Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Free weight workout for women - English conversation

Free weights traditionally are for men.  The picture that I remember when going to the free weight section of the gym is only the big brawny boys grunting and working with the free weights.  I was always scared that one would drop on someone's foot! Well, women are working out with free weights but not in the same way.

Read this article for more tips! http://blog.codyapp.com/free-weight-workout-for-women/

Key Terms
abs
butt
cardio
shapely
sculpted look
“fail” (you can’t do any more reps)
wedge
 crease
dumbbell
squat
booty
core
push up
real results
Beast mode
Plie Squats
Donkey kicks
glutes
midsection
dumbell

Questions
Which one of these exercises will help a woman who wants to tone her stomach muscles? 
Which one focuses on the legs?
Which one helps with the arms? 
What is the role of a "spoter" during a free weight workout? 
Which one of these exercises is the safetest? 
Which one is the most dangerous? 
How long should a free weight workout last? 
When do you know when to stop? 
How many times a week should you do a free weight workout?
How much should you expect to pay for a free weight session? 
How do you know if you have reached your muscle toning goal? 



Lesson Plan by Rachael Alice Orbach - Professional English Teacher 





Friday, April 24, 2015

Five Mental and Physical Benefits of Yoga

Yoga used to be thought of as New Age and very far away from the norms of modern life.  But as research has shown, that too much stress can really manifest itself in the physical body.  Yoga is a tried and tested way to relive stress and have the peace of mind to help you deal with the stress in your life. 



Read this article and discuss it with your English teacher http://examinedexistence.com/the-five-mental-and-psychological-benefits-of-yoga/
Key Terms 
carrying the entire world on your shoulders
on the wayside
discharge tension and stress
negative elements
the pink of psychological health
 relaxation, meditation, socialization, and exercise
stress response system
improve respiration
day-to-day tasks
Dharana, otherwise known as the practice of concentration
static noise in your head
Adolescence
psychological disorders diagnosed in teenagers
imperative
 physical postures
 the yogis
anger control, improved resilience, and enhanced mindfulness
enemy combatants
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
nightmares and flashbacks
underlying factors
‘immune
counterattack 
traumatic experiences

Questions 

What are the major benefits of Yoga?
How does Yoga help if you are under a lot of stress?
How does Yoga help the brain?
Which poses help most if someone is under a lot of stress? 
Which poses help to raise resistance to disease? 
Which is better to relieve anxiety, medication, or yoga?
How many months does a person has to do Yoga until you can feel benefits. 
How can yoga protect adolescents from mental illness?
How does Yoga help with PTSD? 
Which kind of Yoga is the best for this disorder?



Lesson Plan by Rachael Alice Orbach - Professional English Teacher 



Thursday, April 23, 2015

You and the Road - Mini Project English speaker's class

Since 11th graders can start the process of getting a drivers' licence this would be a good project for them to do, to help them realize the dangers of the road and how to solver these problems.
This is a Mini-project that the English teacher can assign for the end of the year project.  Feel free to make any changes to make the project more interesting for your students.


You and the Road - Mini Project about road safety

Task: Imagine you are the Minister of Transportation in Israel  How are you going to increase road safety in Israel?
Write down at least five different ways which will increase road safety,
Present your solutions for action to the class.

Guidelines: Follow these steps

Think about the different challenges that face drivers.  Poor roads, not proper speed limit, etc.
How should drivers overcome these problems?
Write a first draft
Outline the first problem - how to solve it including details
Do this for each of the 5 problems including details and pictures.
Show the first draft to your teacher.
Using your teacher's recommendations, rewrite the project making necessary changes
Present the project to the class.   You can use powerpoint  slides to help make your presentation more interesting.

Good Luck!


Lesson Plan by Rachael Alice Orbach - Professional English teacher

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Present Perfect Exercise - English Grammar Lesson

I use this grammar lesson to teach about the Present Perfect in English. Some other langugaes have the Present Perfect, but some don't so it is always important for ESL students to learn this verb form.

Present Perfect.

The present perfect tells us about the past and the present. We see things as happening in the past but having a result in the present.


Simple Present vs. Present Perfect
Simple Present Tense
The earth turns around the sun.
I always wake up at 6 in the morning.
I feel very sad when you are not here with me.
Present Perfect Tense
We've washed the dishes(They are clean now.)
She has been my friend for so many years, and I still count on her.(She was my friend for a long time and is still my friend)
The aircraft has landed.(It's on the ground now.)  
Form: Positive:  have/has + V3
Negative: have/has not +V3, haven't/hasn't +V3
Question: Have/Has+ pronoun+V3?
Irregular forms:
I've made a shopping list We've sold our car. I've thought about it a lot
Have you written that e-mail? The students haven’t finished their projects.
be/have/had  The weather has been awful!  I've had a great time at the party, thank you.

A. Look over these sentences and answer that completes the dialogues according to context:

1. Let's watch "The Mexican".
- No, I _____________ that movie.

a. have already seen  b.  see   c   seen    d am seeing

2.   I am going to order chicken soup. Is that ok?
- No, I __________ chicken soup because I'm vegetarian.

a. haven't eaten   b. have eaten  c. don't eat  d. didn't eat

3. - Hi where are you?
- I am in Washington. This tour is incredible.
-____________ to New York?
- No, I am going there tomorrow.

a. are  b. will be  c. have you been.  d. is

4. I'm now studying in Rome.
- How long _________________ in Rome?
- Not for long, just 6 months.
- That's nice.

a. studied.  b. study  c. do you study   d. have you studied


B. Add a sentence. Use the present perfect.
Example:  I'm tired.(I/walk/kilometers) I've walked kilometers today.

  1. Emma's computer is working now.  (she/repair/it)__________________________________

  1. It's cooler in here now. (I/open/window) _________________________________________

  1. The visitors are here at last.(they/arrive)__________________________________________

  1. Mark's car isn't blocking us in now.(he/move/it)___________________________________

  1. We haven't got any new videos.(we watch/all these)________________________________

C. Irregular forms

Look at the pictures and write what the people have done. Use these verbs: break, build, catch, see, win. Use these objects: a film, a fish, a house, the gold medal.









1._______________________________________________________________

2._______________________________________________________________

3._______________________________________________________________

4._______________________________________________________________


D. Trevor and Laura are decorating their house.  Put in the verbs. Use the present perfect

Example: Laura: How is the painting going?(you/finish)   Have you finished?
Trevor: No I haven't. Painting the ceiling is really difficult, you know.
1.________________________ (I/not/do) very much. And it looks the same as before.  This new paint 2.__________________________ (not make) any difference.
Laura:  3. _______________________(you/not/put) enough on.
Trevor: 4. ________________________(I /hurt) my back. It feels bad.
Laura: Oh, you and your back. You mean 5._____________________(you/have) enough of    decorating.  Well, I'll do it. Where 6.______________________(you/put) the brush?
Trevor: I don't know.7.__________________________(it/disappear).8._________________(I/look)  for it, but I can't find it.
Laura: You're hopeless, aren't you?  How much 9.______________________(you/do) in here?
Nothing! 10._______________________(I/paint) two doors.
Trevor:11.___________________________(I/clean) all this old paint around the window. It looks much better now, doesn't it?

Laura: 12.___________________________(we/make) some progress, I suppose. Now where 13.___________________________(that brush/go)?  Oh,  14______________________(you/leave) it on the ladder, look.


Lesson Plan by Rachael Alice Orbach - Professional English Teacher

Monday, April 20, 2015

Pilates and Your workout

Pilates has been around for a while.  It is not as exotic sounding as Zumba, but it is more than just a set of exercises.  This website has lots of mini sites that tell you about different kinds of pilates exercises. Pick a few and try them out at home and if turns out for you, then go to a Pilates studio and work on!


http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/pilates/


This site tells us the history of Pilates http://isofitt.com/pilates.htm


Questions
Who started the Pilates exercise program?
What was the main focus?
What country was the founder from?
Why did he move to the United States?
What sport did he most like to work with?
What equipment does Pilates use?
To tone up the legs?
Gain better balance?
What are the benefits of Pilates?
What type of equipment does Pilates use?
What does the Reform machine do?
What part of the body does this machine exercise?
How do you use the rings?
What part of the body does this stregthen
How long is a Pilates session?
Does the gym need a special license?
How long does it take to become a Pilates instructor?
How many people can be in a Pilates group?
Do you put on any music?
What type of music?
How do you know if you are getting better at doing Pilates?
Which is more difficult?  on a machine or without a machine?
Can a person do Pilates at home?
What preparation should a person do it they want to start doing Pilates?




Lesson Plan by Rachael Alice Orbach - Professional English Teacher





The oldest Human was 256? English Conversation Lesson

According to the Bible, people seemed to live much longer than they do today.  What is the secret of longevity?  There seems to be some confusion about how old he actually was, but even if he lived to be 197, that's quite an achievement! 

Read this article and discuss it with your English teacher http://wafflesatnoon.com/256-year-old-man/

Key Terms 
 lifespan
martial arts
herbalism
Fountain of Youth
antedate 
Dynastic records
 longevity
druggist
petitioned
militarist 
blurb
 touches on
 vouched for 
corroboration
obituary
 attaining inward calm
documented
fantastical
 verified
 refuted

Questions
How long did Li Ching-Yung really live? 
What was his favorite saying? 
What does that mean to you? 
How many children did he have? 
How many wives did he have? 
What was his job when he was young? 
How did that help him to discover the herbs that he used? 
What type of proof would you like to see that would prove how old this man was? 
How long do people usually live in your country? 
What is your motto that helps you destress?
What types of foods or vitamins do you take to help you live longer?
How long do you think that people can realistically live? 
What plans do you have for when you get older? 



Lesson Plan by Rachael Alice Orbach - Professional English teacher 

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Hillary Clinton wants to be President! English conversation lesson

Can the United States finally have a woman President?  Well Mrs. Hillary Clinton thinks so.  She recently announced that she is going to run for the highest office in the land.  She has been in the White House before,  but as First Lady, the wife of President Bill Clinton.



http://www.unionleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20150413%2FNEWS0605%2F150419767%2F1022%2FNEWHAMPSHIRE0506


Key Terms
cast herself
champion
kicking off
tough economic times
front runner
take anything for granted
entitlement
gaffe
empathetic
populist
go all-in
email scandal
Washington insider
a trail of secrecy
failed policies
productive debate
coronation
nominee
launch message


Questions \\\
Was Hillary Clinton a good Secretary of State?
Do you think that she is qualified to be President?
What affect does the scandals with her husband have upon her?
What type of image does she have now as compared to 2008?
What type of voter is going to vote for her?
What is her platform on health care?  Economics?  Foreign Policy?
What does the Republican party say about Hillary Clinton's chances to be President?
How much influence will her husband have on Hillary if she is elected?
Can Hillary Clinton be a strong President?
What age group will want to vote for her?
Do you think that a woman can be the highest office in your country?



Lesson Plan by Rachael Alice Orbach - Professional English teacher 

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Dutch nursing home offers free rent to students in exchange for work

It is not easy being a student at university.  Tuition costs are only part of the iceberg, the rest is food, books, housing, transportation. A Dutch nursing home has been running a program for the past few years to help students and their residents.

Read this article for more infomation and discuss it with your English teacher
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/10/netherlands-rent-free-student-nursing-home_n_7043336.html?ir=Good+News

Key Terms
the golden years
requirement
positive social interactions
outside world in
 unstructured time
warm environment
social return on investment 

Questions
What is new about this project?
How much time does each student have to spend with the senior residents?
What would be more interesting for a student to do, attend a birthday party or unstructured time with the residents?
What are the advantages for the seniors?
What are the advantages for the students?
What are the disadvantages for the students?
Are there any disadvanages for the senior residents?
Would you go to live in a setup such as this? 
What lessons can the young people take away from living in such a place?
Have you ever visited an old age home? 
Have you ever volunteered at an old age home?
What lessons can young people learn from volunteer work? 
Is this the best way that senior citizen's lives be improved? 
Do you think that the students have enough time to prepare their schoolwork if they are volunteering at the old age home? 




Lesson Plan by Rachael Alice Orbach - Professional English teacher


Baby Shark Game like Hangman. . .

This is an example of how I played the game today with a student:  You can print this or play it using Zoom! I think of a word from the less...