READERS 2011-12

These are the titles of the books you will be reading with me this school year. Look at your course and level to know a little more about it.  Have fun!

1º ESO

"Vampire Killer" Ed. Oxford (Starter Level) 1ºESO. LOWER LEVEL

'I am a vampire killer . . . and now I need help,' says Professor Fletcher to Colin. Colin needs a job and he needs money - but do vampires exist or is the professor crazy?








 
"The Secret of the Stones" Ed. Vicens Vives (Green Apple-Starter) 1ºESO. HIGHER LEVEL

Twins Max and Laura spend an exciting summer in a small village near Stonehenge. A mysterious symbol, their uncle's old book of codes and secrets, strange people and much more. Read about the adventures of the two 'detectives' in this original story and maybe discover the true secret of Stonehenge.





  

3º ESO

 "K's First Case" Ed. Longman. 3ºESO. INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

Sir Michael Gray is the victim of a murder and he was very rich. Katrina Kirby - or K as she is called - is a detective and she wants to find out who the murderer is. But there are lots of suspects.This is K’s first case. Can you help her find the murderer?








 "A Kiss Before Dying" Ed. Burlington Books. 3ºESO. UPPER INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

 A powerful, hard-hitting adult story of murder and suspense by one of America's foremost novelists, which since its publication in 1954, has been made into several very successful feature films.

2º BTO 

"The Giver" by Lois Lowry 

 

 Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear of pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. When Jonas turns 12 he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

Newtown Massacre

America has been shaken once again by a massive school shooting, this time at a kindergarten in Newtown, Connecticut. 
Casualties: 20 children and 7 adults.

As it is stated on the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, American citizens have the right to defend themselves by keeping and using arms: "the right of the people to keep and bear arms". The National Riffle Assocication has been the greatest defender of this right since its foundation. However, after the deadly Newton shooting it has gone silent.

Listen to the track and try to fill in the gaps. You can click on ? to know about the number of words needed. Send me a screenshot with your results.

Lesson by Breaking News English

Role-Play Activity

Role  A – Barack Obama You think the time has come to take guns out of society. Tell the others three reasons why. You will not listen to politicians who say, "people kill people; guns don't kill people". Banning guns is now your biggest aim as President. You think gun crime embarrasses the USA around the world.

Role  B – NRA chairman You are tired of the same arguments every time there's a tragedy. Tell the others three reasons why. The problem is society. More money should be spent on mental health issues to stop people going on mass shootings. People in America need guns to protect themselves.

Role  C – Anti-gun Jo Public You want all guns removed from American society. Tell the others three reasons why. You don't understand why in America gun ownership is a right but free healthcare is not. You think Obama is weak and cannot get anything done on gun control. The NRA chairman is crazy.

Role  D – Pro-gun Jo Public You need your gun. Tell the others three reasons why. Guns are a part of America's tradition. Guns keep society feeling safe. No one will try to burgle your house because people know you have five guns. The police cannot be everywhere to protect you. Guns can.

 

What are you thankful for?

Listen to the instructions given on the VoiceThread below and act accordingly.

Due Date: Tuesday 27th

Sense it!

Our senses allow us to enjoy our food, the sound of music, the beauty of a sunny day, the softness of a child's hair -- in short, our lives!

Let's review the vocabulary you studied in unit 4 in your books related to the senses.


1.-I bet you didn't know there was an American holiday that celebrates the sense of smell. Listen to the extract and fill in the blanks. If you click on the Hint ? Button, you'll get the number of words needed for each gap.

xxxx
xxxxxxxx



2.- Now review the words and expressions studied in Unit 4 before your written test.

3.- Finally, have fun with these optical illusions. Do not just browse through the different images. It's very important that you read through the instructions and act accordingly. But before starting, who can tell me where the hidden tiger is?

 

USA CONSTITUTION

Last Thursday Emir gave you a talk about the US Constitution, which I hope you enjoyed. Anyway, I felt really proud of you when I saw you there listening and taking notes. You should congratulate yourselves on how far you've got.
What you did is part of the key competences in the educative system, a very important one, in my opinion. Being able to follow, take notes and then retell what you heard is something you'll have to do at any time in your life. Moreover, you were doing it in a foreign language!!!
I'd like to thank Emir once more for making all this possible and for bringing a small piece of American History closer to you.

Now it's your turn to make a short summary of the talk given on the VoiceThread below. Make use of your notes to organize your speech. Try to speak clearly and slowly. Focus on pronunciation and grammar accuracy.
Deadline: Tuesday 20th November






And for those of you, lucky you! that went to Austria on the Comenius Project, I would like you to tell us all about it, about the experience, the people you met, the places you visited, the workshops you took part in..., how you felt...

OBAMA'S VICTORY

 

As everybody knows, Barack Obama won the elections yesterday, becoming the 44th President of USA. I think Obama is not only a good politician, but also a great communicator. His speeches are always worth listening to. You can watch yesterday's victory speech here.

DEADLINE: TUESDAY 13th

Now answer 10 of the following questions and send me a VoiceMail with your answers:

1.       What does Barack Obama say about people waiting in a line for long to vote?

2.       Who did Obama call after he won the elections?

3.       What does he want to talk about with Senator Romney?

4.       Who is Joe Biden?

5.       What year did Obama get married?

6.       How many inhabitants are there in the United States?

7.       Complete: But despite all our differences…

8.       What professions does the worker’s child in North Carolina want?

9.       What challenges can Obama only solve if he Works together with the other parties?

10.   What makes America great and exceptional?

11.   Why does Obama mention New York and New Jersey?

12.   What happened to a family in Ohio?

13.   Complete the sentence: “something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep __________, to keep __________, to keep __________.

14.   Finish the sentence: “You can make it here in America if…”

 Click on the cartoon to see more....

APLE 1 PRESENTATIONS

As part of your final marks this term, you will have to give an oral presentation to the rest of the class about a topic of your choice: a sport, a film, a book, a country, a trip, a band, a TV series, a brand-name, a star... 

Your presentation must take between 5-10 minutes and it should have some visual or audiovisual support.

It is very important that you follow the tips below: 

Oral Presentations: Do's & Don'ts

1. Be organized! The more organized and focused your presentation is, the more relaxed you'll feel.
2. Breathe! (It helps you relax.)
3. Don't try to cover too much material. Remember you only have 5-10 minutes.
4. Don't overwrite your visual presentation. Remember this is an oral presentation.
5. Do speak clearly, slowly and at an appropriate level for your audience.
6. Use vocabulary that is appropriate for your audience. If you use new vocabulary, make sure you explain it and write it on the board.
7. Do make eye contact with all members of your audience.
8. Do move around.
9. Do use hand gestures.
10. Do allow the audience to ask questions at the end of your presentation.
11. Don't read your presentation. You can use short notes, but reading a presentation is unnatural; also, it makes it very difficult for your audience to follow.
12. Do practice your presentation with a partner or in front of the mirror.
13. Do remember to thank your audience.

Read through these guidelines, too.
You will be evaluated by your classmates as well as by your teacher on this Peer Evaluation Sheet.

Dates for your presentations

Friday Nov 9th: Paola R. & Sara M.

Friday Nov 16th:  Iren B. & Maria S

Tuesday Nov 20th: Lucía B. & Laura D.

Friday Nov 23rd: Álvaro S., Inés I., Laura L. &Isaac

Tuesday Nov 27th: Nora S. &a Rocío C.

Friday Nov 30th: Sergio C. & Paula G.

Tuesday Dec 4th: Lorena D. & Zoraida P.

Wednesday Dec 5th: Manuel J. & Miriam A.,

Tuesday Dec 11th: Daniel L., Irene G. &  Ana C., 
Thursday Dec 13th:  Ivan S., Ana Z. & Guillermo P.

Friday Dec 14th:  Carmen M. , Irene M. & Alvaro
Tuesday Dec 18th: ?

Dates for your listening tests this term

Nov 14th & Nov 15th: Short listening test

Dec 12 & Dec 13: Long listening test