American Diners - Monday Morning Worksheet

Welcome and Happy Monday!

It's good to be starting a fresh, new week. This has been a difficult week for many Americans, and being bombarded by media images and articles hasn't helped in the least. I've tried to maintain my sanity by re-reading my Ngaio Marsh mysteries, turning off my computer, and spending more time with my kids. Meanwhile, at work, I'm still responsible for making sure we're moving ahead. Teaching is one of those jobs where we do have to keep ourselves together, while making sure our students learn something. 

I wanted to something a little lighter this week, to set a happier and more positive tone than last week. I've done a very short reading on American Diners, what they're about and when they started. I've included some questions on diners, a menu with activities and an essay question. There are enough activities to last up to two class periods, but teachers can easily choose to do enough for only one class. 

Vocabulary Cheat Sheet

I've added a vocabulary cheat sheet for the teacher and a printable one for students (6 copies on a page.). I do not like to overuse our photocopier (it's slow, anyway), so I try to do activities that don't require too much copying. 

You can do any of the following with the vocabulary words.

1.) explain the vocabulary words orally; 

2.) copy the definitions on the board; or 

3.) give out the cheat sheet for students. I make my students get glue sticks and, when necessary, have students glue this sheet to the back. This saves having to copy an extra sheet for each student. 

I do hope  you enjoy this Monday Morning Lesson! I would love to hear your comments about how it went or what you did with it. The posted lesson is similar to the worksheet, which can be downloaded below. 

I hope you enjoy your Monday. Have a great week!

American Diners

A diner is a special kind of American restaurant. Diners are casual restaurants that serve American food. They are popular, and are often open very late. Diners are often visited by travelers, truck drivers, employees and people who enjoy typical American food. 

Most diners have a stainless-steel exterior. The insides have booths and stools with counters. When diners were first started in 1872, they were small. They would first be made and then shipped to the owners. 

Today, there are many kinds of diners. Some are small; others are very large. A few are quite famous. Some diners do not even look like diners anymore. However, you can still tell a diner by its menu.

Questions

1.  What is a diner?

2.  When did diners first start? How were they made?

3.  How can you tell that a restaurant is a diner?

4.  What does the inside of a diner look like?

5.  In your opinion, what are some reasons for diners becoming popular?

Activities

The menu below is a typical menu for a diner. 

1. Scan the menu quickly. What foods have you tried from this menu?

2. What are some items that you would have for breakfast? Lunch? Dinner? Dessert?

3. Imagine that you opened a new restaurant. Make up your own menu with prices. Include headings for each part of your menu.

4. Writing Topic: Some restaurants do very well. Others do not succeed and must be closed down. What makes a good restaurant? What makes a restaurant successful or not?

To download the worksheet for this post, click below.

The Boston Marathon Bombing - ESL Reading Lesson

Staying home to take care of my two youngest children, I didn't hear about the Boston Marathon bombing until much after the fact. It's a terrible tragedy, and one can only imagine what kind of person would want to harm so many innocent people, including children. The picture of little Martin Richard smiling so brightly brought tears to my eyes; my heart goes out to the parents of this little boy. I have a nine-year old daughter myself, and I would not want to imagine my life without her.

Using News Events

A marathon is a rich topic for any teacher, including ESL teachers. Like it or not, the bombing makes the Boston Marathon a topic of further interest for students. I do want to discuss the event with my students, but not in a way that will inflame or depress them. Rather, I want to teach them something about marathons and give them an opportunity to talk about what's happened. 

Teaching Sensitive Topics to ESL Students
At the same time, as an ESL teacher, I need to keep in mind that many foreign students are sensitive to comments related to such tragedies. Some find themselves targets of offensive comments and may feel defensive. This may also be a good time to briefly discuss how such students feel. I hope this ESL lesson on the Boston Marathon teaches students about the day in a positive and constructive manner. 

For anyone who also teaches younger students, I tried to design this lesson so that it can be used for sixth and seventh graders who want to learn more about the Boston Marathon and the tragic bombing. 

I hope you and your students benefit from this lesson, and come away with something at the end of it.  

The Boston Marathon Bombing

Have you ever run in a race? The Boston Marathon is one of the world's most famous races. It has been in the news many times, for example, when Kenyan runner Geoffrey Mutai set a world running record in 2011. This year, the Boston Marathon has been in the news more than ever.

The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon. It takes place every year in the Boston area. It is always held on the 3rd Monday in April. The Boston Marathon was first started in 1897 by the Boston Athletic Association. This same organization still runs the event. To complete the race, one must run a distance of 26 miles and 385 yards.  

The Boston Marathon has grown each year, so that it is now one of Boston's biggest events. Starting with only 18 people in 1897, the event now brings more than half a million fans each year to the race. More than twenty thousand people also run in the marathon each year.

Anyone who qualifies can run in the Boston Marathon. In fact, runners from all over the world come to Boston each year to compete. A runner must be over the age of 18 and have completed a marathon before. Many different kinds of people compete in this race. For example, people who use wheelchairs or have other disabilities participate and can also win prizes.

It is not easy to run a marathon. Yet the Boston Marathon is one of the hardest. There are many hills to run through. Also, Boston can be cold and rainy in April. Runners must complete the 26-mile race, no matter the terrain and weather.

The Boston Marathon has always been a joyous event celebrating health, fitness, and sportsmanship. Families come to support runners. People of all ages enjoy being a part of this famous race, and celebrating with the winners. The winners are awarded large prizes. The first man and woman to complete the race receive $100,000. There are also prizes for 2nd and 3rd place, and for winners with disabilities.

This year, the Boston Marathon started out as a happy event as usual. However, it tragically turned into a terrible event. Towards the end of the race, this year, two bombs exploded near a crowd of spectators. The bombs were placed in pressure cookers hidden in backpacks. Two Americans and a Chinese man died in the explosions. Among those killed was an eight-year old boy named Martin Richard. More than 150 people were also injured. Several people who were hurt had to have arms or legs amputated. People are not sure how or why this happened. Everyone is looking for answers as to who could have committed such a terrible crime.

Americans are believed to be unusually optimistic and good at "bouncing back". They will always remember this tragedy. Yet, one can expect Bostonians and Americans to remain committed to maintaining the tradition of this famous marathon. And who knows? It may be that next year will bring more runners than ever before.

Questions

1. What is a marathon?

2. Why is the Boston Marathon so popular?

3. For how many years has the Boston Marathon been held?

4. How was this year's marathon different from marathons in past years?

5. What is meant by "bouncing back"?

6. After what happened this year in Boston, would you run next year if you could? Why or why not?

7. How will the Boston Marathon be different next year than this year, in negative and positive ways?

8. Draw a line under every simple past verb and a double line under every present perfect verb.

To download & print the PDF worksheet for this lesson, click below.

Computer Icons - Monday Morning Worksheet - ESL

Welcome! I'm glad you could make it today!

This first Monday Morning Worksheet is about Computer Icons. Students read a short text about icons and then try to guess the uses for various icons. This can be done in pairs. I've also included a few activities that students can do as a class or independently, including an essay topic. I hope you enjoy this worksheet and your Monday! 

Have a great week!

Computer Icons

When you first turn on your computer or cell phone (mobile phone), what do you see on the screen? In most cases, you see pictures, not words. Most computers and cell phone screens show pictures, or icons. Icons are small, simple images. They are used as shortcuts to computer files and programs. Icons look different for each program or type of file that we use. Popular programs have similar icons. The icons may look a little different, but are used for the same thing. An example of this is Internet Explorer.

1. Study the icons in the box above. What do you think each icon is used for? Use the words below to help you decide. Work with a partner if you have one.

2. Which icons do you use most, on your phone or computer?

3. Why do you think programs use icons instead of words?

4. What are some problems caused by using icons instead of words?

To download the worksheet for this post, click below.