Mr. Stout's Blog-For students and teachers

Toyo Gakuen University Homestay English Unit 5 and Fall 2009 Mid-term Exam Study Guide

2009-11-11T11:58:00.001+09:00

Today we are going to do Unit 5 in our textbook. We will learn about household chores.

Flickr photo be chefranden

Also, we will review. The mid-term exam is next Wednesday, the 18th of November 2009.

Flickr photo by jerine

The midterm exam will have 3 parts:

Part 1: Vocabulary.
Click this link: TGU IE2 Homestay Midterm Exam 2008 List. and do the lessons on smart.fm

Part2: Multiple choice questions about Units 1 - 4 in your textbook. Click here to do a quiz on Unit 1: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=ck1lQzJZcjBoMkl5cjBXUlBQTk8zR3c6MA..

Part3: 2 short paragraph answer type questions. You will be asked to write one or two paragraphs for each question. Your answer should be between 50 words and 100 words.
Here are the questions:

*Describe a homestay trip that you would like to do in the future. Include the following points:

Where you would like to do a homestay.
Why you want to do a homestay.
How you would prepare for the homestay.
The type of homestay family you would like. For example: an older couple with no children, or a young couple with young children.
What you would like to do during the homestay.

*Describe two problems that you think you might have during a homestay. Why do you think you will have these problems? What will you do in order to overcome these problems?

Study hard and good luck!

Rememberance Day 2009

2009-11-11T07:38:00.002+09:00

From Michael's Mash-Ups

Today is Rememberance Day. Every 11th of November in Canada we remember the terrible tragey of war and we pray for peace. We also recite a poem called "In Flanders Fields".
Here's a beautiful video made by a teacher in Canada. Please pray for peace today.

Links for 2009-11-07 [del.icio.us]

2009-11-08T00:00:00-08:00

Links for 2009-11-06 [del.icio.us]

2009-11-07T00:00:00-08:00

Cuban system leads the way - thestar.com

Toyo Gakuen University Travel English 2009 Semester 2 - Lesson 7: Asking for directions

2009-11-06T15:50:00.000+09:00

Today we are going to learn how to ask for directions.
Let's watch a video first.

Now let's learn some vocabulary.
Click this link: http://mrstoutsblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/toyo-gakuen-university-interest-based_24.html

The midterm exam is next week. Please do some practice tests.
See you next week!

Toyo Gakuen University FE2-Reading Unit 8 Dilemmas Part 2

2009-11-06T07:04:00.001+09:00

Today we are going to finish Unit 8. Open the lecture folder. Save the document called "FE2U8-2IndepStudy". Read the instructions. Do the tasks.

The image below is an example of an e-mail to an online advice column called School of Life. Click the image for a larger view (画像をクリックして拡大イメージを見る).

Click the link below. Read the blog post. Do the online vocabulary study exercises.
Mr. Stout's Blog-For students and teachers: Toyo Gakuen University Freshman English 2 - Reading Unit 8: Dilemmas

Finally, please read pp.70,71 in your textbook in order to prepare for next lesson (次の授業の準備のために教科書の70,71ペジを読んで下さい)
See ya next week!

Links for 2009-11-04 [del.icio.us]

2009-11-05T00:00:00-08:00

Toyo Gakuen University Introduction to Business English 1B: Case Study - Conflict Resolution

2009-11-05T07:20:00.002+09:00

Today we are going to look at a case study involving an office conflict.
First let's watch a funny video called "The Great Office War". Watch the video and answer the questions below:
1. Why did the conflict start?
2. Which departments were involved in the conflict?
3. How could the war have been prevented?

Finally, after the case study please post a comment below.

Toyo Gakuen University Homestay Class 2009 Semester 2 Lesson 7

2009-11-04T12:47:00.000+09:00

1. Image0002 by Katsuhito, 2. P2009_0909_204200 by Mr. Suzuki, 3. Hamburger and peperontino by Sohei, 4. Cake By Rena, 5. JANANESE SUSHI by Hideaki, 6. A lunch set from the Togaku Cafeteria

Today will continue studying about food and table manners. Above you can see some pictures of food. Students in this class took the pictures. Choose a picture you like, click the link. Write a comment and ask a question.

Now let's learn about meals and manners in America, Britain and Canada. Click this link:http://mrstoutsblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/toyo-gakuen-university-homestay-english.html

Finally, exciting news! Sasa has replied to your comments about the videos her students made. Click here to read her reply: What makes Slovenia unique?

Links for 2009-11-02 [del.icio.us]

2009-11-03T00:00:00-08:00

HOW TO: Use Twitter Lists

Toyo Gakuen University Special Events: Halloween

2009-10-31T14:03:00.014+09:00

We celebrated Halloween at Toyo Gakuen University!
Students and teachers had a party in the English Lounge. We carved pumpkins, played games and ate snacks.

The K9 Freshman English Reading class had a special lesson about Frankenstein.

Mr. Stout's Blog-For students and teachers: Toyo Gakuen University FE-2 Special Halloween Lesson: Frankenstein

Finally, I found this cool website by a woman in Hawaii who made Halloween bentos. Check it out!

http://www.aibento.net/2009/10/23/frankenstein-bento-403/

Links for 2009-10-30 [del.icio.us]

2009-10-31T00:00:00-07:00

The Fun Theory

Toyo Gakuen University Interest-based English - Travel: Unit 4 review and extension

2009-10-30T15:55:00.002+09:00

Today we are going to review Unit 4. In Unit 4 we learned useful English for making a hotel reservation. After we review Unit 4, we will visit a hotel reservation website. Click the link below.
Mr. Stout's Blog-For students and teachers: Toyo Gakuen University Interest-based English - Travel: Lesson 4

Now let's watch a cool video made by students in Slovenia! Click this link:
http://rostilj.blogspot.com/2009/10/what-makes-slovenia-unique.html

Please post a comment. Tell Sasa's students how much you liked their video.

Toyo Gakuen University FE-2 Special Halloween Lesson: Frankenstein

2009-10-30T06:37:00.004+09:00

Frankenstein: a comic adaptation by Classical Comics

Happy Halloween! Today we are going to have a special lesson.
Click the link to learn about Halloween: http://www.grammarmancomic.com/factshalloween.html

Next, we are going to read a comic adaptation (改作) of Frankenstein.

Who was Frankenstein? (a) a monster (b) an alien (c) a scientist

Let's find out! Open the lecture folder. Click "FE2SpecialFrankensteinIndepStudyTasks.doc". Save the document and do the tasks.

Finally, please leave a comment. Did you like this comic? Do you think Frankenstein was a good man? Why do you think he regretted making the creature?

You can read more great comics on this website: http://www.grammarmancomic.com/
You can read comics made by students too: http://www.grammarmancomic.com/sscom2.html

Toyo Gakuen University Homestay English 2009 2nd Semester Lesson 6

2009-10-28T12:46:00.006+09:00

1. Kentaro's photo, 2. Sohei's photo, 3. Rena's photo, 4. Yuta's photo, 5. Ryota's photo, 6. Kenshiro's photo, 7. Kengo's photo, 8. Japanese JINJYA by Hideaki, 9. Mt.Fuji by Yuuma, 10. Sarusima by Minami, 11. A tower in Osaka by Minami, 12. River, 13. Disposal center, 14. Dog, 15. 090309_1126~01, 16. 090902_1624~01, 17. Katsuhiro's room, 18. Kengo's room, 19. KC3D0245, 20. 091027_0946~010001

Hello again everyone!
Look at the mozaic above. Our flickr photostream is getting better and better! Click on one of the links and make a comment on the picture, and ask a question.

Now let's review some vocabulary. After that I have more exciting news! Click this link:TYG 応用英語 English Vocabulary List Please do an iKnow, a dictation, and a Brainspeed lesson.

OK, now the exciting news! People from Japan, Ireland, and Brazil have watched your videos!! Please read the comments made by your classmates and others. Please write a reply.

Homestay Class Videos 1
Homestay Class Videos 2
Now, for homework please take some photos of your favourite food. Upload them to our flickr photostream.

Links for 2009-10-28 [del.icio.us]

2009-10-29T00:00:00-07:00

Voicethread

Links for 2009-10-27 [del.icio.us]

2009-10-28T00:00:00-07:00

The Lifesaver Bottle

英語総合1B - Michael Pritchard's Water Filter

2009-10-23T02:17:00.002+09:00

Last lesson we learned that we can make water safer by using a water filter. Next lesson we are going to read about reclaimed water. Watch this video about an amazing invention. You can watch the video with Japanese subtitles. Click "View subtitles" next to the play button on the video player. After you watch the video, answer the questions. Bring your answers to class next Tuesday. If you can't understand, send me an e-mail (もうし分からなくたらメールして下さい)

Why did Pritchard invent the Lifesaver bottle?
Why is the filter in the lifesaver bottle so good?
What is the benefit of processing water at the source?
How much money is needed to make water safe for everyone in the world?

Videos made by the Toyo Gakuen University Fall 2009 Homestay Class

2009-10-21T07:04:00.005+09:00

Last week we learned how to make videos on Animoto. Here are the videos.

Takamasa made his own Animoto account. Here is his video.

Next, please post a comment. Ask a question about one of the videos. The video below will help you learn how to post a comment.

Toyo Gakuen University Festival 2009

2009-10-19T12:11:00.002+09:00

Toyo Gakuen University's annual festival was held last Saturday and Sunday. I went to the festival on Saturday. I enjoyed it very much. I enjoyed the dance performances. I enjoyed the gospel groups's singing. I enjoyed the food. I especially enjoyed seeing third year and fourth year students. I don't see third year and fourth year students often because they take their classes at the Hongo campus.

Everyone worked hard to make the festival great. Everyone was smiling and enjoying the festival. It was great!
What was your favourite thing at the festival. Please leave a comment.

Toyo Gakuen University Homestay English Fall 2009 Videos

2009-10-14T22:09:00.003+09:00

Here are videos I made using your words and your photos. Enjoy!

Toyo Gakuen University Homestay English Fall 2009 Lesson 4

2009-10-14T09:57:00.002+09:00

Today we are going to do these things:

Review vocabulary and add new words to our TYG 応用英語 English Vocabulary List
Look at our new flickr photstream
Learn how to make an animoto video
Start Unit 3 in our textbook.

The picture below is a mozaic. I made it with some of your pictures.

Please write a comment about today's class.

英語総合1B Lesson 4 Blackboard Notes

2009-10-14T08:42:00.002+09:00

Here are the blackboard notes for our lesson on the thirteenth of October.
To see the notes more clearly, double click the picture. After that, click "all sizes".

Eigo Sogo Blackboard Notes 13/10/09 - 1, originally uploaded by mick62.

英語総合1B - Poetic Social Mission: A Special event by onedrop.org

2009-10-11T09:40:00.009+09:00

This image is protected by copyright ©onedropfoundation. The image was downloaded from http://www.youtube.com/user/onedropfoundation . The image is used here in accordance with the non-free use rationale.

We have been learning many things about water in Unit 2, "Water: Our most important resource", in our textbook Tapestry Reading 1. You can review the things we've learned by reading the blackboard notes that I posted on this blog.

Recently, I discovered something wonderful! I discovered onedrop.org. ONEDROP.ORG was founded by Guy Laliberte. Guy Laliberte is a Canadian! He was also the founder of Cirque du Soliel (太陽のサーカス). Maybe you know Cirque de Soliel because Cirque du Soliel has a theatre at the Tokyo Disney Resort.

Now Guy Laliberte is on the International Space Station. Last weekend, he presented an incredible webcast from the International Space Station called Poetic Social Mission. The purpose of the webcast was to teach people about the importance of water. The webcast was broadcast from places all over the world including Osaka. Many artists, scientists, and world leaders from all over the world participated in the webcast including former American Vice President Al Gore, David Suzuki, Peter Gabriel, Joss Stone, and Tatsuya Ishii (石井竜也).
Thanks to onedrop.org and the the Poetic Social Mission webcast I have learned many more things about water including:

70% of the earth's surface is covered by water
Most of the water on earth is salt water, which we can't drink
We need fresh water (淡水). We get most of our fresh water from rivers and lakes.
Only .007% of the earth's water is contained in rivers and lakes
60% of the human body is water
We have more rain because of global warming
Many girls in the world cannot go to school because they are busy collecting water

Little by little, we are losing the water we need. You can make a difference! I have promised to drink less bottled water. Bottled water is wasteful (浪費的な). What will you do? You can make a promise on the onedrop.org website. Click here to make your promise: http://broadcast.onedrop.org/ . Then click "Make a difference". Please post a comment telling me what you have promised to do to save water.

Toyo Gakuen University Travel English 2nd Semester Lesson 4

2009-10-09T15:42:00.003+09:00

Vacancy, originally uploaded by EricMagnuson.

Today we are going to review changing money. Then we are going to learn how to make a hotel reservation.

Click here to review last week's lesson: Travel English Unit 3

Now let's review some vocabulary. Click here: TYG 応用英語 English Vocabulary List

Now click here to start today's lesson: Unit 4

Finally, please leave a comment. Have you stayed in a hotel before? What things does a good hotel have?

Toyo Gakuen University Homestay English Lesson 3

2009-10-07T09:32:00.000+09:00

Today we are going to continue talking about choosing a homestay. We often choose a place for a homestay because it is unique, or special. Let's look at a video made by Ronaldo Lima Jr. and his students in Brazil. Click this link: What makes Brazil a unique country?

I made a video about my hometown. Watch the video. What's special about Toronto?

Now let's do some review. Click the link:http://mrstoutsblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/toyo-gakuen-university-homestay-english.html

Finally, please write a comment. Tell us where you'd like to do a homestay and what kind of homestay family you would like.

英語総合1B Lesson 3 Blackboard Notes

2009-10-07T06:03:00.000+09:00

Here are the blackboard notes from our lesson yesterday.

We learned some interesting things yesterday. We learned that most people in our class were most interested and surprised to learn that fish use no water. We learned that most people in our class think they use less water than the average person. We learned that most people in our class think that bottled water is safer than tap water. We learned some new vocabulary too, including molecule (分子).

Watch this video. How many people could correctly choose the bottled water.

Teppanyaki with new friends from the University of Windsor

2009-10-06T06:46:00.001+09:00

Last week-end I met some new friends from the University of Windsor. The University of Windsor is my alma mater (母校の大学). I met Dr. Alan Wildeman, the new president of the University of Windsor, and I met two alumni (卒業生), Naoya and Maya. We had teppanyaki in Ikebukuro. Below is a video I made. Enjoy!

Toyo Gakuen University Interest-based English: Fall 2009 Travel Lesson 3

2009-10-02T15:53:00.001+09:00

Today's lesson is about changing money.
First, let's watch a funny video.

Now click here to go to our lesson: Travel Lesson 3

Now please log in to smart.fm. Add new words to our vocabulary list.
Click here:TYG 応用英語英語 English Vocabulary List
After the lesson please leave a comment.

FE 2 - Reading Unit 7

2009-10-02T06:42:00.000+09:00

Today we are going to start Unit 7. In Unit 7 we read about celebrity couples. We also study adverbs and collocations.
Let's start with a cool video about adverbs.

So, what is an adverb?

Introduction to Business English B Lesson 3

2009-10-01T08:29:00.001+09:00

Last lesson we talked about two famous people, Mercedes Erra and Bill Gates. Let's review.
Make a list of 3 things you can remember about each person.
Next, let's review some vocabulary and learn some new vocabulary too. Click the link: TYG Introduction to Business English List 2.
Now look at the picture below. Do you know this man? Use your imagination. Write 3 words. Describe the man's personality.

The man in the picture above is An Wang. Open the lecture folder. Double click the document called AnWang_CV.doc. Read An Wang's curriculum vitae. Write 3 questions about An Wang. For example: What is An Wang's address? Then give your questions to your partner. Your partner will answer your questions. Answer your partner's questions.
Now scan An Wang's C.V. for words that you do not know. Add these words to our vocabulary list.
Finally, open the lecture folder again. Double click the file called C.V. Template.doc . Fill in the document with your information. When you are finished you will have your own C.V. !
Click this links for more great links about writing a c.v.
Please write a comment about today's lesson.

Toyo Gakuen University Homestay English 2nd Semester Lesson 2

2009-09-30T12:38:00.001+09:00

Today let's start with a short quiz.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Now let's review some vocabulary. Click the link: TYG Homestay English Vocabulary List.

Now let's start Unit 1 in the textbook.
After the lesson, please write a comment.