Mama's Cooking

There is nothing like a good ol' home cooked meal. I love food, I love trying different types of food, but there's nothing that can compare to a Sunday night dinner prepared by my mother. My mom was born and raised in the south, Savannah, GA to be exact. If you've never been there before, just image lots of open land, cows, chickens, goats, and street lights at are miles apart from each other. My mom was a country girl, which meant most dinners consisted of a fried or baked meat, normally chicken or pork chops, a vegetable, which was normally collard greens, pinot beans, or green beans, and additional sides such as corn bread, baked mac and cheese, or mashed potatoes. Just thinking about it all makes me hungry right now. Don't get me wrong, I love eating Italian food, Thai food, Caribbean food, Mexican food, diner food, but there is nothing like a good ol' home cooked meal by my mama.

Vocabulary:

• Different (adjective): Not of the same kind
• Compare (noun): To say something is similar to something else
• Prepared (adjective): Make something ready for use
• Vegetable (noun): A plant that is eaten as food
• Additional (adjective): Extra to what is already available
• Hungry (adjective): Having a strong desire to eat 

Vocabulary Exercise:

Match the word with the correct definition.

Hungry Made ready in advance

Additional Not the same

Compare   Similar with something else

Prepared           A plant

Different Extra

Vegetable Wanting to eat 

Grammar Point:

Conjunctions are words that connect words, phrases, clauses or sentences. And, or, but, so, after, before, unless, either, neither, because, since are all examples of conjunctions.

I was tired so I went to sleep.

Pick any three conjunctions from the list above to create three different sentences.

Christmas

"It's the most wonderful time of the year.." Hearing this song, brings me that warm and fuzzy feeling inside. It is one my favorite songs to listen to during the holiday season. Christmas is my favorite holiday, if you haven't already figured it out. It was my favorite holiday when I was younger, and still is my favorite holiday. As I've grown older, I have a new perspective and appreciate all the little things that comes with this season, I think it's called Christmas spirit. Family means everything to me. My family always travels down to the D.C./Maryland region where we spend the holidays at my older brothers house. I love going shopping to get presents for my family and close friends. Seeing the smile on their faces as they tear open their gifts, gives me the greatest joy. Putting up the christmas tree, baking cookies, wrapping presents, wearing matching onesies, and eating christmas dinner are all the things I love, because it brings my family all together. Until next time, be nice to everyone, you never know what they may be going through.

Vocabulary:

• Younger (adjective): In the early stage of life
• Perspective (noun): A way of thinking about and understanding something
• Appreciate (noun): Understanding the worth or importance something or someone
• Family (noun): A group of people who are related to each other
• Region (noun): A part of a country, or the world, etc., that is different or separate from other parts in some way
• Matching (verb): To have the same appearance, color, etc.

Vocabulary Exercise:

Unscramble the words below.

1. pcaraiepet (worth) __________

2. guyneor (early stage) __________

3. ignore (part of country or world) __________

4. mthiangc (same) __________

5. ersevtceipp (way of thinking) __________

6. yalifm (people relating to each other) __________

Grammar Point:

Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Adverbs describes how, when and where. For an example:

My dad eats very slowly. 

Circle the adverb in each sentence.

1. The old man walked slowly.

2. The girls giggled nosily.

3. The sun shines brightly in my eyes

4. Wind blew rapidly across the city.

Traveling

Traveling has become one of my favorite things to do. I've been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to travel to various places. What I love most about traveling and exploring different countries and cities, is that I'm able to completely immerse myself into these foreign communities by interacting with the local people, and grasping an understanding about the way others live. It's very interesting to me how we perceive what “normal” life might be here in the United States. Different cultures have different protocols and structures within their community. That’s what fascinates me the most, learning how others live, day to day. The Caribbean is probably my favorite place to visit. Everyone is super laid back, there’s no rush, and I feel as if they truly enjoy each day to the fullest. Oh, and they are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Until next time, be nice to everyone, you never know what they may be going through.

Vocabulary:

• Fortunate (adjective): Happening because of good luck
• Opportunity (noun): A set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something
• Immerse (verb): Involve oneself deeply in a particular activity or interest
• Perceive (verb): To notice or become aware of (something)
• Cultures (noun): The beliefs, customer, arts, etc., of a particular group, or place
• Protocols (noun): A system of rules that explain that correct conduct and procedures to be followed in formal situations

Vocabulary Exercise:

Write each definition three times each.

Grammar Point:

Prepositions show relationship between words in a sentence. Below is a table. Draw everywhere a mouse might go (beside, above, under, beneath, close to, toward) and label each position.

Learning The Hard Way

Learning the hard way was once the norm for me. Growing up, I didn't always make the greatest decisions. Missing curfew to stay out late with friends, or not always telling mom or dad exactly where I was hanging out, are some of the decisions that I mean. On hindsight I don't regret them. Why? You may ask, because I've learned from each decision. The outcome of my decisions is what impacted me the most. Though it may have been the hard way, I can boldly say that it has shaped the person I have become and still becoming. I have developed a keen sense of discernment, and my choices have become more wise, and thought out. I close by encouraging you to remember that life's greatest lessons are usually learned at the worst times and from the worst mistakes. Until next time, be nice to everyone, you never know what they might be going through.

Vocabulary:

• Decisions (noun):The choice that you make about something after thinking about it.
• Outcome (noun): Something that happens as a result of an activity or process.
• Impacted (verb): To have a strong effect on something or someone.
• Keen (adjective): Having or showing an ability to think clearly and to understand what is not obvious or simple about something. 
• Discernment (noun): The ability to judge well.
• Mistakes (noun): Something that is not correct: a wrong action, statement, or judgement.

Vocabulary Exercise:

1. We are the only ones who can influence the _____________ of this.
      a) Keen
      b) Impacted
      c) Outcome

2. I made a really bad ________ and I don't know what to do.
      a) Impacted
      b) Mistakes
      c) Discernment

3. A dog has an extremely _________ sense of smell.
      a) Keen
      b) Decision
      c) Impacted

Grammar Point
Verbs tenses, are expressed in the; Past (already happened), Present (happening now), and Future (will happen). From the vocabulary list, express the word "impacted" in the three verb tenses.

Friendship

What defines the true meaning of a friendship? I think people use the word "friend" too loosely nowadays. Not everyone is your friend, look at Judas, he was one of the twelve disciples. A friend should help you grow, bring positivity into your life, and always keep it "100" with you, no matter what. It's absolutely essential to surround yourself with people that you connect with on a deeper, meaningful level, someone who is moving in the same direction as you in life, and someone who shares the same values and morals as you. Until next time, be nice to everyone, you never know what they may be going through.

Vocabulary

• Friend (noun): A person who you like and enjoy being with
• Positivity (noun): To be positive in attitude
• Essential (adjective): Extremely important and necessary
• Meaningful (adjective): Having real importance or value
• Values (noun): The importance, worth, or usefulness of something
• Morals (noun): What is right and wrong in human behavior

Vocabulary Exercise:

Circle the 6 words listed below. Search up, down, forward, backward, and on the diagonal to find the hidden words.

Y E P W F L E W Y F 
H S O C X U R B R S 
F S S I H F T I W L 
Q E I R T G E K L A 
K N T P J N P B J R 
A T I V D I A C G O 
D I V G Y N J D L M 
U A I N Z A O C D V 
E L T Y S E U L A V 
S S Y Q K M Y J C D 

ESSENTIAL
FRIEND
MEANINGFUL
MORALS
POSITIVITY
VALUES

Grammar Point:

Pronoun replace nouns. For an example; he, I, it's, me, my, she, that, this, those, us, who, whom, you. Underline all the pronouns in the passage above.

The Cost of Being Nice

It cost nothing to be nice to others. Being nice can be as simple as holding the door open for someone, or saying two simple words, "Thank You" or "You're Welcome". We should always remember the Golden Rule, whatever you want others to do to you, do also to them. If we don't want others to be mean to us, we shouldn't be mean to them. We should try to strive daily to be the reason that others believe in the goodness of people. I close with this quote "No matter what happens in life, be nice to people. Being nice to people is a peaceful way to live and a beautiful legacy to leave behind." Until next time, be nice everyone, you never know what they may be going through.

Vocabulary:

• Cost (noun): The amount of money that is needed to pay for or buy something.
• Door (noun): The entrance to a room, building, or vehicle.
• Believe (verb): To accept or regard something as true.
• Remember (verb): To think of something or someone from the past again.
• Strive (verb): To try very hard to do or achieve something.
• Peaceful (adjective): A quiet or calm state

Vocabulary Exercise:

Write three sentences using any three vocabulary words from above.

Grammar Point:

Articles signal that a noun is going to follow. Examples of articles are; the, a, an. 

The dog barks loud.
Red is a color.

Underline the article in each sentence.

1. I had a banana for lunch.
2. Paris is a city.
3. I want a new iPhone.
4. I want an apple.
5. The cat is black.

Welcome!

Welcome! Let me start by introducing myself. Lakesha is what most people call me. I was born and raised in New York, the city which is known for "The city that never sleeps". Ironically I was born in a car in-route to the hospital, which I like to blame my silliness on. Fast forward, I grew up to love the sport basketball. Basketball became my life, my passion, my first love, a sport that instilled many qualities in me such as teamwork, dependability, and persistence just to name a few. Basketball led me to earning a Division I scholarship where I played collegiate basketball both at the US Naval Academy and Troy University. I always did love mathematics, it just made sense to me. So, after I graduated I continued on to pursue my masters in education. Now we've made it here, just a snippet of who Lakesha is. Everyone has their own journey, this happens to be mine. I close by saying, be kind to everyone, you never know what they may be going through.


Vocabulary:

• Hospital (noun): An institution where the six or injured are given medical or surgical care
• Instilled (verb): To gradually cause someone to have
• Dependability (noun): Able to be trusted to do or provide what is needed; able to be depended on
• Scholarship (noun): A grant-in-aid to a student  (as by a college or foundation)
• Collegiate (adjective): Relating to colleges, or intended for students at college
• Pursue (verb): To try to get or do (something) over a period of time

Vocabulary Exercise:

Fill in the blank with the correct vocabulary word.


1. Same earned a _________________ at the age of seventeen to the University of Alabama.
2. Clarissa's friends describe her as being selfless, ____________, and honest.
3. Ever since Brandon was a little boy, his dream was to play __________ football at LSU
4. At a very early age Rebeca's mother ____________ core qualities such as respect and responsibility in her.
5. When John fell off his and broke his arm, he was rushed to the __________.
6. Erin moved to Hollywood to ___________ her acting career.

Grammer Point:

Adjectives describe nouns. Write two sentences using two nouns from the vocabulary + using an adjective.