Happy New Year

In Scotland during Hogmanay (is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner)they use to sing this traditional song. Hope you like it...and sing along.

Auld Lang Syne!

HAPPY 2011!

Karaoke Casting Results

karaoke casting

Our first karaoke casting was a great success. We really have wonderful voices at our school. We hope all the participants enjoyed the experience. We loved it. Congratulations to all!

The members of your English Club wish YOU

Saint Nicholas Day

The tradition of Saint Nicholas Day, usually on 6 December, is a festival for children in many countries in Europe related to surviving legends of the saint, and particularly his reputation as a bringer of gifts. The American Santa Claus, as well as the Anglo-Canadian and British Father Christmas, derive from these legends. "Santa Claus" is itself derived from the Dutch Sinterklaas.

Saint Nicholas

Today is the 6th of December. In Germany people celebrate "Nikolaus". It is a special day, mainly for children. On Nicholas Eve, they leave plates outside, so that Nikolaus can offer them candies, fruit and sweets.

It's X-mas time!

Watch this Flash Mob and inspire yourself with the good values of this season.

What's Buy Nothing Day?

Lock up your wallets and purses, Saturday November 27th 2010 is Buy Nothing Day (UK). It's a day where you challenge yourself, your family and friends to switch off from shopping and tune into life. The rules are simple, for 24 hours you will detox from shopping and anyone can take part provided they spend a day without spending!

Everything we buy has an impact on the environment, Buy Nothing Day highlights the environmental and ethical consequences of consumerism. The developed countries - only 20% of the world population are consuming over 80% of the earth's natural resources, causing a disproportionate level of environmental damage, and an unfair distribution of wealth.

As consumers we need to question the products we buy and challenge the companies who produce them. What are the true risks to the environment and developing countries? We all know recycling is OK for the environment, but consuming less is better    and Buy Nothing Day is a great way to start.

Participate by not participating!
Of course, Buy Nothing Day isn't about changing your lifestyle for just one day - we want it to be a lasting relationship with you consumer conscience - maybe a life changing experience? We want people to make a commitment to consuming less, recycling more and challenging companies to clean up and be fair. The supermarket or shopping mall might offer great choice, but this shouldn't be at the cost of the environment or developing countries.

Tomorrow watch Thanksgiving Day Parade live online

Tomorrow- Thanksgiving Day - you can watch the famous Macy's Thanksgiving Parade online live from the streets of New York. The Earthcam website provides a view of the Parade. Visit http://www.earthcam.com/

In the meanwhile, have a look at some moments of last year's parade:

Thanksgiving thoughts

When you sit down with your loved ones for your Thanksgiving dinner, be thankful for everyone and everything that makes it possible. Look your family and friends in the eye and express to them your gratitude for sharing this wonderful time together.
Thanksgiving is a very special holiday. Embrace those around you and your ability to give thanks to those you love.

Barton Goldsmith

How To Cook Turkey For Thanksgiving & Christmas That Is Always Moist & Juicy...

We don't have Thanksgiving roast turkey in Portugal, but we do have Christmas turkey. Portuguese moms always complain about the meat - either too dry or too juicy. Would you (or your moms) like to surprise your guests this coming Christmas and cook a wonderfully crispy, roast, golden turkey? Then watch this video, learn, practise and enjoy!

Thanksgiving Parade

Just check out this Thanksgiving Parade!
This one shows the Pilgrims, the turkey...but you can watch the other videos on YouTube and be delighted with floating characters, musicals and much more!

Thanksgiving Day

Turkey Dinner Dance

"Freedom from Want" by Norman Rockwell

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) is one of the most important American painters and illustraters. He became famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life scenarios that he created for The Saturday Evening Post magazine over more than four decades. Among the best-known of Rockwell's works are the Four Freedom Series which include this Thanksgiving portrait.

Thanksgiving Recipes

Marshmallows Pilgrims Hats
Ingredients
• 24 chocolate-striped shortbread cookies
• 12-ounce package of chocolate chips
• 24 marshmallows
• tube of yellow decorators' frosting



Instructions
1. Set the chocolate-striped cookies stripes down on a wax-paper-covered tray, spacing them well apart.
2. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave or double boiler.
3. One at a time, stick a wooden toothpick into a marshmallow, dip the marshmallow into the melted chocolate, and promptly center it atop a cookie.
4. Using a second toothpick to lightly hold down the marshmallow, carefully pull out the first toothpick.
5. Chill the hats until the chocolate sets, then pipe a yellow decorators' frosting buckle on the front of each hat


Gobble me up



Ingredients
• Apple
• Clementine or navel orange
• Pear
• Dried apricot
• Peanut butter or cream cheese
• Mini chocolate chips
• Nut (we used a cashew)
• Dried cranberry




Instructions
1. Arrange apple and clementine or navel orange slices on a plate as shown, and lay a cored pear half on top.
2. Use scissors to halve a dried apricot, then snip small triangles from each half and tuck them under the pear to form the feet.
3. Finally, use peanut butter or softened cream cheese to attach mini chocolate chip eyes, a nut beak, and a dried cranberry snood.

Research done by Elisabete Carvalho in http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/18-classic-thanksgiving-desserts

One week before Thanksgiving - America prepares for the big Festivity!

Thanksgiving is one of the most important national holidays in the United States. It is celebrated each year on the fourth Thursday in November. On this day, families gather together, and many people say prayers of thanks for the year’s blessings. In many homes, a big dinner of roast turkey and dressing is served. Thanksgiving is traditionally a harvest festival. Similar festivals are celebrated in many parts of the world to give thanks after the year’s crops have been safely harvested.

Watch History of Thanksgiving — History.com Video
and learn about the historical origins of Thanksgiving

My first everything in the USA

I have been an "Alien" in Savannah, state of Georgia, for three months and half now. Around here weekends are to relax, socialize and spend money.
In October the city spruced up for the fall and with it pumpkins and scarecrows. Halloween was crazy: candies, costumes, parties...

 

November is time for Thanksgiving (Thursday) and Black Friday.

For Thanksgiving, Americans travel to meet their loved ones. The majority of them do not return for Christmas. They say it is family time...

In stores, books for children speak about the Pilgrims that were starving and the Indians who helped them learning how to survive in a new land. But in the 21st century what are they giving thanks for?

The newspapers of the weekend before Black Friday advertise 50% or more off in all products. It’s the bargain of the year!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At dawn of the next day family values are replaced by consumers. Black Friday begins, they go shopping until they drop.

Elisabete Carvalho, a Portuguese living in the USA
Nov. 9, 2010

The History Of The World

Once a teacher, always a teacher

With my own two hands

Bonfire Fireworks

On the 5th of November bonfires and fireworks go hand in hand for many people when they think of traditional Guy Fawkes celebrations.
The class 8º E wrote some poems about this festivity having as a start point the acrostic FIREWORKS. Read their poems at school!

Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot

Guy Fawkes Nursery Rhyme

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I see no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
To blow up the King and Parli'ment.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England's overthrow;
By God's providence he was catch'd (or by God's mercy*)
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holla boys, Holla boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
And what should we do with him? Burn him!


If you want to learn more about this English festivity click on the following video and you will watch a BBC documentary on this historical moment.

More Spooky Stuff !

Halloween Pumpkin Carving Creativity

7th form students:
Get inspired and create your own Jack-o'-Lantern. Bring it to school next Friday 29th for the Halloween exhibition. Your creativity will be rewarded!

This is Halloween!!!

Halloween Quizzes

Follow the link

http://www.funtrivia.com/quizzes/world/seasonal/halloween.html

and check your knowledge on Halloween.

Enjoy yourselves!

Let's celebrate Halloween!

Playing trick or treat

BEWARE of WITCHES and LITTLE DEVILS!

They may show up at School on Friday, 29 , and put a spell on YOU!

Halloween poem

1st term activity plan