London - let's make preparations for our journey!

Next July I am going  to London with some of my students. I would like to give them some information before leaving. Here there are some activities, videos, tips and a final webquest!

Top 10 Attractions of London

A brief history of London:
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/a-brief-history-of-london

If you want to investigate the British history further:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/

A virtual tour

Now let's take a virtual tour of London! Click on the image above. You are on the London Eye and you have the whole city at your feet! Choose a place and click on it. You can take a virtual tour of each landmark and have all the information (clicking on "More Information") about its history. After visiting a place, click on "Back to London Eye" to go back in your capsule and choose another destination. Sometimes, while visiting a place, you will see the following button:

It redirects you to the website of that specific sight. Click on it to have more information.

The Tube

While visiting London, you can't help taking the Tube! It's the easiest way to get around the town. Visit the following site to learn more about the London underground, there are some useful tips for the travellers:

http://www.visitlondon.com/traveller-information/getting-around-london/london-tube

How to use the London Tube

The London tube is the oldest underground in the world. It was opened in 1890. Let's practise to use the tube map! Click on the following image and look for your destinations:

WEBQUEST

Now you are ready to complete this simple questionnaire I prepared for you about  London! Surf the sites I suggested above, watch the video you will find at the beginning of the webquest and answer the questions. Write your name and click on "send" at the end of the quiz. If your answers are right you are ready to leave!

See some other posts of mine about London.
London landmarks:
http://thetravellingteachers.blogspot.it/2013/09/london-august-2013.html
London museums:
http://thetravellingteachers.blogspot.it/2014/05/international-museum-day-may-18.html

London - August 2013

by Roberta Martino

 

What can I say? London is fantastic! It is a global city and it is leader in the arts, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, commerce, media.  It is one of the world's leading cultural capitals.

In London you can find people from all over the world and more than 300 languages are spoken there.

Samuel Johnson 

Some information about London:                                        
    
http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.visitlondon.com/

http://projectbritain.com/london/                                            

If you want to have a "virtual" tour of London click on the following link. You will see the most famous landmarks of the city, a video of each of them and you'll also have some information.
http://www.londondrum.com/cityguide/landmarks.php

Here are some pictures I took last August.

Wenstminster

"London is a roost for every bird." 

Benjamin Disraeli

The London Eye

 The Tower of London

"By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show."

  Samuel Johnson

The Tower Bridge

Modern London - The City

St Paul Cathedral

Buckingham Palace

Soho

Carnaby Street

 

Click here to watch a VIDEO about London's origins:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POqIg0XlTAE

and take a look at the following to go on a virtual tour of London!

London is the capital of music, as well. A lot of famous musicians and bands were born there (the Beatles for example!) And a lot of songs were written for this city...

The 100 best London songs:
http://www.timeout.com/london/music/the-100-best-london-songs-2

"Streets of London" is a song written by Ralph Mc Tell. Here you can watch the video and read the lyrics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0XgW-24-38                         
Sing along and have fun!

TASKS

If you like, you can choose to discuss one of these topics:
1) The song says:
"Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London. I'll show you something, to make you change your mind." 
Why, in your opinion, should the people the author meets change their mind?
How could the streets of London help them? What idea did you get about London reading the information or watching the pictures and the videos I suggested?
Let's talk about that and let's share our opinions!


2) I took this picture when I went to London.

What does it mean? Does it tell us anything about British people (see the stereotypes post...)?
Could you take a picture that in your opinion represents your county?