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