Muppet Show - We Need Little Christmas

The Muppets " It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year "

We wish you a Merry Christmas

Christmas origin

Christmas British Symbols

Who told Mary she was to be the mother of God?

The Archangel Gabriel

He is the Messenger of God, whose name means " The Strength of God". In the Christian Bible, it is Gabriel who brings important news to the Virgin Mary, he told her that she was to be the mother of God.

Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh

Adoration of the Magi by Fra Angelico and Filippo Lippi

Gold, frankincense and myrrh were the gifts the Magi, also referred to as the (Three) Wise Men, (Three) Kings, or Kings from the East, offered Jesus, when he was born.

The Advent wreath

The purpose of Advent is to prepare the coming of Christmas.

The Advent wreath is part of our long Catholic tradition. However, the actual origins are uncertain.

The symbolism of the Advent wreath is beautiful. The wreath is made of various evergreens, signifying continuous life.

The evergreens have a traditional meaning: the laurel signifies victory over persecution and suffering; pine and holly, immortality; and cedar, strength and healing. Holly also has a special Christian symbolism: the prickly leaves remind us of the crown of thorns.

The circle of the wreath, which has no beginning or end, symbolizes the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul, and the everlasting life found in Christ.

The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent. A tradition is that each week represents one thousand years, to sum to the 4,000 years from Adam and Eve until the Birth of the Savior. 

"Annunciation" Paula Rego, 2002

On December 25th we celebrate the birth of Jesus

The shepherds were the first visitors to the stable.

Herod was the King who looked for Jesus.



Mary and Joseph came from the city of Nazareth.

Joseph, the father of Jesus, was a carpenter

«The common conception of Joseph is that he was a carpenter (Matthew 13:55), however, this is a mis-translation of the Greek word, tecton (tekton), which more accurately should be called “general contractor”, or more provocatively, “Master of the Craft” (Gardner, 2001). In fact, the Protoevangelium of James, [1] which concerns the lives of Jesus’ parents, specifically identifies Joseph as a general contractor. The Blueletter Bible offers various translations of tekton - (1) a worker in wood, a carpenter, joiner, builder, (2) any craftsman, or workman (e.g., the art of poetry, maker of songs), and (3) a planner, contriver, plotter, or (4) an author.»

Read more here.

Adam and Eve

"Adam and Eve" by Gustav Klimt.

There in the Garden where Adam and Eve had sinned God promised them He would send His Son to restore humanity and this world in which we live.



Balthasar, Melchior and Caspar

Balthasar, Melchior, and Caspar were the names of the three wise men.
They followed the star to find Jesus..

The angels first brought the news of the savior's birth to the shepherds.

Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem for the census

This is the Tesse tree.

This Church art shows the relationship of Jesus with Jesse and other biblical names. This design shows a branched tree growing from a reclining figure of Jesse. The various branches have pictures of other Old and New Testament figures who were ancestors of Jesus. At the top of the tree there are figures of Mary and Jesus.

Jesse was the father of the great King David of the Old Testament. He is the first person mentioned in St. Matthew’s gospel outlining the genealogy of Jesus.

Mary rode to Bethlehem on a donkey



Jesus was born in a stable.

Jesus was born in a stable because there was no room in the inn.

Joseph, the foster father of Jesus who is the patron of the Universal Church

Mary was Jesus mother's name.

Bethlehem, the city where Jesus was born.

Thanskgiving 2011

Sports Objects

The Story of the First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Football

What are The Dallas Cowboys, The Chicago Bears, and The Washington Redskins? They are American football teams. American families watch an American football game at Thanksgiving. American football is different from the European and from the football in the rest of the world. The players wear helmets and pads and the ball is not leader, it's pigskin.

TAKE NOTICE:

US English   -   UK English 

Soccer  =   Footbal

Thanksgiving Dinner

On Thanksgiving, Americans say thank you for the food they have. American families eat a big meal together. Traditionally on the menu you have corn, potatoes, salad, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, stuffing, turkey and bread. Americans eat 45 million turkeys! Turkeys sure don't like Thanksgiving.

   

Snoopy at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade All-Stars

Five Little Turkeys - Chant

Happy Thanksgiving

Halloween Contest

Jack O' Lantern Contest 2011 - EB123/JI Francisco Ornelas da Câmara - 5th and 6th Graders

Jack O' Lantern Contest - EB/JI BA 4

Halloween 2011 - EB1/JI Vila Nova - 3rd and 4th Grades

Halloween 2011- EB1/JI Vila Nova - 1st and 2nd Grades

Halloween 2011 - EB1/JI São Brás

Halloween 2011 - EB1/JI Irmãos Goulart - 4th Grade

Halloween 2011 - EB1 / JI Irmãos Goulart - 3rd Grade

Halloween 2011 - EB1 / JI Irmãos Goulart - 2nd Grade

Halloween 2011 - EB 1 / JI Irmãos Goulart 1st Grade

Jack O'Lantern Contest - EB 1, 2, 3 / JI Francisco Ornelas da Câmara

Jack O Lantern contest

View more presentations from teachers2011

Stingy Jack, The legend of Jack O'Lantern

Seven Halloween Symbols

Credits to: Luanna Conrado, Kathlen Lopes and Teacher Huilde

Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" This is Halloween

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

SNOOPY

Snoopy is a fictional character in the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. He is Charlie Brown's pet beagle. Snoopy began his life as a conventional dog, but eventually evolved into a most dynamic character — and among the most recognizable comic characters in the world.

Snoopy is also a tennis player. He became "Joe Cool" as he put on sunglasses and leaned against the wall doing nothing.

Snoopy loves root beer and pizza, hates coconut candy, gets claustrophobia in tall weeds. One of his hobbies is reading Leo Tolstoy's epic novel War and Peace at the rate of "a word a day".

Find more here.

Happy birthday Eminem

Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor.

Eminem Discography.

Find more here.

Columbus Day

Columbus Day is a U.S. holiday that commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the New World on October 12, 1492.
Christopher Columbus is one of the most famous names in history. When he voyaged across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492, his discoveries changed the world forever.  In honor of Columbus’ landfall in the “New World”, Americans celebrate the second Monday in October as Columbus Day.

A very rare whale

«A very rare humpback whale that's entirely white has been spotted near Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The whale thought to be a few weeks old and was spotted by a local man.»
Read more here.
Source: CBBC

Welcome to "Cool English 4u" 2011-2012

Welcome to the beginning of this year's edition of Cool English 4u learners and teachers of English.
Classes have already started and some may thing we are late, but late is what never comes.

This year the blog will ROCK.

WELCOME

September was so warm around us and across the UK that many plants think it's spring and are flowering for a second time this year.

Usually these plants flower around April - so they're six months early and welcome you!

The 4 R's: reuse, reduce, recycle and repair

The Four R's
It is very important to follow the four r's: reduce, reuse, recycle and restore.
Are we making a difference for the planet?
Well, there are lots of easy, "green" steps that you can take, right in your own home - right now!
Reduce. Simplify you life, get rid of excess stuff. Ask yourself: Do I really need this? Buy and use only what you need.
Reuse. A perfect example is to gently wash and and dry your plastic baggies - they can be used multiple times.
Recycle. On average, half of what's in your trash can be recycled - mostly paper. Keep a "trash" can in the kitchen for recycled goods and one for non-recyclable items.
Repair. Repair damaged goods - save them from the landfill. Buy used.

Sponge Bob sings "The recycling song"

Think ecologically. Reduce. Reuse.Recycle.

Child - Friendly Schools

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see?

This is a story by Bill Martin Jr. illustrated by Eric Carle.


RIF Eric Carle Read Along 2007 por rif_web

The Pied Piper of Hamelin

The legend which explain the death of many children in Hamelin, Germany, in the Middle Ages.

«The Pied Piper of Hamelin is the subject of a legend concerning the departure or death of a great many children from the town of Hamelin (Hameln), Germany, in the Middle Ages. The earliest references describe a piper, dressed in pied (multicolored) clothing, leading the children away from the town never to return. In the 16th century the story was expanded into a full narrative, in which the piper is a rat-catcher hired by the town to lure rats away with his magic pipe. When the citizenry refuses to pay for this service, he retaliates by turning his magic on their children, leading them away as he had the rats. This version of the story spread as a fairy tale.

This version has also appeared in the writings of, among others, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the Brothers Grimm, Robert Browning and Megadeth.»

Source: Wikipedia

Reading Contest - "Maisie and the Dolphin"



Winner Team:
Beatriz Arede, Cândida Areias e Carolina Almeida

Participants

Spelling Contest

2nd TERM        WINNERS	year Class
Adriana Garcia	5th 1st
Cândido Rafael	5th 2nd
Beatriz Silva	5th 7th
Maria Pereira	6th 1st
David Aguiar	6th 4th
Emerson Arruda	6th 7th
Francisco Sousa	6th 10th
Ricardo Silva	6th 6th
Leonor Silva	6th 2nd
Hugo Spencer	6th 3rd

      2nd TERM

       WINNERS

year

Class

Adriana Garcia

5th 1st

Cândido Rafael

5th 2nd

Beatriz Silva

5th 7th

Maria Pereira

6th 1st

David Aguiar

6th 4th

Emerson Arruda

6th 7th

Francisco Sousa

6th 10th

Ricardo Silva

6th 6th

Leonor Silva

6th 2nd

Hugo Spencer

6th 3rd

Easter Bonnet Parade 2011

1st Prize

Fátima Vieira 6º 3ª nº8

 

2nd Prize

 Ruben Oliveira 5º 4ª nº 21

3rd Prize

Daniel Antunes 5º 6ª nº5

OMG, LOL enter Oxford English Dictionary

«OMG, LOL and FYI are among the latest additions made to the Oxford English Dictionary in a new update.
The online edition revealed that it had selected a "number of noteworthy initialisms" for publication. The latest three, used widely in online and text speech, join previous entries IMHO, TMI and BFF.
[...] A surprise new entry also came from the heart symbol '♥'. Referenced "as a symbol for the verb love", the heart has become widely associated with the 'I ♥ NY' tourism campaign.» Says Ryon Love in Digital Sky. Read the whole article, here.

The latest update of the OED (Oxford English Dictionary)

The latest update of the OED, published on 24 March 2011, revises more than 1,900 entries and adds new words from across the dictionary.  A full list of new words .

"Maisie and the dolphin" - QUIZ

Maisie King lives with her family in the Bahamas. Her mother and father work at an Animal Hospital. Maisie has a new friend, Ben. He's a dolphin. Ben is very ill. Maisie helps him. Then Maisie has a big difficulty in her life. Can Ben help her?

Why is reading important, children?

Reading helps develop vital language skills.

It can open up new worlds and enrich lives.

Enhance social skills.

It can improve hand-eye coordination
and provide a lot of fun!

Here you can find lots of free interesting presentations in PowerPoint format concerning reading.

Clothes with sentences

Saint Patrick's Day Parade

Happy St Patrick's Day

You certainly have read a lot about this Festival.
Here you can do a nice QUIZ for St Patrick's Day.

The Leprechaun

       A leprechaun (Irish: leipreachán) is a type of fairy in Irish folklore and another symbol of Ireland, usually taking the form of an old man, dressed in a green coat. Like other fairy creatures, leprechauns have been linked to the Irish mythology.The Leprechauns spend all their time busily making shoes, and store away all their coins in a hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If ever captured by a human, the Leprechaun has the magical power to grant three wishes in exchange for their release.

Found out more visiting the National Leprochaun Museum.

What a Shamrock

The shamrock has long been a symbol of Ireland.

The shamrock was traditionally used  for medical properties and was popular motif in Victoria times.
The Shamrock is also used as a badge for sports teams, state organisations and troops abroad from Ireland. It is registered with the World Intellectual Property Organisation as a symbol of Ireland. According to what the Oxford English Dictionary calls "a late tradition" (first recorded in 1726), the plant was used by Saint Patrick to illustrate the doctrine of the Trinity. It has subsequently become an emblem of Ireland, but it is not the official one, which is the harp. The English word comes from Irish seamróg, meaning young clover.

St. Patrick's Legend

Did you know that Saint Patrick's name at birth was Maewyn Succat?

He was born around the fourth century. At the age of sixteen Maewyn Succat was kidnapped from Britain by pirates, and sold into slavery in Ireland, where he worked as a shepherd.

After six long years of slavery he escaped to the northern coast of Gaul.

In Gaul, Maewyn became Patrick and studied in the monastery for twelve years. He became a priest and he came to believe that it was his calling to convert the pagans of Ireland to Christianity.

Patrick was about sixty years old when he arrived in Ireland and helped convert people. It is said he used the shamrock, which resembles a three-leafed clover, to help explain the concept of the Trinity (father, son, holy spirit).

Patrick's mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. He then retired to County Down and died on March 17th in 461 AD. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since. As the saying goes, on this day "everybody is Irish!"



Ireland, the Emerald Isle

Spring is coming. The perfect time to learn about Ireland.

Keep visiting our blog here and you will know about Ireland’s past and present facts, strange and unique curiosities, famous Irish people and, of course, cultural celebrations such as Saint Patrick’s Day. You’ll enjoy it so much that the eyes of the Irish are likely to smile and “when Irish eyes are smiling, surely it’s like a morning in Spring…”

Find out more about Ireland.

Pancake Day

Pancake Day is celebrated on Shrove Tuesday which is the day before Lent.

"In the United Kingdom of Great Britian, Northern Ireland and several other countries around the world, Pancake Day is celebrated with fun, games, and of course a lot of eating. However, the most well known activity on this day is the Pancake Day race at Olney in Buckinghamshire, England which has been held since 1445. It all began when a woman was cooking pancakes on Shrove Tuesday to use up all of her perishables before Lent. While she was still cooking she heard the chiming of the bells calling her to church. Not wanting to be late, the woman ran to church with her apron on and the frying pan still in her hand. Little did she know that this would start a tradition that would be around for over 500 years!"
Learn more about Pancake Day here.

Venice Carnival

The Carnival of Venice, Italy, is an annual festival. It starts around two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Shrove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras), the day before Ash Wednesday.
Carnival is a time for celebration and expression. A party atmosphere fills the streets, canals and piazzas.
The celebration of carnival was an opportunity for people of all classes to celebrate without social division. Masks were worn to keep ones identity a secret, which meant there could be no distinction between the different social classes.
Attendees of carnival in Venice must be incognito
At night Venice is an elegant, extravagant, masquerade ball and gala dinners take place in candle lit palaces with guests arriving by gondola along the Grand Canal.
Find out more about Italy and this sumptuous Carnival here.

Notting Hill Carnival

The Notting Hill Carnival is an annual event which since 1964 has taken place on the streets of Notting Hill, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in London.

Notting Hill Carnival is London's most brilliant celebration of  colour and sound.

The Notting Hill Carnival has become an internationally acclaimed event which remains true to its Caribbean roots. Over the last four decades, it's matured into a melting pot of diverse cultural and musical genres that come together in modern West London streets.

Find out more in London events