MYSTERY PHOTO

Thanks for sending in your guesses and comments about where you think the photo was taken. So far, no one has guessed it.

Here is a hint: it was not taken in Castile-La Mancha.

Can you make another guess? Try again by sending a comment.

Judith

PRESIDENT´S DAY

President´s Day (also known as Washington´s birthday) is a United States national holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February to honor two of the most important presidents in the history of this country, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, whose birthdays are Feb. 22 and Feb.12 respectively. This year President´s Day fell on Monday,February 15th.

ACTIVITY: Try these quizzes to find out how much you know about the presidents of the United States of America.

President´s Day Quiz 1

President´s Day Quiz 2

President´s Day Quiz 3

A MESSAGE FROM WILL

Will sent us this message from the USA:

Hello Everyone!

I just wanted to say hi and to send you a photo I took.

Can you guess where it was taken?

Post your responses in the comments.

We will let you know if you are right.

Bye for now,

Will Heins

GROUNDHOD DAY (2)

Groundhog Phil, the most famous groundhog in the United Stated, sees his shadow and predicts six more weeks of winter.

More information:

groundhod.org

GROUNDHOD DAY

Groundhog Day is a traditional festival celebrated in the United States and Canada on February 2, midway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.
In traditional weather lore, if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and cannot see its shadow because the weather is cloudy, winter will soon end. If the groundhog sees its shadow because the weather is bright and clear, it will be frightened and run back into its hole, and the winter will continue for six more weeks.

America´s most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, live in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, USA.

QUIZ (a4esl.org)

AUSTRALIA DAY

January 26, is the biggest day of celebration in Australia and is observed as a public holiday in all states and territories.

On Australia Day Australians come together as a nation to celebrate what's great about Australia and being Australian. It's the day to reflect on what they have achieved and what they can be proud of in their great nation.

BURNS´ NIGHT

Burns´Night is celebrated in Scotland on or around January 25th to commemorate the life and work of the Scottish poet Robert Burns (born on January 25, 1759) and his contribution to Scotttish culture.

Click on the screen below to listen to one of his most famous works, Auld Lang Syne:

How much do you know about Scotland?. Try this quiz to find it out.

Scotland Quiz (www.quia.com)

NEW YEAR´S RESOLUTIONS

At midnight on New Year’s Eve many people make a New Year resolution. New Year's resolutions are decisions to do something new or to change a habit. We write a list of resolutions to help us remember them in the coming year.

Click on the links below to write your New Year´s resolutions for 2010.

ACTIVITY
Version A - to be sent to me.
Version B - to be printed (from its-english.com)

WELCOME BACK!

WELCOME

I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS

School resumes Thursday, January 7th, 2010

HAPPY XMAS, JUDITH!

Hi Judith!

How are you?. Thank you very much for your message. We hope you are having a wonderful time with your family and friends in the United States.

We also want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Your students in 2º ESO-Sección Europea

SPAIN: FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Here is Judith´s presentation about Infantes. As you can remember, the sound wasn´t very good when we watched it in the classroom. The problem has been fixed and you can watch and listen to it now. Enjoy!.

A MESSAGE FROM JUDITH

Hello Everyone!

I am sending this message from the United States. I arrived safely on Friday, December 18^th after a 7½ hour flight from Madrid. I spent one night in Madrid on the way from Infantes. I enjoyed seeing all the Christmas lights and decorations there.

Now I am in Connecticut and the weather is cold. This morning it was 23 degrees Fahrenheit. Do you know what temperature that is on the Celsius scale?

(Hint: 32 degrees F = 0 degrees C)

We are expecting a big snowstorm later today (Saturday). We could get as much as 2 feet of snow.

Do you know how many centimeters that will be?

(Hint: 1 foot = 30.48 centimeters)

There are going to be very high winds, too, maybe up to 35 miles per hour.

Do you know how many kilometers per hour that will be?

(Hint: 1 mile per hour = 1.6 kilometers per hour)

This type of storm is called a BLIZZARD.

My family and I are getting ready for Christmas. We celebrate Christmas with the some family traditions such as by seeing as many family members and friends as possible, decorating the house, giving presents (gifts) and eating some good meals.

I am going to celebrate this year by:

Giving a party for my family (nephews, brother-in-law, sons, husband, nieces)

Giving a party for my friends

Decorating the Christmas tree

Drinking eggnog*

Wrapping presents

Going Christmas caroling* at 6PM on Christmas Eve on the Town Green* in my town

Watching The Grinch Who Stole Christmas*

Reading “The Night Before Christmas”*

Hanging our stockings by the fireplace

Opening presents on Christmas morning (December 25^th)

Eating a nice meal* on Christmas Day

Talking to friends and family on the telephone

Even though I am busy having fun, I am thinking of you and hope that you are having fun too! Have a wonderful vacation and

Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

Season’s Greetings!

From, Judith

*Eggnog is a traditional drink made from sugar, cream, eggs and nutmeg. It’s delicious!

*Caroling – is singing. This word is usually associated with the songs we sing at Christmas which are songs of joy.

*Town Green – is similar to a town square or plaza but it has grass instead of stones.

*The Grinch Who Stole Christmas- is a cartoon movie based on story written by Dr. Seuss in 1957.

*”The Night Before Christmas” is a poem written by Clement Clark Moore in 1823.

*Our meal will be shrimp, roast beef, mashed potatoes, green vegetables, chocolate mousse cake and strawberry ice cream.

CHARLIE CHAPLIN

Dear students,

I was really surprised this morning when you told me that you didn´t know who Charlie Chaplin was. To learn about this famous English comedian actor and film director click on the link below. You will be able to read about his biography, watch trailers of his films and much more.

Charlie Chaplin: Official Website

ACTIVITY

HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2009

December 10 is Human Rights Day. It commemorates the 61st anniversary of the day in 1948 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year Human Rights Day focuses on ending discrimination.

POLL #9: WHAT TYPE OF TV PROGRAMME DO YOU PREFER?

Dear students,

24 people took our last poll: What type of TV programme do you prefer?. As you can see above, your favourive TV programmes are:

• Comedy programmes (37%)
• Cartoons (29%)
• Sports programmes (20%)

Next poll: Do you like Christmas?

SAINT ANDREW´S DAY

On November 30th Scotland celebrates St. Andrew´s Day.

Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and St. Andrew's Day is Scotland's official national day. In 2006, the Scottish Parliament designated the Day as an official public holiday. The flag of Scotland is the Cross of St. Andrew, and this is widely displayed as a symbol of national identity.

Read more: British life and culture

www.visitscotland.com

www.scotland.org

THANKSGIVING DAY

Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and on the second Monday of October in Canada. In the USA, It commemorates the feast held by the Pilgrims in 1621 who were thankful for the harvest and for the help of the Wampanoag people in teaching them to hunt, fish and grow crops during their first year in America. Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated in much the same way. A large meal is shared and eaten with family and friends. People say thank you for their food and the good things they have in life. There are some special foods that are associated with Thanksgiving such as turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, potatoes, corn and pumpkin pie. Besides eating the Thanksgiving meal, Americans watch football, go to parades, travel and go shopping on the long holiday weekend.

I´d like to thank Judith, our Language Assistant, for her help to write this post.

Harrykindergarten´s Channel

GUY FAWKES DAY

Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Day is celebrated on November 5th in the United Kingdom. It's a British tradition dating back to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Catholic conspirator Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London. People celebrate the defeat of Guy Fawkes and the other conspirators with fireworks and bonfires.

There is a famous rhyme that goes:

Remember, remember, the fifth of November.

The Gunpowder, treason and plot,

I know of no reason

Why the gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot

JOSÉ LUIS LOPEZ VÁZQUEZ

Spanish actor José Luis López Vázquez died yesterday in Madrid at the age of 87. Throughout his career he received many prizes such as the Gold Medal for Fine Arts in 1985, the National Theatre Prize in 2002 and a Goya of Honour Prize in 2004. He was also awarded an Emy in 1973 for the TV film "La Cabina". He starred more than 200 films, including "El pisito", "Atraco a las tres", "El Verdugo", "Patrimonio Nacional" and "Plácido".

Video (www.euronews.net)