terça-feira, 12 de junho de 2012

Exercises about Valentine´s Day

Teachers and students:

There are many exercises about this theme:
 - Vocabulary
 - Crosswords
 - Quiz
 - Songs
 - Spelling
 - Listening and Pronunciation
- Punctuation

Valentine´s Day

Every February 14, across the United States and in other places around the world, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint, and where did these traditions come from? Find out about the history of this centuries-old holiday, from ancient Roman rituals to the customs of Victorian England.



Did you know about it?


Origins of Valentine's Day: A Pagan Festival in February

While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial--which probably occurred around A.D. 270--others claim that the Christian church may have decided to place St. Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to "Christianize" the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Celebrated at the ides of February, or February 15, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. 

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at a sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. They would then strip the goat's hide into strips, dip them into the sacrificial blood and take to the streets, gently slapping both women and crop fields with the goat hide. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed the touch of the hides because it was believed to make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would each choose a name and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage.

sexta-feira, 8 de junho de 2012

English is part of our day!

Tecnologia...

Let´s think about:


Pela Internet
Gilberto Gil
Criar meu web site
Fazer minha home-page
Com quantos gigabytes
Se faz uma jangada
Um barco que veleja ...(2x)
Que veleje nesse informar
Que aproveite a vazante da infomaré
Que leve um oriki do meu orixá
Ao porto de um disquete de um micro em Taipé
Um barco que veleje nesse infomar
Que aproveite a vazante da infomaré
Que leve meu e-mail até Calcutá
Depois de um hot-link
Num site de Helsinque
Para abastecer
Eu quero entrar na rede
Promover um debate
Juntar via Internet
Um grupo de tietes de Connecticut
De Connecticut de acessar
O chefe da Mac Milícia de Milão
Um hacker mafioso acaba de soltar
Um vírus para atacar os programas no Japão
Eu quero entrar na rede para contatar
Os lares do Nepal,os bares do Gabão
Que o chefe da polícia carioca avisa pelo celular
Que lá na praça Onze tem um videopôquer para se jogar...

quarta-feira, 6 de junho de 2012

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax

World Environment Day




10 Sectors for a Greener Planet

Buildings

Construction has consequences - let's construct a better world!
  • Construction and buildings take a large toll on global resources and climate.
  • A home or business energy audit can reduce your building's climate footprint and lead to significant savings in energy costs.
  • Shopping around for home improvements or landscaping? Reduce your impact by seeking out low-impact construction and landscaping firms.
  • You can support a resource-efficient Green Economy by taking charge of the buildings in your life. GreenUp!

Fisheries

Seafood is delicious and healthy - but depleting our fish stocks isn't!
  • Overfishing in many parts of the world threatens to deplete future fish stocks. We can avoid this by working now to promote sustainable fishing practices. 
  • Research ecolabels in your area and buy seafood products that have been harvested sustainably.
  • By choosing sustainably harvested seafood, you send a message to producers that you support a Green Economy for fisheries. GreenUp

Forestry

Forests support livelihoods, societies and cultures, our climate, and a plethora of wildlife and ecosystems.
  • Deforestation accounts for close to 20% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Sustainably managed forests can continue to support communities and ecosystems without damaging environment and climate.
  • Use electronic files to reduce your demand for paper products, and seek out timber and paper products that come from certified sustainable forests.
  • When you support certified sustainable forest products, you support a healthy environment and sustainable livelihoods. GreenUp!

Transport

Congestion, pollution, traffic accidents . . . there's a better way!
  • Riding alone in your car isn't just environmentally and economically inefficient, it's lonely!
  • Carpooling or taking public transport reduces environmental impacts and economic costs while strengthening community.
  • Walking or riding a bike for short trips is good for your health - and the environment's, too!
  • When you choose alternative transportation methods, you support a Green Economy in the transport sector. GreenUp!

Water

Use water wisely!
  • Billions of people worldwide lack access to clean drinking water or improved sanitation services - and population growth will worsen the problem.
  • Taking small steps towards wise water use can help conserve this precious resource.
  • Turn off the tap when you're not using it, wait until you have a full load to run your laundry or dishwasher, limit shower time, and don't water your lawn right after a rain.
  • Resource efficiency is key to a Green Economy and water is one of our most important resources. GreenUp!

Agriculture

Use your consumer power to support local, organic and sustainable agriculture!
  • The population is growing! It's time to support sustainable agriculture to ensure our ability to feed EVERYONE.
  • Grow your own veggies, eat in-season, and shop local farmers' markets.
  • When you buy local, organic, and sustainable food products, you send a message to producers that you support a Green Economy for agriculture. GreenUp!

Energy Supply

Our lifestyles demand energy, but is the demand too great on our resources?
  • The current mainstream energy sources - oil, coal, gas, etc. - are not only harmful to health and environment, they're not sustainable in a world of growing energy needs.
  • You can support the development of clean, renewable energy by choosing businesses and products that invest in them - or by investing in them yourself!
  • While we work towards a transition to renewable energy, consider ways to improve your personal energy efficiency. Turn off lights and unplug appliances when you aren't using them. Don't heat your house when no one's home.
  • You can help build a Green Economy by supporting clean, sustainable energy sources and becoming a model of energy efficiency. GreenUp

Tourism

Tread lightly on your travel destinations.
  • Tourism can be great for local economies, but not if it results in negative environmental and social impacts.
  • The same principles apply to supporting a Green Economy both at home and afar: buy local, travel with others, limit water and energy use, etc.
  • Know before you go: What hotels and travel agencies support ecotourism? How can I limit my impact on sensitive habitats?
  • When you support ecotourism, you help the communities in your travel destinations achieve economic growth without sacrificing environmental and social well-being. GreenUp!

Waste

If everything you buy becomes waste, where will we put it all?
  • Throwing something away means losing the chance to reuse materials and can contribute to methane (the most potent greenhouse gas) emissions from landfills.
  • Electronics in particular are only recycled at a rate of 15% globally.
  • Recycling appropriate materials and composting food waste reduces the impact of landfills as well as the demand on our natural resources to produce more materials.
  • Learn about recycling opportunities in your community and support a more resource-efficient Green Economy. GreenUp!

Manufacturing and Industry

It's no big secret that industry and manufacturing have been rough on the environment - but things can change, and you can help!
  • Industry and manufacturing drive employment and economic growth in many countries, but is it worth it to employ someone to pollute?
  • Be a wise consumer - support businesses that have sustainability plans, use ecolabels, and invest in renewable energy.
  • Greenwashing is everywhere! But many companies are sincerely committed to achieving sustainability. Do your homework and ask questions.
  • When you choose a sustainable business over a 'business-as-usual,' you send the message that it's time for industry and manufacturing to transition to a Green Economy. GreenUp!


From: http://www.unep.org/wed/

Speak Up!

Teachers,

Encontrei este site da Revista Speak Up. É possível ter acesso a algumas edições e fazer alguns downloads. Vale a pena visitar o site porque está recheado de ideias!

http://www.speakup.com.br/index.php/downloads.html




quarta-feira, 30 de maio de 2012

Estagnação Tecnológica dos sistemas educacionais



“Imagine um grupo de viajantes do tempo de um século anterior, entre eles um grupo de cirurgiões e outro de professores primários, cada qual ansioso para ver o quanto as coisas mudaram em sua profissão há cem anos ou mais no futuro. Imagine o espanto dos cirurgiões entrando numa sala de operações de um hospital moderno. Embora pudessem entender que algum tipo de operação estava ocorrendo e pudessem até mesmo ser capazes de adivinhar o órgão-alvo, na maioria dos casos seriam incapazes de imaginar o que o cirurgião estava tentando fazer ou qual a finalidade dos muitos aparelhos estranhos que ele e sua equipe cirúrgica estavam utilizando. Os rituais de antissepsia e anestesia, os aparelhos eletrônicos com seus sinais de alarme e orientação e até mesmo as intensas luzes, tão familiares às plateias de televisão, seriam completamente estranhos para eles. Os professores viajantes do tempo responderiam de uma forma muito diferente a uma sala de aula de primeiro grau moderna. Eles poderiam sentir-se intrigados com relação a alguns poucos objetos estranhos. Poderiam perceber que algumas técnicas-padrão mudaram – e provavelmente discordariam entre si quanto a se as mudanças que observaram foram para melhor ou para pior, mas, perceberiam plenamente a finalidade da maior parte do que se estava tentando fazer e poderiam, com bastante facilidade, assumir a classe.” 

(PAPERT, S. A máquina das crianças: repensando a escola na era da informática. Porto Alegre: Ed. Artes Médicas, 1994.).

Tecnologia e Educação



Tecnologia e Educação na Escola Pública
por Paula Cristina Corrêa Francisco

No ensino de Língua Inglesa, muito têm se falado do uso das tecnologias a fim de oportunizar práticas pedagógicas contextualizadas, interessantes e significativas para os alunos, permitindo que o processo de ensino-aprendizagem seja assimilado e que tenha efeito positivo na prática social dos alunos.
            O uso de novas tecnologias na escola facilita o estudo através de uma abordagem comunicativa, com conteúdos dinâmicos e interativos, práticas de listening e comprehension em situações reais de uso da língua e é possível trabalhar com temas transversais de forma reflexiva e crítica. Além disso, com as distâncias encurtadas pela internet torna-se fundamental trabalhar a questão cultural com os alunos, mostrando-lhes sites, blogs ou mesmo um chat de conversa com pessoas de outros países.
            Sendo assim, os professores assumem novos papéis (também de aprendizes) e são facilitadores do conhecimento, propondo atividades como uso de computadores com objetivos definidos, complementando os conteúdos desenvolvidos em sala de aula.
            Fica, dessa maneira, evidente a interferência positiva das tecnologias na educação para o professor de LI, que tanto se envolve com a temática de intercâmbio e globalização, pois para o aluno aprender inglês torna-se um instrumento de comunicação.
            No entanto, sabe-se que nas Escolas Públicas - mesmo com muitas vantagens para a Educação - as tecnologias acabam sendo colocadas de lado, seja por falta da habilidade e uso das tecnologias, seja por falta de manutenção e equipamentos.
            É fato que alguns professores sentem-se ameaçados com o avanço e repercussão da internet na educação e não possuem habilidades para usá-la, sendo necessário um curso de capacitação. Outra questão a ser pensada é a presença de recursos, mas a falta de interesses para usá-los. Outra ainda, a presença de interesses, mas a falta dos recursos. Muitos professores gostariam de levar seus alunos a sala de Informática e propor-lhes atividades reais e significativas, no entanto, ou os computadores estão quebrados (e o chamado de manutenção costuma demorar cerca de três meses) ou há computadores, mas não há internet. Ou seja, é necessária repensar a questão tecnológica na Escola Pública.
Em suma, em relação ao uso da tecnologia para LI, pode-se dizer que esta vem para otimizar, beneficiar, ampliar e oportunizar melhoras no processo de ensino-aprendizagem e não substituir as relações entre professores e alunos que garantem o desenvolvimento reflexivo e crítico. Ensinar e aprender são tarefas complexas e passam por constantes modificações, basta que saibamos acompanhá-las e fazer bom uso destas.

Referências

UNESP. Tecnologias de informação e comunicação: TICs aplicadas à LE. Rede São Paulo de Formação Docente. Disponível em:

Tecnologia e Comunicação

Com Marcelo Tas (CQC)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3V-IMEFm1c&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL83443B94B4DEDBAE

Let´s study!

Há uma porção de sites interessantes que podem lhe ajudar a estudar e aprender a língua inglesa:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theteacher/index.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/teach/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/quizzes/crossword/120511_crossword_slang2.shtml

http://www.puzzle-maker.com/

quarta-feira, 16 de maio de 2012