4º British: The Umbrella’s Revolution at Hong Kong, 2014

As I usually tell you in class, History is always repeated. This is the reason why is so important to have a good knowledge about our past. As an example, you will start a comparaison between the French Revolution (1789) and the so-called "Umbrella’s revolution" (2014). I am sure you will find this up-to-date activity quite different and interesting.

It is a triple-task activity. Read carefully the instructions and answer ALL the questions as completely as possible. It can be done individually or in pairs. When finish (deadline: Monday, 17 October), send your answers in PDF format as attached file to acarriles@educa.jcyl.es This activity is mandatory and you will receive a mark for it.

Task 1. Research. Use information from the BBC article “Hong Kong’s Democracy Debate” to answer the following questions:

1.1. In what year did China take control of Hong Kong?

1.2. How was the leader of Hong Kong elected before the Revolt?

1.3. What change to Hong Kong’s election process did the Chinese government announce in August 2014?

1.4. Why did this upset democracy activists in Hong Kong?

1.5. How has China responded to the protests?

Task 2. Photo analysis. From this collection of photos, choose 2 of them and explain their meaning. Maybe you need also to read this BBC explanation of symbols.  

Add the chosen photo in your document with each comment. Did you find something specially interesting or surprising in the photos? (What? Why?). Keep in mind that a photograph cannot give you a complete picture of the protests, and you should be careful about drawing conclusions from the photographs.

Task 3. Comparaison with the French Revolution. Use your own knowledge to answer the following questions:

3.1. What were the similarities and differences between both Revolutions? Name, at least, 3 similarities and 3 differences.

3.2. Did the Umbrella’s Revolt get through the same steps that the French revolution? Why?

3.3. Do you think that they (both) were a success or not? Why?

3.4. Why do YOU think people is still revolting in different parts of the world?

Ready? 3, 2, 1...

3º British: Studying Geography by riding a bike_ La Vuelta

Good news! Today I bring a new and a bit different activity for studying the Geography of Spain: La Vuelta! Run from Saturday 14 August 2021 to Sunday 5 September 2021, La Vuelta 21 was made up of 21 stages and covered a total distance of 3.417 kilometers!

 

How does it work?

You (or your group) must choose ONE of the CCAA that received La Vuelta this year  and do a detailed research of it; therefore, the first thing to do is visit the official website of the cycling tour: https://www.lavuelta.es/en/overall-route. The activity will be organise in different tasks or stages (as in the ride!) and you will be adding marks to your score. Ready? 

 

Section 1: Inaugural time trial

Exam of political Spain (CCAA – provinces – capital cities). The teacher will provide a blank map for solving the riddle in a maximun of 10 minutes during a class.

 

Section 2: Study of the physical geography of the chosen CCAA 

Create a mind-map, a prezzi or a ppt presentation with the information required in the following items (remember that it would be always a good idea to include images or maps that can illustrate your answers!):

- Brief description of its natural relief; if having several environments, include a mention of all of them (flat, mountainous, coastal...)

- Brief description of its fluvial system (What are the most important rivers in that region? Are they long or short? Why? How are their flow rates? What sea / ocean do they flow into?)

- Brief description of its weather/climate; if having several climatic areas, include a mention of all of them (do not forget to include some climate graphs to illustrate this point)

- Brief description of the tipical vegetation and fauna linked to that climatic condictions.

 

When finish this part, send your file in pdf format (or the link to your prezi presentation) to acarriles@educa.jcyl.es.

 

Section 3: Study of the human geography of the CCAA

 

Create a mind-map, a prezzi or a ppt presentation with the information required in the following items (remember that it would be always a good idea to include images or maps that can illustrate your answers!):

- Population (To check the official census, the best option is the website of INE but datosmacro could be also hepful for the detailed population piramids)

- Population analysis: is the population well balance or uneven distributed in any particular group? (eg. Very low percentage of young population). Why? Could the CCAA suffer any type of problem derivated from that?

- Is there any remarkable phenomena linked to population of that CCAA? (eg. natalist policies, migration waves...)

- Population distribution: what are the main cities? How is their shape and size?, what about the rural areas? Are the “emptied areas”? Why?... For illustrating this point it would be necessary to include images (screenshots) from google maps (you can use the "street" or "satellite" option. Or both!)

 

Again, when finish this part, send your file in pdf format (or the link to your prezi presentation) to acarriles@educa.jcyl.es.

A usual, some basic rules before starting: this activity can be done individually or in groups (maximum, 4 people); it would be a long-larsting activity, with different sections among the academic year, keep that in mind and stay focus ;) Of course, this is a mandatory activity; If you do not do it, or do it out of time, your mark here will be 0.

Ready? Steady?... go!

British: Academic Information for 2021-22

Hello, hello! Hope you have enjoyed a great summer because... we are back!

In the following links you can read the academic information for this academic year: 

1º E.S.O. British

2º E.S.O. British

3º E.S.O. British

4º E.S.O. British

As usual, you can also read the Assesment Criteria and donwload the "text book" and the monthly works for homework in the tab "APUNTES". 

Are you ready? 3... 2... 1... Let's go! :)

That's all, students!

 

Despite the extra level of stress and difficulty, we manage to complete another academic year. Congratulations to all for your marks and your good behaviour! You really deserve your summer holidays!

As usual, this last post also include some recommendations. Needless to say, this year's reading suggestions are about other historical pandemias...

The ghost map: the story of London's most terrific epidemic (cholera), by Steven Johnson. 

The pale rider: the Spanish flu of 1918 and how it changed the world, by Laura Spinney.

A planet of viruses, by Carl Zimmer.

Pandemias, by Tomek Żarneck

Of course, do not forget you may find other titles (both books and films) from previous years in the tab: Recommendations.

Enjoy the summer! Have fun... but take care! 

2º British: How to organise an art exhibition “I’m a curator of Museo del Prado”

 

Before starting, we need a definition... What does an ART CURATOR do?

 

In the art world, the title of "curator" identifies a person who selects and often interprets different works of art, whether they be paintings, statues, tapestries, or video art. In addition to selecting works, the curator is often responsible for writing labels, catalog essays, and other content supporting art exhibitions.

Art curators (in Spanish: “Comisario de la exposición”) have an eye for a variety of art forms and a passion for staging artwork in a way that creates interest in the exhibition space, whether it is small or large, contained within four walls, or staged outdoors.

 

What is your new task them?

Being a curator of an exhibition in Museo del Prado is a really beautiful but quite demanding job, there is a lot of pressure and responsability over your soulders... that is, precisely, why this activity can be done individually or in groups (maximum 3 people).

 

The activity is divided in 3 stages, all of them mandatory. You will have in your email the basics but pay attention to the detailed explanations the teacher will provide at class:

 

Stage 1. Preparation. Choose a topic/theme and 12 art masterpieces that fit that topic. They should be mostly paintings but you can also include one sculpture or another artifact (such as furniture or jewellery). From that total of 12 artworks, 2 of them MUST be from outside Museo del Prado; therefore, you will have to prepare requests forms for museum loans, transportation and insurance. Of course, such as ambitious plann will costs money, take care with the budget provided! If you can “find” a sponsor, you will “receive” some extra useful funds... When finish, send all the documents (in pdf format) to acarriles@educa.jcyl.es

 

Stage 2. Working on! Settle an exhibition takes time as it includes the distribution of the artworks in the exhibition room, and the design of the advertising poster and catalogue. Again, when finish, send all the documents and updated budget (in pdf format) to acarriles@educa.jcyl.es

 

Stage 3. Ready to open. The artworks are ready but... have you think in all the complementary activities needed in a museum? Educational workshops for schools, guided visits, etc. Be creative with this part but stick to the plan and budget! Again, when finish, send all the documents and updated final budget (in pdf format) to acarriles@educa.jcyl.es

 

 

What a deal! Do not panic, it looks difficult but not impossible. Remember: Check your email and you will find the instructions and documents for dealing with the first stage; pay attention to the explanations and clarifications provide at class (and to the delivery date for it!). Ready? Steady? Go!

 

You can start by, of course the official websiteof Museo del Prado, where you can see its complete online catalogue, with all the technical and historical information, and even a very useful clasification by topics... Another good link is the online universal catalogue Art&Culture by Google.

As usual, this activity is mandatory and you will receive a mark for it. If you failed to do it, do it out of time or just copy&paste, your mark will be zero (0).

1º British: Population in extreme weather zones

Today's activity requires a more elaborated work: you must choose ONE community that lives in extreme weather conditions (see the list below) and do a reseach (as usual, PDF format), as complete as possible, about their way of life. You can (must) add maps, graphs and pictures.

You should include (at least) the following ítems:

- Environment and climate: Where do they live? (add a MAP with the location) How is the climate and the landscape in which they live? (add a CLIMATE GRAPH).

- Life: How do they live? (Economic activities, housing, food ...); How do environmental factors influence their clothing and ornaments? Why is it said that they represent one of the most extreme cases of human adaptation?

- Problems and adaptation: Have they experienced any kind of marginalization? Which one? Have they changed their traditional way of life in recent years? How? Why? Has it been a positive or negative change? Why? What problems do these people face nowadays?

- Conclusions: your opinion about the chosen community. What have you learned or has called your attention?

- Webgraphy (links to websites consulted) and Credits (which section was done by each team member).

This work can be done individually or in groups (maximum, 4 people). When finish, send your work (both files) to acarriles@educa.jcyl.es (remember that you can use wetransfer.com freely and safely). After that, you will also do an oral presentation in class. As usual, this work will be part of the score at the end of the term. If you fail to finish them or you give it out of date, the mark will be a 0 for this work.

Here is the list where you can choose from:

- Life in the bush: the Masai (Africa)

- Life in the desert: the Tuareg (Africa)

- Life in the desert of South Africa: Bushmen

- Life in the Asian desert: Mongolian herders

- Life in the woods: the Irulas or "snake hunters" (India and Sri Lanka)

- Life in the Amazon: the Yanomami (Brazil).

- Life on the tundra: Sami (northern Europe)

- Life in polar regions: the Eskimos or Inuit (Alaska, Canada and Greenland)

- Life in the heights: the Sherpas (Nepal), well known among mountaineers.

Two links you can use for starting your research: Brightside and ATI. 

Good luck with the work! :)

2º British: Your own guided visit to Ávila

As promised, it is your turn to become professional touristical guides. In groups (maximun 4 people) you will several days to prepare a guided visit to ONE of the following historical monuments of Ávila:

• Medieval Wall
• Cathedral
• Basilica of San Vicente
• Convento La Encarnación
• San Pedro (El Grande)
• San Andrés

The guided visit will be ONLY about the exterior area but there are several parts you MUST talk about (historical context, architectural plan, author, main gate, decoration, etc.). It would be also interesting and positive if you can add a legend or historical anecdote linked to your chosen monument. In any case, be aware that you should be able to talk 8-12 minutes! 

You can use the official website of Avila Tourism to study the monuments and there are also some tips for speaking as professional guides (both webs in Spanish). Prepare your speech/draft (pdf format) and 3 high-resolution images and send them to acarriles@educa.jcyl.es. 

The oral explanation of your choosen monument will take place LIVE. Of course, all members of the team HAVE TO talk. Collaboration and team effort would be important.

As usual, this work is mandatory and will be part of your final score this term. If you fail to do it, you will receive a 0.