Fantasy Football Game

  

                The only way to gain my interest in watching professional football is when I joined an all girl Fantasy Football League. This league is when everyone in the league participates in a draft in order to create your "fantasy" team. To make it fair, everyone receives a certain number as to when you can pick your players in the rotation. At first, I would only watch the New York Giants because my dad would only watch that team as I grew up. I also did not know much about the football terminology until I began managing my own fantasy team. When a team scores, they score a touchdown. A touchdown can only be scored if the offense catches the ball in the end zone. The team on offense gets four downs to get the ball as far down the field or to the end zone as possible.On defense, the players must tackle the players on the other team to prevent them from reaching the end zone to score. In my fantasy league, I am also able to trade players. At first, my quarterback was not doing very well, so I had to trade him for a new player. My team started off with a slow start but has progressed. I enjoy playing fantasy football and I will continue to learn more about the game as I still manage my own team.

Vocabulary

1. Football- (noun) A sport played by two teams to score points by catching the ball.

2. League- (noun) A set of teams who play against each other.

3. Draft- (verb) To pick your players on your turn.

4. Fantasy- (noun) Imaginary.

5. Rotation- (verb) Taking turns in the same order.

6. Touchdown- (noun) When a team carries the ball into the end zone.

7. End Zone- (noun) The square area where teams must step both feet into in order to score.

8. Downs- (noun) The ten yards teams must get to go forward.

9. Tackle- (verb) To knock the other players down when they have the ball.

10. Prevent-(verb) To stop.

Vocabulary Exercise

Fantasy Football

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DOWNS	DRAFT	ENDZONE
FANTASY	FOOTBALL	LEAGUE
PREVENT	ROTATION	TACKLE
TOUCHDOWN

Grammar Point and Exercise This entry includes many common nouns.  Make a list of those common nouns.  Remember that a common noun is a name used for a general person, place or organization such as football or player.  **Remember that common nouns start with a lowercase letter.** Write about a board game or video game that you like to play and why.  Underline the common nouns you used.    

Scientific Thoughts

                   

                 Last year, I taught fifth and sixth grade math and science. It was my first time preparing students for the Common Core Standardized Tests. Unfortunately, my school I was teaching at last year closed and I started at a new school this year in Queens. This year, I was asked to teach something a little different. I am only certified up to sixth grade and I was asked to teach fifth through eighth grade science. As much as I love science, I find it challenging to learn the seventh and eighth grade curriculum (especially the eighth). However, I seem to be doing well. 

                   In all of my classes (fifth through eighth), we began the school year talking about the steps scientists take during an experiment called the scientific method. Since the scientific method is used in every laboratory  assignment, it is the most important concept my students will use for the rest of their science careers. Currently my fifth and seventh graders are learning about classification of living organisms. In my sixth and eight grade classes, we are learning about matter; however, sixth grade matter is very different from eighth grade matter. I never realized how much I loved teaching science until this year, but hopefully next year I can teach at a school in closer proximity to my house!

Vocabulary

1. Certify (certified)- (verb) To say someone is qualified for a job.

2. Challenge (challenging)- (adjective) Difficult.

3. Curriculum- (noun) Courses taught by schools.

4. Experiment- (noun) A scientific test.

5. Scientific Method- (noun) A series of steps to take in doing a scientific test.

6. Laboratory- (noun) A place where experiments are done.

7. Assignment- (verb) A job given to someone.

8. Career (careers)- (noun) Years in school.

9. Realize (realized)- (verb) To understand something.

10. Proximity- (noun) To be near or close.

Vocabulary Exercise

Directions: Unscramble the vocabulary words 

1. hodtem tenicsific                 _________________

2. taorbalory                             _________________

3. fcyerti                                   _________________

4. mulucirurc                            _________________ 

5. ssgimntean                            _________________

6. acrere                                    _________________

7. zlieear                                   _________________

8. yprtoixmi                               _________________

9. egneclhla                               _________________

10. tnemierpex                          _________________

Grammar Point and Exercise

Let's practice changing the verb" to be" in the past tense.  

I was                      we were

you were                you were

he/she was              they were

it was  

For example: This is an easy exercise.          

                     This was an easy exercise. 

Directions: Change to the past tense; write the correct form of the verb in the blanks.

1. She is a good artist.                        

    ___________________________.

2. Christina and Lisa are good scientists.  

    ___________________________.

3. I am very tired.  

   ___________________________.

4. The experiments are fun.  

    __________________________.

5. There is a drop of water on this table.  

     __________________________.

6. Nick and Gina are in the same lab group.

    __________________________.

7. There is a paper on the lab table.

    __________________________.

8. The two stores are open.

    __________________________.

9. Ms. Gagliardo is our teacher.

    __________________________.

10. There are many students in our school lab. 

      _________________________.

                 

Thanksgiving Fun!

              A tradition in my family originated three years ago when I started baking home-made pumpkin pies with my aunt. I love pumpkin pie, which is one of the desserts that I look forward to each year. My aunt was given the recipe from a woman who worked in the Hicksville School District. Unfortunately, the woman passed away and we still continue her legacy by using her recipe to bake our pumpkin pies. This past weekend, we made over eight pies! My family looks forward to them each year and we have become professional pumpkin pie bakers.
              I love this time of the year because the holiday season officially begins.Thanksgiving begins the holiday season with "Black Friday" shopping on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  The stores issued this day because everyone has off from work or takes off from work on "Black Friday." The idea of "Black Friday" is that the stores have incredible deals, which people wake up at obscene hours of the morning to make it to the stores before everyone else. These retail stores make a lot of money on this day even though they are selling their items at a bargain price. In the past few years, retailers have extended normal business hours in order to keep up with the competition.  Some stores may open up as early as 8 pm on Thanksgiving day and remain open overnight until Friday night. I look forward to this time of year and enjoy baking these pies to form a relationship with my aunt for many more years of tradition!

Vocabulary

1. Tradition- (noun) Something you do with your family the same time every year.

2. Recipe- (noun) A set of instructions for making food.

3. Legacy- (noun) Something given by an ancestor.

4. Professional- (adjective) A person who is very good at their job.

5. Issue (Issued)- (verb) To create.

6. Incredible- (adjective) Difficult to believe.

7. Obscene- (adjective) Crazy.

8. Retail- (noun) Stores or companies that sell goods bought by consumers.

9. Bargain- (noun) Something that is offered for a sale.

10. Extend (extended)- (adjective) Made longer.

Vocabulary Exercise

Directions:  Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary word

1. My aunt and I have become ________________ bakers.

2. Many people wake up at ________________ hours in the morning to go shopping. 

3. It is my aunt's friend's__________________ living on when we bake her pies. 

4. Baking pumpkin pies are a  ______________ I have with my aunt.

5. Stores_____________ Black Friday as a way to make people wake up and go shopping.

6. The stores have ______________ deals with low prices.

7. The _______________ stores make a lot of money on Black Friday. 

8. I will never understand why people are going shopping at 2 am just for a ________________.

9. My aunt and I follow the same ______________ to bake the pumpkin pies.

10. The stores are open for _______________ hours on Black Friday.

Grammar Point 

There are many different kinds of sentences.  To make a statement, use a period (.).  For questions, use a question mark (?).  For exclamations, use an exclamation point (!).

Grammar Exercise

Write 2 statements, 2 questions, and 2 exclamations about the picture below.  Make sure to use the correct punctuation.

My Pet

                             I have a pet dog named Dakota. She is still a puppy and her second birthday is approaching on November 13th. As a pet owner, I have several responsibilities to taking care of my puppy. I am responsible for giving her baths, keeping her clean, cutting her claws, and cleaning the residue underneath her eyes. Her dog breed is called an American Eskimo (even though she is not American or an Eskimo). American Eskimos are very intelligent dogs. She is able to perform many tricks such as sitting, speaking, giving paw (both of them), giving a high five, and crawling across the floor.

Because American Eskimos originate from a very cold climate, these dogs have very think fur coats that shed very often. In these cold climates, American Eskimos needed to form adaptations to their environment by having these very thick fur coats. However in the summer in New York, she seems to overheat very quickly. As seen in the pictures, she is a mush and loves to cuddle. Unlike bears, American Eskimo dogs do not hibernate during the winter. Instead, they love the winter and enjoy playing in the snow. Dakota becomes very excited when it starts snowing here in New York. She enjoys when I form a snowball in my hands and throw it up into the air for her to catch it with her mouth. Overall, American Eskimos are very good companions and I cannot wait to celebrate her birthday on Thursday.

Vocabulary

1. Approach (Approaching)- (verb) To come near or close.

2. Responsibility (Responsibilities)- (noun) Taking care of someone else.

3. Claw (Claws)- (noun) The nails on an animal.

4. Residue- (noun) Something left over.

5. Breed- (noun) A type of dog.

6. Intelligent- (adjective) Smart.

7. Originate- (verb) To produce or create something.

8. Climate- (noun) The weather in a certain area.

9. Shed- (verb) To get rid of (fur).

10. Adaptation (Adaptations) - (noun) A change an animal makes to live in the environment.

11.  Environment- (noun) The natural world outside.

12. Hibernate- (verb) When an animal sleeps during the winter.

Vocabulary Exercise

Directions- Circle the vocabulary words in the word search.

My Pet

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ADAPTATIONS	APPROACHING	BREED
CLAWS	CLIMATE	ENVIRONMENT
HIBERNATE	INTELLIGENT	ORIGINATE
RESIDUE	SHED

Grammar Point and Exercise

An adjective is a word that describes or identifies a noun or a pronoun.  For example: They live in a beautiful house.  The adjective is beautiful.  It is describing the noun, house.

Directions: Circle the adjectives in the following sentences. 

1.  Donna is wearing a sleeveless shirt today.

2.  Linda's hair is gorgeous!  

3.  The crown had hundreds of sparkling jewels. 

4.  Martin felt embarrassed by his explosive outburst.

5.  The students in Ms. Gagliardo's class are intelligent.

6.  The baby's loud cries would not let anyone sleep.

7.  It was a warm and sunny day today.

8.  Sam has blue racing bicycle.

  

 Creative Writing

Write a paragraph or two about your favorite animal and share interesting facts or information about them.

              

Soccer Injury Survivor

                  Each and every time it rains, I can feel it in my knee the day before. Because of the arthritis in my knee, I begin feeling a sore, uncomfortable feeling in my knee. As I have mentioned, I began playing soccer when I first began my college career at Farmingdale State College. After I graduated college, I still continued playing soccer on a women's soccer league. In the winter months when it was too cold outside to play soccer, my women's team played at KK Athletics in Farmingville. I had just returned from my cruise to Cozumel, Mexico. The next night, I played in a soccer game not knowing that game would change my life forever. I collided knee to knee with a player on the other team. The next thing I knew, I was lying on the ground with a gap where my knee cap used to be. I had never felt that kind of pain in my entire life. I was brought to Southside Hospital in Bayshore. The moment the nurse looked at my knee, he knew I fractured my patella bone. My orthopedic surgeon said that my knee was in very bad shape and that I needed two screws to hold my knee cap back together. After six months of physical therapy, I still play soccer today until my arthritis builds up causing unmanageable pain.

Vocabulary

1. Arthritis - (noun) Puffiness in one or more joints.

2. Sore- (adjective) Pain.

3. Mention (Mentioned)- (verb) To say something.

4. Cruise- (noun) A hotel on a ship.

5. Collide (Collided)- (verb) To hit or run into something.

6. Gap- (noun) Space.

7. Fracture (fractured)- (verb) To break a bone.

8. Patella Bone- (noun) Knee cap.

9. Orthopedic Surgeon- (noun) A doctor who specializes in surgeries with joints (knees, wrists, ankles, etc.)

10. Unmanageable- (adjective) Not able to be fixed.

Vocabulary Exercise

Directions- Unscramble the vocabulary words.

1. ericsu

2. gaenaumanbel

3. ttisahrri

4. rsoe

5. apg

6. tionmen

7. lidecol

8. tucrafer

9. telpala nobe

10. pdiceoorth geonsur

Grammar Point and Grammar Exercise

A synonym is a word that means the same as another, for example shut is a synonym for close.  Can you find the synonyms to your vocabulary words below?  Your vocabulary words are listed under row A and the synonyms are under row B.


Row A                                                                                    Row B

Arthritis                                                           To say or tell

Sore                                                                   A vacation

Mention (Mentioned)                                       Soreness

Cruise                                                                    Pain

Collide (Collided)                                               Break (a bone)

Gap                                                                        Knee cap

Fracture                                                                  a space

Patella Bone                                                           crash

Orthopedic Surgeon                                              doctor

Unmanageable                                                    uncontrollable

Soccer Star

                      

     Soccer Star

                

              In high school, I was on the track, bowling, and gymnastics teams. I never even touched a soccer ball until my first year of college. I attended Farmingdale State College in 2005 to start my associates degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences. I wanted to play a sport and thought I would run track; however my plans quickly changed. A girl approached me asking if I was capable of running fast. Naturally, I told her I did. She then proceeded to ask me if I was interested in joining the Farmingdale State College Women's Soccer Team. My sister had started at Farmingdale State a year before me and suggested that I join. At first, I was awful. I could not dribble, shoot the ball, tackle, or play defense. Because I was fast, the coach decided I would play as a forward on offense. Unable to shoot the ball, I was not very good at playing the offensive position.   

              It was not until after I graduated college that I realized I was much better at playing defense than offense in soccer. With many years of hard work and practice, I was able to become a much better soccer player. I could pass the ball, dribble, tackle the other players, and even shoot! I also scored an own goal, which my teammates were not too happy about because we lost the game. My soccer skills have improved so much that some girls on my current team cannot believe I only started playing soccer since college. Each time I lace up my cleats, I become excited to play and have fun. The game of soccer is not about winning, but having fun and having good sportsmanship. I cannot imagine myself  not playing soccer and I will continue to play until it is too much "wear and tear" on my body.

Vocabulary

1. Sport- (noun) An athletic game.

2. Capable- (verb) Able to do something.

3. Proceeded (Proceed) - (verb) To continue.

4. Dribble- (verb) To run with the soccer ball at your feet.

5. Shoot (a soccer ball)- (verb) To kick a soccer ball toward the net.

6. Tackle- (verb) To steal the ball from another player on the other team.

 

7. Defense- (noun) A position guarding the goalie.

8. Forward- (noun) A position on the field trying to score a goal.

9. Offense- (noun) The players who try to score.

10. Own Goal- (noun) A goal scored by the player on the same team as the goalie. 

Vocabulary Close Exercise

Directions: Fill in the blank with the correct vocabulary word.

1. Soccer is most people's favorite __________________.

2. I am very ______________ of making my own bed.

3. Please ________________ into the next room on the tour.

4. ________________ the ball by kicking it in front of you as you run.

5. When you get to the goalie,_________________ the ball to score.

6. Try to _________________ the other players to steal the ball back.

7. Play good ____________________ so the other team does not score.

8. Pass the ball to the __________________ so she can shoot the ball.

9. The forward on the team plays _______________________.

10. My team does not like it when I score an __________________ on my goalie.

Grammar Exercise

This entry includes many verbs that are in the past tense.  List those verbs in the space below.  

**Remember that a verb is a word used to describe an action or state of being.**