Every year, on the 4th Thursday of November
in the USA and on 2nd Monday of October in Canada
 people gather together with their families, have a
special dinner and give thanks.
 

Do you want to learn more about this traditional
celebration? For a start, watch this presentation
on the story of Thanksgiving. Then, you can
watch some of the videos below:

 

The first Thanksgiving told by kids

  

The first Thanksgiving (cartoons) 1º- 2º ESO




The First Thanksgiving Story (3º- 4ºESO)




Bet you didn´t know ( History.com videos) (3º - 4º ESO)

If you are tired of watching, try doing some of the

 activities on the links below:(wordsearches, puzzles, crosswords, colouring, etc)

 

The ESOL courses

 

The Holiday Zone

 

Finally, for writing practice, let´s answer this question:

What are you thankful for?

 

I am

 

thankful for ...

 

___________________

 

______________

 

________

 

 

Saint Martín' s Day is coming!

Nowadays, in many Western countries the latter half of autumn signals the coming of Halloween on October 31st. Halloween is the last major celebration before Christmas, and already in early October spooky decorations and costumes creep into shops, schools and houses. However, in many European countries, Halloween is a relatively new celebration which has only begun to be widely celebrated the last few decades, if at all.  For countries such as The Netherlands, Germany and Portugal, Martinmas, or Saint Martin's Day, is the more prominent autumnal celebration.  

Taking place on the eleventh of November, Martinmas celebrates the death Saint Martin, a Roman solider who was baptized as an adult, and who later became a monk. The legend states that Martin saw a beggar exposed to the freezing cold, and so cut his cloak in two to share with the man, saving his life. Martin is known as a symbol of charity and generosity and is a patron to the poor.

The date of Saint Martin’s death on the 11th coincides with the end of harvest, and so many traditional celebrations are synonymous with enjoying a feast or indulging in certain delicacies. In Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, school children design paper lanterns and visit houses in the neighborhood singing songs in exchange for sweets.

Here is an example of a Dutch 'Saint Maarten' song:

Elf november is de dag,  dat mijn lichtje branden mag
Eleventh November is the day, that my lantern may shine

In Portugal, the date also celebrates the end of wine season. The Portuguese celebrate in large communities by sampling newly harvested wine and roasting chestnuts on bonfires. They also sing a traditional tune:

É dia de São martinho. Comem-se castanhas; prova-se o vinho!
It is St. Martin’s Day. We will eat chestnuts, we will taste the wine

While in Malta, children are given a little bag of goodies, which often contain an assortment of dried figs, nuts, tangerines and oranges.

Halloween and Saint Martin's Day have very little in common; Saint Martin's Day shares none of the spookiness of Halloween, and Halloween is not connected to the historical figure of Saint Martin. However, one thing they do share is an appetite for treats and sweets!

 

 

Are you mad about Halloween? If you can´t wait to celebrate this spooky day start by

singing this song by The Cranberries, Zombie.  In spite of its title, the song doesn´t

talk about horrible creatures. Can you guess what it is about?

Click on the link below to listen to the song and then

complete with the missing words

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ejga4kJUts

 

guns bombs silence theme

bombs guns silence head me

 

 

“Zombie” (The Cranberries)

Another (1) _________ hangs lowly,

Child is slowly taken.

And the violence caused such (2) _________,

Who are we mistaken?

But you see, it’s not (3) _________, it’s not my

family.

In your head, in your head they are fi ghting,

With their tanks and their (4) _________,

And their bombs and their (5) _________.

In your head, in your head, they are crying...

In your head, in your head,

Zombie, zombie, zombie,

Hey, hey, hey. What’s in your head,

In your head,

Zombie, zombie, zombie?

Hey, hey, hey, hey, oh, dou, dou, dou,

dou, dou...

Another mother’s breakin’,

Heart is taking over.

When the violence causes silence,

We must be mistaken.

It’s the same old (6) _________ since nineteen-sixteen.

In your head, in your head they’re still fi ghting,

With their tanks and their (7) _________,

And their bombs and their (8) _________.

In your head, in your head, they are dying...

In your head, in your head,

Zombie, zombie, zombie,

Hey, hey, hey. What’s in your head,

In your head,

Zombie, zombie, zombie?

Hey, hey, hey, hey, oh, oh, oh,

Oh, oh, oh, oh, hey, oh, ya, ya-a...

 

The title of this song is a scary creature but the theme of the song is very different.

‘Zombie’ is a metaphor. Listen again. What do you think the song is about? Go to the

web link below to fi nd out if you were right.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombie_%28song%29

LEARNING WITH SONGS

Don ´t feel like studying this evening? 

 Relax for a few minutes and listen to this beautiful song from The Hobbit soundtrack 

 "No victory without suffering. No freedom without a sacrifice"

Ed Sheeran  -  I See Fire

Oh, misty eye of the mountain below
Keep careful watch of my brothers' souls
And should the sky be filled with fire and smoke
Keep watching over Durin's sons

If this is to end in fire
Then we should all burn together
Watch the flames climb high into the night

Calling out father oh
Stand by and we will
Watch the flames burn auburn on
The mountain side

And if we should die tonight
Then we should all die together
Raise a glass of wine for the last time

Calling out father oh
Prepare as we will
Watch the flames burn auburn on
The mountain side
Desolation comes upon the sky

Now I see fire
Inside the mountain
I see fire
Burning the trees
And I see fire
Hollowing souls
I see fire
Blood in the breeze
And I hope that you remember me

Oh, should my people fall
Then surely I'll do the same
Confined in mountain halls
We got too close to the flame

Calling out father oh
Hold fast and we will
Watch the flames burn auburn on
The mountain side
Desolation comes upon the sky

Now I see fire
Inside the mountain
I see fire
Burning the trees
I see fire
Hollowing souls
I see fire
Blood in the breeze
And I hope that you remember me

And if the night is burning
I will cover my eyes
For if the dark returns
Then my brothers will die
And as the sky is falling down
It crashed into this lonely town
And with that shadow upon the ground
I hear my people screaming out

Now I see fire
Inside the mountains
I see fire
Burning the trees
I see fire
Hollowing souls
I see fire
Blood in the breeze

I see fire (oh you know I saw a city burning out) (fire)
And I see fire (feel the heat upon my skin, yeah) (fire)
And I see fire (uh-uh-uh-uh) (fire)
And I see fire burn auburn on the mountain side 






WILLING FOR EASTER HOLIDAYS!!

 

This term has been too long and we are all really tired, both students and teachers!

So, let´s breath and relax by listening to this newly come song, Rather Be, by the

British band Clean Bandit. I´m sure you´re going to like it. You can have a dance too!

 

Rather be by Clean Bandit

 

These are the lyrics for you to sing:

We're a thousand miles from comfort, we have travelled land and sea
But as long as you are with me, there's no place I'd rather be
I would wait forever , exalted in the scene
As long as I am with you, my heart continues to beat

With every step we take, Kyoto to the Bay
Strolling so casually
We're different and the same, gave you another name
Switch up the batteries

If you gave me a chance I would take it
It's a shot in the dark but I'll make it
Know with all of your heart, you can't shame me
When I am with you, there's no place I'd rather be

No, no, no, no, no place I rather be(x3)

We staked out on a mission to find our inner peace
Make it everlasting so nothing's incomplete
It's easy being with you, sacred simplicity
As long as we're together, there's no place I'd rather be

With every step we take, Kyoto to The Bay
Strolling so casually
We're different and the same, gave you another name
Switch up the batteries

If you gave me a chance I would take it
It's a shot in the dark but I'll make it
Know with all of your heart, you can't shame me
When I am with you, there's no place I'd rather be

No, no, no, no, no place I rather be (x3)

When I am with you, there's no place I'd rather be

If you gave me a chance I would take it
It's a shot in the dark but I'll make it
Know with all of your heart, you can't shame me
When I am with you, there's no place I'd rather be

No, no, no, no, no place I rather be (x3)
when I am with you there's no place I'd rather be

 no,no,no,no, no place I'd rather be (x3)

when I am with you there's no place I'd rather be...

Happy Saint Patrick´s Day to all my students!

 

Do you want to know more about the Patron Saint of Ireland? Watch these videos from

History.com

 

1   Deconstructing History: Ireland

2    Bet You Didn´t Know: Saint Patrick´s Day




3   Power Point Presentation about Saint Patrick´s

 

 

Leprechaun signs

 

 

CLOTHES 1

Hello, students! This is the link we you can practise the vocabulary  of clothes.
when you enter this page, click on Vocabulary and then on Clothes and Accessories.