[Notes: These are all materials that I used to supplement the lesson Breakfast in the Kitchen (p.24-25) from Oxford Picture Dictionary Content Areas for Kids, and the specific choice of vocabulary in the storybook is influenced by that lesson. However, I think these materials could be used for any general lesson on describing homes, and so I'm including them here.]
Thursday, November 20, 2025
Classroom Vocabulary
(TESOL Materials--School Vocabulary)
Slideshow: slides, pub (I used this slideshow to present the vocabulary, and also to do a board race)
Link: Classroom Objects- Plural Nouns (I used these cards for quiz quiz trade).
[Note: This vocabulary is based on the vocabulary from pages 2 and 3 of Oxford Picture Dictionary for the Content Areas. But I believe this material could also be used independently for any lesson on school vocabulary, so I'm posting it here.]
Interesting post: Interstellar Space Travel Will Never, Ever Happen: It's basically impossible and they know it.
I believe I've heard this stuff before, but as a big science fiction fan, I'm liable to forget it, so it's worth reminding myself about it every now and again. And might mention this in my upcoming review of Foundation, once I finish reading it.
Monday, November 17, 2025
Judas and the Black Messiah: Movie Review
This is my first time watching this movie, so according to my new rules, I'm doing this as a video only review.
Links to stuff mentioned:
* Watch the trailer here: https://youtu.be/sSjtGqRXQ9Y?si=DeqwYEQc93X0Oujr
* Watch the Eyes on the Prize Episode on Fred Hampton here: https://youtu.be/Okl0j9jz_Nk?si=0FrGzMFU2Atkzz1j
* FBI Informant William O'neal’s Full Interview: https://youtu.be/rE9oCQwXyW0?si=PP_ZNXE-0H2YJr_r
* My high school report on the Black Panthers: https://papersiwrote.blogspot.com/2005/12/black-panthers.html
Related Playlists:
Movie Reviews Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x6N06WoIoV2fLb6xRYrepTk&si=iWMhXdwlxxKxm6r6
Movies that I watched in 2025: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x67grGI4ZJsBc8QYFa5cSvu&si=oZDgEqLXtgLsGB2A
History Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x52uI39vSXVrJvUFjdN9QkL&si=IkwsRH5HTXptL1kk
Did you enjoy this review? Consider supporting me on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/joelswagman
Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/JoelSwagman
Check out this movie on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4i3avz7 (This is an Amazon Associate's Link. If you buy anything through that link, I get a commission.)
Sunday, November 16, 2025
The Tudors: TV Show Review
Links to stuff mentioned:
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/2013/11/bible-mysteries.html
Related Playlists:
Scripted Reviews Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x5BKcEIufNKlS58JHU_glyL&si=Pje0KQqIqOgWGGUI
Did you enjoy this review? Consider supporting me on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/joelswagman
Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/JoelSwagman
Check out this series on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3K5Od3d (This is an Amazon Associate's Link. If you buy anything through that link, I get a commission.)
Thursday, November 13, 2025
Oxford Picture Dictionary for the Content Areas (Supplementary Materials Index)
(Supplementary Materials for Specific Textbooks Subdivisions)--This index uses the style described in this post here.
Google Drive Folder HERE
Unit 1: General Knowledge Folder
1 The Classroom p.2-3 Folder
Check out this book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3K3QcVL (This is an Amazon Associate's Link. If you buy anything through that link, I get a commission.)
The Myth of the Plow translated by Benjamin R. Foster (from Before the Muses): Summary & Discussion
Other titles: Dynasty of Dunnum, Theogony of Dunnum, Theogony of Dunnu, The Harab Myth
As I mentioned in the video, this is a reread of sorts, because I read this myth before when reading Babylonian Creation Myths by W.G. Lambert. But since I opted not to review it then, I'm counting this as a first time review.
From my reading of Before the Muses: An Anthology of Akkadian Literature Edited by Benjamin R. Foster
Links to Stuff mentioned:
* My review of The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology by Robin Hard: https://youtu.be/8yuLBgQbJ8A
* Dynasty of Dunnum Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynasty_of_Dunnum
Related Playlists
* Classic Books Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x53EsuWSZ-z0uFGL_0Jl6F1&si=giDKwvKMzCWtXvzl
* Book Review Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x7dao6py7ODX_PkUvrAEch7&si=kiFeTonJJ3Ux5H1T
* Books I read in 2025: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x7Fev7Uv6_tzuSf84LtYwQu&si=Im1rdozRXrgGnr99
* Babylonian / Akkadian Literature Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x5BtyzrSv3NMPA3VpzLIuq8&si=x0yeQPCkXyxtPCr4
* Before the Muses: An Anthology of Akkadian Literature Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x4Cvg1Yw4LQyKEXIwDwo1m0&si=X6OZ7Ectw-fzHbCn
* Akkadian Literature: The Mature Period 1500-1000 BC Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x545tikwEDqcgD_qmFqtLUF&si=XlI2gaYNnh1HGPyf
I was able to read this book thanks to the Michigan statewide state-wide interlibrary loan service called MeLCat, which may be in danger thanks to a Presidential executive order. If you, like me, enjoy using MeLCat, contact your local representatives and let them know.
Did you enjoy this review? Consider supporting me on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/joelswagman
Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/JoelSwagman
Check out this book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4k08VgZ (This is an Amazon Associate's Link. If you buy anything through that link, I get a commission.)
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Quiz Quiz Trade
(TESOL Ideas--Any Vocabulary Set)
This activity was recently introduced to me by one of the trainers at my school.
As it was explained to me, it works like this:
Each student is given a flashcard (or printed paper) with a picture of a vocabulary word on it. Each student has a different picture.
They walk around the room and find another student to pair up with. Then, each student asks the other one "What is this?" The other student must identify the picture.
Then, after both students have quizzed the other one, they trade pictures, so that each student now has a new picture.
They must then go and find another student to quiz with their new picture.
This activity can also be used for grammar points if a student is given a prompt that requires using a grammatical feature in the answer.
I've done a brief search online just now, and have found a few websites that do a better job of explaining this activity than I have done. So see also here, here, here, etc.
Rosie: A Visiting Dog's Story by Stephanie Calmenson and Justin Sutcliffe
Yet another book that I used in my reading groups just because my school library had multiple copies of it. When every student can follow along with their own copy, it makes it was easy to use as a class reader.
I'd never heard of this book before. It looks like it was published in 1994, so after my elementary school days. Although with the stilted "made-for-school" style the book is written in, one could easily imagine it having been published in the 1970s or 1980s.
Everyone likes a cute dog story, so this book works well enough in my classroom. Although when my students asked what Rosie is doing now, I had to tell my students that Rosie is most likely dead at this point. (That's the problem with cute dogs.) Which sobered the mood of the class a bit.
I was able to easily find ready made Kahoots on this book, which indicate it must be popular in other classrooms.
Speaking of which, here are the Kahoots: Rosie, the Visiting Dog's Story comprehension test, Rosie, A Visiting Dog's Story. I used both of these Kahoots in my class, and also combined them into one Kahoot. That Kahoot is here.
Check out this book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/49hY3cy (This is an Amazon Associate's Link. If you buy anything through that link, I get a commission.)
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
There's a lot of useful stuff on this padlet, and the owner of the padlet has said that we are free to share it with a larger audience. So I thought I would share it here on this blog for any other TESOL teachers who are interested.
It can also be found at this link: https://bit.ly/EL-Padlet
Wacky Wednesday by Dr. Seuss
I've already done this book before as part of my Storybooks ESL Listening, but I was doing it for a Kindergarten class recently, and so I found it useful to convert it into another format. I found a copy of the book online here. I also used screenshots from a Youtube video that counted all the wacky things.
In my class, I did most of this as an all class activity, but for the final wacky count, I gave students each a copy of the page, and they tried to circle all the wacky things, before I revealed the answers.
Supplementary Material:
Google drive HERE:
My video HERE
I also found coloring pages can also be found at this link here.
Check out this book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JSeC4p (This is an Amazon Associate's Link. If you buy anything through that link, I get a commission.)
Monday, November 10, 2025
* -at word family Kahoot
This is a Kahoot game for practicing the -at word family.
It is copied from this Kahoot here. I made a copy because I thought number 6 on the original was wrong.
Bathroom Vocabulary
(TESOL Materials--Houses)
[Notes: These are all materials that I used to supplement the lesson The Bathroom (p.22-23) from Oxford Picture Dictionary Content Areas for Kids, and the specific choice of vocabulary in the storybook is influenced by that lesson. However, I think these materials could be used for any general lesson on describing homes, and so I'm including them here.]
Midwest Futures by Phil Christman: Book Review
Started: October 18, 2025
(This is my first time reading this book, so according to my new rules, I'm doing this as a video only review.)
Related Playlists:
* Books I read in 2025: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x7Fev7Uv6_tzuSf84LtYwQu&si=Im1rdozRXrgGnr99
Did you enjoy this review? Consider supporting me on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/joelswagman
Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/JoelSwagman
Check out this book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/499fls7 (This is an Amazon Associate's Link. If you buy anything through that link, I get a commission.)
Sunday, November 09, 2025
Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry G. Allard Jr. and illustrated by James Marshall
Once again, I selected this book for my reading group primarily just because the school library had multiple copies of it.
However in this case, this is also a book that I have fond memories of from my own childhood.
It's a book in which the teacher wins against the children, so it's not the type of book that children are children are supposed to like. And yet it's done with such humor, and such funny illustrations, that it's easy to like. I liked it as a kid, and my students now really liked it. (They've even asked to read it multiple times.)
According to Wikipedia, this book is the first book of a series of Miss Nelson books. I think I may even vaguely remember the other books from childhood, but I'm not 100% sure.
Supplemental Materials:
Kahoots: I found two kahoots suitable for use in the classroom here and here. I combined them both into this kahoot.
Check out this book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/49PVrTk (This is an Amazon Associate's Link. If you buy anything through that link, I get a commission.)
At War With Asia by Noam Chomsky: Book 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/2013/12/at-war-with-asia-by-noam-chomsky.html
The first 10 minutes are just me talking about Noam Chomsky in general. I don't actually start talking about this book until about 10:00
For my other videos on Noam Chomsky, see this playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x4asr_lA15vM0dubN_1WoTZ&si=6j8q4GyrJN31-Zaa
As I mentioned in the video, the articles which make up this book can be found here: https://chomsky.info/articles/
Related Playlists:
Scripted Reviews Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x5BKcEIufNKlS58JHU_glyL&si=Pje0KQqIqOgWGGUI
Scripted Book Reviews Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x53WSp_2mGcDRHBR7ubQkDa&si=T_0QPBDOZqhqN-oa
Books About Cambodia Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x7Idx2itq2yFM9e1OFejNCR&si=TfrissAswF7k8uu8
Did you enjoy this review? Consider supporting me on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/joelswagman
Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/JoelSwagman
Check out this book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4oTgby2 (This is an Amazon Associate's Link. If you buy anything through that link, I get a commission.)
Saturday, November 08, 2025
Starting: Foundation by Isaac Asimov (This is a reread. I originally read it in 11th grade, and in fact I posted my high school book report here, and did a video based on that old report here.)
Check out this book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3X5aBwN (This is an Amazon Associate's Link. If you buy anything through that link, I get a commission.)
Friday, November 07, 2025
Bedroom Vocabulary
(TESOL Materials--Houses)
[Notes: These are all materials that I used to supplement the lesson The Bedroom (p.20-21) from Oxford Picture Dictionary Content Areas for Kids, and the specific choice of vocabulary in the storybook is influenced by that lesson. However, I think these materials could be used for any general lesson on describing homes, and so I'm including them here. If you're using this without the Oxford Picture Dictionary textbook, just omit practice 1 from the lesson plan. Also, if you'll using this in your own classroom, you'll need to change the lead-in to make it personal for you.]
Put on slideshow. Show picture of me in my bedroom. Get students to identify people and objects in the classroom, and try to elicit where it is. (bedroom):
Concept Checking questions: Do we eat in the bedroom? Do we shower in the bedroom? What do we do in the bedroom?
Have students identify other objects in picture if not already. (bed, closet, book, picture).
Ask students what else is in a bedroom.
Use the Google Gemini Storybook to present/elicit the objects in a bedroom.
Use slideshow to clarify vocabulary. Present pictures, elicit vocabulary words from students. Confirm the words. Then do oral drilling of pronunciation.
Try to elicit additional information about the objects (e.g. color), and try to drill some of the vocabulary in sentences.
Practice 1
Display pages 20-21 of Oxford Picture Dictionary on the projector. Ask students what things they can see. Elicit from students the objects in the picture. Ask additional questions to try to enlarge responses where appropriate.
Give to students a copy of p.20-21. Have students circle objects in the picture.
Practice 2:
Give out cards to students. Teacher calls out the card name, and the students have to find the appropriate card. Possibly get students to come to the front and call out the card.
If there is additional time, do one of the following activities:
Use the printed flashcards to play “What’s missing?”
Have students do coloring sheet
Play hot potato (see here)
Thursday, November 06, 2025
Describing Houses (Vocabulary)
(TESOL Materials--Specific Vocabulary Sets)
These are all materials that I used to supplement the lesson Home (p.18-19) from Oxford Picture Dictionary Content Areas for Kids, and the specific choice of vocabulary in the storybook is influenced by that lesson. However, I think these materials could be used for any general lesson on describing homes, and so I'm including them here.
* The House Tour Storybook--This was made using Google Gemini Storybook feature. It originally came from this chat here, but at the moment of this posting, the key part of that chat seems to have disappeared.
Describing People's Heads (Vocabulary)
(TESOL Materials--Specific Vocabulary Sets)
* Look and Learn Storybook / created from this chat here
These are all materials that I used to supplement the lesson Friends (p.14-15) from Oxford Picture Dictionary Content Areas for Kids, and the specific choice of vocabulary in the storybook is influenced by that lesson. However, I think these materials could be used for any general lesson on describing people's heads, and so I'm including them here.
* Look and Learn Storybook / created from this chat here--This was made using Google Gemini Storybook feature
* Draw a Head worksheet: docs, pub--I found this image on a Google image search. Unfortunately I no longer remember where I got it from, and so can't give appropriate credit. I used this for a listen and draw activity. I described a face and hair, and the students drew what I described.
* What does she look like? Song--I found this song on Youtube, and played part of it in the lesson since it fit the theme.
Wednesday, November 05, 2025
There's No Such Thing as a Dragon by Jack Kent
I decided to use this book with some of my students primarily because it was written at an easy reading level, and because my school had multiple copies of it (so in my reading group, every student could get their own copy.)
I'd not heard of this book before, but it looks like a classic. And according to Wikipedia, it was first published in 1976. When I started searching around for more information, I quickly discovered many people on the Internet claim to have fond memories of this book.
The other thing that quickly pops up when searching for information about this book is that it turns out that this is one of Jordan Peterson's favorite books. He's got a whole 40 minute lecture on it.
As for me, I don't remember this book from childhood at all. Somehow I must have missed it. But it's a short, but charming little story, and it worked fine in my class.
Supplemental Materials:
Kahoots: There's No Such Thing as a Dragon Part 1, There's no Such Thing as a Dragon Part 2, Parts 1 and 2 Combined
Check out this book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3LthmWo (This is an Amazon Associate's Link. If you buy anything through that link, I get a commission.)
-at words vs. -et words worksheet
(TESOL Worksheets--CVC words)
[Notes: This is a worksheet I used for practicing the differences between -at words and -et words. It is based on the words and images from -at cards and -et cards activities. Before giving the students this worksheet, I take out the relevant cards from those card sets, and practice those first. Then, they do this worksheet as a follow-up activity. In my class, it was assigned as homework.]
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Counted Out: Math is Power: Movie Review
This is my first time watching this movie, so according to my new rules, I'm doing this as a video only review.
I don't start the actual review of the movie until 15:00 in. The first 15 minutes are just me talking about all my thoughts about math in general.
Related Playlists:
Movie Reviews Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x6N06WoIoV2fLb6xRYrepTk&si=iWMhXdwlxxKxm6r6
Movies that I watched in 2025: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOY-0V_l_9x67grGI4ZJsBc8QYFa5cSvu&si=oZDgEqLXtgLsGB2A
Did you enjoy this review? Consider supporting me on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/joelswagman
Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/JoelSwagman
Tuesday, November 04, 2025
* Comparative and Superlative Adjectives Kahoot
I used this Kahoot in my class for comparative adjectives and superlative adjectives with elementary level students. It worked well.
* Superlative Wordwall
Here are two Wordwall games for superlative adjectives. I've used them in my class, and they worked well.
* Kahoot on Comparative Adjectives
I used this Kahoot in my class for comparative adjectives with elementary level students. It worked well.
Monday, November 03, 2025
* Kit the Vet and Pip's Big Flight / created from this chat
* Kit the Vet and Pip's Big Flight / created from this chat* Pip and the Wet Pet / created from this chat
These are storybooks I created using Google Gemini Storybook for reviewing the -et word family.
I'm not terribly happy with any of the books. They're okay, I guess, but not great. But here they are anyway.
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