2º ESO Final Project: "ThiS iS WhO I aM"

Hi, There!!!,

Today, I'd like to show you some of my students' works, I'm really proud of them! These are really nice. From my point of view, these tasks are really motivating and enriching for them. So, whenever I ask my students to do this type of tasks, they learn and have fun while they are doing them. It's truly worhtwhile!!

This year, I asked them one question: WHO ARE YOU? Then, I told them: Take it easy and answer the following questions:

Earth Day

Hi, Guys!!!, 

Every year, it is celebrated the Earth Day on 22nd April, to make people aware of preserving the environment, in order to stop global warming, to take care of animals, seas, to stop cutting down trees, to recycle and reuse things, ... to appreciate where we live. Because of that, I'd like to show you the following video, it's so wonderful!!!

Let's check your Reading and Comprehension

Hi, Guys!!!, 

If you need to practise and check your reading and comprehension, click on the following links to read some texts, then you can do some exercises about the text and check your answers. Don't be lazy and start reading now!!!

Burlingtonbooks 1 The Chess Champion Is a Woman

Burlington Books 2 Hi-Tech Fashion: The Trend of the Future?

Burlington Books 3  Hotels off the Beaten Track

Burlington Books 4  The Great Houdini

Burlington Books 5  Steve Prefonteine: One of the Greatest Long-Distance Runners Ever

Burlington Books 6  The Magic Touch

Burlington Books 7 "The Grass is Greener on the Other Side”

LeaRNinG EnGLisH with FaiRY TaLeS

HI, GUYS!, 

As you well know, one of the funniest way of learning English is reading a tale, and it's far better when you already know the plot, the characters, it's easier for you to follow it ... but this time, let's read the story in English. So, you can improve your vocabulary and find out that "Cenicienta" is called Cinderella in English, "Blancanieves" is Snow White, and so on.

Now, let me post some tales from learnenglishkids.britishcouncil

(Undoubtedly, it's a great web, you'll find fantastic games ,songs for Kids, and special sites for parents and teachers. Don't waste time and click on there!!!)

Last but not least, do you dare to read these English tales as BEDTIME STORIES to your children? It could be a great chance to practise your English and let your children learn too. What do you think?

Once upon a time ... ;-)

Kate Morton, a great contemporary writer

Hi, There!,

Do you know KATE MORTON? Have you ever read one of her famous novels? 

Well, in my humble opinion, undoubtedly she is one of the best contemporary writers. K. Morton, born in 1976 in Australia, has written: The House at Riverton (2006), The Forgotten Garden (2008) and The Distant Hours (2010). All her novels have become best-sellers all over the world! 

From her early childhood, she loved reading books, especially those written by Enid Blyton. She grew up in Queensland (Australia) and after attending school, she studied a Licentiate in Speech and Drama from Trinity college in London. At the same time, Kate enrolled in a degree in English Literature at the University of Queensland, graduating with First Class Honors. On that basis, she won a scholarship and could complete a Masters degree focusing on tragedy in Victorian literature. 

Because of that, we could find many Gothic elements in her novels, since she is very enthusiastic of Bronte sisters, Dickens, Daphne du Marier, Poe or Lucy Clifford.

Therefore, I recommend reading her fantastic novels, all the characters are connected mixing current and past events, all her books are really entertaining and well-written. So, when you read an English novel, you can enjoy it and learn new vocabulary, don't you think so? 

I hope we'll never stop reading :)

English Readings for Secondary & Upper-Secondary Students

Hi, Teachers!,

If you need to test your students' reading and comprehension, I think you should look at the following link:

Breaking News English. This web can give you the chance to read current texts and news. Besides, there are a lot of exercises below to check your comprehension. 

I hope you'll find it interesting! :)

READINGS for Upper-Secondary (Key answers)

Hi, Guys!, 

If you need to improve your reading, you can click on BURLINGTON BOOKS. 

There are seven texts which can be interesting and helpful. Then, you must do the reading and comprehension activities, and check your anwers. Good Luck and don't waste time!!!

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Hi, there!,

Happy Thanksgiving Day!!! 

As you may know the fourth Thursday of November, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving Day to commemorate the arrival of the first pilgrims to the new world. 

This fact took place in 1620, after a long trip by a ship called Mayflower, a group of religious people arrived to the new lands. Therefore every year, they have a special dinner with some relatives and friends to remember that important event, and also, to feel grateful. 

 

If you are more interested in an accurate description of the origin of Thanksgiving Day, you can watch this interesting video.

Now, would you like to watch the famous Macy's parade in New York city? Since 1924, Macy's, this wellknown department store, organised this colourful parade, there are many important characters transformed into huge balloons. I hope you'll like it!

(Enjoy your meal, enjoy your grilled turkey!)

Free Books online, just register

Hi, Guys!

Would you rather read a real book or a virtual book? Well, some of you prefer reading a book using your Ipad, laptop, ...so, here you are!!! It's a great web, you can read novels, plays, poetry, essays, etc. if you register here: http://www.readprint.com/. You'll find many amazing books. 

Now, I hope you'll improve your reading skill in English ;p there are no excuses at all! :)

 At last, do you think that real books will disappear? Do you prefer buying books or reading them online?

(Well, in my humble opinion, I think virtual books may never quite substitute for real ones).

The Art of Croche and Knit

HI, There!,

London

Have you ever heard about YARN BOMBING? 

Well, this is a new fashionable form of Street Art! Many people who love croching and knitting decorate public places with their colourful works, as you can see in these pictures. What do you think? Do you like this work of Art? 

 

New York city

This recent street art is said to have begun in 2005, when the artist Magda Sayed knitted a cozy for the door handle of her Houston boutique, it has been spread around the world since then. So, many ephemeral works of art decorate and cover subways, metro seats, lamposts, sidewalk cracks, bikes, cars, statues, etc.  However, the yarn bombers usually do this at night, becuase it is illegal. 

 

One of the most famous yarn bombers is an American woman. She worked as a professional textile artist and she is graduated from California College of the Arts. The first time she saw yarn bombing, she was delighted, she thought it was beautiful, funny, surprising ... she loved this anonymous art and she decided to call herself "Streetcolor", then she started decorating her home ....

 By the way, last 4th November, many knitters and crocheters were invited by the mentioned artist Streetcolor to gather on Oak Plaza to mark the occasion of a museum yarn bombing.

I hope you'll find this post interesting and entertaining! I love creativity and art!

To my grandma and my aunt who love croching and knitting, they've made me lots of wonderful works of art!!!;)

Sarah Jessica Parker

Hi, there!,

Sarah Jessica Parker is undoubtedly one of the most famous women in the world, her image is always impecably chic due to her character Carrie Bradshow in the wellknown sitcom Sex and the City. Nevertheless, her beginnings were difficult...


SJP was born on 25th March in 1965 in Ohio. She grew up in a relatively poverty. From the very beginning, she trained in singing and ballet, and was soon cast in Broadway. In 1977 - 1981, Sarah was elected for a role in the Broadway musical Annie.


Afterwards, she appeared on the American sitcom Square Pegs, and later, on films such as Footlose or Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. In 1998,Sarah Jessica Parker starred Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City.

Thanks to her leading role, she won an Emmy Award and four Golden Globe Awards. There are also two films like sequel parts, after the TV serie, these were released in 2008 Sex and the City and in 2010 Sex and the City 2.

Now, SJP has her own perfume Lovely, as well as her fashion line called Bitten.

On May 1997, she married the actor Mattew Broderick. They've got three children and live in West Village in Manhattan (New York). She is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for the United States.


If you are more interested, click on here and watch this video about
Sarah Jessica Parker Biography - Biography.com

HoW to ImProVe YouR READING

Hi, Guys!,

Sometimes, you may feel disappointed or frustrated when you have to face a text and you can't understand it clearly, or you think you've already understood it, and that's the opposite... this situation is approaching a solution...

Well, if you really want to improve your reading, bear in mind it's just practise and time, but you need to be hard-working, patient and constant. Now, if I were you, I'd look at the following link http://www.englishclub.com/reading/, there you'll find many stories plus tests, short interesting articles, ... don't waste time and start reading now!!! ;)

http://www.englishclub.com/reading/test.htm

Westminster Abbey

Hi, there!,

Prince William and Kate Middleton are getting married in Westminster Abbey as Willam's grandmother, the Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh in 1947 .

If you travel to London, you can see this beautiful church at the centre, near the Houses of Parliament, next to the Big Ben and located just to the west of the Palace of Westminter.

This ancient church has been regarded as the place for British monarchs' coronations and royal weddings. But also, Westminster Abbey is very well-known due to its significant monuments and memorials, since many relevant people were buried there, such as Geoffrey Chaucer, who wrote The Canterbury Tales; Jane Austern , Charles Dickens, William Blake, Robert Burns, among others. Thus, there is an area within the church renowned as Poets' Corner.In addition, there is another area where many British monarchs are buried too, such as Henry III. and Elizabeth I. Other important people such as Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin are buried here too.

This Abbey will be always linked with the King Edward The Confessor, who constructed this between 1045 and 1050 AD. Three centuries later, after many coronations celebrated there, Henry III constructed this with its current Gothic style, This British monarch built his burial site, but he also wanted to emphasize the cult which had grown up around Edward the Confessor.

When you visit this great Gothic church, you can also see on the floor, in the centre of the nave, the tomb of the Unknown Warrior, an unidentified British soldier who was killed during the First World War and he was buried here 11th November 1920. There are many other graves on the floor, but this is the only one which is forbidden to step on. (See the photo).

Happy Easter!

Hi, there!,


Easter was originally decided in 325AD at the Council of Nicaea. The great Roman Emperor Constantine I assembled the early Christians to fix dates of important Christian events such as the date of the Easter festival. Since then, Easter has been celebrated on different dates. As a matter of fact, the Easter date is calculated by choosing the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox.

If you want to carry out some activities with your younger students, click on here, there are amusing ideas: http://www.dltk-holidays.com/easter/index.html

BUSKERS in London

Hi, Guys!,

Have you ever heard about BUSKERS? Who are they? What do they do?

Buskers are very common around the world, they are musicians who perform and share their music with everybody. You can find them in crowded squares, streets and even in the subway. Buskers always entertain people and earn some money.

In 2003, the London Underground busking scheme started to control this activity since it was illegal at the beginning. However, there are no restrictions in other places in London.

By the way, if you visit London, don't forget to go to Covent Garden Market, a lively place to enjoy busking.

Let's Improve Our English SKILLS

Hi, there!,

Have you ever visited http://www.manythings.org/?

It's really worthwhile if you want to improve your READING, LISTENING and PRONUNCIATION!!! Besides, you'll find many quizzes, word puzzles, slang expressions, grammar-activities and so on.

You can dowload the stories for your MP4, you can do different interesting activities that I'm sure these help you to improve. Don't waste time and take a look!!!

www.ManyThings.org
Interesting Things for ESL Students

Annie LeiBoVitZ, a Great Photographer

Hi, there!,

Have you ever heard about ANNIE LEIBOVITZ? But I'm certain you have already seen her amazing photos, they are so artistic, original, witty, brilliant, professional, ... and all the celebrities want Leibovitz to take them photos. Leibovitz claims she is more interested in what celebrities do than who they are. Maybe due to that, she can get these extraordinary pictures.


A great exhibition of Leibovitz's work of art was organised by the Brooklyn Museum from October 2006 until January 2007. This exbition included Mandela's photo, Demi Moore pregnant, ... and also, she included personal pictures.


In 1970s, she began working for Vanity Fair, then for Vogue. Besides, she has created influential advertising campaigns for American Express, Gap, Givenchy, The Sopranos, Disney and the Milk Board.


Now, it's time to admire Leibovitz's work of art.
SHE COULD "SEE LIFE THROUGH A LENS"

Dear Teacher

Thank You, Guys!,

This little gift is a reminder of many days together, my teacher, father / mother of a large noisy naughty family, and he / she can stand everything fondly. Sometimes, our teacher is strict, sometimes sweet, and I'll never forget his / her voice teaching everything he / she knows.

My teacher expects me to become wiser, kinder, he / she never gets fed up with it. Everyday, my teacher tries to achieve this goal. Thanks for your tender gestures, your smile and your support.

We passed through his / her classroom like a whirlwind, we arrived and we left as a trail of laughter, confusion and uproar and it seems that nothing has changed, but from that moment onwards, we are better because everyone has a little part of him / her wherever we go.

Happy Saint Valentine's Day

Hi, Guys!,

Maybe most of you are celebrating Saint Valentine tomorrow, 14th Febr. It is a day to make your loved one feel really special and express how precious the person is for you. But in my humble opinion, everyday should be the right day to express these feelings, we can't waste time and chances.
So, as you well know, there are many different possible ways to express your own loving feelings, such as chocolates, flowers, cards, diamonds??, ... but love can't be measured, in terms of love, the smallest thing given from the bottom of your heart, as a token of love, would be the best or enough for your Valentine.

Happy Saint Valentine's Day!

Groundhog Day

Hi, Guys!,

Last week, the Groundhog Day took place in USA and Canada. It's a very significant day since it is believed that if this little animal emerges from its burrow, and if it doesn't observe any shadow, Spring is coming soon, but on the other way around, the groundhog gets into the cave again and Spring will come within 6 weeks.

German settlers are thought to be the ones who brought this tradition of predicting future weather conditions based on animals. They used to observe hedgedhogs, but when they arrived in America, they replaced this animal for the more common American groundhog.

Now, would you like to watch the video?