National Tooth Fairy Day

Did you know that today is  National Tooth Fairy Day? Have you got a "tooth fairy" in your country or is it a "tooth mouse"? Click on the link below to find out more about this tradition and leave the answers to the questions in your comments.

Video: History of the Tooth Fairy

1. When are children told about the Tooth Fairy?
2. What happens when children are around ten?
3. What is the Tooth Fairy like? Explain about three imaginative descriptions.
4. In which three countries is there a Tooth Mouse?
5. What did people do with their teeth in Medieval times?
6. Why do parents still follow this tradition?

Project: She's my influencer

As you know, every 8th March  International Women's Day is celebrated. In this post, I'm going to ask you to write a short presentation about a woman who is a model for you. She may be a famous singer, actress, journalist, scientist, businesswoman, sportswoman or housewife. You choose, but remember to include a picture, details about her life and the reasons why she is an inspiration for you. You can use mine as an example:

Her name is Isabel Gemio. She is a  TV presenter and radio journalist. She was born in Extremadura in 1961. She became very popular because she presented the TV shows " Sorpresa, Sorpresa" and " Hay una carta para tí".
 In 2017, she received the Ondas Award for her career on the radio. She has got two children and the oldest, called Diego, has got a rare illness. In 2008, she set up a Foundation to help more people who suffer from rare illnesses. I admire her because she is using her fame to help people in need.

Listening: What's in a name?

Have you got a rare name? Has it got another meaning? Were you named after a family member?
Click on the link below to listen to two people talking about unusual names and common trends when giving names to babies. Which one did you like the most? And the least? Remember to do the "True and False" and the "Fill in the gaps" exercises. Leave the answers to these questions and your results in a comment as usual!

Listening: What's in a name?

All About Ireland

This term we'll be reading this book. It explains the country's history and culture apart from myths, legends and other Irish traditions. You'll get to know about famous writers like Oscar Wilde and James Joyce. I hope you'll enjoy reading it and you should start by downloading the Website activities you'll find if you click on the link below.

All About Ireland- Website activities

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution started in the 18th century in Britain. It mostly affected the economic activity in the western world, but it was also a time of great inventions and scientific discoveries. It changed people's lives drastically, but not always for good. In order to learn more about this important period watch the video and click on the links below.

After watching the video, answer these questions:
1. Which invention marked the beginning of the Industrial Revolution? Who perfected it?
2. What happened to the artisans during this period?
3. How did transport and trade change in Europe?
4. What was the bourgeoisie?
5. Why were there conflicts at the factories?
6. How were the workers' labour conditions improved?

Click on the link below to learn more about this historical period and then try the Test:

1.  Revision: Everyday Life in the Industrial Era
2,  Test: Everyday life in the Industrial Era

Geography lesson

In this post I want you to click on the video below and undestand at last the difference between England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom. Take some time to watch it and answer the questions below in your comments.

1. Are the woman and the man from the same nation?
2. Is Northern Ireland part of the United Kingdom?
3. What four nations belong to the United Kingdom?
4. What is called Great Britain?
5. Which nations have got a local parliament?

Speaking: Take a seat, make a friend

After waching the video above, choose seven of the topics suggested to discuss them in pairs or in groups of three people. Make a video and send it to your teacher.

1. Something you've never done.
2. Share three things on your bucket list.
3. Describe the first time you fell in love.
4. Talk about someone who inspires you.
5. Talk about the experience that changed your life.
6. Create a secret handshake.
7. Talk about the best memory from your childhood.
8. Recommend a TV series, a book, a film or a YouTube channel and explain your reasons.
9. Talk about your fears and describe your scariest experience.
10. Talk about your favourite celebration or festival. Explain why it's special for you.

Living English 1

Hello everyone and welcome back to the high school! This year we'll be using a new book for the 1st year of Bachillerato. I hope you like and learn a lot from it! If you want to practise what you have learnt in the classroom, I highly recommend you to follow the link below and download the Websites Activities that you'll find when you click on the blue words Bachillerato 1 Activities.

Living English 1- Website Activities

Pamplona Bull Running

Every July thousands of people visit the town of Pamplona in the north of Spain to enjoy the most popular summer festival. In this post I suggest you reading some interesting facts to know more about its history and then leave the answers to these questions in your comments.

Running of the Bulls

1. When is San Fermín's Day? Why is it celebrated in summer and since when?
2. Which American writer wrote about this festival in one of his novels?
3. During the running of the bulls there are five rockets, what do they mean?
4. How many people have been seriously injured so far? Did any of them die?
5. Can women run in front of the bulls?

Eurovision

Tonight lots of European we'll be watching the Eurovision Song Contest, but how much do you know about it? Are there any rules? When and why did it start? Click on the link below to discover these answers and then do the after-reading activities and answer the discussion questions. Leave them in your comments!

Eurovision Song Contest

Writing : My Super Hero

In this post I suggest you to write a short story ( 100- 120 words) about an invented super hero! Remember to give him / her a name, a super power costume and to answer these questions:

1. What's his / her story? Has s/he got a secret life?
2. What are his/her superpowers? What can s/he do? How does s/he do it?
3. What does s/he like doing in his/her free time? What does s/he dislike doing?
4. What's his/her slogan?
5. Why is s/he famous?

Traditional British Food

Today I want to you to watch these two videos about traditional British meals and answer the questions below. I hope you won't get too hungry! Remember to leave your answers in your comments!

1. What do they usually have for breakfast?
2. What take-away restaurants appear in the videos?
3. What does a Sunday Roast consist of?
4. What is a typical dessert?
5. What do you eat if you are a vegetarian?
6. Apart from the Sunday Roast and Fish and Chips, what other traditional dishes are mentioned?

Past tenses: Past Simple, Past Continuous and Past Perfect

Here we are again dealing with past tenses. I recommend you to do these exercises after you have practised the previous posts: 1. Past Simple: Irregular verbs  and 2. Past Simple vs Past Continuous.

In the links below, you'll find exercises about the Past Simple, the Past Continuous and the Past Perfect, leave your results in your comments as usual.

1. Past Simple vs Past Perfect

2. Past simple, Past perfect or Past continuous

3. Song: Last kiss

More than songs

In this post I suggest you to click on the links below where you'll find some songs with very meaningful messages. I hope you like them and leave the results of the exercises in your comments.

Song: My name is Luka
Song:We are the world
Song: Where is the love?
Song: Imagine

New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year 2018! Have you thought about your new year's resolutions? Any of them related to how to improve your English learning? Click on the link below to discover how a group of friends faces the New Year. Do the tasks provided and leave your results in your comments as usual.

New Year's Resolutions

Christmas traditions: Reading

Christmas is the biggest winter festival celebrated in the UK. You may know about the most common traditions such as the Christmas tree or card-giving, but where did they come from ? Click on the link below  to find the answer to these questions and leave the answers in your comments.

Christmas traditions

1. Who brought the modern Christmas tree tradition to England?

2. Was turkey eaten in the Middle Ages Christmas dinner? Explain.

3. How old is the Chrismast card tradition?

4. Are Christmas carols very old? Explain.

5. Why did Celtic people use the mistletoe?

The history of chocolate

Can you imagine your life without chocolate? Are you addicted to it? How much do you know about its history? Play the video below and complete the missing information in the sentences.

1. Before the 16th century, chocolate only existed in ......
2. Cacao beans were believed to be .....   food.
3. Aztecs used cacao as .......
4. At first in Europe people used cacao as ............ because it was bitter.
5. The cocoa press was invented in ........
6. Milk chocolate was invented by a ................ producer.
7. Human rights have been abused in Africa due to ......... and ...........

PAU tips

Sooner or later, you´ll have to take your PAU exams in English. In the first link below you'll find some useful tips in order to get good marks. In the second link, you have exercises to practise.

PAU Tips
PAU exercises

Grammar for ESO and Bachillerato students

We have just finished another school year, and you may need some help in order to revise for your September exams. Try these two links below to find the most common grammar points for ESO and Bachillerato students. Do the exercises and then check them with the keys provided.

ESO Grammar

Bachillerato Grammar

Listening: Teens going veggie

Have you ever thought about becoming vegetarian? Did you know that the number of vegans in the UK grows every year? Listen to five teenagers talking about the reasons why they decided to quit eating animals and then do the matching and the multiple choice exercises. Leave your results in a comment as usual.

Teens going veggie