Tom Sawyer (4ºD)

Here is the audio book of Tom Sawyer. Listen and read the first two chapters (yes, the second also), and do the activities in the worksheet for next Wednesday.

Interested in a brief history of steamboats? Have a look at this video (less than 3 min. long):

2nd term project (B1B/C)

Task:

1.Design a 5-day trip to an area in the United Kingdom (A Foreigner in Britain can help you to choose it). You have to create a brochure or a powerpoint presentation with your daily plan including the activities to carry out during the 5-day trip.

2.Give an oral presentation describing your trip. Use your brochure/powerpoint presentation as a guide.

Process:

You’re going to work in groups of 3-4 students.I want the list with the groups as soon as possible (that is, next Monday 22). If you can´t organize yourselves, I´ll decide the groups! 

1) First of all decide all together your route. 

2) Then student 1 will organize the aspects related to transport.

3) Student 2  will find accommodation 

4) Student 3 will make a sightseeing tour

5) Now calculate the budget working all together.

6) Put all the information together to produce a brochure or powerpoint presentation (10 pages or slides min.).

7) Give each of the other groups a paper copy of your brochure (not necessary if it is a powerpoint document) and present your trip plan in front of the class.

8) Group discussion. Which is the best trip plan and why?

Deadlines:

-The deadline is February 26 (Monday). That day you must hand in your brochure to me. If you have prepared a powerpoint presentation, you must send it to me in an email by Friday 23. The oral presentations will begin on Feb.26. The order will be decided at random.

 
Assessment:

The activity will account for 1.5 points (included in your speaking mark, the final speaking mark will be the average between the mark obtained in this activity and the mark for your participation in the Literary Circles about A Foreigner in Britain).

-Half a point will go for the brochure or powerpoint presentation, so that mark will be shared by the members of the group. It must have a minimum of 10 pages/slides plus a cover page. Include a map of the country with the route you have chosen so that we can follow your presentation. You can´t copy and paste texts from the internet (and I´ll notice that!), elaborate the information using your own words. Don´t include long texts in the slides. If you have prepared a brochure, make six copies of it to hand out in the class. These aspects will be assessed:
1.Organization, (layout,map with the route, are all requirements covered?).
2.Appearance (pictures chosen, videos, ICT use). 
3.Contents (are they interesting?, are texts elaborated enough or just copied and pasted?).

-One point will go for the oral presentation of each member of the group, that mark will be individual. Each person in the group must speak at least for 2 minutes (I´ll use the same rubric as for the 1st term presentations). Remember you can´t read!

Ready to travel?

FCE writing (4ºD)

Some very good tips and examples of the different types of FCE writing exercises can be found in this website. Don´t miss it!

A Foreigner in Britain reading plan (B1B/C)

So this is the reading plan for the second term book. On the following dates you have to bring prepared the chapters below. The idea is to hold then Literary Circles with the Language assistant (if we have one) and me.

Jan 22: prologue and chapters 1 to 4.
Feb 5: ch. 5 to 7
Feb 19: ch 8 to the end.

(the book exam will be on Feb 22).

What is a Literary Circle? It is a discussion about the chapters assigned, based on three different aspects:
-Vocabulary: Pick 5 words (difficult ones please) and explain the meaning of them in English.
-A summary of the events happening in the story.
-Your opinion about the topics discussed.

Your participation will be taken into account for your speaking mark.

I think this activity is a much better way to deal with a book than what we have done in the first term with The Prisoner of Zenda (written quizzes and that´s all) but it´s essential that you prepare previously the chapters assigned for that Literary Circle because if not it won´t work! 

FCE & PET practice (4ºD)

Click on these links to practise on line the "Reading and Use of English" section in the FCE exam:

-Part 1 (Multiple Choice Cloze)
-Link 1 
-Link 2
-Link 3
-Link 4
-Link 5

-Part 2 (Open Cloze)
-Link 1 
-Link 2
-Link 3
-Link 4

-Part 3 (Word Formation) 
-Link 1
-Link 2
-Link 3
-Link 4
-Link 5
-Link 6


-Part 4 (Key Word Transformation) 
-Link 1
-Link 2
-Link 3
-Link 4
-Link 5

More practice here (including now the Reading part):

-FCE Reading and Use of English:  part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7

-PET :
(reading)
(writing) 

Gender violence

Watch this video and explain what you can see in it:

Check out also this link.

Now listen to this poem ("No te rindas") by Mario Benedetti. Can you find a relation to this issue?

Singing for Mrs Pettigrew Literay Circles plan (3ºB, 3ºC)

Below you can find a list with the Literary circles dates (on Thursdays).  On Mondays you have to hand in the Literary Circle worksheet of the story/stories whose LC is scheduled for the following Thursday. You can find info on what a literary circle worksheet should include HERE. I highly recommend reading the introduction by the author to each story, but the LC (and the LC worksheet) will only deal with the story itself. 

December 14: MEETING CEZANNE 

Dec. 21:  I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS

January 11: THE GIANT´S NECKLACE

Jan. 18: MY ONE AND ONLY GREAT ESCAPE
Jan. 25: MY FATHER IS A POLAR BEAR + THE SILVER SWAN

February 1: THE MOZART QUESTION 

Feb. 8: WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE? 

Feb. 22: HALF A MAN + FOR CARLOS, A LETTER FROM YOUR FATHER 

March 1: SINGING FOR MRS PETTIGREW

Gattaca essay (4ºD, B1B/C)

After watching Gattaca in Tutoría classes (and English), it´s time to work out an essay on it. It should be longer than the usual composition (no less than 250 words) and include the following points:

1. Character analysis: Description of the most important characters (Vincent, Jerome, Anton, Irene): their motivations, their evolution in the film, their strengths and weaknesses, etc.
2. A plot overview. Have a look at this quiz, it can help you to make up your summary.
3. Quote interpretation. (As usual, explain what is going on at this point of the plot and who is speaking or mentioned). Choose three of these:

a-"You want to know how I did it? This is how I did it, Anton: I never saved anything for the swim back".

b-"I got the better end of the deal. I only lent you my body. You lent me your dream".

c-" -How the hell did you get up here?

    -Oh, I could always walk... I've been faking it".

d-"They used to say that a child conceived in love has a greater chance of happiness. They don't say that anymore".

e-"Unacceptable risk of heart failure." I think that's what the manual says. The only trip I'll take in space is around the sun on this satellite right here". 

f-" -What are you doing here, Anton?

    -I should ask *you* that question. I have a right to be here. You don't.

    -Heh! You almost sound as if you believe that. I committed no murder. You must be disappointed.

     -You've committed *fraud*. Listen, you're in a lot of trouble. I can get you out of here...

     -Do you have any idea what it took to get IN here?"

g-"Jerome Morrow was never meant to be one step down on the podium".

4. What is the moral of this story? What have you learned from it? 

Deadline to turn in your essay: December 18. 

Holes Literary circles plan (4ºD)

The literary circles will take place on Thursdays (except for the last one that will be on a Tuesday) following this plan. On the previous Tuesday please hand in the LC worksheet for me to check:

Nov. 30: chapters 1-6 (literary workshop: no LC worksheet needed)

Dec. 14: chapters 7-10

Dec 21: ch.11-16

Jan 11: ch. 17-23

Jan. 18: ch. 24-29

Jan. 25: ch. 30-34

Feb. 1: ch. 35-40

Feb. 8: ch. 41-45

Feb. 13 (Tue): ch. 46-end (literary workshop:no LC worksheet needed)

Grammar online practice (3ºB, 3ºC)

Click on the links for extra online grammar practice.

Tenses practice:
-Past Simple/Past Continuous.
-Simple Past vs Present Perfect 
-Simple Past vs Present Perfect(2)
-Present Perfect Continuous
-Present Perfect Simple vs Present Perfect Continuous
-Past Simple vs Past Perfect 
 -Past Perfect Simple 

Irregular verb practice (are you sure you know them well?)
-Irregular verb forms 
-More irregular verbs 
-A crossword now. 

Conditionals: 
-Type 1 
-Type 2
-Mixed

-Comparatives and Superlatives:
-Comparative and Superlative mix (easy warm-up).
-More like the previous one (multiple choice) 
-Still another dead easy one.
-Comparative gap-filling exercise 
-Comparative matching exercise  
-A crossword  now
-Only Superlatives here. 
-A Superlative quiz 
-A Comparative/Superlative mix 
-Correlative comparatives 
-A bit more difficult mix now (including Correlative Comparatives).
 -Irregular comparative and superlative forms.

-Relative clauses:
-Relative pronouns.
-More practice on relative pronouns
-Can these relative pronous be omitted?
-More practice on this.
-Who or whose?
-Non-defining relative clauses.
-Defining or Non-defining? 
-More practice on defining and non-defining relative clauses.

Study skills

Click on this link to find very useful information about "Técnicas de estudio".

Cleft sentences (4ºD)

More practice on cleft sentences here (click on the links). Remember in the exam I´ll only include the ones starting with what or it :

#1
#2
#3

Beowulf: topics for your composition (3ºB, 3ºC)

For November 16 (Thursday) you have to hand in a 150 word composition on ONE of the topics below (you can mix several if you want). Use the information and handouts provided by me to do it. Write three paragraphs: 
-Introduction (mention the topic you have chosen and why you chose it). 
-Body (main ideas, include examples to support your points).
-Conclusion (recap of the most important idea(s)). 


Topics (choose one):

1. Do you agree with the action against Grendel you were assigned for Global Classrooms mock conferences? Why? What action would you have preferred to defend?

2. In many ways, Beowulf is the precursor of the modern superhero in later stories.  What modern stories do you think reflect the same mythological elements used in Beowulf?

3. Is Beowulf a good warrior? And a good king?

4. In what way(s) can Grendel and Grendel´s mother be considered human?

5. What is a hero for you? Are heroes still necessary nowadays? Name someone you consider a hero and explain why s/he is a hero for you.

6. Write the story from Grendel´s point of view. (In this case you don't have to follow the outline above, anyway use paragraphs to separate different events or situations in the story). 

Grammar review (4ºD)

In the first term in grammar as you know we´ve been focusing mainly on 3º ESO contents (namely a recap of Tenses, in the Active and Passive forms) and the Modal verbs for Hypotheses in the past. Use these links for futher on-line practice. 

-Tenses practice:
-Past Simple/Past Continuous.
-Simple Past vs Present Perfect
-Simple Past vs Present Perfect(2)
-Past Simple vs Past Perfect 
-Present Perfect Continuous
-Present Perfect Simple vs Present Perfect Continuous
-Past Perfect Simple 
-The Future Perfect. Click on these links: #1, #2
-The Future Continuous: #3 , #4 
-Mixed Future tenses: #5 , #6 
-A bit of everything
-Irregular verbs forms 
-More irregular verbs 
-A crossword now. 

-Passive forms: click on these links.
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6

 -Modal verbs for Deduction in the past (must/may/might/can´t+have+participle) and Regret (should +have+part.). 
#1
#2 (scroll down for the drills)
#3

Exam dates (3ºB, 3ºC, 4ºD, B1B/C)

Brecon Beacons (Wales)

Exams are coming... Can you feel the thrill? As a reminder, these are the dates as agreed in class (Report any mistakes!):

3ºB&3ºC

Nov. 10 (Fri): Listening exam (1 point).
Nov. 14 (Tue): Literature+short stories exams (2 p. 30% min. correct in both to pass the term).
Nov. 17 (Fri): Writing and Reading exam (2 p.).
Nov. 20 (Mon): Grammar+Vocabulary exam (2 p.).
Remember that Global Classrooms (The Grendel Conference, Thursdays from Oct. 26 to Nov. 16) accounts for a 20% (2 points) of your total term mark. 

4ºD

Oct. 31 (Tue): Listening exam (1 point)
Nov. 7 (Tue): Reading exam (FCE format, parts 5, 6 and 7)
Nov.15 (Wed): Grammar+Vocabulary exam (2 p.).
Nov. 17 (Fri): How I live Now exam (1 p., 30% min. correct to pass the term)
Nov. 21 (Tue): Literature exam (1 point). The other point of Literature goes to the team project. (30% min. correct to pass the term). 
The speaking point will be obtained from your participation in the Literary Circles. The point for writing from the compositions you have turned in throughout the term. 

B1B/C

Oct 25 (Wed): The Prisoner of Zenda ch 1-3 (quiz)
Oct 31 (Tue): The Prisoner of Zenda ch 1-6 (quiz)
Oct 30 (Mon): My best holidays ever 1.30 min. presentations
Nov 7 (Tue): The Prisoner of Zenda exam (1 point)
Nov. 10 (Fri): Reading (1 p.)+Writing (2 p.) exams
Nov 13 (Mon): 1.30 min. presentations based on a picture. (1.5 p., average with the presentation about you best holidays)
Nov 14 (Tue): Grammar+Vocabulary exam (3 p.)
Nov 28 (Tue): Listening exam (1.5 p.)