WORLD BOOK AND COPYRIGHT DAY - April 23rd

Unesco has declared April 23 as World Book and Copyright Day, a celebration of books and reading.
To mark this date a poem by dub poet, Levi Tafari.

REACH FOR THE STARS

BOOKS ARE COOL
BOOKS ARE FUN
BOOKS SHOULD BE READ
BY EVERYONE

BOOKS ARE COOL
BOOKS ARE FUN
BOOKS SHOULD BE READ
BY EVERYONE

It's time to visit
your library
there you can borrow
BOOKS for free
BOOKS for the young
BOOKS for the old
in BOOKSHOPS
BOOKS are bought and sold

BOOKS on poetry
BOOKS about sports
BOOKS tha are long
BOOKS that are short
BOOKS for girls
BOOKS for boys
with sound effects
that make a lot of noise

BOOKS about ships
BOOKS on planes
BOOKS about cars
BOOKS on trains
BOOKS on animals
BOOKS on religion
BOOKS that give you
INSPIRATON!

BOOKS with Witches
casting spells
BOOKS that you can
scratch and smell
Picture BOOKS
that have no words
BOOKS on insects
BOOKS about birds

Autobiographical BOOKS
portraying someone's life
fictional BOOKS
putting you on the edge of a knife
Horror BOOKS
with a sting in the tale
BOOKS for people
who read in Braille

BOOKS on romance
BOOKS with passion
BOOKS on the famous
BOOKS on fashion
BOOKS on war and outer space
BOOKS about the people
of the human race

BOOKS that teach
You how to cook
You can even get books
BOOKS about BOOKS
Text BOOKS are used in education
they are filled with information

If you really want
to succeed
choose the right BOOK
and start to read
REACH FOR THE STARS
And you'll discover
Now digest that BOOK
from cover to cover.

Because...

BOOKS ARE COOL
BOOKS ARE FUN
BOOKS SHOULD BE READ
BY EVERYONE

BOOKS ARE COOL
BOOKS ARE FUN
BOOKS SHOULD BE READ
BY EVERYONE
                                LEVI TAFARI, July 1997
http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

22nd April - EARTH DAY

This Thursday, April 22nd marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. This annual celebration is recognised around the world with rallies, teach-ins, and other events meant to highlight the importance of environmental protection.Since the event was intrduced back in 1970, there has been incredible progress in the way people view their impact on the planet but, unfortunately, not enough to slow down global warming...

If you do worry about environmental issues or are simply curious, click on the following links:

http://www.earthday.org/
http://holidays.kaboose.com/earth-day/earth-day-guide.html
http://www.earthday40th.com/tag/earth-day-2010-opinions

Whether you like LINKIN PARK or not, most teens love this band and they have a powerful song we can use in class - "What I've done" - if the lyrics are too complicated (?) at least the images are clear enough for our pupils to understand their message. Here it is:

Find more videos like this on LinkinPark.com

Think about what YOU've done to protect what belongs to us all: Planet Earth!

Start today: PROMOTE GLOBAL AWARENESS AND PREVENT GLOBAL WARMING!

Together, we can :)

Some final remarks...

One last posting on our school trip to London…
As you can guess, I am quite glad with the outcome of all this. It took me – and teacher Helena - months to prepare stuff for all the participants (including homework and I’m not kidding!) but all was worthwhile according to the feedback I’ve been given :D
So, in these final remarks, my acknowledgements go to all those who, one way or another, contributed to the success of this activity. Please forgive me if I forget someone…
- Teacher Helena Soares and her group from AZOGLA;
- Claudia Macedo (our lovely guide) and Pinto Lopes Viagens;
- Teacher Natália Costa from my school board;
- Câmara Municipal de Soure
- Last but NOT the least: teachers + children + adult learners. Without YOU, this school trip would have never come true.
Now click below to see us all ;

Again – a huge THANK YOU to all involved.

TRAVEL DIARY LONDON - DAY 5 (Sun. 11th April)

Our last day in the land of Her Majesty the Queen!

Howwwwwwwwwwwww saddddddddddddddddd! Nevertheless, full of energy after a revitalising breakfast, we walked straight into Hyde Park which had always been across the street but only now was the day we had planned for such visit. With beds of narcissus along the way, our first stop was at Kensington Palace and Garden, carved out of the western section of Hyde Park. As usual, a lot of pictures were taken, first of the Palace – a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century and it was the official residence of Diana, Princess of Wales, until her death in 1997 – and then of the huge Gardens, well cared for with many different flowers and squirrels. A little bit farther, there it was, the Albert Memorial, directly to the north of the Royal Albert Hall, commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her beloved husband, Prince Albert who died of typhoid in 1861. Already in South Kensington, the prestigious music school, the Royal College of Music, founded in 1882 and well known for training musicians for international careers. But, we had to move on and only stopped again at the Natural History Museum, one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington (the others are the Science Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum). The museum is home to life and earth science specimens comprising some 70 million items within five main collections: Botany, Entomology, Mineralogy, Paleontology and Zoology, it is also a world-renowned centre of research, specialising in taxonomy, identification and conservation. Given the age of the institution, many of the collections have great historical as well as scientific value, such as specimens collected by Charles Darwin. The Natural History Museum Library contains extensive books, journals, manuscripts, and artwork collections linked to the work and research of the scientific departments. The museum is particularly famous for its exhibition of dinosaur skeletons, and ornate architecture — sometimes dubbed a cathedral of nature — both exemplified by the large Diplodocus cast which dominates the vaulted central hall. Really worth a second or a third visit, especially for teachers and pupils.

Feeling exhausted but rewarded, all returned to Royal Bayswater Hostel to have our packed lunches – a picnic in Hyde Park – before taking the bus that would leave us at Gatwick Airport...

Know what? We are all champions having managed to do so much in just five days but the kids / teens... they are real heroes! They behaved really well: not a single tantrum, no sighs of dismay, boredom or tiredness, always in a catching good mood, ready to keep going and make the most of this very first school trip from Martinho Árias School to London, England. My congrats, girl and boys!

So... that’s all, folks! :( Enjoy our last (panoramic) pictures :(

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TRAVEL DIARY LONDON - DAY 4 (Sat. 10th April)

I've been trying to resist but I'm including a picture of our full English breakfasts comprising several fried foods: bacon, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, toast sausages, mashed potatoes (called potato cakes) and baked beans,... served with a pot of tea / coffee and orange juice for the kids. I'm not kidding, believe me! Though I couldn't taste everything (the potato cakes were great!!!), our breakfasts were perfect to endure our "hard" days - after all, aren't they considered the most important meal of the day???
So, our fourth day was indeed starting. After breakfast, we left our Youth Hostel and went to Waterloo where we caught the train to WINDSOR, about 45 km from London.There we visited the Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and the Official Residence of Her Majesty The Queen. After being subject to airport-style security checks, we first had a guided tour from the Courtyard to the entrance of the State Apartments. From then on, free audio tours were available and lead us through the different places and rooms: the magnificent State Apartments furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection,  and Queen Mary's Dolls House, a masterpiece in miniature;  St George's Chapel, one of the most beautiful ecclesiastical buildings in England and the burial place of 10 monarchs (including Henry VIII), is also unmissable.
Around 4 p.m. we came back to central London, this time to Trafalgar Square. 
As soon as we got out of Charing Cross tube station, we had a wonderful overview of the square: a large central area surrounded by roadways on three sides, and stairs leading to the National Gallery on the other;  at its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. As for the name, it commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), a British naval victory of the Napoleonic Wars.
Back to the tube station, we headed then to Oxford Circus so that the group could have some time for shopping - and that's what we all did, right? Part of the group went down Regent Street while others remained in Oxford Street, both with huge and amazing stores, which certainly suited all our purposes :))))
But our day was not over yet! Guess where we still went after having dinner? Remember...Saturday... Saturday evening / night...we went to Piccadilly Circus, always crowded no matter the time of the day or night; Leicester Square, a pedestrianised area in the West End which hosts most major cinemas and premieres; and, yes, we walked through Chinatown and Soho!!! Though "Under Pressure" and sad, is there a better way to say farewell from central London?
Again, be my guest and enjoy some pictures!


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TRAVEL DIARY LONDON - DAY 3 (Fri. 9th April)

Our third day in London - great! Nice weather, folks, much better than in Summer.
We started our day by going to Buckingham Palace where we took loads of pictures - after all, it's one of the most emblematic sights not only for the English themselves but for tourists all over the world. Then, St James's Park with huge trees in blossom, squirrels, ducks, geese, swans... again: loads of pictures! Just a bit ahead, there it was: Westminster Abbey. Unfortunately there was no time to go inside because London Eye was already scheduled for 12.30. We moved on, crossed the street and Big Ben was right in front of us: imponent, magnificent!
After the traditional pictures, we crossed the bridge, ate our packed lunches but had to queue for over an hour to get in the iconic riverside attraction - the London Eye... however, just like many other visitors taking a flight on the giant observation wheel, we took advantage of the situation and watched a four minute film beforehand as part of the standard admission ticket price. This short 4D film at The London Eye includes the first ever 3D aerial footage of the city giving a unique bird's eye view of St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge and even the top of the London Eye; it was an unforgettable experience giving us the chance to sample some special sensory effects which include gentle breezes that blow through your hair, as well as snow that falls at your feet. Other special effects include shaking ground, bubbles and even different smells and aromas... Finally, The "real" London Eye... it goes around slowly and for about 30 minutes you can enjoy the views and take as many photos of London as you wish and in all possible directions.
Our next stop was the wax museum - Madame Tussaud! Again, queues and more queues and so I suggested going to Sherlock Holmes Museum  - the 221B in Baker Street - which is not far away. My kid liked going there as he is a Sherlock Holmes fan but, to tell you the truth, I felt a bit disppointed perhaps because I had imagined it somehow bigger and more updated... Anyway, we couldn't take long and soon returned to Madame Tussaud. Another disppointment... it was sooooooooo crowded and noisy that we couldn't have a good look at the celebrities or take pictures. As far as I am concerned, the two moments that created some excitement were the Chamber of Horrors ( how scaring!!! EhEhEh) and a taxi ride. But... do not misunderstand me - it is an amazing museum and one of London's most famous attractions :)
Back to Bayswater Youth Hostel, we had a kind of "Spaghetti Bolognese" and for dessert some icecream - both delicious! As we were dead tired, we just chatted for about an hour and went to bed.
Have a look now at some more pictures taken during our third day in London. Enjoy!



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TRAVEL DIARY LONDON - DAY 2 (Thurs. 8th April)

Well, our second day began... still tired and not really in the best mood due to our accommodation :(
After complaining to Claudia - our tireless guide from Pinto Lopes Viagens - she promised to call the agency to see what could be done.
After breakfast we were handed out our packed lunches and off we went to the Tower of London - our first visit, scheduled for 10 a.m. But... damn it!!!... I forgot my bag (can you imagine an unattended bag in the London Underground????) and had to come back.... Teachers Clara Luís and José Fernando (as well as one of the kids) came with me while the rest of the group headed for the site.
Already at the Tower, the views were wonderful, the weather was gorgeous and  after the delight of the Jewels of the Crown, we had our lunches and went straight to St. Paul's Cathedral, one of London's most famous sights. We spent some time there and went UP - yes on foot - only (!) 528 steps. All took many pictures from the top where it became obvious that London is "dressing up" to welcome the Olympic Games in 2012 with so many construction sites and refurbishments under way.
Around 4 p.m we had an Espresso in Covent Garden and by 6 p.m. we were already inside the British Museum; what certainly most attracted kids were the mummies; as for the adults, I guess there's a lot more to be appreciated from antiquities, manuscripts,...to prints, stones and all stopped to see the "Rosetta Stone". I will certainly visit the British Museum (FREE ADMITTANCE)  again and advise (?) all to spend some time there even in the magnificent glass-roofed Great Court :). It's really worthwhile!
Back to our Youth Hostel, it was clear that our complaints had been taken into account - some of us had a different room and even the meals improved. YES!!!
To end our (already) long day, we went to HARD ROCK CAFE LONDON where Claudia had arranged a guided visit to its world famous vault - what a privilege, folks!!! So, to recover after so much excitement and some shopping (EhEhEh), some had a drink.
Now, are you tired after reading my / our travel diary for the second day??? If yes, guess how we were when we got back to Bayswater Youth Hostel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With "a kind of magic" from the previous day / evening, enjoy (a bit of) what we enjoyed:

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TRAVEL DIARY LONDON - DAY 1 (Wed. 7th April)

I'm back, folks!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Back from London, I mean!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By this time last week we - a group of 14 adults and kids from our school - were already walking along Oxford Street, London.
We arrived around 10 a.m., left the baggage at the Youth Hostel and headed straight to Oxford Street. After a stroll, we came back (completely exhausted after being up all night), had dinner and you know what???? We still managed to go to the Dominion Theatre in the West End to enjoy the musical "WE WILL ROCK YOU".

It was...

"Fabulous" (teacher Paula and Bernardo)

"Wonderful" (teacher M. João); "amazing" (Beatriz);  "fantastic" (teacher José Fernando)

"Immortal" (teacher Clara Pilar); "very good" (Rui)

"Very, very beautiful" (teacher Graça Gonçalves); "dark" (Tiago)

"Phenomenal" (Ana Cristina and Fátima)
"Astonishing" (João Diogo)
Teacher Clara Luís reported being "speechless" and indeed there are no words to describe the excitement we all felt: adults and kids sang QUEEN's all-time favourites with heartfelt enthusiasm and the musical ended with a standing ovation. Don't miss it if you go to London - really, really good!

Some fun with Easter cartoons

Now that is Easter is over, have some fun with these pictures a colleague has just sent me...

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL

INVASÃO DOS TRAQUINAS II by ANSC 2

Hi, there!

You certainly still remember that Santa Claus came to ESCOLA SEC / 3 MARTINHO ÁRIAS - SOURE, don't you? That was INVASÃO DOS TRAQUINAS I. Last Wednesday, on the 31st March, children returned to their mothers' school and took part in more and funny activities. The day started with some stories, then there was time for some egg painting and before sharing lunch, there were two theatre plays.
After lunch, mothers and children challenged the cold wind and followed some clues... it was nice to see them all running around and playing.This family day ended with some more painting...but I'm not telling you anything else; enjoy some of the most pleasant moments.