Centenarians & Supercentenarians - ESL Worksheet

Good morning & Happy Monday!

This morning I have a simple article with activities about people who have lived to be over 100 years old, including veteran and centenarian Richard Arvine Overton and supercentenarian Walter Breuning. As with most of the worksheets on this blog, you can pick and choose the activities you want to do, based on your students' abilities and available time. 

Thank you for visiting my blog and have a great week!

CENTENARIANS

Do you know any centenarians? A centenarian is a person who has lived for 100 years or more. There are more than 50,000 centenarians in America today and more than 300,000 centenarians in the world. Below is a list of some famous people who lived to be over 100.

·       Grandma Moses started painting at the age of 77. She painted more than 1,600 pictures until her death at age 101.

·       Bob Hope was a famous singer, actor and author. He appeared in more than 70 short and long film projects.

·       George Burns was a famous performer who worked in radio, television and comedy. He was active until his death.

·       Rose Kennedy was the mother of former President John F. Kennedy. She had several famous sons. Tragically, she also witnessed the death of four of them. Two of Rose's children were killed, including President Kennedy.

·       Richard Arvine Overton is a famous centenarian and veteran. He served in the South Pacific during World War II.

SUPERCENTENARIANS

Supercentenarians are people who have lived for 110 years or more. Supercentenarians are rare. There are only about 60 supercentenarians in the world. Most of them live in the United States or Japan.

Walter Breuning was a famous supercentenarian. He lived to be 114 years old. Walter was born in 1896 and died in 2011. He grew up in South Dakota without running water or electricity. Walter was born into a poor family and had to leave school to start work at age 14. Even so, Walter enjoyed his life and was active until his death. 

Like most people who have lived a long time, Walter practiced some healthy habits, as well as some unhealthy habits. Walter ate only two meals a day, breakfast and lunch. He usually had fruit for dinner. Like most supercentenarians, Walter also smoked, quitting at age 105. It was common for people of Walter's age to smoke. Walter believed that the keys to being happy are to be active and to help people He retired from his last job at age 99.

1.    How many centenarians are living in your country, do you think?

2.    Why are there so few supercentenarians, as compared to centenarians?

3.    How long do people usually live, in your country?

4.    Do you think that people who live to be very old are lucky or unlucky? Why?

ACTIVITIES

·       What are some adjectives that you would use to describe young people? Middle-aged people? Old people?

·       How is life different today than it was 100 years ago?

·       What are some ways that life is better today? What are some ways that life was better 100 years ago?

·       Even though there are more conveniences and better technology today, there is more crime, more suicides and more depression. People say this is because modern life is too stressful. Do you agree? Why or why not?

·       What is some advice you would give to people who wish to life a long life?

·       What are some problems that older people face? What can be done to solve these problems?

·       THINK & WRITE People say that wisdom comes with age. Because of this, young people are naturally foolish and impatient while older people are more patient and knowledgeable. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?

Click below to download the worksheet for this activity.

 

IELTS Essay - Compare & Contrast - Using Transition Words

This is an IELTS activity to help students master the use of transition words. Transition words are extremely important in scoring well on the IELTS. They can be the difference between a 6 and 7, for example. I spend at least a couple of classes per term teaching them.

If you follow my blog (and I hope you do!), you 'll notice that this is the same essay that I used for an IELTS activity a couple of weeks back.  This is intentional and not for lack of material! : ) I sometimes like to use an essay a couple of times to help students understand its structure. We look at one essay from different angles. Once students get over their grumbling, they reluctantly admit that writing an essay is much more than just throwing words down on paper. If you have really enthusiastic complainers (which I sometimes do, especially for my upper-level classes), you can assign a repeat essay activity for homework.

If you're interested in improving your IELTS Reading score in the next few weeks, visit my blog this Tuesday (September 30, 2014)  to register for a free online course! Space is limited to 20 students.

DIRECTIONS: FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE TRANSITION/SIGNAL WORD.

Question: Some people believe that it is better to spend your free time on useful activities, while others feel that free time is best used for relaxation. What are your opinions on this?

Free time is limited, and 1 _____ precious, to most people. 2_____ _____ _____, many people carefully consider how to spend it. Some people feel that it is better to spend your spare time being busy and developing yourself through useful activities, 3_____ others prefer to spend this time relaxing.

Those who prefer to use their leisure time to develop themselves and remain busy enjoy several benefits. 4_____, because such people are busy gaining knowledge and experience, they will be more likely to get ahead, both at work and in life. This getting ahead and increased ability and performance could very well result in promotions and a higher salary at work. This would, 5_____ _____, lead to other benefits 6_____ _____ longer vacations and more money. 7_____ _____, a person who has developed himself will feel better about himself, his knowledge and abilities, and will have more self-confidence. This psychological benefit could be reason enough to some people to remain productive during their free time.

8_____ _____ _____ _____, those who prefer to use their leisure time to relax have several arguments in their favor. 9_____ _____ they probably enjoy less stress and therefore better health. 10_____ _____ _____ _____, stress levels and physical health are strongly linked. 11_____ _____, those who take time out to relax enjoy better relationships with their friends and family simply because they have more time to spend with them. Psychologists say that, 12_____ _____ _____ _____ spending time with family, quantity is as important as quality. 13_____ _____ _____ _____ having better relationships with those most important to us contributes to our overall quality of life. 14_____, those who enjoy their spare time and use this time to rejuvenate and refresh themselves will ultimately perform better at work, 15_____ their minds and bodies will be rested. 16_____ _____ _____, they will be ready to give everything they have at work. Who knows? 17_____ they will get further ahead than those who spend all their time working!

18_____ _____ _____, while those who prefer to work during their spare time have relevant arguments, 19_____ _____ _____ those who prefer to relax during this time will enjoy more benefits, both in their personal lives and at work. 20_____, I think it is much more advantageous to use one's spare time to relax.

ANSWER KEY

Free time is limited, and 1therefore precious, to most people. 2As a result, many people carefully consider how to spend it. Some people feel that it is better to spend your spare time being busy and developing yourself through useful activities, 3while others prefer to spend this time relaxing.

Those who prefer to use their leisure time to develop themselves and remain busy enjoy several benefits. 4First, because such people are busy gaining knowledge and experience, they will be more likely to get ahead, both at work and in life. This getting ahead and increased ability and performance could very well result in promotions and a higher salary at work. This would, 5in turn, lead to other benefits 6such as longer vacations and more money. 7As well, a person who has developed himself will feel better about himself, his knowledge and abilities, and will have more self-confidence. This psychological benefit could be reason enough to some people to remain productive during their free time.

8On the other hand, those who prefer to use their leisure time to relax have several arguments in their favor. 9For example, they probably enjoy less stress and therefore better health. 10As we all know, stress levels and physical health are strongly linked. 11In addition, those who take time out to relax enjoy better relationships with their friends and family simply because they have more time to spend with them. Psychologists say that, 12when it comes to spending time with family, quantity is as important as quality. 13I strongly believe that having better relationships with those most important to us contributes to our overall quality of life. 14Lastly, those who enjoy their spare time and use this time to rejuvenate and refresh themselves will ultimately perform better at work, 15since their minds and bodies will be rested. 16As a result, they will be ready to give everything they have at work. Who knows? 17Maybe they will get further ahead than those who spend all their time working!

18To sum up, while those who prefer to work during their spare time have relevant arguments, 19I believe that those who prefer to relax during this time will enjoy more benefits, both in their personal lives and at work. 20Therefore, I think it is much more advantageous to use one's spare time to relax.

 Thank you for visiting!

Faiza Raintree

To download the worksheet for this activity, click below.

Using Bar Graphs - Cancer Rates in the US

Good Morning & Happy Monday!

Today's activity uses bar graphs to help students build vocabulary and writing skills. Bar graphs are common in newspapers and magazines. They also feature on the IELTS Writing Task 1 more often than not.

Below is a double bar graph depicting cancer rates in the United States from 1999 to 2008, by demographic group, courtesy of the National Cancer Institute. Students answer questions about the graph and then construct their own with a partner.

If you're interested in improving your IELTS Reading score in the next few weeks, visit my blog this Tuesday (September 30, 2014)  to register for a free online course! Space is limited to 20 students.

Breast cancer has been in the news lately, perhaps due to Angelina Jolie's recent decision to get a double mastectomy. I wish her well and agree that a woman's femininity is in no way diminished by such a decision.  Discussing Angelina's story would probably raise students' interest in the topic before they start the activity.

Thank you for visiting and have a great week!
Faiza Raintree

QUESTIONS

1.      What is the title of this graph?

2.      What time period is covered in the graph?

3.      What do the numbers mean, on the left side of the graph?

4.      How many deaths per 100,000 were there, of Hispanic women in 2004-2008?

5.      How many white men per 100,000 died of cancer in 1999-2003?

6.      Which group had the greatest number of deaths per 100,000, in this graph?

7.      Which group had the least number of deaths?

8.      About how many Asian/Pacific Islander people died of cancer during 1999-2003?

9.      Which groups went down in this period? Which group went up? Which stayed the same?

10.   Design and draw your own bar graph below. Do this alone, or with a partner. Explain your bar graph to a partner.

 Download the worksheet for this activity below.

IELTS Essay - Compare & Contrast - The Best Way to Use Your Spare Time

Just a brief note: If you're interested in improving your IELTS Reading score in the next few weeks, visit my blog this Tuesday (September 30, 2014)  to register for a free online course! Space is limited to 20 students.

This is an essay prompt similar to what students may encounter on the IELTS. It can be used for IELTS Task 2 practice or simply for essay practice. Students learn how to write a compare/contrast essay and practice using academic vocabulary.

I like to give students the prompt on Day 1 and then provide a model answer the next day. They seem to pay more attention to the essay if they've already had a shot at writing one themselves.

DIRECTIONS: READ THE ESSAY BELOW. FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE VOCABULARY WORD.

Question: Some people believe that it is better to spend your free time on useful activities, while others feel that free time is best used for relaxation. What are your opinions on this?

Free time is limited, and therefore 1_____, to most people. As a result, many people carefully consider how to spend it. Some people feel that it is better to spend your spare time being busy and 2_____ yourself through useful activities, while others prefer to spend this time relaxing.

Those who prefer to use their 3_____ time to develop themselves and remain busy enjoy several 4_____. First, because such people are busy gaining knowledge and experience, they will be more likely to get ahead, both at work and in life. This getting ahead and increased ability and 5_____ could very well result in promotions and a higher salary at work. This would, in turn, lead to other benefits such as longer 6_____ and more money. As well, a person who has developed himself will feel better about himself, his knowledge and abilities, and will have more 7_____. This psychological benefit could be reason enough to some people to remain productive during their free time.

On the other hand, those who 8_____ to use their leisure time to relax have several arguments in their favor. For example, they probably enjoy less 9_____ and therefore better health. As we all know, stress levels and physical health are strongly linked. In addition, those who take time out to relax enjoy better 10_____ with their friends and family simply because they have more time to spend with them. Psychologists say that, when it comes to spending time with family, 11_____ is as important as quality. I strongly believe that having better relationships with those most important to us contributes to our overall quality of life. Lastly those who enjoy their spare time and use this time to rejuvenate and 12_____ themselves will ultimately perform better at work, since their minds and bodies will be rested. As a result, they will be ready to give everything they have at work. Who knows? Maybe they will get further 13_____ than those who spend all their time working!

To sum up, while those who prefer to work during their spare time have relevant 14_____, I believe that those who prefer to relax during this time will enjoy more benefits, both in their 15_____ lives and at work. Therefore, I think it is much more advantageous to use one's spare time to relax.

Thank you for visiting!

Faiza Raintree

Click below to download worksheet & answer key.

Diet Tips - 5 Ways to Control Your Hunger - ESL Worksheet

Hello and Happy Monday! I hope it's a beautiful Spring morning where you are, and that you are enjoying this morning! 

Today's Monday Morning Worksheet is about dieting & dieting vocabulary. Spring and Summer are popular seasons for going on diets and losing weight. This worksheet contains an article and activities for students about controlling food cravings on a diet.

5 HEALTHY WAYS TO CONTROL YOUR HUNGER

Hunger can be a problem for people on a diet. A person may want to lose weight to be healthy, or to fit into a dress. However, people fear diets because they fear being hungry. Here are some tips you can use to slim down without feeling hungry. Always speak with your doctor before you go on a diet!

1. Eat all your food in one place. Choose the kitchen or dining room. If you are at work, choose your desk or the dining hall. Eat only in this one place and do not eat anywhere else. If you only eat in the cafeteria, you will not think about eating when you are at your desk.

2. Chew gum when you feel like snacking. Keep sugarless mint gum with you. If you are going to a football game with friends, chew on gum instead of popcorn. This will save you many empty calories.

3. Eat an apple when you want a snack. Apples are healthy and they also help you to feel full. Apples also take time to eat. This will give you time to resist unhealthy snacks.

4. Have a small bowl of soup or salad at the start of your meal. Soups and salads add bulk to your meal. They help you to feel full with less food. Choose soups that are low in fat.

5. Think abundance. There will always be food for you to enjoy. Remember this when you have a slice of cake. Stop eating after you have one piece. Remember that there will be many times and places when you can have cake again! You will come across many delicious foods in your lifetime. This will not be the last time that you will be able to enjoy a treat! Enjoy your food while you eat it and look forward to a lifetime of healthy and delicious food!

QUESTIONS

1.      What is one problem that people face when they go on a diet?
2.      What is one healthy fruit that you can have when you feel hungry?3.      Why is it a good idea to have soup at the start of your meal?
4.      What kind of soup should you have, when you are on a diet?
5.      What do you think the word "abundance" means, in this story?

ACTIVITIES

1.      Study the table below. Circle the foods that are good to have on a diet.

2.      Have you ever gone on a diet? How did you feel?
3.      What is another way to say "lose weight"?
4.      What are some tips you would give to someone who wants to lose weight?
5.      What are some tips you would give to a person who is unhappy with their body?
6.      What is a good diet? A bad diet?

7.      THINK & WRITE: Many people go on diets each year. Why do you think this is so? What are some good reasons to lose weight? What are some bad reasons?

Have a great week!

Faiza Raintree

To download the worksheet for this article, click below.

How to Use Pictures to Understand What You Read

Teach students to use accompanying pictures to understand what they read! Students practice the tips on a short article. Find the downloadable worksheet at the end of the article.

How to Use Pictures to Understand What You Read

Do you read something in English and you do not understand it? This happens to everyone. This even happens to English speakers.  It can happen in Math, Science, History or English. 

If you do not understand what you read, use the pictures to help you.  

Here is how:

1. Quickly read the first few sentences. Look for words that match the picture. 

2. Use the captions.  Captions are words that describe the pictures.  If you understand the caption, you will understand the picture and many of the words.  

Read the caption in this picture. What does it say?

There is nothing better than cool, sweet watermelon on a hot day!

3. Ask questions about the reading. Ask questions like these: 

What is happening in the picture?  

Why is the girl eating watermelon? 

How does the girl feel?  Is she happy?  Is she sad? Why? 

4. Try to answer your questions. This will help you understand what you read.

5. Look for the message in the picture.  What does the picture tell you? If you know what the picture is saying, you will often know what the words are saying.  

Practice these 5 tips and you will understand more of what you read! Practice now, using the article below.

Summer Fun Without Burns!

Summer is a great time to do fun things with your children. Enjoy this summer with your kids, but don’t forget the sunscreen!  This goes for all parents, teachers and doctors!

Children must be taught to use sunscreen when playing out in the sun!

Many parents know that they must protect their babies from the sun.  Unfortunately, these same parents forget that older children need that same protection. Once children are able to move around and want to spend long hours in the sun, they must wear sunscreen and reapply it often. 

Teaching kids to use sunscreen at an early age is extremely important.  It is even more critical for children with fair skin and fair hair.  

Children who use sunscreen when they are young are more likely to use it when they are older, thus getting lifelong protection from the sun’s harmful rays. So teach your kids early to use sunscreen now!  You’ll help them stay burn-free for life!

Thank you for visiting!
Faiza Raintree

Click below to download the worksheet for this article.

National Teacher Week - A Letter to Mrs. Beard

Goood Morning! & Happy Monday!

May 6-10th is National Teacher Week and Sunday, May 7 is National Teacher Day.

Teachers deserve at least a week's appreciation from society and from their students! A teacher's job can be a rewarding but thankless job. How many times has a teacher helped us or made a difference, but we never thanked him or her? Sometimes we don't get the chance, and other times we put it off. This week is the perfect opportunity to express thanks to your teacher.

The exercises in this worksheet will help your students compose a letter to a teacher.  Students examine verb tenses and adjectives related to the topic, and then write a letter to a teacher.

I get the ball rolling by asking students to talk about how a teacher has helped them or made a difference in a small or big way. Then I explain the purpose of the worksheet and go from there.

A. VERBS

Write each verb in the simple past and past progressive.

B. CONSTRUCTING SENTENCES

Choose verbs above to write 3 sentences like the one below.

I was reading my book when the teacher called my name.

C. ADJECTIVES

Write a word or phrase in each space that relates to the adjective.  One is done for you.

D. WRITE A LETTER

In groups, discuss a special incident or characteristic about one of your favorite teachers. Write a letter to your teacher expressing thanks to her for something she did, or explaining why you liked her so much as a teacher.

Here is an example letter. It is to my first grade teacher about a true incident. I met my first grade teacher Mrs. Beard in a store one day and told her how much I had enjoyed having her as my teacher. I also told her this story, which is a perfect example of just how supporting and caring she was. Thank you, Mrs. Beard, wherever you are!

LETTER TO MRS. BEARD

                                                                                                                          May 6, 2013

Dear Mrs. Beard,

I wanted to thank you for being a wonderful first grade teacher. When I was in first grade, I wrote a story about my father's apple tree in the garden. You liked it so much that you showed it to the other teachers in first grade. I still remember you saying, "Look at what this child wrote!" The best part was when you put an apple sticker on my paper before giving it back to me. I was so proud of myself that day! And I felt so grateful to you for making me feel that way. I will never forget you or that day.

                                                                                                                        Yours truly,

                                                                                                                        Faiza Raintree

Thank you for visiting!
Faiza Raintree

To download the worksheet for this lesson, click below.

Water - The Stuff of Life - Science Worksheet

This is a science article about water. You can download the worksheet for this article, below. 

Enjoy and thanks for visiting! 

What would we do without water? Every living thing needs water. Earth is the only planet that has water on it, and it is the only planet known to support life.

Earth is mostly covered with water. Over three-quarters of the earth's surface is covered with water. Water fills oceans, seas, rivers and lakes. There is also a large amount of water that we do not see, underground.

Most water is in liquid form, but water can also be found in solid ice form, in places where it is very cold. 

Water is also found in gas form, such as in clouds and as fog. 

Foggy weather means that there is a lot of water in the air.

Without water, everything on earth would die. All plants and animals need water to live. People and animals usually get their water from the lakes and streams around them. 

However, in some countries, people get their water from salty oceans and seas. They must first remove the salt to get drinkable water. 

Wikimedia Commons

How do desert trees survive in places where there seems to be no water? Plants and trees get their water from the ground using their roots. Their roots must dig deep to get the water we need.

Water is the stuff of life!

Questions

1.      Why is water so important?

2.      How much of the earth's surface is covered by water?

3.      What are three forms that water takes?

4.      Where do people and animals get the water they need?

5.      How do trees in the desert get water?

Thank you for visiting!
Faiza Raintree

To download a printable worksheet, click below.

Images from 123rf.com, unless otherwise stated.