Infonews n°282 from 30/09/2006

A la une, this week, discover several catalogues of Bushism and a lesson about so and neither, and in the News meet the first woman space tourist. The resources for primary school prepare Halloween and deal with fire safety; two articles about art will enable primary school teachers or art teachers to present lessons around several painters of different styles; the resources for secondary school offer links to several questionnaires, a reflection about time management for students (with tools), ideas for fund raising or to organise a safe party for under tens, poetry, suggestions for daily October activities, and two pages from the BBC about the Great Fire of London and how to write a film critic. Then find two sites about music, and seven special sites for teachers who teach another subject in English (math, geography, biology, agriculture, etc.). At the end, a site for advanced law students and two for teachers : one offers tips for good practice, and the other gives links to French sites who suggest evaluations at different levels to situate the students at the beginning of the year.
Have a nice week!
amicalement,
Christine Reymond

Sommaire

A la Une : Bushism

So / Neither
Catalogues of Bushism
Other links

In the News

First woman space tourist
How Space Tourism Works (from How Stuff Works)

Resources for Primary School

Fire safety Coloring Book (from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 29th)
Prepare Halloween with Riverdeep

Arts

Art lessons
Leonardo da Vinci exhibition in London (from BBC learning English, 29 sept)

Resources for Secondary School

Online Questionnaires
Organisation and Time Management for Students
Fundraising Ideas (from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 27th)
30 Days of Poetry ( from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 28th)
Let's Party: A Guide to Drug-free Parties for 5th-8th Graders (from [LII New This Week] September 28)
Daily writing prompts for October
The Great Fire (from BBC learning English, 29 sept)
All about films (from BBC learning English, 29 sept)

Classical Music

Jean Sibelius (from BBC learning English, 29 sept)
Shostakovich centenary (from BBC learning English, 29 sept)

Resources to teach another subject in English (DNL)

Geography : Earth Climate Course (from The Scout Report, September 29)
Biology : Human anatomy -- the cell
History : Lucy's baby -- the American Revolution
Math : Illuminations -- Interactive Algebra
Agriculture : National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (from The Scout Report, September 29)
Building, Gardening : Golf Course Construction and Renovation (from The Scout Report, September 29)
Cooking, Nutrition : Worry-free Spinach (from [LII New This Week] September 28)
Pour les profs : Emilangues

Resources for Advanced Students

Employment Law (from The Scout Report, September 29)

Teaching Practice

Effective Classroom Teaching Practices ( from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 28th)
Evaluation diagnostique de début d'année ( 2nde, 6ème, primaire)

A la Une : Bushism

So / Neither

On e-teach, Sylvie Brod suggested a unit around so and neither that could start with this Bushism as an introduction:
article (short) : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5613296/
article (long): http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3541706.stm
audio file : http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/multimedia/bushism_harmamerica.mp3
exercise to pratice so and neither ( what M.Bush should do ;) )
http://www3.ac-clermont.fr/etabliss/brioude/DISCIPLINES/ANGLAIS/activities/comparing/3eme/mat2.htm

Catalogues of Bushism

http://www.plattbridger.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/bushisms.htm
"The complete Bushism" from Slate
http://www.slate.com/id/76886/
"Adventures in George W. Bushspeak - Updated Frequently" , from Political Humor
http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blbushisms.htm

In the News

First woman space tourist

The last space tourist was a woman. She is a successful business woman originating from Iran but living in the USA, she's 30 and really good-looking! Read the article from the BBC written before she left, and see the video (without script)
"Lift-off for woman space tourist" from the BBC on September 18th
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5355022.stm
read her blog, with her impression in space
http://spaceblog.xprize.org/by-anousheh/
a video from the BBC presenting her as a role model (no script)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/avdb/news_web/video/9012da6800515a0/nb/09012da680051927_16x9_nb.ram

How Space Tourism Works (from How Stuff Works)

This site introduces the space tourism industry, citing its first tourist adventurers, along with the training and costs involved. It includes summaries of several commercial space travel projects and ideas, including space stations for corporate communities and a national contest to develop reusable launch vehicles for transporting the public into space.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/ref/space-tourism.htm?cid=s28

Resources for Primary School

Fire safety Coloring Book (from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 29th)

Download these coloring pages for fire safety month, make a colorful and creative back and cover, and then staple them all together to create your own fire safety tips coloring book.
http://167.193.82.12/colorpage.asp

Prepare Halloween with Riverdeep

Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer from September 27th and 29th suggest several activities for elementary school around the theme of halloween, extending it to the study of the skeleton or the life of bats and spiders. Find those addresses and the comments at:
http://www.riverdeep.net/
http://www.riverdeep.net/portal/page?_pageid=338,1&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
http://www.riverdeep.net/portal/page?_pageid=338,968922&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
here are some of the sites:
Pumpkin adjectives worksheet
http://worksheets.teach-nology.com/misc/halloween/adj/3/
Macaroni Skeleton Art
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Arts/Visual_Arts/ARA0023.html
Bat Curriculum
http://wings.avkids.com/Curriculums/Bats/
Spiders!
http://www.sedl.org/scimath/pasopartners/spiders/welcome.html

Arts

Art lessons

Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer from September 29th presents several sites to introduce famous painters and their work. Here are some titles:
Art Appreciation Lessons (general)
http://gardenofpraise.com/art.htm
Action Painting with Pollock
http://www.kinderart.com/arthistory/pollock.shtml
Magnifying Flowers with O'Keefe
http://www.kinderart.com/arthistory/georgia.shtml
Abstract Art with Mondrian
http://www.kinderart.com/arthistory/abstract.shtml
Matisse Cut-Outs
http://www.kinderart.com/arthistory/matissecutouts.shtml
Build a Klimt
http://www.kinderart.com/arthistory/klimt.shtml
to read more about them, go to :
http://www.riverdeep.net/portal/page?_pageid=338,1&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

Leonardo da Vinci exhibition in London (from BBC learning English, 29 sept)

Leonardo da Vinci is a historical figure who continues to fascinate us today. His paintings, designs and experiments are renowned all over the world. A new exhibition of his work has just opened at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and in this edition of Entertainment the program interviews one of the curators of the exhibition.
http://www.bbclearningenglish.com/radio/specials/1446_entertainment/
[ for advanced students.]

Resources for Secondary School

Online Questionnaires

- Learning styles

On eTeachNet, annie Gwynn recommends this learning style questionnaire for our students. The results allow them to understand that, for example, if they scribble all the time, they are not abnormal : it is just because they need to scribble to fix their attention.
http://www.its-english.com/knowledge/education/ex1.asp
- Psychology, personal profile
On e-teach, Caroline Bouron recommends this personality test, which can be interesting for ourselves or for adult students:
http://www.davidpbrown.co.uk/psychology/human-relations-test.html
- A quiz about family (from BBC learning English, 29 sept)
This questionnaire is diferent from the previous two : here the focus is on the vocabulary of the family.
http://www0.bbc.co.uk/apps/ifl/worldservice/quiznet/quizengine?ContentType=text/html;quiz=1220_family

Organisation and Time Management for Students

Those two sites provide information and documents that could be helpful when you work on learning strategies and learning how to learn or just inside a unit about school. Through these activities, the students will have to reflect on how they organise their personal time table, and this can lead to discussing, for example, if it is more efficient to do their homework immediately when they come back from school or if it is better to relax first with watching TV, playing football with their friends in the street or playing video games, and so on.
- Time Management ( from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 28th)
Help your students get organized and stay organized with this interactive and online tool. They will first determine how they spend a twenty-four hour day, and then prioritize their goals and objectives. Several printable guides are available to complete management exercises, with students learning how to plan and schedule their own educational requirements.
http://www.studygs.net/schedule/
- Organization Tips & worksheets for students (from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 28th)
Find tips here to help students become and remain organized, with specific directions for various facets of school life, activities, and worksheets on time management.
http://www.coping.org/studyskills/organize.htm

Fundraising Ideas (from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 27th)

Whatever you're trying to raise funds for, whether a student field trip or a purchase for your classroom or gym, find a list of twenty tried-and-true ideas that all of your students can participate in to help you attain your common goal.
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/classman7.html
[ interesting site both to find ideas you may not have thought of for your own fund raising, but also to discuss what ideas work in the USA but would never work in our country.]

30 Days of Poetry ( from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 28th)

Concrete poems, synonym poetry, month metaphors, object poems, contrast poetry... There are fully thirty days of lesson plans of poetry here to use in your language arts classroom.
http://www.msrogers.com/English2/poetry/30_days_of_poetry.htm

Let's Party: A Guide to Drug-free Parties for 5th-8th Graders (from [LII New This Week] September 28)

"This website is a resource for parents to help their fifth through eighth grade children as they begin to host and attend parties." Provides suggestions for parents for party planning, rules, invitations, curfews, and more. Includes party game and food ideas. Also available in Spanish. From the University of Illinois Extension.
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/party/
[ students are always interested in parties, and the American often have sophistocated ideas about how to organise a party, games, a buffet, special food, etc. Have a look at this site dealing with parties for elementary students for original suggestions and also to read and comment the advices to the parents.]

Daily writing prompts for October (from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 29th)

Learn how to create your own comic strip, celebrating the date when the lovable cartoon character "Peanuts" was introduced to the world, courtesy of Charles Schulz, or use the printable prompt for October 4th on Sputnik I to respond to space travel. Find a writing prompt for each day of the month.
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/edit/edit10.shtml

The Great Fire (from BBC learning English, 29 sept)

In September 1666 the City of London was almost destroyed by what became known as The Great Fire. The fire started in Pudding Lane and this programme was recorded there with the help of James Clare who is the Historic Buildings Architect for the City of London.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1128_london_life/
[ with the audio file to download and the full script.]

All about films (from BBC learning English, 29 sept)

This week the guest of the webcast is BBC World Service Arts Reporter Vincent Dowd and he talks about how to review films. The program also presents some listeners around the world who talk about the films they like. The BBC then introduces their latest competition.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/webcast/
Note : the webcast is programmed for october 5th, so you can't listen to it before. but here is the link to the page about the competition for students aged 16 or older.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/competition.shtml

Classical Music

Jean Sibelius (from BBC learning English, 29 sept)

The series "the blue Plaque" looks at the lives of famous and important people who lived or worked in London. The latest feature is on the composer Jean Sibelius.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1758_blue_plaque/page2.shtml
[ with audio file, transcript and quiz.]

Shostakovich centenary (from BBC learning English, 29 sept)

This week the program "words in the News" looks at the vocabulary in the report about this famous musician.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/2006/09/060925_shostakovich.shtml

Resources to teach another subject in English (DNL)

Geography : Earth Climate Course (from The Scout Report, September 29)

Through their interactive website and educational outreach efforts, NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies brings many of their research findings to the general public. In this particular learning module, educators and students will get the chance to learn about how a planet’s climate is determined. The primary aim of the module is “for students to develop a scientific view that our environment is a system of human and natural processes that result in changes over various space and time scales.”
Educators are most welcome to download the entire set of teacher notes, student activities, and data sets for their use. Each section may also be downloaded individually as well, and visitors would do well to read the thorough introduction. [KMG]
http://icp.giss.nasa.gov/education/modules/eccm/
[ for upper intermediates students. Excellent for all those who want to study earth sciences in depth. Ce site sera un excellent support pour des cours de DNL ou un TPE SVT / Anglais.]

Biology : Human anatomy -- the cell

- Human Anatomy Online (from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 28th)
This interactive human anatomy resource offers an annotated tour through the body. The skeletal system provides a section on broken bones, while the extensive cardiovascular system, besides explaining all the various parts and purposes, also looks at kidney filtering. The muscular system includes interactive push and pull muscle animations, with further sections offered on the digestive, lymphatic, endocrine, nervous, urinary and reproductive systems.
http://www.innerbody.com/htm/body.html
- A Virtual Tour of the Human Body (from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 27th)
Take a tour inside the human body, visiting the heart, the human brain, the digestive system, and the human skeleton.
Select either Spanish or English versions, with narrated tours and interactive activities.
http://www.medtropolis.com/VBody.asp
- Make a Model Cell (from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 28th)
A printable student worksheet on the inside of a cell reinforces this student activity, where students will be using corn syrup, ziplock baggies, buttons, pasta, beads, and pieces of pipe cleaner to represent the parts of a cell.
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?Grade=6-8&BenchmarkID=11&DocID=101

History : Lucy's baby -- the American Revolution

- Special Report: Lucy's Baby (from [LII New This Week] September 28)
September 2006 feature about the discovery in Ethiopia's Afar region of a skeleton of an Australopithecus afarensis child who lived 3.3 million years ago. Features background about the skeleton (found in the same area as area as "Lucy," another A. afarensis skeleton), an interactive graphic of this human ancestor, a photo gallery, and a podcast of an interview with the Lucy discoverer. From the website for Scientific American magazine.
http://sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa004&articleID=00076C1D-62D1-1511-A2D183414B7F0000
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22656
The American Revolution Unit (from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 27th)
A total of 15 lessons comprises this unit on the American Revolution, following the stages leading up to the war. Student activities and a quiz accompany each lesson plan.
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/revolutionary_war/american_revolution.htm

Math : Illuminations -- Interactive Algebra

- Illuminations: Math Lessons (from The Scout Report, September 29)
To some the word Illuminations may bring to mind Walter Benjamin’s classic work, and still others may imagine those manuscripts that were a product of the medieval intellect and imagination. In this case, the illuminations in question are a set of mathematical teaching and learning tools designed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Their website was redesigned in early 2006, and is now quite user friendly. From this page, visitors can search all 524 lesson plans at their leisure. They may wish to look through the materials by grade level, subtopic, or by specifying specific keywords. Along the way, visitors may also wish to send these resources to their colleagues via email or offer their own comments on each lesson plan. [KMG]
http://illuminations.nctm.org/Lessons.aspx
- Interactive Algebra Resource (Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 28th)
Here is a great online resource for high school students, with preliminary topics, beginning algebra, intermediate, and advanced algebra coverage. Excellent, clear explanations use several sample questions. Solving Word Problems is also included.
http://www.purplemath.com/modules/index.htm
[ to teach math in English, at all level of secondary school, and also to see how math is taught in the US.]

Agriculture : National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (from The Scout Report, September 29)

With significant funding from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service, the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (ATTRA) is committed to providing visitors to their site with the latest information on sustainable agriculture practices, innovation, alternative crop and livestock enterprises, and of course, organic certification. For a succinct introduction, first-time visitors will want to click on the “What is Sustainable Agriculture?” link, which leads to a number of pieces that address just that question, along with overviews of organic crop production, integrated pest management, and permaculture. After that, visitors can browse around in sections dedicated to field crops, horticultural crops, water management, livestock, and farm energy. Visitors can also sign up to receive the “Weekly Harvest” e-newsletter which is a web digest of sustainable agriculture news, resources, and funding opportunities that staff members at ATTRA have located on the internet. [KMG]
http://attra.ncat.org/
[ for upper intermediate and advanced students studying or interested in agriculture.]

Building, Gardening : Golf Course Construction and Renovation (from The Scout Report, September 29)

The United States Golf Association is considered one of the premiere organizations that has a truly vested interest in the world of golf course management, construction, renovation, and in some rare instances, rejuvenation. In order to maintain their exacting standards, they have created their own construction education program. They have also seen fit to place some of their information about the aforementioned topics online at this site. For those working in this field, starting their career in the field, or those just interested in creating a backyard putting green, the "Case Studies" section should be considered first. Here they will find timely primers on building short courses for young players, tee leveling, and bunker renovation. Moving right along, the "Course Construction" section contains a variety of articles, thematically arranged into such areas as "Greens", "Tees", and once again, "Bunkers". A few of the highlights among their number include "Avoiding the Hazards of Golf Course Renovation" and "Tee Construction With Laser Technology". [KMG]
http://www.usga.org/turf/course_construction/course_construction.html
[ resources for students in road construction or garden design, for an touch of something different and very specific.]

Cooking, Nutrition : Worry-free Spinach (from [LII New This Week] September 28)

This September 2006 article provides brief suggestions, including buying spinach from a small local farm and using frozen spinach, for those who "want to eat spinach but are worried about recent reports of E. coli contamination." Accompanied by several recipes using frozen spinach, such as spinach and crab enchiladas and tamale tarts. From the website for Sunset magazine.
http://www.sunset.com/sunset/food/article/0,20633,1537649,00.html
[ the news last week that some spinash were contaminated with E. coli has traumatised the US : so here is a site which explains how people can still use spinach and also suggests recipes. For all students studying food, cooking and nutrition.]

Pour les profs : Emilangues

Message de la part des reponsables du site Emilangues retransmis par Lee Smart sur la liste English.Teacher:
"Emilangues, le site institutionnel d'accompagnement pour les sections européennes ou de langues orientales, ouvre son forum le 9 octobre 2006. Il s'intitule " Initier des projets d'échange européens et internationaux : expériences, enjeux, questionnements". Nous encourageons toutes les personnes intéressées par le sujet (enseignants, formateurs, ...) à se manifester sur le site."
http://www.emilangues.education.fr/

Resources for Advanced Students

Employment Law (from The Scout Report, September 29)

Ross Runkel is a retired professor of law, and given his long experience with employment and labor law, it seems quite natural that he would be the founder of the site, Employment Law. Along with a team of other equally qualified professionals, he has created this site to serve as a clearinghouse of material about the world of employment law and its many facets. First time visitors may wish to check out his employment law or arbitration blogs, then move on to one of the most popular features, a list of recent and pending cases in the field that have been heard before the US Supreme Court. Additionally, the “Articles” area contains pieces authored by Runkel and others, including a piece on how to find an employment lawyer and several timely pieces on the National Labor Relations Board. [KMG]
http://www.lawmemo.com/
[ for advanced law students.]

Teaching Practice

Effective Classroom Teaching Practices ( from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, September 28th)

With ten basic tenets, these guidelines to help you excel in your own classroom teaching practices address all learners.
Each guideline is accompanied by strategies for effective classroom practice.
http://www.hellofriend.org/teaching/good_classroom.html#send

Evaluation diagnostique de début d'année

En seconde :

comprehension orale : http://pedagogie.ac-montpellier.fr/disciplines/anglais/ressources/evaseconde/
production orale : http://pedagogie.ac-toulouse.fr/anglais/evoral3.html
compréhension écrite, comprehension orale : http://pedagogie.ac-toulouse.fr/anglais/evoral3.html
http://www4.ac-lille.fr/~anglais/Documents%20words/Evaluation_seconde/eval_diag_2_prof_co_2006.pdf#search=%22anglais%20evaluation%20seconde%20lille%22 (le cahier complet de Lille en .pdf à télécharger)
la production écrite est un texte d'environ 100 mots à rédiger sur un sujet connu des élèves, qui sera évalué selon les critères d'évaluation de l'écrit au bac ou une grille plus fine conçue en fonction du sujet et des attentes en rapport avec ce qui a été étudié en classe.
Pour la 5ème compétence, l'interaction, elle interviendra lors des échanges dans l'épreuve de production orale .
on trouve aussi des exercices pour l'évaluation ou la remédiation dans la banqoutil
http://www.banqoutils.education.gouv.fr/

en sixième :

voici une quelques addresses proposées par les collègues sur les listes:
http://www.ac-poitiers.fr/anglais/evalsix06/HTM/preambule.htm

http://anglais.ac-rouen.fr/ecole/liaison_ecole_college_2004/evalcm2004.htm
http://www.educreuse23.ac-limoges.fr/cddp_eile/evaluation/presentation.htm

http://www.ac-nantes.fr:8080/peda/disc/lv/anglais/eva6.htm

En primaire :

évaluation de la capacité à comprendre des consignes A1
un lien précieux recommandé par Sylvie Marc, et pas que pour le primaire, avec des fichiers-son téléchargeables pour ECOUTER ET COMPRENDRE - A1- « Je peux comprendre des consignes et indications simples »
http://www.primlangues.education.fr/php/suggestion.php?id_sug=31&type=4#consignes

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lycée Blaise Pascal, Rouen, France
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