Friday, April 24, 2026

True Romance: Movie Review



I got distracted by ranting about other stuff in this review, and I completely forgot to mention it, but this movie contains a few homage scenes to the 1973 movie Badlands.  For my review of Badlands, see here: https://youtu.be/4ZJNVhwqJDg

This is part of my so-called "Scripted Review" series, in which I make a Youtube video based on an old blogpost.  For more information on what this is and why I'm doing it, see HERE:
In this case, the old blog post is here: https://joelswagman.blogspot.com/2014/02/true-romance.html


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Thursday, April 23, 2026

Moonrise Kingdom: Movie Review


This is part of my so-called "Scripted Review" series, in which I make a Youtube video based on an old blogpost.  For more information on what this is and why I'm doing it, see HERE:
In this case, the old blog post is here: https://joelswagman.blogspot.com/2014/02/moonrise-kingdom.html

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Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Amphibians and Reptiles Vocabulary

(TESOL Materials--Animals)

* Slideshow: slides, pub (I used this slideshow to present the vocabulary, and also to do a board race.  I also print them out and use them as materials for quiz quiz trade.)
* Baamboozle: Reptiles and Amphibians (This is a game that I found.  I didn't make it.  It's not perfect, but it works with some support.)

[Note: This vocabulary is based on the vocabulary from pages 122 and 123 of Oxford Picture Dictionary for the Content Areas.  But I believe this material could also be used independently for any lesson on animal vocabulary, so I'm posting it here.]

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Badlands: Movie Review


This is part of my so-called "Scripted Review" series, in which I make a Youtube video based on an old blogpost.  For more information on what this is and why I'm doing it, see HERE:
In this case, the old blog post is here: https://joelswagman.blogspot.com/2014/02/badlands.html


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The newest of the Oldest Stories Podcast is out now.  (For my review of the whole series, see here.)



* Sigh, ads on Youtube are really out of control.  I get hit with an ad on this about once every 6 minutes.  I should just listen to it on my podcast app instead.  Next time I will.
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Tuesday, April 21, 2026

1st Grade Wida Familiarization Lesson Plan

(TESOL Materials--Test Familiarization)

Google: docs, pub

Overall Link


Listening:

  • Teacher Demo Part A (Estimated time: 2 minutes just to do the test, probably 5 minutes with explanations)

  • Students do Part B and Part C


Reading

  • Teacher Demo Part A (estimated time: 2 minutes–show highlighter, magnifying)

  • Students do Part B and Part C


Speaking

  • Teacher Demo Part A

  • Students do Part B and Part C

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Breton Downs Playground, East Grand Rapids (Early Spring)

(Travelogues--West Michigan)



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Monday, April 20, 2026

Creekside Park, Lowell City (Early Spring)




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Sunday, April 19, 2026

Matching Cards for CVC words with -ug


Google: docs, pub

I use these cards in several stages.
I start out with some of the alphabet cards from this previous activity.  I take the "U" card, and ask students what sound it makes.  Then I take the "G" sound, and ask what sound it makes, and then put the two cards together, and try to get students to tell me the sound.
I then take out several consonants, and get the students to tell me the sound, and then put these consonants together with the -UG to make different words, helping students to sound them out.  
At this point I put out the picture cards, and as we do different CVC -at words, I get students to identify the pictures.  
Once all the words and pictures have been identified, then we play a memory card game to match the words and pictures.  
Lastly, I put away the word cards, and just show students the pictures.  The students have to write down the word on their mini-white boards.

bug

dug

hug

jug

mug

pug

rug

tug


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This Week in Booktube: April 19, 2026
(These are the Booktube videos I watched this week. As always, I encourage you also to check out each of the videos I've linked to down below.  Support Booktube.  And let me know what you've watched this past week.)

Google document: docs, pub

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