Summer Project: make a toy theatre

3rd August 2023

Extending the concept of recycling, and phasing out plastic, this project shows how to turn old cardboard boxes into toy theatres with just scissors, sellotape, colour paper, wooden sticks … and imagination.

The subject was King Arthur, and my manager printed out some great colour pictures.

An introduction to the King Arthur story, myth or legend may be accessed here: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/04/20/young-teens-king-arthur-the-sword-in-the-stone/

Without further ado, let’s build some theatres.

The first theatre was made from a large box, and I just cut out a central square and a side panel. I found some old yellow material in my house, so the students could make curtains or a backdrop.

The middle theatre is my first attempt (I am hopeless at art and crafts, as you can see). The box was not ideal, being oblong, so the theatre is tall and thin, but it at least gives an idea how an old box can be transformed.

Now, this is how I turned an old electric toothbrush box into a palace of dreams and fantasy.

{many instructional videos can be found on YouTube}

First, I flattened the box, and cut away the flaps. Then I made a stage by folding and taping down the front panel.

The side panels form the frames for the sides and roof.

Next, decorate with paper. I used adverts from a free newspaper with large areas of bright colour. I selected a picture for a backdrop, an impression of Arthur’s Camelot.

Finally, just cover all remaining areas with paper. Cut out the characters and attach them to wooden sticks.

Our Summer Class, working in teams, produced these dioramas of drama:

I want 100 Adjectives !

2nd August 2023

To improve your simple sentences, to develop skills to form amazing answers and remarkable responses, you need a large vocabulary.

Let’s continue with our mission to learn 100 adjectives.

The following 50 were suggested by one level 4 class:

[Write down any that you do not know and ask for translations, if needed]

1) amazing 2) angry 3) awesome 4) awful

5) bad 6) beautiful 7) big 8) brave 9) brilliant

10) clean 11) clear 12) clever 13) cheap

14) colourful 15) crunchy 16) cute

17) dangerous 18) deaf 19) deep 20) delicious

21) difficult 22) different 23) dirty 24) disgusting

25) electric 26) energetic 27) excited

28) fantastic 29) fast 30) funny (haha)

31) funny (strange) 32) fat 33) furry

34) generous 35) genius 36) good 37) great

38) hairy 39) happy 40) hard 41) heavy 42) high

43) hilarious 44) healthy 45) hollow 46) horrific

47) hot 48) hungry 49) hygienic 50) expensive

Whew ! Are you exhausted ? OK, Take 5,

“Take a break, Driver 8.”

Ready ? Now, let’s practise:

Give me a sentence using the adjective ‘hilarious‘.

EXAMPLE: Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin are hilarious.

Now … Your Turn

Task 1: Write sentences using:

hollow / expensive / generous / horrific / disgusting / crunchy

Task 2: Give me another word – a synonym – for:

a) very clean b) many colours c) terrible

d) very dirty e) smart f) not tired

Task 3: Write a short story using as many new adjectives as you can. Try these pictures to help:

One day, I was in a …

Task 4: Write your own story. I want at least 6 amazing adjectives. Good luck !

Please Note: All photos are taken from Google Images or free photo sites, and are used for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement or offense is intended. If I have used your photo or image, and you wish me to remove it, just ask. This site is not monetized, I run it on my own dollar. Thank you.

Summer Project: Make an Amazon River fact chart

26th July 2023

A companion blog may be accessed here: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/19/young-learners-level-5-amazon-rain-forest-quiz-and-comparisons/

Worksheets for this lesson may be found at the end of the blog

TASK 1:

Draw the Amazon River. Where can you find this information ? Also, write the names of the countries.

TASK 2:

In teams, write the many animals you would find in the Amazon Rainforest.

Animals In The Amazon Rainforest: Pictures, Info & Facts

Let’s delve deeper (let’s learn more)

Use comparatives and superlatives:

A jaguar is a big cat BUT not as big as a lion. A lion is not as big as a tiger.

A lion is bigger than a jaguar but a tiger is the biggest.

A capybara is a rodent (like a mouse or rat).

A rat is _______________ than a mouse but a capybara is the ____________ rodent.

What is wrong with this sentence ?

Black Caiman — A caiman – a type of alligator.

A caiman is big but an alligator is more big and a crocodile is most big.

A caiman is a reptile – it is _______________ dangerous reptile in the Amazon. Reptiles have thick or scaly skin. They can live in hot weather and salt water.

A frog is amphibian – amphibians need water to live and only have soft delicate skin. They cannot live in saltwater (like the sea). If you see frogs or toads, it can mean that the water is good.

TASK 3:

Next put these animals in order of danger, first, second and third then write a sentence using a comparative and the superlative

The answers

Why We Should All Care About the Amazon Rainforest - ethical.net

Number 3: bullet ant

Number 2: jaguar

Number 1: poison dart frog

Did you know ?

A jaguar has ___ _____ powerful bite. A jaguar bite is _____ powerful than a lion.

A bullet ant has _____ _____ painful insect sting. The sting is 30 times ______ painful than a bee sting.

The poison dart frog has different colours. The golden poison dart frog is ____ _____ poisonous.

NOW … time to learn more:

QUIZ

Where is the Amazon Rain Forest ?

How many countries does it spread across ?

It is known as the lungs of the planet … why ?

How many different types of fish are there ?

Name 3 deadly creatures.

What is the loudest creature ?

The Salto Angel waterfall is the ___________________ in the world

How To Visit Venezuela's Beautiful Angel Falls - TravelAwaits

Answers:

South America // 9 // it produces 20% of the world’s oxygen // 3 000 // poison dart frogs, jaguars, snakes, spiders, piranhas // a toucan // largest at 979 metres.

TASK 4:
Cut and and glue onto your Amazon chart some of the animals that can be found in the Rainforest.

Make a fact chart – write down any information that you find fascinating

Worksheets

Amazing Amazon Rainforest facts

Summer Multi-Talent Contest

19th July 2023

A chance for students to demonstrate their talents in six areas including art, music, magic and the ability to tell a story or relate facts.

Divide the class into groups, and make sure everyone participates. For this blog, I will have three teams.

Without further ado, let’s go !

Task 1: Facts

Team 1 Tell me as much as you can about rivers

Team 2 … about deserts

Team 3 … about penguins

Task 2: Storytelling

Team 1 Tell me the story of Theseus

Team 2 … of Perseus

Team 3 … of Herakles

The teams may act or draw to improve their presentation.

Task 3: Art

Team 1 Draw the Minotaur

Team 2 Draw Medusa

Team 3 Draw Cerberus

Task 4: Music

Play these notes on a virtual piano, for example: https://virtualpiano.net/

Do you know these pieces of music ?

Team 1 Eb Eb Eb Db B Bb Ab Ab G Ab Bb Eb

Team 2 E Eb E Eb E B D C A

Team 3 B A Ab A C D C B C E F E Eb E B

Task 5: Magic

I will show you a card trick. Do you know how it is done ?

J = Jack // Q = Queen // K = King // A = Ace

Now, watch the British magician Dynamo. How does he do his tricks ? Choose one and let the students guess.

Task 6: General Knowledge

Ask the following questions either team by team, or first to raise hands

Which big cat is the strongest ?

How can you make the colour green ?

Who was the first man to walk on the moon ?

What is the capital city of France ?

Which is the fastest animal on the land ?

How many people are there in the world ?

Who painted the Mona Lisa ?

Who helped to cure smallpox by making the first successful vaccine ?

How many planets are there in our solar system ?

How many stars are there in the American flag ?

How many stars are there in the Vietnamese flag ?

Name four countries where English is the first language.

How many types of penguins are there ?

Global warming is caused by the excess of which type of gas ?

Which is the biggest desert in the world ?

How can you kill a vampire ?

What shape is the pupil of a sheep and goat eye ?

How do you say ‘Hello’ in French, German and Italian ?

Can you act like this man and say, “You know this is, excuse me, a damn fine cup of coffee.”

Can you dance like Starlord ?

(clip can start at 0:29 and end around 1:23)

Answers

1 – Tiger 2 – Mix blue and yellow 3 – Neil Armstrong 4 – Paris 5 – Cheetah 6 – Over 7 billion 7 – Leonardo da Vinci 8 – Edward Jenner 9 – 8 10 – 50 11 – 1 12 – UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa 13 – 18 14 – CO2 Carbon Dioxide 15 – Sahara Desert 16 – a steak through the heart or burning but NOT a silver bullet 17 – rectangle or square

18 – Bonjour, Guten Tag, Buongiorno or Ciao !

Ciao, Federico !

Class Rules from the Corleone Family

16th July 2023

We are the Robots ! Found art and latent imagination

15th July 2023

Today’s subject was life-changing inventions. I had previously introduced the class to early C20th collages, mixing paint with newspaper headlines, as well as ‘found art’ – items of rubbish (trash, garbage) that could be utilisied in an artistic manner.

Let’s take that a step further. I searched my house for items that could be used to create three robots.

First, a main body: I used a detergent bottle, a hard-plastic container and a rectangular cardboard box.

As can be seen, I found cotton, hard plastic, buttons, bangles, empty medicine blisters, food jars, adhesive handles, incense sticks, bits of old plumbing … etc, etc, etc.

Some good old sticky tape and glue sticks, markers, scissors and crayons:

Et puis …

Maybe we have a future worker at Lucasfilm here ?

The Perfect Penguin Quiz

14th July 2023

image from: https://www.animalspot.net/penguin

A fun classroom activity for ages 9 – 12

Students are put into small teams and given this questionnaire.

The teacher will place information cards around the room, possibly even outside the classroom depending on school layout.

One student from each group will look for the answer, then report back to the group. The answer is written down.

Repeat with a new student each time, then return to the original student.

Pedagogic benefits:

Reading questions and finding the correct answer.

Reporting back to the team.

Writing the answer.

Presenting the answer to the whole class, speaking clearly and loudly.

The Perfect Penguin Quiz

1) We say a herd of sheep and a pride of lions – but what is the collective nouns for penguins ?

2) Why are penguins black and white ?

3) Why do penguins huddle together ?

4) Penguins have solid, heavy bones but other birds have hollow, light bones … why ?

5) How does a penguin keep warm ?

6) Apart from Antarctica, where do penguins live ?

7) How many types of penguins are there ?

8) Why will you never see a penguin with a polar bear in the wild ?

9) Are penguins good walkers ?

10) What does a man penguin give to a lady penguin if he likes her ?

The Answers

1) A group of penguins is called a raft (in water) or a waddle (on land).

2) The black and white is camouflage – they look like waves from above, and sunlight from underneath.

3) Penguins huddle together for protection and to keep warm

4) Penguins don’t fly. Heavy bones are better for swimming.

5) Penguins make oil. They cover their feathers to keep warm.

6) Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, South Africa, New Zealand & Australia.

7) There are 18 types of penguin.

8) Polar bears live in the Arctic, in the northern hemisphere.

9) Some penguins can walk 60 miles on ice.

10) A man penguin gives a lady penguin a rock if he likes her. The man shows he wants to build a nest together and start a family. The stones will protect eggs.

NOW … write and draw a story

A penguin goes on holiday to the Arctic and meets a polar bear for the first time. What happens ?

You can find a lot more information, tips and pictures on this previous blog: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/06/28/the-teleporting-penguin-a-summer-school-project/

Good luck … learn and have fun !

Thank you, Penny (knock, knock), Penny (knock, knock), Penny (knock, knock)

12th July 2023

Another lovely and much appreciated gift from a great young student.

Penny was in one of my weekend classes, and is now one of the leading students in the Summer School.

The seaweed snack was delicious !

Thank you, Penny

1968 Rock Classics: Post-psychedelic, back to basics

July 2023

The year began with The Beatles suffering their first critical backlash after December 67’s ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ although a certain 7″ single in summer would return them to the top. However, both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were slowing down, while bands that would dominate the 70s began to emerge: Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, T-Rex and Deep Purple. Meanwhile the stirrings of what would be termed Krautrock were brewing in Germany, and what a strange brew it would prove to be.

Yet, maybe it was the politics that overshadowed the music. We witness the assassinations of Dr Martin Luther King Jr and Robert Kennedy. President LBJ steps down and Nixon is elected. Police brutality is caught on camera in Chicago, riots in dozens of US cities, protests across Europe, the Tet Offensive in Sai Gon and Russian tanks crush the Prague Spring in the former Czechoslovakia.

James Brown was ‘Black and Proud,’ while The Band retired to upstate New York to delve into the musical heritage of the US. Then in December, the king was back; but the times were certainly a-changing. .

2001 A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick

A selection of music from 1968. Release dates differed, so I’ve usually given the UK date

January

5th Status Quo ‘Pictures of Matchstick Men’ single

8th Manfred Mann ‘Mighty Quinn’ single

8th Otis Redding ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay’ single

15th the Byrds ‘The Notorious Byrd Brothers LP. David Crosby’s last record in the original Byrds.

22nd Canned Heat ‘Boggie with Canned Heat’ LP

29th Steppenwolf ‘Steppenwolf’ debut LP

30th Velvet Underground ‘White Light/White Heat’ LP

Bee Gees ‘Horizontal’ LP

The Electric Prunes ‘Mass in F Minor’ LP

Aretha Franklin ‘Lady Soul’ LP

Kaleidoscope ‘A Beacon from Mars’ LP

30th Start of the Tet Offensive: North Vietnamese and VC troops attack targets in South Vietnam including the US Embassy.

February

17th The Monkees ‘Valleri’ single

23rd Manfred Mann ‘Up the Junction’ soundtrack LP

24th Fleetwood Mac ‘Fleetwood Mac’ LP

Vanilla Fudge ‘ The Beat Goes on’ LP

March

4th Frank Zappa ‘We’re Only in it for the Money’ LP

13th Laura Nyro ‘Eli and the Thirteenth Confession’ LP

15th The Beatles ‘Lady Madonna’ single

15th Cliff Richard ‘Congratulations’ single

22nd the Hollies ‘Jennifer Eccles’ single

23rd Joni Mitchell ‘Song to Seagull’ debut LP

23rd Dionne Warwick ‘Valley of the Dolls’ LP

The Doors ‘The Unknown Soldier’ single

Gary Puckett & The Union Gap ‘Young Girl’ single

The Zombies ‘Time of the Season’ single

Ray Charles ‘A Portrait of Ray’ LP

April

3rd Simon & Garfunkel ‘Bookends’ LP

4th Death of Martin Luther King Jr

5th Simon & Garfunkel ‘Mrs Robinson’ single

5th Small Faces ‘Lazy Sunday’ single

8th The Beach Boys ‘Friends’ single

19th the Zombies ‘Odessey and Oracle’ LP

22nd The Monkees ‘The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees’ LP

24th Canned Heat ‘I’m on the Road Again’ single

The Move ‘The Move’ LP

Sly and the Family Stone ‘Dance to the Music’ LP

Scott Walker ‘Scott 2’ LP

Dionne Warwick ‘Do You Know the Way to San Jose’ single

Mason Williams ‘Classical Gas’ single

May

1st The Equals ‘Baby Come Back’ single

6th Manfred Mann ‘Mighty Garvey’ LP

14th The Delfonics ‘La La Means I Love You’ LP

24th The Rolling Stones ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’ single

24th Small Faces ‘Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake’ LP

28th Creedence Clearwater Revival ‘Creedence Clearwater Revival’ debut LP

Steppenwolf ‘Born to be Wild’ single

Quicksilver Messenger Service ‘Quicksilver Messenger Service’ LP

The Seeds ‘Raw & Alive: The Seeds in Concert at Merlin’s Music Box’ LP

June

6th Death of Robert F. Kennedy

7th Manfred Mann ‘My Name is Jack’ single

11th The Doors ‘Hello, I Love You’ single

14th Aretha Franklin ‘Aretha Now’ LP featuring ‘Say a Little Prayer for You’

15th Creedence Clearwater Revival ‘Suzie Q’ single

21st Deep Purple ‘Hush’ single

21st John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers ‘Bare Wires’ LP with Mick Taylor

24th The Beach Boys ‘Friends’ LP

25th Elvis ‘Speedway’ soundtrack LP

28th the Kinks ‘Days

28th Pink Floyd ‘A Saucerful of Secrets’ LP – the last LP to feature a contribution from Syd Barret

‘The Crazy World of Arthur Brown’ LP featuring the hit ‘Fire’

Silver Apples ‘Silver Apples’ LP – regarded as an important blend of rock and electronic music.

Joan Baez ‘Baptism: A Journey Through Our Time’ LP – a mix of poetry and music

Serge Gainsbourg ‘Initials B.B’ LP featuring ‘Bonnie and Clyde’

Strawberry Alarm Clock ‘Wake Up … It’s Tomorrow’ LP

July

1st The Band ‘Music from Big Pink’ LP

3rd The Doors ‘Waiting for the Sun’ LP

8th The Beach Boys ‘Do It Again’ single

14th Vanilla Fudge ‘Renaissance’ LP

14th The Yardbirds final gig at Luton, UK. Jimmy Page and Chris Dreja completed a Scandinavian tour as the New Yardbirds, with Robert Plant and John Bonham.

18th Grateful Dead ‘Anthem of the Sun’ LP

22nd Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper & Stephen Stills ‘Super Session’ LP

26th The Moody Blues ‘In Search of the Lost Chord’ LP

27th the Who ‘Magic Bus’ single

29th Jeff Beck ‘Truth’ LP

30th Buffalo Springfield ‘Last Time Around’ LP

Phil Ochs ‘Tape from California’ LP

August

9th Cream ‘Wheels of Fire’ LP

12th Big Brother and the Holding Company ‘Cheap Thrills’ LP (featuring Janis Joplin on vocals)

21st Soviet-led troops invade Czechoslovakia, the Prague Spring ends along with any hope of free speech and democracy

23rd Fleetwood Mac ‘Mr Wonderful’ LP

28th Chicago riots at the Democratic National Convention

‘Hey Jude’ video first broadcast on Frost on Saturday 8th September 1968

30th The Beatles ‘Hey Jude’ single

30th Mary Hopkins ‘Those Were The Days’ single

30th the Byrds ‘Sweetheart of the Rodeo LP

Big Brother and the Holding Company ‘Piece of my Heart’ single

James Brown ‘Say it Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud) single

The Casuals ‘Jesamine’ single

Beacon Street Union ‘The Clown Died in Marvin Gardens’ LP

Country Joe and the Fish ‘Together’ LP

Jefferson Airplane ‘Crown of Creation’ LP

September

1st Bee Gees ‘Idea’ LP

3rd Elvis ‘A Little Less Conversation’ single

Deep Purple ‘Shades of Deep Purple’ LP

October

14th Tyrannosaurus Rex ‘Prophets, Seers & Sages: The Angels of the Ages’ LP, including a new version of their debut single ‘Deborah’

16th Jimi Hendrix ‘Electric Ladyland’ LP

18th Jimi Hendrix ‘All Along the watchtower’ single

25th Jethro Tull ‘That Was’ debut LP

25th the New Yardbirds play their first gig under their new name – Led Zeppelin

30th Marvin Gaye ‘I Heard it Through the Grapevine’ single

Judy Collins ‘Both Sides Now’ single

Captain Beefheart ‘Strictly Personal’ LP

Dillard & Clark ‘The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark’ LP

Nazz ‘Nazz’ LP featuring Todd Rundgren

Steppenwolf ‘The Second’ LP

Traffic ‘Traffic’ LP

November

1st Canned Heat ‘Living the Blues’ LP

1st The Dave Clarke Five ‘5 By 5 (1964- 1969)’ LP

5th Elvis ‘If I Can Dream’ single

8th The Foundations ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ single

8th Dusty Springfield ‘Son of a Preacher Man’ single

6th The Monkees ‘Head’ film released

12th Neil Young ‘Neil Young’ first solo LP

13th Diana Ross and The Supremes ‘Love Child’ LP

18th Jimi Hendrix ‘Crosstown Traffic’ single

22nd Fleetwood Mac ‘Albatross’ single (their first Number 1)

22nd The Beatles ‘The Beatles’ (White Album) LP

22nd the Kinks ‘The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society’ LP

28th the Move ‘Blackberry Way’ single

29th The Beach Boys ‘Bluebirds over the Mountains’ single

29th Manfred Mann ‘Fox on the Run’ single

29th John Lennon & Yoko Ono ‘Unfinished Music No 1: Two Virgins’ LP

29th Van Morrison ‘Astral Weeks’ LP

Cream ‘White Room’ single

Judy Collins ‘Who Knows Where the Time Goes’ LP

The Electric Prunes ‘Release of an Oath’ LP

The Left Banke ‘The Left Banke Too’ LP

John Mayall ‘Blues from Laurel Canyon’ LP with Mick Taylor, and Peter Green guesting on one track.

The Monkees ‘Head’ soundtrack LP

Nico ‘The Marble Index’ LP

Dionne Warwick ‘Promises, Promises’ LP

December

3rd ‘Singer presents … Elvis’ – more commonly known as the ’68 Comeback Special’, aired on the NBC network.

6th The Rolling Stones ‘Beggars Banquet’ LP

11th – 12th The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus was filmed. Also playing were The Who, Jethro Tull, Taj Mahal, and The Dirty Mac featuring John & Yoko with Eric Clapton. The Stones decided to withdraw the film, and it wasn’t shown until 1996.

20th Pretty Things ‘S.F. Sorrow’ LP

Joan Baez ‘Any Day Now’ double LP of Dylan covers

The Doors ‘Touch Me’ single

The wind in the willows, folk rock LP featuring Debbie Harry on backing vocals

BLUES

1st January Taj Mahal ‘Taj Mahal’ LP

October 5th Muddy Waters ‘Electric Mud’ LP

November Albert King Live Wire/Blues Power LP

B.B. King ‘Blues on Top of Blues’ & ‘Lucille’ LPs

Albert Collins ‘Love Can Be Found Anywhere (Even in a Guitar) LP

COUNTRY

2nd January Merle Haggard ‘Sing Me Back Home’ one of 3 LPs Merle released in ’68.

13th January Johnny Cash ‘At Folsom Prison’ Live LP

7th February Merrilee Rush & the Turnabouts ‘Angel of the Morning’ single

8th July Tammy Wynette ‘D.I.V.O.R.C.E.’ LP

20th September Tammy Wynette ‘Stand by your Man’ single

4th November Glen Campbell ‘Wichita Lineman’ (one of five LPs Glenn released in 1968)

JAZZ

January Jackie McLean ‘New and Old Gospel’ LP

May Peter Brötzmann ‘Machine Gun’ LP

March Miles Davis ‘Nefertiti’ LP

July 22nd ‘Miles in the Sky’ LP

June Lee Morgan ‘The Gigolo’ LP

Nina Simone ‘Nuff Said!’ LP

Young Person’s Guide to Music: A Summer School project

5th July 2023

Chloe Chau from Singapore

Miumiu from China

… and from Cambridge in the UK.

We do not have any instruments in our class (yet … later we shall make a xylophone !), but we all have voices and can sing !

Let’s start with a round. This is when some of the class sing a song, then the other students sing the same song BUT one verse later.

Listen to this children’s song called ‘London Burning.’ Listen and then we shall try to sing. Many points to the best singers.

Teacher’s Note: split the class into small groups depending on class size and motivation. Award points for the best performances.

First question – do you know any famous composers ?

M _ _ _ _ _

B _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

C _ _ _ _ _

B _ _ _

P _ _ _ _ _ _ _

QUESTION RUNAROUND

Teacher’s Note: Keep class in small groups. Select one student per group to run up to the board and place – not slap – their hand on number 1,2 or 3. Blank the screen so the students can’t see the answers !