Journal Question #9

Happy New Year!   Here's an image to say goodbye to 2012: Mars.  I don't know why it struck me as a good image to end the year with - maybe something about the spirit of exploration and adventure.  Anyway, no need to post a comment, but feel free to leave a message for 2012 if you want to.

Journal Question #8

This is a picture of Stonehenge, an ancient site in England of massive stones arranged in a circle, taken during the northern hemisphere's shortest day of the year, which will be December 21st this year.   While no one is absolutely sure why the stones at Stonehenge are placed the way are, it is safe to assume the ancient people were interested in the sun - its appearance and disappearance, both each day and over the course of the year.  The winter solstice (12/21) marks the beginning of the winter season; it also marks the day the sun starts to stay up later - if only by a minute - so it's a celebration of the sun.  Write your thoughts as winter approaches,  and the sun begins its long journey north!

Journal Question #7

The first Thanksgiving took place in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1621.  Historians tell us the meal included deer (venison), shellfish, corn, and cranberries - but not turkey.  Puritans (settlers from Europe) and Native Americans were present.  Without the native Americans, who taught the newcomers how to fish, plant corn, gather cranberries, hunt deer, etc., the Puritan settlers would not have survived.  Unfortunately, a few years later, the Europeans who came to America decided to make war on the native Americans, and fear and mistrust replaced fellowship and cooperation.  Write your thoughts on the possibilities of different cultures' living together in peace. 

Journal Question #6

This is a picture of people voting.  The big news in the United States, of course, is the presidential election, held on November 6th.  However, a lot of people voted before 11/6 - as shown in the photograph - as many states permit "early voting."  In any case, by the end of the day on Tuesday, November 6th, Americans will have chosen their next president, Barack Obama or Mitt Romney.  The election happens every four years, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.  Please write your reactions to this year's presidential election.

Journal Question #5

This is a painting by Winslow Homer, an American artist of the 19th century.  Homer is most famous for his watercolors, and his subject was often the ocean or other bodies of water.  He had a studio on Prout's Neck on Cape Elizabeth, which is very close to Saco and Thornton Academy.  Right now, the Portland Museum of Art has a big show of Homer's paintings - I recommend going to see them if you get a chance.  Do you enjoy seeing great painting?  Do you have an artist you especially admire?  In your opinion, what makes a great work of art?

Journal Question #4

If you are a baseball fan, October is a great month.  This is when the playoffs and then the World Series happen, which determine the best team in Major League Baseball for the year.  Do you follow a sport?  Do you have a favorite team?  Why do you think so many people like to follow a team and cheer for them?

JOURNAL QUESTION #3

This is a llama, which is related to the camel but mostly lives in the mountains of South America.  This weekend, I went to the Common Ground Country Fair in Unity, Maine, and I saw a couple of llamas there.  There were other animals there, too: horses, cows, sheep, goats, ducks, alpacas, chickens, geese, etc.  All the animals got me thinking about the amazing variety of creatures in the world, including the domesticated ones that people use for all kinds of work.  Have you been around animals much?  Do you like a particular animal?  Which one?  Why?

JOURNAL QUESTION #2, 2012-2013

September is my favorite month.  One reason is apples become ripe this month.  Even though September is still a summer month - at least until the 21st - the days get cooler, the light sharper, the air drier; usually, skies are blue and the wind is light.  All in all, it's a wonderful month to do outside activities like hiking, biking, walking on the beach - you name it.   How about you?  Do you like September, or are there other months you prefer?  Why?

JOURNAL QUESTION #1, 2012-2013

Welcome to TA, new international students, and welcome back to TA, returning international students! This is the first "ELL Journal" post of the year, and I'd like to hear some of your thoughts at the beginning of school. How do you feel? What are your expectations? Share some of the goals and dreams you have for the coming year - in academics, in arts, in sports, in life in general. Speaking for myself, I'm excited to get to know all of you, to learn from you, and to help you learn English. Let's get started!

Journal Question #18

Marsdon Hartley was an American Painter in the 20th century, and he spent a lot of time in Maine, painting landscapes and seascapes.  So, here's an image to take with you as you leave for the summer.  Write whatever comes to mind as you look ahead to summer.  I know most of you are planning on taking some classes over the summer, but I also hope you have a chance to relax.  And see you at the end of the summer!

Journal Question 17

SAT, AP, TOEFL, Final Exams, Final Projects, Saying goodbye to seniors, Packing up...There are lots of things to do this time of year, many of them stressful, and it can feel like you are carrying a heavy load!  What is making life stressful for you these days?  More important, what are you doing to reduce your stress?  In other words, what do you do to relax?  Share your ideas with your classmates and peers - and teachers, too.

Journal Question #16

This is a field of tulips in Holland, which is famous for growing these flowers.  Tulips came out early this spring thanks to the warm weather, and they have stayed out for a couple of weeks.  Do you notice the flowers of spring?  Are you glad that the trees have leaves again, and there are colorful blossoms (like tulips) all over?  Perhaps you have a favorite plant or flower or tree.  Tell us about it!

Journal Question #15

On April 15, 1912, The Titanic hit an iceberg in the north Atlantic Ocean and sank, killing thousands of people. As we commemorate the sinking of the Titanic on its 100th anniversary, it's important to remember that, at the time, the ship was thought "unsinkable." It represented the latest, most powerful technology. What lessons do you take from the Titanic story? Were the owners and captain of the ship overconfident and therefore careless? Should the passengers have thought twice before buying a ticket? No matter how powerful and advanced our technology, is nature always more powerful than man? Write your thoughts.

Journal Question #14

"Cloud Gate" (also called "The Bean") in Millenium Park, Chicago, is an example of public art. The great cities of the world all have public art: sculpture, painting, fountains, installations of various types, and so on, which are accessible to the public, very often outdoors and free to touch, climb on, look at, and react to. In your opinion, is it important that cities have public art? Why? Do you have some favorite public art - perhaps in your home city? Feel free to upload a picture and show it to us!

Journal Question #13

A recent study says that, by adding three servings of fruits and vegetables to your daily diet, you can have "prettier skin." Eating more fruits and vegetables, in other words, will add more color to your skin, decrease acne, and, in general, make you look healthier. (In fact, you will be healthier if you eat more fruits and vegetables.) What do you say? Will eating better help your skin? Does this information inspire you to eat fruits and vegetables? Or do you eat lots of fruits and vegetables already? Talk about your healthy - or unhealthy - eating habits.

Journal Question #12

Last night, the Academy Awards - "Oscars" - were handed out to 2011's best movie, actors, directors, etc. in Los Angeles. So I thought a good topic for the ELL Journal would be movies. Above is a picture of a movie audience wearing 3-D glasses, probably in the 1950s. Instead of writing about your favorite movie, tell me about how and where you like to watch movies. Do you like going to a theater and watching movies in a big, dark room with lots of people you don't know? Or do you prefer watching movies on your TV at home, or your computer, or even your phone? Are there types of movies you like to see on the big screen in a theater, and others that are fine to see on a small monitor? Do you like to eat while watching movies? What sort of food? Tell us about your movie-watching habits.

Journal Question #11

February 14 is Valentine's Day, when millions of people around the globe celebrate love. There are many varieties of love: romantic love, familial love, love for a friend, love for a pet, love for a favorite singer, etc. If you are religious, you love God. If you are a philosopher, you love ideas. If you are a gourmet, you love food. Now, love of food is certainly different from love of your wife or husband, which is different from love of music. Write about who or what you love, and why you love him/her/it. 2/14, after all, is only 8 days away.

Journal Question #10

Winter has finally come to New England. There's snow on the ground, and the temperatures have gotten colder. Sweaters, coats, hats, gloves, and boots need to be worn. Some people love the winter; they go outside and do winter sports such as skiing, or just go for walks in the outdoors and appreciate snowy beauty. Other people can't wait for spring; they don't like the snow and cold, and they go outside as little as possible while the cold season lasts. What kind of person are you? Do you have any suggestions to those who don't like winter on how to make the most of this time of year?

Journal Question #9

The man pictured above is Martin Luther King, Jr. He was one of the most important Americans of the 20th century, as he led the civil rights movement which helped Blacks in this country gain equal rights and changed the lives of everyone in America and the world. A great speaker, he could move huge crowds with his stirring and often poetic words. He was killed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968 by a white racist, but there's no question that his spirit and influence live on. If you know about MLK, what do you think of him? If not, are there other great leaders that you know who have changed the world in positive ways? You might also write about the ways each of us can continue the fight against prejudice and racial discrimination.