MLS Humanities, New Year's Eve Class

 By Nate Feldman

Happy New Year!  It is exciting to start the year 2025!  There are many great things to do in the Philadelphia area on New Year’s Eve and Day.  Tonight, there are fireworks, at 6 PM and 12 AM at Penn’s Landing by the Delaware River.  Tomorrow is the annual Mummer’s Parade, a unique Philadelphia tradition. 

Also, on New Year’s Day, many people make what are called “New Year’s Resolutions.”  A resolution is a firm decision to do or not do something.  For example, many people will say, “this year I will go to the gym more or something like that.”

Warm-up discussion: What is your New Year’s resolution for 2025?

*Are there any insights from the past that we can apply to our lives today?

*The ancients = people who lived a long time ago

*What subjects should be studied to make an education complete?

Vocabulary Activity

 By Nate Feldman

bring attention      sustainable    unsustainable 

 

1.      It’s good to work out 3 hours a day, but is this _________________________?  From my perspective, it’s ______________________________because you will burn yourself out eventually. 

 

2.      We need to __________________________to the situation of climate change because so much is at stake for some countries, such as the Maldives. 

 

Circle the correct word.

3.      I would like to ________________________to the situation of homeless people in the United States.

 

A.    Bring attention       B. sustainable      C. unsustainable 

 

4.      Using solar power is more ______________________than relying on gas for energy.

 

A.    Bring attention       B. sustainable      C. unsustainable

 

5.      Working 20 hours a day is ______________________over the long-run.

 

A.    Bring attention      B. sustainable       C. unsustainable

 

What is unsustainable?

 

What would you like to bring attention to?

Conversation and Pronunciation, The Ghost of Beaverton

 

Three middle school aged children walked through a dense section of forest on the outskirts of Beaverton, Pennsylvania on a blustery Halloween night.  The branches in the trees made loud creaking sounds as the kids headed towards Locke’s cabin, an abandoned cottage located in an isolated thicket.  Fallen leaves swirled around their feet in all directions. 

Activity:

Give me 100 sentences with in spite of with perfect spelling, or you fail!  J 

1.                          In spite of your lateness, I didn’t mark you late

2.                          In spite of the dreary weather, we are all cheerful today.

3.                          In spite of my masterful teacher, I don’t listen to him. 

Conversation and Pronunciation

 

We will watch this video and learn some new vocabulary and expressions.  

*On Wednesday, I will give a small review, or quiz, of vocabulary we have learned in class.

*For Friday, we will prepare a small play for the class.  Try and use some vocabulary and expressions.  The story can be about anything.

Conversation and Pronunciation, Vocabulary Review

 Directions: Use the words below in the sentences

cope    dreary    festivities    free time    giggle   in spite of 

petrified   screamed at the top of my lungs 

1. The weather was so __________________yesterday.  It was cloudy and cold throughout the day.

2. I am ______________________of my teacher because I think he is a psycho and wants to kill me (just an example :)

3. When someone says something funny, I ________________, or laugh a little.  

4. When I stepped on a nail, I _____________________________!

5. We all have problems, but we must learn to ________________, or deal, with them.  

6. During the fourth of July, there are a lot of _____________________, such as parades and fireworks shows.  

7. In my ____________________, I enjoy playing sports and music.  

8. __________________the cold weather, I will go swimming later today.  

Conversation and Pronunciation, "Psycho Teacher," a story

 By Nate Feldman

Psycho Teacher

It was 3:30, and most of the students had either gone home or were doing extracurricular activities.  Andrew and Madison, however, had to stay behind for detention with Mr. Miller, their English and Literature teacher.  They both had fallen asleep in class, and he told them to come after school.  

When they entered the classroom, no one was there.  They looked around the room and sat at a desk. 

"How long do we wait for this guy before we split?" Andrew asked Madison.  

"What is it?  A five-minute rule?"   

Andrew and Madison pulled out their phones.  They sat there for five minutes and were about to get up and leave when Mr. Miller entered the room.  He went behind his desk.  

"You two were sleeping in class," Mr. Miller told them.

"Sorry, we're tired," Andrew told his teacher.  

"And you?" Mr. Miller asked Madison.

"I'm sorry," was all she had to say.  

"I see," said Mr. Miller.  

"I cope with a lot of stress," Andrew said.  "It keeps me up at night."

Mr. Miller nodded.  "I can empathize with you," he said.  "I also deal with a lot of stress.  And you know how I deal with it?" 

"What?" asked Andrew.

"I chop students into little pieces."

Madison and Andrew giggled.  They thought their teacher was being funny.

"And if you need sleep, I can help you get sleep......FOREVER SLEEP!"

Mr. Miller opened his desk and put a ski mask over his face.  Then, he pulled out an ax.  

The two students continued laughing.  Suddenly, Mr. Miller walked over to their desk and swung the ax at their heads.  

At the last second, the two ducked and fell to the ground.  They looked at each other, petrified.  The teacher wasn't joking.

"HELP!" they both screamed at the top of their lungs as they stumbled to their feet.

They scurried to the door, but it was locked.  "HELP, HELP!!!!" they shouted but couldn't get out.

They turned around.  Mr. Miller had a maniacal look on his face as he approached them from behind and lifted the ax over his head...................

Discussion:

*What causes you anguish?

*When do you feel petrified?

*When is it a good idea to split from a situation?

*What makes you giggle?

*What makes you scream at the top of your lungs?

Conversation and Pronunciation, Using "In Spite of"

 By Nate Feldman

In spite of my good study habits, I failed the test miserably

 

In spite of my kindness towards my neighbors, ______________________

 

In spite of my bad education, ___________________________

 

In spite of my frustration with my apartment/house, ____________________________

 

In spite of my bad headaches, ________________________

 

In spite of ……………

In spite of sleeping for a long time last night, I was still tired when I woke up this morning.

 

In spite of going to the gym frequently, I still haven’t gotten into perfect shape. 

 

In spite of my class, I haven’t really improved my speaking skills.

 

In spite of the cold, dreary weather, people were outside enjoying the festivities. 

 

Studying English is my favorite thing.  

Conversation and Pronunciation

 By Nate Feldman

Vocabulary:

1.       Festivities: celebrations or exciting events, like parades and other events on holidays

 

2.       Dreary: unpleasant (usually used for cloudy or rainy weather)

 

3.       In spite of: it doesn’t affect things (in spite of the cold weather, I am wearing a t-shirt)  

 

4.       Annual: held every year

 

5.       Free time: when you don’t have work or classes

 

 

Discussion:

1.       What festivities do you enjoy?  Do you go to parades or other celebrations?

 

2.       How do you feel when the weather is dreary?

 

3.       What do you like to do in your free time?

 

4.       Is there an annual event you like to go to?

 

5.       What is true in spite of the cold weather?

 

Pronunciation:

1.       Dreary, sounds like “near, rear, clear, dear.” 

 

2.       In spite of: ite sounds like ight, so it rhymes with “night”

 

3.       Annual: ann u al