Verbs of Saying

Shopping

Shopping is one of my favorite hobbies. I love buying things for myself, but I also enjoy purchasing items for other people. When I walk into a store with the goal of buying a present for another person, whether it is a family member or a friend, I contemplate what type of gift would make them happy. I always try to purchase something that I know the person would like rather than if I like it myself.  Since the weather is getting nicer as we move into spring, I decided to go shopping for some new spring clothing this week. At the start of a new season, it always feels good to find a new outfit appropriate for the change in weather. When I went shopping this week, I purchased two new dresses made out of a lighter material that are perfect for the warmer temperatures that spring will bring. I am definitely looking forward to wearing these dresses in the coming weeks as the weather gets nicer!

Vocabulary

hobbies (noun)-activities or interests done for pleasure

goal (noun)- end or aim

contemplate (verb)-to think about deeply

purchase (verb)- to buy

season (noun)-a period of the year characterized by changes in weather or temperature

outfit (noun)-set of clothes worn together

Vocabulary Exercise

Please fill in the blank with the appropriate vocabulary word.

1. Fiona’s _________________ include reading, sewing, and playing basketball.

2. My favorite ___________________ is fall because I love when the leaves change color.

3. Claire bought a new ___________________ to wear to her friend’s birthday party.

4. I need to ___________________ a new headlight for my car.

5. During math class, the students__________________ how to solve the difficult problem on fractions.

6. The _____________of the game is to reach the finish line first.

Grammar Point

There are four types of sentences: declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory. 

1) Declarative sentences make a statement and end in a period (.).

2) Interrogative sentences ask a question and end in a question mark (?).

3) Imperative sentences give a command or request and end in a period (.).

4) Exclamatory sentences express strong feeling and ends in an exclamation point (!).

In each of the following sentences identify the type of sentence and add the correct punctuation at the end of the sentence.

1. Christine went to the beach

2. Park the car in the driveway

3. I cannot wait to go to Ireland this summer

4. Do you know what time it is

5. Matt painted his room blue

Annual Easter Egg Hunt

Easter is a joyous holiday which I spend with my father’s family each year. On Easter morning, I attend Mass with my family, and then we go out to eat at a restaurant for an early dinner. The highlight of Easter in my family is the traditional egg hunt. Each year, two members from each family (my dad is one of four siblings) participates in the egg hunt. The week before Easter, my grandmother colors a dozen eggs, and the previous year’s winner hides the eggs in my grandmother’s house.  After Easter dinner we return to my grandmother’s house for the egg hunt to commence. My family is very competitive, so the egg hunt is taken very seriously. Members of my family roll on the floor to look under tables and couches and also stand on chairs to look on ceiling fans and air conditioners. The egg hunt is over when all 12 eggs have been found. Whoever found the most eggs is the winner and will hide the eggs for next year’s hunt. This year the hunt ended in a tie with my aunt, my cousin, and I all finding 3 eggs. My aunt and I graciously let my cousin be named the winner since she has never won before.  She will hide the eggs next Easter. I love spending Easter with my family and enjoy the traditions that we participate in each year.

Vocabulary

joyous (adjective)- full of joy and happiness

highlight (noun)- important event

hunt (noun)- a search to find something

dozen (noun)-group of 12

commence (verb)- to begin

competitive (adjective)- strong desire to win

graciously (adverb)-willingly or kindly

Vocabulary Exercise

Match the vocabulary word with the appropriate antonym (word meaning the opposite).

1. ____commence                                                    a. unhappy

2. ____hunt                                                              b. to end

3. ____competitive                                                   c. unwillingly

4. ____graciously                                                     d. unambitious

5. ____dozen                                                             e. unimportant event

6. ____highlight                                                        f.  ten

7. ____joyous                                                            g. give up searching

Grammar Point

 Prepositional phrases modify nouns and verbs. Prepositional phrases consist most simply of a preposition and an object of the preposition. Some common prepositions that I used in my post are on, for, to, in, and with. The prepositional phrases from my post include of my family, for the egg hunt, and in a tie.

Complete the following sentences by adding a prepositional phrase.

1. The car _________________________________ was red.

2. The dog ran _____________________________.

3. Please look for the boat ___________________________.

4. The shop ________________________sells the best fudge.

5. I went to the movies __________________________. 

Stress Release

Having a full time teaching job, going to graduate school, and maintaining a private tutoring business puts a lot of stress on my daily life. Although I enjoy teaching as well as going to school, at times I need to find time to remove myself from the structured events of my day. The way I have found to best relieve my stress is by going to fitness classes at the gym where I belong. My two favorite classes are Zumba and yoga. These two classes are very different, but both offer ways for me to let go of all my stress. Zumba is a high-energy cardio workout that incorporates dancing and fitness with upbeat music. I really enjoy this class because I feel like I am dancing for an hour, and I love to dance! Yoga is a much more slow-paced, relaxing workout. When I practice yoga, I feel at peace, and all my worries and concerns fall away. Through stretching and mediation, my mind focuses on the moves I need to hold and is no longer bothered by any problems or troubles I had encountered in my day or week. I think it is important for everyone to find their own ways of relieving their stress. Holding on to stress can make you sick, both mentally and physically. Attending Zumba and yoga classes at my gym give me the positive endorphins to rid myself of stress.

 

Vocabulary

structured (adjective)- clearly defined organization

relieve (verb)- to reduce or ease pain or anxiety

Zumba (noun)-fitness program combining dance with aerobic routines performed to popular, usually Latin-American, music

yoga (noun)- mental and physical exercises to reach spiritual enlightenment

practice (verb)-to repeat or perform frequently

concerns (noun)-worry or anxiety

endorphins (noun)- hormones that reduce pain and produce happy feelings

Vocabulary Exercise

Match the vocabulary word with the correct synonym.

1.____ Zumba                                                     a. positive hormones

2. ____practice                                                    b. worries

3.____yoga                                                          c. dance-inspired fitness class

4. ____endorphins                                               d. diminish

5. ____concerns                                                   e. organized

6. ____relieve                                                      f. mental and physical fitness class

7. ____structured                                                 g. carry out regularly

Grammar Point

Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, and clauses. There are seven coordinating conjunctions that can be remembered by the acronym FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

Fill in the following sentences with an appropriate coordinating conjunction.

1. Deserts are hot and dry, _______________ some plants grow there.

2. Richard might go to the movies, ____________ he might stay home.

3. Our family went on vacation, _______________ we visited the Washington Monument.

4. Laura wants to go to Paris, ________________ she does not have enough money.

5. Sabrina runs every day, ___________ she wants to stay in shape.

Baking

Baking is an important part of my life. Whether it is preparing a decadent dessert for a special occasion or tossing a pan of brownies into the oven after a particularly stressful day, I often find myself in the kitchen surrounded by pans and various ingredients. My mom is an excellent baker and has shared her love of creating delicious baked treats with me. This week we worked together to bake vanilla sugar cookies to send to my brother, who goes to college in Delaware, for his birthday. Working together to cut and frost the cookies became a bonding experience where we shared stories about our days at work. Baking does not always consist only of the combining of ingredients together using precise measurements. It often incorporates some deeper connection to family and friends. The cake I am baking could be to celebrate someone’s birthday or anniversary. I could also be using a recipe passed down from my great-grandmother, such as her recipes for linzer torte or apple fritters.  Although I love to eat the baked goods I make, I believe that baking is so important to me because of the emotions I feel as I prepare and cook these treats. I feel a closeness to my family and heritage as well as a spirit of giving as I share these desserts with others.

Vocabulary

decadent (adjective)- very rich and luxurious

bonding (adjective)- developing a close friendship

precise (adjective)- exact

celebrate (verb)- to observe an important day with special ceremonies or events

anniversary (noun)- yearly acknowledgement of a date or event

recipe (noun)- set of instructions for making something

linzer torte (noun)-hazelnut pastry filled with raspberry jam

heritage (noun)- anything handed down through tradition

Vocabulary Exercise

Across

1. I need to buy raspberry jam to make the ________________.
2. Do you know the ____________ for making chocolate chip cookies?
3. The two friends went on vacation to have a _____________ experience.

Down

1. The rich chocolate cake tasted ____________.
2. My knowledge of Irish step dancing has been passed down through my ______________.
3. Her friends threw a party to ______________ Jane's birthday.
4. The couple celebrated their 50th ________________.
5. Your measurements must be ___________ when measuring the length of the room.

Grammar Point

An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a person or thing. Using descriptive adjectives gives a more exact picture of the person or thing being described.

Practice using descriptive adjectives:

Fill in the following sentences using a more descriptive adjective than the word in parentheses.

1.  She
was
such
a
(good)
________________________________
worker
that
she
had
many
job
 offers.

2. The
ice
cream
was
so
(good)
________________________
that
we
asked
for
more.

3. The
bride
looked (pretty) 

___________________

in
her
wedding
dress.

4. We
had
such
a
(nice)
___________________________
time
in
the
mountains.

5. Those
children
are
so
(bad)
_____________________________that
baby‐sitters
never
return.

(http://mps.mshs.schoolfusion.us/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/750500/File/AWA/practice/Word%20Choice%20-%20Practice.pdf)

An Untimely Accident

           One of the worst experiences of my life was when I got into a car accident driving to my first day of student teaching last year. I student taught at an elementary school in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The school was approximately twenty minutes from my apartment in Providence, Rhode Island. When I was about ten blocks from the school, my 2002 Toyota Camry was struck on the passenger side by a tow truck backing out of a side street. The impact forced my car head on into oncoming traffic. The air bags deployed, and I sat stunned in my now totaled car. Luckily, I was not hurt other than a few bruises. The driver of the car I hit head on was also not injured.

            I was nervous to begin student teaching, and this accident tripled the nervousness I initially felt when I left my apartment that morning. My first thought when I realized what had happened was that I was going to be late for my first day. That was not the first impression I wanted to make on my cooperating teacher or my new students. I immediately called the school and hastily explained that I had been in an accident and would try to get to the school as quickly as possible. The police and firemen arrived at the scene of the accident, and the tow truck driver, the driver of the car I hit, and I explained our respective stories to the police. The manager of the towing company of the tow truck that had struck my car came to scene and offered to tow my totaled car to his garage.  I insisted that he also drive me to the elementary school since I was now late for my first day of teaching. I hopped in his truck and arrived at the school a half hour late.

            Although this was one of my worst experiences, I feel that it was also a growing experience. I could have collapsed at the scene of the accident and went back to my apartment. Instead, I made the best of a bad situation and made it to my first day of student teaching. I believe that this was a good decision because meeting my students and beginning to work with them helped to distract me from the shock I felt after the accident. Continuing with my day in as normal a fashion as possible allowed me to stay calm and think rationally about the terrible accident I had just experienced. I was also fortunate that my father drove all the way from Long Island to pick me up in Pawtucket and deal with the towing company. This accident was a learning experience, but it is not an experience I would wish anyone else to have on their first day of student teaching. 

Vocabulary

approximately (adverb)- not exact

impact (noun)- force of one object hitting another

deployed (verb)- to release

tripled (verb)- to increase or make greater

tow truck (noun)- a truck used to pick up damaged vehicles

collapsed (verb)- to break down, fall apart

rationally (adverb)- having reason or good sense

Vocabulary Exercise

Please fill in the blank with the appropriate vocabulary word.

The table ________________________ when the large dog jumped on it.

When the tree branch fell on my car, a ________________________ came to take it to the repair shop.

Sabrina’s parents will come home at ________________________ ten o’clock.

The extension on the house __________________ its size.

You should _________________________ consider your choices when deciding which college to attend.

The _____________________ when the lightning struck the tree was loud and very bright.

The parachute _____________________ when the sky divers were close to the ground.

Grammar Point

A proper noun is a noun that is an actual name, such as of a person, place, or organization. The first letter of a proper noun is capitalized, such as in Pawtucket.

Practice identifying proper nouns:

http://www.softschools.com/quizzes/grammar/proper_noun/quiz223.html

Snow Days

The snow is a beautiful aspect of living in the Northeast region of the United States. It is breathtaking to watch the frozen flakes fall and cover the landscape creating a winter wonderland. As an elementary school and even high school student, I would always look forward to snow days with great anticipation. I would be able to sleep late, relax without doing school work, and meet with my friends to go sledding or to play in the snow. Now as an elementary school teacher, there are many additional consequences to snow days that I had not been aware of as a student. Snow days interfere with previously planned lessons and test dates, creating a jumbled schedule. Assignments must be moved and adjusted to compensate for the missed school day or days. Snow days also greatly energize students, who would much rather be at home instead of sitting in front of me in the classroom. They are much more talkative and rambunctious which can make classroom management a challenge at times. Snow removal is also a concern of mine now that I am an adult who must drive to get to work. Since my family’s snow blower broke during the past snow storm, I was required to dig out my car and shovel my driveway, which was not a pleasant activity.  Although I still enjoy the snow, the past two snow storms have encouraged me to hope for an early start to spring.  

Vocabulary

aspect (noun)- a characteristic or feature

breathtaking (adjective)- extremely beautiful

jumbled (adjective)- mixed-up, confused

compensate (verb)- to make up for

rambunctious (adjective)- excited, wild

encouraged (verb)- to give support or hope

Vocabulary Exercise

Please fill in the blank with the appropriate vocabulary word.

The ________________________ puppy jumped wildly around the room when its owner came home from work.

Watching the sunset from a boat on the water is a ___________________________ experience.

When the puzzle pieces fell out of the box they were _______________________.

There are several ____________________to consider when purchasing a new house.

The mother _______________________ her daughter to try out for the track team since she loves to run.

The student tried to ________________________ for his missing homework by frequently participating in class.

Grammar Point

An infinitive is a verb form that can be used as a noun, an adverb, or an adjective. Most infinitives begin with to.  Infinitives are a verb form, not a prepositional phrase.

Practice with infinitives: https://www.sinclair.edu/centers/tlc/pub/handouts_worksheets/grammar_punctuation_writing/phrase_infinitive.pdf