HALLOWEEN 2013
Hi guys and thank you so much for being so creative and enthusiastic about our pumpkin and cookies contest!!! We had great fun and you all did a terrific job!
Here are some pictures we took yesterday. Enjoy them!!
Friday, 1 November 2013
Sunday, 20 October 2013
HALLOWEEN WEBQUEST
Webquest WORKSHEET
•PHOTOCOPIABLE•
CAN BE DOWNLOADED
FROM WEBSITE
© Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2012
TEENAGERS / Topic-based materials / Festivals / Halloween
Webquest: Halloween
by Luke Vyner
Warmer
What do you know about Halloween?
Activity 1: Halloween’s history
Visit http://www.history.com/topics/halloween and read the first section entitled Ancient origins of Halloween. Look for the answers to these 13 (unlucky for some) questions. Share your answers with your classmates.
1. Where is the celebration of Halloween thought to have come from?
2. The Celts occupied an area of land covering six modern day countries. Name at least four of them.
3. Why did the Celts celebrate ‘Samhain’ on the night of 31st October?
4. What did the Celts believe the ghosts of the dead would cause damage and trouble to?
5. To commemorate the event, what did the Druids build?
6. What costumes did they wear?
7. What did they re-light to help protect them from the coming winter?
8. By 43 AD, who had conquered the Celts?
9. What two other festivals were combined with ‘Samhain’?
10. After many changes due to the spread of Christianity, what new celebration was created in 1000 AD?
11. What were the similarities between this day and ‘Samhain’?
12. What was another name given to this celebration?
13. What was the night before called and what did this finally become?
Discussion
• Are you surprised by the history of Halloween?
• Do you know any other stories about its origins?
• Are there any celebrations in your country that have a strange and uncertain history?
• Do you agree with this type of celebration?
• Do you believe in ghosts and the supernatural?
Activity 2: Popular Halloween traditions
Jack O’Lantern
Read the introductory paragraph taken from http://www.history.com/topics/jack-olantern-history and then describe the Jack O’Lantern tradition to your partner.
Then, read the full article entitled ‘The Legend of Stingy Jack’. Look for the answers to the following questions. Share your answers with your classmates.
1. The Jack O’Lantern tradition originated from which Irish myth?
2. What did Jack do with the coin instead? Why?
3. Under what condition did Jack free the devil?
4. What trick did Jack play the following year and how did he prevent the devil coming
down from the tree?
5. What happened soon after?
6. What problem did Jack then face?
7. What did the Irish call Jack’s ghost?
8. What did the Irish then begin to make and place in their windows and doorways and why?
9. What did the vegetable become in America?
Apple-bobbing
Read the first paragraph of this website link about the rules of apple-bobbing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_bobbing. Answer the following questions and share your answers with a partner.
1. How is the game played?
2. Why are apples used?
3. What do players use to catch the apples?
4. What part of your body are you prevented from using?
Trick-or-treating
Read the first paragraph of this website link about the tradition of ‘trick-or-treating’:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trick-or-treating and answer the following questions, sharing
your answers with a partner.
1. What do children ask for when they travel from house to house? (Note: the answer is an American word, do you know the British English equivalent?)
2. What question do the children ask?
3. What is usually the ‘trick’?
4. Since when has this tradition been practised in North America?
5. What do homeowners who wish to participate usually do to their houses?
6. In what countries did two traditions similar to trick-or-treating already exist?
7. What were these traditions called?
8. What was different about these to current trick-or-treating traditions?
9. Trick-or-treating has become prevalent in countries outside of America – what do the children ask for in Mexico?
Discussion
• Have you ever practised any of these traditions? If your answer is yes, which is your favourite? If your answer is no, what do you think would be your favourite?
• Have you ever seen a real carved-out Jack O’Lantern? Have you ever designed one yourself? Would you like to make one with your classmates?
• Do you think you would be good at apple-bobbing? Would you like to have an apple-bobbing competition with your classmates? Who do you think would win?
• Would you be interested in going ‘trick-or-treating’? If yes, what would be your costume of choice? What trick would you play?
• If you had some children knocking on your door would you opt for giving them a treat or accept the trick?
• How do you think people from your country would respond to trick-or-treaters?
Activity 3: Halloween around the world
Although Halloween is often seen as a predominantly American celebration, you’ll be surprised to know that many countries around the world also celebrate Halloween. Many have their own unique traditions.
a. Tell your classmates if and how your country celebrates Halloween.
b. Your teacher will give you a country to research from this website link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_around_the_world. Before you begin your research, consider the following questions:
1. How long has your chosen country been celebrating Halloween?
2. What unique traditions does it have?
3. What costumes do people dress up in?
4. Why has Halloween become popular there?
Note: you may not find information on all these questions, but as you read, write down any other interesting facts you discover about your chosen country to share with your classmates. Write your answers in note form and share them with your classmates.
Activity 4: Terrifying tales
Go to the following website and find a list of titles to scary ghost stories:
http://www.americanfolklore.net/spooky-stories.html. Scroll down and click on ‘Hairy toe’ and ready the story. Answer the following 13 (unlucky for some) questions below.
1. What was the woman digging up to cook for dinner?
2. What did she uncover?
3. Why did she put ‘the hairy toe’ in her basket?
4. What did she cook with ‘the hairy toe’?
5. Later that night, what did the voice coming from the woods say?
6. Was the voice heard in the same place or was it getting closer?
7. Where was the voice coming from when the old lady woke up?
8. What did she do when she jumped out of bed?
9. Where was the old lady when she saw the massive figure in her doorway?
10. How did the old lady respond to the figure?
11. What finally happened to the old lady?
12. What was the only clue of her disappearance?
13. What was distinct about the footprint?
Go back to the list of stories and choose one that interests you. Read it and make notes in your own language. You may need to use a dictionary or ask your teacher for help with the vocabulary.
Once you’ve completed your notes, share the story with your classmates. Did you manage to scare them with your tale?
•PHOTOCOPIABLE•
CAN BE DOWNLOADED
FROM WEBSITE
© Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2012
TEENAGERS / Topic-based materials / Festivals / Halloween
Webquest: Halloween
by Luke Vyner
Warmer
What do you know about Halloween?
Activity 1: Halloween’s history
Visit http://www.history.com/topics/halloween and read the first section entitled Ancient origins of Halloween. Look for the answers to these 13 (unlucky for some) questions. Share your answers with your classmates.
1. Where is the celebration of Halloween thought to have come from?
2. The Celts occupied an area of land covering six modern day countries. Name at least four of them.
3. Why did the Celts celebrate ‘Samhain’ on the night of 31st October?
4. What did the Celts believe the ghosts of the dead would cause damage and trouble to?
5. To commemorate the event, what did the Druids build?
6. What costumes did they wear?
7. What did they re-light to help protect them from the coming winter?
8. By 43 AD, who had conquered the Celts?
9. What two other festivals were combined with ‘Samhain’?
10. After many changes due to the spread of Christianity, what new celebration was created in 1000 AD?
11. What were the similarities between this day and ‘Samhain’?
12. What was another name given to this celebration?
13. What was the night before called and what did this finally become?
Discussion
• Are you surprised by the history of Halloween?
• Do you know any other stories about its origins?
• Are there any celebrations in your country that have a strange and uncertain history?
• Do you agree with this type of celebration?
• Do you believe in ghosts and the supernatural?
Activity 2: Popular Halloween traditions
Jack O’Lantern
Read the introductory paragraph taken from http://www.history.com/topics/jack-olantern-history and then describe the Jack O’Lantern tradition to your partner.
Then, read the full article entitled ‘The Legend of Stingy Jack’. Look for the answers to the following questions. Share your answers with your classmates.
1. The Jack O’Lantern tradition originated from which Irish myth?
2. What did Jack do with the coin instead? Why?
3. Under what condition did Jack free the devil?
4. What trick did Jack play the following year and how did he prevent the devil coming
down from the tree?
5. What happened soon after?
6. What problem did Jack then face?
7. What did the Irish call Jack’s ghost?
8. What did the Irish then begin to make and place in their windows and doorways and why?
9. What did the vegetable become in America?
Apple-bobbing
Read the first paragraph of this website link about the rules of apple-bobbing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_bobbing. Answer the following questions and share your answers with a partner.
1. How is the game played?
2. Why are apples used?
3. What do players use to catch the apples?
4. What part of your body are you prevented from using?
Trick-or-treating
Read the first paragraph of this website link about the tradition of ‘trick-or-treating’:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trick-or-treating and answer the following questions, sharing
your answers with a partner.
1. What do children ask for when they travel from house to house? (Note: the answer is an American word, do you know the British English equivalent?)
2. What question do the children ask?
3. What is usually the ‘trick’?
4. Since when has this tradition been practised in North America?
5. What do homeowners who wish to participate usually do to their houses?
6. In what countries did two traditions similar to trick-or-treating already exist?
7. What were these traditions called?
8. What was different about these to current trick-or-treating traditions?
9. Trick-or-treating has become prevalent in countries outside of America – what do the children ask for in Mexico?
Discussion
• Have you ever practised any of these traditions? If your answer is yes, which is your favourite? If your answer is no, what do you think would be your favourite?
• Have you ever seen a real carved-out Jack O’Lantern? Have you ever designed one yourself? Would you like to make one with your classmates?
• Do you think you would be good at apple-bobbing? Would you like to have an apple-bobbing competition with your classmates? Who do you think would win?
• Would you be interested in going ‘trick-or-treating’? If yes, what would be your costume of choice? What trick would you play?
• If you had some children knocking on your door would you opt for giving them a treat or accept the trick?
• How do you think people from your country would respond to trick-or-treaters?
Activity 3: Halloween around the world
Although Halloween is often seen as a predominantly American celebration, you’ll be surprised to know that many countries around the world also celebrate Halloween. Many have their own unique traditions.
a. Tell your classmates if and how your country celebrates Halloween.
b. Your teacher will give you a country to research from this website link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_around_the_world. Before you begin your research, consider the following questions:
1. How long has your chosen country been celebrating Halloween?
2. What unique traditions does it have?
3. What costumes do people dress up in?
4. Why has Halloween become popular there?
Note: you may not find information on all these questions, but as you read, write down any other interesting facts you discover about your chosen country to share with your classmates. Write your answers in note form and share them with your classmates.
Activity 4: Terrifying tales
Go to the following website and find a list of titles to scary ghost stories:
http://www.americanfolklore.net/spooky-stories.html. Scroll down and click on ‘Hairy toe’ and ready the story. Answer the following 13 (unlucky for some) questions below.
1. What was the woman digging up to cook for dinner?
2. What did she uncover?
3. Why did she put ‘the hairy toe’ in her basket?
4. What did she cook with ‘the hairy toe’?
5. Later that night, what did the voice coming from the woods say?
6. Was the voice heard in the same place or was it getting closer?
7. Where was the voice coming from when the old lady woke up?
8. What did she do when she jumped out of bed?
9. Where was the old lady when she saw the massive figure in her doorway?
10. How did the old lady respond to the figure?
11. What finally happened to the old lady?
12. What was the only clue of her disappearance?
13. What was distinct about the footprint?
Go back to the list of stories and choose one that interests you. Read it and make notes in your own language. You may need to use a dictionary or ask your teacher for help with the vocabulary.
Once you’ve completed your notes, share the story with your classmates. Did you manage to scare them with your tale?
Saturday, 12 October 2013
PUMPKIN CONTEST 2013
PUMPKIN CONTEST 2013This year again, we will be hosting a PUMPKIN CONTEST in the library on Thursday, 31st October 2013. The library will open at 8:15 so that you have plenty of time to leave your masterpieces there before the bell rings...
Remember to include a paper note with your Name, Surnames and Class!!!!
Here are some useful INSTRUCTIONS on how to carve a pumpkin...
Select a fresh pumpkin in a shape that pleases you. Some folks prefer their pumpkins low and round, while others like them tall and oval-shaped.
Draw a circle or hexagon on top of the pumpkin in preparation for making an opening large enough for your hand to reach through.
Cut through the stem end of the pumpkin along your outline with a sharp knife or pumpkin-carving tool. Use a back-and-forth slicing motion to cut through the thick, tough skin.
Remove the stem end, which will act as a cap, making sure you scrape off any seeds or pulp.
Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp from inside the pumpkin. Hold the spoon by its bowl to get extra leverage while scooping.
Draw a pattern for the face on the clean pumpkin with a felt-tip pen, or scribe the lines into the skin using a pencil. Be sure to make the eyes, nose and mouth large enough; you'll have a hard time cutting out tiny features when you're using a big knife blade to saw through tough skin.
Follow your pattern as you cut all the way through the pumpkin.
Push the cut-out features gently from the inside of the pumpkin and discard the pieces.
Place a votive candle inside the pumpkin to create an eerie glow.
- Coat the cut edges with cooking oil to keep your jack-o'-lantern fresh longer.
- Working with any sharp tools should always be done with adult supervision.
- Avoid leaving burning candles unattended.
GOOD LUCK!!!
Friday, 11 October 2013
AN INTERESTING LINK
Here is one of my favourite links. It´s a very complete website full of games webquests and exercises...Check it out!!
http://www.isabelperez.com/
http://www.isabelperez.com/
Thursday, 10 October 2013
CHILHOOD MEMORIES....
Hi guys! Here is the song we mentioned in class! Enjoy it!
Now, I would like to give you some tips about how to write your next composition. Hope it is useful for you!
How to
start writing your childhood memories...
I like to begin
by looking at old photos of my family. The minute I see a particular photo, a
picture of the experience that promoted the taking of that photo plays in my
mind. That is the time I begin to write down every detail.
Then something
wonderful happens. The more I write, the more I remember. Before long I am
recording a piece of my life history. You may find some of the following ideas
helpful in starting to write your childhood memories:
·
Remember school days. Did you have a favorite teacher? What made her special?
·
Who was your very best friend?
·
How did you get to school?
·
What fun and outrageous activities did your family do?
·
Write about your first prom or graduation.
·
Write about your favorite grandma/grandpa.
·
What special trips did you take?
·
Write about your best Christmas.
·
Who was your first love or who gave you the first kiss?
You get the
idea. Once you start, you will find it hard to stop writing about your life
stories...
Wednesday, 9 October 2013
ONLINE PRACTICE 1
If you want to test your English level, check this website out! There are hundreds and hundreds of exercises...
http://a4esl.org/q/j/
http://a4esl.org/q/j/
USEFUL VOCABULARY
Hi guys!
Let me recommend a website to you which includes many semantic fields. Very useful to improve your compositions!
http://www.saberingles.com.ar/lists/
Let me recommend a website to you which includes many semantic fields. Very useful to improve your compositions!
http://www.saberingles.com.ar/lists/
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