WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HALLOWEEN?

When and where is it celebrated? It is celebrated on the 31st October 
Why is it celebrated on the 31st October? Because in the old celtic culture the 31st October was the end of the summer and the day of Samhain ( the god of the dead)
Is it a religious celebration? No it isn't, is a pagan festival
What does the word 'Halloween' mean? it means the Sains evening
Name 2 typical games. Eating an apple on a string and Bobbing for apples and other gifts in a basin of water without using your hands.
How do people celebrate it today? Childs do trick-or-treating to get candies and they make pumpkin pie 

This is the halloween post from the English blog 
http://myenglishworkshop08-09.blogspot.com.es/

Halloween (also spelled Hallowe'en) is an annual holiday celebrated on October 31. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holy day of All Saints.

Originally Halloween was a pagan festival, around the idea of linking the living with the dead, when contact became possible between the spirits and the physical world, and magical things were more likely to happen. Like most pagan festivals, long ago it was absorbed into the festivals of the expanding Christian church, and became associated with All Hallows Day, or All Saints Day, which eventually fell on November 1.
The celebration of Halloween survived most strongly in Ireland. It was an end of summer festival, and was often celebrated in each community with a bonfire to ward off the evil spirits. Children would go from door to door in disguise as creatures from the underworld to collect treats, mainly fruit, nuts and the like for the festivities. These were used for playing traditional games like eating an apple on a string or bobbing for apples and other gifts in a basin of water, without using your hands. Salt might be sprinkled on the visiting children to ward off evil spirits. Carving turnips as ghoulish faces to hold candles became a popular part of the festival, which has been adapted to carving pumpkins in America.

The day is often associated with the colours black and orange, and is strongly associated with symbols like the jack-o'-lantern. Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and attending costume parties, ghost tours, bonfires, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, and watching horror films!! 

SLEEPY HOLLOW
We celebrate the halloween day in the school watching the horror film Sleppy Hollow. 

The film is about the village of Slepy hollow where the legend says that lives the Headless horseman. The thing is that there's a murder who is killing people and taking their head.
Ichabot Crain (Jonny Deep) who is a young detective is called from Sleppy Hollow to investigate this mysterious crime.
Who will be the murder???

1rst ORAL PRESENTAITON: My last summer

1.- Writing

Hy everyone! As you know, my name's Anna, and as the rest of my classmates I'm going to talk about my last summer.

This summer has been very exiting and different from my other summers: I didn't spend too much time in Banyoles, and I think that's the best thing because I could travel a lot.

In this three months I stayed in England, Ibiza, Switzerland, of course in Banyoles and I visited some sea sites from Catalunya.

So I'm going to explain to you the best things: how my trip in England was, the sailing in Ibiza and finally the visit to Switzerland

From the 7^th tol the 28^th of July, I was in Gloucester enjoying the best three weeks of the summer and meeting a lot of new and interesting people.

Sue, Dave and Alice were the members of my host familiy with who I lived with all those three weeks. Their house was so cute and comfortable, and it was in the best part of the town.

Every day I caught the bus to the Gloucester College were we had English classes from 9 to 12:30 and then we had the lunch time where we ate our packet lunch. After that we had the “afternoon activity” till 5h when Sue picked me up from the college and drove me to our home.

It was a big experience; of course I improved my English but the most important thing was that I met people from all over the world and I learned how the English people live.

After two weeks in the English country I sailed to Ibiza during almost two weeks. The first one I travelled with my best friend and her family, and the second one I stayed with my family and our friends from Bilbao. We saliled around Ibiza and surrounded Formentera.

We lived in the boat, during the day we sailed around the nice beaches of the island, and in the evening we step land were we have dinner.

Those 2 weeks were the which ones that I plenty live the summer, 2 fantastic summer weeks

Finally I went to visit my Swiss cousins from Nion, were I spent 4 days in their house while we visited their town and the CERN. The rest of the week I stayed in Interlaken where I visited the Jungfrau mountain and the closer mountain villages, where the most pretty mountain landscapes are.

It was a strange feeling because we were like minus four degrees and we could touch the snow during August!!!

So that was my busy summer! I hope you have enjoyed my oral presentation, thanks for your attention.

2. Power point

3. Video

4. My classmades summer

Maria: She visit her cousins in Zaragoza, she went to a summer english school adn at a rowing "casal". She assisted in a wedding in Granada and finally she went to Mallorca

Albert: He went to Pris and the rest of the summer he spent the time in Banyoles.

Carlota: First she stayed in Banyoles, then in Palamós and finally in l'Estartit.

Lídia: She first has been in a stage camp, and after in Tarragona with her family

Eva: During July she went to Tarragona for 3 days, then she went to a Young life camp, and finally in a rollerskating stage camp.

Sergi: During June and July he stayed in his house, the rest of the summer he spent time in St Antoni for 2 weeks.

Enric: He travelled to Greece an Turkey, he also hanged out with his friends in Banyoles.

Elsa: She went to a basketball campus, 2 months in St Antoni and finally 2 weeks in a camp.

Àlex: First he went to Paris, after he travelled to Paignton and finally in l'Estartit and Tamariu.

Xènia: she went to the spanish ponny championship and she also trained a lot for it. After she visited Paris.

Pere: First he went to Gloucester and the rest of the summer he spent the time in Banyoles.

Laia: she went to the spanish rowing championship and she also trained a lot for it. After she stayed in Banyoles, the norht of Catalonia and Llançà.

Marçal: He travelled to England, he spent a lot of time in Platja d'Aro and finally in Banyoles.

David: He spent the summer in Banyoles

2. My favourite film

My favorite film at the moment is Lol, a new highlight from this year which is starried by Miley Cyrus.

The film is about the teenager life of Lola (named Lol), she lives with her mum, her grandmother, her little brother and her little sister. Their parientes are separated, but they're actually secreto lovers. She 's living a love history with her best friend Kyle, she has popularity Domination and also problems with her mum because of hiding the truth

A teenager life with her ​​situation it isn't easy, but at the end she Solves the things and it 's interesting because she does it in ad ifferent interesting way.

Trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIwd0NSj0R0

One of the best songs of this movie:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4npQwepjaPI

2. TV highlights

The highlight of this week s TV was obviously La Voz. They broadcast the 5 ^th Eliminators and in my opinion, the 2 girls that participate this week were the best since the 2 ^nd season of the show have started. Sonido Malú owned them and I reckon she s got the best team by the moment.

La Riera, like every week, was also worth watching. In Wednesday s episode, Nora and Salva broke their relationship because of the appearance of another girl, Judith and Martín (the new Notary of the casino) are now lovers and Claudio wants to start another relationship with her. Sonido, there 's big loving mess! I love loving mies, in my opinion, they are the bests topics of TV.

Finally, something which also caught my eye was a new TV program about houses design, it 's called "Love it or list it", and it' s about different married couples who live in a house that one of them likes it and the other wants another hombre , and two profesional guys help them about the choice.

HIGH SCHOOLS, The truth behind the clichés

Do Tv series auch as "Glee" show high school life as it really is? 
Does everyone drive tos school?
Are there strict social groups?
"Today" talked to students across America to find out!

There ares strict social groups

YES, BUT... On Tva and film, Us high school kids are always divided into rigid social categories, as distinct as different animals in Africa's Seregeti National Park. Among males, the sporty "jocks" are kings, attacking the "nerds", "geeks" and "Goths" at random. For girls, the "Populars" decide who is in and out, hte girl at the top of the social tree being the "Queen Bee".
Except... it's not really like that. "There are cliques, but it's typically not as extreme as what's in the movies," says Heidi from California. "They do make friends among each other. It's not like the 'jocks' and "nerds" are sworn enemies for life ." Jack from Kansas agrees: "TV and movies have perpetuated a negative idea that high school is split inot sectors. "When I changed my path from letterman -jacket-wearing jock to theatre/ journalism nerd, my football firends didn't care. No one gave me crap."
Acording to a student at a high school in San Jose, California, "there are not the types ofcliques that are portrayed in movies. Usually, one can freely move from one group to another and, in my experience of high school, there are no "Queen Bees", but some people belive that ther are!"

"TV AND MOVIES HAVE PERPETUATED A NEGATIVE IDEA THAT HIGH SCHOOL IS SPLIT INTO SECTORS"
Jack from Kansas

Everyone has their own locker

NO. It looks great - a corridor full of big lockers where you can put  your things. No carrying around a heavy bag all day ... Sadly, however, we couldn't find any schools that have the big gym-style lockers you see on TV. "Small" and "tiny" were the words most often used by students all over with atuck if you wanted to put it in your locker," complains one student from Massachusetts. But at least these ones have lockers. That is only the case in about half of schools. "Some shcools don't allow them because kids can hide contraband in them," explains Heidi from California. Oh, well...

"SOME SHCOOLS DON'T HAVE LOCKERS BECAUSE KIDS CAN HIDE CONTRABAND IN THEM"
Heidi form California

Everyone has a car and drives to school

NO. The legal driving age is 16 in the USA, but as for those scenes we always see of kids driving themselves to school... it's the exception, not the norm. "Most people get rides from adults or walk," says a student from California. "Those who have cars do not necessarily have to be rich, but it definitely shows depending on the type of car."

Cheerleaders are the most poppular girls in school

YES, BUT... "When I was in high school, there was an unwritten rule that the Homecoming King and Queen had to be a football player and a cheerleader," says Mary, and Ohio journalist. But in her daughter's school, hte king and queen were members of the theatre club. "Theatre kids are popular now," her daughter says, something Mary says would have been "inconceivable" in her day.
"Jocks and cheerleaders are not at the top of the social tree," agrees a California student, but "there are some who believe that they are".
OK, but do they all go around in their uniforms, like they do in Glee? Apparently not: uniforms only come out for game days. And at least one school in California has banned them from classrooms: "Cheeks are hanging out," says Traci Williams, thes school principal. "We don't want (the girls) bending over."

"THEATRE KIDS ARE POPULAR NOW"
An Ohio student says

Canteen food is great

NO. Television scenes of high school students enjoying a fabulous lunch outside under the California sunshine do not, apparently, give a real idea of the average high shcool dining experience.
"Please don't mention school lunces or I'll... oh no! Too late! The horrible falshbacks!" says one New Yorker about his school days. "We had meatballs that literally bouced. People would bounce them back and forth to each other."
"Our school lunc was awful and nobody even had time for it during our 16-minute break," says Kristina form Florida. "Helloooo, vendin machine! Pepsi and a bag of chips!" 
The traditional solution for many US families is for students to take their own food to school with them in a luchbox.

"WE HAD MEATBALLS THAT LITERALLY BOUNCED"
A New York student 

Everyone akes fun of the Glee culb

NO. "I have never once seen someone get abused for being in the glee club," says a California student. "Instead, peoples praise the glee club and actually enjoy listening to them!"

"People don't throw slushies in our faces!" agrees an Illinois studentin a glee club. But that is not the most shocking difference betweenTV and rallity: "We almost never get to sing cool pop songs. I definitely enjoy it when the cas og Glee bursts our with Train or Rihannna, but we generally stick to 15th-century madrigals

High school spors are really important

YES. This is especially true for the schools, because they're a vital suorce of revenue through ticket sales, merchandising and, for the teams, TV righst. "Football games can be a GIG deal in many schools," says Heidi from California. "It's a big deal for the town too. It depends on the size of the place."

To generate ethusiasm and sell tickets, the whole school gathers for a "pep rally" several hours before the game. "A pep rally is when all the cheerleaders get together and put on a ig show," explains Sam from Arizona. "They have really cool moutines and have audience join in."

"All the students come together to cheer on a sports team before a big game," adds Kenize from Hawaii. "If you're lucky, the teachers will have to do something too!"

"ALL THE STUDENTS COME TOGETHER TO  CHEER ON A SPORTS TEAM BEFORE A BIG GAME"

Kenize from Hawaii

You have to be on the team to wear a letter jacket

NO. Apart from a cheearleader uniform, nothing symblizes US high schools like the jackets emblazoned with the initials of the school's name. On TV, only members of the football team seem to wear them but, in right to ewar one... If they buy it!

Classes are fun and iteractive

YES. The US apporach to teaching is radically different from teaching in a French high school. "There is usually a lot of discussion in class," says a student from California. "In English, the class talks in a group about the novel they are reading and discusses the philosophical aspects of it. Teachers are very supportive of studets and help them until they understand the material. They do not feel like they will be judged by their teacher of crticized, and it helps immensely as the student can learn at his or her own pace."

There is a lot of space and greenery

YES. BUT, as always, there are exceptions: "Most of my classes were in a converted bomb shelter," says Kristina from Florida. "The chool had been built just after the Cuban Missile Crisis. They turned the shelter ino additional classrooms. No windows, just fluorescent lights and despair." So ... that's a "no" then?

"THERE IS USUALLY A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN CLASS"
A California studetn

1. My best friend

Y don't really have a favourite friend, I've got special friends. Sonido I'll talk about one of the most special: Alberta Fucale.

Alberta and I are friends since two years ago, she lives in Barcelona sonido we don't live really near, we're about an hour and a half from each house. But we're lucky because during the winter we both go to sky every weekend and we both have got a little house in La Cerdanya.

Alberta is fourteen years old. She 's quite corte and she s got dark and curly hair. The good thing about her is that she 's crazy and she always smiles, although she can also be sometimes Hysterical and she is also a little bit shy.

Alberta loves going shopping with her sister and also likes skype with our friends. She likes to hang out and meet other people. We often go shopping around Puigcerdà together. She also loves sking and we usually together.

0. My last summer

Hy everyone! As you know, my name 's Anna, and as the rest of my classmates I'm going to talk about my last summer.

This summer has been very exiting and different from my other summers: Y didn't spend too much time in Banyoles, and I think that 's the best thing because I could travel a lot.

In this three months Y stayed in England, Ibiza, Switzerland, of course in Banyoles and I visited some sea sites from Cataluña.

Sonido I'm going to explain to you the best things: how my trip in England was, the sailing in Ibiza and finally the visit to Switzerland

From the 7 ^th tulo the 28 ^th of July, I was in Gloucester Enjoying the best three weeks of the summer and meeting a lot of new and interesting people.

Sue, Dave and Alice were the members of my host familiy with who I lived with all those three weeks. Their house was so cute and comfortable, and it was in the best part of the town.

Every day I caught the bus to the Gloucester College were we had English clases from 9 to 12:30 and then we had the lunch time where we ate our packet lunch. After that we had the "afternoon activity" till 5h when Sue picked me up from the college and Drove me to our hombre.

It was a big experience; of course I improved my English but the most importante thing was that I met people from all over the world and I learned how the English people live.

After two weeks in the English country Y sailed to Ibiza during almost two weeks. The first one I travelled with my best friend and her family, and the second one I stayed with my family and our friends from Bilbao. We saliled around Ibiza and rodeado Formentera.

We lived in the boat, during the day we sailed around the nice beaches of the island, and in the evening we step land were we have dinner.

Those 2 weeks were the which ondas that I Plenty live the summer, 2 fantastic summer weeks

Finally I went to visit my Swiss cousins ​​from Nion, were I Spent 4 days in their house while we visited their town and the CERN. The rest of the week I stayed in Interlaken where I visited the Jungfrau mountain and the closer mountain villages, where the most pretty mountain landscapes are.

It was a strange feeling because we were like minus four degrees and we could touch the snow during August!

So that was my busy summer! I hope you have enjoyed my oral presentation, thanks for your attention.