SCHOOL DAY OF NON VIOLENCE AND PEACE

On January 30, the anniversary of the death of Mahatma Gandhi, the International School Day of Non Violence and Peace is held. This year we remember the  nine quotes some students gathered last year to make us think about the importance of celebrating PEACE.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Mr BEAN!

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT REMEMBRANCE DAY?

What about watching the video below to start? Click on the image to find out more.

Remembrance Day is on 11 November and is also known as Armistice Day. It marks the day World War One ended, at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month, back in 1918.

Nowadays, people remember those who were lost in the war by holding a two-minute silence and by wearing a red poppy. But, why poppies?

Poppies are used to remember those who have given their lives in battle because they are the flowers which grew on the battlefields after World War One ended as described in the World War One poem In Flanders Fields. Follow Charlie Brown and Snoopy in their journey of discovery.

Traditionally, people have always worn red poopies to remember the dead on war conflicts. However, nowadys poppies can be of different colours.

EUROPE IS LIVING A CELEBRATION!!!

This week we are celebrating Europe Day with lots of different activities. 2º ESO A and B were the first groups to start celebrating it in the subject of English. 

2º ESO A students designed a booklet on different aspects of the European Union. It was a collaborative work because they did witht the help of their teachers of English and French! 

2º ESO B students had a look at some European countries and their flags. It was really interesting and good fun!

St Patrick’s Day

St Patrick’s Day celebrates Irish culture and commemorates one of Ireland’s patron saints, St Patrick, on or around March 17.

Saint Patrick's Day. Stpatricks.es

Location of Ireland. Wikipedia

Despite the fact that our project has not yet sent or received any postcard to/from this English-speaking country; ESO students wanted to approach Irish culture and traditions by recording a podcast that explains who Saint Patrick was and why this feast is nowadays celebrated by millions of people in many parts of the world, especially by Irish communities and organizations.

If you want to find out more about Ireland and its patron Saint, take the quiz below.

HAPPY PADDY’S DAY!

Saint Patrick's Day Quiz from colexiopadrefeijoozorelle

REMEMBER, REMEMBER THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER...

Remember, remember, the Fifth of November

Gunpowder treason and plot

I see no reason why gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot

This is the stanza many people in the Uk recite every 5th of November. Do you want to know why? Keep reading to find out!

On 5 November, people across the UK celebrate Bonfire Night with fireworks, bonfires, sparklers and toffee apples  because it's the anniversary of an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament, known as The Gundpowder plot.

What was the Gunpowder Plot?

Guy (Guido) Fawkes was part of the Gunpowder plot in 1605. He wanted to blow up King James I and his government.

This was because of religion. England was a Protestant country and the plotters were Catholic. They wanted England to be Catholic again, which they thought they could do if they killed King James I and his ministers.

So, Fawkes and his group put 36 barrels of gunpowder in cellars underneath the Houses of Parliament in London, ready to set off a massive explosion.

However, one member of Fawkes' group sent a letter to his friend who worked in Parliament, warning him to stay away on 5 November. The King's supporters got hold of the letter and the plot was rumbled!

Guards broke into the cellars where the gunpowder plotters were waiting. They were arrested and executed.

Have a look at the video below to get a full picture of thsi British celebration.

International day for the elimination of violence against women

On the International Day for the elimination of violence against women, Clara reads a poem by  Cuban poet Dulce María Loynaz. It's full of meaning and addressed to everyone who wants to fight violence against women.

LET'S CELEBRATE LANGUAGES!

Today is a day to celebrate langauge and culture because we are celebrating the European Day of Languages!

In our English lessons we have discovered interesteing facts about European languages. Did you know that in London alone  about 300 languages are spoken?

2º and 1º ESO students have worked with animal sounds. Have you ever wondered about animal sounds in other languages apart from Spanish or Galician? Well, they are quite diffrent from language to langauge and our students have analysed them in some some fun and revealing activities witht heir teacher Vera.

POSTCARDS GALORE!

4º ESO students have sent postcards to different Eurpean countries to celebrate the European Day of Languages. The countries they have chosen have a strong link with their teacher Eva, because they are the countries of teachers she met while her first Erasmus+ structured course in Southampton (UK).

They have written postcards to schools in Italy, Romania, Czech Republic, Germany, Finland and the UK to invite to celebrate languages together!

This year the world is going blue!

To celebrate United Nations Universal Children’s Day, which was established in 1954 and is celebrated on November 20th each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare, the world is going BLUE!!!!

Do you know Millie Bobby Brown? Yes, you're right. She is one the actresses in the TV series Strangers Things and she has received a mission to make this year's universal Children's Day a success. Do you want to discover it? Have a look at the video below!

Remembrance Day or Poppy Day

The second Sunday of November is Remembrance Sunday, but what does it mean? 

At 11am men, women and children all across Britain hold a two minute silence to remember the millions who have died in war. On a day like today the Queen  and the Royal Family, along with top politicians and religious leaders, gather at The Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, for a service.

Wreaths are laid beside war memorials by companies, clubs and societies. People also leave small wooden crosses by the memorials in remembrance of a family member who died in war.

Last year, there was a special exhibition of poppies, which became a sensation all over the world. Here you can see three pictures a friend  sent us. It's held at the Tower of London. For more info and amazing pictures click here and here.

Remembrance Day is on 11 November. It is a special day set aside to remember all those men and women who were killed during the two World Wars and other conflicts. At one time the day was known as Armistice Day and was renamed Remembrance Day after the Second World War.

People wear poppies because they are the flowers which grew on the battlefields after World War I ended. Poppies are also used to raise money for servicemen and women who are still alive but whose lives have been changed by war. The charity that runs the Poppy Appeal is called The Royal British Legion. Each year, volunteers sell these poppies in the streets all over Britain.

PLUCKLEY, THE MOST HAUNTED VILLAGE IN ENGLAND

It’s the end of October and everyone is talking about Halloweenand ghosts! We want to tell you about an English village which is known as the most haunted village in England.
As some of you have learnt this week Pluckley, a picturesque Kentish village, not far from London, is the most haunted village in England according to the Guiness Book of Records.

http://www.weather-forecast.com/place_maps/pl/Pluckley.8.gif

Some of Pluckley's ghosts are:

• The Highwayman
• The Coach
• The Gyspsy Woman
• The Miller 
• The Schoolmaster 
• The Vicar's dog

If you  want to find out more about these and many other ghosts, listen to the podcast Lucía, Ana and Alex have recorded for you. We hope you like it!

26TH SEPTEMBER: EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGUAGES

The European Day of Languages is a yearly event held on 26 September. It celebrates the linguistic diversity of a continent with

• over 200 European languages,
• 24 official EU languages,
• about 60 regional/minority languages,
• and many more spoken by people from other parts of the world.

The European Day of Languages was declared by the Council of Europe , which represents 800 million Europeans from 47 countries. Many language and cultural institutes, associations, universities and, in particular, schools take part. Held for the first time in 2001 — European Year of Languages — the Day of Languages has been celebrated every year since then.

It's a chance to:

• raise awareness of the wide variety of languages in Europe,
• promote cultural & linguistic diversity,
• encourage people of all ages to learn languages - knowing more than one makes it easier to find a job and helps businesses grow.

So, how many languages can you speak?  Do you know what a polyglot is? If you don't know it and want to find out, watch the video below. If you know it, you'll be amazed at the video below.

ARE YOU IN LOVE?

Most of us know what St Valentine's Day is, but let's remember it.

It's the day when people show their affection for another person or people by sending cards, flowers or chocolates with messages of love.

But do you know who St Valentine was?

There are a few stories about him, but the most popular belief about St Valentine is that he was a priest from Rome in the third century AD. Emperor Claudius II had banned marriage because he thought married men were bad soldiers. Valentine felt this was unfair, so he broke the rules and arranged marriages in secret. When Claudius found out, Valentine was thrown in jail and sentenced to death.

There, he fell in love with the jailer's daughter and when he was taken to be killed on 14 February he sent her a love letter signed "from your Valentine".

Is it celebrated in the same way all over the world?

The answer is NO. If you want to find out how it is celbrated in some countries, listen to the podcast that Lucía and Ana have recorded about the different ways and traditions related to this celebration.

PANCAKE DAY OR SHROVE TUESDAY

Carnival's nearly finished but we have to celebrate Pancake Day. Do you know what a pancake is? Well, we're sure you love them. Pancakes are "filloas". In the UK and other English speaking countries they have their own day!

Have you ever tried to cook them? Do you know what you need?

If you want to try it, follwo this easy recipe and show us your pancakes!

This week we have been discussing the importance of learning languages as part  as the activities to commemorate the European Day of Languages. These are some of the conclusions students from 3º ESO A have reached.

Most of us know what St Valentine's Day is, but let's remember it.

It's the day when people show their affection for another person or people by sending cards, flowers or chocolates with messages of love.

But do you know who St Valentine was?

There are a few stories about him, but the most popular belief about St Valentine is that he was a priest from Rome in the third century AD. Emperor Claudius II had banned marriage because he thought married men were bad soldiers. Valentine felt this was unfair, so he broke the rules and arranged marriages in secret. When Claudius found out, Valentine was thrown in jail and sentenced to death.

There, he fell in love with the jailer's daughter and when he was taken to be killed on 14 February he sent her a love letter signed "from your Valentine".

Is it celebrated in the same way all over the world?

The answer is NO. If you want to find out how it is celbrated in some countries, listen to the podcast that Lucía and Ana have recorded about the different ways and traditions related to this celebration.

SLEEPY HOLLOW

Yesterday, 23rd January, we went to the theatre! We had such a good time! We went to see a play by a theatre company called The Performers Inc. The play, Sleepy Hollow, was a version of a short story by the American writer Washington Irving.
Here you have some pics from the performance and a podcst that Ledicia and Alex have recorded about the activity.