Frequently Asked Questions about Coffee Frequently Asked Questions about Coffee Version 3.11 coffee@aomt.netmegs.com This FAQ is dedicated to coffee and all that goes with it. There are several newsgroups in which these topics may be of relevance, including rec.food.drink.coffee, alt.coffee, alt.food.coffee and alt.drugs.caffeine. I welcome any and all contributions to this FAQ. If you do not agree with the info in here please let me know or write an article for the FAQ. If you feel you can explain something better than I have, by all means rewrite the article and send it in. The quality of a brew depends on the following factors (in no particular order): Time since grinding the beans. Time since roasting. Bean quality (what crop, etc.). Water quality. Fact: Unless you are buying some major debris, bean quality is not very important, as compared to 1-3 and 5. Fact: A coffee can in the supermarket often contains major debris, so be careful when you choose. (See note below). Fact: Once you have freshly roasted and ground coffee, filtered water and equipment free of oil residues from the last brew, quality of beans makes a huge difference.

NOTE: A coffee can in the supermarket often contains a blend of Arabica and robusta beans while most coffee houses sell only arabica beans. Arabica beans are usually flavor rich, while robusta beans have more caffeine, less flavor and are cheaper to produce. When you buy coffee, whether in a coffee house or in a supermarket, you want to get 100% arabica, except for espresso blends, which may be a combination of both. My personal experience says that a 100% arabica espresso blend is better but many people (including many Italians) will disagree on this point, so go with what you like. For freshness, in a coffee house it is better to buy popular blends that move fast, while in a supermarket vacuum packaged containers with expiration date are your best bet. Chances are you will not get truly fresh coffee in a supermarket. This is an absolute fact if it is pre-ground. In a coffee house look for a shop that roasts in-house and ask what was roasted that day. If the person behind the counter does not know, ask to talk to someone who cares about coffee. If no one knows, go somewhere else.

As a side note, it should be mentioned that coffee is at its best after 12-24 hours, so you might be interested in day-old coffee as well if you plan to brew the same day. Also, grind your own coffee. Buying fresh and then having it ground defeats the purpose. Ground coffee only lasts a few hours or one day tops. What is the difference between arabica and robusta? Arabica beans and robusta beans are two different species of coffee. They are the primary species of coffee that find their way into the American cup. The general differences are those of taste, and the conditions under which the two species differ in production. Taste: Arabicas have a wider taste range, between varieties. They range in taste from sweet-soft to sharp-tangy. Their unroasted smell is sometimes likened to blueberries. Their roasted smell is perfumey with fruity notes and sugary tones. Robustas taste range is neutral to harsh and they are often described as tasting grain-like, oatmeally. Their unroasted smell is often described as raw-peanutty. Their roasted smell is often likened to burnt rubber.

Production Conditions: Arabicas are delicate, they require cool tropical climates, lots of moisture, rich soil, shade and sun. They are subject to attack from various pests, and are extremely vulnerable to cold and bad handling. Robustas are hardier plants, capable of growing well at low altitudes, less subject to problems related to pests and rough handling. They yield more pounds of finished goods per acre at a lower cost of production. Economics: Customs and trade, supply and demand over the course of the last 150 years has determined the relative values of arabica vs. robusta beans. Generally speaking, the best coffees are all arabicas and the highest quality blends are pure arabica blends. They are also the priciest. In the U.S. you will generally find arabicas in the coffee store and specialty food shop, and robustas in the supermarket cans and jars of instant. In Italy, home of espresso, the very highest quality brands are pure arabica, and like here, the popular-priced goods are blended with robusta beans.

Because "Imported from Italy" can make an ordinary supermarket quality Italian espresso a "gourmet" coffee in the U.S., you will find robustas in some Italian brands offered for sale in the United States. The coffee you like is a very personal thing. You may find that you really prefer the all-arabica blends, or you may feel comfortable with something less, just because you like it. That's OK. The American marketplace, thanks to the Specialty Coffee movement here, is now rich enough in roast types, species, varieties, blends, brews, grinds, and price points to have something for every taste and pocketbook. a. Whatever seems right to you. b. It may change slightly from coffee to coffee and according to freshness. c. What the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) has to say: A cup is defined as 6 ounces of water before brewing. This will produce 5.33 ounces of brewed coffee. Or 125 ml & 110 ml for Euro style coffee makers The SCAA defines 10 grams or .36 oz per cup as the proper measure for brewed coffee if using the American standards.

If using Euro standards the measure is 7 grams per 125 ml. To further confuse things I will add a few more measures: 3.75 oz per 1/2 gallon 55 grams per liter 2.25 gallons per 1 lb. If you want to know more check the SCAA's web page at d. According to "The Coffee Lover's Companion" by Diana Rosen, the standard is 2 tbs. per 6 oz of water. This to me seems very high but I have never tried it. e. My personal taste is 1 "standard measure" per cup of coffee. A standard measure is approximately 1 tbs. this is a plus or minus equation depending on the coffee I am using, the degree of roast (darker = more coffee due to weight loss to keep the same weight per ounce) and the coffeepot I am brewing in. I believe this should be approximately in line with the SCAA's advice. Drip Drip is the most common form of coffee served in the United States. This method essentially pours near-boiling water over medium-course coffee grounds to produce coffee. This is probably the easiest method of making coffee.

A few words about filters: There are two types of filter available for drip coffee. One type is paper. The other is a metal or plastic permanent filter. Neither is innately better but they do produce different coffee flavors. A paper filter will hold some of the essential oils that are being released from the coffee. Some people have a preference for this. In paper filters there are several brands that have various thickness and types of paper that will absorb more or less of the oils. One selling point for paper filters is that they are very easy to clean up; just throw them away. This of course means more landfill and more trees being cut down. Some people also feel that paper filters give coffee a papery taste. The permanent filter has some obvious advantages and disadvantages in relation to paper. I will add just a couple of ideas about them here. One, use metal; plastic won't last as long and may give your coffee an off flavor. Two, permanent filters require a slightly courser grind and you may get some sediment in your cup. This is probably comparable to the sediment in a coffee press. Press Pot aka French Press aka Cafetiere aka Bodum A French press is a glass container with a wire mesh attached to a plunger.

To make coffee, you first allow water to come very close to a boil but just short of this point. If you are heating water in an open pan, when you see the very beginning of a boil, pull your water. The overall temperature of the water from top to bottom should even out to be in the ideal range for coffee. If you are using a closed tea pot, this is the point where the water just begins to sound different in the pot. For more information on temperature see the section on water temperature. The press should be pre-warmed before putting the coffee in. This will help keep the glass from absorbing as much heat when the hot water is put in the press thus making for warmer coffee when you pour. The press should contain approximately the same amount of very coarsely ground coffee as you would use for drip coffee. Let it rest for 2-3 minutes or until it is easy to press the plunger down and then plunge the wire mesh. This filters the coffee. Course ground coffee is a must here or there will be a great deal of sediment in the cup. You will have a small amount of sediment no mater what. Due to the fact that there is no paper filter, all oils make it into the cup.

This is a great cup of coffee. Vacuum This is a method I have never experienced so if someone who has first-hand experience wants to redo this, let me know. The buildup of steam in the lower bowl forces the water up into the funnel, where it mixes with the ground coffee. A quick stir wets the grounds into the water, and a small amount of water left behind in the bowl keeps the steam coming and the temperature constant. Brewing continues for 2 minutes (it can go longer but you don't get any more flavor) and we then take the siphon off the hotplate. With no more steam being produced, a vacuum forms in the bowl, which sucks the brewed coffee down through the filter.I hear this gives a great cup of coffee and is quite fun to watch. Cona (the original) in England, Hario in Japan, and Yama Glass in Taiwan and Bodum make vacuum pots. Corey & Silex used to make them in the U.S. and Sunbeam also made a metal model with built-in heating. Percolator Percolators violate most of the natural laws about brewing coffee. Don't over extract the oils and flavor.

Percolators work by taking coffee and reheating it and throwing it over the grounds over and over and over again. Never reheat/boil coffee. This destroys the flavor. For best flavor, boil the water, pass it over the grounds and retain the heat. Don't reheat it. Violating these rules may not sound like much, but these are about the only rules there are. The effect of a percolator is to keep passing boiling water/coffee over the grounds until there is no flavor left and the flavor in the coffee is so dead that it's a worthless waste. Proper care of coffee makers... It is very important that you wash your coffee maker pot and filter container thoroughly at least once a week. Bitter oils stick to the glass container and plastic filter holder. I used to wash the plastic filter container and rinse the glass pot. Coffee started to taste bad. When I was told to wash both thoroughly with plenty of soap the flavor improved instantly. Note: To the naked eye rinsed and soap washed pots look the same (clean that is).

Another trick is every time you use your coffeepot, unless you are making another pot right away, put a couple of drops of liquid dishwashing detergent in the pot and run hot water into the pot. Let this sit on the counter till you need it again, rinse and you are ready to go. This does not replace the weekly or twice-weekly washing but helps keep it cleaner between washings. Some drip coffee makers require periodic cleansing with a solution of water and vinegar. If you have a coffee/teapot, the inside of which is stained with oily brown residues - also plastic/metal coffee filters, tea strainers, and stainless steel sinks in caffeine-o-phile houses - they can be restored to a shining, brand-spanking-new state by washing in hot washing powder (detergent). Get a large plastic jug, add 2 or 3 heaped tablespoons of Daz Automatic or Bold or whatever, and about a pint of hot water - just off the boil is the best. Swill the jug around until the detergent is dissolved, and then pour into tea/coffeepot, and let it stand for 5 minutes, swilling the pot around occasionally, just to keep the detergent moving.

Put the lid on and shake it a few times (care: slippery + hot) Repeat as necessary. Keep it hot with a little boiling water if needed. If you have a cafetiere, disassemble it, and soak the parts in the mixture for a few minutes, agitating occasionally. In both cases, the residue just falls off with almost no scrubbing. It does great things with overused filter machine filters, too. Important: Rinse off all detergent afterwards, use lots of fresh water! How to clean an espresso machine If the exterior needs cleaning, just use a good cleaner like Fantastik or the like - note though that Fantastik might actually remove some of the stamped on text and logos if they are painted on. If the interior needs cleaning, you need to decalcify it. Add about 3 oz. of vinegar to about 20 oz. of water, and let it run through the machine. Then run about 3-4 times the amount of fresh water. Several online coffee sites have info on decalcifying. If you can disassemble the frothing wand, do so - and get the wand almost sterile-clean.

If little rubber gaskets pop out, DON'T LOSE THEM and remember what order they go back on. Same thing goes for the brewhead - that's where the water comes out - most pump machines have a brewhead that can be removed with a single screw - tilt your machine on its side (make sure there's no water in it) and disassemble that part - again, do get it crystal clean - use toothbrushes, use a clean j-cloth, whatever it takes to get all the nooks and crannies. Once the machine is cleaned inside and out, run one more full batch of water through it, making sure you stop the pump just before all the water drains out. How to store coffee? One should always store coffee beans in a glass, air-tight container. Air and moisture are coffee's principle enemies. Glass is best because it doesn't retain the odors of the beans or the oils, which could contaminate future beans stored in the same container. However, if you use glass, make sure the container is not exposed to light, as sunlight is believed to reduce freshness. Buy only what coffee can be consumed in a week to a week and a half from the time it was roasted.

This is the only way to have truly fresh coffee. Do not freeze ground coffee. There are two key problems here. One, the freezing will damage some of subtle tastes in the coffee and two, when the coffee is taken out the container will sweat, exposing your coffee to moisture. What kind of grinder should I buy? First off, any grinder is better than having your coffee preground at the store. Pregrinding is just a way of insuring stale coffee. Perhaps the earliest form of grinding anything, whether it be spices or coffee, was the simple mortar and pestle approach. The item to be ground - or crushed as it were - was placed in the bottom of a bowl, and the blunt end of a stick was used to crush said item along the bowl's bottom and sides. Following this - and history tends to lead us down numerous paths - mechanical means replaced the mortar and pestle. Manually operated, the coffee (or, again, spice, wheat, corn... whatever) was placed between a stationary and a moving disc. The movement of the one disc atop the other created a grinding force. This is also known as milling; a term we carry into the present.

Milling has become very efficient with the use of electrical motors as opposed to horses, water, steam, or human-power. And milling, as a process, is as common to the agricultural industry as it is to coffee. To understand the benefit of milling coffee, let us first compare it to another popular grinding technique, the blade-style coffee grinder. Available in practically every housewares store in the world, the blade-style grinder uses a small, universal electrical motor to spin two metal blades at very high speeds. When in contact with the coffee beans, the blades chop and crush the bean's structure. Akin to the mortar and pestle for not creating a uniform grind, this method is quick and inexpensive. Many models of this type can be had for less than 20$US. A step up, and the primary focus of this article, is the burr style, or milling style coffee grinder. Like the wheat or corn grinder, and essentially identical to commercial, industrial-sized grinders, the burr grinder for today's consumer is available in a myriad of colors, features, materials, and prices. Why a burr grinder? As mentioned above, the blade variant of coffee grinders allows a varying particle size from the resultant grind.

The leading reason for the use of a burr grinder is the ability to produce a uniform grind of the beans. A uniform grind is important for a few different reasons. First, it provides an even surface area for extraction during whatever brew process you may wish to use. Second, for espresso, the uniform grind allows for even wetting and even packing of the grounds. How come? Let us return above. An even grind will provide for an even extraction of the oils from the coffee. Ill-proportioned grind will cause some of the coffee to over-extract, and some to under-extract. Over-extracted coffee will taste bitter and overly pungent. Under-extracted will taste weak and thin. Burr grinders, ideally and theoretically, pass an incoming bean under (or in between) its burrs once. Whether it be for one revolution or two, the bean, as it finishes its pass, is completely crushed into identically-sized pieces. Blade-style and mortar and pestle re-grind the coffee, which provides the inconsistency mentioned above. The Big Debate - Flat-Plate Burr Grinders vs. Conical Burr Grinders: Burr grinders are distinct by two forms.

The first is where the burrs are plate-shaped and lie atop each other. In the second model, the burrs are shaped like two mating cones; the grinding teeth facing toward each burr set. The debate lies with life expectancy (read: wear), grind consistency, and ease of cleaning. To begin with, both variations are easy to clean so long as the manufacturer designed the grinder to allow one of the two burr sets to be removed. To my knowledge, every manufacturer has done so. It is up to the owner to find the appropriate cleaning tool used to get into the teeth's grooves. Incidentally, a stiff bristled brush like that of a toothbrush works well. The debate flourishes here: does a conical burr-set wear more but provide a greater grind consistency and slower operating speed (due to prolonged contact between bean and burr), or does the flat-plate burr-set provide greater consistency and life because of its ability to operate at faster speeds? You decide. There are arguments for and against both parties. All in all, to the average consumer, this argument is like the blowing of the wind. Meaningless. "You get what you paid for." I mentioned this above.

And it is true, especially when you figure in other factors to your potential purchase. These factors are as follows: Does the machine come with a warranty? If so, how many years? May I try the machine first before committing to a purchase? Is the machine too loud? Is the machine easy to clean up? Does its spill or throw ground coffee all over the place? Is there service available in my area? If so, how much extra and how easy is it to obtain? Is the machine repairable by myself or a local appliance repairperson? Keep all of these questions on the tip of your brain when and after you go shopping. You'll find distinct differences between each and every model mentioned above. It is true that the higher you go, the greater the quality of the machine - both in materials used and end product. Consistency is still very much a driving argument and consistency is best achieved when higher-quality components and material are used. These are the biggest questions you need to keep on your mind: How much will you use this grinder and for what reasons? Do you plan on only grinding for one style of coffee? Do you plan on using it daily? Do you plan on using many different types of coffee beans?

If you can answer these questions, you can narrow down your search very easily. For more info and the full text of this article check out Another point that deserves attention is that many cheap coffee grinders have a tendency to have some type of static problems. Some of the more expensive models can also have these same problems so, as with other considerations, be sure to try the grinder before you buy. Caffe Latte aka Cafe au Lait A Caffe Latte is a single shot of espresso with steamed milk. There is not frothed milk in this drink. A Caffe Latte should have approximately 6 to 8 ounces of milk in it. (Note: ordering a Latte in an Italian restaurant may get you a glass of milk so be sure to order Caffe latte.) Cappuccino Cappuccino is traditionally equal parts espresso, steamed milk and frothed milk. Many coffee shops will add much more milk than this in the belief that bigger is better. This is not the case stick with the above proportions for good cappuccino. Marijuana Slang Terms: A Complete List - The Weed Blog TOP Meow M-CaT For Sale F2F SOUTH WALES ku krush How much does weed cost?

I don’t have a medical card nor do I grow illegally so I have to go out and find marijuana on the “black market.” One question that comes up often when talking to weed smokers all over is “how much should weed cost?” It’s an interesting question that depends on a lot of different factors. Here are a few things that go into determining the price of the weed you put into your bong bowl: 1.How good is the weed? Obviously, the dankest of the dank will run you more than a bag of swag. How to tell if your weed is good is a whole separate topic, but if you have been smoking for a while, you will know what you like.What part of the world do you live in? I have lived in many different parts of the U.S. And prices very wildly. I have paid as much as $70 for an eighth of an ounce and less then half of that in other parts.How good is your “connection?” This is a big factor.

If you are buying weed from a cool person who you are friends with, you are less likely to get shorted or taxed (for those of you who don’t know, this is the extra $5 to $10 someone could charge on top of the actual cost). That’s the risk you run when you buy from strangers.Is it harvest time locally? This is only important if you live in a place that marijuana grows well outdoors. When harvest time comes around, everyone is working to get rid of their crop at the same time, which brings the prices way down. Yes, the concept of supply and demand even applies to the weed market. All these factors combine to create a fair market price for your area. In Oregon, I consider $40-$50 for an eighth of an ounce (3.5 grams) or $250 — $300 for an ounce (28 grams) to be an average price for some good weed (no seeds, no unnecessary stems, well manicured, good smell, ect). But that’s Oregon where some of the best marijuana is grown (and a lot of it too!) so maybe I’m spoiled. I invite you to post what the average price for weed in your area is.

If you have a medical exception and your state has marijuana dispensaries, your input is also welcome. I don’t want this to become a “meet-a-dealer” advertising board but I think this is constructive debate that would be helpful for folks who want to know if they are getting ripped off or not. P.S. No names or anything incriminating please! “Big brother” could be watching Repo_Girl Damn I love Oregon. Great information! ku krush Utah – The worst state for a stoner dime- $10 Ive never bought more than a 2 ounces at a time. Yes I pay alot, granted it is all medical grade shit and it has only one stop from Humboldt county before it gets in my hands so I always get the leafiest, stickiest and freshest so Im willing to pay :) spinundrum so 2 half ounces is cheaper than an ounce… ? cokeheadted I have the same pricing in Fort Wayne, IN and it’s typically about 175-180 for a half.

2 hundo if you don’t know wtf you’re doing haha Jo Don’t be sad, in France/Germany/Belgium it’s the same price for good stuff, but in € … Panatella M. Dude, I’m from Utah and medical is at most $280 an ounce. If you pay more than that, you’re being ripped off. BooLovesMaryJane I get all of my medical grade shit for $190-$220 an oz :P dabmmkay In Austin, TX, crappy weed is called “Reggie” or “regs” (presumably short for “regular”). The good hydroponic stuff is also called “dro” :`} Nice list! yakima,WA. daps, bones, dingers, harry marry(grinded marijuana), bag, party puffs, pinch(1gram), hand(5grams), blood drug, and my favorite, POOT(marijuana smoker). Ciggy Gunja hen i saw giggle weed i instantly thought of harry potter and gilly weed Alexis I live in New Jersey, but I’ve never bought anything more than an eighth.

A dime is 10, a 20 sack (we call it a dub.. idk if anyone else does that) is 20, and an eighth will usually cost you 50 bucks. It’s good to live here if you’re a “casual” smoker, meaning you don’t smoke every day or by yourself. I’m an everyday smoker, but still sometimes it’s fun to split an eighth with a few people cause it’s cheaper and you can still get stoned. Harry Engle First bag I bought was a five finger lid for $15.00! Abe Gold Oaxacan Rainbow buds. Multi colored but many years since seeing one. William Oliver Marijuana being the less addictive drug is smoked by number of people across the globe has now grown more interesting with the use of slang terms. Its good to see more posts like this. Tin Tran google for “george tabuki” in quotations budd Im in Pa. I pay $300 an o for goods Twest903 In northwest indiana I’m getting o’s of good for $280 Joe everyone It is dumb to smoke marijuana unless it is for some serious medical condition.

Ellis Diaz Alwright Ron White of the blue-collar comedy tour said–in response to a question by his doctor of weather he had a condition that marijuana could treat–that he felt depressed whenever he ran out of weed, and that having marijuana cured him of that depression. Well played, Mr. White, well played! Ellis Diaz Alwright Ron White of the blue-collar comedy tour said–in response to a question by his doctor of weather he had a condition that marijuana could treat–that he felt depressed whenever he ran out of weed, and that having marijuana cured him of that depression. Well played, Mr. White, well played! Keith Ritman Could you elaborate on WHY its so dumb. Recently Proved double blind placebo studies Cannabis either Kills or Treats with no side effects. Athsma, Bursitis, Cancer, MS, hangovers, reverses liver damage caused by alcohol, fixes damaged brain pathways, too many others to list. In addition it treats depression, and prevents bad health in general. So please do your research before making claims that have already been debunked. PS, two of best athletes in the world admit using it.

The first two states that completely legalized it have teams in the Superbowl and the NFL says they are considering it as therapy. Please formulate a lucid response and save your self from embarrassment. Keith Ritman How about starting with the word Marijuana. Its a slang term from the government itself. The Proper name is Cannabis Catherine Sidman Kindergarten Phonics Phonemic Awareness: Same and Different Sounds Lesson Plan Home > Lesson Plan List > Same and Different Consonants Lesson Plan Kindergarten Phonics and Phonemic Awareness: Same and Different Sounds Lesson Plan Words in My Pocket Objectives: Students will learn to discriminate between words that begin with the same beginning sounds and those that with different beginning sounds. Students will indicate awareness of same and different beginning sounds by responding with a physical movement. About the Concept: Phonemic awareness, a critical pre-reading skill, includes three abilities: discrimination, isolation, and manipulation of sounds in words. For example, students can discriminate that the words cat, call, and coffee all begin with the same sound, whereas the word dog begins with a different sound. If students can isolate sounds, they can state that the words cat, call, and coffee all begin with the sound /k/; whereas the word dog begins with the sound /d/.

If students can manipulate sounds. they can replace the first sound in the word cat with other sounds, producing the words rat, sat, hat, etc. Students must learn to discriminate sounds that are alike and different before they can move on to isolating and manipulating sounds. The song, Words in My Pocket, in this lesson gives students plenty of practice in discriminating one word in each group that begins with a different sound from the others. The auditory discrimination that students develop in preschool years or kindergarten prepares them for decoding and spelling words through phonics. This lesson plan uses music, rhythm, and play activities to encourage students to listen, practice, discover, and create words and phrases with the same and different beginning sounds. Each time a beginning sound is discovered to be different from the group, students respond physically, reinforcing the concept by including more of the total body in the learning experience. The imaginative and silly things found in the illustrated pockets in the song, Words in My Pocket have great appeal to students, giving them the feeling that they are playing, rather than learning. It should be stressed that, at this stage of development, discriminating beginning sounds is an auditory skill, rather than a visual one.

In other words, students recognize same and different beginning sounds when they hear them but do not generally have the skill level to read or spell the words in the song. However, for students who already recognize some letters and sounds, song lyrics on the Mini-Charts can help build skills in spelling and reading simple words beginning with same and different consonants. This lesson is the third in a series of five lessons. The previous lesson, Kindergarten Phonics Phonemic Awareness: Consonants , teaches students to recognize groups of words with the same beginning sounds sound. The next lesson in the series, Kindergarten Phonics Phonemic Awareness: Sounding Out Words , teaches students to separate words between onset and rime and to blend onset and rime into whole words. Materials: Sing Your Way Through Phonics Ready-to-Read! Mini-Charts (pp. 30-42) Optional: picture cards and/or objects beginning with any of the following letters- b (ex. book, ball, bell, balloon, belt, bear, bee, bird), c or k (ex. cup, crayon, carrot, clay, cat, kitten, kangaroo), d (ex.

doll, dime, dish, dirt, diaper, duck, dog, dragon, dinosaur), f (ex. feather, fan, flashlight, fish, flower, fork, fox, fly, fish), g (ex. glue, glass, glove, grapes, grasshopper, gorilla, goat), h (ex. heart, hammer, helicopter, helmet, honey, hook, horn, hen, horse, hippo), j (ex. juice, jelly, jam, jack-o-lantern, jacks, jaguar, jellyfish), l (ex. leaf, lemon, lamp, lace, lid, lettuce, lion, lamb, ladybug), m (ex. milk, mitten, mask, magnet, marble, mirror, mouse, monkey), n (ex. nail, napkin, nickel, newspaper, nut, nuthatch, newt), p (ex. pencil, pen, paper, penny, popcorn, potato, pumpkin, penguin, pig), r (ex. rice, rope, ring, rock, ruler, rabbit, reindeer, rat, raccoon), s (ex. star, salt, sock, spoon, scissors, seal, spider, squirrel), t (ex.

toothbrush, truck, tape, towel, top, turkey, tiger, turtle), w (ex. water, watch, whistle, watermelon, wagon, wheel, wire, worm, whale, woodpecker). Note: If you do not have the CD or Mini-Charts, you can still teach this same and different sounds lesson plan using the folk tune listed on Phonemic Awareness song Words in My Pocket Song Lyrics page. For this level, it is good practice to include pictures, for visual reinforcement. Order our cost-saving Ready to Read Combo online. Procedure: Place four objects or picture cards on the table. Three of these should begin with the same sound and one should begin with a different sound. Ex. book, ball, bell, toothbrush. Ask students to group the objects together that have the same beginning sounds. Name each object slowly and clearly. See if any students can identify the beginning sounds as /b/ and /t/. Repeat this process with other objects listed in the Materials section above. Say,“In this song, there are a number of things in each pocket. Most of the things begin with the same sound but one thing begins with a different sound.” Turn to Mini-Chart p.30.

Say, “Let’s look at the first picture and name what is inside the pocket.” (book, dog, baby) “Which two begin with the same sound?” (book, baby) “Which one begins with a different sound?” (dog) “Let’s say just the beginning of the word book (/b/) and baby (/b/). Now let’s say just the beginning sound in the word dog. /d/.” Turn to Mini-Chart p.32. Say, “Let’s look at the first picture and name what is inside the pocket.” (fish, fly, turtle) “Which two begin with the same sound?” (fish, fly) “Which one begins with a different sound?” (turtle) “Let’s say just the beginning of the word fish (/f/) and fly (/f/). Now let’s say just the beginning sound in the word turtle. /t/.” Turn to Mini-Chart p.34.

Say, “Let’s look at the first picture and name what is inside the pocket.” (swing, clock, clover) “Which two begin with the same sound?” (clock, clover) “Which one begins with a different sound?” (swing) “Let’s say just the beginning of the word clock (/c/) and clover (/c/). Now let’s say just the beginning sound in the word swing. /s/.” Turn to Mini-Chart p.36. Say, “Let’s look at the first picture and name what is inside the pocket.” (doll, dart, dish, spoon) “Which three begin with the same sound?” (doll, dart, dish) “Which one begins with a different sound?” (spoon) “Let’s say just the beginning of the word doll (/d/), dart (/d/), and dish (/d/).” “Now let’s say just the beginning sound in the word spoon. /s/.” Turn to Mini-Chart p.38.

Say, “Let’s look at the first picture and name what is inside the pocket.” (girl, grass, tree, goat) “Which three begin with the same sound?” (girl, grass, goat) “Which one begins with a different sound?” (tree) “Let’s say just the beginning of the word girl (/g/) and grass (/g/), goat (/g/).” “Now let’s say just the beginning sound in the word tree. /t/.” Turn to Mini-Chart p.40. Say, “Let’s look at the first picture and name what is inside the pocket.” (rock, sun, stick, sock) “Which three begin with the same sound?” (sun, stick, sock) “Which one begins with a different sound?” (rock) “Let’s say just the beginning of the word sun (/s/), stick, (/s/), and sock (/s/).” “Now let’s say just the beginning sound in the word rock. /r/.” Turn to Mini-Chart page 42. Ask students to name the things in each pocket and identify the one object that begins with a different sound.

Say, “Now let’s listen to the song Words in My Pocket and try to join in. Every time we find something in the pocket that begins with a different sound, we are going to clap, stomp, or knock on our tables when we say that word.” “Watch me and I’ll help you clap, stomp, or knock in the right place.” Play Sing Your Way Through Phonics: Ready to Read! Track 5. While singing, point to the appropriate pictures in the Mini-Charts and lead students in physical movements on the odd-numbered pages. You will be clapping, stomping, or knocking once on the last word of the sentence, “The different word is ___.” Play CD Track 5 again and ask students to sing along, This time, allow students to point to the appropriate pictures on the Mini-Charts and have students lead in the clapping, stomping, or knocking movements as they identify the words with the different beginning sound. Follow-up: Practice singing Words in My Pocket every day for a week. Then try singing the song with the instrumental track on the CD (Track 6). Do the students remember all the words to the song?

Review any parts of the song that are giving them difficulty and use the pictures on the Min-Charts to aid memory. If the words of the song are well-remembered, ask the students to come up with other movements besides clapping, stomping, and knocking to show that they know the words with different beginning sounds. Ex. slapping thighs, jumping, bending, thumbs up, standing/sitting, stepping forward/backward, etc. Help students create other sets of words for the song. Make 5 copies of Mini-Chart template pp. 82-83 and pp. 84-85. Help students come up with new words for the blanks. On pages 82 and 84, decide on the body movements you want to do. On pages 83 and 85, decide on three or four objects to put in the pocket. All but one of the objects must begin with the same sound. See the Materials list above for suggestions. You do not need to replace all of the verses. Allow students to illustrate the new lyrics in the pockets on the Mini-Chart template.

Place pages with new words in a 3-ring binder in page protectors and sing with the instrumental track on the CD (Track 6). If you have not replaced all the verses, sing the original verses on the parts of the song that do not have new examples. Extensions: Make a collage of magazine pictures and clip art that contain groups of words that begin with the same sounds. Label the display, “Which things begin with the same sounds?” Allow students to visit the display during center time or free play and encourage them to identify groups of objects that begin with the same sounds. Ask other questions such as, “Which beginning sound has the most pictures?” and “Which picture is the only one with that beginning sound?” and “How many pictures begin with the /b/ sound?” Play a sorting game with picture cards as suggested in the Materials list above or add your own picture card ideas. Have students sort pictures by beginning sounds. For example, pictures of boy, ball, book, and beans go in one pile. Pictures of lion, leaf, lock, and lemon go in another pile. Try this activity at first with only two different beginning sounds. When students have mastered this level, try the activity using pictures with three different beginning sounds.

You can also have students sort these cards into piles for 1) begins with /b/ and 2) does not begin with /b/. Students who know some of their letters and sounds can help spell or write words with beginning sounds that they create for the song. Evaluation: Students sing all the words to the song on Mini-Charts pp. 30-41 without assistance, or Students indicate initial conconant discrimination by making appropriate movements on the words in the song with different beginning sounds, without assistance. Order our cost-saving Sing Your Way Through Phonics Ready to Read Combo online ($33.95) containing the CD, Mini-Charts, Song Lyrics, and Teaching Suggestions — everything you need for this lesson! Or, print out an order form to mail/FAX to us. The Language of Silver Marks | Martha Stewart The Language of Silver Marks Photo: Johnny Miller Comment Twitter Google+ Martha Stewart Living, November 2002 The question I hear most often at antiques shows is, How do you know whether something is silver? People aren't necessarily looking only for sterling; they just want to know what they're buying.

Most of the time, you can find the answer simply by turning over the teaspoon, fish fork, ice cream saw, or cheese scoop (antique flatware is that specialized). On the reverse side, you usually find an indented mark or series of marks that holds a wealth of information about the item -- not only what it's made of, but sometimes also where, when, and by whom it was made. This applies to hollowware -- such as cups, bowls, teapots, and vases -- too. The first step in deciphering these marks is to learn what kinds of silver are out there. Some of the oldest American silver is coin, which contains an amount of the precious metal that was set by the U.S. Mint for coinage after the American Revolution: Coin made from 1792 to 1837 is composed of at least 89.2 percent silver and, thereafter, 90 percent. Sterling, in contrast, must be at least 92.5 percent silver.

This standard -- 92.5 parts pure silver to 7.5 parts copper alloy, which strengthens the softer silver -- was established by the English during the 12th century and later adopted by most of the silver-making world, including the United States in 1868 Many people think of coin as much less valuable than sterling, but it has only about 2 percent less silver and, in some cases, may even contain more. Because of its age and beauty, a piece made from coin can sometimes be worth more than American sterling. Silver plate -- a coating of pure silver on a base metal such as copper or nickel silver, which is actually an alloy of nickel, copper, and zinc -- was a later development. Various forms date to the 18th century. Electroplating processes were invented in England in the 1830s and 1840s; this method is still used. Hotel silver is electroplate that was manufactured for use on trains and steamships and in restaurants and hotels. You can dent a sterling sugar bowl very easily, but a similar piece of hotel silver can be dropped without much harm because the underlying base metal is stronger than silver.

Certain alloys, referred to as Venetian silver and Nevada silver, consist of nickel and silver. Although they're solid metal rather than plated, they contain less silver than sterling does. These lower-grade compounds are often less costly than silver plate but don't polish up as brightly. The next step is to learn the meaning of the most common silver marks. England's system of hallmarks -- a variety of official emblems stamped on silver to attest to its purity -- is one of the oldest and most detailed. Laws dating to the 14th century established strict requirements for marking silver; the first emblem was a crowned lion's head to certify sterling. Hallmarks are stamped in a row on all sterling: The lion symbolizes British sterling -- and because its appearance has changed through the years, this hallmark alone can help date a piece. Symbols for the city of origin include an anchor for Birmingham and a crown for Sheffield (since 1975, a rose). Another mark is the head of the reigning monarch. A letter stamp provides the date of manufacture: Each year is assigned one letter of the alphabet; a new cycle starts with a different font.

Until the 1500s, the symbol for the silversmith was often a plant or an animal suggesting the family name. Today, initials are used. American marks weren't enforced as systematically and were therefore never as elaborate. Early coin silver was often marked with the maker's name, and nothing else; sometimes it doesn't show even that. (Unmarked objects, of course, present the greatest mystery.) Eventually, manufacturers also started using the word coin. With the adoption of the sterling standard after the Civil War, silversmiths continued to stamp their own names on the back, along with the word sterling or the number 92.5 or 925, all of which indicate sterling quality. Some companies used symbols as a commercial logo. The Gorham company's mark was a row of three emblems: a lion (for sterling), an anchor (for its base in Rhode Island), and a "G" (its initial). Some American silversmiths mimicked British hallmarks to lend their wares prestige -- rather than to convey specific information. Silver plate has its own codes in the United States and abroad.

The maker or company name is usually stamped on the back of the piece along with an indication that it's plated: in America, for instance, A1, AA, EP, sterling inlaid, or silver soldered. By industry practice, AA has one-third again as much silver used in the plating as does A1. Like faux hallmarks, the terms "sterling inlaid" and "silver soldered" attempt to improve their status by association, here, with sterling silver. "Sterling" alone means solid sterling silver; if other words accompany it, beware. Learning to distinguish plate from sterling and American from European silver is a good starting point. Beyond that, you will have to do your homework; even the experts rely on books. Three volumes cover the most ground for a beginner: Kovels' "American Silver Marks," by Ralph and Terry Kovel (Crown; 1989); "Silver Flatware," by Ian Pickford (Antique Collectors' Club; 1983); and Silverplated Flatware, by Tere Hagan (Schroeder; 1990).

A final tip: It's a good idea to bring a small, cheap jeweler's loupe when you go shopping. I need one for house sales held early in the morning or for those where the tableware has been relegated to a garage illuminated by a single lightbulb. With silver marks, it's a tiny world, so it's best to come prepared. American Solid Silver Early U.S. silver is often simply marked "coin." S. Brown manufactured this sterling piece, as indicated by the name, but the hallmarks that follow are bogus, imitating the English system because of its cachet This example of coin carries the name of the silversmith, N. Matson. On the back of this sterling fork, the lion, anchor, and "G" identify the Gorham company. On a spoon handle marked with the maker Crosby, Honnewell, and Morse is the number 925 -- a code for sterling. Nonsterling American Marks A wide range of symbols were used by U.S. manufacturers to designate silver plating and solid lower-grade alloys.

A1 and AA These discreet markings indicate the number of ounces of pure silver used in the plating: 2 per gross of teaspoons for A1, 3 for AA. EPNS Electroplated nickel silver, or EPNS, is an alloy of nickel, copper, and zinc that's covered with a layer of pure silver in an electrochemical process. Nickel's resemblance to silver helps disguise any worn spots in the plating. Venetian Silver This flatware made of a blend of silver and base metals is solid, not plated, but has a much lower silver content than either sterling or coin; it carries pseudo hallmarks. Treble Plate

Question: Which word can go before Pot, Cup and Spoon to make three other words?
Answer: Tea