Have a FAB Fall Break our darlings!

Vacation time is coming up and it's time to relax, have fun, and spend quality time with family and friends. And read. Nothing says vacation like reading a good book. When the rain is pouring down and the wind is howling outside your window, having a cup of tea in one hand and a book in the other is heaven on earth. Immerse yourself into another universe, forget the world around you. Read :)

If reading is not your cup of tea, why not take a look at some interesting YouTube-clips? Like this one where Emma Watson (you know the awesome Hermione from Harry Potter) gives a moving speech about gender equality in the UN. WARNING: This speech will make you fall in love with Emma Watson! (Here's a link if the video below is not working)

Or how about this video given by a beautiful model who urges you to put brains before beauty?

 

 

Whichever way you choose to spend your fall break, we wish you a great one!

 

Lots of love from Helle, Siri and Pia

Need to know more about Hinduism and Buddhism?

Of course you do, because there is simply no such thing as knowing too much when you're writing an informative article.

Sometimes religion can be difficult to understand, especially when you don't know anyone who practices the religion. A good tip is to google the religion and add "for kids" to your search. You will get links to places that try to explain difficult things in a simple manner. It is also a good technique to read about the same things different places, because things can become clearer through different explanations. Just remember to be critical of your sources!

This time we have done some of the the googling for you, and here are some good links that might prepare you for the test Thursday 25th.

Buddhism explained for kids.

Hinduism explained for kids.

More about Hinduism. (You can find a lot here)

Video dealing with both religions in a systematic way.

*Writing session coming up!

Next week you are to write a longer text at school where you will be graded. Make sure that you come prepared!

Before:

1. You MUST have read the whole magazine and learned difficult words.
2. You should make a list of things you know you have to work on (e.g. subject - verb agreement, the use of past and present tense, the use of capital I, etc.) in order to NOT make the same mistakes again and again. 9EF: Take a look at the letter you wrote to yourself before the summer vacation - you'll find it on Fronter under ARCHIVE and ENGLISH.
3. Read up on transitional words and phrases - take a look at this webpage!
4. Make sure that you know the basic rules of an essay and other genres - go to p. 244 - 251 in Key English if you need to refresh your memory.

During:

1. PLAN YOUR TEXT - it is crucial to plan your text before you start writing. Make a mind map where you brainstorm ideas. If you are to write an essay; find your thesis statement and all your arguements - make an outline where you put down your thesis statement and all your topic sentences. Then start writing.
2. Use appropriate words and phrases which are related to the topic - show the reader that you have a varied language and that you have expanded your vocabulary while working with Perspectives Magazine.
3. Use transitional words - but make sure that you use them correctly.
4. If you write a non-fictional text (such as an essay) try to refer to texts in Perspectives Magazine. If you are to write about pocket money for instance it would be wise to show the reader that you have gained knowledge from the text "The Positives of Pocket Money for Kids".
5. Do not hand in your text before you have re-read it several times. Rewrite sentences that don't sound right and make sure that your message is clear. Take a look at the list of things you know you have done wrong earlier and check if you have done the same mistakes again - correct them.

If you follow this list of advice you will be a killer writer in no time!

BREAK A LEG!

 9CD: Meet up by the computer rooms at 09.20 on Monday 21st.
9EF: You are to meet up at computer room 116 and 119A at 09.30 on Tuesday 22nd for your writing session.

*IDIOM OF WEEK 38

Find out what living hand to mouth means. Write a paragraph in your scrap book where you put the idiom in a meaningfull context.

(If you are interested in the origins you can find it here!)

Dear Parents

 

This post is for you. We know you are very eager to help your teenager soar when it comes to  English, because you know how useful it is later in life. We have made this blog post for you, to give you tips on how to help out.

1. Encourage them to read. We cannot stress this enough. Help them find books they like to read, and make sure it is not too difficult. Talk to them about the book they read. HERE is a list of good young adult books, and underneath are some we have good experiences with.

• Roald Dahl's books
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid
• David Walliams' books (Gangster Gandma, Billionaire Boy etc.)

• Once / Then/ Now/ by Morriz Gleitzman
• Roald Dahl's ghost stories
• The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

• The Fault in Our Stars (basically all books by John Green)
• Harry Potter series
• Twilight series
• Hunger Game series

Remember when it comes to reading at home, quantity is more important than quality. 

2. Watch the news together. Watching the news and knowing what is going on around them, will help them in almost ANY subject. CNN STUDENT NEWS has 10 minutes of news every day, aimed at students. 

3. Make it easy for them to choose English:

• Leave English magazines about football, fashion, knitting, tennis etc. in the bathroom.
• Make sure they watch English films with English subtitles, or none at all when they are not available.

*Chief Seattle`s letter

There are many versions of the text you are reading this week. This is one of the shorter, easier versions. We have been talking about money for several weeks now, but the truth is, there are so many things money cannot buy.


Read this letter. While you read you should answer the following questions:

• What is Chief Seattle`s message?
• What does this text tell us about the Native American`s way of looking at life and nature?
• How did this philosophy become a conflict with the new settlers?

Read the text. (If you like you can listen to it here.) Learn all the words.

This is homework for 9CD for Monday 15th September.
This is homework for 9EF for Thursday 18 September

*Native Americans

In Perspectives Magazine you are to read a letter written by Chief Seattle - a Native American tribe leader who lived during the 1800's. Before you read his letter you need some background information on Native Americans. Take a look at this website. Read page 1, 2, 3 and 4. Learn all the words (you might be tested)!

This is homework for:

9CD - Wednesday September 17th
9EF - Tuesday September 16th

*Idiom of the week

 

What does it mean to be loaded? Write a few sentences in your scrap book and share in class.

This is homework for:

9EF - Thursday September 18th
9CD - Wednesday September 17th

*Indian street kids starting their own bank

This week we are reading an article about street kids in India. It is important to remember with all this talk about money, that many people simply don't have any. Read this story, and learn all the words!

This is homework for

9CD: Monday 8th of September
9EF: Thursday 11th of September

Optional: Take a look at this thought provoking series of photos of where children sleep.

*Own it! (The 's-genitive)

Sometimes you will need to express a possessive relation between people or things. This means telling if someone/something belongs to someone/something.

In this case, you use an "'s" after the noun or the name. Take a look at the following example:

You have a book. But it is not your book, it is your friend's book. This means: the book belongs to your friend.

Read more about the 's-genitive HERE! Do all the tasks at this web-page - make sure that you write the complete sentences in your notebook as well.

9CD: This is homework for Wednesday September 10th

9EF: This is homework for Thursday September 11th

*An act of kindness

Sometimes in life, your heart tells you to do something unexpected. Read the story of a boy who chose to follow his heart, and really made a difference in someone's life.

a) Read the text "An act of kindness" and learn all the words.
b) If you were handed 10 000 Norwegian kroner to give to someone. Who would you give it to? It can be a person or an organization. Give good reasons for your answer. Write 1/2 a page.

This is homework for 9CD for Wednesday 10th of September.
This is homework for 9EF for Tuesday 9th of September.

*IDIOM OF WEEK 36

Find out what we mean when we say time is money. Put the idiom in an interesting context in your rough book. Share in class.