Myths and heroes (3)

par Kate Beaton, publié dans Myths and Heroes

  images                     téléchargement

Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster                                        Stonehenge

 

What exactly is a myth?

A myth is a story that may or may not be true. There are often no records or proof that the myth happened. Some myths have factual origins, while others are completely fictional. However myths are more than simple stories – many serve a more profound purpose in ancient and modern cultures. Mythology is a collection of traditional stories that express the beliefs or values of a group of people. The stories often focus on human qualities such as good and evil.

They are often considered to be sacred and may explain how things came to be. The myths gave human emotions and qualities to the super-natural beings who were the heroes of their stories.

A myth can also be a story that tries to explain the way the world is. People have always wanted to know the reasons for natural phenomena, for example how was the Universe created, what is the reason for thunder……. Myths often include gods and goddesses and other supernatural characters who have the power to make extraordinary things happen and are popular even when people know the actual reasons for the natural phenomena. Religion, gods, and myths were created when people tried to have an answer to these questions.

You can read about some famous myths here: Famous Myths

You can read about some famous British myths and legends here: Top ten British myths and legends

 

Talking about the future….what if everyone had a car?

par Kate Beaton, publié dans STI2D Enseignement Technologique, The idea of progress

This video comes from the new BBC series What If? : a series which looks into the future in key areas of science, politics, education and our personal life.

In this video BBC News looks at the ways in which new technology can help to keep us all mobile.

There are more than a billion cars in the world today – and by the middle of the century there could be up to four times as many, as the growing middle classes of countries like India, China and Brazil seek the freedom and status car ownership appears to offer.

But if so many people want to drive – how will we prevent global gridlock?

 

gridlock= saturation, bouchons (sur la route), impasse (dans des discussions)

 

Phonebloks – the smartphone that never dies

par Kate Beaton, publié dans In the news, The idea of progress

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Could this be the phone of the future? The idea for the world’s first sustainable (durable) smartphone is certainly creating a buzz on the social networks at the moment!

Have you ever broken your phone screen and decided to buy a new phone? Or perhaps you don’t have enough memory for all your music downloads? Would you like to be able to build your own phone? Phonebloks could be the solution.

Dutchman Dave Hakkens is currently developing Phonebloks, a sustainable smartphone made up of small, easily replaced modules. In theory, the smartphone would never have to be replaced, each part is removable and this makes it easier to personalize your phone.  For example, if you like taking photos you could incorporate a better camera model, of the brand of your choice.

The idea is currently making a buzz on the social networks and interested parties or individuals can support the idea via Twitter or Facebook. The developer is not asking for money but wants to know if demand would be large enough to be able to launch (lancer) it.

Some critics have said that it will be impossible to make the idea work, that it will be difficult to make all the different parts compatible. It has also been named « the Lego phone »!

What do you think? Would you be prepared to give up your smartphone for this one?

Watch the video below:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57602510-1/phonebloks-a-modular-phone-you-update-a-piece-at-a-time/

The idea of progress

Do you consider the invention of smartphones a progress?

You can talk to your friends at any time of the day (or night!), keep in touch with friends and family abroad, read your emails, see your friends’ holiday photos on Facebook, comment on the news on Twitter, download music, play games………….

But how many hours do you actually spend on your phone? Have you ever counted?

2011-04-30-smartphone-waste-time

Do smartphones bring people closer through modern technology or are they making us more isolated? Technology and smartphones are not bad, but they can take too much time out of our lives. They can be major distractions that hinder our relationships.

Another disadvantage of smartphones is the amount of waste generated: new models are constantly being released, creating a « need » to have the latest model. But what do you do with your old phone? Do you sell it? Exchange it? Recycle it? Put it in a drawer?

Read about how phones can be recycled here: learn about recycling

Global migrants

par Kate Beaton, publié dans Les 4 notions, Spaces and exchanges

article_image

 

In this episode of 6 Minute English, Rob and Jennifer talk about why people move around the world to find work. These people are known as « global migrants ».

Some 214 million people are international migrants, living in a different country from the one in which they were born. There are plenty with high-level skills who end up working for at least part of their careers outside their home country.

Some take work they are overqualified for, because it still pays better than what is available at home. This has led to a brain drain from some developing countries.

Watch the BBC 6-minute English report to learn more about global migration

 

Read more about the topic here

and here

Ideas for « Places and forms of power »

par Kate Beaton, publié dans Les 4 notions, Places and forms of power

What are the most famous places of power in the English-speaking world?

1. The White House

The White House is in Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The Washington Monument, the Capitol Building, the Jefferson Memorial, the Pentagon, and the Lincoln Memorial are also in the Washington, D.C. area. 

washington dc

For two hundred years, the White House has stood as a symbol of the Presidency, the United States government, and the American people. Its history, and the history of the nation’s capital, began when President George Washington signed an Act of Congress in December of 1790.

White House Facts

  • There are 132 rooms, 32 bathrooms, and 6 levels to accommodate all the people who live in, work in, and visit the White House. There are also 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 7 staircases, and 3 elevators.
  • President Theodore Roosevelt officially gave the White House its current name in 1901.
  • The White House receives approximately 6,000 visitors a day.
  • With five full-time chefs, the White House kitchen is able to serve dinner to up to 140 guests
  • For recreation, the White House has a variety of facilities available to its residents, including a tennis court, a jogging track, swimming pool, cinema, billiards room, and a bowling lane.

You can take a virtual tour of the White House here

The official office of the President of the United States is the Oval Office. This room situated in the West Wing of the White House has become associated in Americans’ minds with the presidency itself  for example, President Richard Nixon speaking to Apollo 11 astronauts during their moonwalk.

An Oval Office adress, the television broadcast of a formal presidential speech from the office, is rare and reserved for occasions with a sense of gravity, as when President Ronald Reagan addressed the nation following the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster, or President George W Bush addressed the nation on the evening of September 11, 2001.

More ideas to come……….!!!

The Butler – the film that made Barack Obama cry

par Kate Beaton, publié dans Civilisation, In the news

LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER tells the story of a White House butler, Eugene Allen who served eight American presidents over three decades. The film traces the dramatic changes that swept American society during this time, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man’s life and family. Eugene grew up during the time of Southern segregation and Jim Crow laws but he went on to find work as a waiter and went on to serve in the White House, working for for eight different US presidents.

Forest Whitaker stars as the butler with Robin Williams as Dwight Eisenhower, John Cusack as Richard Nixon, Alan Rickman as Ronald Reagan, James Marsden as John F. Kennedy.

The film is currently topping the American box office and is already being spoken of as a multiple Academy Award contender.

In a recent radio interview Obama admitted: « I teared up just thinking about not just the butlers who have worked here in the White House, but an entire generation of people who were talented and skilled, but because of Jim Crow, because of discrimination, there was only so far they could go. »

« And yet, with dignity and tenacity, they got up and worked every single day, » said Obama, the first African-American US president, noting that those who were discriminated against put up with a lot « because they hoped for something better for their kids ».

From the 1880s into the 1960s, a majority of American states enforced segregation through « Jim Crow » laws . Many states could impose legal punishments on people for consorting with members of another race. The most common types of laws forbade intermarriage and ordered business owners and public institutions to keep their black and white clientele separated.

Jim Crow Law   USAjimcrow1   Jim Crow law

The film is released in France on the 11th September 2013, the title in French is « Le Majordome »

Here is the trailer for the film : link

Have fun learning history!

par Kate Beaton, publié dans Civilisation, Myths and Heroes

worldhistory1

 

Have you always found history boring? Do you find it difficult to learn your dates?

1. Here’s a fun way to learn about historical events on Historyteachers channel on You Tube :  http://www.youtube.com/user/historyteachers?feature=watch

You’ll never forget your dates again!

You can learn about

–Henry VIII

– William the Conqueror

– Mary Queen of Scots

2. Another excellent video is Bad Romance: Women’s Suffrage – a parody music video paying homage to Alice Paul and the generations of brave women who joined together in the fight to pass the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote in 1920. (Could be used to illustrate the notion Myths and Heroes)

3. An excellent BBC video telling the story of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot (I wish this kind of programme had existed when I was learning history!)

Bac 2013: confusion à l’épreuve d’anglais ?

par Kate Beaton, publié dans In the news

Selon un journaliste anglais, les concepteurs du sujet d’anglais LV1 se seraient risqués à comparer le prestigieux ‘ »Oxford Union » avec une vulgaire association étudiante…
En savoir plus sur http://www.lexpress.fr/education/bac-2013-shocking-confusion-a-l-epreuve-d-anglais_1259312.html#f6YfvGVzIA8OFYGj.99

et aussi ici:

http://enseignementsup.blog.lemonde.fr/2013/06/22/confusion-ou-formulation-volontaire-le-sujet-dexpression-ecrite-du-bac-danglais-fait-polemique/

Qu’est ce que c’est « Oxford Union »?

Read about it here: http://www.oxford-union.org/about_us

Food in Britain

par Kate Beaton, publié dans Civilisation, Spaces and exchanges

premier-foods_1011410c

How much is today’s British cuisine influenced by its multicultural population?

We have all heard about the traditional British dishes such as fish and chips, roast beef and yorkshire pudding, roast lamb and mint sauce, bacon and eggs, but British cuisine is changing. If you walk round London you will be amazed by the amount of foreign restaurants – thai, japanese, italian, chinese, indian…

Thank to globalisation traditional British cuisine is being reinvented and new dishes are appearing on menus.

Watch this video to find out more about it: Video

There are also exercises that you can download or try online.

Idea for « Spaces and exchanges »

This topic could be used to illustrate the notion of spaces and exchanges. Think about how the way we eat today is influenced by globalization – what are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

On a positive side, food is more interesting, more colourful, tastier, more inventive than before, we take an interest in other cultures and there are more and more foreign products are available in supermarkets.

However globalization may be responsible for today’s bad eating habits – the boom of fast food and problems of obesity. It can also cause a problem for the environment due to the fact that more and more products are imported and flown across the world. A demand is created for products that we don’t necessarily need!

nutrition_cartoons