The Library

Hello, students!

Even before our needs assessment, we began a module on the public library. On March 5th, we will walk over to the new library building (The Paul Martin Building) for a tour.

Tuesday we practiced filling out the registration form. The form we used is a bit outdated because it only offers two gender choices. These days it is respectful to give more options for those who identify as non-binary, gender fluid, etc.

Some of you want to watch a documentary to help you understand concepts like non-binary while others do not want to use class time for that. So I am linking to some videos here. You can watch them on Friday in the lab.

Also scroll down for some library dialogue practice.

Here is an interview with a young person who was born missing an X chromosome. They identify as non-binary and ask us to use the pronouns THEY / THEM. However, please note that many, many people who identify as non-binary are not physically intersex. A person can be physically intersex (in a variety of ways) and not identify as non-binary, and a person can identify as non-binary without being physically intersex.

If you find the terms confusing, you can go HERE for a list of words and their definitions.

For library dialogues, go HERE.

Tour a library then answer questions (listening lesson).

The Black Experience - Past and Present

Hello, students of the seniors' class!

This week we are studying the library while reserving the last school day of each week for reading the life of Josiah Henson.

You asked me to give examples of modern-day racism and discrimination in Canada. This news report on The Black Experience Project should help us understand better.

Happy Holidays 2018

We wrapped up 2018 with a class potluck, speeches, games, song, and breaking bread together. I hope to see everyone again in the new year.

Indigenous Peoples (Continued)

Hello, students.

Please log into Spelling City to practice ten new sentences and words.

There are many short films on NFB that you can watch.

Enjoy!

The Rights and Responsibilities of a Citizen

Hello, students!

Here are this week's helpful links.

Discover Canada - Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship (with option to listen to chapter)

Settlement.org - What are my rights and responsibilities as a Canadian citizen?

Enable Flash and explore the virtual Charter in your language.

Here is Discover Canada in LARGE PRINT.

Steps to Justice

Refugee Rights in Ontario

YouTube has many videos about the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

For our pronunciation topic, watch Rachel's English.

François Baby House and Museum

I am SO glad you, my students, talked me into more field trips. We are learning so much together!

After a day of learning a bit about the role of the François Baby property in the War of 1812 and also about its role in the founding of our city--once known at South Detroit, we headed over to see the house and museum for ourselves. What a great decision that turned out to be!

We played crokinole. We saw a very old hand-operated printing press for newspapers. We read a lot, saw many artifacts, listened to old French folk songs, and even saw Chief Tecumseh's actual FLAG. That gave me goosebumps. I was not familiar with the story of Chief Tecumseh. The movie brought tears to my eyes.

Shadd and Tecumseh

Crokinole / Croquinole

Flowers and Poetry!

It's not often that we have an excuse to study names of flowers, but that is one of the most important features of Jackson Park. It contains the Queen Elizabeth II Gardens.

So we learned the names of ten flowers (you already knew the word "rose.")

If it ever stops raining, we may finally be able to take our field trip. When we do, we are going to practice phrases such as:

• Let's...
• Do you want to...
• Would you like to...
• ...take a stroll?
• ...take a selfie?
•  ...go look at that statue?
• ...go look at that memorial?
• ...go look at that monument?
• ...go sit on that bench?
• ...play badminton?
• ...play with the Chinese yo-yo?
• Do you know the name of that...
• ...plant?
• ...tree?
• ...flower?

 When we visit the park, we may see a statue of a famous poet. Here is a poem he wrote.


A Red, Red Rose -- Robert Burns, 1794

O my Luve's like a red, red rose,
That's newly sprung in June:
O my Luve's like the melodie,
That's sweetly play'd in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a' the seas gang dry.

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands o' life shall run.

And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve!
And fare-thee-weel, a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile!

Happy Holidays!

Thank you, students of the seniors' class, for a wonderful party.

You are too good to me.  I hope you know how precious each of you is to me.  We are like a family.

the spread

We shared food.

JunJian

We spoke from the heart.

Mr. Zhang

We listened to a poem. I think I know why Mr. Zhang chose that poem. It was poignant.

Mei, Xiumin, Hamdi, Kelly, Junjian

Hamdi taught us a dance step. Tareq drummed for us.

Mei, Xiumin

We heard a delightful story about an unlucky day turned lucky!

Weimiao

We solved riddles.
.

Dr. Peng, Xiumin, Kelly, BaoHua, Shurong, Mei

The women took a group shot.
Enjoy your two-week break. We will see each other again in 2017, Inshallah!

Invitations

Hello, students!

This week we learned about Valentine's Day and also about issuing, accepting and declining invitations to parties and other events. Next week we will work on our Valentine's party invitations and plans.

Here is a listening lesson about invitations.

Here's another one.

There are MANY dialogues here about inviting people to parties and so on.

Here is a little history of Valentine's Day. Listen and answer the questions below the video.

Have fun!

The Architecture of Windsor's Core

Hello, students of my morning class!

I am VERY excited that Doors Open Windsor has inspired you to want to learn more about the architectural heritage of Windsor, specifically here in the downtown core where there is SO MUCH POTENTIAL for a fun walking tour! This ties in beautifully with our goal of accessing free educational opportunities and achieving more social integration as we learn about Canadian culture.

I hope for us to be able to undertake this walking tour on Thursday.

In the meantime, we will learn the names of ten to twelve architectural styles and the terms needed to understand the main features of each one. I will be referencing this website in class a lot. I have asked the author for permission to use some of her photos in our handouts, but have not yet received a reply. Another good resource is the blog InternationalMetropolis. Andrew Foote has been blogging about Windsor and Detroit's history and architecture for some years now, so his is a rich site.

This "vernacular cottage" is the downtown home that first caused me to stumble upon the Heritage Register. It was built in 1900 and seemingly has no basement or crawlspace. I managed a peek inside when it was for rent two or three years ago.

I can't think of a better way to enjoy a mild September morning in the core than walking around looking at the beautiful Queen Anne, American Foursquare, and Craftsman style houses around us! It's like a treasure trove in our own backyard.

Canadian Thanksgiving

Hello, Seniors Class!

Soon it will be Thanksgiving in Canada.

Click HERE to read about this holiday.

Click HERE to practice spelling some Thanksgiving vocabulary words.

Click HERE to do a Thanksgiving word search puzzle!

You can also use Ellis software or any English website.

Samir or Hana, please ask Jouzeef to click here to practice typing personal information.

Cheers!

Kelly