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 !

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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 !

London’s museums: using videos for Young Learners, Level 1

2nd June 2023

Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green, London

Vocabulary:

bucket and spade // teddy bear // puppets // board games // dolls // Punch and Judy // jigsaw puzzle //

Start the video around the 7:30 mark, and run until 9:50

Questions:

1) What were the first toys you saw in the video ?

2) What was on the front of the shoes (two words) ?

3) Where would you play with the toys at 8:20 ?

4) What toy animals did you see ?

5) Which teddy bear do you like best ?

6) What colour were the clothes at 8:50

7) Do you know any of these bears ?

8) What board games did you see ?

9) What jigsaws did you see ?

10) Would you like to see a Punch and Judy show ?

Watch again at 8:52 and find:

Rupert, Sooty, Yogi, Paddington, Winnie

Yogi Bear

Paddington Bear

Sooty

Rupert

Winnie the Pooh

And now, a Punch & Judy show – enjoy !

Young Learners, Level 4: to be, Verb 1, Verb 2 and infinity

22nd May 2023

Friends, students, colleagues, lend me your ears.

Before younglings graduate from the Superkids Level, they have to, absolutely have to, master the most basic verb in English, the verb ‘to be’ – so, let’s go to work !

Let’s go to work

BAAM ! Easy !

Now … let’s practise

Make it a game, put the class in teams

I shall read a short sentence. I want the correct Verb 1, Verb 2 & the infinite.

EXAMPLE: I say, “I is happy.”

Team 1 writes I am happy,

Team 2 I was happy

Team 3 using the helping verb ‘want’ will write I want to be happy.

OK, I dig, Man, let’s go to work !

You is sad // He am angry // She are intelligent // It is cold // Ms Huong am cute // We am hungry // They is furious.

Change the helping verb to like or need

I is better // You is taller // Ms Huong over the moon // He am a tough guy // She weres colourful // It iss rich // We to be free // They on holiday.

Bring it on !

Bad Day Revisited

12th May 2023

A writing exercise to help build narrative. We shall use signpost language, paragraphs, amazing adjectives, adverbs and linking words, as well as some new expressions.

I shall tell you about last Sunday – it was terrible and here’s why.

The plan of my day:

6.50 Book Grab on my iPhone and leave for work.

7.40 – 9.40 Young Learners class, level 1 (24 students)

10.10 Arrive home

10.11am – 2.30pm Wedding party across the street

10.30 – 12.00 Prepare work online

5.00pm – 9.30pm Another wedding party but much louder, more karaoke singers

6.00 Go for coffee

BUT 11.30pm Barcelona win 1- 0 so ‘All’s well that ends well.’

So what were the problems ?

“Hey, where is my bike ? I am late for work !”

I only have one class; I hope they are nice and quiet. OK, they are screaming, loudly ! But now I can go home and relax. Wait a moment …

A wedding party with singing and drinking and karaoke … for four hours ! No problems, I will wear headphones, listen to my music and prepare my work online.

I give up ! This is never going to happen. However, after 2.30pm it starts to be quiet. I can work, read and at 4.45 I started to sleep … until at 5.00:

These gentlemen do not sing beautifully, they sound like cats having a fight. I decide to go out to a quiet coffee bar. The server is very friendly … but then a man walks in …

My dreadful day was nearly over. At 11.30 I watch TV and see …

Yes, my team Barcelona are playing. I am blown away by how good they are and I am over the moon because they win the game. All’s well that ends well.

NOW … your turn

Write about Mr Paul’s terrible day.

TIPS

Use a short introduction, then a new paragraph for each new event.

Use signpost language (first, next, then, afterwards, finally).

The story is in the past so you have to use simple past (Verb 2). Noun & verb agreement (he is, he was)

End with a short conclusion.

Use new adjectives and synonyms (terrible, awful, dreadful, horrendous).

I insist that you use at least one new expression (over the moon, blown away, all’s well that ends well).

Let me kick start you:

Last Sunday was absolutely dreadful.

First, I booked Grab on my iPhone but he was extremely slow and late. My manager was …

now you finish my day

Good luck with my bad day

Young learners, Starter & Beginners. The verb ‘to be’

24th April 2023

We start to learn English grammar.

First, the verb to be

I am // you are // he is // she is // it is // Ms Jane is // we are // they are

Now … let’s speak !

We use the verb ‘to be’ + the adjective ‘happy‘

I am happy // you are happy //

he is happy // she is happy //

it is happy // Ms Jane is happy //

we are happy // they are happy

I am happy // you are happy //

he is happy // she is happy //

it is happy // Ms Jane is happy

we are happy // they are happy

Now … the adjective: hungry

I am hungry / you _____ hungry

he ____ hungry // she ____ hungry

it ____ hungry // Ms Jane ___ hungry

we ____ hungry // they ____ hungry

Now … let’s practise with a song.

Are you ready ?

“We are the robots.”

Young Learners, Level 1 & 2. The verb ‘to like’

21st April 2023

What do you like? Learn food vocabulary | English Lesson 11 - YouTube

Today we use the verb ‘like’

I like ice cream and I like fruit.

To make your sentences longer:

I like strawberry or chocolate ice cream.

I like all fruit. My favourites are apples and bananas.

Now … Your Turn

Ask your friends or tell me: What do you like ?

I like …

Match the answers with the pictures:

swimming

milk tea

toys

movies

cakes

Now make your sentences longer:

I + like + verbing + noun

I like buying toys / I like eating cakes /

I like ___________ milk tea.

Do you go alone or with friends ?

I like going shopping with my sister.

I like drinking milk tea with my ______ .

I like swimming with my _________ .

I like eating cakes with my _____ .

Finally, tell we where you like to do these things ?

I like to drink milk tea with my friends in the mall.

I like to go shopping with my mum at the market.

I like to buy toys at the _______ (where ?)

I like to eat cakes with my _______ at the _________ .

Young Learners, levels 3 & 4. Imagination AND grammar !

17th April 2023

We have talked and written about perfect cities, and used our imagination. Now let’s talk about cities of the future.

(I use Present Simple, Verb 1, not future tense due to the class ability and level)

What do they look like ?

How are they different ?

Look at this picture and then read my description.

In the future the city has many tall buildings called skyscrapers. People live high in the sky. They can see all the city from their apartment.

The city has a lot of shops. The shops are open all day and all night. They sell food, toys and new phones.

My city is very colourful with many beautiful lights at night. Nobody is allowed to smoke and all cars are electric so there is less pollution.

The buildings have shops, hospitals, cinemas, schools and sports centers. People do not need to go outside if it is raining.

Some buildings are old fashioned but most are very modern.

Now … your turn

Write about a future city. Remember to use adjectives:

clean / expensive / futuristic / high / interesting / modern / old fashioned

Check your grammar – I want it to be perfect !

From Fritz Lang’s ‘Metropolis’ 1927

Young Learners, Levels 3 & 4. What is your perfect city ?

11th April 2023

Singapore, Seattle or Shanghai ?

Today, you will write about your perfect city.

What would you like in your city ?

What don’t you like ?

First, the positives (the good things). Guess what these buildings are:

parks / shops / museums / sports centres / schools / hospitals / interesting buildings / transportation /

However, not everything in a city is fantastic:

What are the problems … and what are the solutions (the answers) ? For example, in Singapore, if someone litters (throws rubbish on the street), they have to pay a fine, pay money to the police.

Now … your turn:

Write about what you want in YOUR city and why. Use amazing adjectives, and tell me why you would like these things.

Also, tell me what you DO NOT want, and why. How would you punish people who broke rules ?

You may also draw, but do the writing first.

Good luck and have fun !