Nate's Reading and Writing Classes

By Nate Feldman I'm the Boss, Carla Gets a Prize The other day was one of the most amazing days in Carla's life!  She was having a normal day at work when someone told her that Manny the Monster wanted to see her in his office. She felt a little nervous because Manny was the boss, and everyone knew he could be very serious. Taking a deep breath, she walked to his office and knocked on the door. “Come in!” Manny said in a loud voice. Carla entered the room and greeted him politely. Manny smiled and reminded her, as he often did, that he was the boss. Carla responded with humor, saying that he was not only the boss, but also “the sky, the sun, and the moon.” Manny seemed very pleased with this compliment. Then, Manny got straight to the point. He told Carla that she had won a prize. At first, Carla was surprised and asked what kind of prize it was. Manny explained that she had been chosen as Employee of the Month. Even more exciting, she would receive a $10,000 bonus. Carla ...

 By Nate Feldman Sentence Structure: *4 sentence types in English. Simple Sentence: Subject + verb +adjective/noun/prepositional phrase Ex. My name is Nate.   I am a teacher.   I am in class today.   I am happy.   Today’s class is good.   Compound Sentence: Simple Sentence + conjunction + Simple Sentence My name is Nate.   I am a teacher at ELS Philadelphia.   = My name is Nate , and I am a teacher at ELS Philadelphia. Nate and Daniel are teachers at ELS.   I teach and speak English.   I am happy and excited today. I work at ELS.   I have a good time there = I work at ELS, and I have a good time there. I study a lot.   I get bad grades = I study a lot, but I get bad grades. I study a lot.   I get good grades = I study a lot, so I get good grades. I can eat dinner at a restaurant.   I can eat at home = I can eat dinner at a restaurant, or I can eat at home. You can listen to me, or you can ign...

By Nate Feldman Reading Passage: A Terrible Day Yesterday was one of the worst days I have had in years. It began when I overslept and missed an important meeting at work.  I thought I had set my alarm, but apparently I hadn't. In my rush to leave the house, I spilled coffee on my clothes and had to change again, which made me even later. When I finally got outside, I realized I had missed the bus, so I decided to take an Uber, but the traffic was completely congested, so we were stuck for a long time. As a result, I arrived at work almost an hour late. Unfortunately, my manager was not understanding and seemed quite disappointed.  "This is really unprofessional, and I had higher expectations for you," he let me know. To make matters worse, I later discovered that I had left my wallet at home, so I couldn’t buy lunch, so I walked around completely famished throughout the afternoon. By the end of the day, I felt exhausted, frustrated, and eager to go home, rest, and of cou...

By Nate Feldman The other day was a really terrible day.  It all began in the morning when I accidentally ran through a red light while going to work.  A police car was there and pulled me over.  I was given a ticket.  Then, when I got to my job, my classes were so bad.  Students fell asleep during the lesson and told me I am so boring.  One of the students shouted in incorrect English, "This class is suck!"  That evening, I had two football games.  My team lost both of them.  I made some mistakes during the game.  So, it was truly an awful day, and I hope not to have a day like it again!

By Nate Feldman Maria had one of the most unique and wonderful experiences while vacationing in New Mexico.  On a sunny day in New Mexico, Maria and her brother drove along a special road called the “Musical Highway,” which is located on historic Route 66. As their car moved over the rumble strips, they heard a familiar song: “America the Beautiful.” The music played only when they drove at the right speed, 45 MPH to be exact, so they slowed down and listened carefully. Maria smiled as the notes echoed across the desert, making the wide land feel even more magical. They had never heard a road sing before. For Maria, it was a moment she would always remember—a simple drive that turned into a beautiful and surprising experience. Multiple Choice Questions Where were Maria and her brother driving? A. California B. New Mexico C. Texas D. Arizona What made the highway special? A. It had bright lights B. It was very long C. It played music D. It had many cars What song did...

 By Nate Feldman Driving on the Musical Highway in New Mexico was an unforgettable experience for Maria.   She was driving along the Highway on a warm, sunny day. She felt excited because she had heard that this special road can play music. As her car moved over the bumps in the pavement, she suddenly heard a familiar tune.   It was America the Beautiful. The sound came from the road itself, and it made her smile. The desert around her was wide and quiet, with brown hills and a bright blue sky. Maria slowed down, then drove again to hear the music one more time. She laughed and thought it is like magic. This unique experience made her trip more fun and unforgettable.

 By Nate Feldman When you "Take something into your own hands," it means you try to deal with the situation without asking for any help.  For example, I don't think anyone will help me start my business, so I will take things into my own hands. For discussion: Do you like to take things into your own hands, or do you prefer to rely on others to help you?

 Lina stood on the stage with a deep breath, holding her guitar tightly in her hands. Bright lights shone above her, and she could see the large audience waiting quietly. She felt nervous, but she remembered how much she loved to perform music. Around her, other musicians carefully prepared their instruments , making sure everything sounded perfect. When it was her turn, Lina slowly walked to the center of the stage and began to play. At first, her hands shook a little, but the soft sound of her guitar filled the room. The audience listened closely, and soon some people began to smile and clap along with the rhythm. Her friends in the front row tried to encourage her by cheering, clapping, and giving her a thumbs-up. Their support helped Lina feel stronger and more confident. By the end of her performance, she was smiling, and the audience gave her loud applause. Lina realized that even though she was nervous at the beginning, she could still do a wonderful job. Multiple Choic...

By Nate Feldman When I was young, I dreamed of becoming a professional musician, but I did not have the courage to do so (topic sentence) .  Also, no one really encouraged me because they thought I had no talent.  But, when I entered my thirties, I began teaching myself piano.  I started by playing very simple songs.  In time, the simple songs became more advanced.  I heard about a music festival in a small town in Pennsylvania.  They said anyone with any musical skill level could sign up and play for an audience.  It seemed like an exciting opportunity, so I signed up for it (beginning of the story) .  On the day of the performance, I got on the stage and began playing the songs I know on piano.  For a moment, I got nervous, and I forgot how to play one of my songs.  I froze for a little bit.  I couldn't believe it because I played that song so many times in my living room.  But, on the stage, I couldn't remember anything....

By Nate Feldman In pairs, students will take turns acting out the words from P. 4 in the book:  disability, instrument, perform, encourage, stage, appearance, audience, documentary, lively, situation  For example, (teacher pretending to play an instrument) Student: Oh, you are playing an instrument , right? Teacher: Yes, I am playing an instrument .   Note: You don't have to be perfect actors.  Just try to have fun with doing the vocabulary words. 

  Fill in the Blank Activity Word Bank: documentary, lively, perform, disability, encourage, stage, instruments, appearance, audience, situation Directions: Fill in each blank with the correct word from the word bank. Each word is used once. The students will __________ a play at the school talent show. The band brought their __________ to practice before the concert. The teacher tried to __________ her students to do their best. The actor walked onto the __________ as the curtain opened. The crowd was very __________, clapping and cheering loudly. The movie we watched was a __________ about wildlife in Africa. The speaker talked about living with a __________ and overcoming challenges. Her neat __________ made a great first impression at the interview. The __________ watched quietly during the performance. In this __________, it is important to stay calm and think carefully.

By Nate Feldman Helping People with Down Syndrome: A Problem–Solution Essay Recently, we watched a movie in class about a basketball team with individuals that have Down syndrome.  At first, the coach, who was forced to take this position by a court, doesn't take the work seriously.  But, eventually, he appreciates what he does and the players he has.  People with Down syndrome are valuable members of our communities, but they often face many challenges in everyday life. These challenges include social misunderstanding, limited educational opportunities, and fewer employment options. Although society has made progress in supporting people with disabilities, many barriers still remain. To create a more inclusive world, communities must improve awareness, expand educational support, and increase employment opportunities for people with Down syndrome. One major problem is lack of public understanding . Many people still have incorrect ideas about individuals with Down syndr...

  By Nate Feldman "The Boy Who Went to the North Wind," is a short play based on a Swedish folktale.  In the story, a poor farming family, a mother and young  boy have their flour blown away by the North Wind.  The boy goes to the North Wind's home to discuss this.  The wind unrepentantly says that it blows away whatever comes in its way.  But, out of pity for the boy, who claims he and his mother will starve now, the Wind offers a magic tablecloth which will give an abundant amount of food when wished upon.   The boy jubilantly takes the tablecloth and begins heading home.  However, along the way, he must spend the night at an inn.  The innkeeper asks for a silver coin, but the boy doesn't have any money.  However, he tells the innkeeper he has a magic tablecloth that provides abundant food when wished upon.  He shows this power to the innkeeper and his wife.  They allow the boy to spend the night, but they devise a plan ...

By Nate Feldman Warm-up activity: with your partners, guess which articles to use (a, an, the, or put nothing if it isn't necessary).  1. She has always wanted to become ___ astronaut. 2. ___ Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. 3. We had ___ dinner at an expensive restaurant near the river. 4. ___ honesty is often considered ___ virtue. 5. They stayed at ___ Hilton Hotel during their trip to Paris. 6. I need ___ information you mentioned earlier. 7. ___ life can be unpredictable at times. 8. ___food waste is a big problem in many countries. 9. He is ___ expert in artificial intelligence. 10. ___ United Kingdom has a constitutional monarchy. 11. You are ___unique individual.  12. She’s in ___ hospital recovering from surgery. 13. That’s ___ best solution to the problem. 14. He has ___ deep understanding of quantum physics. Writing Practice.  We are writing problem/solution essays this month.  Write briefly (short) about a   big problem.  Wha...

By Nate Feldman *Warm-up.  Do the vocabulary exercise on P.165. *Speed-read about food waste. In a time defined by technological advances and agricultural abundance, it may seem paradoxical that hunger and food insecurity persist. Yet one of the most urgent global issues is not food scarcity, but food waste. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), approximately one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted each year. This remarkable figure highlights inefficiencies within modern food systems. Food waste occurs at every stage of the supply chain—from agricultural production and post-harvest storage to processing, retail, and final consumption. In developing countries, losses often result from inadequate infrastructure, limited refrigeration, and insufficient transportation networks. Conversely, in wealthier nations such as the United States and the United Kingdom , waste primarily occurs at the retail and consumer levels. Supermarkets fr...

By Nate Feldman Speed Reading Activity In the 21st century, environmental issues have become increasingly complex, interconnected, and urgent. While industrial development has improved living standards for millions of people, it has also accelerated ecological degradation, or destruction. One of the most pressing concerns is climate change, largely driven by greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. International agreements such as the Paris Agreement aim to limit global temperature rise, yet implementation remains inconsistent across countries. Climate change is not an isolated issue. Rising global temperatures intensify extreme weather events, including hurricanes, droughts, and floods. Melting glaciers and polar ice sheets contribute to sea-level rise, threatening coastal cities and island nations. Furthermore, warmer oceans disrupt marine ecosystems, particularly coral reefs, which are highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations, or extreme changes. Another major enviro...