If you’re looking for a fun language activity before the holidays, how about transforming your pupils into dancing zombies? For the tenth year running, Thrill the World will try to break its own world record for the biggest simultaneous dance to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”: 22,596 people around the world! The song’s video with Jackson doing … Continue reading “A “Thrilling” Halloween”
How much does it cost to fund a presidential election campaign, and how do the candidates raise the money? We look at the thorny issue of election finance. There is a long history of politics and money. Back in 1757, “founding father” George Washington won an election to the Virginia State parliament after throwing a … Continue reading “Election Money Machine”
The Battle of Hastings in 1066 was a major event in English history, which ushered in 400 years of Norman rule of England. After William the Conqueror won the English crown, French became the legal language of England for 300 years. This topic is rich in elements of British culture, and fits perfectly with the … Continue reading “The Battle of Hastings”
The Battle of Hastings in 1066 was a major turning point in British history. The victory of William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, changed whole course of Britain’s history and culture. Not least the language, as French became the legal language of England for the next 300 years. The 950th anniversary of the battle this … Continue reading “1066: Battle of Hastings”
Tim Burton’s new film is perfect for a theme on Halloween. It has scary monsters, a gothic Manor House with lots of strange goings-on, and fabulous costumes. It also has a great message about tolerance and vivre ensemble. Vocabulary and structures Developing writing skills by expanding vocabulary use of adjectives to convey a story. Modal … Continue reading “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children”
It’s been nine years since the final book in the Harry Potter series, five since the final film. There have been the exhibitions and theme parks to keep fans busy in the meantime, but now Harry Potter is really back with a vengeance! Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is not strictly speaking an eighth … Continue reading “Harry’s Back!”
For the first time ever, the Nobel Prize for Literature has been awarded not to a novelist, playwright or poet, but the a songwriter: Bob Dylan. The 2016 Nobel was awarded to the 75-year-old folk-rock legend, “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”. The singer-songwriter was born in 1941 in … Continue reading “The Times They Are A-Changin’”
This project from the United Nations is really concrete and could work well as part of an EPI with Maths and Geography, or at a more sophisticated level as part of a Lieux et formes du pouvoir or l’idée du progrès theme in lycée, especially with ES classes. It asks pupils to collect statistics about … Continue reading “Collecting Statistics: Class Project on Gender Equality”
In 2011, the United Nations declared 11 October the International Day of the Girl. It’s a day to celebrate girls and raise awareness of the problems they face. The UN, Plan International and USAID all have excellent resources for working on gender equality and education in class. Many of these topics would work well as … Continue reading “International Day of the Girl Webpicks”
In 2011, the United Nations declared 11 October the International Day of the Girl. It’s a day to celebrate girls and raise awareness of the problems they face. Girls face challenges such as violence, child marriage, early pregnancy and its health effects, and limited access to paid work. Gender equality and education for all were … Continue reading “International Day of the Girl”