Aesop was an ancient Greek fabulist. He is presumed to have been born in 620 B.C. Unfortunately not much is certain about his life but some agree that June, 4th was his birthday. It's an opportunity for us to talk about fables. Aesop's fables's characters are animals, often with a humorous twist, and his tales always have a moral and a lesson to teach.
If you want to read, watch or listen to Aesop's fables click on the following links:
Now click on the image below to open my Blendspace lesson and, after reading all the information, write a report about Aesop, his most famous fables and morals.
2) MY OWN FABLE
The following is a Padlet board I made for you. There are 5 simple steps to create your own fable. Click on the image below to open the board, then click on each step to open a link.
Then, make a presentation with Projeqt (you can pin your presentation's URL on my Padlet board!). Click on the link below to open my short example.
Let's think about the school year just spent together.
What did I learn?
Did I enjoy my lessons and my teachers?
Did I have fun with my school mates?
Which are the most memorable moments?
What would I like to say to my teachers and friends now?
What am I doing next summer?
How will next school year be like?
This year we have been learning a lot of grammar.... but we've been trying to use new technology, as well. Let's try to put the things together! You can choose one of the following activities which allow you to prepare your report or tell your story using images, photos and videos!
Students' activities
Let's divide our activities into three parts: past, present and future.
PAST
Make a presentation or en e-book about the topics or the events you liked most. Use one of the following tools:
Revise and use the Present Simple and the Present Continuous.
FUTURE
This school year is over and the summer holidays are about to begin! Where are you going on holidays? What would you like to do? Which places would you like to see?
Which class or new school are you attending next year? How can you imagine it? Use the following tools to tell us about your future plans or expectations:
"This mode of instantaneous communication must
inevitably become an instrument of immense power"
Morse, 1838
"Of
all the marvelous achievements of modern science the electric telegraph is
transcendentally the greatest
and most serviceable to mankind …
The whole earth
will be belted with the electric current,
palpitating with human thoughts and
emotions …
How potent a power, then, is the telegraphic destined to become in
the civilization of the world!
This binds together by a vital cord all the
nations of the earth.
It is impossible that old prejudices and hostilities
should longer exist, while such an instrument has been created for an exchange
of thought between all the nations of the earth."
Charles F. Briggs and Augustus Maverick, "The Story of the Telegraph", 1858
How communication has changed in time
Let's see how communication changed through the ages. Have a look at the following infographics. Click on the images or on the links below each image to enlarge:
After watching the above videos, answer the questions:
What's the famous market near the London Bridge station? Why is it one of the most popular London markets? What can you find there?
Where is Brick Lane? What is it locally known as? Why?
Is there a "Chinatown" in London as in New York?
At the end of the first video some Londoners are interviewed. What do they say about living in a multicultural city?
Take a look at the above immigration timeline by BBC. The text ends with these words
"Fifty years after the start of mass immigration to the UK, questions are still being asked about whether or not the UK can become a multi-ethnic society at ease with itself - or whether there is still a long road to be travelled."
What does it mean? Which are the pros and cons of a multicultural society in your opinion?
2) And now let's talk about a great man who fought for the rights of black people
M. L. King's speech "I have a dream"
For the whole speech (with audio, hyperlinks and notes):
May, 18 is the International Museum Day. The theme for 2014 Museum Day proposed by ICOM (International Council of Museums) Advisory Committee is "Museum collections make connection" suggesting that museums help create bonds between visitors and different cultures and generations.
“After all, isn't the purpose of the novel, or of a museum, for that matter, to relate our memories with such sincerity as to transform individual happiness into a happiness all can share?”
4) Let's watch the following video to get some more information
about the top five museums to visit in London by Howcast.
5) Now, click on the Thinglink image I prepared and have some
virtual or online tour!
Once you open the image, you have to click on each icon you see on the map.
The stars bring you to each museum site and the circles allow you to have a virtual tour!
6) Now, try to answer the following questions:
You have just seen some of the most interesting London museums, could you tell which one you like the most and why?
Have you ever been to London? Did you already visit some of these museums? If you didn't, talk about a museum you visited and about the things you saw.
Do you think art and cuture can connect different people and countries? Why?
"Museums are living institutions that help create bonds
between visitors, generations and cultures around the world.
The
museum is an institution that preserves and communicates the past, yet it is
grounded in the present.
In its very essence, it is a link between the
generations,
International Day of Families was founded by the United Nations Programme on the Family. Family is the core of a society so it is essential to have good and healthy relationships with our relatives. But every family is different, there are many different cultures and many ways to conceive a family.
Let's see some definitions:
“The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State” (United Nations, 1948).
“Society’s definition of ‘family’ is rapidly expanding and has come to include single parents, biracial couples, blended families, unrelated individuals living cooperatively, and homosexual couples, among others. Unfortunately, family policy has been slow to catch up to changing trends in modern lifestyles” (J.M Crawford).
“A family consists of two or more people, one of whom is the householder, related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing in the same housing unit. A household consists of all people who occupy a housing unit regardless of relationship. A household may consist of a person living alone or multiple unrelated individuals or families living together” (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005).
“We define family as any group of people related either biologically, emotionally, or legally. That is, the group of people that [a person] defines as significant for his or her well-being” (S.H. McDaniel)
SOME STUDENTS' TASKS
1 (for younger learners)
What is your famiy like?
Is it a traditional or a
modern family?
Describe your family' s members and make a family tree.
2
Listen to the songs below.
Which one do you like the most? Why?
Tell what the author wants to say in your opinion. What does "family" mean to you?
"We are family" by Sister Sledge invites the whole family to unite and get up and sing.
"My father's eyes" by Eric Clapton
"In it I tried to describe the parallel between looking in the eyes of my son and the eyes of the father I never met, through the chain of our blood", said the author.
When we are teens we often have problems with our parents. Later we realize how precious they are. This is the theme of the next two songs.
"Mama" by Spice Girls
"You're gonna miss this"by Trace Adkins
"In my daughter eyes"by Martina McBride
Yes, parents are there to support their children but sometimes, when audults feel down they find the strenght to go on in their children' s eyes.
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