In the year in which the bicentenary of the publication of Frankenstein is being celebrated, a new biopic of its author, Mary Shelley, turns the spotlight on the young author who has long been eclipsed by a creation which escaped the pages of her book to enter popular culture. Rather like the eponymous Dr Frankenstein … Continue reading “Making Mary Shelley”
The three Brontë sisters lived short, isolated lives in early nineteenth century England, but they produced some outstanding novels, in particular Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. The bicentenaries of their births are being celebrated from 2016 to 2020. To find out more about the Brontës, visit the Brontë Society site, which has information about each … Continue reading “Brontë Family Webpicks”
On Friday June 15th, after a memorial service which saw Stephen Hawking’s ashes interred at Westminster Abbey, his “message of peace and hope” was sent to the stars. Ashes to Ashes… The ashes of British physicist Stephen Hawking were buried Friday June 15th in a corner of Westminster Abbey between the graves of Charles Darwin … Continue reading “Back in Black… Hole”
This year marks the centenary of Nelson Mandela’s birth, on 18 July 1918. Our Biobox video quiz will allow you to familiarise your students with Mandela’s life from A2 level. And in this B1 article your students will learn about Mandela and his part in the abolition of apartheid and the building of a democratic … Continue reading “Nelson Mandela”
Mandela Day, 18 July, is a United Nations International Day in honour of Nelson Mandela. The date is his birthday, and 2018 marks the centenary of his birth. As well as our Ready to Use Resource and BioBox quiz, here are some online resources for classroom use about Mandela Day. Our downloadable BioBox quiz is … Continue reading “Mandela Day Digital Resources”
Nelson Mandela was born a hundred years ago, on 18 July 1918. In 2009, the United Nations declared his birthday International Mandela Day, when people around the world are encouraged to give service to their communities, as he gave service to the people of South Africa. Rolihlahla Mandela was born into the Madiba clan in Mvezo, … Continue reading “Nelson Mandela Centenary”
There are lots of interesting online resources on Mary Shelley and Frankenstein to help you celebrate the 200th anniversary of the publication of her iconic novel. Here’s a selection. Why not start a sequence on Frankenstein with our downloadable “Who Am I?” quiz about Frankenstein’s monster? (Right-click once the link opens and choose “Save As” … Continue reading “Frankenstein Online”
Frankenstein was published in 1818, written by a very unconventional young woman. Its genesis is as intriguing as its lasting influence. Without a volcanic eruption, Frankenstein and the vampire fiction genre may never have seen the day. In 1815 Mount Tambora in Indonesia erupted violently, in the largest and most deadly eruption recorded anywhere in … Continue reading “Frankenstein at 200”
2018 marks the two hundredth anniversary of the publication of Frankenstein, a novel which has gone on to occupy a unique place in the collective imagination. In this A2+ article, your pupils will discover Mary Shelley, the teenage author who lived an exceptional life. These documents about Mary Shelley could be part of a larger … Continue reading “Mother of Frankenstein”
Professor Stephen Hawking, possibly the most famous modern scientist, has died at the age of 76, after beating enormous odds to survive and work for 55 years with the debilitating motor neurone disease. Hawking had an exceptionally brilliant mind. He became the prestigious Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University at just 35. But by … Continue reading “Stephen Hawking: Death of A Scientist”