Your Vote on the Federal Budget: Results

Some of you will remember taking the CIVIX survey last year on the federal budget:

1. Dec 13
2. Jan 16
3. Dec 12

Well, the results are out! Here are some links:

1. Official Student Budget Consultation Site
2. Global News articles and infographics

Are you glad to have had a voice even as you work towards settlement and citizenship?

Well, today our Minister for Finance presented the budget. To see it graphically, read more (click on the link below).

Wednesday's Assignment

Canada, as we have studied in class, celebrates cultural diversity. You do not get punished or discriminated for believing something different from others. You are encouraged to learn from one another. For Good Friday and Easter, there is freedom to believe as you please regarding the holiday. Check out the tasks for today:

1. Listening Comprehension: “Easter Egg.” Write on your blog other examples of "Easter eggs" that you know about.
2. Watch the video and discuss this pagan Easter goddess with a partner.
3. Reading Comprehension: Easter Trivia 

BONUS Activity: If you'd like to compare the secular or pagan understanding of Easter (above) with the historical, check out this video and exercise.

Welcome Back! And Here's Monday's Assignment.

1. Role Play: Diversity at Work
2. Writing: Update your blog with a post on your March Break activities, field trips, or cultural adjustments in Canada. Include any relevant pictures or videos! Have a classmate check your work before posting.

Death and Taxes, the Latter for Now

The IRS (Internal Revenue Service), of course, is the U.S. equivalent of our CRA, the Canadian Revenue Agency.

As American statesman Ben Franklin once wrote, "in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."

In Canada, you can file your taxes on paper or through Netfiiling, which could be either tedious, doing it by yourself, or expensive, if you hire a professional. The good news is that there are number of free government-certified software available, including  SimpleTax, GenuTax, and StudioTax. Those with iPhones or Androids can consider using SnapTax.

Pencil this into your calendar: There's a deadline to file your taxes, April 30. And there are other tax-related deadlines as well. Don't be late!

Sweet Memories Ahead of March Break

In wondrous 4-degree weather, our class and Level 6 - 7 and Workplace English headed out to the great Canadian outdoors at Kortright for a taste of Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival.
Yue, Jun, Lan, Ivy, Nora, Amanda, Kim, Katie, Young, Lena, Patrick, Ruohong, Dorina, and Safaa took in the fresh air, lectures, and tiny swig of that unbelievable syrup.
What a way to enter the March Break! Thanks be to God!

For some, the first time on a big yellow school bus!

Those who are going from Don Mills Station to the ballet rehearsal on Tuesday can check this map:



View Larger Map
More pictures and a video clip below:

Friday's Field Trip: Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival

The key word is to be punctual. Please come at 9 a.m. and meet in the lobby downstairs to wait for the yellow school bus that will take us there. We should be back before 2:30 p.m.
The bus are for those who have prepaid the entrance fee $7.75.
Please dress appropriately. Read the FAQ if you have any questions about the festival.

Field Trip to Toronto Reference Library

 

Thank God, it materialized, finally, this long-awaited trip to TRL!

 

Smiling participants Ghada, Amanda, Safaa, Patrick, Young, Dorina, Jinni, Lan, Lena, Yana, Ivy, Katie, and Sam pose with our host, librarian Liana.

 

Everyone got an info pack, most had a chance to tour the library, some got their new library cards, and a bunch of us enjoyed a Korean lunch on Yonge Street.

 

 

 

 

 

Field Trip Wed March 6 to the Reference Library

We're leaving from Bayview Station at 9:15 a.m. on Wednesday, March 6, to go to the Toronto Reference Library. Please meet at the station about 10 minutes before that.

Our guided tour of the ESL section begins at 10 a.m., and if the weather's good, we could go for lunch together, somewhere.


Let's hope our long-awaited, multiply-postponed trip finally materializes!

Monday's Assignment

Welcome to a week on Health & Safety: Healthy Lifestyle!

1. Role Play 1: Going on a Diet 
2. Role Play 2: Fad Dieting  
3. Record your role play with your partner on Vocaroo.com.
4. Listening Comprehension: Healthy Lifestyle 
5. Check out this page on the Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival. What are the individual and group rates? Discuss (in English) what you might be interested in seeing there.

Friday's Assignment

Today's tasks focus on things you can do with your family:

1. Check your blogs using Peter's writing/editing tips.
2. Role Play: Spending Time with Family   
3. Plan and record on Vocaroo.com ideas for next year’s Family Day. Then post on blog.
4. With a partner, plan a list of things you hope to do at the Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival. Compare your list with another pair of partners.

BONUS: When you've finished with the above, you can check your unofficial composite CLB results as of end-February.

Ski Trip Pictures: Thanks, Lan!

Brave participants all raring to go!

More pics and a video ...