Is spring really here?

The past week we've experienced some unusual weather in New York. It has been very warm, almost hot on some days. It was 70 degrees this past Wednesday! In March it's mostly cold and having some snow would be common. Last year at this time, we still had snow covering most of the streets and making it a difficult commute to work and/or school. On average March has a temperature of around 45 degrees. March is mostly cold and sometimes the most brutal month of winter. We had a few flurries of snow about a month ago and no real cold weather. We had more snow on Halloween than we did during the typical snowy months of the year. This has been a very warm winter and I'm unsure if the winter was actually here. Will we have snow in June or did we just luck out and have an amazing winter? Hopefully the second thought is the correct statement, if not just remember that you saw it here first!

Word Bank
Experienced -Take note of something that happened

Unusual - Something that does not occur everyday
Common - Something that happens a lot

Commute - The travel (by car, bus, train etc.) to get somewhere

Average - The middle of two or more items
Brutal - Very tough or harsh

Flurries - Snowing but very little snowflakes

Typical - Something that can happen everyday

Statement - A comment

Using the word bank listed above, fill in the sentences with the correct word.

It is ____________ for boys to grow one or two inches over the summer.
It is ____________ for boys to grow one or two feet over the summer.
I wake up at 7 for a _______ day of work.
Since it takes me two hours to drive to work, I must leave enough time for my ___________.
I have been lucky enough to have ___________ many great moments in my life. 
Although I've driven to work in one hour and 45 minutes, on ________ it will take two hours.
A snowstorm may cause work to be cancelled but snow ________ can cause a longer commute.
I disagree with the Mayor's _________ about having a curfew.
Some places of the world have ________ temperatures where it can be over 100 degrees during the day and under 30 degrees at night. 

Vocabulary Exercise: 
Some of the words listed above have similar meanings, but if you use the wrong word in a sentence it won't make sense. Below are nine sentences with the wrong vocabulary being used. Can you change the word to make it a correct sentence? Good luck!

On commute, the education field has more females than males.
The snow common was making it hard to see out the window.
As I was on my daily typical, there was more traffic than normal.
The snow was coming down in an flurries way because it was snowing sideways.
The baseball player had a batting experience of .324 in the 2011 season.
The unusual temperature in a New York winter is probably around 35 degrees.

The statement college student takes five years to graduate a four year college in America.
That is not an average statement, it actually takes students a year longer to graduate.
On brutal, students change their major at least once which causes them to be in school longer.

 Free writing activity
We are having great weather in New York in March. In one paragraph, describe the weather in your hometown. Are you having a regular winter or is it very warm or very cold? Explain the usual weather for your town at this time.

The Voice

The four judges in their seats and the host standing in the middle.

I was at the college earlier today attending a religion workshop. Since I am a graduate student I must fulfill the obligation of going to one workshop per semester. Undergraduate students have to do two per semester, so I guess I escaped that burden. After the workshop, I was craving baked ziti but didn't feel like cooking. So I did the next best thing and stopped at a pizza place and had a baked ziti slice. As I devoured the delicious slice of pizza, I was watching a television show called The Voice. I never saw it before but it was pretty entertaining. There are four judges who listen to a person sing, if one or any of the judges like the singer they hit a button of approval. Each judge then has 12 singers on each team and then each team competes against each other. The thought of the show always sounded very intriguing but up until today, I never saw it before.

Word Bank
Attending - Going to

Fulfill - Complete

Workshop - A place or activity to go to for learning

Escaped- Leave

Burden - Having to do something, usually something that you don't want to

Craving -  In the mood for something

Devoured - Quickly eat

Delicious - Something very tasty

Entertaining - Amusing

Approval - Okay; allowed

Intriguing -  Appeal or grab

Using the word bank listed above, fill in the sentences with the correct word.

Last week I attended a ___________ about how to use the computer.
The Rolling Stones made a famous song called "Beast of ________."

I was so hungry, I ______ the meal in just 10 seconds!

Maybe I ate so quickly because the food was ___________.

Will you be _____________ the prom this year?

I think going to the circus is very __________.

After I smelled smoke I _______ through the rescue window. 

I will not give you my ________ to date that person.

In order to go to college, you must ________ all of your high school requirements.

Red cars are very ___________ to me. 

I always have a ________ for soda after I exercise. 

Grammar: Synonyms
There are many words that can be used to describe something, but they basically all mean the same thing.  For example, if somebody described a cold day he or she could say it was frigid or freezing. Although it is two different words, the meaning is the same. Using the words below in column A, match the synonym in column B to the correct word.

Column A                                                                                Column B

Attending - Going to                                                                 Attract

Fulfill                                                                                        Exit

Workshop                                                                                Permission

Escaped                                                                                   Accomplish

Burden                                                                                     Urge                                       

Craving                                                                                    Anxious                       

Devoured                                                                                 Interest Delicious                                                                                  Appear
Entertaining                                                                              Meeting
Approval                                                                                 Scrumptious

Intriguing                                                                                  Gobble
 Free writing activity (pick one) 
Have you ever watched The Voice television show? Even if you don't watch The Voice, write a short story about your favorite show. What day/time is it on? Do you always watch it at your house or with friends?  
I can't stop thinking about the baked ziti pizza I had for dinner! Write a short story about your favorite food. Who makes this food the best? Do you only eat it on special occasions?