Shall we play?

Here's a new funny game. Read the instructions carefully before playing!

It’s a Pac-Man-type word game. It shows a word and a bunch of different photos. If you “munch” on the seven photos that correctly illustrate the word, you advance to the next level.

Go to this site: http://imagine-it.org/flickr/PhotoMunchrs.html

EXPLORE THE PYRAMID

Explore the pyramid is a National Geographic interactive exercise where the “player” operates a robot:

http://www.mywonderfulworld.org/toolsforadventure/games/pyramid.html

General knowledge quizzes from the BBC

You'll have to answer some questions, but first, you'll have to play with the mouse in order to find them

Have fun at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/games/questionaut/pop.shtml

USING CONJUNCTIONS

How about trying this funny game?

I'm sure you'll have lots of fun!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks1bitesize/literacy/conjunctions/index.shtml

YOUR MISSION IS TO GO HOME TO YOUR PLANET!

http://www.oup.com/elt/global/products/englishfile/preint/i_games/thespacegame/games_spc02/

CROSSWORDS

AROUND THE HOUSE: http://www.learn-english-today.com/wordgames/hotpot-xwords/around-the-house.htm

FOOD: http://www.learn-english-today.com/wordgames/hotpot-xwords/food.html

JOBS: http://www.learn-english-today.com/wordgames/hotpot-xwords/jobs.html

CLOTHES: http://www.learn-english-today.com/wordgames/hotpot-xwords/clothes.html

HOW ABOUT PLAYING?

1. What sport is it?
2. How dangerous do you think it is?
3. Have you ever done it? Who with? Where did you do it? What did you feel?
4. If not, would you like to do it?

Click on the arrow to play with it. After you solve it, click on the "X" to close it.

III chat session

1) Please, watch these videos:




2) Then set a chat session with one of your chat partners in Buenos Aires and discuss the questions below. Remember to take notes of your opinions in a Word document :

• What are these ads trying to transmit?
• What's your idea about beauty?
• Do you agree with the commercial message?
  
• How much influenced by commercials/advertisements do you feel at the moment of buying things?
• Is there a commercial / an ad that has made you change your mind when having to choose among a line of products?
• Do you think commercials / ads have the same kind of influence on all target ages? Who do you think are the most vulnerable?
• What do you think commercials / ads must have in order to be good?
• Do you think government organizations should be tougher when regulating advertizing?

3) Write a paragraph about the videos taking into account your answers to the questions above and publish it in your blog.

* Your report should be published by Noverber 17th.

I will be looking forward to your writings.

Marina

PHOBIAS

• Do you suffer from phobias?
  
• If so, what's your biggest one?
• If you don't, have you ever met a person who had a phobia?
  

Listen to these people:

• make a list of their phobias
• comment about it
  

Recording: audio and videos

Viewpoint is an audio and video repository that allows you to record your audio/viedo online using your microphone or webcam, or upload existing media.

These media itmes can then be linked from other sites or embedded inside your own web pages/blogs. Note that this product has been developed for educational purposes only.

It is anteresting site to explore!

LET'S TALK

• What do you think of when you see these images?
• How would you like to live in such a house?
• Have you ever seen a bat? How would you react if you saw one?
• What's your opinion about ghosts? Do they exist. . .?
• What about witches?

ADDING GADGETS

Adding a clock:

You can visit http://www.clocklink.com/. There, you'll find a clock gallery; click on it.

• They'll show you some clock, choose one and click on "view html tag".
• Get the embed code.
• Go to "Customize". 
• "Add a gadget"
• Choose "HTML/JavaScript"
• Paste the code.

http://www.widgetbox.com/ is a site where you can find lots of different gadgets to add to you sidebar or posts. Follow the same steps as with the clock.


You can find the human calendar at: http://www.humancalendar.com/portable.php

EDITING POSTS

To edti posts, follow these steps:

• Click on "customize"
• Choose "posting"
• Once there, click on "edit posts"

Look for the post you want to edit and click on "edit"


That's it!

Our chat session with students from La Plata

We had our first chat session with Jóvenes 4 MA today. As every first experience there were inconvenients but I'd dare say the result was really good.

Fortunately, Miss Patricia joined us first and was then replaced by Miss Antonella.

I wouldn't have been able to do it without their help. Thanks a lot to both of them!

And here are some photographs:

By placing the cursor on "Glogster" you will see the option to view it "full size".

Hope you enjoy it!

CHAT SESSION NEXT TUESDAY 22nd

I remind you of our chat session next Tuesday. We'll do it with msn.

Please, have your e-mail accounts ready so that I send them to the teacher from La Plata. This way, we'll connect easily.

Have you recorded the message at
http://www.voxopop.com/topic/41ab4a32-42df-40b0-b769-eb72068bc5c3

NEW BLOG TO WORK WITH OUR FRIENDS FROM BRAZIL

You will find here our new blog. We will publish our answers to the questions and doubts the students and teachers from Brazil have about our country.

We'll first introduce ourselves. The teacher from Brazil has already left a comment.

• Please, send me your e-mails so that I can invite you as authors of this blog.
• You'll be working in pairs. 

Sharing photos

After a wonderful trip to San Pedro, I imagine you have lots of pictures and anecdotes to share.

I invite you to publish them in your blogs!

1. Visit this site: http://www.slide.com/
2. Open an account by clicking on "register"
3. Start creating.You can choose different effects, colours and styles for your pictures and  you can also add music.
4. Once it is ready, get the embedding code and post together with a description. (I've done one)
5. If at the moment of publishing your post, they show you an "alert" saying that there's an error, click on "Stop showing HTML errors for the body of this post" and click on publish the post again.

HAVE FUN!

I prepared this presentation from my last summer holidays. They're pictures from Los Reyunos, in San Rafael, Mendoza.
Los Reyunos is a dam on the Diamante river; the dam is used to generate hydroelectricity. This is done in a power station located below the level of the reservoir.
Los Reyunos Fishing and Nautical Club, along with private summer residences and a hotel, lies on the western shore of the reservoir and serves as a base for activities in the lake (such as windsurf, canoeing) and in the surrounding mountains (such as hiking).


The landscape is unbelievably beautiful and it invites you to relax!

INTRODUCING OURSELVES

In the following link, you'll listen to our partners from La Plata, Nelba -the teacher- and other people.

Please, go to http://www.voxopop.com/topic/41ab4a32-42df-40b0-b769-eb72068bc5c3 and introduce yourselves.

Say:

• who you are (don't give your surname),
  
• where you are from, where you study,
  
• where you've learnt English
  
• what you like doing in your free time.

TAG CLOUDS

Today you'll play with a web-tool called tag cloud.

We can use tag clouds to know how often words are repeated in a text; we can visualize word frequency.

It's very easy to use; you just have to copy a text and paste it in the site and, after that, copy the embedding code and paste it in a post to be published in your blog.

Here's one of the sites you can use: http://www.wordle.net/

• Go there and click on "create".
• You can either choose to give your blog's url or paste the text of one of your post -your description for example.
• Once you've done it, you can choose the colour, font, layout (horizontal, vertical), etc. You'll find these option on top of the word cloud.
• Save it.
• Get the code where it says "Paste this code into your blog or home page to link to this Wordle:"

I've created a word cloud with 2nd year's blog. Look!

Click on the image to see it more clearly.

• How do you like it?

TYPES OF LISTENING 1

This weekend's activity will be a listening one.

Go to the BBC Skillswise site, follow the instructions and see how many questions you can answer.

The topic is:

Splashes by blood or body fluids and injuries by sharps or needles

Listen to the audio and see the activity by clicking on:

"Click to listen the audio"

Tell us your results. Remember, you can listen as many times as necessary.

VISITING OTHER STUDENTS FROM . . .

The best detectives in Argentina are here, at Santa Rosa School, in Buenos Aires.

You are right. These students are from La Plata and they're about your age. So, you won't only get in touch with people from another country, but with students from our beautiful country, too. Isn't it great?

I invite you, now, to see one of their activities, its corresponding comments and leave a comment of your own, too. Just as the teachers from Morocco or Chile did in this blog.

VISITING OTHER STUDENTS FROM . . .

I'll leave here the link to another blog in which students from . . . are working.

Visit them and find out where they are from, leave them any questions you might be interested to be answered, too!

The link: http://jovenes4ma.motime.com

They will also visit us.

TEST YOUR AWARENESS

Test your attention with Do The Test's Whodunnit.

Who Killed Lord Smithe?

How observant are you? Try to notice 21 changes while the story takes place?

How did you do?

Any further comments?

ARTICLES

• Explanation and Practice

• Explanation

• Interactive Quiz

COMPARISSONS

You will find some extra practise in the following sites:

• http://www.saberingles.com.ar/curso/lesson12/05.html
• http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-28995.php
• http://www.bnv-bamberg.de/home/ulrich.koch/flg/englischinteraktiv/comparisons1.htm
• http://english.baladre.org/sedaviwebfront/compsup7.htm
• http://english.baladre.org/sedaviwebfront/compsupirreg.htm
• http://english.baladre.org/sedaviwebfront/compsupirreg2.htm
• http://a4esl.org/q/f/z/zz66fck.htm

You can also revise comparissons while you play a game in this site:

• http://www.go4english.com/vg/read.php?unitid=1883

Miss Lidia has left a comment here. Look!

Well children, you seem to learn from your teacher. Has Santa Rosa school become a nest of people that break the laws?

Congratulations for working.

We'll see soon.

Lidia

Have you read Miss Anto's comment?

Animation

The following site lets you draw a person and then turns your drawing to a bunch of dancing people having a good time.

http://roxik.com/pictaps/

Your task:

• Go to the site
• Draw a person
• Get the embedding code and post the animation in your blog
• Describe in writing what he/she is doing, what he/she looks like. It would also be interesting to say what is going on in the animation.
  

Here's mine:

Here's some extra listening practise. You will hear eight separate short pieces and you will have to answer one question for each.


http://www.english-online.org.uk/fcefolder/fcelistenp1.php?name=The%20Listening%20test%20part%201

Tell us about the results!

Third and last activity: WANTED

I just read the following activity in Nik's Peachey's blog and thougt it might be interesting to work with it.

You'll have to create a "Wanted" poster with a photo of yours. You can improve your digital pictures and drawings with this collection of easy to use photo effects at this site.

It's really easy to use, you just upload a photograph and then write in your own caption. You can then download and print the images or add them to blogs or web pages.

Here's mine:


Just choose "wanted posters", create yours and download it into your computer.

After that, publish it in your blog and write a fictional story saying why you're being wanted (at least three paragraphs).

ADDING YOUR CLASSMATES' BLOGS ON THE SIDEBAR

Follow these steps:

• Click on "customise"
• Choose "Add a Gadget"
• A new window will open. From there, click on "Link list"

• Another window will open. Write the title, copy one of your classmates' url, paste it where it says "New Site URL".
  
• Now, where it says "New Site Name", write the name of the blog.
• Click on "Add link" and repeat the previous point until you finish with all the blogs.
• Last, click on SAVE.

• The previous window will appear, click on SAVE once more and it's ready!

In case you haven't been able to do it, post a comment and I'll try to give you further details.

2nd activity of the first free week: Creating your own comic

Today you will create comic strips using the Make Belief Comix site.

Follow these steps:

• Go to: http://www.makebeliefscomix.com and click on 'Enter Here' below the comic strip.

• Wait just a few seconds. You will then see the comic creator. Try to imagine a dialogue. Use your creativity. The comic can have as many pictures as you need.
  
• You are ready to create a comic strip.
• Choose the first character you want to use, click on it. Then scroll through different emotions that you would like them to have by clicking on the red arrows.

• Once you have the one you want, just click on the person and they will appear in the comic strip. You can drag the person to the position you want them. Add other characters and text balloons for your dialogue.

• Click on the "talk baloons" or "thought baloons" and move them to the picture. Type the words.
• Notice you have some tools that will allow you to move the characters.
  
• Once you have finished you can print up or email the comic strip to your friends and yourself and keep it as a reminder.
  

• I sent an e-mail to myself so that I could get the code of my comic. I received the following:

Marina (...........@gmai.com) has sent you a Make Beliefs Comix! Click on the link below to see the Make Beliefs Comix that was created for you. If the link below does not work, please copy and paste the address into your browser.

http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/?comix_id=21195525C118184

• Tell us about your experience and copy the link of your comic strip in "comments" so that we can all enjoy it. Here's mine:
  

________________________________________________________________

• HERE'S ANOTHER SITE WHERE YOU CAN MAKE A MOVIE, BY CHOOSING CHARACTERS, SETTINGS AND BACKGROUND MUSIC.

• ONCE IT'S FINISHED, EMBED IT IN YOUR BLOG BY COPYING THE EMBEDDING CODE.

THE SITE: http://www.dfilm.com/live/moviemaker.html

Introducing oneself (First activity for this free week)

You have already spoken about yourselves in your own blogs and I've enjoyed reading all and each of your introductions.

Don't forget to visit your classmates blogs and leave a comment in each of them. You can find then in the sidebar, on the right.

We will now do a new activity.

Today you will try a new voice tool. Here, you'll be able to listen to my introduction and to other people's as well. You will find paticipants from other countries, too.

You will need a microphone to record your voices.


Once you've listen to everyone, you'll record your own introduction.

How? Follow these steps:

1st) Click on " ".

2nd) Choose "Take me to the signup page". It is not necessary to complete the optional details column.

3rd) Fill in the required details. Remember: do not write your surname, just your first name. Select a nickname.

4th) If you want to, you can upload a photograph.

5ht) Click on "I agree, sign me in"

6th) You are now ready to record a message! You'll need a microphone, just that.

• How many people have left messages?
• Where are they from?
• What do they do?

Listen to your previous classmates messages and answer them as well. By double-clicking on them you can access to their accounts and leave a message as well.

We are all eager to listen to you!

BLOGGER TUTORIAL

You'll be opening your own blogs this week. I'd like you to watch the following video that'll guide you to do it.


You will also find instructions to:

1. start posting.
2. publish the post.
   
3. add images.
4. edit your posts.

I hope you find it useful!

IMPORTANT:
If your blog isn't on the blog list in the sidebar, post a comment with its url so that I can include it!

Uploading a video to your blog

And here's another tutorial that'll teach you how to upload a video from your computer to your blog.




You'll also find instructions about how to add a video from YourTube to the blog.

Solar Cooker Project

Louise Meyer and Patricia McArdle explain to me how the Solar Cookers work. Their websites are www.solarcooking.org , www.she-inc.org , and www.solarcookers.org



Watch up to minute 2:40 and answer the following questions:

1. Who was "Cookit" developed by?
2. Where can you get the design from?
3. What can it cook? How long does it take?
4. What is it possible to pasteurise? Why is it good to pasteurise it?
5. What do they use plastic bags, plastic windows from boats
   

Here's another video with some instructions and even a recipe:

1. What tools did he use?
2. How easy or difficult is it to build?
3. What did he cook? What ingredients did he use?

How about sharing your opinions?

What springs to mind when you hear the word "enviroment"?
What do you think of the solar cooker idea?
Do you have any cool ideas to hep save the enviroment?

English Vocabulary - Appointments & Reservations

Watch the following video and pay attention to what the teacher says:

Please, don't forget to write your names before doing the quizz!

APPOINTMENTS, RESERVATIONS, PLANS » Create A Quiz

COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

Comparatives and Superlatives

http://english.baladre.org/sedaviwebfront/compsup9.htm

QUIZES

http://www.englishmedialab.com/Quizzes/preintermediate/comparatives%20superlatives.htm

http://perso.wanadoo.es/autoenglish/gr.comp.i.htm

ACTIVITIES

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/regcom1.htm

http://a4esl.org/q/h/vm/compsup.html

http://www.1-language.com/englishcourse/unit25_grammar_exs2.htm

INTRODUCING THE BOOK

Watch the following video:

• What do you think this comedic portrayal of a mediaval help desk means?
• What do you associate it with?

SOMETHING TO REMEMBER

You are expected to visit the blog once a week your participation will be considered in your final marks as any other activity in the class. ;-)

GERUNDS OR INFINITIVES?

Here are two sites that will help you study for the test:

http://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/lesson_contents/gerund-infinitive.html

http://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/lesson_contents/gerund_infinitive_ex.html

A new item

As you can see, there's a new item in the blog. In each post you'll find a podcast with the words "listen now".

If you click on it, you'll be able to listen to what is written in the post.

Hope you enjoy it!

Sentence construction

Put a text into sentences. When you finish, tell us how well you did it:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/grammar/sentencebasics/whatisasentence/flash7.shtml

Sorry, by Madonna

Watch the following video and listen to the song. After that, try to complete the lyrics.



Who is Madonna singing to?
What do you think has happened?
What does she mean by "I can't take it anymore"?

SORRY
by MADONNA

Je suis desolé
Lo siento
Ik ben droevig
Sono spiacente
Perdóname!

I've ___________ it all before...

CHORUS:
I don't ___________ hear
I don't ___________ know
Please don't say you're sorry
I've ___________ it all before
And I can take care of myself
I don't ___________ hear
I don't ___________ know
Please don't say ___________ me
I've seen it all before
And I can't take it anymore

You're not half the ___________ you think you are
___________your words because you've gone too far
And listen to your ___________ and all your___________
(listen to your stories)
You're not half the ___________you’d like to be

CHORUS

Don't explain ___________cause talk is ___________
There's more ___________things than hearing you speak
You stay because I made it so convenient
Don't explain ___________you'll never see

Gomen nasai
Mujhe maaf kardo
Proshtchenija proshu
Slihah
Forgive me

Sorry sorry sorry sorry...
I've heard it all before

CHORUS

Don't explain ___________cause talk is ___________
There's more ___________things than hear you speak

I've ___________ it all before...

Madonna

Listen to the following information from www.breakingnewsenglish.com and do the activity below.


Say if the following statements are TRUE or FALSE:

1. A wax model of Madonna has been put in a wax museum.
2. Madonna's first hit song was twenty years ago.
3. The singer said the world was full of Madonna wannabes.
   
4. Te singer said Madonna was a control freak.
5. Madonna thanked people who told her she'd never be successful.
6. People who doubted Madonna's talents inspired her to be better.
   
7. Madonna said she preferred designing clothes to singing.
8. Madonna has sold over two billion albums worldwide.

SPELLING

If you think you need to improve your spelling, go to the following "dictation site" and practise.The story is dictated to you, and you have to type it correctly.

You can choose the speed of the reading and how often it’s repeated.

When you type, only the correct letters actually show-up on the screen, and you can ask for hints.

http://www.listen-and-write.com/audio

IRREGULAR VERBS

In the space provided, write the proper form of the irregular verb named in parentheses after the space. Either a simple past or a participle form of the verb will be required

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/cross/verbs.htm

GERUNDS OR INFINITIVES?

Here's some practise. You will also find some explanation about this topic. Try these sites:

http://wwwedu.ge.ch/cptic/prospective/projets/anglais/exercises/gerund2.htm

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/structures/gerund_infinitive2.htm

http://www.eslpartyland.com/quiz%20center/haightmult.htm

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/gerinf1.htm

Misuse of the infinitives:

http://a4esl.org/q/j/dt/mc-misuseinfi.html

INDIRECT QUESTIONS

Go to the following link in the British Council page and try to change ten direct questions into indirect questions.


http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/CET/flashactivities/learnenglish-central-grammar-indirect-questions.html


Comment on the results!

Have a nice weekend!

1. Here's a new funny game. Read the instructions carefully before playing!

It’s a Pac-Man-type word game. It shows a word and a bunch of different photos. If you “munch” on the seven photos that correctly illustrate the word, you advance to the next level.

Go to this site: http://imagine-it.org/flickr/PhotoMunchrs.html


2. HELPING CHILDREN IN NEED THROUGH LEARNING

For every correct answer they will donate .25 cents to children in need.

It's worth trying: http://www.aidtochildren.com

CONJUCTIONS

Find the right joining word to complete each sentence:




If it doesn't open, go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/english/activities/lang_structure.shtml

used to, be used to, get used to

Test your knowledge of used to, be used to, get used to.
Read the question and click on the correct answer A, B or C.
You get feedback for each option you choose until you click ‘next’ to go to the next question. There are 5 questions.

http://www.go4english.com/vg/read.php?unitid=1387

Linking words

Here's some practise. Do the exercises and comment about the results!

http://wwwedu.ge.ch/cptic/prospective/projets/anglais/exercises/time1.htm

http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/fce/students/writing/linking/time.htm

GAME:

http://www.go4english.com/vg/read.php?unitid=1964

Watch this video and listen to this wonderful song.

Try to fill in the blanks of the lyrics; print it and sing along.

The singer: Joshua Winslow Groban (born February 27, 1981) is a Grammy-nominated American singer/songwriter known for his baritone voice. He has concentrated his career so far mostly in concert singing and recordings, although he has stated that he wishes to pursue musical theatre in the future.
Interesting, isn't it?

Let me fall
Let me ___________
There's a ___________ when fear
And ___________ must collide

Someone I am
Is waiting for ___________
The one I want
The one I will become
Will ___________ me

So let me fall
If I must fall
I won't heed your ___________
I won't ___________ them

Let me fall
If I fall
Though the phoenix may
Or may not ___________
I will ___________ so freely
Holding on to no one
You can hold me only
If you too will ___________
Away from all these
Useless fears and chains

Someone I am
Is waiting for my ___________
The one
I want
The one I will become
Will ___________ me

So let me fall
If I must fall
I won't heed your ___________
I won't ___________

Let me fall
If I fall
There's no reason
To miss this one ___________
This perfect moment
Just let me fall

• What does this song and performance mean to you?
• What can you associate its message with?
• Who's speaking?
• Who is the message for?