A debate on consumerism

On February we are going to have a debate/ role play on consumerism.
Students are going to work in groups of four or five and are expected to perform the role of the following  characters.

Groups of four:
A shopaholic, a psychologist; an advertiser and defender of the consumer society; an activist against consumerism.

Groups of five:
A shopaholic, a psychologist; an advertiser and defender of the consumer society; an activist against consumerism; a friend or a relative of the shopaholic.

  Get prepared!

Consumerism and advertising

http://images.channelone.com/img/life/consumerism-l.jpg

We have been talking about the topic, Consumerism, which is divided in 3 different sets.

In the 1^st set, we discussed the following topics:

·         the impact of the media in our society;

·         the difference between reality and the pictures conveyed by the media;

·         the making of a celebrity;

·         today’s focus on popularity and success;

·         the perpetuation of the impossible “thin” and eating disorders;

·         Body idioms and expressions;

·         Grammar: Infinitives and gerund;

In this unit we used lots of videos such as:  Billionaire (Bruno Mars),  Celebrities before and after photoshop,   Less than perfect (Pink )

In the 2^nd set, we talked about:

• the impact of advertising in our society;
• commercial and non-commercial advertising;
• goals of advertising (AIDMA)
• what makes a good print ad;
•  xamples of advertising in our daily life;
• the differences between slogans and advertising messages;
• grammar: modals
• grammar: IF clauses type 3

We used videos such as, Emmy 2011 best commercial nominees ; Movie segments to assess grammar goals;


In the third set, we have been talking about:

• ·         the ethics in advertising;
• ·         examples of unethical/misleading advertising;
• ·         protection against misleading advertising;
• ·         aggressive advertising techniques;
• ·         effects of junk food advertising on childhood obesity.

We have been using videos such as, " Food ad tricks;  "Effects of junk food advertising on childhood obesity ;

Europe's biggest Live Nativity Scene

      In Priscos, a small village about 6 kilometres away from Braga, you can find “Europe’s Greatest Live Nativity Scene”. The parish community of Priscos and its inhabitants are responsible for this magnificent event, whose preparation takes nine months.

      This event takes place during the festive season of Christmas and it intends to strengthen the feeling of congregation among its participants, making the people of Priscos a true community. This project is open to all faiths, because every human being seeks for happiness and for the true meaning of life.

      “ We live in a time when opinions abound but when there are no ideas, a time when one often speaks of crisis, so it is urgent to restore the autonomy of thought, the sense of critical thinking about the meaning of life, history, eternity, and our relation to others.” See more.

      The Live Nativity of Priscos is an opportunity to make a trip to the time of Jesus. A trip with voices, music, smells, tastes, sounds, homes, shops and markets, and which is made possible with the help of  600 participants who give life to a story both ancient and new.

      The largest nativity scene in Europe encompasses almost 30,000 square kilometres with 60 scenarios representing Egyptian, Jewish and Roman cultures.

Camilo English Corner: a school project

Have a look at Camilo English Corner. We have been posting many messages recently. Have a look at these:

- Virtual friends! Good or bad?
- Looking for alternative lifestyles
- Speaking time
- Tips for learning vocabulary and grammar

Camilo English Corner makes part of Camilo Multilingue, a school project which involves some of the languages taught in our school.

Visit our different blogs. There you´ll find news written in different languages.
Portuguese 
English
Spanish
French

Fado has become part of the "Intangible Heritage of Humanity"

Fado (in English destiny) is a Portuguese music genre which celebrates the Portuguese soul.

"Fado is often called "Portuguese Blues", somewhere in the emotional landscape between African drums, Spanish and Arabian ballads, and Delta confessionals". MORRICONE

The silence and mystery of the night is the best moment to listen to this melody. Fado is about suffering, about missing someone (Portuguese:saudade), about love, tragedy, fate, jealousy, the sea, anything that stirs our emotions…

Amália Rodrigues was the most famous singer of the 20th century. She continues to be an inspiration for a new generation of singers who are giving a new burst to fado.


Mariza

Mariza (with English subtitles)

Ana Moura

Amália Hoje

Camané

Cloning

What exactly is cloning?

Cloning is the creation of an organism that is an exact genetic copy of another. This means that every single bit of DNA is the same between the two.    Read more

Interactive explore: Try to create a clone

Some pros and cons of cloning

Our surrounding world

Next week my students are having their first written test this year.

Contents for the test

1. Reading comprehension and text production about the topics:
Block 1: Our World
Set 1:  A endangered planet
Set 2: Saving our Earth

Learn about the environmental situation by reading the site ThinkQuest.
Practice vocabulary at Learn English Today

2. Grammar:
  Connectors, past  tenses, prepositional verbs and comparatives.

Don't forget to study.

11th Form: our surrounding world

Hello! I have prepared a video about our environmental situation. It was my first video, I hope you like it!

A happy new school year!

My school

Hello!

School has started! I haven't posted anything recently because I have been very busy with the beginning of the school year. 

This year I have 81 students in the 11th grade and 45 students in the 10th grade (of a professional course).

I have been preparing new materials I may share with you later on.

Right now I am using these materials with my students. 

Best wishes,
Conceição

A journey to the past ...

Santa Maria da Feira’s castle

I have recently read the historical novel The White Queen (by Philippa Gregory) and have just started reading the second novel of this series, The Red Queen. Surprisingly, the English versions are cheaper than the Portuguese translations, so I decided to read these novels in English.

I am glad I have opted for these books. Firstly, I can remember some historical events of the British history which I studied a long time ago, but which were somehow forgotten. Secondly, I have access to two fascinating and thrilling novels, full of complex rivalries, loves and hatreds. Finally, I can practice my English skills and enhance my vocabulary.

Although there is fiction in these novels, much of it was thoroughly researched and studied by this established historian and writer. I have discovered this is a fantastic way to learn about history and remember it. 

Last week I went to a medieval fair in Santa Maria da Feira and for a while I was transported to a time of castles, knights, kings, queens, jousts,  artifacts and street merchants. In Portugal many different medieval fairs can be visited throughout the year. Portugal is a country with a rich historical and cultural heritage, consequently the perfect scenery for a journey to the past.

I find these fairs really exciting ... And you?