. (Photo by Nick)

Nick and Kana chose the story Clever Tom and the Leprechaun for their puppets, seen in the photos below, with cutlines (captions) by Nick, and Michele's mini-videos.

When Tom took a ramble he found a Leprechaun behind a hedge. The Leprechaun was hammering on the heel of a fairy-sized shoe. (Photo by Michele Anderson, ESL Reading instructor)

Finally Tom reached a place where the leprechaun had buried a treasure, but then Tom didn't have any tool to dig so he tied his garter on the bush as a mark. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

Tom finds the place where he thinks the treasure is buried. (Video by Michele)

Tom returns with a shovel and digs for the treasure, but to no avail. (Video by Michele)

After the event Tom always carried his spade and he'd tell children (played here by the seven dwarfs) how he nearly found the gold. Hachiko, the loyal dog, and his master listen to the story as well. (Photo by Michele)

Please post your comments on our puppet shows!

"St. Nick" visits foreign language students' Christmas party

Finlandia students of foreign language and their instructors celebrated an early Christmas on Nov. 28 with a skit and dramatic reading of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," the singing of Christmas songs in Finnish and English, a gift exchange and a Christmas buffet of goodies. The basement of St. Matthew's Chapel on campus took on a festive atmosphere during the party, organized by Anna Leppanen, instructor of Finnish and ESL.

Finlandia students and instructors of foreign language enjoy a potluck feast during their Nov. 28 Christmas party in St. Matthew's Chapel basement on campus. Pictured clockwise from left are Suzanne Van Dam, ESL instructor; Angela Book, German instructor; Anna Leppanen, Finnish and ESL instructor; Kumiko Takahashi; Kazuki Nishiyama; Fred Knoch, student of Finnish; Fumiya Kobashi; Toshiyuki Mita; and Takaaki (Nick) Niikura. (Photo by Michele Anderson, ESL instructor)

St. Nick --Takaaki (Nick) Niikura, left -- boards his sleigh, pulled by his "tiny reindeer" (from left), Suzanne Van Dam, Finlandia ESL instructor, and students Fumiya Kobashi, Kumiko Takahashi and Toshiyuki Mita during the students' performance of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." Not pictured is Kazuki Nishiyama, who did the dramatic reading of the poem to accompany the skit during the ESL Christmas party Nov. 28 in the Chapel basement. (Photo by Anna Leppanen, ESL instructor)

St. Nick's reindeer play dual roles in the skit as Kazuki Nishiyama reads the poem. (Video by Michele Anderson)


Here's "St. Nick" -- Takaaki (Nick) Niikura -- ready to deliver his bundle of toys. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

St. Nick and his reindeer take off for Hancock ...

... where Anna Leppanen, Finnish and ESL instructor, receives one of the first gifts St. Nick has to deliver. Pictured in the background are, from left, Toshi (Mickey), Fumiya and Suzanne Van Dam, ESL instructor, who organized and directed the skit. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

Special guests Angela Book, German instructor, and Fred Knoch, student of Finnish, relax and enjoy St. Nick's antics at the party. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

Toshi (Mickey) comments on this photo he took: "When we each exchanged presents, Santa Claus (Nick) gave a present to Kumiko. What is in the present?" Also pictured in the background are instructors Suzanne, Michele and Anna. (Photo by Toshi Mita)

Toshi also took this photo, noting, "When we were in the chapel, there was a Christmas tree. It 's cute !!!!" (Photo by Toshi Mita)

We welcome your comments on our Christmas party!