Epilogue: Christmas Play

Dear Students,

I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2010.

May all your wishes come true and keep the effort.

Sincerely yours,

Jimmy

OPEN HOUSE

ESTIMADOS PADRES DE FAMILIA:

SE LES REITERA QUE NUESTRO OPEN HOUSE SERÁ EL 5 DE DICIEMBRE A LAS 13 HRS, EN EL AUDITORIO DEL CIDEB. A LA ENTRADA DEL AUDITORIO, SE LES HARÁ ENTREGA DE LOS RESULTADOS FINALES. DESPUÉS, SE LES HACE LA ATENTA INVITACIÓN PARA ASISITIR A LA PASTORELA QUE LOS ALUMNOS PREPARARON PARA EL CIERRE DEL CURSO.

POSTERIORMENTE, DARÉ ATENCIÓN A LOS PADRES DE FAMILIA QUE ASÍ LO REQUIERAN Y EN CASO DE ASI SEA, HASTA QUE FINALICE NUESTRA PUESTA EN ESCENA.

RECUERDEN QUE EL 5 DE DIC ES EL UNICO DIA PARA LA INSCRIPCIÓN DE REINGRESOS, ES NECESARIO TRAER LA PAPELERÍA QUE LOS ALUMNOS LES LLEVARON LA CLASE PASADA, INCLUYENDO SU MATRÍCULA, LA CUAL NO ES TRANSFERIBLE EN CASO DE NO INSCRIBIRSE.

TODOS LOS ALUMNOS DEBERÁN PRESENTARSE EN EL HORARIO REGULAR, SIN EXCEPCIONES.

SALUDOS CORDIALES.

JAIME GUERRA

Can money buy happiness?

Dear Students,

This will be our final class. In this session you should hand in your essays (book report), which is in fact the 10% of your final grade. Remember the course evaluation:

20%..........Oral Tests (2)
30%..........Written Tests (10)
10%..........TOEFL (2)
10%..........Essay
15%..........Homeworks
15%..........Participations


Homework:

1) You've decided to make a play together for the Open House. Your homework is to research a script (guión) from any christmas or shepherd's play (pastorela).

2) Separately, you will write/draft your own script based on the one from your research. Make it funny and long enough for everyone to participate at least once during 20 minutes.

3) In class, we'll check the plays and draft together the adaptation of our own skit for the Open House. YOUR PLAY WILL COUNT AS THE LAST HOMEWORK, SO DO IT!

The topic is Christmas, but try not to do it too religious as you know that there's always someone amidst the audience that dislikes the Christian meaning of Christmas.
Avoid problems to the teacher from parents coming later and saying: "Profesor, de acuerdo al artículo 3 de la Constitución, la educación es laica, es decir ajena a cualquier doctrina religiosa... por lo cual desapruebo que mi niño(a) participe en este tipo de puestas en escena."


4) From the slides, study for Quiz #10

http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AbbCmn08YwmYZGZ0anI3cWNfNDRnd21mZmpmOQ&hl=en
http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AbbCmn08YwmYZGZ0anI3cWNfNjBna3p2YmhoZw&hl=en

FOR THE 1ST TIME IN OUR COURSE: NOBODY IS ALOUD TO BE ABSENT IN THE OPEN HOUSE. STUDENTS THAT PLAN TO LEAVE PRIOR DE 5TH OF DECEMBER WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR REENTRANCE TO THE NEXT SEMESTER.

Final Stretch / Countdown (Recta Final)

Estimados padres de familia:

Se les informa que este Sábado 14 de Noviembre NO HABRÁ CLASE. Pese que así se programó con anticipación, los alumnos tienen la instrucción de empezar a trabajar en sus entregas finales:

07-Nov. TOEFL II
14-Nov. No hay clases
21-Nov. Quiz #9, 2o Exámen Oral y Exámen Final
28-Nov. Entrega del Ensayo Final, Quiz #10
05-Dic. OPEN HOUSE 13hrs y Presentaciones

Asimismo, hago de su conocimiento los siguientes avisos:

1) Como solución para evitar el congestionamiento vehicular en el estacionamiento del edificio, el Director del CIDEB y la Administración del Departamento de Extensión tomaron la decisión de cambiar la hora de salida de los salones 12 a 19 a las 13.00 hrs a partir del 21 de noviembre. Por lo cual, nosotros como salón #11 no nos veremos afectados con esta medida; seguimos saliendo a las 13.15 hrs.

2) Como medida para reforzar más las habilidades y vocabulario de nuestros estudiantes se concluyó que todos los alumnos tomarán el nivel de grámatica después de acreditar el nivel avanzado. Los estudiantes que ya estén en avanzado y que ya hayan tomado este nivel y los estudiantes de Comunicativo 1 y 2 que así lo ameriten tomarán el nivel de Comunicativo Intensivo.

Por lo cual, el nuevo orden de los niveles sería el siguiente:
Básico
Intermedio I
Intermedio II
Avanzado
Gramática Constructiva
Comunicativo I
Comunicativo Intensivo
Comunicativo II
Fonética y Fonología

Recuerden que si no se presentan (su hijo(a) o alguno de ustedes) el día del Open House se les cancelará la entrega de su papelería y perderán el derecho a reinscripción.

3) El nuevo horario a partir del próximo semestre será:
Entrada: 8.30
Salida: Frances y Fonética = 12.30 hrs; salones del 12 al 19 = 12:45 hrs; salones del 1 al 11 = 13.00 hrs

4) Así mismo, se determinó que a partir de este semestre todos los niveles aplicarán un exámen final, para ver si el estudiante desarrolló las habilidades, los conocimientos y el vocabulario necesario para acreditar el nivel. Para este exámen se supone que no tendrían que estudiar, pues se trata de un exámen de conocimientos, sin embargo pueden dar un repaso general a sus apuntes de semestres anteriores, si así lo desean para llegar mejor preparados. El examen el es 21 de Noviembre.

5) El promedio para acreditar el nivel a partir del próximo semestre será de 80/100.


Students:
This week's day off is not for vacations. You have 2 weeks to work on your papers! I will not accept late submissions.

Once again, I remind you that abscenses are justified only under certain conditions and specific reasons! What is not justified:
"I went shopping to McAllen"
"I went to the sunny beach of South Padre Island"
"My sister's XV or wedding"
etc, etc, etc.

People! Learn to be responsible for YOUR decisions, if your family has plans for the weekend is YOUR decision to take the trip or day off. I will not justify these type of abscences unless the CIDEB Principal tells me as so.

Regards.

JG

How visual media affects people, Part II

"YES WE CAN"

Goal:
The main purpose is to continue developing oral expression skills but to work as well in grammar and the reading comprehension skills.

Objectives:
1. Students will be able to share their opinions with others.
2. Students will be able to read an English text and answer questions about the content.
3. Students will be able to stand in front of the class and express themselves.





Material:
http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AbbCmn08YwmYZGZ0anI3cWNfMzZkcnJyanpkdg&hl=en

Vocabulary:

1. Avaiable in "Let them decide" Powerpoint slides: Liberalism, conservatism, capitalism, socialism, comunism, nationalism, fascism, nazism, populism, anarchism, environmentalism, monarchism, identify the common associations of colors and symbols. Do not memorize the meaning, try to understand the meaning!

2. Additional vocabulary.

The political staff members usually consist of:
Campaign manager: will coordinate the team effort, overall performance, and the campaign's operations, Besides the candidate, the campaign manager is the most visible leader.

Political Consultant: will advise campaigns on virtually all of their activities. The media advertising is usually designed by them.

Activists: are the foot soldiers loyal to the cause, they perform voluntary activities such as canvassing door to door or making phone calls on behalf of the campaign.

Candidate: the individual who seeks or is in nomination for an office, prize, or honor.

3. Origin of the English Words (We'll see this reading the next class)

Leap year: A year with one or more extra days (usually February 20th) in order to keep the calendar year synchronized with the astronomical or seasonal year.

To worship: Devotion or adoration usually towards a deity, idol, or a sacred object.

Swiftly: Capable of moving with great speed. Quick to act or react.

Slightly: In a small degree, "a bit"

Ancient: Of great age, very old

War: A state of open conflict, rivalry, hostility, between nations


Homework

1. 2nd Oral Quiz: Prepare a 3 min speech with a powerpoint presentation.

• In the 1st slide you should include the most important vocabulary from your presentation, you'll explain this vocabulary prior your presentation.

• Search in You Tube or any other video sharing website a relevant video to support your presentation. At the end, you will share the video clip with the group.

• Do not copy/paste your speech in the slides. You'll not read this presentation.

• You're responsible for bringing your presentation in a CD, if you decide to use your e-mail, usb, or any other device in by your own risk. There won't be a 2nd chance for you.

Topic: Unusual or Strange, Dangerous or High-Risk, or Funny Jobs. Please, focus on a single job.

2. Study the slides for our Quiz #9

3. We haven't finish this lesson, prior the test we'll finish with the activity "Let them decide", so please bring your plans and party drafts to develop the media campaign.

4. Finally, but not least, remember that you should start reading a book to develop your essay, the due date is: Nov. 28th.

• You can get some insights to develop your book report on the following website: http://www.infoplease.com/homework/wsbookreporths.html

• Arial 12, 1 page introduction, 2 page body (at least), 1 page conclusion. Include a picture of the book cover in an additional page, search it in the internet.

• 80 pages at least, 120 max (recommended) you can't pick a book you read before. I will not aloud copy/paste from book reviews from internet.

Additional references:

How visual media affects people, Part I

Goal:
For students to develop expression skills through a discussion of a topic that is relevant nowadays.

Objective:
Students will acquire new vocabulary related to the theme and learn to apply it.
Students will express their opinions and points of view about this theme.
Students will answer to several exercises related to the last lesson plans.

Vocabulary: household, media, TV "the small screen", trial, nevertheless, trendy, encountered, dissatisfied, furthermore, channel surf, advertising, grieving, sought (seek)

Material: You are now able to download the slides of this lesson: http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AbbCmn08YwmYZGZ0anI3cWNfMTVmejJ0ODhnNA&hl=en

Howework:

1) You will draft a plan as if you run for the City's Mayor (alcaldía de la ciudad). Your chart will provide solutions for the most common concerns from our city in relation to each these: Security, Investment (Economy), Health, Education, Environment. Make some research in the newspapers, broadcasts, etc. and ask yourself, what are the main concerns of the people? If I was the City's Mayor, how will I plan to solve these problems? These task is our introduction to media campaigns.

2) Students wil have their 8th Quiz

Additional reference:

Watch the following material(s) I will be making additional questions in our quiz.

Famous People

Goal: To develop vocabulary referred to the entertaining industry, to describe and think in the key word of description.

Objective:
To motivate students to express their ideas in a proper and orderly way.
Students will acquire new vocabulary related to the theme and learn it to apply it.
Students will make descriptions.
Students will answer in several exercises.

Vocabulary: blockbuster, box-office hit, cast, director, leading role, soundtrack, stuntman/woman, predictable, hilarious, achievement, thriller, action-packed

Assessment/Evaluation:
Quiz #7

Material: You are now able to download the slides of this lesson.
http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AbbCmn08YwmYZGZ0anI3cWNfMmZjNnRwdnZ6&hl=en

Homework:

1) 1 page-essay: If you could choose an entertaining career, which one would it be; what would you like to achieve and why?

2) This week you should decide about a book for your final essay. 80 pages at least, 120 max (recommended) you can't pick a book you read before. I will not aloud copy/paste from book reviews from internet. The essasy IS FOR MID-NOVEMBER.
To get an insight of what I expect for the final essay, click in here: http://www.infoplease.com/homework/wsbookreporths.html

Today's News

ESTIMADOS PADRES DE FAMILIA,

SE LES INFORMA QUE LA JUNTA DE PADRES DE FAMILIA PROGRAMADA PARA ESTE SÁBADO 17 DE OCTUBRE SERÁ INDIVIDUAL Y VIA CORREO ELECTRÓNICO (NO ES NECESARIO QUE SE PRESENTEN). PUESTO QUE NO TODOS PUDIERON PROPORCIONAR SU CORREO ELECTRÓNICO (O EN SU EFECTO NO TIENEN UNO), ESTA INFORMACIÓN SE LES HARÁ LLEGAR EL SÁBADO POR MEDIO DEL CORREO ELECTRÓNICO DE SU HIJO(A).

SOLO SE CITARÁ A LOS PADRES DE FAMILIA QUE POR ALGUNA RAZÓN LO AMERITEN.

CUALQUIER DUDA, DEJO MI CORREO ELECTRONICO A SU DISPOSICIÓN:
HOOGDALEM@GMAIL.COM


Dear Student,
I'll post in here everything you need to further in our projects as long as necessary. During each week I'll upload the most relevant material from our past class, of course this DOESN'T mean that you are exempt from taking your own notes.

I upload my material for your information, but in turn I promise that tasks and quizzes would require from you more effort and further reasoning.

Lesson Plan 10 Today's News

Goal:

The main purpose for students is to acquire vocabulary related to the News media and also to practice vocabulary by doing their own T.V. News Show.

Objective:

• For students to understand the part that plays each character.
• Students will acquire new vocabulary related to the theme.
• Students will learn to debate.
• Students will answer to several exercises.

Vocabulary: gossip columnist, commentator, publisher, cub reporter, correspondent, meteorologist, critic, anchor, editor, paparazzi, broadcast.

Material: You are now able to download the material from this lesson:
http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AbbCmn08YwmYZGZ0anI3cWNfMWc4azk0dmZr&hl=en

Homework:

1) To make a report (1 page) in your own words about a recent news that got your attention. Describe the people involved; provide your opinion, and explain your reasoning.

2) Quiz No. 6

Crazy Relationships

1. HW: Write an essay about what are you looking for in the person you want to be with. (one page) You may want to include a list of what you are NOT looking in a relationship.

2. Study the vocabulary words for QUIZ #5.

3. TO ALL: BRING THE TOEFL SHEETS TO CONTINUE OUR PRACTICE.


Amiss: Something wrong. In an improper, defective, unfortunate, or mistaken way.
Things went amiss when the doctor found out his mom had cancer.

Allegedly: Supposely; according to someone's allegation.
The suspect was allegedly involved in the robbery, but his alibi placed him in another state at the time.

Rough up: To manhandle or beat up; subject to physical abuse.
The man is in prison because he was roughin up his wife.

To book: To penalise (someone) for an offence.
The police booked him for driving too fast .

Attorney: In the United States, a lawyer; one who advises or represents others in legal matters as a profession.
The attorney give him advise to win the case.

Unscathed: Not harmed or damaged in any way; untouched.
He was quite relieved to finish the conversation unscathed.

Bruises: A purplish mark on the skin due to leakage of blood from capillaries under the surface that have been damaged by a blow.
They had an accident that left them lots of bruises.

Nix: To reject or cancel.
Britney nixed her presentations because she was injured.

Debate: An argument, or discussion, usually in an ordered or formal setting, often with more than two people, generally ending with a vote or other decision.
After a four-hour debate, the committee voted to table the motion.

Alibi: To provide an excuse for.
She didn´t went to jail because her alibi was real, she was at a friend´s house when they killed her huseband.

Lost (Island Survival)

HOMEWORK: 1 page-essay. Think about a list of 8 inventions that are the most important to humankind. Explain your reasoning ON EACH.

QUIZ #4:

* TO UNDERSTAND (NOT MEMORIZE) ALL PERSONALITY TRAITS, SPECIALLY:

Reliable: Trustworthy; capable of being dependend upon. Sp. Confiable.

Deceptive: Misleading. Tending to lead into error: Sp. Desconfiable.

Thoughtless: Unconcerned.

Moody: Temperamental.

Bossy: Given to ordering others around.

Demanding: Someone that requires from people much effort or attention.

Outgoing: Sociable.

Sluggish: Slow moving, lacks activity.

AND FROM THE LESSON'S VOCABULARY:

Aid: Help from someone.

Bonfire: A large fire built outdoors, as for signaling or in celebration of an event.

Bait: Food that you use to catch animals like fish.

To bow your head: to bend your head and the upper part of your body forwards in greeting a person.

Crop: Cultivation.

Dew: Moisture; water droplets condensed from the air, they usually appear at night: My car is wet with dew during the mornings.

Greeting: Words of welcome, like a kind message.

Harvest: The act or process of processing a crop.

Personality traits: Traits are distinguishing characteristics of a person.

Sextant: A navigation instrument used to measure the altitudes of celestial bodies (sea).

Stranded: Abandoned.

Supplies: Provisions.

Trap: A device for catching animals.

Wreck: Something in a very bad condition; to destroy or damage as if in collision: The ship was wrecked during the storm. My teacher wrecked my plans. He gave to much homework for this weekend!

2 Topics: The Annoying Thing and Shopping Time

Dear students,

We're having our Quiz #3 this week, on Sep. 26th.

The test includes the vocabulary from "The Annoying Thing", "Shopping Time" and even "Charity Appeals". Some of the terms are avaiable in our blogspot, but others may not. So, recall these lessons, review your material and notes (if you have), and try to identify the relevants words from each.

BESIDES THE TEST YOU HAVE THIS WEEK'S HW...

1) Answer to the following questions in relation to each performance from the class.

a) In your own words, explain what was performed at each play: neighborhood, restaurant, theaters, and with friends.

b) Have you ever experienced disturbance from your neighbors? What kind? (If not, have you ever performed as an annoying neighbor? How?)

c) How will you deal with an annoying neighbor to avoid a bigger problem?

d) Describe some of the annoying experiences you've had in restaurants, like to pay your dinner with coins, to find a hair on your meals, etc. How did you act?

e) Have you ever experienced disturbance in the theaters (movies)? What kind? (Spoiled kids, people at the back kicking your seat, slurping soft drinks, etc.)

f) How will you deal with annoying people in the middle of the movie? Would you decide to ignore them and watch the movie or argue to stop their disturbance?

g) Have you been embarrased by your friends? How?

h) How will you deal with annoying friends? How can you avoid loosing your friends?

IF YOU WERE ABSENT THE LAST CLASS, THE ABOVE IS NOT THE HW FOR YOU, BUT THE FOLLOWING:

2) PEOPLE READ! THIS TASK IS ONLY FOR ABSENT PEOPLE (MANUEL CELESTINO, KATIA AMAYA, AND PAOLA TANGUMA) AND THE MEMBERS OF NOA TEAM (NOE, STEFY ELIZALDI, NYDIA, SONIA, SUSANA, ISRAELI) IF YOU MISS TO BRING THIS TASK YOUR GRADE ON THE PREVIOUS ONE IS AUTOMATICALLY A ZERO.

a) Have you ever performed an annoying character? How? (If not, think about someone from your familiy that performed as it and embarrased you. Explain)

b) Where you aware that you were irritating to people around you?

c) What was the outcome (result)?

d) Think about annoying behaviors from people in certain places. Can you refer them?



VOCABULARY FROM THESE LESSONS:

Annoyance: The act of annoying or state of being annoyed. A cause of irritation or nuisance.

Disturbance: A noisy of disorderly happening: He was thrown out of the class for causing disturbance with his cell phone.

Tip: Money given in exchange of a personal service: Noe left without leaving a tip for the waiter.

Customer: A client or person that buys from a shop.

Oversee: To watch or supervise someone: The manager was constantly overseeing his work to avoid problems with the annoying customers.

Outcome: A result.

Numb: Indifferent, not sensitive.

Household: Domestic or related to the family.

Shopping mall: A public area connecting individual stores.

Flea market: A marketplace usually held outdoors where household goods are sold.

Grocery store: A store selling foodstuffs and household supplies. Examples: Costco Wholesale, Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart, Soriana.

Bargain: Trade; to negotiate the terms for an agreement, as to sell or exchange.

Brand: A trademark or distinctive name identifying a product or service from a company.

Commodity: An article that can be bought or sold. Sp. Mercancía

Currency: Money in any form as a mean for exchange.

Customer: One that buy products and services.

Ring: A small circle made from metal worn on the finger: A wedding ring.

Bracelet: An ornament worn on the wrist or arm: A gold bracelet.

Necklace (Pendant): Ornament designed to be worn, frequently around the neck, on a strap or chain.

Earring: Jewelry worn on or through the ear.

Purse: A woman’s handbag

Coat: A sleeved outer garment extending from the shoulders to the waist or below.

Belt: A flexible band, of leather or cloth, worn around the waist to support clothing.

Charity Appeals

Homework: Choose 1 charity from the list and explain in a ONE-PAGE ESSAY why people should donate to them, research and provide TRUE examples about them.

A charity that helps elderly (old) people with food and housing
A hospice for people who are dying of an incurable disease
An organization that provides emergency supplies and medicine for disaster victims
A charity that helps homeless people
Cancer/Aids research
A charity that helps people with AIDS
Animal shelters
Environmental NGO

Vocabulary of this lesson

Wealthy: adj. Having a lot of money. Milton and Hetty Green were wealthy people, they had a lot of money.

Charity: Refers to the kindness, especially in giving money to the poor people: Petrie was a generous businessman. Her widow, Carroll, said his charity was a result of the poverty of his early years.

Widow: A woman whose husband is dead: After he died, his widow agreed to share themoney with the poor people, Widower: A man whose wife is dead.

Ragged: Torn pieces of clothing: At school, she was asked to change her clothing because she wore ragged jeans.

Heritage: Wealth passed on from generation to another.

Wall Street: a street in lower Manhattan, N.Y. where major U.S. financial institutions are located.

Will: A legal declaration of how a person wishes his or her possesions to be disposed of after death.

Stingy: ungenerous.

Thirst the Quarrel for Water

Estimados Padres de Famila,

Por disposición del Dpto de Extensión, se les informa que las re-inscripciones serán unicamente el día del Open House, 5 de Diciembre. (No habrá extemporáneos). En otras palabras, si este día no se inscriben, los alumnos no tendrán derecho al reingreso.

Dear students,

1) Your homework for this week is to answer the following questions:

How will our lives change if water was scarce in our community?
What did I learned from the discussion?
What was my role-play? How ws my opinion affected after performing this role?
Historically, water has been as a shared common, but ¿do you think of it as a public good (or right) or market commodity that can be bought and sold? Explain your answers.

EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWERS. Some of you are not putting enough effort on the tasks. The next class I will share with you examples of DOs and DONTs from your homeworks.


2) Finally, we're having our Written Quiz #2 based on the vocabulary from Thirst:
turmoil, fiasco, private sector, privatization, World Bank, profit, income, loan, scarcity (scarce), bill, bond, commodity, expense.


Jaime

1st Parents Meeting & Thirst, the Quarrel for Water

Estimados Alumnos y Padres de Familia,

Este sábado 5 de Septiembre tendremos nuestra 1a Junta con los Padres de Familia, en el horario de 12 a 1 p.m. Les pido atentamente traer firmado el apartado correspondiente de la hoja del reglamento.

Esperamos contar con su presencia.


To our students:
Check the material that I'm sending you within this week:
1) Naturalization Test Questions: This is only additional information for your reference. There is nothing to worry about because there is NO quiz about this material.
2) "Water Privatization Fiascos" Case Study: Read it to have a background for our activity on Saturday.

My USB was damaged during the storm, so I'm still missing some of your e-mails, but I'm leaving this documents avaiable at the following links:

http://rapidshare.de/files/48263278/Naturalization_Test_Questions.doc.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/48263298/Fiascos_1_.pdf.html

(Just click in the FREE button of the download-type and then type the letters asked by the server, you are a no premium-user).

If you have trouble downloading these materials write me an e-mail or to any of your classmates, remember that I reply as soon as I can.

Regards,

Jaime

Starting a New Civilization

Because it took us a bit longer to finish both, the TOEFL and the 1st quiz, our homework will be to finish the class activity scheduled for this session: Starting a New civilization.

Originally, this was a team activity, but now is an individual homework.

a) Instructions: To write a 1-page survival plan considering an specific shelter with the avaiable survivors (both were assigned to your team).

b) Rules: You must choose 6 people among 7 of your survivors (6/7). You are allowed to "draft or exchange one of your survivors with any other of your choice from this list:

Avaiable Shelters
1) You are a nonsedentary society heading for the cold climate of Alaska or the sunny beaches of Mexico.
2) Your group hides in an old iraki bunker
3) You live happily inside a large american shopping mall
4) You live in a big, 2-floor country house in the middle of nowhere
Optional: 5) Costco

Avaiable Survivors
1) A U.S. marine that will not give-up his weapon (male, age: 25)
2) A judgeful (biased) priest
3) A journalist from a popular celeb-gossip magazine (female, age: mid-20's)
4) A thoughtess (carless) nurse
5) A naughy (bad-behaved) 13 yr. old boy from CIDEB
6) A cook with a huge appetite
7) A very rude but funny clown
8) A philosopher with existential attitudes and trends
9) An atheist scientist (female, age: 41)
10) The leader of a trade union (male, age: 33)
11) A mother with a strange obsession with good manners: (age: 46)
12) An old wise man in a wheelchair (male, age: unknown)
13) A young-pregnant woman
14) A young anarchist (male, age: 19)
15) A blind woman that knows to play the piano and is not willing to star unless she keeps her dog
16) An indigenous peasant that does not speak your language
17) A tradesman with hard trading skills
18) A government bureaucrat with bad reputation
19) A sometimes arrogant English Teacher
20) A very enthusiast homosexual willing to help in anything
21) An arbitrary but brilliant businessman
22) A very moody-temperamental manager from McDonald's
23) An easy-going (perhaps even too relaxed) mediator
24) An engineeer with a sever obsessive compulsive disorder
25) A pretty girl with no concern in anything but the Jonas Brothers (age: 16)
26) A charismatic leader that is too sensible to failure
27) An intellectual with liberal and feminist tendencies (female, age thirty-some)
28) A self-restrained carpenter with no interest in involving with others
Optional: 29) Chuck Norris, 30) a Muslim priest, 31) a dangerous runaway from prison and former member of the MS (Mara Salvatrucha)

When you are done, answer apart from your survival plan the following questions:

1) For each of your survivors, answer:
Character "X"
Reason in favor of survival
Reason against survival
Decision of commitee (Yes/No)

2) With the chosen people, what type of leadership do you think your group is most likely to have (liberal, authocratic, demmocratic)? Why?

3) Which people are likely to become the leaders of your group? Which the followers? Why?

4) Based on your description, what type of prejudices did you have towards the people? Do you think those beliefs are fair or detrimental for your group decision?

Vocabulary for this lesson:

shelter: a structure that provides protection.
self-restrained: self control, reserved.
obsesive compulsive disorder: characterized by obsessions and compulsions.
vaccine: a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease.
trade union: a society of workers formed to protect and improve their working conditions, payment, etc.

References:

Types of leadership explained: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAaRtnDRkIQ
Obsesive compulsive disorder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPFQMRx2l3Y


UPDATE: You will have your 1st oral quiz this Saturday 29th, I will make random questions and you will speak for 3 or 5 m at least to the audience. The teacher and his staff will provide you later a feedback.

15/08/2009 Hooked on the Net

PAPÁS: LA CLASE PASADA SE LES HIZO ENTREGA A LOS ALUMNOS DE LAS HOJAS QUE CONTIENEN EL CALENDARIO, LOS HORARIOS, EVALUACION Y REGLAMENTO. POR FAVOR, LES PIDO DE LA MANERA MÁS ATENTA QUE CUANDO LO LEAN LO FIRMEN Y ME LO DEVUELVAN EN NUESTRA PRIMERA JUNTA (05 o 12 SEP) fecha for confirmar.
PONGO TAMBIEN A SU DISPOSICION MIS DATOS PARA ESTAR EN CONTACTO CUANDO ASI LO DESEEN, ESPERANDO TAMBIEN PODER CONOCER LOS SUYOS.

Lic. Luis Jaime Guerra
hoogdalem@gmail.com

Dear students,

1) "Story about my life"
Your homework for this week is to write a 1-page story using and underlying the vocabulary from Hooked on the Net: to come out, to turn in, to crave, hooked-on, cold turkey,to lose track of time, willpower, to become cut off from, to cut down on, to drag away, withdrawal, all-consuming, detrimental.

• This is the first assignment to evaluate your English skills.
• Please, avoid senseless content.
• Handwritten, NOT typed.
  
• If you were absent to this session ask someone from our class to share the meanings with you or look them in your english dictionary.

2) 1st Quiz
With the worksheet and the examples from the contest, you have enought material to study these vocabulary for our 1st Quiz.


3) On this session, we will have our first TOEFL practice, you don't need to prepare nor study to take this test. It's only a practice to measure your english proficiency until today. Make your best effort.

Have a great weekend.

Jim

08/08/2009 Alternative Beliefs

Hi people. This is your first assignemt for this saturday. Please read and follow the instructions!

Instructions: Answer to the following questions. For each question explain your reasoning in a paragraph, avoid "yes/no" type answers. Hand in this homework in one page, handwritten.

1) Alternative Beliefs Questions. This homework is done by everyone.

1. Do you think there is intelligent life in other planets?
2. Some people claim to have seen UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects) such as flying saucers. Do you believe in them? Why or why not?
3.What is your opinion of people who say that they can communicate with spirits? Would you like to take part of a session?
4. Would you ever visit an astrologer for a forecast of how your life will run in the future?
5. What does your star sign tell you about your personality and your compatibility with other people?
6. Do you believe in other forms of fortune telling such as palmistry, tarot cards, reading teacups, etc?



2) Shipwreck! Questions. This task is only for the students stranded (left) on the ship: Katia Amaya, Manuel Celestino, Valeria Mildred Mendoza, Israeli González... etc. I expect from you both homeworks. Missing any of these tasks will be considered as incomplete.

1. How were the decisions made in my group?
2. How did I feel about the decisions? Do I think it were fair?
3. Were people in my team (including me) straight and honest? Have all of them exposed true reasons to survive?
4. How is this exercise like our English Course? In other words, what relationship has with our class?

Questions? Write me an e-mail.

Regards,

Jim

08/08/2009 Welcome

Hi people... welcome to our blog. During the following months, your duty is to be aware of the assignments that I'll be posting in here.

Questions or comments regarding the tasks? Share them with your classmates in this space or via e-mail to me at: hoogdalem@gmail.com

Don't forget to take your time to do the assignments, I'm busy during the week as well.

Jim