martes, 30 de abril de 2013

BOOK DAY, APRIL 2013

On April 23rd and 24th, we celebrated the Book Day at school. There were lots of wonderful activities we all enjoyed , but I have picked up one which is specially close to my heart. My students of 31 Diversificacion recited the poem "The Power of Believing" by Patti King-DeBaum.
You can watch and read the poem at the same time:


Believe that all students can learn something and should be given the right to.
Believe that all students can communicate and should be given the right to.
Believe that all students can choose and should be given the right to do so.
Believe in hope.
Believe that small miracles are the best.
Believe that each individual has something positive and valuable to share with you.
Believe that if there is a will, there is a way.
Believe that you always have something positive to give to individuals, no matter the abilities they have.
Believe in patience.
Believe that if you believe...your students will believe.

I have picked up two quotes about books I would like to share with you:
Let books be your dining table,
And you shall be full of delights
Let them be your mattress
And you shall sleep restful nights.
                                           Unknown author

A piece of advice:
T.V.  Kids, if you are entertained by two letters, imagine the fun you will have with the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. Open your imagination. Open a book!
But watch out!. As Helen Exley explained: "Books can be dangerous. The best ones should be labelled,"This could change your life".
Here is a list of the books that, at some point in my life, changed it for better.
1. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë.
2. Tess of the D'Ubervilles by Thomas Hardy.
3. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet.
4. The Collected Poems by Sylvia Plath
5. The Millenium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson.

Can you make this list longer? Has any book changed your life? Let us all know!.

sábado, 20 de abril de 2013

FLYING OVER THE USA



Impressive!
A very interesting way to enjoy the wonders of this country!
How many different famous sites can you spot?
American English is also different from British English. Here you have a list of words which depict the same thing, but are said "the American style".
American                    British                          Spanish

soccer                          football                        fútbol
gasolin/ oil                  petrol                           gasolina
apartment                   flat                               piso
cell phone                   mobile                          móvil
vacation                      holiday                        vacaciones
cookie                         biscuit                         galleta
candy                          sweet                           caramelo
fries                            chips                            patatas fritas
airplane                      areoplane                     avión
sidewalk                     pavement                    acera
elevator                      lift                               ascensor
subway                      underground               metro
 

sábado, 13 de abril de 2013

EASTER TRIVIA

           Just before the Easter holidays, students from ESO 31 D took part in a very funny activity called EASTER TRIVIA. They really got into it and enjoyed it very much . That is the reason why I am going to explain the procedure in case any other teacher wants to do this activity with his/her own students.

          STEP 1. DIVIDE THE STUDENTS INTO GROUPS.

          Each group is linked to a colour . In this case, there were four groups: WHITE, PINK, GREEN and BLUE.
          Depending on the group ratio, you can have four / five pupils in each group. Do not let students  make the groups. They will always tend to stay with their own friends or join the cleverest pupil in the class. (specially when they know there will be a prize for the winners at the end). Try to make balanced groups and do not forget to include your disabled students (if you have them).
          Blue  Group

          STEP 2.  PREPARE THE QUESTIONS.
          You have to prepare about twenty multiple-choice questions on Easter. The questions shouldn´t be easy at all, since students will have to look for the answers later on.
          Here is an example:
          According to the song, how much money is a Hot Cross Bun (typical Easter sweet)?
          A. Two pounds.
          B. One penny.
          C. Two euros.
          D. Nothing, it´s free.
 
                          Then, divide the twenty questions in groups of five and write them in four different papers with the colours of the groups you have made before. All the students have the same questions, but each group will deal with them at a different time. Do not worry they will tell the other groups the answers. They NEVER do, because all of them want to win.

          STEP 3. LOOK FOR VOLUNTEERS.
                        Other teachers who have no class at that time, the caretakers, people in the canteen, anybody will do. Once you explain to them what they have to do, they will do it happily.

                         And what do they have to do?
                         First, check that the answers are the correct ones. (very easy, because they always check the same questions and because you have given them the key previously). Then, put a sticker on the paper to show thay have done one part of the questionnaire and give them some chocolate eggs as a motivating prize. Finally, they have to send the group to another volunteer who will continue with the game by giving the students new questions.

 
We did it  like this:
 
WHITE  GROUP     PERSON IN CHARGE.- LAURA (Photocopy room assistant)   SEND THEM TO: MARIBEL
                                                                                                                                    & TRINI.(caretakers)
PINK GROUP     PERSON IN CHARGE.- MARIBEL AND TRINI           SEND THEM TO: EDU      
                                                                                                                           (canteen owner)
GREEN GROUP    PERSON IN CHARGE.- EDU                            SEND THEM TO : PILAR (Head of studies)
BLUE GROUP           PERSON IN CHARGE.- PILAR    SEND THEM TO: LAURA
 
 
Once they finish  the twenty questions, they always have to go back to you, who will  check they have the four stickers, one on each page (Besides, the stickers are different. In that way, you can know for sure if they have bribed one of the volunteers).
 
    STEP 4.  WORK OUT THE ANSWERS OF THE TRIVIA.
 
They will need the new technologies to find the answers to the questions. The Internet, mobiles, everything will do, and , of course, LOTS of IMAGINATION.
 
 
The first group to finish is ....THE WINNER.
 
 
STEP 5. CELEBRATE !
This year, Andrea and Blanca were the winners!  Here they are with their Easter Bunnies.
CONGRATUATIONS!