Good day! This week we will begin Unit 4 in the textbook, Computers in Environmental Science. Computers are very important in all sciences, but can be extremely important in Environmental Science because we can browse and search for unique, new, and informative research much more quickly than in the past. We can look up words in search engines, find interesting databases, open websites, cross-reference information, and modify search engine results. In a sense, with the advent of computers, the information world is at our fingertips.
Thank you for your presentations last week. They were very good. We will have at least one more similar project again in this semester, and I am already planning it. That topic will be based on Unit 5, or Energy Resources, and will probably concern designing your own solar energy plant. I will speak more about this in the next few weeks.
For this week, the homework was to prepare 4.1 vocabulary on page 30. You did not have to turn this in early. We will check it in class this Friday. However, I hope that you come to class with it prepared! That homework was: 4.1 A: 1 and 2; B all; C: 2; D: 1 and 2, and E all.
This week we will check the homework and review page 30. Then we will examine page 31 and learn computer words, abbreviations (short forms), and jargon. Jargon is specialized words or phrases relating to a certain topic or theme. We will also practice reading on page 33 and move onto the 4.2 reading section. We will do A, B, C, and F in class. Homework for next week will probably be 4.3 and 4.4 extending skills. I will talk more about that this week.
I will probably ask you to follow this blog so you know more of what will happen in each class. In addition, I will ask you to make at least one comment on this blog during the upcoming week. In fact, I will give one extra point today, tonight, or tomorrow morning for all of you who write one comment on this blog post before class tomorrow. See you then!
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Design Presentations!
Thank you all for your mail this week. I enjoyed reading your interests and concerns regarding environmental problems. They were all very important problems. Many environmental problems can be solved, but there are many more that need the attention of researchers who want to put time and effort into creating a better world, especially for the next generation.
You may be wondering why you had to tell me your concerns with the environment. Well, I would like you to do a short video presentation about these problems, and some solutions you can think of. Don't worry, this is not an assignment for this week. I will let you know how and when we will complete the assignment.
Tomorrow I would like to finish detailing your design projects, and as I said last week, I would like for each pair to present your ideas to the class using the overhead camera. This is a very useful project because you are putting your ideas out so people can see them and learn more about your thinking. Please don't be nervous. You don't have to be perfect, and for these projects, I'm not that concerned with perfect grammar or even spelling. Your ideas are very important to share, and if you have passion about your ideas, you can share them with the world and learn English naturally, without even feeling like you're studying.
After the presentations we will move onto unit 4 in the book - Computers in Environmental Science, and spend a little time becoming familiar with computer terminology, usage, and activities associated with computers and science. We will use the book a lot for this lesson, and probably do quite a bit of reading. There will probably be book homework for next week.
That's all for this blog! See you tomorrow.
You may be wondering why you had to tell me your concerns with the environment. Well, I would like you to do a short video presentation about these problems, and some solutions you can think of. Don't worry, this is not an assignment for this week. I will let you know how and when we will complete the assignment.
Tomorrow I would like to finish detailing your design projects, and as I said last week, I would like for each pair to present your ideas to the class using the overhead camera. This is a very useful project because you are putting your ideas out so people can see them and learn more about your thinking. Please don't be nervous. You don't have to be perfect, and for these projects, I'm not that concerned with perfect grammar or even spelling. Your ideas are very important to share, and if you have passion about your ideas, you can share them with the world and learn English naturally, without even feeling like you're studying.
After the presentations we will move onto unit 4 in the book - Computers in Environmental Science, and spend a little time becoming familiar with computer terminology, usage, and activities associated with computers and science. We will use the book a lot for this lesson, and probably do quite a bit of reading. There will probably be book homework for next week.
That's all for this blog! See you tomorrow.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
This Week
Thank you for your homework, and most of you did it. A few of you answered the wrong question for A, 1. You looked at page 24 by mistake, and a few of you didn't write enough. You could answer all the question by looking at the tape-script on page 113 if you couldn't understand the listening. I will explain the details of this homework in class. Most of you did well with C, D, and G. A few of you skipped or forgot to do H.
This week in class we will have a quiz first! Don't forget. I told you last week. In addition, we will continue to work on the topic project, "Design your Own Recycling Center." I will give explanations in class, and you will have a chance to work on it with your partners. You must draw a detailed picture of your recycling center and label the parts in English. Then you must write an explanation to explain it to your classmates via the overhead projector (hopefully)! Please don't be nervous. This is a good opportunity for you to use and practice practical English for your future. Good luck!
After we finish the atmosphere unit and the design project, we will move on to unit 4 in the book, entitled, "Computers in Environmental Science." This will be an interesting unit on searching for and using English related information in the learning of Environmental Science.
That's all for this blog! See you in class tomorrow!
This week in class we will have a quiz first! Don't forget. I told you last week. In addition, we will continue to work on the topic project, "Design your Own Recycling Center." I will give explanations in class, and you will have a chance to work on it with your partners. You must draw a detailed picture of your recycling center and label the parts in English. Then you must write an explanation to explain it to your classmates via the overhead projector (hopefully)! Please don't be nervous. This is a good opportunity for you to use and practice practical English for your future. Good luck!
After we finish the atmosphere unit and the design project, we will move on to unit 4 in the book, entitled, "Computers in Environmental Science." This will be an interesting unit on searching for and using English related information in the learning of Environmental Science.
That's all for this blog! See you in class tomorrow!
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Topic Design Project
Good morning! I hope you all had a nice Golden Week. I went to Okinawa with my family, and we had a great eco-tourism adventure! At first we went to a jungle walk, and walked through some caves. We also saw trees that were over 300 years old. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. She provided us with tea to drink in thermos containers rather than pet bottles. To walk through the caves, we could use real lanterns that used kerosene instead of batteries. She spoke in a loud voice and did not use a microphone with batteries, either. I thought this was very good because it focused on saving the environment.
There are many things we can do to save the environment. For example, we can turn off electricity when we are not using lights. Japan's censor lights used in university bathrooms are good for this. We can re-use pet bottles or use other containers. We can use public transportation, and purchase hybrid cars.
One other thing we can do to save the environment is to recycle. Recycling is very important for the future of the earth. Japan is quite good at recycling from what I have read. Other countries are now becoming better and better at recycling. Some companies manufacture clothing from used pet bottles. Others make new paper from old. A simple way to recycle is to use something old for a new purpose, such as making a handbag from an old pair of jeans.
To help you understand recycling more, and to think about it for our futures, we will do a project in class called, "Design your Own Recycling Center." This will be a pair project in which you will learn vocabulary, practice English sentence writing, and then become creative and design your recycling center with a drawing and an explanation in English. There will some guidelines and you will be provided with prints.
The project is intended to be creative and realistic. Please think seriously about the future of the environment when designing your recycling center. Let's learn English while we learn about science and the environment.
There are many things we can do to save the environment. For example, we can turn off electricity when we are not using lights. Japan's censor lights used in university bathrooms are good for this. We can re-use pet bottles or use other containers. We can use public transportation, and purchase hybrid cars.
One other thing we can do to save the environment is to recycle. Recycling is very important for the future of the earth. Japan is quite good at recycling from what I have read. Other countries are now becoming better and better at recycling. Some companies manufacture clothing from used pet bottles. Others make new paper from old. A simple way to recycle is to use something old for a new purpose, such as making a handbag from an old pair of jeans.
To help you understand recycling more, and to think about it for our futures, we will do a project in class called, "Design your Own Recycling Center." This will be a pair project in which you will learn vocabulary, practice English sentence writing, and then become creative and design your recycling center with a drawing and an explanation in English. There will some guidelines and you will be provided with prints.
The project is intended to be creative and realistic. Please think seriously about the future of the environment when designing your recycling center. Let's learn English while we learn about science and the environment.
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