Friday Field Trip, Civic Holiday, and Wednesday Assignment

IN CASE OF EXTREME WEATHER, CHECK THIS SPACE ON FRIDAY MORNING



Our field trip on August 3 is to the 11th Scarborough Ribfest, organized by the Rotary Club of Scarborough in support of Scarborough`s hospitals. This trip offers an opportunity to savour a classic summer tradition of not only Canada but also many parts of the United States. Admission is free. Besides the vast playground that is Thomson Memorial Park, the website lists the following

Features:

• Enjoy delicious ribs, hot dogs, french fries,
  corn on the cob and more...
• Midway rides, and skill testing games
• Karaoke competition everyday
• Creative designs by crafters and vendors
• All day beer garden

The "white house"

Let's meet there around 10:30 a.m. in front of the "haunted white house," the Scarborough Historical Museum, for a walking tour, followed by lunch (you can bring your own picnic food discreetly if you wish). Parking is free. The venue is accessible via Brimley TTC Bus 21, but alternative arrangements can be made in class ahead of time.

If you're purchasing your food there, please remember to bring cash.

Time permitting, we may be able to visit a cookie factory and a thrift store on the way back.

It is the CIVIC HOLIDAY on Monday. Please enjoy the long, long weekend and see you back in class, bright and early, on Tuesday at 9 a.m.

Monday Assignment

The Olympic Games are finally underway! How does Canada fit into the global village?

1. Update your blog with your experience on our field trip to Black Creek Pioneer Village. Feel free to "borrow" pictures and video from this blog to illustrate your writing.
2. Watch and blog your transcript on first 20 seconds of this report.
3. Watch Christine Sinclair's second goal against South Africa, discuss it with a classmate about it. Begin your sentences with: "If I were Christine Sinclair ..."; "If the ball (hit, not) the crossbar ..."; "It is a goal if ... (cross) the line."

 


Transcript answer to no. 2:

Great weather, great guides, great time!

Some 34 grownups and 14 kiddos from MicroSkills LINC showed up for a guided tour of Toronto's premier outdoor museum, namely Black Creek Pioneer Village. Ably led by guides Karen and Miriam, we were treated to two hours of in-depth, hands-on experience of what life was like here 200 years ago.




Following are pictures that could be used with your blog articles:

Friday's Field Trip Instructions and Wednesday Assignment

In case of rain, you may wish to pack an umbrella:

Welcome to Life in a New Land (the theme of our field trip).
 

This Friday we're on a field trip to the Black Creek Pioneer Village. Spaces are limited, and only those preregistered in class can come.

• Those going from Don Mills Station can leave with Peter at 8:30 a.m.
• Those going from Finch Station are to meet be at Bus Bay 9 at 8:55 a.m. and leave on the 60D TTC bus.
• Those driving there should plan to arrive by 10 a.m. Parking is not free.

Make sure to bring some snacks (or a picnic lunch), sunblock or umbrella (depending on your faith), good walking shoes, some writing materials, a camera, and a water bottle.

As always, do the maintenance on your blog first. Continuing on our theme, here's today's assignment:

1. Listen and do the exercise: Cosmetic Surgery 
2. Role Play with a classmate: Describing Symptoms to a Doctor
3. Use VoiceThread to record your role play.

Monday Assignment

Welcome to a new week on the theme of healthcare practitioners! To help you understand the topic and use the language check out the following tasks:

1. Read up on Ontario's healthcare system and tell a classmate what was the most surprising thing you learned.
2. Listening and vocabulary: Medical advice
3. Listen to the following podcast and role play with a partner: Going to the dentist
4. Then listen to this podcast and role play with another partner: Seeing a dentist
5. Write on your blog a 5-line conversation based on your role plays and get two classmates to check it.

 

Friday Assignment

1. Any success stories? Write a 3-sentence paragraph about how the LINC program has helped you this month, and post it on your blog.
2. Listening Comprehension: Trying to Get through to Someone
3. Role play: Trying to Get off the Phone
4. Watch 2 videos from the library.
5. Listening and Role Play: On speakerphone, call the ROM line or 3-1-1 about a detail on opening hours or ticket prices for children or lower-income people. Post the information on your blog.

Wednesday Assignment

Welcome back from the field trip! Here's our assignment for today:

 

1. Blog about the field trip to the library--list five things you learnt and write what you think about the trip.
2. Read the TOC: To Tweet or Not to Tweet: Writing Effective Text Messages for Business.
3. Research and Listening: Download Telemarketing, Cold Calling and Appointment Making in MP3 from Toronto Public Library
4. Listening and Role Play: Taking Phone Messages
    

Checking out Toronto's ESL Crown Jewels

The sirens took turns wailing outside, but that had nothing to do with the treasures we looked at.



The most coveted resources for TOEIC, IELTS, and TOEFL tests; pronunciation and listening kits ; latest-edition Azar grammars with CD-ROMs; you-name-it, they-got-it, the best in the city--they're all quietly situated on the fourth floor of Toronto Reference Library. And we got to see them--thanks to the guidance of librarian assistant Liana!

Field Trip Tuesday and Monday's Assignment

Our field trip on Tuesday is to Toronto Reference Library downtown. If you're going by yourself, please be on the 4th floor (ESL section) for a guided tour by 10:15 a.m. The rest will meet and leave from the Southbound Platform of Sheppard Yonge Subway Station at 9:30 a.m. Please do not be late. Bring your cameras, and if you don't already have a library card, a photo ID and proof of address.


Telephone skills can be the most challenging to ESL learners. This week, we're trying out some exercises to give you the confidence and skills needed for successful telephone communication.

1. Listening and Vocabulary: Watch one of the video podcasts and then again with written transcript. 
2. Write on your blog what was most surprising fact that you learnt.
3. Listening and Vocabulary: Using the Phone 
4. Listening Comprehension: Using an Answering Machine

What's Going on Here?

A strange sight was seen at the Art Gallery of Ontario today, looking out of the glass walls of the building:



Any idea what it was all about?

Write your thoughts in the Comment section below!

Friday Assignment

First of all, please update your blogs with yesterday's field trip. Mention any lessons you learnt or impressions you received from seeing Picasso's works and those of Krieghoff, the Group of Seven, Kurelek, or any of the other artists'. Feel free to use any of the pictures from my previous post. If you have not created your blog or written/edited anything, please do so right away.

Next:

1. Listening with a partner: Watch this Youtube video, first without CC (close captions) and later with CC. 
2. Listening Comprehension and Vocabulary: At the Art Exhibit
3. Dictation: Listen to this clip and take dictation from 1:44 to 1:53. Post your dictation on your blog.
   
   
   Bonus activity: Watch this Michael Snow* solo exhibit, embed it, and post your comments.

* Michael Snow's "CC" stands for "Companions of the Order of Canada (post-nominals: CC, in French: Compagnon de l'ordre du Canada)."

Click below to see the answer to the dictation exercise:

Picasso and Group of Seven Welcome Us

First up, we stand in the great shadow of Henry Moore!

Class participants, alumni, and guests Nabi, Michele, Ying, Helena, Annie, Alice, Firouzeh, Mehrab, Sepideh, Alice, and Jack smile for Tim and me!

Click below for more stuff:

Thursday's Field Trip and Today's Assignment

On Thursday, let's meet at Sheppard Yonge Station, on the Southbound Platform, at 9:15 a.m. to arrive at AGO around 10 a.m. You may bring your cameras, but photography is restricted in the art gallery. If we finish the Picasso Exhibits early, we could go for a whirlwind tour of the other exhibits there. We'll be there until 12 p.m., and those who would like to go for lunch can meet at the main exit. Those who wish to do so are free to stay on in the AGO.

The assignment today focuses on blog creation and writing for those who have not done so:
  

• Click through the pictures at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. Select one of the Group of Seven artists and write a paragraph on why you like his works.

Après Canada Day (Enjoy the Week's Vacation!)

Don't forget: School is closed this week!

How was Canada Day for you? Do update your blogs on your thoughts and activities this long weekend.

The newspapers have certainly not been quiet!

1. There's this poll trying to identify what Canadians are like today: 15 things you should know about Canadian identity.
2. And then there are a couple of quizzes: a mock citizenship quiz and a brutally difficult Canada Day Quiz.
3. Once you've survived the above, kick back and enjoy Jared Pot singing our national anthem.

Have a great week ahead! And see you back in school on Monday, July 9th!