NEW YEAR´S RESOLUTIONS

We are starting the year with some new resolutions.
Watch this video clip and answer the questions based on what you see and hear. This is the link to the activity: New year´s resolutions.

IMAGINE LIFE

Attraction´s shadow Theatre Photo.

 This post is devoted to encouraging creativity by stimulating student´s imagination.
According to Fiona Mauchline, teacher, teacher trainer and materials writer, promoting creativity in the classroom resolves around emotional investment, engaging the senses, playing with language and conveying absolute personalisation in the outcome.
 The activity I have chosen is related to a video clip that deals with the Cycle of Life in a creative way. Every video tells a story so, as a warming up exercise, we could ask students to describe:

•  what they see 
• what they hear 
• how they feel
•  who they see 
• whether they like it or not and why?... 

Another activity we could do is to revise the vocabulary related to family and then to describe a favourite member of their family: their physical appearance and other aspects such as emotions, senses... This exercise could be also used to revise the present simple tense. We could ask questions such us:

• What colour of eyes, hair, skin has he/she got ?
•  What does his/ her voice sound like ? 
• What makes him/ her laugh ? 
• How does she /he walk?
• What do you have in common?... 

 Finally, students could write a short essay titled "Imagine Life " using the vocabulary and language  grammar used in the class.

This is the video clip. The show is perfomed by the Shadow Theatre Group.

" HOW TO" VIDEOS. BRITISH COUNCIL

The British Council offers a series of videos to see how to say things right in very different situations.
The situation I have chosen for this post is how to understand the differences between British and American English. The activity consists of a warm-up, preparation exercise and then, a task to do after watching the video.
It also provides a transcript which students can read while watching the video. A downloadable and printable version to do on paper is also available.
It is a short and funny video clip highly recommended to introduce British and American English.
You can watch it by clicking on the following link: 

How to understand the differences between British and American English

SHAUN THE SHEEP TV SERIES

Shaun the Sheep Activity.

I would like to devote this post  to Shaun the Sheep TV Series and how we can use its episodes with our students in the classroom.
First of all, I will include some information about this series:
Shaun the Sheep is a British stop-motion animated television series, a spin-off of the Wallace and Gromit franchise. It has been very popular not only in the U.K but also around the world.
Besides, a film called "Shaun the Sheep the Movie "has recently been released at the cimenas which I strongly recommend.  For further information you can look at the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaun_the_Sheep.

Each episode is very short so it is ideal for a lesson, since you show the video and then you do the exercises related to that episode. Additionally, it is good fun, the students love it. It could be used as a warm-up or cool-down activity to revise vocabulary for example in a different lesson.

I will add a Reading Comprehension activity which I created and did wih my  2º ESO students aged 12/ 13. This is the link: Shaun the Sheep Activity

Finally, I will embed one of the episodes that includes the song that students can sing along at the end of the lesson.

Shaun The Sheep - Shaun goes Potty por f100000876713522

CITY LIGHTS

Warm-up /Cool down activity.

The activity I am suggesting today can be used at the beginning or at the end of a lesson. Duration: 10-15 minutes.
It can be used to either introduce or revise vocabulary related to cities, different buildings, places to visit and do sightseeing or activities you could do at dawn,in the morning, at night....
To begin with, the students watch a short video. The time lapse technique applied to that video, allows the students to capture different moments, places and contrasts of light and darkness .Then, the teacher can start a brainstorming activity to learn or revise the vocabulary suggested earlier after watching the video.
Highly recommended.
Source link video City Lights Colin Rich

WONDERS IN THE SKY

 

 Warm-up and/ or Cool-down activity.

La actividad que voy a mostrar se puede realizar en los primeros 10 minutos de la clase como "warm-up" exercise o los últimos minutos de cualquier clase como "cool-down" activity.
Es una actividad sencilla que activa la creatividad de los alumnos y su participación tanto al principio o al final de la clase.
Los alumnos ven el video del vuelo de los estorninos , " starlings "que dura poco más de dos minutos.
Después se puede realizar un ejercicio de lluvia de ideas, " brainstorming ", realizando por ejemplo alguna pregunta  de por qué vuelan de esa manera:

Why do you think they fly that way ? what is their purpose ?

En unos minutos se pueden ver temas como el trabajo en equipo, ayudarse en el peligro, protegerse del mal tiempo, encontrar un lugar para dormir...aprendiendo vocabulario nuevo.
Se puede realizar con todos los niveles, necesitando más ayuda y guía los niveles menos avanzados. Incluso los alumnos podrían hacer un pequeño trabajo de investigación sobre los estorninos como tarea en casa...
 Fuente del vídeo de los estorninos:http://www.sciencedump.com/content/amazing-murmuration-starlings-utrecht-netherlands



FELIZ TARDE! HAVE A WONDERFUL AFTERNOON!