The End of May and the Beginning of a New Era in Space

Hello, Friends.

Click here for our webpages and your best experience with this Update.

I hope you enjoyed your Memorial Day holiday. I hope that you had a chance to see the programs that celebrate our service men and women that have passed. One of the widows commented that instead of this being a sad, solemn day, she finds that people who served with her husband reach out and share stories and pictures to remember him.

Thank you for your inquiries about my dad who is in a senior living community due to the pandemic lock down since mid-March. He continues to do well. To date, two employees have tested positive for COVID-19. They were on rotations and had not been to work for a week prior to their tests. None of the residents have tested positive.

Easy English News for June. Here is the link for the last Easy English News. We usually don't get a June edition since our classes end in May. Be sure to let me know if you would be interested in an online version next year.

English
Capitalization is a big deal in English. The first letter of names and titles are always capitalized. All of the letters in acronyms are capitalized (CDC, NASA, USA, etc.). Both letters in the abbreviation for states are capitalized. This is an anomaly.

THE BIG EVENT
What could be better than a flyover? How about a rocket launch by NASA? The launch was scrubbed on Wednesday, but that's ok because it has been rescheduled for Saturday at 3:22. You can watch live on most news networks or make it a day by streaming with NASA. Some questions and their answers:

• Why did the U.S. stop sending rockets into space in 2011? The bottom line is the bottom line. The program was too expensive and since Russia was sending rockets, American scientists  hitched a ride. This Newsweek article can tell you more about the U.S. manned space program.
• When will the astronauts return? We don't know. They can stay up there for a maximum of 119 days! This article in Space can explain the variables around the stay.
• Why wait to launch until Saturday? Variables are in play, again. Here is an explanation for people who want to understand how to plan a trip into space.
• Why did Elon Musk name the spacecraft Dragon? According to Wikipedia, he named it after the song "Puff the Magic Dragon" (1963 by Peter, Paul and Mary) in response to critics who said his project was impossible. This version is great for our youngsters.

English

Be careful. Capitalization is an important part of written English. The first letter of sentences, names and titles are always capitalized. Abbreviations of names (NASA, CDC, etc.) are capitalized. Some abbreviations have periods following them (Mr. Jones, Dr. Winston) but states have both letters in their abbreviation capitalized with no punctuation (Indiana=IN, Illinois=IL, etc.)

COVID-19
Carmel has the “wearing is caring” campaign. Cloth coverings are recommended for the general public along with social distancing, frequent hand washing, and wiping down frequently touched surfaces. The CDC has plenty of advice for cloth face covering use and care of your cloth face coverings. When you go out to eat, it is socially polite and responsible to wear your mask when moving around the restaurant (come in, going out, using the restroom, etc.). While you are seated, you will need to take it off to eat. Your server and other attendants should continue to wear a mask.

Back to School Guidelines: no one can accurately predict the future (boy, did we learn that this year!). Here is the CDC current thought on how to return to the classroom.

What is the current thinking about COVID antibodies? In short, we can test for them and produce a serum, but right now we don't know enough to determine how long people are immune.

International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:30 on Zoom
We read the Bible story of Palm Sunday. Jesus was going into Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. You can find the story behind the celebration in Exodus. The crowds were delighted and called out "Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

June 2: We will talk about Mark 11: 12-25 which is a very surprising story about Jesus' character. I am very interested in your take on this story.

International Friends: Tuesdays, 9:30 on Zoom
We had a nice chat. There were only a few of us, but we found out so much about each other.

June 2: Join us to catch up. Let's talk about eating out. Are you eager to get out and have a sit down meal? Where have you gone? Where do you long to go?

Conversation: Wednesdays, 4:30 on Zoom
We hoped for a NASA Dragon watch party, but it was not to be. We talked about people who believe the world is flat (The Flat Earth Society) or do they really? The Flat Earth Movement is a spoof on the misrepresentation of facts (or the pseudoscience) that can be found on the internet.

Somehow we got on the subject of religious beliefs. There are a number of religions: Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Shinto, Hindu just to name a few. We talked about atheistic (people who say there is no God) and agnostic (people who don't have a firm opinion about god or gods). We didn't talk about the terms polytheistic (people who worship multiple gods) or monotheistic (people who worship one god). We talked about people who believe in, talk to, and rely on God, but aren't necessarily sure "who" this god is. Acts (a book of the Christian Bible) identifies the "unknown god" or a non-specific god or the creator god who made everything (the motivation being love for His creation).

English With Children
Let's start a space party that can last at least 119 days! One of the great things about the space program is that it captures the imagination of our children.

• Read about American Hero John Glenn in the Encyclopedia Britannica.
• Make and launch your own bottle rocket using things you have at home.
• NASA Activity Pages can help you grow your skills and space vocabulary.
• Dig deeper with the NASA STEM at Home pages where you can find a curriculum for kids K-12 and host your own space camp as well as find resources us big kids under Higher Education!
• Here is an old cartoon that tells a story about Puff the Magic Dragon. Do you think Elon Musk watched this?

service men and women: people who work in the armed forces
passed: died
widows: women who's husbands have died
mid-March: the middle of the month of March
to date: up until now
senior living community:
rotations: work schedule that isn't continuous
residents: people living in a community
let me know: tell me; e-mail me; text me (the best way); Facebook Message me...
acronym: when the first letters of a title or phrase are used to represent the name (USA=United States of America)
abbreviation: shortening a word for convenience (Mr. for Mister, Dr. for Doctor)
anomaly: not usual or standard
scrubbed: cancelled and/or postponed
manned space program: the organization, plans and results of sending people into space
bottom line: result
bottom line: financial outcome at the end of a balance sheet
variables: element or feature that is likely to change
in play: available to be accessed or used
boy: wow
Bible: the holy book of the Christian religion; this word when referring to the book that contains the Old and New Testament; Bible is always capitalized according to the AP Style Manual
bible: means a comprehensive book or guide to a specific
story behind: origin
hosanna: hurrah! An examination of praise
Lord: when lord is capitalized it means God, English usually only capitalizes the first letter of a word if it is a name or title.
in your take on this story: to know your opinion; to know what you think and know
nice chat: pleasurable conversation
long: strongly desire; wish
watch party: people meeting together to observe an event; now days people host watch parties on line
pseudoscience: something that looks to be factual or based in science, but is really false
rely on: depend on, trust someone
God vs god: God refers to or is the name of the creator god found in the Bible; god refers to a general reference to a deity
His: in referring to God often this pronoun is capitalized
captures the imagination: creates interest
dig deeper: look for more details; go further in depth
curriculum: defined education study
K-12: kindergarten through 12th grade (for all school aged children)
higher education: schooling beyond the 12th grade

Watch NASA live

Tune in to watch the live launch on-line:

Prelaunch begins at 12:00 with the launch scheduled for 4:30.

https://www.nasa.gov/content/live-launch-america-nasas-spacex-demo-2-mission-to-the-international-space-station

Welcome Summer Vacation!

Hello, Friends.

Please click to see these pages live on the internet. If you want links to attend our meetings, please email Carolyn.

Monday, May 25 is Memorial Day. In Indiana, the month of May is usually a festival month culminating on Memorial Day with the Indy 500. The race has been postponed until August this year. Across the United States, Memorial Day signals the first day of summer vacation. Many school districts begin summer breaks. Families get ready to take vacations. Our state continues to open but asks you to follow social distancing and avoiding crowds, wearing face covering, hand washing for 20 seconds, etc.

Race fans can get their Indy 500 fix Sunday on NBC by watching some classic races as well as the Indy 500 Special: Back home again at 2:00 PM.

NASA space launch Thursday, May 28 at 4:33. This is the first NASA launch in 10 years. Learn about the Space-X rocket and astronauts. Be sure not to miss this historic launch!

Virtual Life:
We are learning so much about communicating from home. Essentially we are broadcasting. What is our presence? It is interesting to note how people choose to arrange their cameras, what is the backdrop or background they choose (or do not choose). Do you think of these things as you set up your Zoom or other virtual visual visits? It's fun to see inside the homes of newscasters and personalities.

English Corner: vocabulary building
Learning vocabulary is the worst. Having a basic vocabulary is critical. Scientist and cartoonist Randall Munroe was challenged to explain complex science concepts using the most frequently used 1000 words. The Thing Explainer book is a funny way to reinforce your basic vocabulary and learn to be confident in speaking, writing and describing many things (using many basic words!). You can have fun reinforcing your basic vocabulary in different contexts.


COVID-19
Indiana is officially moving into Stage 3 of the Back on Track Stage 3 for most counties (Marion is one of them staying in Stage 2). You can read the executive order yourself and judge how much you want to participate in the reopening. We are all becoming more familiar with the legalese in these proclamations in order to make good decisions about what we will do and how much we want to participate in the reopening activities.

Going to the swimming pool and beach. The CDC posted guidelines for swimming pools and aquatic parks. While there is no evidence that pools and the ocean water transmits COVID -19, if may be transmitted person to person or from handles, chairs, tables, railings, etc., (although some new evidence implies that contact from inanimate objects may be less that previously thought). Keeping social distance (more than six feet), wearing a mask when in in closer quarters (but not in the water, please), washing your hands and wiping down surfaces (like chairs or tables at the pool before and after using them, just to be safe).

This Q and A from IU Health infectious disease specialist about visiting your health care professionals. Hospitals. Consult with your physician for advice. Consider the implications for your overall health and well being which includes routine care (tests and vaccinations) to stay well.

Don’t get scammed!
Calls saying that people are from the health department and are offering to come to your home to do a physical exam. This is a lie. You can read about text and robocall scams from the FCC.

If you get a call from contract tracers they will only ask for symptoms and who you been around physically.

International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:30 via Zoom
This week we talked about Mark 10:46-52. This is the story of the healing of a blind man named Bartimaeus. Imagine Bartimaeus shouting to Jesus. Imagine the people trying to shush him. Mark packs so much through implication into this story:

• The story takes place on the road leaving Jericho going to Jerusalem. Jericho is the site of a famous battle in the Old Testament. Listen to Elvis Presley sing the spiritual that recounts this story. Children used to learn this song in second or third grade as a part of music studies. (also Joshua 5: 13-6:27 to read the story. Beware, though, the book of Joshua is very exciting and hard to put down.
• Titles and names of our main characters show rank and inheritance: Bartimaeus (means "son of Timaeus") (Timaeus is a philosopher and contemporary of Socrates who argues that the world is created by rational thought and planning of a rational and benevolent god) calls Jesus Son of David (David is an Old Testament king and hero of the Jewish people). 
• They tell Bartimaeus to "cheer up" that Jesus wants to talk to him. Bartimaeus throws aside his cloak and jumps up go to Jesus. 
• When Jesus asks what he wants Jesus to do for him, Bartimaeus states, "Rabbi (teacher), I want to see." 
• Jesus tells him that his faith has healed him. Bartimaeus receives his sight and follows Jesus. How different is this from the choice of the rich young man in the previous story.

May 26: Join us as we talk about Mark 11: 1-11 where Jesus comes to Jerusalem as king.

International Friends: Tuesdays, 10:30 via Zoom
We tried several minutes of speed dating. That appeared to be a fun activity that gave everyone a chance to get to know each other or catch up. We talked about a good number of things like whether you are seeing ants in your home since it has been raining.

May 26: Zoom over and bring your favorite summer drink.

Conversation: Wednesdays, 4:30-6:00 via Zoom
We talked about planning vacations and National Geographic had a great article on why we would want to do this at this time. We ended up talking about the top 10 political/social cartoons. Many of these are specific to American culture and humor. This painting by Andrew Wyeth at the MoMA may help you understand one of the cartoons. Do you feel hope or despair when you view rather bleak or stark pictures? Read about Christina and Wyeth's intentions for the painting. Did your opinion change?



May 27: Seriously, bring your vacation wishes. Can we turn them into plans?

Level 2 English: Thursday 10:30
We had many interesting discussions but several that important distinctions for most of our students. We talked about the fine difference in using from or since.

• I have lived in Indiana since 2002. (an ongoing and continuous state)
• I lived in Wisconsin from 1962 to1967. (a length of time)
• I was married in 1987. (an ongoing and continuous state of being)
• I have been married since 1987. (ongoing and continuous state of being)

Indiana and English with Children
COVID-19 concerns over the multi-symptom reaction to this disease for children up to age 15 that is similar to Kawasaki Disease Multisystem Inflammatory Disease in Children (MIS-C). The CDC has detailed listings of the symptoms to look for as well as what to expect for care from doctors.

What is Indiana like for children over the summer? This may be a bit different summer and things may be subject to change. Indianapolis Summer Camps Your Kids will Love. Some famous camps like Interlochen have shifted to an all online program. Instead of being locked down, a whole new world is opening up.

In Indiana children are enrolled in summer club sports, day and sleepover camps all interest areas, specific education classes as well as library/reading programs and competitions. Older kids get seasonal jobs at stores and restaurants, babysit, pet sit and house sit to earn pocket money and build their resumes. Kids hit the streets on their bikes and head to the pool with their family and friends. Having the opportunity to socialize, try out a new sport or hone their advancing skills.

Q and A: Questions and Answers
scammed: swindle
physical exam: doctor visit to affirm health
robocall: automated call that phishes for you to give money
festival: party or evet
culminating: ending
postponed: delayed
across: spanning a time
signals: starts, begins, indicates
virtual visual visits: all these words are begin with "v"; this is called an alliteration and is a way to make writing and speaking interesting
cartoonist: an artist that draws cartoons or works that usually impart a story, message or view
reinforcing: strengthen, support
context: meaning that is inferred from
executive order: official, legal statement from a head governing official to address a current (and temporary) issue
legalese: using the vocabulary that is reserved for legal or formal discussions and writing
proclamation: governmental statement
evidence: facts that can be proved
implies: suggests
inanimate: not living
implication: a conclusion drawn from something
scammed: swindle or trick
physical exam: a medical or other exam of your body
robocall: a call made by a computer program to reach a great number of people
contact tracers: people who are hired to map people who could be infected with COVID-19 because they near others
imagine: picture something
shush: make the ssshhhhh sound to quiet someone
spiritual: a religious based song associated with black Christians that has roots in European and African music that praises God or tells a Bible story
hard to put down: you want to keep reading or working on something
contemporary of: colleague; someone who lived and worked during the same time period
benevolent: kind
do for: do something for someone
intentions: a plan or act
seriously: please do something
day camps: a program that meets daily several days in a row or a week
all types: many
club sports: sporting competitions within a club setting (Dad's Club in Carmel for example)
seasonal: short term, relating to a particular weather or holiday
pocket money: money to spend rather than save
hit the streets: go out on the road
head to: go out
socialize: meat with others
hone: sharpen a skill or a tool

Our last meetings...or not?

Hello Friends,

Click to go to our webpages.  We have some great video links that, while they are embedded in the email, they make much more sense in the pages.

Did you have a chance to see the Blue Angels fly over Indianapolis? Here is the YouTube of what it looked and sounded like from the ground.

Don't miss this Twitter link for a view from the cockpit as they flew over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I don't know which is more exciting...The view of flying in close formation or the view from the cockpit of the track!

Thank you for sticking with us this year. I hope that you found our classes and communications valuable. Please feel free to reach out to us as we go forward into the summer. Usually we take a break starting this week. Generally, we cease our English classes following the Carmel Clay School calendar. When school ends, people are ready to travel and enjoy their summer vacations. I will continue to have International Friends meetings on Tuesdays through May. Pop in and say "hi". Join our conversations or listen in. Email for the revised Zoom invitations if you don't get them before Tuesday.

Vocabulary and Pronunciation
Are you a warrior or a worrier?
Listen to the pronunciation of each of these words:
worrier 
warrior
Can you hear the difference? It is subtle, but can make a big difference. A worrier is someone who is always afraid that something may happen and a warrior faces a battle straight on.

COVID-19
In the beginning of the shutdown, medical appointments were cancelled but as things loosen up, what do we do? The dentist office is one place people are thinking twice about visiting.

Since April 27th, many dental offices have reopened to provide routine care for patients in accordance with Indiana Executive Order 20-22. This order allowed dentists to utilize their professional judgement to determine the degree to which they could reopen given the office was able to meet the safety needs of patients and the personnel at the office. Many practices have begun seeing patients for routine cleanings and dental procedures, but are following the guidelines and recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control, the American Dental Association, and the Indiana Department of Health. In addition to standard disinfection and personal protection procedures, many offices have altered the way in which they practice to maximize patient safety, including reducing the number of patients being seen, screening staff and patients, and rescheduling patients uniquely susceptible to the coronavirus.~submitted by my dentist

Myth Busters for COVID-19. The CDC has a whole bunch of popular ideas that aren't true about the Corona Virus. Some of these are pretty funny! Don't get tricked. Wash your hands and keep your distance to protect yourself.~Courtesy of the Wednesday Conversation Class

International Bible Study: Tuesdays, Zoom at 9:30
We talked about Mark 10:35-45. James and John ask to sit on the right and left hands of Jesus in his Kingdom. Jesus asked if they could follow in his footsteps. They said they were up for the challenge: Jesus told them that they would be given that responsibility and the reward. He also told them that the honor they asked was not his to give! Jesus came to serve and the greatest honor is to put others first and to serve them!

May 19: We have decided to continue to meet to finish the book of Mark. Join us as we talk about Mark 10:46-52.

International Friends: Tuesdays, Zoom at 10:30
We met and chatted. I do have a great treat for you! Jerry sent his recital YouTube. You have been practicing hard! We are so blessed to have such talent in our midst. And Jerry, we love the tie!

May 19: Let's continue to socially distance and Zoom together a little while longer. Are you familiar with Zoom Rooms? Let's try "speed dating" to have a rotation of quick chats one-on-one to catch up.

Conversation: Wednesdays, Zoom at 4:30
We hashed out COVID-19 changes. When things were shutting down and the best and safest advice was to stay away from crowds, keep a minimum of six feet between yourself and others, wash your hands and clean often touched surfaces. Now we know more about the disease and its risks, we also know our best protection hasn't changed one bit except to wear a facial covering to protect others from us in case we feel well, but have an active case of the virus.

May 20: Join us and be ready to share you screen with some virtual Zoom destinations or tours. Let's plan a vacation!

English Classes: Thursdays
Ending the classes for the year is always difficult for me. I look forward to the large group that gathers at CLC to learn together about life in Indiana and in our homes on top of learning English. This year ended like none other. I am so grateful to be able to see so many of you on Zoom. We made that quick shift and as we learned more about Zooming, I found out that we could all meet together, after all. Thank you for playing along and exploring this new facet of International Friends meetings and classes. We will see what next year brings!

English with Your Children
Did you know that different animals have different names for when the get together in a group? You probably already know about a school of fish, a flock of birds, a pride of lions, herd of cows or horses. National Geographic for Kids has list of more whimsical names for eight animal groups.

Dinnertime is an important time for families. In the United States, these hours were often very hectic with families trying to fit a meal in between practices. The pandemic has given the dinner hour back to families to share a meal together. This great article Keeping Kids Engaged at the Dinner Table, from IU Health has ideas for including the whole crowd in mealtime to make this an even more fun and fulfilling time together.

sticking with us: staying even when times get tough
cease: bring to an end; wrap up
subtle: slight; hard to notice or describe
pop in: stop by unannounced
listen in: not talk, but just listen
routine care: maintenance to stay in good condition
thinking twice: reconsidering
in accordance: following a set of rules
professional judgement: use all the knowledge and skill and experience in someone's specific field or study
practices: offices or workplace of doctors, dentists, lawyers, etc.
altered: changed or adjusted to meet changing needs or situations
practice: treat or see patients
susceptible: likely to be influenced or harmed by something
submitted by: written by
follow in his footsteps: pursue a course of action someone else has already done (eg. if a father is a doctor and the son becomes a doctor)
a whole bunch of: many
courtesy of: thanks to
practicing: working to perfect a skill (for example to practice a musical piece for a recital or performance to demonstrate skill)
talent: art or skill
midst: among
speed dating: an event for people to get to know each other quickly to see if they would like to go on a longer date
hashed out: talked about thoroughly
like none other: unusual; not imagined
playing along: participating fully
facet: aspect
whimsical: fanciful
dinnertime: the largest meal of the day; dinner could be early or late in the day
fulfilling: satisfying

Get Ready for Some JET NOISE May 12!

“America Strong is about showing how much we, as a nation, count on our front line responders and that we have their back just like they have had ours,” Commander Brian Kesselring, U.S. Navy Blue Angels commanding officer and flight leader for the flyover, said in a release. “They have always been there for us all, holding our nation together, even more so during this pandemic. It is really impactful to see this nation come together and stand in solidarity during these unprecedented times.”

The Navy Blue Angel Indianapolis Flyover

Tuesday, May 12 beginning at 2:00 PM.

Blogger made some changes, so I am learning some more new tech!

Hello, Friends.

Our weather gave us some surprises this weekend. While Saturday was sunny it was far from warm! If you put out plants, it may have been a good idea to cover them to protect them from the cold. 

We are all busy learning new technology (like Zooming) and the more we learn, the more we find out we don't know. We made a really quick shift to virtual learning. Thank you for moving with us. What started as an experiment that we were not even sure would be acceptable has turned out to be a real blessing. Thank you for your patience and for continuing to help us to figure out how to have classes and communicate in our current environment. As more and more people turn to the internet, the providers update and upgrade their offerings. Please be patient with me as I negotiate our technical upgrades. Please continue to join us and don't be a stranger! 

I will be sending out a survey to help to plan next year. Please take time to respond so we can continue to serve you.

COVID-19:
Opening up and easing restrictions are two terms you may be hearing. Whether Indiana and other places in the world can continue to open businesses depends on whether people can continue to act responsibly and follow guidelines such as social distancing, washing hands, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces. These guidelines become more important to follow as people begin to move around. Many community leaders are holding town hall type call in meetings. A town hall is an open question and answer with an official. Generally, it one person has a question it is common to many people.

Going to church is one question that emerges with the easing of restrictions. Some churches are opening their doors on a limited basis. Others are taking some time to prepare. Regardless, our Friends are attending at home. Do you have a church home to share? Let me know so I can let our Friends know.

• Do not be afraid: College Park Church has a sermon series to help understand these times. Scroll to the bottom of the page to watch the service.
• Cornerstone Lutheran Church is opening doors on a limited basis. Attend a service on line. Register to attend in person. There are restrictions to how many people can attend. Masks are required.
  

Being able to be tested and accessibility for testing is a concern. Here is the link to Castlight that lets you enter your location and lists all the available sites, contact information, constraints, and more. In Indiana, contact tracing is the next trend in tracking how COVID -19 is being passed. People in high risk groups or people who have had close contact with someone who tests positive are encouraged to be tested.

Vitamin D is an effective preventive measure against viruses and COVID-19 is no different. Psychology Today has a nice summary. How much vitamin D do you need? What are the consequences of taking too much? What is the best way to get your vitamin D?

Introvert or Extrovert: Does social distancing hurt people who are extroverts more than introverts? Psychology Today looked at this question the answer may surprise you. Here is a quick quiz to help you discover which you are.

International Bible Study: Tuesdays, Zooming at 9:30.

Join us as we explore the book of Mark. Email for the Zoom invitation.

We read in Mark 10 that a young man who had it all wanted to know what he had to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus loves him (Mark 10:21). Jesus tells the young man to sell everything and give everything to the poor. The young man is sad because he is rich. Jesus’ disciples also look to Jesus to affirm their sacrifices. Jesus tells them that with God, all things are possible. 

Jesus leads them to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem and teaches them the future, again in Mark 10:32-34. Jesus will:

• be arrested
• be tried by laws that were corrupted by jealous leaders
• condemned and put to death
• be handed over to the non-Jews to be mocked 
• be put to death
  
• rise from the dead on the third day 

May 12: We will continue reading Mark 10 focusing on verses 35-45 and then 46-52. Come and share your ideas and learn with us.

International Friends: Tuesdays, Zooming at 10:30.

Conversation: Wednesdays, Zooming at 4:30

Where do you like to eat? One important aspect of staying in is eating out! That is what we miss the most (next to seeing each other, but at least we have Zoom!) While restaurants are gradually opening up, there are some favorites we want to continue to support with carry out

Broccoli Bills: north of 146th Street on Gray Road in Carmel/Westfield

The Toros: North of 146th Street on Gray Road in Carmel/Westfield

Adel's: fort he best gyros and baclava made in heaven

Fat Dan's Deli: Chicago style at it's best in Carmel

Ocean World: sushi and Japanese food

Jamaican Reggae Grill: carry out only

Fuji Sushi: carryout is available, 2560 E. 146th Street

English Classes: Thursdays, Zooming at 10:00.

You should have received a Zoom invitation for our "last class" together. Please Zoom over to say aloha (hello and/or good bye in Hawaiian). We will start together and then divide up into "classes".

Please let me know if you like the Easy English News:

Did you read the on-line version? yes/no

Would you like to have access to an on-line version if you move away from Indiana or do not participate in our meetings or classes? yes/no

English for Children

What do you say to your children about our current situation with COVID? The CDC has some good, straightforward guidelines to help.

Two great read aloud books that are fun for the whole family:

Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library by Eth Clifford, Grades 1-4, 106 pages. Here are some questions to dig deeper.

The Iron Giant by Ted Hughes, Grades K-4, 56 pages. Here is a free pdf of the book to download and read.

far from: not

don't be a stranger: keep in touch

carry out: pick up food and bring it home

act responsibly: behave in a manner that takes care of other people

accessibility: availability
constraints: restrictions or limitations.
contact tracing: following or mapping people who meet each other
had it all: has money, health, good looking, is young
inherit: gain goods, wealth at someone’s death as a “gift”
look to: ask for advice

straightforward: with little words

Hello May!

Hello, Friends:

Click here for the best experience with this edition of our Update.

May is a wonderful time of the year! April showers bring May flowers. May brings the end to the cold weather (for the most part) and May 10 is our last frost date. We get to celebrate Mother's Day on May 14. We end the month with Memorial Day which is the official, opening of summer. Traditionally we celebrate Memorial Day with picnics, parades and pool openings. Will it happen this year? We will see!

The flyover by the Indiana National Guard was rescheduled to Saturday, May 2 (due to weather) and the flight plan has been expanded. Specific times are listed below may be a little different based on conditions. Watch from home and avoid gathering to watch.

The rest of the story: The pilots must fly a specified number of hours to maintain their skills. Warrior pilots requested to fly over cities to salute frontline COVID responders with boots on the ground serving Americans.

Wrapping up the year...
Life was so full of changes in 2020. Thank you for Zooming along with us. In planning for the future, I will be sending out a survey via Survey Monkey. Please take time to give feedback so that I can make good decisions for our programming, materials, staffing and opportunities.

COVID-19
Indiana is moving from Stage 1 to Stage 2 for most counties starting Monday, May 4 (Marion County will remain at Phase 1 for a while longer). Throughout Phase 2:

• People ages 65 and older should continue to shelter in place and avoid gatherings. 
• People should continue to work at home.
• All people are asked to practice social distance. 
• Nursing and group living homes, casinos, nightclubs, gyms, zoos, concerts, fairs, movie theaters, and amusement parks will remain closed.
• Groups of 25 may meet if they follow social distancing guidelines (not including places of worship or restaurants).
• Non-essential retail can open to 50% capacity

If things go well for two weeks and cases do not spike out of control,

• Restaurants may serve food at 50% capacity
• Salons, spas, etc. may open May 11 by appointment only.

For more details, see Back on Track Indiana.

Washing your Groceries. People are talking about cleaning goods before bringing them in their home. Good hygiene rules always apply. You can check out the article link above for details about cleaning things before bringing them into your home.

The funniest and most true meme so far is:

You can spend and plan ahead to address number one on the list:
Fox 59 Restaurant Futures to purchase a certificate with a value of $50 certificate for only $40! Check the link and get ready to dine out! This list should grow.

Get and Keep America Open: Supporting states, tribes, localities and territories. There continues to be a great deal of concern about opening back up and the next steps. Guidelines from the Federal government advise that no matter what stage we are in we should:

• Minimize the chance of exposure: wash your hands, stay six or more feet apart from each other, wear a mask when in large groups (to keep from sneezing in someone else's face).
• Promote the use of every day preventive actions: wash your hands often, don't touch your face,
• Protect high risk populations.

International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:30, Zoom.
We talked about a wonderful story where Jesus welcomes little children to him in Mark 10:13-16. The disciples try to keep the children from coming, but Jesus welcomes them and blesses them. We had a great discussion about the kingdom of God. Jesus says something a little odd: He says "who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." (Mark 10:15) The kingdom of God isn't a place, it is the family of believers who are loved and love Jesus and love and care for one another. Then Jesus blessed the children. That turned us to the question of whether we can bless God? Blessing God means thanking, praising, adoring, recognizing and loving Him. Here is an example of blessing God.

May 5: Join us as we talk about a rich young man who has it all and his questions in Mark 10:17-31.

International Friends: Tuesdays, 10:30, Zoom.
We had a great time sharing our repurposed plastic. There were banks, plantings, beads and so much more. We heard a wonderful music recital. Check Facebook to see a good recording. We shared other ways we are spending our time including cleaning, organizing, crocheting, painting pictures and best of all, exploring cooking. Here are a few of our stuck in the house dishes:
Taralli
Temaki Sushi
Fudgy Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookie
Zucchini Waffles: Mix together and cook in a waffle iron.

2 shredded zucchini (you could substitute potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.)
3 eggs
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup flour (substitute almond flour)

May 5: We love hearing about each other and what we are doing. Come and tell us about your favorite books and reads or favorite movies. Share your screen as you share your story!

English Classes: Thursdays, Zoom.

When we started this year, we couldn't even imagine it could end it this way! That being said, it hasn't been all that bad!

I will be sending you a link to our Last Official English Class of the 2019-2020 school year. Please join us if even for just a little bit of the time so we can see you! If you have moved out of the area, you can still Zoom over and say hello. After time to say hello, I will send you to a "room" where you can continue to meet with your class and wrap up the year.

English with Children:

We had fun last week with Old McDonald. What sounds to animals make in Japan?
Here are some YouTubes to find out!

Old McDonald in Japanese 

Japanese Old McDonald-style song that teaches counting, too.

What about Pokémon style Old McDonald (in Japanese)?

Fun on Line:
Putting together jigsaw puzzles has become a popular pastime. You can spread the puzzle on the table or you can try some on your laptop: Indiana On Line Jigsaw Puzzles

for the most part: usually
flight plan: pilots have file planned route with authorities
pilots: people who fly planes or steer barges
specified number: requirements
maintain their skills: remain relevant
warrior: someone who's job is to fight to defend
salute: officially recognize
boots on the ground: people who are in the middle of a fight
zooming: moving quickly; this is a funny pun! Get it? Zooming along!
survey: questions that answers help to guide decisions and direction
spike out of control: move quickly and not be controlled or monitored
by appointment only: you have to have a specific time set with a person; you can not walk in for service
back on track: move to a state of being as before
bless: lavish thanks, praise, recognize officially, anoint
substitute: use something instead of something else
that being said: at the end of the day, afterall
all that bad: not terrible
certificate: a document that gives value to something or someone
states: physical and legal divisions within the United States
tribes: groups of indigenous Americans that live in a physical local (lo-CAL)
localities: pronounced (lo-CAL-i-teez), a town or specific area, neighborhood
territories: physical locations that are governed and protected by the United States Federal Government, but do not have all the full rights of a state
meanwhile: while we are waiting