3 C/D BIL 2010-2011

Class Diary: 3C-DBilingual

This new page will be my class diary. Here you'll find more information about what goes on in class each day and what to expect in the following classes.

1 June

How to write a personal description


24 May

As we've been writing some poetry in class today I thought this clip would be interesting to you:
It's Eminem explaining how to rhyme words, even orange!



This is his rhyme: orange four inch door hinge in stora­ge and ate porridge with George


16 May
Here's a link to an entry in one of the blogs I follow: You will find a great explanation of the difference between to and for to express purpose


25 April
Some links about proverbs:
One List of proverbs with meaning 
Another list
Proverbs and their meaning
Lots of games about proverbs


6 April
I'm posting the link to an article about a futuristic aircraft seat  and another one about future inventions. 
 4 April

The Freedom Writers official website


1 April

More links about the film we're watching:

In 1961, the Freedom Riders, a dedicated group of men and women, black and white, young and old (many from university and college campuses) across the USA boarded buses, trains and planes bound for the deep South to challenge that region‘s outdated Jim Crow laws and the non-compliance with a US Supreme Court decision already three years old that prohibited segregation in all interstate public transportation facilities. They were risking their lives and many ended up in jail or worse.

Twelve Angry Men is a 1954 teleplay by Reginald Rose for the Studio One anthology television series. Initially staged as a CBS live production on 20 September 1954, the drama was later rewritten for the stage in 1955 under the same title and again for a feature film, 12 Angry Men (1957). The show starts with a dramatic charge by an excessively somber judge. "I urge you to deliberate earnestly and thoughtfully," he intones with the low bass voice of an old preacher at a funeral. "You are faced with a grave responsibility."... This idea of a fait accompli decision is shattered when one lone juror has the audacity to vote not guilty on the first ballot. "You think he's not guilty," another juror shouts out in anger to him about the defendant. "I've never seen a guiltier man in my life." This group of 12 strangers slowly but sometimes explosively begin to express their opinions...

If you want to know more about Miep Gies, the woman who helped and hid Anne Frank, you can go here.

30 March

I'm posting a few links related to the film we're watching, Freedom Writers. I'm saving some for later as I don't want to spoil it for you but there are a few things in the movie worth delving into:

To know a bit more about the Holocaust, here's the link to Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, the museum they visit on their first field trip.

The book the Honors students are reading is Alice Walker's The Color Purple. Published in 1982, tells the story of Celie, a Black woman in the South. Celie writes letters to God in which she tells about her life--her roles as daughter, wife, sister, and mother. In the course of her story, Celie meets a series of other Black women who shape her life: Nettie, Celie's sister, who becomes a missionary teacher in Africa; Shug Avery, the Blues singer her husband Mr. ______ is in love with, and who becomes Celie's salvation; Sofia, the strong-willed daughter-in-law whose strength and courage inspire Celie; and Squeak, who goes through awakenings of her own. Throughout the story, though, Celie is the center of this community of women, the one who knows how to survive.

21 March

Someone asked me the other day about clapping games in English so I'm posting this great link from the British Library. It gives you an overview of traditional clapping games and examples. If you are interested, there's a lot of information on other traditional games such as skipping games, ball games and more.
Playtimes: A Century of Children's Games and Rhymes
 


7 March

Some exercises from englishexercises.org to practise personal pronouns:
exercise 1
exercise 2
exercise 3
exercise 4
exercise 5

and to practise the present perfect/simple past:
exercise 6
exercise 7
exercise 8
exercise 9
exercise 10

An explanatory video and exercises to practise the present perfect continuous:
exercise 11
exercise12





22 February

Here's Rock Lobster by The B52s, probably the weirdest song in the universe. You gotta love it though ;)
Enjoy!

We were at a party
His ear lobe fell in the deep
Someone reached in and grabbed it
It was a rock lobster!

Rock Lobster!!!

Rock Lobster!!!

We were at the beach
Everybody had matching towels
Somebody went under a dock
And there they saw a rock
It wasn't a rock
It was a rock lobster!

Rock Lobster!!!
Rock Lobster!!!
((High Pitched)) Rock Lobster!!!

Rock Lobster!!!
Rock Lobster!!!

Commotion in the ocean
His air hose broke!
Lots of troubles!
Lots of bubbles!
He was in a jam!
(He wa)s'in a giant clam!!!

Rock, Rock

Rock Lobster!!!
Down, down...

Underneath the waves
Mermaids wavin'
Wavin' to mermen
Wavin' sea fans
Sea horses sailin'
Dolphins wailin'

Rock Lobster!!!
((High Pitched)) Rock Lobster!!!

Rock Lobster!!!
Rock Lobster!!!
Oooo aah!
Oooo aah!
Red snappers snappin'
Oooo aah!
Clam shells clappin'
Oooo aah!
Muscles flexin'
Oooo aah!
Flippers flippin'
Oooo aah!

Rock, Rock,
Rock Lobster
Down! Down!

Lobster... Rock
Lobster... Rock

Let's rock!!!

Boys and bikinis
Girls and surfboards
Everybody's rockin'
Everybody's frugin'

Twistin' round the fire
Havin' fun!

Bakin' potatoes
Bakin' in the sun!

Put on your noseguard
Put on the Lifeguard
Pass the tanning butter

Here comes a stingray
There goes a mantaray
In walked a jelly fish
There goes a dogfish
Chased by a catfish
In flew a sea robin
Watch out for that piranha!
There goes a narwhal
HERE COMES A BIKINI WHALE!

Lobster rock lobster
ROCK LOBSTER
lobster rock ay ay ah ah
ROCK LOBSTER
lobster rock lobster
ROCK LOBSTER
Lobster rock ay ay ah ah oo
ROCK LOBSTER
Ay ay ah ah oo
Ay ay ah ah oo

 
19 January
Martina's recommended this link for learning prefixes, suffixes and roots and I also think it is worth a look so please visit this site
 
The following is a music video for all the math geeks in class (yes, you know who you are). Obviously, I'm not one as I have no idea what this song is about: it all sounds Greek to me ;) Enjoy!



10 January

As many of you keep asking questions about the book reports and presentations, I'll try to clarify everything here:

+  You need to write a report (I gave out the report sheets before the Christmas holidays) on the book you read at Christmas and hand it in before Friday,15th Jan. On a later date you'll have to speak about it in front of the class. There is no set date yet.
+ Everyone needs to be ready to do their presentation next Friday, 15th Jan. If you need a computer to present your topic, I advise you to send me your file beforehand so I can make sure it will work properly. Remember this: the more personal the approach, the better the end result. Have a look again at my blog entry on the subject for tips.

On another note, remember your homework for tomorrow: Suffixes worksheet (8)


22 November

Perig asked today about the differences between Have and Have got and who uses which, The British or the Americans:
While both forms are correct (and accepted in both British and American English), have got (have you got, he hasn't got, etc.) is generally the preferred form in British English while most speakers of American English employ the have (do you have, he doesn't have etc.) (from esl.about.com)

Exercises to practise Countable/Uncountable:
Page 1
Page 2

To practise questions:
Questions 1
Questions 2


15 November

I think you may like this as you are learning Chemistry in English:

Recently on the Graham Norton Show, Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) asked the audience to "Give a big shout if you know who Tom Lehrer is." He performed the Elements Song, which lists the entire periodic table, written by the mathematician. Can you understand the lyrics? ;)

3 November 

Here's the video and lyrics to a song I really like, I hope you like it too. Pay attention to the lyrics, they are quite meaningful. (I have censored a few words, sorry! Now I feel like MTV!)
What it's like by Everlast

We've all seen the man at the liquor store beggin' for your change
The hair on his face is dirty, dreadlocked and full of mange
He ask the man for what he could spare with shame in his eyes
Get a job you f*****' slob's all he replied

God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to sing the blues
Then you really might know what it's like [x4]

Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom who said he was in love
He said don't worry about a thing baby doll I'm the man you've been dreamin' of
But three months later he said he won't date her or return her call
And she sweared god damn if I find that man I'm cuttin' off his balls
And then she heads for the clinic and she gets some static walkin' through the doors
They call her a killer, and they call her a sinner, and they call her a w*****

God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in her shoes
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to choose
Then you really might know what it's like [x4]

I've seen a rich man beg
I've seen a good man sin
I've seen a tough man cry
I've seen a loser win
And a sad man grin
I heard an honest man lie
I've seen the good side of bad
And the down side of up
And everything between
I licked the silver spoon
Drank from the golden cup
Smoked the finest green
I stroked the fattest dimes at least a couple of times
Before I broke their heart
You know where it ends
Yo, it usually depends on where you start

I knew this kid named Max
He used to get fat stacks out on the corner with drugs
He liked to hang out late at night
Liked to get shit faced
And keep pace with thugs
Until late one night there was a big gun fight
Max lost his head
He pulled out his chrome .45
Talked some shit
And wound up dead
Now his wife and his kids are caught in the midst of all of his pain
You know it crumbles that way
At least that's what they say when you play the game

God forbid you ever had to wake up to hear the news
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to lose
Then you really might know what it's like [x3]

To have to lose...


27 October

I'm posting a link to a great guide to writing descriptive essays as I think you may find it useful for the coming test ;). It is short and quite easy to understand. Read it carefully and ask me anything you don't understand.

A Brief Guide to Writing Descriptive Essays

16 October


Essay: Describe someone you like
You choose who but try to write as much detail as possible.
It must be in by Friday, 22nd. 

15 October

The winner of our first Spelling Bee is : Laura González Verde (3D)  CONGRATULATIONS! 

Let's practise descriptions:

Personality adjectives and their definitions

Different exercises

High Level: different exercises

Adjectives for native speakers

Slang Terms

Adjectives: Flashcards

 Lots of exercises (different levels)


3 October

Do not send any more essays on Spanglish as the 30 September deadline is way over now. 

In order to be able to collaborate on our wiki you need to be a member so please answer the invitation email as soon as possible. Those of you who haven't been invited need to tell me as soon as possible and I'll send you one. I'll need an email address!

This is the link to our wiki:3 ESO Bilingual Wiki

Tomorrow we'll have our Spelling Bee Contest.  

You can try online at :

http://www.bigiqkids.com/SpellingGame/SpellingGameContest.html and enter the contest's name : teacherourteacher_classroom, though it is mostly helpful to native speakers as it assumes you know your alphabet ;)

On another note, here's the link to Sandra Cisneros's webpage. I gave you a photocopy with some of her work for you to read (Have you read it yet?). You'll find an interesting article about an Arizona law that bans teachers who speak English with a Spanish accent from the classrooms. I think you may like to read her opinion on that.

I'll leave you today with a video where Sandra Cisneros herself talks about her book The House On Mango Street

 


22 september


Today we are going to read about Spanglish and other varieties of American English:
American varieties of English
Spanglish
Slang 

Homework: Write an informative essay about what you just read. Choose one specific topic (Spanglish, Slang,...) Use your own words as much as possible and try not to quote. The language must be simple and easy to understand:Other students will read it.  Plan your writing, organize your ideas and turn your draft in by September 30th. Once it is checked and revised, the essay will be published on my blog or our wiki.

How to write an informative essay

21 September

Here's a link to the actual article we read today in class, complete with pictures:

The article


This is Larry Platt and his song "Pants on the Ground", not a masterpiece for sure but we can have a few laughs with it. 



And this is the "stop the sag" ad:




20 September

Practice reading tests online

Reading comprehension exercises  

More reading comprehension exercises

Tests at isabelperez.com

Great readings with audio (3 levels)