Thursday 7 May 2020

3 years old lesson idea- I can sing a rainbow... and stay positive :)

Hi there, 

As you have probably noticed, the rainbow has become the symbol of positivity during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Many children have drawn one and stuck it on their windows to spread a message of hope. 
This "rainbow-puzzle" is a lesson I would have loved to teach in Infantil, but I did not have the chance to (due to the naughty naughty bug)....
Nevertheless, I have to say it kept my 3 years old son very entertained and it helped him a lot to review numbers, colors, basic instructions...and enjoy :)
For this reason, I've decided to share it with you. I hope it comes in handy...

Lesson plan - if you teach at school ;) 

 if you don't, you can skip the point #1, #2 and #5 and   go straight to the point #3↓↓

 1. Good morning song routine. Children are asked about their feelings by using the mood chart on the wall and singing this song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x23rTDl4AMs

2. How's the weather moment. Children have to stick the correct weather flashcard at the whiteboard and to sing and mime the actions from this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8GeA3anPdo

 3. Circle time:  The magic box  “What’s in the box? - The rainbow puzzle!" Children stand up from their chairs and sit down in a circle on the mat. They cross their legs, tap their knees and sing the chant “What’s in the box, what’s in the box, what’s in the box today?” along with me. One by one, I take out the 7 pieces of the rainbow and say the color of it. (chant x 7). Each time, they pass each other the stripe of paper/cardboard, repeating the color.  At the end, all the pieces will be on the mat and we will create a rainbow out of them. “How many colors has the rainbow? Let’s count!”

 4. Play with colors. I spy with my little eyes game: As they listen “I spy with my little eye something purple/orange/ yellow, etc.” children walk around the classroom to find objects that are the same color.

 5. Worksheet time - reinforce what has been learned. Children sit back again with their “English team members”. The worksheet will be projected on the whiteboard; through the use of whiteboard markers and of very clear instructions kids are guided to the completion of this color-by-numbers activity...and won’t get lost along the way. 

Downloadable worksheet
Materials for the rainbow
  • Purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red cardboard to make the stripes for the rainbow (but you can color some white stripes yourself!)
2. put the stripes into a "magic box"
1. draw, paint and cut out the rainbow
3. close the magic box (in order to do mine, I've recycled a box of cookies by using up an old newspaper, white glue and a paintbrush)

 
4. put the pieces together again, you can stick the stripes on a white A4 paper/cardboard...and on your windows to spread a message of hope





Materials for the whole lesson




  • a "magic box" with the rainbow stripes all mixed up inside; 
  • whiteboard markers; whiteboard + overhead projector;
  • worksheets
  • mood chart
  • weather flashcards
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Tuesday 31 March 2020

Get ready for your Cambridge English Qualification: A1 Movers


Let's have fun! - Primaria Almagro - Campus Virtual ORT

Hi guys!

In this entry, I am going to help you with the Speaking Part of the Movers Exam

Step 1.:

Click on the link below


Step 2.:
Think and answer YES or NO to the following questions:
938 You Can Do It Cliparts, Stock Vector And Royalty Free You Can ...
Can I...
  • Answer to and ask these questions? 

"How are you?" "What are you doing?" "What do you like?

  • Describe a picture? (objects, animals, people, actions, places, etc.) 

"I can see... 
 There is/there are... 
 The boy is ...+ing ... The girl is ....+ ing"

  • Find the differences between 2 pictures?


"In the picture on the left... but/ whereas/  in the picture on the right..."


  • Tell a very simple story from a set of pictures?



  • Tell which picture is different (and why) as in the video below?



Materials & Resources School Materials Clip Art, HD Png Download , Transparent Png Image ...

A little booklet with pictures and words that you need to know:

An example of the exam:

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Monday 23 March 2020

Get ready for your Cambridge English Qualification: A2 KEY for Schools

Dear students,

I have prepared this entry to help you with the Speaking Part of the forthcoming Cambridge Examination: the A2 Key for Schools (KET for Schools)


1. Click on the link below to see how Tommaso and Greta perform the Speaking test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNiCwVR6dNU 

2. The exam has been recently updated:

https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/images/update-2020-a2-key.pdf



This means that, in order to be successful, you need to be able to:

  • say your name and surname, and spell them!
Answer to questions like:
  • where do you come from?
  • how old are you? ....And remember to answer I AM!!! Not I*have!!  
  • do you study English at school?what other subjects do you study? 
  • what subject do you like best?
  • why?
  • what time do you finish/start school?
  • what do you usually do/eat in the evenings/after school?
  • what time do you usually have breakfast? 
  • what time do you usually go to bed?
  • what do you like to do in your free time?
  • how often? 
  • who cooks your meals?
Expect to talk about: home, food, clothes & accessories, subjects at school,  habits, sports & hobbies, friends, going out, family.

Tell something about...
  • your weekend
  • your family
  • you pet
  • your best friend
  • your hobbies & sports
  • things you did (Use the past simple!)  
TIP:
be wise and prepare a paragraph for each of the "tell me something about..." subjects above.
It will make you feel more comfortable.
You need to be able to interact with your partner and express your opinion about 5 pictures (all of them related). 

 So:
  1. Listen to the examiner
  2. Answer the question
  3. Ask your partner:
"What do you prefer? How about you? What do you think? Do you like...? What about you? And you?"

  • The examiner will ask you: what do you think ...?
Remember!!! Saying just "Yes/No" is not enough. Give an example, say at least 2 full sentences, be ready to questions such as why or why not.
Practice with the pictures below. 
Tip: We are talking about hobbies, right? Now, try to make a distinction between: 
  • hobbies you can practise alone/in pairs/in team
  • hobbies you can practise outdoor/indoor
  • expensive hobbies/cheap hobbies (why are they expensive?why are they cheap?)




Now, when you hear the sentence "this is the end of the test", don't forget to say: 

  

materials for you:



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Wednesday 18 March 2020

Saint Patrick's Day 2020 - Lockdown style


 Dear all,

two days ago, 17th of March, Irish people celebrated Saint Patrick's Day!!! Though this year, they had to do it locked down in their homes due to... you know... that naughty-naughty-bug-that-does-not-deserve-a-crown-whatsoever.
So, Irish families decided to still host their own Saint Patrick's parades in their courtyards and living rooms, as you can see in the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPOVP5jzppk


As I've told you at the beginning of the year, Ireland stole my heart;
I would have loved to be in class with you for this festivity Unfortunately, given the current circumstances it has been impossible. But, don't despair :) we can still get in a festive mood and"bain sult as"(enjoy, have fun - in Irish)

 
1. Check out the following vocabulary BEFORE watching the video:

patron saint = el santo patrono
worship = rezar, adorar
to kidnap = secuestrar
slave = esclavo
travel the length and breadth = everywhere
fields = campos
emerald-green = verde esmeralda

 2. Watch this animated video - The history of Saint Patrick

           https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqO0O8O8Gmk

3. Play Kahoot to answer some questions AFTER watching the video
    Here's the link to my Kahoot:
          https://create.kahoot.it/share/c0227e4c-12b4-486b-aa8f-62dfd71b377c






4. If you have little brothers or sisters, have fun dancing with them the Leprechaun Dance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZhtsF0vczw

5. and....last, but not the least...let me ask you a question? Do you, by the chance, have plenty of toilet paper rolls at home these days!?

If you do....why don't you try this very simple craft idea:

 https://www.theresourcefulmama.com/toilet-paper-roll-leprechaun-hat-craft/
 
 

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Get ready for you Cambridge English Qualification: PRE A1 Starters


Dear all,

in the link below, you will find what you are expected to do in order to pass your Cambridge English exams:

Click:  https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/Images/461492-young-learners-can-do-statements-.pdf


Let's focus only on the Speaking part, PreA1 Starter
 

Can you understand simple instructions? 

  • Point with your fingers at things / people / animals in a picture?
  • Put an object on / in / next to / under another thing?

Can you respond simple questions?
  • How old are you? 
  • What sport do you like? Do you know the colors?
  • Can you count to 20?
  • Can you name familiar objects (bus, car, shoes, dress, pencil case, rulers, desk, window, blackboard, apple, banana, etc.)?

 This is the oral exam. Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9uu9Zm3WN0


Let's review some contents for the exam now:

COLORS
If you cannot print at home, you can always use colors and papers and copy some ideas:
interactive activity/ color-by-number worksheet/ color the alphabet
Play the following game at home, listen to the song and walk around and see what you can find:

 
PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE   
- pictures, videos & games -

Idea!!! Take pencils, erasers, books and your toys at home and put them IN/ON/UNDER/NEXT TO your bed, your chair, your sofa, etc or to an empty shoebox...as you listen to the songs




Hide And Seek Illustrations, Royalty-Free Vector Graphics & Clip ...
PREPOSITIONS AND COUNTING
play hide-and-seek (el escondite) with your parents, your brothers or sisters. Have a look at this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S36BabFjkao





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Monday 16 March 2020

Everything will be alright


 Everything will be alright.  I wonder how many times you have heard, read or repeated like a mantra this very simple - future simple - sentence during the last few days.
March 2020. Our big big world fell victim of a tiny tiny virus (no, I won't mention your name, and no...you don't deserve a crown whatsoever!) and all of a sudden, we found ourselves locked down. At home. 
Out of the blue, your computer screen has become your classroom, your home has turned into your playground, your park, your sport center...who knows! What I'm pretty sure of is that you'll be missing your school routine at some point during this kind of forced "quarantine". Well, at least, my son does :)  
Therefore I decided to build this blog and I did so for 2 main reasons:
1. I miss being at work. I love languages -and being a Language Assistant -  and I can't help but reading about them, preparing some ideas, etc.
2. I think you need to keep up with our classes because, well... you need to stay home but that doesn't mean that you cannot stay tuned. If you do so...everything will be alright


Tip.: in each entry you will find some phrases or words that need further explanation, those phrases/words are underlined

1. all of a sudden = suddenly
2. locked down = made secure (a verb);  lockdown (noun: security measure)
3. out of the blue = unexpectedly 
4. quarantine = isolation (medical) 
5. to keep up with = stay informed
6. stay tuned= keep listening, watching, paying attention

Exercise n.1:
Which of the above mentioned expressions share a similar meaning?
You have 1 minute to answer
Click on the link below and start  (yeah...you know I love countdown timers!) 












Answer Key:
1.3. all of a sudden / out of the blue = in both cases, something/someone will definetely surprise you
2. 4 lockdown / quarantine, although the second one refers more specifically to medical reasons, in both cases, you are not allowed to go to the park, to the cinema, to school or wherever you want
5. 6. to keep up with and to stay tuned = in both cases, you won't miss a thing if you pay attention

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