Integrated English 2 Autumn 2013 Weeks 13 & 14: Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century

Hello everyone, Happy New Year!
Today we are going to watch a modern retelling of The Sign of Four. This version of The Sign of Four is an episode in an animated television series called Sherlock Holmes in the Twenty Second Century. In this series, Sherlock Holmes is brought back to life 300 years after his death. The reborn Sherlock Holmes solves cases with his partner Watson, who is a robot. Before we watch the video, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Sherlock Holmes - The Sign of Four Vocabulary.

OK, now let's watch the video and do the quiz. Please click the link: Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century - The Sign of Four.

If you enjoyed that video, perhaps you'll enjoy this one too - Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century - The Hounds of the Baskervilles.

Here are the dates for the final test:
Monday 4th period - 27 January
Tuesday 3rd period - 28 January
Wednesday 1st & 2nd periods - 5 February

Finally, here is your study guide for the final test:
There will be 50 multiple choice questions on the test. There will be vocabulary questions, and questions about the setting, characters, plot, and dialogue.
Study hard!

Integrated English 1 2013 Week 8: End of term project

Your final project is a writing task. Please choose ONE of the following options:

• Write a short story (短編小説) about one of the characters in The Inverted Eagle. Create a story about the character’s life after the events in the Inverted Eagle, OR  
• If you don’t like any of the characters in the story, invent a character of your own, and write a story about him or her in the context of The Inverted Eagle.
• Write a new ending for The Inverted Eagle
• Write a review of The Inverted Eagle. Explain why you liked the story, or why you didn’t like the story.
• Write a review of Cup of Death. Explain why you liked the story, or why you didn’t like the story.

You must write at least 100 words. The top 3 stories will be published on this blog and the writers will win a graded reader. The top 3 reviews will be published on Marcus Benevides’ Teach Your Own Adventure Blog (http://www.cyoateacher.com/). Please be honest. Negative reviews have a chance of winning too.

Please click the link to read some of the previous winners' stories.

You must submit your final project by Thursday 20th June at 12:00 noon. Please submit one copy by e-mail, and one printed copy. Please put the printed copy in my mailbox (#FLC 23) on the fourth floor of the Foreign Language Centre, just outside Room CA403.

Finally, please click the links to download your style sheet and your writing error codes sheet.

Enjoy!!!

The University of Tsukuba IE Engineering C1 - Trimester 3 Week 8

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to start another fan fiction project. Please click link to download your worksheet: Hound of the Baskervilles Fan Fiction Project.

Before we begin our project,  let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles. Before you study the vocabulary, please check the glossary at the back of your book. Add any unfamiliar words to our flashcard set. Don't forget to log in to Quizlet first.

OK, let's begin. Please submit your story to me by e-mail. The due date is Friday 8 February.
Enjoy!

The University of Tsukuba IE Engineering C1 - Week 7

Hello everyone, Today we are going to review the Sign of Four and start our first project. First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Sherlock Holmes - The Sign of Four Vocabulary. Now look at the mind map below. Copy the mind map in your note book. Then complete the mind map. Add more information.


 
Create your own mind maps at MindMeister

Next, let's start our project. Our project is a fan fiction project. Click the link to download your project task sheet: The Sign of Four Fan Fiction Project.
The three best stories will be published on this blog, and the students who write the three best stories will receive a book as their prize.
Please submit your stories by e-mail. Your stories are due on the 1st of November.
Enjoy!

Toyo Gakuen University 応用英語1-2A Reading - Whodunit? Fan Fiction Writing Project

Hello everyone,

Today we are going to start our Whodunit? Fan Fiction Project.  You are going to write a short story about what happens to your favourite character after the events in The Inverted Eagle. I will send your stories to Adam Gray and Marcos Benevides. They will choose the 3 best stories and I will publish those stories on this blog!

Click here to read the stories by the 2011 Winners.

Read the stories. Then write three questions about the stories. Give the questions to your partner. Your partner will give you 3 questions. Answer your partners' questions. 

Now let's get started. let's write our own Whodunit? Fan Fiction! Click the link to download your project worksheet..

Your first draught is due next Wednesday 20th June.

Enjoy!

応用英吾1-2B 2011 Student Fan Fiction Winners

Hello everyone,


Well we have winners. The writers of our textbook, Marcos Benevides and Adam Gray have chosen the 3 best fan fiction stories written by you. The winners are in reverse order:


#3 Natsumi - Mr. Gray said her story had a "Strong narrative presence.." and he, "...enjoyed the Leo and son angle."


#2 Kiyofumi - Mr. Benevides said "I absolutely *love* the concept--the 2nd person narration from Sara's point of view, combined with never directly revealing that it is in fact her. Very clever! I also love how it is revealed that the whole U Street case was actually a big frame-up masterminded by Sara and Carson! This reads like a real 'noir' story. Brilliant!"


and the winner is...


#1 Yuma - Mr. Benevides said, "Very nice, complete story. The characters are all believable and interesting, and the conclusion is unexpected and satisfying. The poem at the beginning is an interesting and clever way to start the story."

Mr. Gray said, "Hands down winner... thus had it all - some poetry, a gripping story, strong and complex command of English."

Honourable mentions also to Chiaki and Ryo.


Both Mr. Gray and Mr. Benevides enjoyed all the stories. Mr. Benevides said, "These are really interesting. I honestly liked all of them...and please pass a big 'thank you' to your students too. This group of stories is definitely my favourite so far!" Mr. Gray said, "In general I thought this was a solid batch of entries! Congrats to all."


All three winners receive a copy of Mystery of the Maya, which is part of a new series of graded readers edited by Mr. Benevides. The series is called Choose Your Own Adventure. Choose Your Own Adventure was originally a series of books written for native speaker children. Mr. Benevides loved reading the series when he was a boy, so he decided to edit the series for English language learners like you! Click the link to read more about the Choose Your Own Adventure Series on wikipedia in English and in Japanese きみならどうする?
I will post reformulated versions of the 3 winning stories as soon as possible. I will also post a link to all the stories in their original forms as well.


Please click the link to see previous examples of fan fiction based on Whodunit? .

Have a fun and safe winter break!

応用英語I-2B Reading - Chapter 6 Review and Introduction to the Short Story Writing Project

Hello everyone!
Today we are going to review Chapter 6 and then take the last quiz. After that we are going to start a small project about Death on U Street. You are going to write a short story about what happens to your favourite character after the events in Death on U Street. I will send your stories to Adam Gray and Marcos Benevides. They will choose the 3 best stories and I will publish those stories on this blog!

First let's learn some new words. Click this link: Death on U Street Vocabulary.

Next, let's read a story written by a Togaku student. Please click the link: Michinori's Story.

Now, please download the worksheet below. Follow the steps and write your story.
Enjoy!

応用英吾I-2A Reading: And the winner is...

Well everyone, we have a winner. A couple of weeks ago, I asked you to write original stories based on your favourite characters in The Inverted Eagle. Both Adam Gray and Marcos Benevides, the authors of your textbook, have read your stories and selected a winner, and the winner is...Shin!
Here's what Mr. Gray said about Shin and his story:

"(Shin) had a good command of English, and in addition, the story about Miguel wanting to join an NPO and go to India seems very realistic based on the characters. I like the end, where he flashes five years forward and Miguel and Allison have two kids and she is there at the airport to see him off."

Mr. Gray also liked Hiroaki S's story very much. He said:

"Honorable mention to #10 (Hiroaki S), whose story made me laugh out loud. Kevin in flight school! Great idea."

You can read Shin's story and Hiroaki S's story below. I have corrected the grammar and vocabulary usage errors.

Shin's Story

     It had been many months since the case of the Inverted Eagle had been solved, and with their parent's permission, Miguel and Allison were together and in love with each other. Miguel was very busy because of his studies to be a doctor, but he and Allison had a date once a month, eating lunch, going to a movie or just talking late at night. Even a common date like that made Miguel happy.

　One day in the library in Georgetown University, Miguel was distressed. He didn't want to be an ordinary doctor but a member of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). MSF is an NPO and a doctor who belongs to MSF treats the poor all over the world. Therefore if Miguel became a member of MSF, he couldn't be with Allison, so he couldn't make a decision. As time passed, his head was full of these worries, and one night in autumn, he called Allison.

　"Hi, Allison. How are you?"

    "Ah, the temperature has begun to drop rather low here these days, but I'm OK. How about you, Miguel? How are your studies going? Well?"

    "Yes, they are going well. I'm trying hard, but, uh...."

He kept silent a little time. She sensed that something was strange at once, and broke the silence earlier than Miguel.

"If you're keeping something from me, tell me everything without worries. It's all right, Miguel."

 Hearing this, Miguel felt that he'd been released from pain completely. Then he decided to tell the truth and....

　After five years, Miguel is at an airport to fly to India as an  MSF doctor. Allison and two babies that look like Miguel are there to see him off. 

Hiroaki S's story

     Two months after his mother was arrested, Kevin got a job working in a convenience store. He was working at his part time job when a robbery happened. He captured the robbers. Ellie, by chance, walked by. She praised him and he got a big award from the police. He was in the paper and after that he was on TV. After that, he had girlfriends and enrolled in a flight school. Three years later he became a pilot and he flew all over the world. After, he lived in Tahiti. He married and had two children and he whiled away the rest of his life.

You can read the original versions of Shin and Hiroaki S's stories here: http://www.box.net/shared/2loey3coaka0xn1otk21 

You can see the original assignment here:  Toyo Gakuen University 応用英語1-2A Reading - Short story writing project

Please leave a comment. Let us know what you think of these stories and also tell us what you think of this project.

Toyo Gakuen University 応用英語1-2A Reading - Short story writing project

Hello everyone!
Today we are going to do a small project about The Inverted Eagle. You are going to write a short story about what happens to your favourite character after the events in The Inverted Eagle. I will send your stories to Adam Gray and Marcos Benevides. They will choose the 3 best stories and I will publish those stories on this blog!

First let's study some vocabulary. Click this link: Inverted Eagle Chapter 6 Vocabulary.

Next, please download the worksheet below. Follow the steps and write your story.
Enjoy!

Toyo Gakuen University 応用英語I-2B And the winner is...

Well everyone, we have a winner. Before the winter break I asked you to write stories about your favourite characters in Death on U Street. About half of you wrote the stories. I sent the stories to Adam Gray and Marcos Benevides, the authors of your textbook, Fiction in Action: Whodunit. They did not know the names of the students that wrote the stories. They read the stories. Both Mr. Gray and Mr. Benevides liked Michinori's story. Therefore, Michinori is the winner!

Here's what Mr. Gray said about Michinori's story:

"The author remembered that Ellie and Sofia were going to go to Peru and decided to continue the story that way. I think this author's English is very strong and that the story is very creative."

Mr. Benevides said that he "especially liked" Michinori's story and he said it was, "a tight little story that just felt complete."

I have corrected the grammar and vocabulary mistakes in Michinori's story. You can read it below.

Michinori's Story

Ellie and Sofia went to Peru. They visited their family and went to the beach with the family. When they got to the beach they started to play, but something came up, and Ellie left,  after asking another family member to watch Sofia. As Ellie left, she said to Sofia, “I will be back soon.”

There was a little island near the beach. Sofia found a narrow path which connected the beach and the island. She got interested in the island. She decided to explore the island without asking for permission from her family because she thought maybe they would stop her from going to the island. She thought, “There will be nothing to worry about because I will go to the island for just a little while.”

On the island, Sofia saw a girl who was the same age as her. Her name was Alice. Alice was exploring the island too. They became friends because they got along very well. They played together, but it started to rain. They decided to go back to the beach, but they couldn’t do it. The narrow path had disappeared because the tide had come in. 

They took shelter from the rain in a nearby cave. They waited to be rescued. Sofia mumbled “Mom will be worried about me.” Alice heard her and asked Sofia, “Is your mother kind?”

While they waited to be rescued, they talked about their mothers. According to Alice, her mother was a strict person and she disliked her mother. Sofia told to her, “I think your mother worries about you and loves you, so your mother is strict with you.” 

After a while, the weather became good. Then, Ellie came to rescue them by ship. Alice’s mother was in the ship too. As soon as Alice’s mother saw Alice, she hugged Alice, crying. Sofia was hugged hard by Ellie too. Sofia said to Alice, “Didn’t I tell you?” 

On their way home, Sofia was scolded by Ellie, but, she felt her mother’s love very much.

If you want to see the original unedited version of Michinori's story click this link: http://www.box.net/shared/b4mxlct7yi . Michinori's story is #7. You can read stories written by other students too.

Enjoy!