The Extinction Rebellion ecological movement first came to prominence in 2019 when after 11 days of protests it persuaded the British government to declare a state of ecological emergency. This twelve-minute-long film starring Emma Thompson is a fiction based on real events and was shot during the 2019 protests in an eco-friendly sustainable way. It … Continue reading “Extinction Rebellion Short Film”
The summer holidays are approaching, and it’s time for tennis with the Wimbledon tournament. These short videos will make an entertaining end-of-term activity. Wimbledon is a British tradition, even for people who are not sports fans. But that doesn’t mean they have to take themselves too seriously, as this short trailer shows. A nice opportunity … Continue reading “Wimbledon 2021 Videos”
For two weeks every summer, London is the world capital of tennis. Wimbledon is more than just a tennis tournament. It’s a national institution with some typically British eccentricities. This year’s tournament is from 28 June to 11 July. British tennis players have not dominated world tennis historically. Andy Murray has rectified that somewhat in … Continue reading “Time for Tennis at Wimbledon”
Tennis has a very idiosyncratic scoring system, and no one is sure why. Most sports count points by ones. But in a game of tennis, the players don’t start at zero, they start at “love”. If one player then scores, they have 15. The next score is 30, so you would probably expect the following … Continue reading “What’s the Score?”
The Ravenmaster at the Tower of London is pleased to announce the arrival of four new raven chicks: the birds whose presence legend says protects the existence of the Tower. The Ravenmaster is one of the Yeomen Warders, informally known as Beefeaters. His role is to look after the Tower’s ravens. King Charles II (reigned … Continue reading “Meet the Baby Ravens at the Tower of London”
If you are working on London monuments or specifically the Tower of London, there are audio files with interactive activities in the BRNE anglais cycle 4 to help you. You can find these audio recordings with interactive comprehension activities in the Banque de ressources anglais cycle 4: Audios> A1+ > Rencontres avec d’autres cultures > … Continue reading “Audio Resources for the Tower of London”
Like all museums in England, Tate Britain is closed to the public for lockdown. But it’s still celebrating art, and the Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, in a stunning artwork displayed on the OUTSIDE of the building. This year’s Winter Commission for the London museum is by Chila Kumari Burman. The 63-year-old artist’s works draws … Continue reading “Celebrating Diwali with a Light Installation at Tate Britain”
For the second of our series of feelgood songs, we’ve crossed the Atlantic to the UK, 1967, and The Kinks’ classic “Waterloo Sunset”. Which gives plenty of scope to work on emotions, and London landmarks Waterloo Station and the Thames. Pupils can start by watching a Biobox about the year 1967 in music before going … Continue reading “Feelgood Music 2: “Waterloo Sunset””
London officially became the first National Park City in July 2019. This article from the London Council website works really well with Shine Bright Première File 2: London is my backyard . After working on reading comprehension, pupils can do a short written expression assignment. Axes du programme : Espace privé et espace public / Identité … Continue reading “London National Park City”
It’s one of those ideas that seem so obvious you can’t imagine why someone has already had it. A Christmas movie inspired by one of the most perennially popular (though bittersweet) yuletide pop songs: “Last Christmas” by George Michael. The 1984 song, a hit for Wham!, is a sad love song about heartbreak at the … Continue reading “Last Christmas: Rom-com with a Message”
