MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY 2012

Merry Christmas and a super 2012 for you all.

At the airport

 

According to wikipedia, Heathrow is the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic and the busiest in the United Kingdom. However, there are more international passengers at Heathrow than any other airport around the globe. 

 

If you are interested, browse the official site of Heathrow airport and note down relevant information.

 

Heathrow airport

Now you should be ready to watch this video that shows all the steps a traveller takes before flying.

Finally watch the powerpoint presentation we did in class about plans in the future and timetables. After that, do the activities related to future forms.

Future Forms I pwp

Future Plans I

Future Plans II

Future Plans III

Future Plans IV

GRADED READERS

 

This is the book you will read: "British and American Festivities", Black Cat A1 or A2. 

 

Remember you can borrow a free copy from our library. After the first term exams, I will give you more information about how I will test the reading comprehension of this book.

Unit 2: Storytelling

Nowadays there are lots of books about mini sagas and microstories, which are included in a new genre called flash fiction. It all started in 1988 when the Telegraph newspaper organized a mini saga competition. Mini sagas are complete stories in exactly 50 words. Some microstories can be even shorter.


Read these examples of minisagas from students at secondary school which I found on www.talkingpeople.net

By Beatriz (Y5B, 2007-08)
The water is disappearing and I cannot breathe. I am being carried out and the tube is so narrow my bones crack. I am dying. A light blinds me and the noise is deafening. My lungs burst. Somebody beats me in the bottom and I cry. I have been born!

Winter 2006 Mini-saga Project for Y5B and Y5C students 

The comfortable room was ready. The clock struck five. She stopped ironing. The same music. She looked at him and waited for his reaction. He invited her to sit down beside him. The same music. Some words. The same music. Brandy again. This time the cyanide would do the rest.

Winter 2006 Mini-saga Project for Y5B and Y5C students

Hello darling! It has been so long time since we last met. Perhaps a year…
Nothing has changed here but coldness.
Wait! If my memory works it was a November 1, like today.
One year, darling!
You don´t have to bring anything!
Why flowers?
Why are you crying?
Darling?

Which story did you like most? Why? You can write your ideas clicking on comments. 

Now watch this traditional fairy tale called Little Red Riding Hood. After that you can read it clicking on the link below.


Little Red Riding Hood

Although it's not a mini saga. These are the Titanic stories we wrote in class. I hope you like them.

Titanic NB2 H
Titanic NB2 J

Finally, try these activities about linking words.

Linking words I
Linking words II
Linking words III

Unit 2: Music

We all have a soundtrack of our life. In other words, songs that remind us of our childhood or special moments, songs that describe stages of our life. Which songs would you include in the soundtrack of your life? Why? You can write your answers clicking on comments.

Let's see how good you are at music. Watch the video and guess the song. You only have 10 seconds.

How many songs did you guess? I was good at good because I got 8/10. Now try these listening activities where people talk about music. Remember you can read the script after doing the activities on www.elllo.org.

Music

Favourite Music (a bit difficult)

Now play this music trivia. After that, watch the video again and write down the  eight questions without auxiliary. To check your answers click on comments.

Finally try these activities about questions with and without auxiliaries in English. Before doing the activities you can watch the powerpoint presentations we did in class.

Music Styles pwp

Questions without auxiliaries pwp

Questions I

Questions II

Questions III

Questions IV

Unit 2: Photos

Her eyes captivated the world the moment they appeared on the 1985 National Geographic cover. Soon she became one of the world's most famous faces.  Some decades later, the mysterious Afghan girl met the photographer again. 

Read the text below to find out the identity of the mysterious Afghan girl and answer the questions below. Click on comments to check your answers.

How they found the National Geographic's Afghan Girl  

- How long did it take the photographer to find the Afghan girl again?

- What's her name?

- What's her marital status?

- Does she have any children?

Try these listening activities about photo description.


Photo description I
Photo description II

Time for some grammar. Do these activities about past continuous and prepositions.

Past continuous I
Past continuous II
Past continuous III
Past continuous IV
Prepositions I
Prepositions II
Prepositions III

Now you're ready to watch these video about photo description. After watching it, find a photo  about your last holidays and try to describe it using past simple and past continuous. Thanks to Aracena EOI in Huelva.

 

Unit 2: Going on Holiday

Travelleres usually look for different experiences when they go on a journey. Some of them want to lie on a beach, others are ready to enjoy their all-inclusive package holidays and some others are only interested in experiencing.

In this last group are included the three short films by the independent director Rick Mereki. Read the information about the short films and answer the questions below.

Move, Eat, Learn Short Films

- How long was their journey?

- How many countries did they visit?

- How many flights did they take?

- How many miles did they travel?

- Did they experience any inconveniences during their journey?

- How many cameras did they take with them?

- How does the director describe the journey?

Now lounge on your chair and enjoy these short films.

What do you think about this project? Which countries could you see in the video? Which experience did you like the most? You can write your opinion clicking on comments.

Listen to these recording about holidays and do the activities.


Relaxation or adventure?
Tips for when to visit the USA
Tips for when to visit the USA script

Would you like to practise vocabulary about weather? Try this simple activity with audio.


Weather forecast

To finish this entry, I have selected some links for you to reinforce past simple in English and a video with the pronunciation of irregular past simple.

Past Simple I
Past Simple II
Past Simple III
Past Simple IV
Past Simple VI
Past Simple VII
Pronunciation  

 

Unit 1: Describing a photo

This is the powerpoint presentation we did in class.

Describing a photo pwp

Unit 1: Definitions

One of the latest trends among people is to customize T-shirts. In other words, you can make your own T-shirt look personal. So print a definition or message you like on your T-shirt to feel different and fashionable clicking on the link below. Don't forget to choose your style and a good definition.

Customink 

I can show you some examples of other tees with definitions. You can share yours writing your definition on comments.

And now your set of activities to practise relative clauses in English.

Relative clauses I

Relative clauses II

Relative clauses III

Relative clauses IV

Relative clauses V

Relative clauses VI

Unit 1: The body

The German anatomist Gunther von Hagens creates sculptures with preserved human bodies and body parts using a technique called plastination. His work  called "Body Worlds " was exhibited in Seville, Spain from 6th February 2009 to 3rd May 2009.

To get more information about it click on the official webpage (exhibitions) and answer the questions below. If you want to, you can write your answers on the chat below or clicking on comments.

Body Worlds.

1. How many people have visited the exhibition so far?

2. Can visitors touch the plastinates?

3. Is there an audio tour?

4. Can visitors take photographs or films in the exhibition?

5. What is the purpose of the exhibition?

Would you be interested in visiting the exhibition? In my opinion it'd be an educational and completely different show.

Practise some vocabulary with this video and the powerpoint presentation we did in class.

The body pwp.

Time for listening. First try the human body where you can guess and get additional information about different body parts. After that continue with the interactive activities about physical description and picture description.

The Human Body

Physical Description

Paint a Face

Picture Description

As you know, I usually include use of English activities at the end of the entry and here the ones for this unit. I have also included Nina Simone's song with lyrics. Enjoy it.

Present Continuous I

Present Continuous II

Present Continuous III

Prepositions I

Prepositions II

Unit 1: Family

In this photo you can see characters from the popular series Modern Family. Could you guess their relationship by having a look at the picture?  For example, I think the man on the sofa is married to the blonde woman. So they are husband and wife. You can write your ideas clicking on comments.

If you need more practice with the pronunciation of some words  or with vocabulary click on the links below.

Family

Family pwp

Now you're ready to listen to this lovely story where ten-year-old Lottie talks about her father.

Lottie's father

After watching Lottie's pictures, try this listening activity about  Ruth's family. It's a bit difficult. After doing the test, you can click on Text Page on the right to read the script.

Ruth's family

Just to finish this entry I hope you enjoy the activities about grammar.

Present Simple I

Present Simple II

Present Simple III

Present Simple IV

Present Simple V

Pronunciation present simple 

Unit 1: Classroom Language and Questions

Do you remember any of the classroom language learnt in class? Here is a video for you to practise.

Also, I explained how to ask questions in English. For extra practice click on the links below.

Questions 1

Questions 2

Questions 3

Questions 4

Unit 1: Getting to Know You

In Spain we kiss on both cheeks when we meet someone, but in other countries people act in a different way. Click on the link below to see the powerpoint presentation we did in class about introducing yourself in English.

Introductions pwp

Are you interested in real stuff. Have a look at these two videos with examples of introductions in English.

After watching these two videos, how would you introduce yourself  in English? Write your answers on comments.

Unit 0: NB1 Revision

Would you like to revise the NB1 contents? Click on the link below to revise the activity done in class.

NB1 revision

EOI Information

Here is the powerpoint presentation about the 2011-2012 school year.

Basic II EOI ppt

My email address

Write it down. This is my email address.

isabelbastida.eoi@gmail.com

Warm welcome

A warm welcome to all my NB2 students.

This blog will help you to reinforce or expand the contents of the course. I hope you enjoy this blog as much as I do.