What is H2O?

Here is Anabel's request: a video of a song titled "No Ordinary Girl" with the lyrics included. I think it belongs to a TV series ("H2O, Just Add Water"). I have never seen it, so I have no idea what it is about. Can you tell me? Please, send comments if you have ever seen it.

Rip Van Winkle

These days we are going to begin reading Rip Van Winkle and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. First of all, we will concentrate on the first story: Rip Van Winkle.

It takes place in the British colony of New York (America) before the Revolution War (1775-1783). There were 13 colonies in North America and they rebelled against British rule because they wanted to be independent. If you click here you will see the map with these colonies and you will have access to some information about each colony.

The American Revolutionary War (also called the War of Independence) gave way to the formation of the United Sates of America (USA). This is what Americans celebrate on Independence Day (4th July) with parades, fireworks and family fun.

The main character, Rip Van Winkle, lives very near the Catskill Mountains of New York and the Hudson River, a beautiful place about which people tell many legends and stories. Are you ready to read one of them?

Book Day

On 23 April we celebrate Book Day and Copyright Day. But do you know why? This day is the anniversary of the death of three important authors around the world: William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. All of them died on 23 April 1616 (although there are some days of difference because some countries followed the Julian calendar and others the Gregorian one). That is the reason why UNESCO chose this day to encourage people to enjoy reading.

In our school we have celebrated it by inventing, reading and acting out some poems and compositions on spring time in the three languages we can speak: Spanish, English and French.

You did a really good job! I hope you had a good time . . . and I wish you will never stop reading!

Cheerful Season

Spring is a cheerful season

it always grows up

and the rocks are happy too.

The month is finishing

and spring is shaking

heat is here

spring is dying.

Spring will come back

each year in the same month

it will come back to be born.

By Aitor Márquez Aguilar

A Madrigal for Music Class

Here you are the lyrics of an English madrigal by Thomas Morley titled Now is the Month of Maying. It dates from the end of the 16th century. In your next Music classes you will work with it. Remember! We are celebrating spring time!

Now is the month of maying
When merry lads are playing
Each with his bonny lass
Upon the greeny grass

The spring, clad all in galdness
Doth laugh at winter's sadness
And to the bagpipe's sound
The nymphs tread out their ground

Fie then! Why sit we musing
Youth's sweer delight refusing?
Say, dainty nymphs, and speak,
Shall we play barley-break?

Here you can listen to the song and see beautiful English landscapes. Enjoy the madrigal!

Giving directions and walking around town

Here you can find interesting activities to review what we have learned in class:

In this website you'll find a list with useful expressions for giving directions and managing yourself around town.

If you click here you can listen to dialogues asking for directions.

Here you can listen to another dialogue as you read it.

Now you are ready to listen to some sentences (click here) and look at a map and say if these sentences are true or false . . . if you need it, you can read the tapescript!

And in this website you can play hangman.

Have fun . . . and learn many things!

The Beech Tree

I'd like to have a garden

With a beech tree on the lawn;

The little birds that lived there

Would wake me up at dawn.

And in the summer weather

When all the leaves were green,

I'd sit beneath the beech boughs

And see the sky between.

by Rose Fyleman

Spring Rain

The storm came up so very quick
It couldn’t have been quicker.
I should have brought my hat along,
I should have brought my slicker.

My hair is wet, my feet are wet,
I couldn’t be much wetter.
I fell into a river once
But this is even better.

By Marchette Chute

March Wind

March wind is a jolly fellow;

He likes to joke and play.

He turns umbrellas inside out

And blows men's hats away.

He calls the pussy willows

And whispers in each ear,

"Wake up you lazy little seeds;

Don't you know that spring is here?"

Lost!

"Peep! Peep! Peep!" Poor little chick!

Little cry so weak and small,

Meadow grass so tall and thick,

And the clover tufts so tall!

Little heart in sore distress,

Longing for the mother wing;

Through the weedy wilderness

Searching for its sheltering!

By Evaleen Stein

I Meant to Do my Work Today

I meant to do my work today,

But a brown bird sang in the apple tree,

And a butterfly flitted across the field,

And all the leaves were calling me.

And the wind went sighing over the land,

Tossing the grasses to and fro,

And a rainbow held out its shining hand--

So what could I do but laugh and go?

By Richard Le Gallienne

Little Seeds

Little seeds we sow in spring
Growing while the robins sing,
Give us carrots, peas and beans,
Tomatoes, pumpkins, squash and greens.

And we pick them,
One and all,
Through the summer,
Through the fall,

Winter comes, then spring, and then
Little seeds we sow again.

By Else Holmelund Minarik

My Spring Garden

Here is my little garden,
Some seeds I’m going to sow.
Here is my rake to rake the ground,
Here is my handy hoe.

Here is the big, round yellow sun;
The sun warms everything.
Here are the rain clouds in the sky;
The birds will start to sing.

Little plants will wake up soon,
And lift their sleepy heads;
Little plants will grow and grow
In their little, warm earth beds.

Trees

Trees are the kindest things I know,

They do no harm, they simply grow

And spread a shade for sleepy cows,

And gather birds among their boughs.

They give us fruit in leaves above,

And wood to make our houses of,

And leaves to burn on Halloween

And in the Spring new buds of green.

They are first when day's begun

To tough the beams of morning sun,

They are the last to hold the light

When evening changes into night.

And when a moon floats on the sky

They hum a drowsy lullaby

Of sleepy children long ago...

Trees are the kindest things I know.

By Harry Behn

Spring has Sprung

Spring has sprung, the grass has ris’,
I wonder where the birdie is?

There he is up in the sky,
He dropped some whitewash in my eye!

I’m alright, I won’t cry,
I’m just glad that cows can’t fly!

Kite Days

A kite, a sky, and a good firm breeze,
And acres of ground away from trees,
And one hundred yards of clean, strong string --
O boy, O boy! I call that Spring!

By Mark Sawyer

Materials for Spring Poems (April 23)

This is the list with the materials you have to bring for our poetry reading session:

Ana: verano
Anabel: sombrero, gotas de agua
Aitor: hojas (grandes y pequeñas), mar estrellado, lilas
Alba: mariposa, rastrillo, flores
Alberto: refugio, vaca
Ana: calabazas
Andrés: otoño
Carmen: gallina, ramas, tréboles, cielo estrellado
Cayetano: árbol, chubasquero, jardín, paraguas, cometa
Celia: guisantes, mariposa, pollito, flores, pintor
Dani: verduras
Jennifer: cielo
Jesús: azada
José Antonio: nubes, plantas
José Carlos: pájaro gris
José Luis Rebollo: arena, guantes
Lorena: peces
Lucas: sol
Manolo: invierno (blanco)
Miguel Ángel Conde: río, tomates
Miguel Ángel Lobo: cuerda, pájaro marrón
Paula: arco iris, mariposa, zanahorias
Sara: brisa, judías, viento
Sergio: césped, tormenta
Vicente: amanecer, semillas, sombrero, tréboles

Reports on the reader

These are some of your reports on our reader for the second term Great Expectations. They are quite good!

I am going to talk about one story: Pip’s story. It is a drama story. The story takes place in London, United Kingdom. The story happens in the 19th century.

The story is about a boy that wants to be a gentleman because he loves a lady called Estella. But he is poor and one day one person gives money to him.

The characters of the book are Pip, a poor and kind boy, Estella, Biddy, Miss Havisham, Joe, Bentley Drummle, Mr. Jaggers, Wemmick, Abel Magwitch and Herbert.

The vocabulary of the book was very easy for me but the story was a little boring.

My favourite character was Estella because she is a fine lady, but I like the other characters too.

By Ana Gutiérrez Osuna

In the book there are ten chapters and one story. The genre of the book is narrative. The story takes place in London in the 19th century. The story is about a man that is poor and he falls in love with a woman, but she doesn’t love him because he is poor. When he is rich he wants to marry her but she is in love with another man.

The characters in the story are Joe, Biddy, Pip, Estella, Miss Havisham, Mr. Drummle, etc. The relationships between the main characters are: friends, fathers, mothers, enemies and boyfriends.

I find the language of the book medium. I like the story because it is an interesting book. The character I liked is Joe, because he helps Pip though he behaves badly with Joe. The character I didn’t like is Estella, because she is very capricious and conceited and she has no heart.

By Cayetano Gil Valdellós

The book has one story and ten chapters. It is a novel in English. Pip is a young boy. He has no mother or father, he lives with his sister. Pip helps a prisoner and years later he has a benefactor, but he doesn’t know who he is.

In the story there are ten characters and I like four characters. They are friends.

I like the story because it is interesting. I like Estella because she is a good person. I don’t like Abel Magwitch because he is a prisoner.

By Jennifer Murillo Montalbán

In the book there is one story. It is a novel. The story happens in the marshes near the great River Thames. This story is about a boy. He has a sister and a brother-in-law. He is very poor but he has a benefactor, and he turns into a fine gentleman and he wants to marry a girl.

In the story there are ten characters. Pip hasn’t got mother or father. Estella is very beautiful, she hasn’t father or mother, so she lives with Miss Havisham. Biddy lives in the same village as Pip. Joe is a blacksmith, his wife is Pip’s sister, so he looks after Pip. Miss Havisham is an old lady, she hates men. Bentley Drummle is rich and handsome. Mr. Jaggers is a lawyer, he works for rich people. Wemmick helps Mr. Jaggers. Abel Magwitch is a prisoner. Herbert is Pip’s friend.

I don’t like this book because it is very boring. Pip is my favourite character because he is humble. Drummle isn’t my favourite character because he is a rascal.

By Jesús Martínez Mestre

Great Expectations has got one story and is a novel. The story takes place in England, in the marshes in a village in Kent. It is written by Charles Dickens.

Great Expectations is about the poor boy called Pip. He hasn’t mother or father. He lives with his sister and her husband called Joe. His sister is bad-tempered. Estella is very beautiful. She has no father or mother, so she lives with Miss Havisham. She is an old lady and she hates men! Joe is the blacksmith. His wife is Pip’s sister, so he looks after Pip. Bentley Drummle is rich and handsome. Mr. Jaggers is a lawyer, he works for rich people. Wemmick helps Mr. Jaggers. Herbert is a student, he is Pip’s friend. Abel Magwitch is a prisoner.

The book is interesting and I have learned vocabulary. My favourite character is Pip because he likes friendship. I don’t like Miss Havisham because she is a bad person.

By Lorena López Gómez

Great Expectations is a novel that happened in England a long time ago. It is about a blacksmith boy called Pip. He looks for a beautiful girl, Estella. He wants to marry her. But she doesn’t like him because he is poor. She remembers his dirty boots.

The characters are Pip (he hasn’t got father or mother, so she lives with her sister), Estella (she lives with Miss Havisham), Biddy (she lives in the same village as Pip), Miss Havisham (she hates men), Joe (Pip’s sister’s husband), Bentley Drummle (he is handsome and rich), Mr. Jaggers (he is a lawyer), Mr. Wemmick (he helps Mr. Jaggers), Abel Magwitch (he is a prisoner) and Herbert (he is Pip’s friend).

The book is very good because there are words explained at the end of the pages and you don’t know what the characters are going to do. I like Pip because he is a good person. I don’t like Miss Havisham because she is selfish.

By Lucas Giráldez Torres

The book has one story and ten chapters. It is a novel. It takes place in the marshes. The story happens in the 19th century. The story is about Pip, a poor young boy. He receives amazing news. Someone has given him a large amount of money and wants to make him a gentleman. He has no mother or father and he lives near the marshes.

The characters of the story are: Pip, Estella, Biddy, Joe, Miss Havisham, Bentley Drummle, Mr Jaggers, Wemmick, Abel Magwitch and Herbert. I like Joe. The main character is Pip.

The language of the book is normal. I like the book, it is entertaining. I like Joe because he is a good person. I don't like Miss Havisham because she says nonsense.

By Jaime casado Sánchez

Pip is a boy. He has no mother or father. He lives with his sister and her husband, Joe. One day he knows Miss Havisham and Estella. Pip loves Estella, but she doesn't love him: she hasn't a heart. Someone gives him a lot of money and he learns to be a gentleman. He wants to marry Estella but she doesn't love him and pip leaves London.

Miss Havisham dies and he finds that his benefactor is the prisoner that he helped, Abel Magwitch. But Magwitch dies in London and Pip goes back to the country. Pip begins to think about Estella but she is married and Pip leaves England. After eleven years he sees Estella again in the garden of the house of Miss Havisham. Her hisband is dead and they begin to be friends.

By Miguel Ángel Conde Úbeda

In the book Great Expectations there is only one story about a poor young boy who lives with his sister. His name is Pip. It is a dramatic story and it takes place in England in the 19th century. There are ten characters in the story: Pip, Estella, Biddy, Miss Havisham, Joe, Bentley, Mr Jaggers, Wemmick, Abel Magwitch and Herbert. The relationships of the characters are fathers, mothers, boyfriends, friends and enemies.

The language of the book is very easy. I don't like the book because it is a novel and I don't like novels. My favourite character is Pip because he is very brave and the charactre I don't like is Pip's sister because she is always angry.

By Celia Rodríguez Ruiz

Spring

My favourite season, spring

my favourite weather in spring

it's very necessary for me.

It's a beautiful season, spring

it's very funny, spring

it's wonderful for me.

Spring is the best season
for every body because the sun
is big and all the days are sunny.

By Celia Rodríguez Ruíz

Here you can listen to Celia's poem. Thanks, Megan!

Spring

When it is spring
all becomes green.

You hear the birds
and it wakes up the bears.

Be careful with the lakes
there are many snakes.

By Miguel Ángel Conde Úbeda

Megan has read Miguel Ángel's poem. Let's listen to her!

I am Fernando Alonso

Hello! I am Fernando Alonso,Paula Maria's parakeet. I am nice, loving and noisy when I see Paula María or Alvaro José (Paula María's brother). I am blue and white with yellow spots under the chin, because I am Fernando Alonso, the driver of Formula One (because my owner loves F. Alonso). I love parakeets' food, cold water and lettuce. I weigh 80 g and I am 10 cm when I crane my neck, je je.

In the picture on the left I was a baby. In the picture on the right I am an adult.

By Paula María Chía de la Rosa

Let's Sing a Gay Little Spring Song!

Since we are preparing our spring poems to celebrate Book Day on April 23, here you are the lyrics and video of a spring song taken from Disney's Bambi. I hope you like it!

Let's sing a gay little spring song
This is the season to sing
So I'd like to suggest
That we all do our best
And warble a song about spring
Spring, spring, spring
Let's get together and sing.

Let's sing a gay little spring song
Just like the bird on the wing
Things always seen right
When you're chipper and bright
So let's get together and sing
Sing, sing, sing
Let's sing a song about spring.

Let's twitter and tweet
Like the birdies in May
Get into the mood
And be merry today
Forget all your troubles and warble away
Do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do
Oh!

Let's sing a gay little spring song
Music's a wonderful thing
Come on and rejoice
At the top of your voice
Oh, let's sing a song about spring
Spring, spring, spring
Let's get together and sing.

Let's sing a gay little spring song
This is the season to sing.

Tell Spring

Tell spring to bring

Lovely flowers

With a lot of colours.

The animals always make

A party in the lake

And they celebrate the change.

They jump, sing and dance

Because they have the chance.

By Maite Eseverri Zarzuelo

You can listen to Maite's poem read by Megan. (Thank you for your help, Megan)

Posters on Important Women

These are the posters you have done as a result of the work on the WebQuest Important Women in the World. I think the posters are great, and your presentations of them was marvellous.

You did a really good job. Congratulations!

World Health Day

World Health Day (7 April) marks the origin of the World Health Organization. The intention is to attract attention to global health every year. This year World Health Day concentrates on the need to protect health from the bad effects of climate change.

This is a very important topic because there are a lot of threats to public health. Take this day to think about world health. What can you do to help? Please, write comments saying what we can do to protect the world's health.

Spring

Spring
is a season
to sing
your song.


In spring
it is necessary
to run
in the country.



Spring
is beauty.


Spring,
constantly.


In spring
you feel big,
and the birds
go and sing.


In spring
the wind
moves the sea.



In spring
you see . . .
our life!



By Daniel López Muriana

Megan has read this poem so that you can listen to it.

Spring is Fantastic!

What is spring for you? For me, spring produces fantastic and very beautiful sensations because the flowers, the beautiful plants and the people (I think) are much nicer and more loving. I love spring, but I love summer, winter and autumn too. IT IS TRUE, SPRING IS FANTASTIC!

By Paula María Chía de la Rosa

Let's listen to Megan reading Paula's text!

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Great Expectations is a novel written by Charles Dickens. It tells a story that takes place in the marshes, in London, in the river Thames, and other places in England.

It is about a boy called Pip. He has no mother or father and he lives with his sister and with his brother-in-law. He is in love with Estella, but he is poor and she wants to marry a gentleman. She marries a bad man.

Pip helps a prisoner (Abbel Magwitch) and the prisoner gives him money to be a gentleman. When Pip knows the name of his benefactor he doesn’t want the money. At the end Pip goes with Estella and they live together.

The language of the book is easy but it had a lot of new vocabulary. My favourite character is Abbel Magwitch because he is a good person. I don’t like Estella because she is very cold.

By Maite Eseverri Zarzuelo