I am not a dog lover and I never imagined that I would own a dog. A few years ago my husband's MS had progressed to the point that made it impossible for him to continue working. He experienced long, lonely and confusing days. My youngest daughter Charlotte, who was 10 at the time started simultaneously suffering severe bouts of anxiety. Charlotte had always wanted a dog and I thought to myself a puppy might just be what the doctor ordered. Nikki is a miniature Golden Retriever. She is a hybrid of a Golden Retriever, Cocker Spaniel and Poodle, in other words she is in my opinion a boutique mutt. Miniature Golden Retrievers are bred to be 14-18 inches at the shoulders and they weigh anywhere between 20-45 lbs. Nikki looks a lot like a Golden Retriever. She was bred to have the temperament, disposition, personality, and gentleness that the standard Golden Retriever is well known for. The main difference is that with hybrid breeding the miniature Golden Retriever will stay small. Most full bred Golden's can weigh anywhere from 80-120 pounds. 

         Nikki was born on June. 14, 2014, a day before my younger daughter Charlotte's birthday. Nikki arrived to us all the way from Kentucky. Nikki has expanded our lives and the whole family has benefited from her. She is super cute, sweet, kind and she keeps all of us on our toes. Nikki loves to run outside and can retrieve a ball thrown to her for hours at a time. Nikki is a love of an animal and she has enriched our lives exponentially. Nikki is the cutest member of our family and we could not imagine life without our cutest family member. Ruff!

Definitions
1. Simultaneously(adverb) occurring or existing at the same time.
2. Progressed(verb) to move forward in time.
3. Anxiety(noun) a feeling of nervousness
4. Miniature(adjective) very small
5. Hybrid(noun) the offspring of two plants or animals of different species.
6. Boutique(noun) small or exclusive
7. Bred(adjective) to produce by mating
8. Mutt(noun) a dog with parents of different breeds.
9. Temperament(noun) a person or animal's nature.
10.Disposition(noun) a person's inherent qualities of mind and  character.
11.Enriched(verb) improve or enhance the quality or value of something..


MATCHING ACTIVITY
Match on the left with the correct definitions on the right.
1. Simultaneously                        A. a feeling of nervousness.
2. Progressed                                B. to increase.
3. Anxiety                                     C. to move forward in time.
4. Miniature                                  D. occurring or existing at the same time.
5. Hybrid                                      E. to produce by mating.
6. Boutique                                   F. small or exclusive
7. Bred                                          G. a person's inherent qualities of mind and character.
8. Mutt                                          H. a person or animals nature
9. Temperament                            I.  to move forward in time
10. Disposition                             J. a dog with parents of different breeds.
11. Enriched                                 K. the offspring of two plants or animals of different species.
12. Exponentially                         L.  Something that increases quickly  by large amounts

Grammar Point: 

Grammar Activity:

Synonym:  A synonym is a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word or phrase in the same language.

EX. Shut is a synonym for close

Read the story below. Rewrite the story by replacing each underlined word with a synonym from the word bank.

                                              WORD BANK

                                   softly   dad    resting   crept   exhausted  

                                  sofa       rest   put     sleepy    yummy   table

                                             Ice Cream Surprise
     My father was so tired after work, he took a nap on the couch.
While he was sleeping, I quietly snuck  into the kitchen and made 
an ice cream sundae. I placed it on the counter.  I saw some sprinkles and cherries and put them on top of the sundae. My ice cream sundae was delicious!

I am not a dog lover and I never imagined that I would own a dog. A few years ago my husband's MS had progressed to the point that made it impossible for him to continue working. He experienced long, lonely and confusing days. My youngest daughter Charlotte, who was 10 at the time simultaneously started suffering severe bouts of anxiety. Charlotte had always wanted a dog and I thought to myself a puppy might just be what the doctor ordered. Nikki is a miniature Golden Retriever. She is a hybrid of a Golden Retriever, Cocker Spaniel and Poodle, in other words she is in my opinion a boutique mutt. Miniature Golden Retrievers are bred to be 14-18 inches at the shoulders and they weigh anywhere between 20-45 lbs. Nikki looks a lot like a Golden Retriever. She was bred to have the temperament, disposition, personality, and gentleness that the standard Golden Retriever is well known for. The main difference is that with hybrid breeding the miniature Golden Retriever will stay small. Most full bred Golden's can weigh anywhere from 80-120 pounds. Nikki was born on June. 14, 2014, a day before my younger daughter Charlotte's birthday. Nikki arrived to us all the way from Kentucky. Nikki has expanded our lives and the whole family has benefitted from her. She is super cute, sweet, kind and she keeps all of us on our toes. Nikki loves to run outside and can retrieve a ball thrown to her for hours at a time. Nikki is a love of an animal and she has enriched our lives exponentially. Nikki is the cutest member of our family and we could not imagine life without our cutest family member. Ruff!

Definitions
1. Simultaneously(adverb) occurring or existing at the same time.
2. Progressed(verb) to move forward in time.
3. Anxiety(noun) a feeling of nervousness
4. Miniature(adjective) very small
5. Hybrid(noun) the offspring of two plants or animals of different species.
6. Boutique(noun) small or exclusive
7. Bred(adjective) to produce by mating
8. Mutt(noun) a dog with parents of different breeds.
9. Temperament(noun) a person or animal's nature.
10.Disposition(noun) a person's inherent qualities of mind and  character.
11.Enriched(verb) improve or enhance the quality or value of something.
12.Exponentially(adverb) to increase.


MATCHING ACTIVITY
Match on the left with the correct definitions on the right.
1. Simultaneously                        A. a feeling of nervousness.
2. Progressed                                B. to increase.
3. Anxiety                                     C. to move forward in time.
4. Miniature                                  D. occurring or existing at the same time.
5. Hybrid                                      E. to produce by mating.
6. Boutique                                   F. improve or enhance the quality of something.
7. Bred                                          G. a person's inherent qualities of mind and character.
8. Mutt                                          H. a person or animals nature
9. Temperament                            I.  to move forward in time
10. Disposition                             J. a dog with parents of different breeds.
11. Enriched                                 K. the offspring of two plants or animals of different species.
12. Exponentially                         L. Small or exclusive.

Grammar Point 

Synonym:  A synonym is a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word or phrase in the same language.

EX. Shut is a synonym for close

Read the story below. Rewrite the story by replacing each underlined word with a synonym from the word bank.

                                              WORD BANK

                                   softly   dad    resting   crept   exhausted  

                                  sofa       rest   put     sleepy    yummy   table

                                             Ice Cream Surprise
     My father was so tired after work, he took a nap on the couch.
While he was sleeping, I quietly snuck  into the kitchen and made 
an ice cream sundae. I placed it on the counter.  I saw some sprinkles and cherries and put them on top of the sundae. My ice cream sundae was delicious!

 

   A Warm Summer Day

 Nothing is better to me than a warm summer day. I love waking up to the summer sunlight beating on my window panes. I love the lazy, hazy days of summer. Everything seems a little slower paced and people in general seemed happier when the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and the scent of fresh blossoming flowers are in the air. People come out of their winter hibernations to take a dip in the pool or frolic in the ocean.  Layers are less, tops of cars come down, summer songs are sung, ice cream is abundant and we all feel a bit lighter, some say they notice a bounce in their step. Summer is fleeting, but as I said, nothing is better to me than a warm summer day.

Definitions
1. Blossoming: (verb) To produce flowers
2. Fleeting: (adjective) Brief, short
3. Frolic: (verb) To play or move about cheerfully.
4. Hibernation: (verb) Passing the winter in a sleeping or inactive condition
5. Panes: (noun) A single sheet of glass in a window or door.

Vocabulary Exercise:
Cloze exercise: Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary word.

1. I was so happy when I saw my brother, but the moment was ___________________.

2. The flowers that I planted last Spring were _______________________________ , and it made the front yard look so beautiful.

3. We could not wait to get our winter clothes on, so we could __________________ in the freshly fallen snow.

4. The _______________________ of the windows in the old church were absolutely spectacular to look at.

5. To save energy bears go into a state of ______________________ over the winter.

Grammar Point:
An idiom is a group of word combinations that when used have a different meaning than the literal meaning of each word. An expression that cannot be understood from the meaning of it's separate words but that have a separate meaning of its own.

Idiomatic expressions are type of informal English that have a meaning different from the meaning of the words in the expression.

Grammar Exercise: Idioms and phrases exercise

Each sentence given below contain an idiom/phrase. From the choices below, choose the one that best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase.

1."A penny for your thoughts"

a) A chatterbox
b) Something that is expensive.
c) A way of asking what someone is thinking.
d) A way of asking how someone feels?

2."Back to the drawing board"

a) TO color something
b) A hidden or secret stregnth
c) When an attempt fails and it's time to start over.
d) To pay careful attention to something specific.

3. "At the drop of a hat"

a) To pick something up.
b) A place of origin.
c) Meaning without hesitation,instantly.
d) To hold something sacred in your heart.

4. "Beat around the bush"

a) Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.
b) Landscaping your yard.
c) Having a fight with your friend.
d) Sweeping the leaves that have fallen around the bushes in your yard.
d) Planting seeds to grow the next season.

5. "An arm and a leg"

a) A large amount of money.
b) A humans body parts.
c) Parts of the body that bend and are flexible.
d) Working very hard to accomplish a goal.

6. ""A dime a dozen"

a) Things that happen twelve times a day.
b) Eggs
C) TO spend a lot of money.
d) Anything that is common, inexpensive, and easy to get or available anywhere.

Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah literally means the "Head of the Year". Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish new year and commemorates the creation of the world. Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of a 10 day period of introspection and repentance that culminates in the Yom Kippur holiday. Rosh Hashanah is celebrated over two days. Rosh Hashanah starts at sunset on October.2nd until sunset on October.4th. Rosh Hashanah is one of the holiest days in the Jewish faith and a massive occasion for families to get together. Even though I am not extremely religious and my family no longer attends Rosh Hashanah services at our local synagogue, my family and I still love coming together and celebrating the start of the new year with a delicious family dinner. Dinner the first night begins at sundown. My sister and brother-in-law host a big traditional Jewish dinner at their apartment in New York City. We eat traditional Jewish cuisine, such as Matzoh Ball soup,gefilte fish, and my mother-in-law's famous pot roast and brisket. We all love this evening because it gives us the opportunity to see the extended family. We celebrate the second night at my parents home on Long Island. My two brothers come with their wives and children. My mother also serves the traditional foods, such as gefilte fish,matzoh ball soup, and yummy stuffed cabbage. My mother always begins the meal with a cut up apple that we have to dip in honey to ensure that we all have a sweet new year.Rosh Hashanah is a time to be with family and take a moment to be grateful for all our blessings.

Word Bank: commemorate    introspection   repentance   culminates    holiest

                      massive         occasion       synagogue   sundown      grateful


Definitions:
1.  Literally:(adverb) actually
2.  Commemorate:(verb) to do something special in order to remember or honor.
3.  Introspection:(noun) to examine your own thoughts.
4. Repentance: (noun) feeling bad for moral shortcomings.
5. Culminates: (verb) to reach the end or the final result of something.
6. Holiest: (adjective) connect to God or a religion.
7. Massive:(adjective) very large
8. Occasion:(noun) special event
9. Synagogue (noun) a Jewish house of worship.
10. Sundown:(noun) the time that the sun goes down.
11. Grateful:(adjective) feeling of showing thanks.

Use the words in the word bank to complete the sentences below.

Vocabulary Exercise:

1. I like to get dressed up when I go out to celebrate a special ________________________.

2. I told my daughter to come home before _________________________.

3. I went to the _______________________ with my family to celebrate Rosh Hashanah.

4. I am _________________________________ for my friends and family.

5. The ______________________________ building came tumbling down.

6. John had shown _________________________________ to his brother, so they were able to mend their relationship.

7. All of the players on the team will receive a championship ring to _________________ the team's amazing season.

8. Rush Hashanah and Yom Kippur are two of the _____________________________ day in the Jewish religion.

9. The Runner had to _________________ crawl over the finish line after hurting his foot to win the marathon.

10. During the retreat, we all had a period of ___________________________.

11. The city council meeting will _________________________ in a vote on the schools budget.

Grammar Point

Simple past tense- Basic form of the past tense in modern english. It is used principally to describe events in the past.

Past perfect tense- Indicates that an action was completed at some point in the past, before something else happened.

Directions: Underline verbs in the past tense.
                   Highlight verbs that are in the past perfect tense.

I Missed My Train

I only missed the train by a few minutes. I was annoyed. If I had walked a bit faster, I might have made my train. If I had left a few minutes earlier, I might have been on time.  Because I missed my train, I had to wait for the next one. I had to wait for an hour and a half.  I bought a cup of coffee and a newspaper. I found a chair to sit on. I drank my coffee and read the newspaper while I waited for the next train.  It was very frustrating.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis 

Fifteen years ago, my husband was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis,  otherwise known as MS, is an unpredictable often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and the body. He has good days and bad days, but as a family we are learning how to live with this debilitating disease. Its called the "invisible illness" because many times people do not see the suffering inside. My husband and my family did not choose to have MS, but what is within our power is refusing to let MS beat us.

Eight M.S facts you should know is:

1. MS is a neurological disease which affects your nerves

2. MS is a chronic condition because there is no cure for the disease

3. MS symptoms include, numbness, tingling, vision problems, balance, and mobility issues with slurred speech

4.Most people who suffer from MS go through relapses and remission

5. The damage done to the nerves by MS can also affect your critical thinking and cognitive skills

6. MS is labeled as a "silent disease" or "invisible disability". Many people with MS look no different from a healthy person because many of the symptoms are not visible

7. Heat intolerance is a common condition

8. Research shows there is a link between vitamin D and MS

Vocabulary exercise: Create a sentence using each vocabulary word below. Please remember to begin all sentences with a capital and end all sentences with the correct punctuation.

1.Unpredictable-unexpected

2. Disabling-unable or unfit

3.Disease-Any abnormal condition

4.Central Nervous System-Part of nervous system made up of brain and spinal cord 

5. Disrupt-To break apart or destroy

6.Debilitating-To make weak

7.Information-Knowledge gained through study

8.Invisible-Not able to be seen by the eye

9.Neurological-science of nerves

10.Nerves-Bundle of fibers forming part of a system that conveys impulses of sensation, motion, etc. between the brain or spinal cord and other parts of the body

11. Chronic-Constant

12. Condition-State of health

13. Symptoms-A sign or indication of something

14.Numbness-Lack of physical sensation

15.Tingling-To have a sensation of slight prickles or stings

16.Mobility-Movement

17.Relapse-To occur again

18.Remission-The period during which something decreases

19.Cognitive-Process of knowing or thinking

20.Intolerance-Inability to tolerate something

Grammar point: A noun is the name of a  person, place, or thing. 

Grammar Activity: 
Please underline all the nouns in the paragraph below.

"Fern was up at daylight, trying to rid the world of injustice. As a result, she now has a pig. A small one to be sure, but never less a pig. It just shows what can happen if a person gets out of bed promptly." 
-Charlotte's Web
E.B. White