Unit 3 February 28: Broad Rock

above: Barack Obama has a statue of Abraham Lincoln on his desk

1. Homework review: Discussion and vocabulary - page iv, To the Learner in your Preparation for Citizenship book
2. Part two of progress evaluation test called CASAS
3. Students who have already completed CASAS progress evaluation will work on PBS Learn English
4. Homework: workbook p.24, exercise 17. Be prepared for Unit 3 quiz next week

Unit 4 February 26: Downtown

Time is the theme for Unit 5

1. Review the "Now I can" skills box on textbook p.56 as a class. Students may look back through Unit 4 for examples of how to request service and respond to requests for service.
2. Unit 4 quiz from workbook p.89
3. Unit 5 Time textbook p.57: Warm up and objectives
4. Homework: esl-lab.com "Driver's License" (medium difficulty)

Unit 3 February 21: Broad Rock updated

Here is more information related to Saturday's motivational career development presentation:

• Nelson Diaz, Employment Marketing Specialist for Telamon Corporation
• (804) 240-6792
• ndiaz@telamon.org
• http://www.telamon.org/

• Boyd Headley, Employment Center Coordinator for Goodwill Industries
• (804) 317-4364
• CBHeadley@goodwillcva.org
• http://www.goodwillcva.org/

Unit 4 February 24: Downtown

pictured above: The Crossroads Cafe

1. Homework review: available rooms at Skyview Suites, workbook p.31 exercise 13, and idioms in exercise 14
2. Listening comprehension for hotel services: Textbook p.55 and CD exercises B-D
3. Video: Crossroads Cafe "Opening Day" watch part two and answer the following questions: Does Mr. Brashov have a name for the café yet? What are some suggested names? Who suggests those names? Which name do you like? Why?
4. Homework: study for Unit 4 quiz on Thursday

Unit 3 February 23: Broad Rock

above: homework this week comes from your citizenship book

Well, Saturday was very different than the plan I first posted. We have several new students. Now we will continue with activities listed for our last class.

1. Orientation: current students describe our class to new students
2. Part one of progress evaluation test called CASAS (some of you have done this before)
3. Homework: read page iv, To the Learner in your Preparation for Citizenship book for discussion on Saturday

Unit 3 February 21: Broad Rock

Special thanks to the students who brought the delicious food to class last Saturday! "Way to go!"

1. Students will tell us about their dance performance at Crestwood Presbyterian on Friday.
2. Part one of progress evaluation test called CASAS (some of you have done this before)
3. United States history or citizenship video (if I can rent it, we'll watch Schoolhouse Rock)
4. Homework: read p.iv, To the Learner in your Preparation for Citizenship book for discussion on Monday

Unit 4 February 19: Downtown

idiom: this car is "packed to the gills"

1. Homework review: Federal Trade Commission tips, workbook p.32 exercises 15 & 16
2. Pair work: Textbook p.54, each pair creates dialogue for one picture. Refer to textbook p.44 for help and ideas.
3. Video: Crossroads Cafe "Opening Day" watch part one and answer the following questions: What job do Katherine and Rosa want?
   Where is Rosa from?
   What happens in the kitchen?
   Does Mr. Brashov like Rosa’s cooking?
   Does Katherine get the job?
4. Homework: available rooms at Skyview Suites, workbook p.31 exercise 13, and idioms in exercise 14

Unit 4 February 17: Downtown

above: a phone call offering a cruise or other type of vacation could really be a rip-off or a scam

1. Travel fraud from the Federal Trade Commission website - textbook p.53, exercises C &D and Do it yourself A & B
2. Idiom - "fly by night" = a dishonest business without credentials or well known history. example: "The fly by night company sold vacation packages to students, cashed their checks, then went out of business without arranging the trips."
3. Homework: Federal Trade Commission tips, workbook p.32 exercises 15 & 16
4. Optional: visit the Federal Trade Commission's website and read the alert about sweepstakes offers.

Unit 3 February 16: Broad Rock

above: Our first President, George Washington, is also remembered on Presidents' Day

NO CLASS. THE LIBRARY IS CLOSED FOR PRESIDENTS' DAY. RETURN ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21 AT 10:30AM

Click here to find out about the 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday we honor on February 16 each year. 2009 marks his 200th birthday!

Unit 3 February 14: Broad Rock

above: One citizenship questions asks what group of people lived in North America before the Europeans arrived.

1. Do it yourself! driving activity - textbook p.37, exercises A & B
2. Getting to know your Preparation for Citizenship book p.103 - Sentences for Dictation and Reading
3. Daily citizenship question and discussion
4. Citizenship video
5. Homework: workbook p.24, exercise 16

Unit 4 February 12: Downtown

above: many Americans enjoy vacationing along the Atlantic Coast of New England

1. Discussion of My Lan Tran's presentation. What did you learn? Can you use any of the information in your own life? Which parts? If you wrote a paragraph for homework, refer to it for this class discussion.
2. Idiom - "go bust" = to become bankrupt, to lose all one's money in business. example: "Electronics store Circuit City went bust this month."
3. Authentic practice - Vacations, textbook p.52, exercises A & B, listen to CD, read, and answer
4. Optional: esl-lab.com "Utah Travel Ad - National Parks" (difficult)

Unit 4 February 10: Downtown

above: OMBD staff (My Lan Tran is second from the left)

1. "Business Diversity in Richmond" presentation by My Lan Tran, Program Manager for the City of Richmond's Office of Minority Business Development
2. Idiom: "Make a buck" to earn money example: It's hard to make a buck running your own business.
3. Homework: write paragraph describing today's presentation
4. Optional: esl-lab.com "Business Communications"

Unit 3 February 9: Broad Rock

in honor of Black History Month, we will study important figures like Frederick Douglass (above)

1. Homework review: Authentic practice, workbook p.22, exercise 12
2. Authentic practice: Aggressive driving and road rage, textbook p.36, exercises A-E Listen to CD
3. Talking with the Police handout on types of law enforcement
4. Daily citizenship question and discussion
   

Unit 3 February 7: Broad Rock

above: road rage could result in a serious accident

1. Homework review: Practical grammar, workbook p.20, exercises 7-9
2. Authentic practice: Aggressive driving and road rage, textbook p.36, exercises A-D
3. Talking with the Police handout on types of law enforcement
4. Daily citizenship question and discussion
5. Laptops for online activities: PBS Learn English and/or Naturalization Self Test
6. Homework: Authentic practice, workbook p.22, exercise 12

Unit 4 February 5: Downtown

above: hotels often sell or give away complimentary postcards

1. Homework review: Practical grammar, workbook p. 28 final exercise on some and any
2. Authentic practice; The hotel check-in, textbook p.48 exercises A & B, listen to CD and answer
3. Idiom from esl-lab.com - "tighten your belt" = live on less money example: "We need tighten our belt and reserve a cheap hotel."
4. Homework: Authentic practice, workbook p.29 exercises 10 & 11
5. Optional: visit the web page for the City of Richmond's Office of Minority Business Development in preparation for Tuesday's guest speaker, My Lan Tran. Listen to pod casts, watch videos and read newsletters about entrepreneurship.

Unit 4 February 3: Downtown

above: a typical American tourist

1. Homework review: Practical grammar, workbook p.27 exercises 6-7 choose some or any
2. Textbook p.47, exercises B-C, more uses of some and any
3. Textbook p.47 Do it yourself Pair work using questions and answers about your classroom instead of the book picture
4. Homework: Practical grammar, workbook p. 28 final exercise on some and any
5. Optional: esl-lab.com 20 minute vocabulary mini-lesson "Travel"

Unit 3 February 2: Broad Rock

It's very important to know how to talk to the police

1. Homework review: Practical grammar, workbook p.19, exercise 6
2. Talking with the Police handout and role play
3. Daily citizenship question and discussion
4. Homework: Practical grammar, workbook p.20, exercises 7-9