Final writing assignment/期末作文

Hello!

How are you? The picture above is of a fireworks display in Tokyo Bay in the summer of last year. It was a special place and I had a great time! Did you go to a special place last summer? If you did go to a special place - or didn't, but wanted to go to some place - you can write about it in our final writing assignment (期末作文)!

In this blogpost, I'll tell you about our final writing assignment for the spring semester (前学期).

PROJECT
You have two (2) choices about your final writing project. Choose one (1) of them:

1. Write about a unique, interesting, or special person. 

In this topic, write about a unique, interesting, or special person you know, like a teacher, best friend, coach, or even a family member like a mother, father, brother or sister - or a famous person you think is unique, interesting, or special, like a singer, musician, actor, athlete, or a writer or artist.

I am gathering writing on this topic into a book called The Small Book of Big People. I started this last year with my students then, and I put examples of their work onto this blog. You can check them out at this link, and also at this link too.

2. Write about a unique, interesting, or special place. 

In this topic, write about a unique, interesting, or special place. It can be a place you have been to and that has had a big impact on you - or it can be a place you have never been to, but want to go to. 

I am gathering writing on this topic into a book called Places and Traces. This is a new book I have never done before. For this project, you can:

Use the pictures from this blog that I posted on May 20th (5/20) about places, or find your own picture and write about it.

You can use the place that you wrote about when writing about places, and make your writing about it bigger and longer.

HOW MUCH TO WRITE
How much do you write? I would like you to write as much as you can, because your work may be published (出版した) on both this blog and in The Small Book of Big People and Places and Traces books I talked about in class. 

I would like to see maybe one long paragraph with 9-12 sentences in it, or two (2) paragraphs with 6 to 9 sentences in them. 

DEADLINE (締め切り)
I want you to write a first draft (下書き) by next week (7/9) in your notebooks in pencil. I would like to look at it, and talk with you about it. I can give you comments, hints, and advice about it.

Then, after I have looked at it, I want you to write it as a Word file and send it to me as a file attachment (添付ファイル) to an email. 

IMPORTANT NOTE
I want your file correctly formatted, with a short message in your email, also correctly formatted. Please check the blogpost about formatting your Word file here. 

Good luck with this! I hope you can have fun with this, and enjoy writing about a person or a place.

Images: Tokyo Bay Fireworks (personal image)/Old man: "Old African Man" (courtesy of africa)/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Writing about a trend or opinion/トレンド、オピニオンを書いてる

Hello!

Image "Tokyo, Japan - Nov 24: Crowd At Takeshita Street On No" courtesy of Sira Anamwong/FreeDigital Photos.net

How are you? Today, let's begin writing about a trend or opinion.

First, here is a picture of three girls. It's from my generation in the 1980s, and they are wearing styles that were popular then.

Next, here is a picture of a typical hair style from the 1980s. This was very popular when I was in my early 20s, when I was only a little older than all of you:

What do you think of these clothing and hair styles? Are they like any styles that you see now, or are they different? 

Activity

Think of something that is popular now - any kind of music, (or even a band or singer), a TV show or movie, a game or sport, a place, or - as you see in the pictures above - even a kind of clothing style that is popular now. When did it start getting popular? Where did you first hear about it? Do you like it too? 

Write a short paragraph, about 4-5 sentences long, about it and what you think of it. (It's okay not to like it - you can write about what you don't like about it). 

Good luck - and see you next time!

Image credits: Three girls: by jeanne [Public domain]/New Romantic hairstyle: By alice_bag [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]/both images via Wikimedia Commons. All rights reserved to the authors of the original images. 

Word file attachment formatting/Word 添付ファイルのフォーマット

Hello! 

How are you? Today, I will show you how to format your Word files when you send them to me.

First, here is how your writing should look on your file:

Hiroshi Daitobunkamoto

Writing English IA

June 11, 2014

Title

Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz. Yyyy yy zzzzzz xx xxxxxx, yyyyy yy xxxxxx xxxx xxx yyy zzzzzzzzzz. Zzzzz yy zzzzz x yyy xx zzzzzzzzzz. Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz, yyyyy xx zzzz yyy xxxxxxxxxxxx y zzzzzz. Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz. Yyyy yy zzzzzz xx xxxxxx, yyyyy yy xxxxxxxxxxxxx yyy zzzzzzzzzz. Zzzzz yy zzzzz x yyy xx zzzzzzzzzz. Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz, yyyyy xx zzzz yyy xxxxxxxxxxxx y zzzzzz, yyyyy xxxxxx zz yyy z xxxx.

Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz. Yyyy yy zzzzzz xx xxxxxx, yyyyy yy xxxxxxx xxxxxx yyy zzzzzzzzzz. Zzzzz yy zzzzz x yyy xx zzzzzzzzzz. Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz, yyyyy xx zzzz yyy xxxxxxxxxxxx y zzzzzz. Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz. 

Now look at my notes: 

NOTES

This is the best font for all your writing: Times New Roman

Hiroshi Daitobunkamoto Your name

Writing English IA Class name

June 11, 2014 Date 

Double space here please! 

Title

 Double space here please! 

Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz. Yyyy yy zzzzzz xx xxxxxx, yyyyy yy xxxxxx xxxx xxx yyy zzzzzzzzzz. Zzzzz yy zzzzz x yyy xx zzzzzzzzzz. Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz, yyyyy xx zzzz yyy xxxxxxxxxxxx y zzzzzz. Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz. Yyyy yy zzzzzz xx xxxxxx, yyyyy yy xxxxxxxxxxxxx yyy zzzzzzzzzz. Zzzzz yy zzzzz x yyy xx zzzzzzzzzz. Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz, yyyyy xx zzzz yyy xxxxxxxxxxxx y zzzzzz, yyyyy xxxxxx zz yyy z xxxx. This is Times New Roman

Double space here please!  

Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz. Yyyy yy zzzzzz xx xxxxxx, yyyyy yy xxxxxxx xxxxxx yyy zzzzzzzzzz. Zzzzz yy zzzzz x yyy xx zzzzzzzzzz. Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz, yyyyy xx zzzz yyy xxxxxxxxxxxx y zzzzzz. Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz. 

This is how your writing should look on your file. Now I will show you some bad examples.

BAD EXAMPLES

This is the first bad example: 

Hiroshi Daitobunkamoto

Why is your name in bold? 

Writing English IA

Why is your title here? Title

              No space between the words and the comma (,). Why? 

?? Xxxx xx xxxxx,yyyyzzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz. You stopped writing here. Why? 

What is this space? 

Yyyy yy zzzzzz xx xxxxxx, yyyyy yy xxxxxx xxxx xxx yyy zzzzzzzzzz. You stopped writing. Why? 

Zzzzz yy zzzzz x yyy xx zzzzzzzzzz. Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy  ? Why stop here? 

zzzzzz, yyyyy xx zzzz yyy xxxxxxxxxxxx y zzzzzz.Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz. Yyyy yy zzzzzz xx xxxxxx,yyyyy yyxxxxxxxxxxxxxyyyz zzzzzzzzz. Why is your font bold here?

What is this space? 

Zzzzz yy zzzzz x yyy xx zzzzzzzzzz. You stopped writing here. Why? 

Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz,yyyyy xx zzzz yyy xxxxxxxxxxxx y zzzzzz, yyyyy xxxxxx zz yyy z xxxx Is this the end of a sentence? If it is, where's your period (.)? 

What is this space? 

Xxxxxx xxxxx,yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz.Yyyy yy zzzzzz xx xxxxxx, yyyyy Is your sentence finished? Where's your period (.)? 

What is this space?                                                                       No space between the sentences. Why? 

yy xxxxxxx xxxxxx yyy zzzzzzzzzz.    Zzzzz yy zzzzz x yyy xx zzzzzzzzzz.Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy 

What is this space? 

zzz x yyzz,xxxyy zzzzzz, yyyyy xx zzzzyyy xxxxxxxxxxxx y zzzzzz.xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz,xxxyy zzzzzz. 

Here is another bad example:

Hiroshi DAITOBUNKAMOTO

Jun 11,2014                                     Why is your family name in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS? 

TITLE

Why is your title in BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS?

Xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz. You stopped writing here. Why?

Too many spaces here!

        No space between the words and the comma (,). Why? 

Yyyy yy zzzzzz xx xxxxxx,yyyyy yy xxxxxx xxxx xxxyyy zzzzzzzzzz. You stopped writing! Why?

Zzzzz yy zzzzz x yyy xx zzzzzzzzzz.xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzzxxyy zzzzzz, yyyyy xx zzzz yyy 

What is this space? 

   xxxxxxxxxxxx y zzzzzz.xxxx xx xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz. Yyyy yy zzzzzz xx 

What is this space? 

xxxxxx, yyyyy yy xxxxxxxxxxxxxyyyzzzzzzzzzz. Zzzzz yy zzzzz x yyy xx zzzzzzzzzz.xxxx xx 

What is this space? 

xxxxx, yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz, yyyyy xx zzzz yyyxxxxxxxxxxxxy zzzzzz,yyyyy   

???? xxxxxx zz yyy z xxxx. You stopped writing! Why?

 Xxxx xx xxxxx,yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz.yyyy yy No period (.) after the sentence!

zzzzzzxx xxxxxx, yyyyy yy xxxxxxx xxxxxx yyy zzzzzzzzzz.Zzzzz yyzzzzz x yyy xx zzzzzzzzzz. Xxxx xx xxxxx,yyyy zzz x yyzz, xxxyy zzzzzz, You stopped writing here. Why?  

?? yyyyy xx zzzz yyy xxxxxxxxxxxx y zzzzzz. Xxxx xxxxxxx,yyyyzzz x yyzz, xxxyy??zzzzzz. 

What is this space? 

So please do not send me files like these. They are very difficult to read!

See you next class!

Writing about a gift/プレゼント、おみやげの描写

Hello!

How are you? Starting today I will show some great writing from all of you from our first writing assignment (作文 1) - writing about a gift. Here's our first paragraph. What do you think of it?

I think that is a small person who have wedding ring in this box. when new wife opens this box, a small person gives her it from new husband. It was bought at jewelry shop. It has a big diamond. 

That's interesting! Now let's read two paragraphs with the same Mother's Day theme:

I think that the box is not so big. I think that many colorful flowers are in the box. It is a present for my mother because it was Mother’s Day. It is not so expensive at that price. I bought it at the mysterious flower shop. Those flowers told my mother that always thank you. My mother was pleased very much.

I think the present in that box is for mother's day. So, I think there is something kind of an accessary in the box. I think it is silver and shape like a flower. Also, I think it is expensive for me because there are some jewels put on it.

Those were nice ones! Now let's look at this one. Click on the "read more" link to see more: 

Writing about people/人物を描写している

Hello!

Image "Beautiful Young Woman" courtesy of posterize/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How are you? Here's our 2nd writing assignment (作文 2): how to describe people (人物を描写).

1. Look at the picture at the top:

This person has black shoulder-length hair and dark eyes. She's slender and good-looking. 

2. Now here are some extra details about her clothes (洋服がさらに細かい描写): 

She's wearing a black sweater and gray scarf with blue jeans. 

3. So, a sample description (例え描写) about her looks like this: 

This person has black shoulder-length hair and dark eyes. She's slender and good-looking. She's wearing a black sweater and gray scarf with blue jeans. 

4. Now write about what you think the person's feelings are. 

This person has black shoulder-length hair and dark eyes. She's slender and good-looking. She's wearing a black sweater and gray scarf with blue jeans. I think she's...

Activity
Now let's try to do the same thing - choose one of the people in the pictures below. Write a paragraph (描写) about the person of 4-5 sentences about:

1. What he or she looks like and the clothes he or she is wearing.

2. What you think his or her feelings are. 

NOTE: In some of the pictures, you might not see the person's clothes, so you can just write about what  they look like and how you think they feel. 

1.

2

2. 
3. 

3. 

4. 

5.

llllll

6. 

7. 

Have fun!

Photo credits: 1. "Beautiful Young Woman" (courtesy of posterize) 2. "Preparing For Dinner" (courtesy of imagerymajestic) 3. "Smiling little girl 

Photo credits: 1. "Preparing For Dinner" (courtesy of imagerymajestic) 2. "Seated African Child" (courtesy of africa) 3. "Older Man With Hat" (courtesy of Rosemary Ratcliff) 4. "Asian Woman Have A Headache" (courtesy of tiverylucky) 5. "Old African Man" (courtesy of africa) 6. "Young Man Thinking Seriously" (courtesy of podpad) 7. "Asian Woman Smiling On The Bedroom Floor" (courtesy of Feelart)/All pictures from FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How to use a, an, the/a, an, theの使うこと

Hello!

How are you? Here's a special post about how to use a, an, and the. Knowing how to use these words is very important!

Using 'a' or 'an'

We use a or an with any noun. (aとかan は何でも名詞を使う。)

1.  'a'

例えば：Here is a textbook. 

textbook     textbook     textbook

textbook     textbook     textbook

(何でもテキスト。)

I like to study in a coffee shop.

coffee shop     coffee shop

coffee shop     coffee shop

(なんでもコーヒーショップ。)

Mark is a boy in our class.

Keiko         Takeshi        Mark                   

Maria          Taro           Anne

Maria is a girl in our class.

She writes in a yellow notebook in English class.

We eat our lunch in a large cafeteria.

2. 'an'

*We use an with nouns that begin with vowel sounds, and nouns with silent “h.” (anは名詞の母音とサイレント”h”が始める 。)

例えば：I eat an apple every day with lunch.

(何でもリンゴ。) 

I like to have an egg on toast with coffee for breakfast.

(何でも卵 。)

He has an idea about what to cook for dinner.

(…)

She’s wearing an orange dress today.

There’s an umbrella on the floor next to Keiko’s bag.

Our class will start in an hour.

Using 'the'

We use the with specific or particular nouns. (the は特定の名詞を使う。)

例えば：Here is the English textbook.

history textbook     Japanese textbook    

English textbook    science textbook

Starbucks is the coffee shop I like.

Doutor     St. Marc     Tully’s     Starbucks

Keiko is the girl in the first row.     

                     1^st row: 

Keiko         Takeshi        Mark     

                    2^nd row:  

Maria           Taro            Anne

Taro is the boy in the second row.

Russia is the largest country in the world.

Russia: 17,098,242 km²

Canada: 9,984,670 km²

U.S.: 9,826,675 km²

China: 9,596,961 km²

(…)

Mr. Suzuki is the teacher for our history class. 

Keiko, Maria and Anne are the girls in our Japanese class. 

The English class is down the hall next to the computer room. 

(Finally - look at my picture for this blogpost. This is the moon - so I could say something like this: The moon is rising over the mountains!) 

I hope this can help you to remember how to use a, an, and the. 

See you again!

Writing about places/場所・位置を描写している

Hello!

Image "Ancient Ruins In Delphi" courtesy of thephotoholic/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How are you? Today, let's do some writing about places! 

Look at the picture above. What feelings do you get about the place in the picture? What adjectives (形容詞) do you think of when you see this place? 

Activity
Here is an activity for you. Look at these pictures. Choose one and write a paragraph of 4-5 sentences about it. 

Homework
When you are finished, choose a different picture for homework. Write a paragraph of 5-6 sentences about it. 

Images: unattributed photographs in list from National Geographic except first image "Old Historical Church" (courtesy of Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net) 

and final image (personal photograph). I do not own the rights to the National Geographic or Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos images. They are uploaded strictly for educational use. All rights reserved.

See you next time!