Youth Crime

In this unit, we are going to learn, among other things, vocabulary related to crime. Today, it is time to practice a bit around the topic. You can work in pairs. Follow the instructions:

        1. Read this article about Youth Crime. If you don't know a word, just "double click" on it.

        2.  Do the comprehension questions. Check them. Open a word document and copy the questions and answers.

        3.  Make a list of the words you needed to look up in a dictionary (with their translations).

        4.  Write a small summary of the reading (about 60 words).

        5.  Write an opinion text (min 90 words) where you talk about Youth Crime. This must be the text distribution:

• paragraph 1: introduce the topic and state your opinion.

• paragraph 2: give reasons and examples to justify your opinion.

• paragraph 3: write a small conclusion where you summarize your opinion and the reasons to support it.

This activity will be checked after Christmas holidays and it will represent 1.5 of your exam mark. Please, be careful when you follow the instructions. Use vocabulary you learnt with the reading and simple expressions. Don't use translators. Read the rubric to know what you have to do:

Rubric:

• You followed all the steps (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5): 1p.
• Comprehension questions 1p
• Vocabulary list: 0.5p.
• Summary: 1.5p.
• Opinion text: 
• Structure 1.5p.
• Grammar and vocabulary: 3p.
• Opinion, reasons and examples: 1.5p.

Deadline: 6th January 2014 (mail to chlopez@florida-uni.es)

Dangerous Liaisons: Dress for Success

Here you are some tips to complete the English section of the questionnaire in a simple (but effective) way. We've already talked about that in class, but here you can revise it carefully.

General tips:

Write short, concrete sentences. Avoid complex structures or impersonal (passive) expressions. Remember the basic structure and use it:

   Affirmative:   SUBJECT + VERB + COMPLEMENTS

   Negative:      SUBJECT + AUXILIARY (do/does/did/have...) + NOT + COMPLEMENTS

   Questions:     AUXILIARY + SUBJECT + VERB + COMPLEMENTS + ?

Use simple vocabulary to introduce the topic. Look up specific vocabulary in dictionaries. DON'T use translators, they will eliminate all your personal contributions to the texts.

Concrete tips:

Question 1: Use dictionaries to look up cinema vocabulary. Make sure that the word you use is referred to films (www.wordreference.com)

Questions 2-3: use simple structures and focus on the vocabulary you already know. Separate physical and psychological descriptions (don't mix both aspects). Regarding locations, remember the film and try to get a general idea of them.

Question 4: think of the clothes and garments the protagonists wear in the film. Revise the concept of "genuine people". Connect both aspects.

Question 5: remember the conventions and traditions of the XVIIIth Century. Think of the objectives which the protagonists want to get. Connect both aspects and get a conclusion: are they happy?

With these tips and a little patience, your dossier will be nearly perfect.

Go for it!!!

Dare to Think: Romantic Streets

In Spanish literature, you've been looking for streets which are dedicated to some relevant figures of the Romanticism and Neoclassicism in the XVIIIth Century.

Now, in English subject and for 4 lessons, each group is going to choose one of these streets and create an interactive picture about their featured figure.

With the help of the online software http://www.thinglink.com, you will create your own picture. Follow these steps:

Use the picture you took in the street as the background (upload it in "my images")

Start tagging the picture with the information you need to include:

• Biography of the figure: link to a webpage with the information + tags with the most relevant information (at least 4)
• List of main works (with the link to the webpage where you found the information). Don't include all the works, only the most important ones.

• Picture(s) to illustrate his/her biography and the topic.

• A song which illustrates the topic.

• A link to your blog and the general project blog.

• Video or videos where all the members in the group talk about the figure.

• Any links that you find interesting for the topic.

Embed your interactive pictures in your project blogs and leave here a comment with the link.

Deadline: 4th December.

Here you've got an image I've created to give you detailed instructions:



Print out the  rubric and give it to your teacher when the interactive picture is finished:
Rubric

Present Perfect Webquest

In this activity, we are going to practise QUESTIONS and ANSWERS with the Present Perfect and the Past simple.

Before doing it, make sure you understand the difference between Present Perfect and Past Simple:

TASK:
In pairs, copy the following questions in a WORD DOCUMENT and find information on the Internet to answer them:

1-Has the man ever landed on the Moon? Who did it? When?

2-How long have the Mars exploration Rovers been in Mars? When did they arrive? What are their main objectives? 

3-Has England ever been a Republic? Who was the first King or Queen? When?

4-What has been the last Olympic record in the 200m? And in the marathon? Who broke it? when?

5-Where have the Rolling Stones played for the last time? When? Can you find the playlist for that show?

6-Who have been the last Nobel Prizes? In which categories?

OBJECTIVES:

• Write full, original answers: always rephrase the question. Use the information on the Internet to write your own answers (don't copy the information word by word).
• Use the present perfect and the past simple correctly: you must know the difference before!
• Revise carefully the spelling and the punctuation in all the document.
• Copy the link to the page where you found the information from.

                    This activity will represent 1.5 points in your next exam.

RESOURCES (you can use different webpages, too):

• Moon Landing
• Mars Exploration
• Britain and the Monarchy
• Olympic Records in Athletics
• The Rolling Stones Official
• Nobel Prize

DEADLINE: you must send me your documents via e-mail to chlopez@florida-uni.es

• 4th B, C: 28th October.
• 4th A: 8th November.

Revision: verb tenses and adjectives

Work in groups to revise the tenses. You will prepare a presentation to explain it to the class.

• 2 of you will prepare a presentation to explain the form, use and examples for your tense.  
• 1-2 of you will prepare the oral part to explain the presentation to the class.

You can use prezi, bubbl.us (mind maps), powerpoint...

Grading criteria:
Content: 2,5 p. (form, use, examples... is it complete?)
Grammar and vocabulary: 3,5 p. (accuracy, spelling, capital letters...)
Visual aspect: 1p.. (is it attractive, appealing and original?)
Oral presentation: 3p. (pronunciation, not reading, assurance...) - Individual

Deadline: 4th October (4th B, C), 7th October (4th A). Copy the link to your presentations as a comment to this post.


Useful tools:
Prezi
Mind maps

Introduction year 13-14

Hi everyone!!
This course 201-2014 our "English in the Computers Room" will be organised around this blog. You'll use it to download my suggestions, do activities, watch videos and upload your works.

First of all, I want all of you to write a comment on this post. Include:

-Your full name, age and group.
-Your opinion about using a blog to organise the information (advantages, disadvantages)
-Watch the video. Do you think that speaking a foreign language is important?
-A question you have about 4th ESO English subject.
-And finally, a comment about what is the first week of the course going.


Enjoy!!!

Charo.