English is all around!

New York, New York

2012-01-20T16:28:00.010+01:00

I've been absent from the blog for a long time but I'm back again. I can't think of a better way of returning to blogger activity than posting about The Big Apple: New York City. But why? The reason is that I've spent my Christmas holidays in this wonderful city and it's been an unforgettable experience.

The city is full of contrasts, lights, people, buildings and any kind of thing or activity that you can imagine. I'm sure of one thing, I'll go back. I love NY!

This link contains an elementary reading comprehension activity about New York.

If you click on this link, you will find an intermediate reading comprehension activity about New York.

And finally, I want to include the two songs that have made my stay in New York even more special: New York, New York by Frank Sinatra and Empire State of Mind by Alicia Keys and Jay-Z.

World Book Day

2011-04-23T22:28:00.004+02:00

Click on this link for different activities related to reading.

Earth Day 2011

2011-04-22T15:39:00.011+02:00

This is a video by Greenpeace, "Give Earth a Hand":

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Real Madrid is back!

2011-04-21T17:53:00.020+02:00

Last night, Real Madrid won the Spanish Royal Cup against F.C. Barcelona. It was an amazing match with 30 minutes extra-time. Cristiano Ronaldo scored the only goal of the game and gave Real Madrid the 18th Spanish Cup title, a title that breaks the hegemony of Barcelona during the last years.

Now there still remain two more mouth-watering matches between the two rivals in the Champions League on April 27 and May 3. Last weekend we saw the first of the four matches that they are playing in a month. I bet the next two matches are not suitable for the fainthearted.

The anecdote of the final is the fall of the cup from the top of a double-decker bus, which in addition ran over it. The cup slipped from Sergio Ramos' hands when they were approaching the Cibeles fountain, the place where Real Madrid followers gather to celebrate their victories. An identical replica of the cup has been given to Real Madrid so that it can be shown to the fans.

Congratulations Real Madrid!!!

American pancakes recipe

2011-04-18T18:44:00.012+02:00

Here you are another interesting recipe from videojug: American pancakes.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-17T15:26:00.005+02:00

Click on this link to find different Easter activities: crafts, recipes, cards, quizzes, games, etc.

First Confectionery Contest in our School: Pictures.

2011-04-11T17:33:00.006+02:00

The First Confectionery Contest in our school has been an enormous success. Students have made 127 recipes, which were all delicious. Thank you and congratulations to everyone who has participated. You did a very good job!

Saint Patrick's Day 2011

2011-03-17T20:05:00.005+01:00

Today is Saint Patrick's Day and people all over the world celebrate it with parades, wearing green clothes and carrying Irish symbols such as the shamrock or leprechauns.

Information on Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's Day Quiz

First Bakery Contest in our School

2011-03-12T11:42:00.007+01:00

The English and French Departments in our school have organised the First Bakery Contest which will be held on April 11, 2011. Students will have to choose one recipe among the 37 that are shown on a board in our school. They will have to translate the recipe into Spanish and bring the finished product ready for being tried by the jury.

Let's bake the perfect dessert!!!

Banoffee Pie Recipe

2011-02-27T16:14:00.006+01:00

Once again I write a post on a typical British recipe: BANOFFEE PIE. The link is from videojug, a great website with videos on many and varied things.

Dessert Pies:
How To Make Banoffee Pie

Classroom rules II

2011-02-04T23:46:00.003+01:00

Happy New Year 2011

2011-01-01T14:36:00.004+01:00

Wham!: "Last Christmas"

2010-12-31T02:16:00.006+01:00

"Last Christmas" is a song by the British pop duo Wham! (George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley) released in 1984. It was written by George Michael and it has been interpreted by many artists throughout the years. I definitely love this song!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T01:16:00.001+01:00

Glitterfy.com - Christmas Glitter Graphics

Thanksgiving Day 2010: 25th November

2010-11-25T17:50:00.006+01:00

For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thanksgiving Day Tradition

Thanksgiving Day is a communal celebration marked as a sense of gratitude people feel for all the good things in life. This is done by offering prayers, gifting your near and dear ones. The fourth Thursday in the month of November is marked for the yearly celebration. (Source and more information: Thanksgiving-day.org).

For more information on Thanksgiving Day, click on this link. You will find Thanksgiving jokes, recipes, quotes, etc.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: 25th November

2010-11-25T17:42:00.003+01:00

Halloween 2010

2010-10-27T18:06:00.013+02:00

Hi everybody! Halloween 2010 is almost here and we need to get ready to have a terrific night!

First, you can watch this video on Halloween History, by National Geographic:

Next, you can think of your what costume to wear. Some suggestions can be the following:

Now, you should carve your Jack O'Lantern. Look at this picture, choose a pattern and shoulders to the wheel!!! Finally, you are ready to go treat or treating!!!

Have fun!!!!

Website for learning and practising English

2010-10-01T18:11:00.003+02:00

I have just come across with a very interesting website for learning and practising English. Its name is Learn English with english-at-home.com. It has different sections, such as Grammar and Tenses, Speaking English, Vocabulary and Idioms, etc. I encourage you to try the Speaking English section, it is really helpful to start a conversation with an English-speaking person.

You can try this link on English greetins, this should be the first step to follow when you meet an English-speaking person.
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School year 2010-2011

2010-09-11T20:02:00.007+02:00

The new school year is about to begin. It starts next Wednesday, September 15th and I hope all the students and teachers are ready to live a new learning adventure together.

My first marshmallow fondant cake!

2010-08-19T18:35:00.011+02:00

I want to show you my first marshmallow fondant cake. Making the fondant is not difficult given that the ingredients are really easy to get, you just need marshmallows, powdered sugar and some water. You will also need some shortening (vegetable butter or grease) because the melted marshmallows are very sticky. For the different colours, you will use food coloring. And that's it!

This site (About.com) contains a detailed explanation on how to make marshmallow fondant.

You can also watch a tutorial on how to make marshmallow fondant.

Finally, I want to thank my friend Alice for helping me with the decoration! She's an artist!

Grammar and Vocabulary Review

2010-08-18T17:55:00.000+02:00

Summer is about to come to its end and it is time to make a grammar and vocabulary review in order to start the new school year with the batteries fullly loaded. I recommend you the following sites:

Grammar:
- English Grammar Secrets
- English Grammar Online For You
- Saber Inglés

Vocabulary:
- English Grammar Online For You
- The English Vocabulary
- Saber Inglés
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How to make chocolate brownies

2010-08-03T01:38:00.000+02:00

As I am a chocaholic, I will give you a recipe for chocolate brownies. I hope you like it!

Chocolate:
How To Make Chocolate Brownies

World Cup 2010: Official Anthem: "Waka waka"

2010-07-02T01:15:00.006+02:00

Eurovision Song Contest Oslo 2010

2010-04-25T22:34:00.008+02:00

Here we are again devoting a blog post to the Eurovision Song Contest. This year it takes place in Oslo, Norway. There are two previous semi-finals on Tuesday, 25th May and on Thursday, 27th May and the final, which will be held on Saturday, 29th May at 21.00 CET.

If you want to know the 39 participants to this edition of the festival, you can click on this link.

The singer who will represent Spain in Oslo is Daniel Diges with the song "Algo pequeñito" (Something Tiny).

Earth Day 2010, April 22

2010-04-22T01:55:00.000+02:00

It is our duty as citizens of this world to take care of the Earth. And we have to do it every day. Here you are some things you can do to preserve the planet:

1. Do not pollute: keep your cities, beaches, rivers, ... clean.
2. Recycle cans, bottles and paper.
3. Help keep the air clean. Ride bikes or walk instead of using motorized vehicles.
4. Save paper.
5. Do not waste water.
6. Save energy.
7. Leave wasted batteries in the special containers.
8. Remember the 3 R rule: Recycle, Reduce and Reuse.
9. Respect animals.
10. Love and appreciate the environment that surrounds you.

And now it's time to listen to an incredible song by the king of pop, Michael Jackson. "Earth song" is part of his huge legacy and it shows how concerned he was about the environmental problems that affect the entire world.

Gomaespuminglish XII

2010-04-19T00:27:00.000+02:00

Happy Saint Patrick's Day 2010

2010-03-17T23:18:00.003+01:00

International Women's Day 2010

2010-03-08T18:09:00.013+01:00

Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all.

Gibraltar: a school trip

2010-03-02T02:44:00.008+01:00

One year later, on March 5, we are going to Gibraltar on a school trip. You will do a series of activities related to the Rock. The activities will include Maths and English tasks!!! You'll have to do these activities by asking native people, in English, of course! I hope you enjoy the trip and get the most of it. I write the link to three of my previous entries in order for you to read and get some information about Gibraltar:

Our trip to Gibraltar (last year's trip)
School trip to Gibraltar (previous information for last year's trip)
Gibraltar

Classroom rules

2010-02-27T03:42:00.000+01:00

Can you add some more classroom rules?

We Are the World - 25 for Haiti

2010-02-04T17:09:00.007+01:00

A few days ago I wrote an entry about "We Are the World" and I swear I didn't know it was going to be re-made. I love this song, I find it touching and I think the artists are or were all incredible! We played the song during the commemoration of the School Day of Non-Violence and Peace at our school and some of my students told me yesterday that it is being re-made to raise funds for Haiti. I haven't listened to the new version yet, it is not possible until February, 12, but the initiative is for a good cause again, and this is what really matters. Watch this video and read below for more information on the new version of the song:

Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie have arranged the re-make of the 1985 group song "We Are The World". The new version is titled "We Are the World - 25 for Haiti". It has been recorded to raise money to help the victims of the January 12 earthquake in Haiti that killed 170,000 people and devastated the poorest country in America. The new song was recorded on February 1, 2010, at Henson Recording Studios in Hollywood, California.

Richie and Jones have recruited 81 performers for the 2010 remake of "We are the World". Some of them are Celine Dion, Pink, the Jonas Brothers, Justin Beiber, Jeff Bridges, Vince Vaughn, Nicole Richie, Carlos Santana, Akon, Usher, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Josh Groban, Jennifer Hudson, Barbra Streisand, Miley Cyrus, Kanye West, Mya, Tony Bennett and Haiti activist Wyclef Jean, amongst many others.

The We are the World 25 for Haiti video will be produced in 3D and will be broadcast during the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Main source: http://www.mahalo.com/we-are-the-world-haiti

We weren't born to follow, Bon Jovi

2010-01-30T13:25:00.011+01:00

You gotta stand up for what you
believe!!!

I just love this song, it has a great message. Click on the video to enlarge. It is worthwhile!

Lyrics | Bon Jovi lyrics - We Weren't Born To Follow lyrics

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

2010-01-24T02:37:00.007+01:00

Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist and prominent leader in the African-American civil rights movement. His main legacy was to secure progress on civil rights in the United States, and he has become a human rights icon. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957, serving as its first president. King's efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. There, he raised public consciousness of the civil rights movement and established himself as one of the greatest orators in U.S. history.

In 1964, King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and racial discrimination through civil disobedience and other non-violent means. His non-violent protests met with success as Congress passed civil rights laws (1964) and voting rights laws (1965). King’s friendship with President John F. Kennedy also helped his cause. By the time of his death in 1968, he had refocused his efforts on ending poverty and opposing the Vietnam War. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a U.S. national holiday in 1986. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, near the time of King's birthday. (Source: Wikipedia).

In this video you can watch a summary of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. For the full speech, click on this link, and for the Spanish subtitled version, click here.

Online activities on Martin Luther King.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Crossword Puzzle. Answer Key.
Martin Luter King, Jr. Quiz.
Martin Luther King Jr. Resources for Teachers.

Saint Valentine's Card Contest 2010

2010-01-21T00:02:00.009+01:00

Make Your Own Saint Valentine's Day Cards

As you know, on February 14 we celebrate Saint Valentine's Day. I want you, my students, to express your feelings to your friends, boyfriends, girlfriends or even teachers. You are encouraged to make a Saint Valentine's card and hand it in before February 9. Remember to do it in English, you can include a poem, a quote, a drawing, etc.

The easiest way to make a Saint Valentine's Day card is to fold a sheet of paper in half and decorate it. Does it sound boring? Well, it doesn't have to be. There are several fun options for decorating cards.

Use your imagination to create fancy St. Valentine's Day cards and win the contest for the most loving, touching, shocking, fabulous, and above all, original Saint Valentine’s Card!

Saint Valentine's Day Love Letters

Valentine's Day Facts

Activities, Crafts and Cards for Saint Valentine's Day

Saint Valentine's E-cards

Last year's pictures

Last year's entry on Saint Valentine's Day

PLAGIARISM IN BLOGS

2010-01-16T17:10:00.007+01:00

Plagiarism: the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work. (Definition provided by Dictionary.com).

Plagiarism is the act of presenting other people's work or ideas as your own. Sadly, this is very common nowadays, because of the bad use that some people make of the Internet. Many people take other people's writings and simply "copy and paste", without making reference to the source. When I create a post in my blog and use other people's information, I write the source and add a link to his or her site.

Recently, I have found that one person keeps on copying and pasting from my blog to hers, but not only from my blog, from many others as well. This shows that she lacks originality and is unable to create anything on her own. I wrote a comment on her blog and asked her not to copy and paste without making reference to the source, and she not only did NOT answer, but she deleted it and eliminated from her blog the possibility of writing comments!!! I encourage people not to act like that, to accept advice and try to improve from their mistakes. In blogger, you can report this kind of behaviour.

Aid for Haiti quake relief

2010-01-15T23:10:00.011+01:00

I am still shocked after seeing the terrible images of the effects of the earthquake in Haiti, which is said to be the most devastating in 200 years. Fortunately, if this word can be used in a situation like this, the response of the different institutions and organizations all over the world is being focused and swift. Organizations are requesting monetary donations; agencies have set up phone lines, Web pages and texting for donations, which will go toward medical and basic supplies.

"...We are trying to save as many lives as possible. A major
humanitarian effort is now well underway... the international community’s response has been generous and robust, and we are gearing up rapidly and effectively despite the challenging circumstances."

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in remarks to the press in New York, 15 Jan. '10

My thoughts are with the people and families of Haiti, and I really hope governments all over the world contribute to alleviate their suffering. Every little bit helps.
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We Are the World, USA for Africa

2010-01-14T10:25:00.013+01:00

Next January, 30 our school will commemorate the School Day of Non-violence and Peace. There are many activities scheduled and one of them is based on the song "We Are the World". This song was written in 1985 by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, it was co-produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian and recorded by a group of popular musicians known as USA for Africa.

The main aim of this charity single was to raise funds to help famine-relief efforts in Africa, specially Ethiopia, where around one million people died during the country's 1984-1985 famine. Since its release, "We Are the World" has raised over $63 million for humanitarian causes. Ninety percent of the money was pledged to African relief, both long (birth control and food production) and short term. The remaining 10 percent of funds was earmarked for domestic hunger and homeless programs in the US. (Information taken and adapted from the Wikipedia).

I hope you enjoy and like this song as much as I do!!! It gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it.

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Rudolph Cookies

2010-01-05T01:42:00.008+01:00

Ingredients:
50 gr walnuts or peanuts
100 gr sugar
100 gr butter
1 egg
250 gr flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vainilla flavoured sugar
Small pretzel twists
Red and brown m&m's

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 180 celsius. Grate watnuts in the Thermomix, speed 5 for a few seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix, speed 4-5, until the mixture is blended. Place the mixture on the table and make circles, I used a glass to make the circles. Press two pretzels into the top of each circle to form Rudolph's antlers. Make sure that 1/2 of the pretzel is into the cookie to ensure that it will stay put when cooked. Press two chocolate chips into the cookie for the eyes, and press one red M&M into the cookie for the nose. Bake about 15-20 minutes, or until browned around the edges. Let cool, and enjoy! These are wonderful for class or Christmas parties, and great in a tin as a gift!

I did the mixture with the Thermomix, but you can also do it without it.
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Grammar Revision for 2nd Bto.

2010-01-01T16:56:00.006+01:00

In order to revise the grammar contents studied in the first term, first of all you may find useful this Table of English Tenses where you can see the form, use, signal words and examples of each of the verb tenses. Then, you can practise the specific contents by clicking on each of the links below.

Unit 1: Perfect Tenses

Present Perfect Simple: Practice I, Practice II

Past Simple vs. Present Perfect Simple: Practice I, Practice II

Past Perfect Simple: Practice I, Practice II

Future Perfect Simple: Practice I, Practice II

Present Perfect Continuous: Practice I, Practice II

Past Perfect Continuous: Practice I, Practice II

Present Perfect Simple vs. Present Perfect Continuous: Practice I, Practice II

Past Tense Review: Practice I, Practice II

Unit 2: Modals and Modal Perfects

Modals: Practice I, Practice II, Practice III, Practice IV

Modal Perfects: Practice I, Practice II

Unit 3: Reported Speech

Reported Statements: Practice I, Practice II, Practice III, Practice IV

Reported Questions: Practice I, Practice II, Practice III

Reported Orders (Commands), Requests and Suggestions: Practice I, Practice II, Practice III

Reporting Verbs: Practice I, Practice II, Practice III

Additional information and exceptions in Reported Speech: Practice I

Reported Speech Mix: Practice I, Practice II, Practice III, Practice IV

Happy New Year 2010!!!

2010-01-01T01:39:00.004+01:00

May the New Year bring you much happiness and love!!!

Happy New Year

Merry Christmas!!!

2009-12-23T22:15:00.010+01:00

Christmas Glitter Pictures

- The history of Christmas
- Christmas Vocabulary
- The Elves Save the Day (listening/reading)
- Santa's Personalized Stories
- Santa's Computer Travels
- Christmas Games
- Christmas Carols
- ESL Christmas Activities

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

2009-12-23T16:51:00.011+01:00

A Christmas Carol is a novella by the English author Charles Dickens about a miserly, cold, unfeeling, selfish old man called Ebenezer Scrooge and his holiday conversion and redemption after being visited by four ghosts on Christmas Eve. The book was first published on 19 December 1843 with illustrations by John Leech, and quickly met with commercial success and critical acclaim. A Christmas Carol remains popular, has never been out of print, and has been adapted to film, opera, and other media.

Plot summary:

Ebenezer Scrooge is a miserly old man who believes that Christmas is just an excuse for people to miss work and for idle people to expect handouts. He doesn't believe in all of the good cheer and charity that the season promotes and wants everybody to know it.

On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his former business associate, Jacob Marley -- a man who was as greedy and cold as Scrooge is. Marley warns Scrooge that if he continues to live so selfishly, he will spend eternity wearing the chains that his greed has built.

Three ghosts visit Scrooge successively: the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. They show Scrooge his error in valuing money over people. Scrooge is frightened by the bleak picture of his life and promises to change his ways.

Scrooge awakes on Christmas morning a new man. He becomes jolly and charitable, and truly turns into the man he promised the ghosts he would become. He carries the spirit of Christmas with him all the year round.

You can read touching novella if you click on this link.

Source: Wikipedia and Bookrags

Jim Carreys A Christmas Carol Official Trailer:

25th November: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

2009-11-24T22:40:00.012+01:00

On the occasion of the “International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women”, our school has organized a series of activities intended to make students aware of the necessity of coping with this problem from an early age. Our intention is to make them react against any kind of violence.

I have just received by mail a link to an interesting teaching unit called "When love kills...". It has been made by Anna Aznar, a teacher from Lleida, in the north of Spain.

If you click on this link, you can do the unit step by step. It is worthwhile.

I Got Flowers Today

I got flowers today.
It wasn't my birthday or any other special day.
We had our first argument last night,
And he said a lot of cruel things that really hurt me.
I know he is sorry and didn't mean the things he said.
Because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today.
It wasn't our anniversary any other special day.
Last night, he threw me into a wall and started to choke me.
It seemed like a nightmare.
I couldn't believe it was real.
I woke up this morning sore and bruised all over.
I know he must be sorry.
Because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today,
and it wasn't Mother's Day or any other special day.
Last night, he beat me up again.
And it was much worse than all the other times.
If I leave him, what will I do?
How will I take care of my kids?
What about money?
I'm afraid of him and scared to leave.
But I know he must be sorry.
Because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today.
Today was a very special day.
It was the day of my funeral.
Last night, he finally killed me.
He beat me to death.
If only I had gathered enough courage and strength to leave him,
I would not have gotten flowers...today.

By Paulette Kelly

Don't wait until it is too late. This poem reflects many women's attitude when they are being abused. Don't let anybody hurt you. Ask for help.

English Challenge: win a class trip to London!!!

2009-11-22T17:59:00.008+01:00

What is Next Stop London 2010 all about?

With its 3 levels and all new questions, Next Stop London is back and even more thrilling than last year. Face the challenge now and try your hand at the questions about language, history and culture. Naturally, the prizes for Next Stop London 2010 are awesome – the winning class gets a trip to London for the whole class and the runners-up will win cool language tuition classes.

My students have to register in the following links:

4º ESO A

2º Bachillerato

New Moon

2009-11-14T17:12:00.003+01:00

The thousands of followers of the successful Twilight's saga are eager to see the premiere of the New Moon movie, the sequel to Twilight. The Release Date of New Moon is November 20, 2009, although in some countries, such as Spain, fans are luckier and will be able to see the film on November 18!!!

I am sure that most of the followers have already read Stephenie Meyer's New Moon, but although they know what happens in the film, they are looking forward to watching the film. The following counter tells you the remaining time for the official release date, November 20.

"Halo", Beyonce

2009-11-13T23:13:00.000+01:00

Song lyrics | Halo lyrics

Sesame Street

2009-11-10T15:57:00.004+01:00

Sesame Street is an American educational children's TV series. It's a pioneer of the contemporary educational television standard, which combines both education and entertainment. Sesame Street is well known for its Muppets, characters created by Jim Henson. It premiered on November 10, 1969, and is the longest running children's program on US television. Thus, today we commemorate the 40th birthday of this popular TV series.

As author Malcolm Gladwell has stated, "Sesame Street was built around a single, breakthrough insight: that if you can hold the attention of children, you can educate them". Sesame Street uses a combination of animation, puppets, and live actors to stimulate young children's minds, improve their letter and word recognition, basic arithmetic, geometric forms, classification, simple problem solving, and socialization by showing children or people in their everyday lives.

Apart from the previously listed, further instructional goals have been basic life skills, such as how to cross the street safely, proper hygiene, healthy eating habits, and social skills; in addition, real-world situations are taught, such as death, divorce, pregnancy and birth, adoption, and even all of the human emotions such as happiness, love, anger, fear, sadness, and hatred.

This program is undoubtedly an example to follow, a guideline for producers to create less violent and more instructional series for children.

Happy 40th birthday, Sesame Street!!!

Source and more information: Wikipedia.

Here you can watch a video to learn the letter "B":

Gomaespuminglish XI

2009-11-08T15:15:00.000+01:00

HALLOWEEN 2009

2009-10-30T17:28:00.008+01:00

Halloween games: Word Game, Spelloween, Transylmania II, Hangman
Halloween recipes
Halloween vocabulary
Halloween quiz
Halloween reading comprehension: Halloween, Jack O'Lantern
Grammar: The London Dungeon

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2009!!!

The Nobel Prize

2009-10-10T11:26:00.008+02:00

Every year since 1901 the Nobel Prize has been awarded for achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and for peace.

The Nobel Prize is an international award administered by the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden. In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank established The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prize.

Each prize consists of a medal, personal diploma, and a cash award. These prizes are commonly regarded as the most prestigious award one can receive in any of these fields.

This year, Nobel Laureates in each of the fields are:

Physics:

- Charles K. Kao "for groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibers for optical communication".

- Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith "for the invention of an imaging semiconductor circuit – the CCD sensor".

Chemistry:

- Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Thomas A. Steitz and Ada E. Yonath "for studies of the structure and function of the ribosome".

Physiology or Medicine:

- Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Carol W. Greider and Jack W. Szostak "for the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase".

Literature:

- Herta Müller "who, with the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose, depicts the landscape of the dispossessed".

Peace:

- Barack Obama "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples".

Prize in Economics:

- Elinor Ostrom "for her analysis of economic governance, especially the commons" and Oliver E. Williamson "for his analysis of economic governance, especially the boundaries of the firm".

The website "Nobelprize.org" offers a wide variety of educational games based on Nobel Prize-awarded achievements. These games will teach and inspire you while you are having fun! If you want to play, click on this link.
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PAU (Selectividad) Tests and Activities

2009-09-20T16:45:00.003+02:00

The following link contains many activities and tests related to PAU (Selectividad). I find them really helpful for you to practise and I hope you find them useful too.

http://www.isabelperez.com/select.htm

Welcome back to school!

2009-09-13T14:39:00.004+02:00

Well, this comic strip shows some teenagers' feelings about the beginning of the new school year. I hope you have a very good start next Tuesday. Welcome back to school!
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Shepherd's Pie Recipe

2009-09-09T23:23:00.002+02:00

Hello everybody! I'm back and ready to go on posting on English is all around!
I hope you've had a wonderful summer and you've recharged your batteries to start working again.

Today I want to tell you how to make Shepherd's Pie, one of the most traditional British dishes. Also known as Cottage Pie, it consists of a meat pie with a crust made from smashed potato and beef.

British:
How To Make Shepherd's Pie

The most famous of all meteor showers: the Perseids

2009-08-12T01:27:00.009+02:00

The Perseids are a prolific meteor shower associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle. The Perseids are so called because the point they appear to come from, called the radiant, lies in the constellation Perseus.

Meteor showers occur when Earth moves through a meteor stream. The stream in this case is called the Perseid cloud and it stretches along the orbit of the Comet Swift-Tuttle. The cloud consists of particles ejected by the comet as it passed by the Sun.

The Perseid meteor shower has been observed for about 2000 years, with the first known information on this meteor shower coming from the Far East. In early medieval Europe, the Perseids came to be known as the "tears of St. Lawrence."

The shower is visible from mid-July each year, with the greatest activity between August 8 and 14, peaking about August 12. During the peak, the rate of meteors reaches 60 or more per hour. They can be seen all across the sky, but because of the path of Swift-Tuttle's orbit, Perseids are primarily visible in the northern hemisphere.

(Source: Wikipedia)

So, if you are fond of astronomy or if you enjoy watching a natural phenomenon or if you just want to wish upon a star, don't hesitate to go out to the countryside or a place out of the city and lie down to observe this amazing show. It's worth it!

Summer English exercises

2009-07-26T02:25:00.007+02:00

I've found a site with many interesting exercises for you to review during the summer holidays. I hope you find it useful and practise for improving your English skills. Have a nice summer! (Sorry I'm a bit late as regards my wishes, but anyway, all the best to everybody!).

Englishexercises.org
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Michael Jackson's "Thriller"

2009-07-19T00:36:00.007+02:00

Everybody knows that "the king of pop", Michael Jackson, died on Thursday, June 25, 2009, after suffering a heart attack. There is much controversy on the real cause of his death, but I am not going to deal with it in this entry. I'm just going to talk about his legacy in terms of music as the following figures show:

Records and achievements of Michael Jackson.
List of awards received by Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson's album discography:

Got to Be There (1972)
Ben (1972)
Music & Me (1973)
Forever, Michael (1975)
Off the Wall (1979)
Thriller (1982)
Bad (1987)
Dangerous (1991)
HIStory (1995)
Invincible (2001)

The following video is probably regarded as the best video in music history.

"Michael Jackson's Thriller" is a 14-minute music video for the song of the same name released on December 2, 1983 and directed by John Landis, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Jackson. The mini-film music video was broadcast on MTV three weeks before Christmas 1983. It was the most expensive video of its time, costing US$500,000, and Guinness World Records listed it in 2006 as the "most successful music video", selling over 9 million units. (Source: Wikipedia). For more information on "Thriller", click here.

"Thriller", parts 1 and 2:

Gomaespuminglish X

2009-07-17T23:51:00.000+02:00

Paris

2009-06-21T02:00:00.002+02:00

We're going to Paris tomorrow on an end-of-year school trip and I would like you to do an activity concerning vocabulary related to tourism. You will need to use your English, so, why don't you practise by doing this activity?

Tourism-related activity.

How To Make Spanish Tortilla

2009-06-04T20:18:00.004+02:00

I have just found a very interesting site: http://www.videojug.com/. But what is this website about? I'll tell you, well, they'll tell you, this is their own description of the site:

"Whatever you want to get good at, Videojug can help. From cooking a curry or learning to dance to health, wealth, happiness and finding love. We’ve found the best advice out there and turned it into over 60,000 professionally-made video and article guides. We’ve also got a lot of great content made by our users, and still more from our many partner sites. Wherever you go on the site you’ll find a community of people just like you, with the same aims and interests, learning new things and sharing their skills and experiences. Getting good at life."

The following video shows how to make the delicious Spanish Tortilla. Follow the instructions and try and make one, you'll like it!

Breakfast: How To Make Spanish Tortilla
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Test your level of English

2009-05-20T22:34:00.003+02:00

Do you want to test your level of English? Click on these links, you've got different tests to know how skilled you are in the English language.

British council
Englishjet
World-English
English-online
Englishtag
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Eurovision Song Contest winner: Norway

2009-05-18T14:53:00.003+02:00

I want to congratulate Norway and the singer Alexander Rybak for winning the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest with the song Fairytale. Although his song is not my favourite, he has received the highest number of points from televoters and juries from the 42 countries participating in the contest. Norway managed to gather 387 points altogether - a new record! -, followed by Yohanna from Iceland (my favourite one) with 218 points and Azerbaijan's AySel & Arash who collected 207 points. You can find the full results of the Grand Final here.
(Source: Eurovision Official Site)

Eurovision Song Contest 2009: Second Semifinal Results

2009-05-15T23:24:00.006+02:00

This is the list of countries that qualified in the order they were announced during the Second Semi-final of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest:

Azerbaijan
Croatia
Ukraine
Lithuania
Albania
Moldova
Denmark
Estonia
Norway
Greece

This video shows the official recap of all 19 songs competing at the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2009, in Moscow, Russia!

Eurovision Song Contest 2009: First Semifinal Results

2009-05-13T00:06:00.006+02:00

The First Semi-final of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest is over and these are the ten countries qualifying for the Final:

Turkey
Sweden
Israel
Portugal
Malta
Finland
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Romania
Armenia
Iceland

This means that 15 out of 25 participants of the Final of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest are known. The remaining 10 finalists will be known after the Second Semi-Final, which will take place on May 14th at 21:00 CET!

Which is your favourite song to win the contest? Write and tell us!!! This is one of my favourite songs: Iceland's Is it true?

This video shows the official recap of all 18 songs competing at the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2009, in Moscow, Russia!

Eurovision Song Contest Moscow 2009

2009-05-03T13:27:00.018+02:00

In two weeks time, the Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Moscow. I am keen on this festival and I really like listening to the songs from the different countries.

Since 2008, the Eurovision Song Contest consists of three live shows, aired prime-time to millions of homes across Europe. During two Semi-Finals, viewers and juries across Europe determine which countries will be represented in the Final.

The first Semi-Final will take place on Tuesday, 12th of May, 21:00 CET.
18 countries will be represented in the first Semi-Final; Andorra, Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, Iceland, Israel, FYR Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.

The second Semi-Final will be held on Thursday, 14th of May, 21:00 CET.
19 countries will be represented in the second Semi-Final; Albania, Azerbaijan, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.

The Final is scheduled for Saturday, 16th of May, 21:00 CET.
Artists from 25 of the 42 represented countries will compete in the Final of the 2009Eurovision Song Contest. From each Semi-Final, 10 countries will qualify. France, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and host country Russia are automatically qualified to take part in the Final.

Source: http://www.eurovision.tv/index/main

The Spanish participant is Soraya, this is her song:

In the following preview video player, you can watch and listen to all the songs taking part in the contest:
Eurovision Song Contest - Moscow 2009 Preview Player
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Labour Day 2009

2009-05-01T13:51:00.002+02:00

World Book Day 2009

2009-04-23T15:45:00.005+02:00

World Book Day is held on April, 23rd to commemorate the death of Shakespeare and Cervantes, two of the world's most celebrated writers. For more information on this topic, click on this link, which will take you to last year's World Book Day entry.

Today, the members of the Spanish Language and Literature Department of our school have made a series of activities to commemorate this special date. These activities have been based on the American Romantic writer Edgar Allan Poe, 200 years after his birth. We have seen an exhibition of different projects made by the students about this author, together with a video of some of his tales. Moreover, every teacher has received a traditional gift in Spain this day: a rose. Thank you very much, my dear colleagues.

Read and listen to Poe's "The Raven" in the following video:

Earth Day 2009

2009-04-22T00:41:00.016+02:00

Time for reflection:
What would the planet look like if we reduced the entire population of Earth into a small community of 100 people, while maintaining the same proportions we have today?

Look at this video, think about it and leave a comment if you want to.

These percentages may vary since they are only statistics and they can change after a few months or years, but anyway, the video is shocking.

Appreciate what you have ...
and do your best for a better world

http://www.miniature-earth.com/

The Future in English

2009-04-20T23:35:00.008+02:00

There is no proper "future tense" in English. However, there are multiple ways of expressing future time: Will, Be going to, Present continuous and Present simple.

Tense & Time

Tense is a grammatical category while time is a semantic one.

It is important not to confuse the name of a verb tense with the way we use it to talk about time. Look at the following chart to see how different tenses can be used to talk about different times.

Will, Be going to, Present continuous and Present simple for Future Time

Will: Explanation and exercises

Be going to: Explanation and exercises

Present continuous: Explanation and exercises

Present simple: Explanation and exercises

Future mix activity I

Future mix activity II

"Happy Ending", Mika

2009-04-17T17:06:00.005+02:00

I love this song! Do you like it too?
What is it about?

Song lyrics | Happy Ending lyrics

Traditional British Recipes

2009-04-16T16:47:00.005+02:00

Although the main aim of this blog is to help people to learn English, we cannot forget that culture is also a very important aspect to take into account when studying a foreign language. So, this post is intended for you to know some traditional British recipes.

British recipes:

CUSTARD

Custard is a range of preparations based on milk and eggs. Most commonly, custard refers to a dessert or dessert sauce, but custard bases are also used for quiche and other savoury foods. As a dessert, it is made from a combination of milk or cream, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla. Sometimes flour, corn starch, or gelatin are also added. (Source: Wikipedia)

Ready made custard is usually excellent but this recipe is based on how it used to be made a long time ago. It is easy to make and the only thing that could go wrong is that it might become too hot and curdle. If it does? Don't worry. Just whisk in an egg and it will return to normal. This can be served hot or allowed to chill in the fridge. For an 'extra special' custard stir in about 150ml or 5 fl oz of double cream at the very end of the heating process.

Ingredients:

25g or 1 oz caster sugar

300ml or 10 fl oz of boiling milk

3 drops of vanilla essence

2 large egg yolks

Method:

1. Beat the egg yolks

2. In a large bowl place the sugar, vanilla essence and the beaten egg yolks and mix together.

3. Now pour in the boiling milk, whisking as you pour.

4. Put the custard into a saucepan and, over a LOW heat, stir until the right constituency is obtained. Test by putting a wooden spoon in the mixture - it should cover the back of the spoon when the spoon is lifted out. DO NOT let the mixture boil or you will end up with sweet scrambled eggs.

5. If you want to add the double cream then this is the time to do it.

6. Remove from the heat and either serve immediately or allow to cool. Once cooled it should be covered and kept in the fridge for 2 days. Do not reheat once chilled.

Source: http://hidden-england.netfirms.com/custard.htm

I hope you enjoy cooking traditional British food, if you try any of the recipes, please tell me.

Easter holidays

2009-04-05T23:26:00.001+02:00

Easter activities for kids

Easter - Holy Week: Isabel Pérez

More Easter activities

April Fools' Day

2009-04-01T22:32:00.010+02:00

April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day, although not a holiday in its own right, is a notable day celebrated in many countries on April 1. The day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, family members, enemies, and neighbors, or sending them on a fool's errand, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible. Traditionally, in some countries, the jokes only last until noon: like UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa, someone who plays a trick after noon is called an "April Fool". Elsewhere, such as in Ireland, France, and the USA, the jokes last all day. (Source: Wikipedia)

Links:

Gomaespuminglish IX

2009-03-27T23:47:00.000+01:00

Verbs followed by Gerunds or Infinitives

2009-03-23T22:23:00.008+01:00

When two verbs appear together in a sentence, the first verb determines if the second verb will be in the gerund form (-ing form) or the infinitive form (to+base form). But, how do we know if a verb is followed by the gerund or the infinitive? The only way is to memorize which verbs are followed by gerunds and which are followed by infinitives.

If you click on this link, you'll find a very useful classification of verbs requiring gerunds, infinitives or both: Pearson-Longman.

Once you've read it through, you can practise here.

Infinitive / Gerund:
Infinitive or Gerund • Exercise 2
Infinitive or Gerund • Exercise 2
Infinitive or Gerund • Exercise 2 • Exercise 3
Infinitive and/or Ing-Form

Tests on Infinitive and Gerund:
Level 1 • Level 2 • Level 3 • Level 4

For more information and activities, click on this link: EnglishClub.com
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International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

2009-03-21T16:22:00.003+01:00

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March. On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid "pass laws". Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the United Nations General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination. (Source: Wikipedia).

Listening and speaking practice

2009-03-20T15:55:00.005+01:00

A colleague at school has told me about this site today: http://www.acapela.tv/. Here you'll find different characters which change the text you type into speech. It can be used as a greeting card or as a way of practising your language skills.

I have left a message for you here:
http://www.acapela.tv/Easter-1-bcd63538c5899
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Saint Patrick's Day 2009

2009-03-17T00:01:00.002+01:00

Today thousands of people around the world celebrate Saint Patrick's Day. Although Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, it is a celebration that has spread to many countries all over the world.

People wear green clothes, eat traditional Irish food or take shamrocks with them. There are parades, dance performances and fireworks display.

For more information on this special day, click here. This site (Kaboose) contains links to Saint Patrick's crafts, games, history, activities, recipes, riddles and jokes, etc. You can't miss it if you are keen on Saint Patrick's Day!

Sláinte!!!

Saint Patrick's Day 2008 in English is all around!

I have just found a very interesting lesson on Saint Patrick's Day. Enjoy it!

As or Like?

2009-03-12T21:55:00.008+01:00

AS can be:

- a preposition meaning in the capacity of / in the function of like in the sentence:
She works as a teacher.

- but it is usually a conjunction of manner and goes therefore followed by a verb form, for example:
When in Rome do as Romans do.

- It also appears in comparative structures:
Peter is as tall as a my brother.

- In the group such as it means like:
There are different ways of travelling such as (=like) walking, flying or driving.

LIKE

Is a preposition and goes therefore followed by a noun. It expresses similarity:
She feels like a rolling stone (=in the same way as)
It was like a dream (=similar to)

Like is a preposition and is therefore followed by pronouns in the object form.
They said they didn't want people like me in that group.

It can also be followed by a verb, in the -ing form
There's nothing like fishing from a boat.

In fact, when we want to ask about the description of something we use:
WHAT IS something LIKE ? which is quite different from
HOW is something /someone ? where we become interested in personal state, etc.

Source: http://english.baladre.org/sedaviwebfront/asliketheory.htm

Online quiz: As or Like?

Spanish explanation and examples.

More Spanish explanations: I and II.

As or like? Matching exercise.

As or Like Quiz.

International Women's Day

2009-03-07T14:12:00.008+01:00

Each year around the world, International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. Hundreds of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. Organisations, governments and women's groups around the world choose different themes each year that reflect global and local gender issues. This year's theme is "Women and men united to end violence against women and girls". Source and more information: http://www.internationalwomensday.com/

My students have contributed to this day by means of a series of projects about women's work in the different fields.

The first International Women's Day was celebrated in 1911. For more information, click here.

To read about some GENDER FACTS, click here. These are only some examples:

Networking ...
Women use 20,000 words a day while men only use 7,000

Business / Finance ...

Women spend more time researching before they invest than men do

Work ...
Women do two-thirds of the world's work but receive only 10% of the world's income

Our trip to Gibraltar

2009-03-06T15:40:00.013+01:00

Yesterday we went to Gibraltar on a school trip and all I have to say is that it was fantastic! We spent a great time there despite the weather. Luckily, it did not rain, but the wind was really strong. We went to Europa Point, we visited Saint Michael's caves and we stopped at the Apes' Den. An ape jumped onto my shoulders and I took a nice picture! Then we had free time to have lunch and go shopping.

My students' behaviour was very good and I want to congratulate them. If we have the chance, we will repeat the trip next year.

The solutions to the Gymkhana are the following:

1. Apes.
2. British.
3. Chocolate.
4. Duty.
5. Europa.
6. Frontier.
7. Governor.
8. Hindu Temple.
9. India.
10. John Galiano.
11. King’s Chapel.
12. La Línea de la Concepción.
13. Mediterranean.
14. National.
15. Ocean.
16. Pound.
17. Queensway.
18. Rock.
19. Saint Michael.
20. Trafalgar.
21. Utrecht.
22. Victoria Stadium.
23. Winston Churchill Avenue.
24. Phone box.
25. Yacht.
26. Zoo.

How many answers did you get right? Which was the most difficult question for you? Did you practise your English while doing the Gymkhana? I hope so.
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School trip to Gibraltar

2009-02-23T17:07:00.011+01:00

Next week we are going to Gibraltar on a school trip. You know that you will have to work in groups and do a special Gymkhana during the visit. It will be really funny and it will give you the opportunity to be in direct contact with British people. You are encouraged to speak English with them and ask questions to complete your task.

Some questions are very easy but some others involve a deeper knowledge on Gibraltar. For this reason, you may want to have some information prior to the trip. I provide a series of links for you to start investigating:

Government of Gibraltar
Gibraltar: Wikipedia
Gibraltar: Tourism

Finally, when I was looking for a nice picture to show you Gibraltar's monkeys, I found something that made me feel really sad and terrified. It is a piece of news that announces that there has been and there is going to be a monkeys' cull (slaughter). They say that two of them have already been given lethal injections and vets have been ordered to kill another 23. The reason can be that some of these monkeys have vandalised hotel rooms and have run amok on a beach. (Click here and here for the news).

I am an animal lover and I consider that killing should be the last measure to take. These monkeys can be taken to a diffent place, a zoo for example, if they do not fit in The Rock anymore. I hope there is a better solution for this problem.
Look at these pictures, aren't they cute?

My office

2009-02-22T15:40:00.004+01:00

We all spend a lot of time at work and want our work environment to be nice. Where do I work and what is it like?

Find out by doing these four exercises:

Exercise 1: Match the words with the definitions.

Exercise 2: Click on the expressions you hear.
Exercise 3: Mix and match the expressions. Listen and check.
Exercise 4: Complete the script, then listen and check your answers.

Thank you too! Let's go to Gibraltar, baby!

2009-02-19T20:31:00.006+01:00

Thanks a lot, students from 1º Bachillerato A. The cake was delicious and the message really funny! You will enjoy your trip to Gibraltar, I'm sure.

I published a post on Gibraltar some time ago, click here to read it.

Lots of love,
Marisa.
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Thank you!!!

2009-02-18T17:14:00.004+01:00

My dear students, thanks a lot for the wonderful birthday party you made today for me!

I am really touched and happy! The cake was delicious, mmmm!!!! A chocolate cake!!! And thanks for the card and the chocolate bar!!!

Many kisses and lots of love!

Marisa.

Color word jumble

2009-02-13T19:18:00.005+01:00

Read the colour of the words below, not the actual words. Try to do it as fast as you can. Is it easy or difficult? This is called the "Stroop Effect", named after J. Ridley Stroop, who discovered this strange phenomenon in the 1930s. For more information of the Stroop Effect, click here. (Wikipedia).

Saint Valentine's Cards at our school

2009-02-13T00:06:00.005+01:00

First of all, congratulations for your contribution to the contest. We have more than one hundred cards in only three groups: 4th ESO A, 1st BACHILLERATO A and 1st BACHILLERATO B!!! You've done a great job!

I wish you all a Happy Saint Valentine's Day!

Some Famous English Quotes III

2009-02-08T14:56:00.001+01:00

“Not all those who wander are lost.”
J.R.R. Tolkien

“Smiles form the channels of a future tear.”
Lord Byron

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.”
John Lennon

“Nonviolence is a weapon of the strong.”
Mahatma Gandhi

“I cannot speak well enough to be unintelligible.”
Jane Austen

Saint Valentine's Card Contest

2009-02-05T00:02:00.000+01:00

Make Your Own Saint Valentine's Day Cards

As you know, on February 14 we celebrate Saint Valentine's Day. I want you, my students, to show your feelings to your friends, boyfriends, girlfriends or even teachers. You are encouraged to make a Saint Valentine's card and hand it in before February 12. Remember to do it in English, you can include a poem, a quote, a drawing, etc.

The easiest way to make a Saint Valentine's Day card is to fold a sheet of paper in half and decorate it. Does it sound boring? Well, it doesn't have to be. There are several fun options for decorating cards.

Use your imagination to create fancy St. Valentine's Day cards and win the contest for the most loving, touching, shocking, fabulous, and above all, original Saint Valentine’s Card!

Saint Valentine's Day (14th February)

2009-02-04T16:02:00.010+01:00

There are varying opinions as to the origin of Valentine's Day. Some experts state that it originated from St. Valentine, a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity. He died on February 14, 269 A.D., the same day that had been devoted to love lotteries. Legend also says that St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine". Other aspects of the story say that Saint Valentine served as a priest at the temple during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Claudius then had Valentine jailed for defying him. In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honour St. Valentine.

Gradually, February 14 became the date for exchanging love messages and St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers. The date was marked by sending poems and simple gifts such as flowers. There was often a social gathering or a ball.

Reading comprehension activity:
Click on this link for one of the stories.
Now, you can answer some questions on the story here.

Source and other stories: http://www.pictureframes.co.uk/pages/saint_valentine.htm

Isabel's ESL activities and links
21 Reasons Why I Love You
Love calculator
I love you in various languages
Valentine's Day resources St. Valentine's cards

Joaquín Sorolla, "Walk on the beach"

2009-02-02T20:28:00.008+01:00

Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (February 27, 1863 - August 10, 1923), was a Spanish painter, born in Valencia, who excelled in the painting of portraits, landscapes, and monumental works of social and historical themes. His most typical works are characterized by a dexterous representation of the people and landscape under the sunlight of his native land.

"Walk on the beach" is one of my favourite paintings and, although it has nothing to do with English, I wanted to have it here and share it with all of you. I hope you like it too!
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Imagine, John Lennon

2009-01-29T22:03:00.010+01:00

Let's "Give Peace a Chance". Let's contribute to make a better world for everyone.

Some activities to commemorate the School Day of Non-Violence and Peace:

An article about peace symbols

A comprehension exercise on the article

Peace symbols: drag and drop game

Trivia: Peace (keeping)

Twilight

2009-01-25T01:22:00.005+01:00

Lately, everyone has been going Twilight crazy, mainly teenagers. Twilight definitely has made a strong fan base with teenage girls worldwide. In fact, some of my students are really fascinated by the film, specially by Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen).

TWILIGHT is an action-packed, modern-day love story between a teenage girl and a vampire: Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson).

The film is based on the #1 New York Times Best-Selling series of four novels with over 17 million books in print by Stephenie Meyer: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.

TWILIGHT is a cultural phenomenon, with a dedicated fan base that eagerly awaits this movie. There are over 350 fan sites devoted to TWILIGHT, and it has been chosen as the New York Times Editor's Choice, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, Amazon's "Best Book of the Decade...So Far", Teen People's "Hot List" Pick, and The American Library Association's "Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults" and "Top Ten Books for Reluctant Readers," among others.

Critically acclaimed director Catherine Hardwicke brings to life this modern, visual, and visceral Romeo & Juliet story of the ultimate forbidden love affair - between vampire and mortal.

Source and more information: Twilight: The Official Movie Site

Reader 1st Bachillerato

2009-01-24T16:34:00.005+01:00

I want to remind you, students from 1st Bachillerato A and B, the reader for next March, A Foreigner in Britain (Burlington Books). I am sure you will like it, the book is really interesting.

School Day of Non-violence and Peace, 30th January

2009-01-23T18:05:00.006+01:00

Next week, we celebrate the School Day of Non-violence and Peace (30th January). We will make special activities at school intended to foster a peaceful behaviour amongst our students.

DENIP: School Day of Non-violence and Peace

1. The "School Day of Non-violence and Peace" (DENIP), founded in 1964 and also known as World or International Day of Non-violence and Peace, is a pioneering, non-state, non-governmental, non-official, independent, free and voluntary initiative of Non-violent and Pacifying Education, which is now practised in schools all over the world and in which centres of education, teachers and students of all levels and from all countries are invited to take part.

2. It advocates a permanent education in and for harmony, tolerance, solidarity, respect for human rights, non-violence and peace.

3. It is observed on January 30 or thereabouts every year, on the anniversary of the death of Mahatma Gandhi. In countries with a Southern Hemisphere school calendar, it can be observed on March 30 or thereabouts.

4. Its basic message is: "Universal Love, Non-violence and Peace. Universal Love is better than egoism, Non-violence is better than violence, amd Peace is better than war".

5. The method of teaching this activity of education in values should be one of experiences and it can be freely applied in each centre of education according to its own teaching style.

6. Friends of DENIP are those persons who, by accepting the spiritual, individual and social supremacy of universal love, non-violence, tolerance, solidarity, respect for human rights and peace above their opposites, advocate the diffusion of the principles which inspired the day.

Llorenç Vidal
Founder of DENP
English translation by the "Majorca Daily Bulletin" (Majorca).

Source: http://es.geocities.com/kirigirisu2002/denip_abstract.html

Now I encourage you to watch, read and listen to this song: Heal the world.

"Heal the World" is a song featured on Michael Jackson's hit album, Dangerous, released in 1991. The music video features children living in countries suffering from unrest.
In a 2001 Internet chat with fans, Jackson said "Heal the World" is the song he is most proud to have created. He also created the Heal the World Foundation, a charitable organization which was designed to improve the lives of children. The organization was also meant to teach said children about how to help others. (From the Wikipedia)

Barack Obama takes 44th Presidential Oath

2009-01-20T20:43:00.005+01:00

The swearing-in of the President of the United States occurs upon the commencement of a new term of a President of the United States. The United States Constitution mandates that the President make the following oath or affirmation before he or she can "enter on the Execution" of the office of the presidency:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

The newly elected or re-elected President traditionally adds "so help me God" to the constitutionally mandated statement.

The theme of Obama's Inauguration is taken from a line in Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: "A New Birth of Freedom." "A New Birth of Freedom" commemorates the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. The words, echoing across 200 years from Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address, express Lincoln's hope that the sacrifice of those who died to preserve the United States would lead to "a new birth of freedom" for the nation. Obama took his oath on the same Bible Abraham Lincoln used at his 1861 inauguration, when he proclaimed the end of slavery.

Some Famous English Quotes II

2009-01-19T15:56:00.005+01:00

“The love that lasts the longest is the love that is never
returned.”
William Somerset Maugham

“Listen to many, speak to a few.”
William Shakespeare

“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
John Wesley

“What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.”
Albert Pine

“We are all geniuses up to the age of ten.”
Aldous Huxley

“Smiles form the channels of a future tear.”
Lord Byron

Relative clauses

2009-01-18T12:46:00.005+01:00

Relative clauses are used to give additional information about something (person, place or thing) without starting another sentence. They are introduced by relative pronouns or adverbs. There are two types of relative clauses: Defining and Non-defining.

A defining relative clause gives essential information about the noun or noun phrase it modifies, without which the sentence wouldn't make sense as the listener or reader would not be able to identify the noun in the sentence:

The book that I lent you is my favourite. (It is this particular book, not another one).

A non-defining relative clause gives extra information about a noun or noun phrase and has commas at both ends:

Mary Jones, who is my best friend, is coming to the party tonight. (the relative clause is not essential here).

Explanation in English.
Explanation in Spanish.

Exercises on Relative Clauses (English Gramar Online)

Relative Pronouns and Relative Adverbs
Exercise on Relative Pronouns
Subject Pronouns or Object Pronouns?
Relative Pronouns – Necessary or not?
Relative Pronouns – Necessary or not?
Relative Adverbs
Relative Pronouns in the Text „Stonehenge“ (who/which)

Relative Clauses and Contact Clauses (without the relative pronoun)
Relative Clauses - Formation
Contact Clauses
Definitions with Relative Clauses
Relative Clauses - defining or non-defining?
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Forming Relative Clauses - defining and non-defining
Relative Clauses in the Text „San Francisco“

Tests
Relative Clauses: Level 1 • Level 2 • Level 3 • Level 4

The Canterville Ghost, by Oscar Wilde

2009-01-11T16:43:00.008+01:00

"The Canterville Ghost" is a popular short story by Oscar Wilde, widely adapted for the screen and stage. It was the first of Wilde's stories to be published, appearing serially in the magazine Court and Society Review in 1887. It was later included in a collection of short stories entitled Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime and Other Stories in 1891.

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900) was an Irish playwright, poet and author of numerous short stories and one novel. Known for his biting wit, he became one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian era in London, and one of the greatest celebrities of his day. Several of his plays continue to be widely performed, especially The Importance of Being Earnest. As the result of a widely covered series of trials, Wilde suffered a dramatic downfall and was imprisoned for two years hard labour after being convicted of "gross indecency" with other men. After Wilde was released from prison he set sail for Dieppe by the night ferry. He never returned to Ireland or Britain. (Source: Wikipedia)

If you are not sure whether your English is good enough to start reading an English novel, try this excerpt to find out. It is a simplified version for easy reading with exercises to practise your comprehension skills.

Click on this link to start reading the story, it is divided into 7 chapters and each of them contains exercises and questions on it. Source: English Grammar Online … the fun way to learn English.

Back to school!

2009-01-10T20:40:00.000+01:00

The Three Wise Men

2009-01-06T14:43:00.004+01:00

In Spain, the tradition of gift giving at Christmas is particularly special for children. They are the ones who await most eagerly the arrival of the Three Wise Men (Melchoir, Caspar and Balthazar), who come in through the windows house by house, sharing out presents in just one night. They are not the only ones to have a good time, however. Grown-ups cannot help becoming infected by their happiness during the preparations for the big day: 6 January. Sharing the exciting wait with them is a gift of love and emotion. This Christmas tradition fills the little ones' days with unforgettable magic.

First of all, children have to write their letter to the Three Wise Men, saying which presents they would like them to bring. After this comes one of the favourite moments: giving the letter in. They can either give the letter to the Wise Men personally when they arrive "officially" on 5 January, or to the emissaries and royal postmen to be found in the centre of all Spanish towns a few days before. They will be asked if they have been good at school and at home, because naughty children get left coal instead of presents. Although, in truth, it is a "sweet" punishment because the coal is made of sugar.

When the long-awaited day finally arrives, the whole family come out onto the street to receive the Wise Men. They arrive with a traditional parade, riding through the streets on their camels, loaded with presents and accompanied by royal pages who throw sweets and goodies to the children. One by one, the delightful floats pass by, decorated with bright colours and inspired in popular children's characters. The little ones will love them. All the while, a band brings joy to the celebration with Christmas songs and carols. The spectacle of joy, light and colour, combined with the smiles of the children, make for a feeling of complete happiness. There are parades celebrated all over Spain on this day. Each has its own particular style, depending on where you are. In Barcelona, for example, the Three Wise Men arrive by sea, while in the village of Alarilla, in Guadalajara, they are daring enough to arrive by hang-glider and paraglider. Or why not see the parade in Alcoi, Alicante, the oldest in Spain?

After the parade, children go to bed early but excited, to wait for Melchoir, Caspar and Balthazar to come in through the window and leave presents in their shoes. First they should put water and bread on the windowsill for the camels to eat and drink while the Wise Men do their work. Come and experience Christmas in Spain and discover this magical tradition that will fill your children with joy. Let them get carried away by all the moments of joy, surprise and tender happiness to be found in our country at this festive time. Now is your chance. Make the most of it.

You can listen to this text on the link provided. Source and listening practice: Learn through travel.