tirsdag 22. september 2015

*Find a book!


After your Fall Break we are to concentrate even more on literature and reading. By Friday October 9 you all have to have found an English novel. Make sure that the language is at your level (not too hard, not too easy) and choose a genre that appeals to you.

Why all this reading you may ask? I'll tell you why! The benefits of reading are many, and here are some of the most important ones:


  • You expand your vocabulary. The more you read, the more words you will learn, and eventually these words will become a part of your vocabulary.
  • You will improve your grammar and writing skills. The more you read, the better your grammar skills will be, because you automatically understand how a verb should be conjugated or how a word should be spelled. You also learn different ways to express yourself. This will benefit both your oral and written English. 
  • You will get more knowledge. Knowledge is power, and knowledge can never be taken away from you. 
  • Reading reduces stress. In a stressful world we sometimes need a time-out. Reading is the perfect time-out, because when you are caught up in a great story your muscles relax and tension fades away. 
  • Reading improves you concentration and focus skills. In our Internet-crazed world, attention is drawn in a million different directions. When you are reading a book you cannot multi-task, you have concentrate and focus only on the story. 
If you unsure of what to read - here is a list of my recommendations!

*Smart Ice Cream - spotlight on reading


This week's longer text is a short story called "Smart Ice Cream". It is written by Paul Jennings - the same guy who wrote "Pink Bow Tie". Click HERE to find it (you will also get it in class). Hopefully you will like it - happy reading!

Homework is:

1. Read the short story
2. Pick ten difficult words and/or phrases from the text, put them down in your notebook and translate them into Norwegian - NB: the phrase "smart alec" is especially important that you understand!
3. Then write one paragraph where you answer this question:

Why do you believe the narrator (fortelleren) starts to write funny in the last paragraph of the story? (Remember that a paragraph should be a minimum of five sentences). Feel free to give examples from the text. You may start your paragraph like this:

I believe that the narrator of "Smart Ice Cream" starts to write funny because...

OR

In my opinion, the narrator of "Smart Ice Cream" starts to write funny because...

OR

I think that the narrator of "Smart Ice Cream" starts to write funny because...

This is homework for Friday the 25th of September

Tema og læringsmål for perioden uke 36 - 39:
Tema: School
Læringsmål:

  • Å kunne forstå, bruke og utvide et ordforråd knyttet til temaet "School"
  • Å kunne lese og forstå både saklige og litterære tekster som omhandler temaet "School".
  • Å kunne si og begrunne egne meninger.
  • Å kunne bøye substanstiv som er både regelrette og uregelrette i entall og flertall. 
  • Å kunne bruke ordene there/their/they're riktig.
  • Å vite hva et "essay" er og hvordan det bygges opp.

tirsdag 15. september 2015

*Saving Ms Fosdyke - spotlight on reading


In this week's "Spotlight on reading" I would like to introduce you to Morriz Gleitzman. He has written many books for children and young adults, and his short stories are brilliant! One of my favorites is this one:

Saving Ms Fosdyke (click here to find the text - you will also get it in class)

When you read it you might understand why I (being a teacher) am particularly fond this story ;)

Read the short story, pick ten words you find difficult and translate them into Norwegian, then write a short summary of what this story is about (1/2 - 1 page in your notebook). 

This is homework for Friday the 18th of September




Tema og læringsmål for perioden uke 36 - 39:
Tema: School
Læringsmål:

  • Å kunne forstå, bruke og utvide et ordforråd knyttet til temaet "School"
  • Å kunne lese og forstå både saklige og litterære tekster som omhandler temaet "School".
  • Å kunne si og begrunne egne meninger.
  • Å kunne bøye substanstiv som er både regelrette og uregelrette i entall og flertall. 
  • Å kunne bruke ordene there/their/they're riktig.
  • Å vite hva et "essay" er og hvordan det bygges opp.

*They're, their, there - spotlight on language


Some words in the English language sound the same when you say them out loud, but the spelling is not the same. A threesome I know many of you students find it hard to tell apart is "they're, their, there". But fear no more! You are about to get it right! Just follow the steps below:

1. Read this text
2. Practice here
3. Write ten sentences in your notebook where you use the three words correctly.

This is homework for Tuesday the 22nd of September




Tema og læringsmål for perioden uke 36 - 39:
Tema: School
Læringsmål:

  • Å kunne forstå, bruke og utvide et ordforråd knyttet til temaet "School"
  • Å kunne lese og forstå både saklige og litterære tekster som omhandler temaet "School".
  • Å kunne si og begrunne egne meninger.
  • Å kunne bøye substanstiv som er både regelrette og uregelrette i entall og flertall. 
  • Å kunne bruke ordene there/their/they're riktig.
  • Å vite hva et "essay" er og hvordan det bygges opp.

tirsdag 8. september 2015

*School Uniforms


In many countries school uniforms are mandatory. I want to know your opinions about the subject. Read this article (you will also get it in class). Study both sides of the argument. Write down  three arguments that support the idea of having a school uniform and three arguments that do not support the idea of having a school uniform. Then write down your opinion where you state whether you are for or against school uniforms and why. Do all this in your notebook!

This is homework for Friday the 11th of September


Tema og læringsmål for perioden uke 36 - 39:

Tema: School

Læringsmål:

  • Å kunne forstå, bruke og utvide et ordforråd knyttet til temaet "School"
  • Å kunne lese og forstå både saklige og litterære tekster som omhandler temaet "School".
  • Å kunne si og begrunne egne meninger.
  • Å kunne bøye substanstiv som er både regelrette og uregelrette i entall og flertall. 
  • Å kunne bruke ordene there/their/they're riktig.
  • Å vite hva et "essay" er og hvordan det bygges opp.


*The Great Mouse Plot - spotlight on reading


This week's longer text is an excerpt (utdrag) from Roald Dahl's book Boy - Tales of Childhood. Roald Dahl based this book on his own childhood, but as he says himself: "An autobiography is a book a person writes about his own life and it is usually full of all sorts of boring details. This is not an autobiography." He spiced up the stories from his own life by adding ingredients such as a good plot, good characters and bad characters, drama, comedy, suspense, a cunning plan etc. 

Read the excerpt called "The Great Mouse Plot" here (you will also get it in class). Write down ten words you find difficult and translate them in to Norwegian in your notebook. 

Then write one paragraph (remember the minimum of five sentences) where you explain whether you liked the excerpt or not. Give examples from the text. Try to comment on Roald Dahl's writing style. Start your paragraph like this:

I really liked "The Great Mouse Plot" because....

OR

I did not like "The Great Mouse Plot" because...

This is homework for Friday the 11th of September.



Tema og læringsmål for perioden uke 36 - 39:

Tema: School

Læringsmål:




  • Å kunne forstå, bruke og utvide et ordforråd knyttet til temaet "School"
  • Å kunne lese og forstå både saklige og litterære tekster som omhandler temaet "School".
  • Å kunne si og begrunne egne meninger.
  • Å kunne bøye substanstiv som er både regelrette og uregelrette i entall og flertall. 
  • Å kunne bruke ordene there/their/they're riktig.
  • Å vite hva et "essay" er og hvordan det bygges opp.


*Irregular nouns - spotlight on language




Not every noun (substantiv) is changed from the singular to the plural just by adding an -s, -es or -iesSome nouns are different and are called irregular nouns.
  
Check out the video and read about irregular nouns in Key English at page 188. Write down the irregular nouns you have to memorize and learn them by heart!

This is homework for Tuesday the 15th of September


Tema og læringsmål for perioden uke 36 - 39:

Tema: School

Læringsmål:



  • Å kunne forstå, bruke og utvide et ordforråd knyttet til temaet "School"
  • Å kunne lese og forstå både saklige og litterære tekster som omhandler temaet "School".
  • Å kunne si og begrunne egne meninger.
  • Å kunne bøye substanstiv som er både regelrette og uregelrette i entall og flertall. 
  • Å kunne bruke ordene there/their/they're riktig.
  • Å vite hva et "essay" er og hvordan det bygges opp.

tirsdag 1. september 2015

*Pink Bow Tie - spotlight on reading


The best way to expand your vocabulary (meaning to learn new words), learn grammar and the build-up of sentences is through reading. I can not emphasize this enough:

IF YOU WANT TO BECOME GOOD IN ENGLISH YOU HAVE TO READ! A LOT!

You guys are to read one longer fictional text a week. The longer text this week is a short story called "Pink Bow Tie" by Paul Jennings. It is quite funny, I hope you will enjoy it! Read the story here!

Homework for Friday September the 4th:
Read the short story. Then pick ten words you did not understand - write them down and translate them into Norwegian. 

*School - Focus Words

apple_back to school

Up until your Fall break we will work with the topic "School". When you talk about school there are some words you have to know - FOCUS WORDS:

  • Primary school
  • Secondary School
  • Upper Secondary School
  • Subjects
    • Natural science
    • Mathematics
    • P. E. (Physical Education)
    • Home economics 
    • Social studies
    • Arts and craft
  • Pupil council
  • Recess
  • Principal/headmaster
  • Lesson
  • Library
  • Grade
  • Remark
Homework for Friday September the 4th:
Translate all the words above into Norwegian. Then write a text where you use as many of the words as possible. Write at least half a page! 

*My Favorite Things - Spotlight on language


In the musical "Sound of Music" the actress Julie Andrews sings about her favorite things. Read the lyrics in Key English at p. 13. Check out the scene from the movie here.

HOMEWORK for Tuesday September the 8th: 
- Read about Regular Nouns (substantiv) at page 187 in Key English. Do task 5 at page 13 in Key English. BRING KEY ENGLISH TO CLASS.