Friendship day was originally founded by Hallmark in 1919. In April 2011 the United Nations officially recognised 30th July as International Friendship Day but many countries celebrate it on the first Sunday of August."On this International Day of Friendship, let us cultivate warm ties that strengthen our common humanity and promote the well-being of the human family. "UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon"The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.To mark the International Day of Friendship the UN encourages governments, international organizations and civil society groups to hold events, activities and initiatives that contribute to the efforts of the international community towards promoting a dialogue among civilizations, solidarity, mutual understanding and reconciliation".Surf the following sites for more information:http://www.un.org/en/events/friendshipday/http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/un/friendship-daySOME CLASS ACTIVITIESABOUT FRIENDSHIPREADING AND WRITINGHow could you define friendship? Have a look at the following website: http://friends.com/definition-of-friendship. Then write your own definition of  "friendship".Read this article at http://friends.com/rules-of-friendship about the rules of friendship and add your own rules to the list.LISTENINGSome songs on friendship"Count on me" - Bruno Mars"I'll be your friend" - Amy Grant"Friends are friends forever" - Michael W. Smith"Any time you need a friend" - Mariah Carey"I'll be there" - Mariah Carey"I turn to you" - Christina Aguilera"That's what friends are for" - Dionne Warwick"You've got a friend" - James Taylor"You're my best friend" - Queen"You've got a friend in me" - Randy Newman SPEAKING Talking about friendsA conversation about friendshipFriendship Soup RecipeAfter having watched the above videos, prepare an oral presentation about your best friend. Tell:how long you have known him/her,what you have in common,which are the things you like about him/her,what is you personal "friendship soup" recipe.

August is time to take a vacation for many people and the two most common places people choose for their holidays are the beach and the mountains. Which do you prefer?THE BEACHSOME RESOURCESGreat resources about the sea and the oceans:http://www.henry4school.fr/Vocabulary/sea/sea.htmhttp://www.teachingideas.co.uk/themes/summerattheseaside/BEACH VOCABULARYVIDEOMaybe you already know some of the most common marine animals.... but what happens in the deep sea?Deep sea creaturesSOME SONGS ON THE SEA"Beyond the Sea," Bobby Darin"Under the Sea," from Disney's "The Little Mermaid" "Octopus's Garden", The Beatles"(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay," Otis Redding THE MOUNTAINSSOME RESOURCESSome resources about the mountains:http://www.eslprintables.com/vocabulary_worksheets/places/the_mountain/http://santiamalpineclub.org/mountain/climbing/terms/MOUNTAINS VOCABULARYVIDEOWhat is a mountain?SOME SONGS ON THE MOUNTAINS"Rocky Top", Osborne Brothers"Rocky Mountain High", John Denver"Mountain Music", Alabama" Sugar Mountain", Neil YoungSTUDENTS' TASKWrite an essay about these two different types of holidays. Which do you prefer? What are the main differences between the beach and the mountains? Can you find any similarities? Consider the types of activities you can do in each place, the climate and the location. 

Nowadays more and more people read the news on the Net, so the way we read and even write a newspaper article is definitely changing.Have a look at these American surveys on how the Internet is affecting traditional journalism and how it'schanging the way viewers and readers get news.There are plenty of digital tools you can use to read or even write newspaper articles. I am going to show you just some of them.READINGHere you can read the breaking news from the world:http://www.breakingnews.com/Here you can filter the news by language, country or newspapers:http://newspapermap.com/WRITINGA simple way for journalists, designers and creators to weave interactive stories:http://cartodb.github.io/odyssey.js/You may also try Storymap. It is a free tool to help you tell stories on the web that highlight the locations of a series of events. You can use it to tell a story with photographs, historic maps, or other image files. http://storymap.knightlab.com/Ok, we have just seen some digital tools we could use to read or to write newspapers articles. But now let's see something more general.Do you really know how to read a newspaper? Could you really write a good news article?HOW TO READ A NEWSPAPERSome tips for you in this mindmap of mine:How to read the News On-line vs in PrintHOW TO WRITE  NEWS ARTICLESHow to write articles the quick and easy wayHow to write the perfect newspaper articleNow have a look at the following mindmaps I made for you:Some links from my blog you can find usefulMore information about creating digital magazines:http://thetravellingteachers.blogspot.it/2014/06/its-time-to-travel-lets-consult-some.htmlhttp://thetravellingteachers.blogspot.it/2014/06/football-world-cup.html

Colours, music, stalls, floats and costumes. The  biggest European  street festival  is held in London in August.London's Afro-Caribbean communities have celebrated their traditions since 1964 but learn more about this festival clicking on the following Blendspace lesson I prepared for you:Notting Hill CarnivalSOME ESL RESOURCESNotting Hill Worksheets and Printableshttp://www.eslprintables.com/cinema_and_television/movies/drama_movies/notting_hill/http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/pdf/index.pl?read=1937Carnival vocabularyPractice some Carnival vocabulary, and then take the test at:http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-90943.phpESL Resources on Carnivals around the WorldThe most famous carnivals:http://www.michellehenry.fr/carnivals.htmA Video Quiz: Carnivals from around the world:http://www.eslvideo.com/esl_video_quiz_low_intermediate.php?id=15668The most famous Italian CarnivalsHave a look at the following information I've put on Thinglink about  three famous Italian Carnival cities. Moreover I've added on Thinglink some videos I've mixed up with Metta. Enjoy!YOUR TASKWhat's your favourite Carnival? Do you celebrate Carnival in your country or city? Write an essay about some particular traditions or masks that characterize your country or city's Carnival.

This month my blog is one year old! I started it last September after a training course in Cambridge. I've used it in my classrooms and it has been a great experience! I suggest every teacher to start blogging.An educational blog can change our students' way of expressing themselves. Learners are asked to leave their comments. In fact, being published is an incentive and motivation for many students. Even the most shy students might feel empowered by being able to express themselves better in a written discussion than in front of a class. Blogs support writing, reading, listening and speaking skills . Students can enter reflections on posted questions, publish essays or questions and share opinions. You can also reach some important goals concerning technology. Students can understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology; they can use technology tools to increase productivity and creativity; they can improve their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language; they can use the language both within and beyond the school and, in the end, they can start becoming life-long learners by using the foreign language for personal enjoyment and enrichment. In the following Blendspace lesson I've put together some useful resources about blogs in education:An experienceBlogging with students: how and whyNow take a look at my Popplet presentation.Click below to open the mindmap, then zoom and scroll around.

ConstitutionDay commemorates the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787 Here you can find some resources to easily understand the American form of government and its Constitution.What is the Constitution of the USA?Click on the two images below to get informationThe PreambleNow let's try to understand the USA form of government. Move your cursor over the image by Kids.gov below. I have edited it with Thinglink so now it's interactive!And now take a look at my Blendspace lesson. You can find more information, games, quizzes and videos. Some more materials for teachers Worksheets, printables, games, quizzes and activities: http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/constitution-day/printables/ http://www.abcteach.com/directory/holidays-months-and-seasons-holidays-constitution-day--4304-2-1 http://themes.atozteacherstuff.com/182/constitution-day-constitution-week-activities/ http://www.softschools.com/themes/constitution_day/http://government.mrdonn.org/constitution.htmlSTUDENTS' TASKNow you have got a lot of information! You need to rearrange ideas, so try Popplet to create your own mindmap. You can add images, links and videos! Have fun!Happy...

"Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."Roald Dahl Visit the fantastic Roald Dahl website! You can find an interesting Roald Dahl timeline biography, great quizzes and lesson plans, you can search for information by stories or by characters and a lot of other amazing things.In 2014 we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as well. It is maybe Roald Dahl’s best-known story.  Below you can read an extract from my presentation about a Cineforum on movies drawn from children's novels."Charlie and the chocolate factory" trailerLet's sing along!  Augustus Gloop songVeruca Salt songViolet Beauregarde Song The Oompa Loompa Song Students' taskAnswer the following questions.What is the moral of the story? Which character did you like the most? Why? Invent a new type of sweet for Willy Wonka's factory that has got a particular magical power, describe its features and explain what happens to those who eat it. Choose a friend or a member of your family and explain why you would give your sweet to him/her.

A new school year is starting...I can't be with you for the first lessons but I want to introduce myself to all of you! Watch the video!If you move the cursor over the image below you will see some links. Click on them and watch what I ususally do in my classes.Another example of English activities in my previous school. Click on the image below.And now some rules you have to follow!I am looking forward to starting my lessons!

At the beginning of the new school year teachers usually explain to their students what they are going to study. Sometimes efl teachers not only teach grammar but also British culture, so one of the first cultural topics they discuss with their students are the geography of the UK and its form of government. Here you can find an interactive mindmap, a digital poster and a  collection of useful websites, just to simplify the work.Click on the Glogster digital poster below, you will find general information about the United Kingdom and some videos.Now take a look at my Cacoo mindmap below about the UK form of government. I have edited it with Thinglink to make it interactive. Pass your cursor over the image, you will see that some links will appear.You can also click on the following link to enlarge the above image:http://www.thinglink.com/scene/568385850161758208SCOTTISH REFERENDUMLast September, 18th Scottish people voted for Scotland independence. The question they were asked to answer was ""Should Scotland be an independent country?" The majority of voters answered "NO". Click on the following link to learn more about the referendum: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/scottish-independence-referendum/about; then watch the video below from The Guardian.Scottish referendum explained for non-BritsHere you can see the referendum results.If you want more general information about the Uk government, the Queen and the Royal Family, open my Blendspace lesson.STUDENTS' TASKUse Cacoo or some other mindmapping tool to draw your own mindmap about the Scottish referendum (what the referendum process was; what "yes"  and "no" voters wanted, etc.)

On October, 5th 1962 The Beatles released their debut single "Love me do".The song was a hit!"Love me do" - The Beatles Now it's up to you!"Love me do" karaokeNow take a look at my interactive Thinglink image below. Move your cursor over the image and open the links. You will find information about The Beatles biography and their most famous songs. You can also do some fill in exercises while listening to some songs (to listen to the songs, click on the link under the image).Here's a list in alphabetical order of The Beatles' songs. For each song you can have information, read the lyrics and listen to the music (or even watch a video):http://www.songfacts.com/artist-the_beatles.phpIf you need great worksheets click on this link:http://www.eslprintables.com/worksheets_with_songs/the_beatles/STUDENTS' TASKS1) Watch the following video. It's an old Beatles' interview with fans. Do you think the fans' questions would be different today? What would you ask to the fab four?The Beatles interview with fans - 19642) Create a Beatles' Fakebook page! Take a look at the Fakebook gallery just to get an idea and use the information you read in the biographies."The Beatles will exist without us."George Harrison

The Victorian Age takes its name from Queen Victoria who ruled from 1837 to 1901. Victorian era was caracterised by stability, progress, social reforms, a rapid extention of colonialism but, at the same time, by great problems such as poverty and social injustice.Surf the great BBC history site.Victorians:http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/British History Timeline:http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/timelines/british/index_embed.shtmlThen take a look at my interactive Popplet mindmap about some aspects of the Victorian age. Click on the image to open it, then scroll around, zoom, click on the links and watch the videos.STUDENTS' TASKS          Reading and Writing1) Choose an aspect of the Victorian age that has particularly affected you. Surf the sites I suggested in my mindmap and write a report.2) Imagine you are a Victorian child belonging to a poor family, forced to work in a factory. Describe your working day.3) Which novel (of the two I talk about in my presentation) do you like the most? Why?                 ListeningWatch and listen to the video "Life in Victorian Britain" from the mindmap. Take note of the main points of discussion and create your own mindmap.                               SpeakingWork in pairs or small groups. Read the information about the Victorian etiquette and choose a social situation. Would you know how to conduct yourselves if you were Victorians? You can practice taking the  McCord Museum test. Then prepare a sketch.

In the late 19th century, people from many parts of the world immigrated to the United States for different reasons: famine, lack of jobs, rising taxes, or because they were politically or religiously persecuted. In fact, U.S.A. was perceived as the land of freedom and economic opportunity. At the beginning, the federal government left immigration policy to individual states but then, it decided to regulate the increasing influx of immigrants. In 1890, the president Benjamin Harrison decided that Ellis Island, in New York Harbor near the Statue of Liberty, would be a federal immigration station. It was operational from 1892 to 1954, more than 12 million immigrants entered the United States through "the golden door".In 1954 it was abandoned and it began to decay rapidly. In 1965 President Johnson declared Ellis Island part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument but only in the 1970s the Congress allocated a sum to repair it. In 1976 Ellis Island was reopened to the public.Today you can take a ferryboat from Liberty Island and go on a one-hour guided tour retracing the steps of the immigrants.                Surf my interactive Thinglink image and learn more.                                 http://www.thinglink.com/scene/581896999171784706Now surf the following sites to investigate some aspects related to immigration.Immigration to the USAhttp://spartacus-educational.com/USAimmigration.htmImmigration to the USA, 1851-1900http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/riseind/immgnts/U.S. immigration before 1965http://www.history.com/topics/u-s-immigration-before-1965USA immigration problemshttps://www.numbersusa.com/problemsThe White House website about immigration (watch the video!)http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/immigrationSTUDENTS' WRITING TASKYou are an immigrant at the beginning of the 20th century. Tell me why you are going to the USA, where you are from, which are your expectations. Describe your journey and what you felt when you first saw the "golden door" and "Lady Liberty".

October was World Hunger Action Month!http://www.stophungernow.org/articles/world-hunger-month-2011-10-04May, 28 2015 will be World Hunger Dayhttp://youtu.be/IX8w__WR9Xc?list=PLHpm1ZOoHs84l9PKWWqix-kLyBCi6P12khttps://www.youtube.com/user/WorldHungerDayhttp://www.thehungerproject.co.uk/getinvolved/worldhungerday/world-hunger-day-purpose/http://www.thehungerproject.co.uk/song/What causes hunger?http://www.wfp.org/hunger/causeshttp://eschooltoday.com/hunger-and-malnutrition/causes-of-hunger.htmlhttps://www.freedomfromhunger.org/world-hunger-facts What can we do to reduce world hunger?http://www.wikihow.com/Take-Action-to-End-World-Hungerhttp://borgenproject.org/10-ways-stop-world-hunger/Many artists in the world composed songs about world hunger and poverty to help raise awareness about theese issues.SOME CLASSICSBand Aid was a charity supergroup  featuring mainly American, British, and Irish musicians and recording artists.  It was founded in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for anti-poverty efforts in Ethiopia by releasing the song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" for the Christmas market that year.http://www.inthe80s.com/xmaslst.shtmlBand Aid - Do they know it's Christmas?USA for Africa (United Support of Artists for Africa) was the name under which 44 predominantly U.S. artists, led byMichael Jackson and Lionel Richie, recorded the hit single "We Are the World" in 1985. The song was a U.S. and UK number one for the collective in April of that year. This super group was inspired by Bob Geldof's Band Aid.http://www.usaforafrica.org/Usa for Africa - We are the world"Heal the World" is a song from Michael Jackson's hit album, Dangerous, released in 1991.The video shows poor children living in Africa.Michael Jackson - Heal the world"Imagine" is a song written and performed by John Lennon in 1971. He asks us to imagine a world at peace without borders, hunger and wars. Is he a dreamer?John Lennon - Imagine"Another Day in Paradise" is a song performed by  Phil Collins, released in 1989. It is about  the problem of hunger and homelessness. When someone asks for our help in the street, do we pretend not to hear?Phil Collins - Another day in paradiseVillage Ghettoland is a song by Stevie Wonder about poverty and marginalization, released in 1976. Stevie Wonder - Village GhettolandSTUDENTS' TASKAnswer the following questions:Which song do you prefer? Why? Which words have affected you the most?Do you know any modern song about poverty or world hunger?

AN INTRODUCTIONTypical British eating habitshttp://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/food/http://www.learnenglish.de/culture/foodculture.htmlUK food in Britainhttp://youtu.be/D53ENG2op8wTEA"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."Henry JamesThe history of tea in Britain:http://www.history.uk.com/history/history-tea-britain/Legends on the origins of tea:http://www.tching.com/2012/03/legends-on-the-origins-of-tea-from-china-japan-and-korea/A short history of tea in Englandhttp://youtu.be/saTcXkXx7PcAfternoon tea and high tea:http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/food/tea.htmThe history of afternoon tea:http://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/afternoon-tea/http://www.afternoontea.co.uk/information/history-of-afternoon-tea/English tea: a list of Dos and Don'ts:https://www.finedininglovers.com/stories/english-tea-tips-rules/SOME RECIPESAfternoon tea recipes:http://britishfood.about.com/od/introtobritishfood/tp/afternoontearecipes.htmScones recipe:http://www.instructables.com/id/Perfect-English-Scones/Classic cucumber tea sandwiches:http://coffeetea.about.com/od/foodmeetsdrinks/r/Cucumber-Tea-Sandwiches-Recipe.htmSOME VIDEOSEnglish afternoon tea sandwich recipehttp://youtu.be/Vpb4Lb1m4CUHow to make English sconeshttp://youtu.be/4UnepnO2UwwProper etiquette for afternoon teahttp://youtu.be/vSBpIc5raxgHow to throw a tea partyhttp://youtu.be/A9Jpu7TPRiYSTUDENTS' TASKYou want to have a tea party. Make a list of the things you need, describe how you make a proper British tea and tell something about the etiquette you have to follow.

Street food is artisan food. You can usually buy it from  stalls in the streets, it is not served from restaurants or cafes.Learn more about street food in the UKWhat is street food?http://www.streetfood.org.uk/what-is-street-food.html Top 10 London street food stalls:http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/apr/24/top-10-london-street-food-stalls Street foodFish and chipsA common street food in Britain is fish and chips. It consists of battered fish, commonly  cod or haddock, and deep-fried chips. A common side dish is mushy peas.What is fish and chips:http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/food/takeaway.htmEnglish Fish 'n ChipsFish and chips originsThe unlikely origin of fish and chipshttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8419026.stmThe history of fish and chipshttp://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Fish-Chips/The history of fish and chips in Britainhttp://britishfood.about.com/od/diningdrinkingtradition/a/fishandchips.htmDo you want to prepare it yourself? Read the recipes and watch the video! Fish and chips recipe:http://britishfood.about.com/od/adrecipes/r/Best-Fish-And-Chips-Recipe.htmMushy peas recipe:http://britishfood.about.com/od/tzrecipes/r/Traditional-Mushy-Peas-Recipe.htm Fish and chips recipeStreet food around the worldA simple guide:http://www.roughguides.com/gallery/the-best-street-food-around-the-world/#/8STUDENTS' TASKS1Answer the following questions:What's your country' s typical street food? Do you like it?You've just read some information about street food around the world: what's your favourite street food and why?2Create an interactive mindmap with Thinglink as the one I created for you as an example.Choose an image of the world, upload it on Thinglink and put links on it (just clicking anywhere on the image) about typical street food of different nations. Have fun!

WHAT IS THANKSGIVING?Click on the following link to read my post about Thanksgiving origins, then watch the videos.http://thetravellingteachers.blogspot.it/2013/11/travelling-into-foreing-cultures.htmlAmerican holidays - Thanksgiving DayThe American Thanksgiving storyTHANKSGIVING ...AT THE MOVIES!How many times have we seen Thanksgiving dinners in American movies or telefilms? "Dear Lord, we realize that lately, everything's been changing too damn fast. And all sorts of things are always the same, even if we hate it — like shoveling the turkey and stuffing the snow."from the movie "Home for the holidays", 1996"Once, there was this day. . . this one day when. . . everyone realized they needed each other."from the movie "Pisces of April", 2003"You have taken the land which is rightfully ours. Years from now my people will be forced to live in mobile homes on reservations. Your people will wear cardigans, and drink highballs. We will sell our bracelets by the road sides, and you will play golf. My people will have pain and degradation. Your people will have stick shifts. The gods of my tribe have spoken. They said do not trust the pilgrims. And especially do not trust Sarah Miller. For all these reasons I have decided to scalp you and burn your village to the ground."from the movie "Addams Family Values", 1993SOME FAMOUS SCENES"You cut the turkey without me!" from "Avalon" 2001"The turkey" - from "Home for the holidays", 1996"The prayer" - from "Blind Side", 2009"The toast" - from "Funny people", 2009April explains Thanksgiving to a Chineese family - from "Pisces of April", 2003Addams family Thanksgiving - from "Addams Family Values", 1993STUDENTS' TASKAnswer the following questions:Do you think it's possible to understand some cultural aspects of a foreign countryjust watching its movies?After watching theese scenes, what can you understand about Usa Thanksgiving traditions?Which movie scene do you like the most? Why?

Every year at Christmas time I talk about A Christmas Carol in my classes for many different reasons. It is a wonderful Christmas tale and it allows to study some aspects of British literature, as well. We usually watch the last Disney movie and we read some excerpts from the book.This year I thought of a flipped lesson. Students have to gather information and do some research about the tale before watching the movie or reading the book. Then, they will discuss the topics concerning the novella, the author and the Victorian Era in their classroom. As a teacher, I will just provide the learning material, suggest the websites to surf outside the classroom and guide my students to apply their knowledge during class activities.As usual, I prepared a lesson with the help of some digital tools. I created a mindmap with Cacoo and I made it interactive with Thinglink.If you move the cursor over the image below, some icons will appear. Click on them to open the links. You will find some information about Charles Dickens, the main characters of his novella and some fun activities.The following is a deepening on the Victorian Era for more advanced students. I prepared this mindmap with Popplet. You will find some videos, links and a PowerPoint presentation. Click on the following symbol on the image to enlarge:Inside the classroom the students will discuss what they have learned outside the classroom. They will actively and interactively apply their knowledge.Some ideas for class discussion:What are the moral lessons in this story?Describe how Scrooge changes during the night of Christmas Eve.Would a visit from the three spirits of the tale impact your life? How?How would you describe the Victorian Era?Can we see any typical aspects of the Victorian Age in the novella? What is Dickens' position towards the social problems of his era?

Who among us has never peeked the horoscope? Whether we believe it or not, at the beginning of a new year we always have a look at the astrological predictions.In this lesson you will reflect on yourself, you will improve your personality adjectives vocabulary and you will revise English grammar about making predictions.What's your astrological sign?Star signsThe Western ZodiacThe Chineese ZodiacThe Chineese Horoscope:http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-43375.php Zodiac SignsA list of personality adjectives:http://www.englishlanguageterminology.org/parts-of-speech/personality-adjectives.htmPositive and negative personalty adjectives for each star sign:http://esl.about.com/od/vocabularyadvanced/ig/Zodiac-Personality.--Ho/STUDENTS' TASKWhat's your personality like? Describe some positive and some negative traits of you character. Is your zodiac sign description right in your opinion?Which animal are you in the Chineese horoscope? Describe your personality according to this horoscope.What will  your future be like?2015 Horoscope:http://astrology.horoscope.com/horoscope/year/2015-horoscope.aspxMaking predictions:http://www.grammaring.com/future-simple-for-predictionsFuture tenses:http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/rules/future.htmTalking about probability:http://www.english-at-home.com/speaking/talking-about-probability-in-english/STUDENTS' TASKWhat does you horoscope say about the 2015? What do you think will happen next year? Talk about your expectations, predictions and resolutions for the new year.Some worksheets and printables for teachers:http://busyteacher.org/classroom_activities-vocabulary/horoscopeszodiac_signs-worksheets/http://www.eslprintables.com/vocabulary_worksheets/describing_people/zodiac_signs/

"If we bear all this suffering and if there are still Jews left, when it is over, then Jews, instead of being doomed, will be held up as an example." Anne FrankJanuary 27th is the International Holocaust Remembrance Day On 27 January 1945, Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp, was liberated by the Soviet troops during World War II.What is World War II?http://history.parkfieldict.co.uk/world-war-ii/why-did-world-war-ii-startLearn more about the Remembrance Day at the following websites:The United Nations site:http://www.un.org/en/holocaustremembrance/ The Unesco site:http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/prizes-and-celebrations/celebrations/international-days/commemoration-in-memory-of-the-victims-of-the-holocaust/Over one million children under the age of sixteen died in the Holocaust...Children of the Holocaust Click on the images below to open my Blendspace lessons about the Holocaust children and Anne Frank. Anne Frank - A graphic biography Anne Frank Anne Frank - the only known videoSTUDENTS' TASKClick on the image below and surf the links.Read and listen to some excerpts from Anne's diary, then take a quiz."Monsters exist, but they are too few in number to be truly dangerous. More dangerous are the common men, the functionaries ready to believe and to act without asking questions."Primo Levi

February, 14th is Saint Valentine' s Day! On this day cards, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones.But do you know where this festival comes from? Are you ready to say or write something special to the people you care about?Clicking on the following Thinglink image (that I previously created with Cacoo), you will find some useful activities to get prepared for that day.You can read some information and watch some videos about St. Valentine' s Day origins You can learn some useful vocabulary and play a vocabulary gameYou can listen to some hints on how to make a perfect Valentine' s giftYou can learn to write a great Valentine' s cardYou can learn some love poems for your boyfriend or girlfriend (but also for a member of your family or a friend)You can read some love poems written by the greatest British and American poetsYou can have fun by taking some quizzes!Now it' s up to you! Show your love to the people you care about!

It's carnival time!Surf the following websites and have your own (virtual) pancakes race! First of all let' s take a look at some Carnival glossary: http://www.carnivalarts.org.uk/Portals/0/Carnival%20Glossary.pdfNow let's see UK carnivals by region:http://www.carnivalarts.org.uk/Carnivals/UKCarnivalsbyregion.aspxCarnival festival culminates on Shrove Tuesday. Shrove Tuesday,  is the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. 'Shrove' derives from an old English word 'shrive', meaning 'confess all sins'. In the UK it is also called Pancake Day because on this day people traditionally eat pancakes.Surf the following site for more information about Shrove Tuesday in the UK:http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/uk/shrove-tuesday Pancake day in London:http://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/pancake-day-in-londonBasic Pancake recipes:http://www.bordbia.ie/aboutfood/recipes/eggs/pages/basicpancakes.aspxSome videos:Pancake DayThe great pancake raceWEBQUESTYour own pancakes race...Click on my Thinglink image below (I made the mindmap with Spiderscribe), follow the route, open the Word documents, answer the questions about the websites you have just visited... and win the pancakes race!

A different Webquest for St. Patrick' s Day!For this webquest I am going to use QR codes! My students will have to use their own device (smartphone or tablet) in the classroom (BYOD) to get all the information they need and answer the questions!Goals:Talking about cultural aspects of a festival in a fun wayFacilitating students' engagementEnsuring aesy access to selected information and materialAllowing students to aquire digital skillsAnticipatory Set and Instructions:For this webquest I have created some QR (Quick Response) codes. They are two-dimensional barcodes that can be read using tablets or smartphones. You need a camera and a QR code reader on your device to read them (there are many free apps available). These codes link directly to websites, videos and more.Of course if you want to create your own QR codes you also need a QR code generator (there are many of them for free online, as well).For my webquest, I have used the "QR stuff code generator" (online on my pc) and I have asked my students to download the "QR code reader" free app (for Android) on their mobile devices. It's very easy and quick!Classroom activity:On St. Patrick' s Day I am  printing the QR codes and I am putting them on the walls of my classroom (you can also use more than one room or a different location). I am going to divide the students into teams, they will have to answer some questions (to get points) after having read the information and watched the video.I have prepared a Google form with all the questions and of course it is available with a QR code, as well! The team with the most points will win. Follow-up:After our classroom activity, students will have to write a report, make a poster or a presentation to sum up all the information about St. Patrick' s Day.If you don't want to create your own QR codes but you  like this activity, you can use mine, just print them or show them on your pc or your Interactive Whiteboard of your classroom. All the students have to do is use their mobile' s camera to open the links and get the information  through the QR codes.ST PATRICK' S WEBQUEST1) St. Patrick' s Day origins2) Sacred sites linked to St. Patrick3) Watch the video4) What is a Leprechaun?5) St. Patrick' s poemsChoose a poem and memorize it!And now open the form, answer the questions and click on "send"!You will get 1 point for each correct answer and 5 points for the poem!

Knowing how to write a letter is a very important skill (at school, in business, for general personal relationships).I have created two simple Glogster interactive posters to show  formal and informal letter layouts. By moving your cursor over the images, some links will appear. Click on them to get more information.You will learn:the structure of a letterthe difference between a formal and an informal stylethe conventions of formal letter writingInformal letterFormal letterSome useful resources about letter writing:http://www.letterwritingguide.com/http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/topic/writing-a-letterhttp://www.usingenglish.com/resources/letter-writing.phphttp://www.studyenglishtoday.net/business-letter-parts.htmlhttp://esl.about.com/od/businessenglishwriting/a/Formal-Letter-Structure.htmhttp://www.usingenglish.com/resources/letter-writing.phpSome exercises:http://www.tolearnenglish.com/english_lessons/writing-letters-exercises

To talk about the Environment to my students, this time I have created a simple Emaze online presentation. Emaze is a very interesting web tool, you can select a pre-designed template (or make your own slides from scratch) and easily create your presentation (slideshow, video and even a 3D presentation) by adding text, images, charts and videos. You can also save the presentation to view it offline.This work is just a starting point to talk about many topics related to the environment. Students will learn:the meaning of the word environmentto consider that we belong to a global community which shares resourcesto become more responsible and care about the planet Earthto think critically about the impact of people on their planetto take some real actions for the environmentto understand the importance of reducing, reusing, recyclingClick on the image below and watch the presentation:Let's save our planet!