Holiday Plans

I hope you are all enjoying your vacation.

Please share what you did on Christmas Day and what you are planning to do to celebrate the New Year. Read what I wrote, then write to each other in the comments section below.

***Reminder to January Students of the Month: send me the photo you want on the blog and choose your topic. Be ready to talk about yourselves on Jan. 8.***

December Topics

2L Edoardo --Alex Del Piero. Check out his blog.
3L Yuri -- The Nightmare Before Christmas. If you don't know anything about it, check it out!
4L Francesco --music and Michael Bublè
5L Susy--Shopping! See Confessions of a Shopaholic

If you want your photo on the blog for student of the month, you must send one to me!

DECEMBER Students

Please let me know who the December students of the month will be. These people must be prepared to talk about themselves on December 4.
Don't forget your PHOTOS for the poster and blog!

1L ???
2L Edoardo
3L Yuri
4L Francesco
5L Susy

Silvia will discuss her topic first.

What Foreigners think of Italians

Watch these interviews.

• Do you agree with these opinions?
• What are the most common ideas people have?
• Which adjectives describe you best?
• Which adjectives bothered you most?
• Which adjectives surprised you?

Make a list of the words you don't know and look them up in the dictionary in the right hand column.

What are the Italians like?

Student Topics

2L Ilenia--My favorite singer: Beyoncè
3L Ginevra--Shopping; know the vocabulary for shops and what you can buy; are you a shopaholic? See the trailer for Confessions of a Shopaholic
4L Silvia--Volleyball; know the history, rules and vocabulary.
5L Giorgio--Communication on Internet (Social Networks, Facebook, Blogs, Chat, Twitter)
1L Cristofer (November 27)--Football

Be ready to discuss these topics on Friday, Nov. 20.

If you have other links to suggest, please add them in the comments section below.

Remember to send me your photos!

November Students of the Month

For FRIDAY, Nov. 6:

• You will introduce yourself to the class.
• Decide your topic and let us know by Friday, Nov. 6.
• Bring a photo for the poster.
• Send me a photo for the blog.

1L Cristofer
2L Ilenia
3L Ginevra, a.k.a. Ginger4L Silvia (again!)
5L Giorgio

4L: DO the work. I want to see you IN CLASS and at COMENIUS.

• Finish your class poster, which is in the teacher's room.
• Pick up your magazines from Prof. Montalti.
• READ the articles assigned for Friday!

EVERYONE: REMEMBER your mirrors!

Happy Halloween!

What's your favorite Scary Movie? Let's start a list below. Do you agree with this list?
Do you think old horror movies are scarier than new ones?
Click here to carve your own pumpkin!
Click here to watch "This is Halloween" from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Have fun with these HALLOWEEN GAMES!

Annalisa, you might want to watch some South Park Halloween specials!

An Italian Polyglot

Here is one Italian who can speak 8 languages! Our new partners will speak some of these languages as well. The only one that's missing is Welsh. You can find an example in the Jan. 13, 2008 posting about the Welsh singer, Duffy.

Please note that all languages should be spelled with a capital letter.

Italians speaking English

Who do you speak like, Berlusconi or Alessio Vinci?

Questionnaire for Comenius

See if you can find the answers to some of the questions you didn't know on the questionnaire.

• Was Ciampi the first Italian president?
• When was Florence the capital of Italy?
• What is the population of Italy?
• How many foreigners live in Italy?

Click on the title to see the survey.
Discuss your questions and answers in the comments section below.

For October 23

5L will discuss DOPING. You can find some information in Wikipedia, but another excellent explanation can be found on the Mayo Clinic site.

1+2L will finish the worksheet and discuss GOSSIP GIRL.
Tommaso will talk about his trip to Liverpool on Oct. 30. Be ready to talk about a trip you enjoyed.

4L SILVIA WILL do her presentation and tell us the topic she's chosen. Your class is WAY behind all others. BE THERE on Friday.

BE ready to discuss.
REMEMBER to use the dictionaries on the right hand side of the blog for help.

3L and 5L have their posters up. And you, 1,2,4L?

Topics for Friday, October 16

1+2L Gossip Girl
3L Into the Wild
5L Doping

4L ??? Where are you?

Be prepared! ALL students must participate in the discussion and each will be evaluated on his/her contribution.

REMEMBER to bring a photo for your poster!

IMPORTANT

1/2L MUST communicate their Student of the Month before this FRIDAY, OCT. 9!

Students of the Month MUST introduce themselves on Friday. NO excuses!

ILENIA, GIULIA B., and SUSY still need to write their letters!

Get moving guys!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Students of the Month for Friday, October 9:

• will introduce him/herself to the class
• will tell the class which topic they would like to discuss on Friday, October 16

1L/2L Please write your student of the month for October in the comments section below.

If you have any questions. Please contact me or write them in comments.

Monday, September 28 to Friday, October 2

Each class must remember to:

• Decide if it wants the magazine. If so,
  
  • The cost is €12.50.
  • Collect the money by class (include each student's name) and give it to Prof Orlando so I have it no later than Friday morning.
  • 5L--Are you interested?

• Choose its student of the month for October. You can communicate your class's choice in "comments" below.
  • 1L-- Giulia F.
  • 2L--Tommaso O.
  • 3L -- Andrea L.
  • 4L --Silvia S.
  • 5L -- Enrico G.
  • FINISH THE POSTER! Bring colored pens or markers to decorate it.

• Take the 3 polls (on the RIGHT)

For Friday, Sept. 25

1/2 L and Susy (5L): REMEMBER to write your letters.

Letters need to start with Dear and end with Sincerely or some other closing.

Welcome Back!

So how was your summer? Was it as good as Sandy's? Be ready to write, talk (or sing) about it!

Great Song by a Great Irish Band

Susi and Vale,
Here are the lyrics to the song I was telling you about. Let me know what YOU think!

Yippee!

CONGRATULATIONS to those who passed the oral exams. Now let's hope you'll pass the written part!

If you need me

Remember: if you need help, leave a message on the blog, or find me in MSN. You can never practice enough for your TRINITY EXAMS!

Trinity Oral Exam Practice

In the right hand column, there are links to listening exercises to help you prepare for the Trinity Speaking exams, according to each level.
Take advantage of it!

ANDREA, did you check out the posting below, since it's relevant to your topic?

A Film Worth Seeing

I strongly recommend the Oscar winning film, Slumdog Millionaire.

Watch the JAI HO dance video and the Pussycat Dolls' version of the song in English. The words are below.



Lyrics | Pussycat Dolls Lyrics | Jai Ho Lyrics

"Jai Ho" is a victory shout like "Hurray," Praise," "Victory," "It Rocks." Below is the English translation of the Hindi version. Notice that there are some lines in Spanish.

JAI HO! Come on my life. Join me under the big roof. Come join me under the glittering blue sky. JAI HO!
Bit by bit, I truly died each day; spent the nights dancing on hot coals. I burnt my fingers trying to touch the stars. Come on my life. Join me under the big roof. Come join me under the glittering blue sky. JAI HO!
Baila Baila! Ahora conmigo, tu baila para hoy. Por nuestro dia olvidas, los problemas que sean. JAI HO!
Taste it, oh taste it. The night is honey. Taste it. Keep my heart. It is the last limit. Yeah, keep it dark, this eyeliner of yours is like a magical spell. Come on my life. Join me under the big roof. Come join me under the glittering blue sky. JAI HO!
For so long, yes, for so long, what's been kept from your lips; say it say it, oh say it! Now that your eyes are shoing it, say it!
Such lit up eyes, bright as diamonds, aren't they? Come on my life, join me under the big roof. Come join me under the glittering blue sky!
JAI HO!

EARTH DAY

Today is EARTH DAY. What can you do to help the planet? Check out the website.

TRINITY written exam

GOOD LUCK on your ISE exams! Think before you write and proof-read your work before handing it in.

Spend your Vacation Wisely

You have vacation until Monday, April 20. That's a very long vacation. While everyone else is in school, you could (and should) be studying.

What about trying the Trinity Test on the side column? REMEMBER, the ISE test is on April 22 (Earth Day), which is only 2 days after you go back to school!

So why don't you:

1. send me the writing assignment (that I gave you at your last lesson) by email;
2. try writing something below in the comment section so anyone can help correct your mistakes; OR
3. write me an email just for practice.

A rappin' Easter card for you!

Click here: Happy Easter

Did anyone turn off the lights?

What were you doing at 8:30 on Saturday? Did you remember to turn off your lights? Were you somewhere that participated in Earth Hour?

Did they turn off the lights in Madrid?

How was your trip to Madrid? Do you have any photos to share?

Song

Try translating Lily Allen's new song, "The Fear," at the bottom of the page.

Earth Hour

March 28 is Earth Hour. Participate in the world event. Turn off your lights for one hour on Saturday, starting at 8:30 p.m.

For more information, click here or on the post title.

For the Italian site, click on the map, or choose Italy in the drop down box.

Popular Australian-Italian Singer

This issue of Team has chosen to write about 17 year old Gabriella Cilmi, an Italo-Aussie. Check out her website.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM!

A new issue of Team has arrived. There is an article about ice cream! What's your favorite flavor? Try creating a new one!

Do you know who Giuseppe Morelli is? Find out by Friday.

Faking Photos

Are people really as beautiful as they look in magazines? Watch this video to see how digital photo retouching can change people. See people go from fat to thin and from old to young.

Have some fun retouching photos online, or retouch a photo of your own.
Virtual Hairstyler
Makeover Matic

Andrea's Anagrams

Has anyone tried Andrea's Anagrams? It's not as easy as you might think!

Note for Annalisa

As mentioned in class, in sync is not in the dictionary, but means, in synchronization, or occurring at the same time.

NSYNC was a very popular singing group that gave Justin Timberlake his fame. Check out the history of the band and these videos:

• (1999) Bye Bye Bye
• (2001) Pop

People making Pancakes

Costanza, Federica and Andrea had a Pancake Party. Costy took some photos. I'll post them when she gets back from her ski trip. I know others have tried the recipe. PLEASE share your experiences on the blog!

Magazines

PLEASE REMEMBER to bring your MAGAZINES to class on FRIDAY the 13th.

Oh my!

Talk about having a hole in the head! Take a look at this video. Copy this link:

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=O1KD7G0W0tQ

Write one word to describe your reaction in the comment space below.The interviewer says it's awesome, cool and amazing! I don't think so!

More info on Duffy

For those of you who say you don't know who DUFFY is, check out the MERCY video;
Stepping Stone;
Rain on Your Parade (also used on Wind commercial)
more Duffy on YouTube

Now do you know who she is?

PANCAKE recipe

Here is the PANCAKE RECIPE I use.

1) Stir together dry ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
4 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2) Mix 2 beaten eggs; 2 cups milk; and 2 tablespoons cooking oil

3) Add liquid mix to dry ingredients and stir until lumpy.

4) Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto a hot griddle. Cook until golden brown. Turn to cook other side when pancake has a bubbly surface and slightly dry edges.

Mock Maple Syrup:
Put equal amounts of water, white sugar and brown sugar in a pan and boil for about one minute.
Serve warm over pancakes.

Click here for metric conversion
For a Visual Food Dictionary click here
For more dictionary help
Pancake video

Add your favorite recipe in the comments section below!

Things to Do!

The new issue of TEAM magazine has arrived. Duffy is on the cover. Read more about her and listen to her speak Welsh

Who's your favorite singer? Can you tell us about him or her?

What do you know about Wales?
Research: What is Italy's national flower? Symbols? The city with the longest name?

How good is your hearing? What is a decibel?
Take a survey to vote on the worst sounds.

A New Year, a new beginning!

I hope you all enjoyed your holidays. I'm sure you all partied hard and slept a lot. Now it's time to get back to work!
Did you make any New Year resolutions? Try writing one below in comments. Let's see who has the best one!
Read how they say "Happy New Year" in these countries.
I wonder if the Turks pronounces Olsun like my last name.

China	"Gung Hay Fat Choy "
Denmark	"Godt Nytår"
France	"Bonne Année"
Germany	"Gutes Neues Jahr"
Hawaii	"Hauoli Makahiki Hou"
Ireland	"Aith-bhliain fé mhaise dhuit"
Israel	"Shana Tova"
Japan	"Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu"
Netherlands	"Gelukkig Nieuwjaar"
Norway	"Godt Nytt År"
Phillipines	"Maligayang Bagong Taon"
Poland	"Szczesliwego Nowego Roku"
Portugal	"Feliz Ano Novo"
Spain	"Feliz Año Nuevo"
Sweden	"Gott Nytt År"
Turkey	"Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun"