IMMIGRATION
Alabama passes tough immigration law
"The new legislation, similar to one passed last year in Arizona, requires schools to find out if students are there illegally.
The law, which takes effect on 1 September 2011, also make it a crime to give an illegal immigrant a ride in a car...
There are an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the US - and individual states have increasingly taken matters
into their own hands in an attempt to tackle the problem."
(BBC)
WAR / DRONES
Decoy swarm has the potential to protect attacking jets with hundreds of drones
"MALDs (miniature air launched decoys), for those of you not up on your wargadgets, are a cross between cruise missiles
and aerial drones -- a hybrid used to protect attacking jets by confusing or distracting the enemy during combat."
(engadget.com)
GIANT GLOBE
Mitsubishi creates giant OLED globe for Tokyo's museum-goers, cloud gazers
"This year, Tokyo's National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation is celebrating its 10th anniversary -- a milestone that
Mitsubishi is commemorating with a giant OLED globe. Comprised of over 10,000 Diamond Vision OLEDs (each measuring 96 x 96mm),
the six-meter 'Geo-Cosmos' installation will hang about 18 feet above the museum floor, where it will beam clouds and other satellite
images at a resolution of 10 million pixels."
(engadget.com)
GEESE / POLICE / ROAD
Geese given police escort on US highway
Article + Video 
"A Canada goose and her goslings are escorted from a busy highway in Seattle by no less than three police cars...
The operation "to get the little guys cleared" took around 20 minutes."
(telegraph.co.uk)
VOCABULARY :
1) goose / geese - goslings - the gaggle - the little guys
2) police escort - state troopers - motorists - the authorities - officers - patrol spokeswoman
3) busy highway - rush hour - lanes of traffic - highway exit
4) after - whilst
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(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2) (Permanent link 3)
RICH DOG
Trouble, the dog that inherited $12m, dies
"One of the world's richest dogs, which inherited $12 million (£7.3m) from eccentric US hotelier Leona Helmsley, has died...
The funds held in trust for her care have reverted to the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust for charitable purposes."
(telegraph.co.uk)
CELL PHONES / CANCER
Cell phones may cause cancer ? - a cartoon
"This cartoon by Gary Markstein from the Copley News Service relates to a recent World Health Organization press release
saying that using a cell phone may raise the risk of developing cancer."
+ COMMENTS + LINKS
(jeffreyhill.typepad.com)
(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2) (Permanent link 3) (Permanent link 4) (Permanent link 5)
ALLERGY / CATS
Cat lovers given new drug hope of 'beating their allergy to their pets'
(telegraph.co.uk)
(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2)
PRINCE PHILIP
New title for Duke of Edinburgh as he turns 90 - 10 June 2011
with a video
"The Queen has conferred the title and office of Lord High Admiral of the Navy on HRH Duke of Edinburgh
on the occasion of his 90th birthday."
(BBC)
Prince Philip turns 90 and vows to 'slow down' - 10 June 2011
with a video
"The Duke of Edinburgh, who has turned 90, has told the BBC he is "winding down"
and reducing his workload as a senior member of the royal family...
On Friday a 62-gun salute by the Honourable Artillery Company marked his birthday.
The Royal Mint has also marked the milestone by producing a commemorative £5 coin, available
in cupro-nickel, gold and silver, as well as a rare platinum edition at £5,450."
The Queen "married Prince Philip in 1947, making him the longest-serving consort in British history."
+ Prince Philip's 90th birthday service announced
+ Timeline: Prince Philip's first 90 years
+ Audio slideshow: Prince Philip's 90 years 
+ Prince Philip at 90 on a lifetime of speaking his mind - with a video
(BBC)
GM COWS
GM Cows To Produce Human Breast Milk (9th June, 2011)
- a lesson plan
(breakingnewsenglish.com)
TOPIC : Technology
Genetically modified cows produce 'human' milk
"Scientists have created genetically modified cattle that produce "human" milk in a bid to make cows' milk more nutritious."
(telegraph.co.uk)
(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2)
VEGETARIAN DIET
Actress dresses in salad for meat-free campaign
"In a campaign to highlight the benefits of a vegetarian diet, actress Gao Yuanyuan is wrapped in a gown of lettuce in China...
The consumption is going up, and related to that so are diseases related to meat consumption – cancer, heart disease."
(telegraph.co.uk)
(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2)
Find the phone - with sound
Students could imagine what is going to happen when they find the phone.
(imagenes.telematica.net)
(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2)
A new page :
Vocabulary - Pictures - Facts - Listening - Conversation questions and Debates -
Quiz - Worksheets - Lesson plans -
Cartoons - Songs - Videos - Cinema
FAIRY TALES : LESSON PLAN + MOVIES
'Tooth Fairy', 'The Princess and the Frog', 'Ella Enchanted' & 'Shrek': Fairy Tales
- a lesson plan with movie segments
(warmupsfollowups.blogspot.com)
PIERCING
World's most pierced woman gets married to balding civil servant
"The world's most pierced woman got married in Britain on Wednesday, to a balding retired civil servant who has no metal attached to his body...
Elaine Davidson (46), who has almost 7000 piercings covering her body, married Douglas Watson, at a low-key wedding reception in Edinburgh."
Her face "was painted green and covered in 192 piercings."
She "now has 6,925 including more than 1,500 that are "internal" that are said to weigh almost seven pounds.
According to her website, she "never removes the rings and studs"."
(telegraph.co.uk)
MILITARY ARSENAL
Gears of War: Inside America's Incredible Military Arsenal
(time.com)
"From high-tech stealth bombers, to the latest night-vision rifles and assault helicopters, the U.S. armed forces have the most sophisticated
military hardware in the world. Here are some of the niftiest pieces of equipment used in recent missions
from Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya to the Osama bin Laden raid in Pakistan."
Bin Laden Raid: Pakistan
Anti-Terrorism Missions: PakistanAmerican Aviator Rescue: LibyaOperation Odyssey Dawn: Libya |
AC-130 Gunship
(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2)
HUMOUR / HOMONYMS / HOMOPHONES / FALSE FRIENDS / SHOP / FOOD
Blackberry Sketch
(BBC)
+ the script
+ a worksheet
Sent by Francis Henné (Ac. Nancy-Metz)
Niveau 3ème
(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2) (Permanent link 3) (Permanent link 4) (Permanent link 5) (Permanent link 6) (Permanent link 7)
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought - June 17th
"The United Nations' World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is annually observed on June 17 to highlight the urgent need to curb
the desertification process. It also aims to strengthen the visibility of the drylands issue on the international environmental agenda."
(timeanddate.com)
See United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
(unccd.int)
English Lesson Plan on Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
(eslholidaylessons.com)
Twelfth Night Act 1 Sc 1
with a VIDEO
"English teachers from central Pennsylvania, wrote lesson plans based on these video segments."
(teachersdomain.org)
INTERNATIONAL DAY IN SUPPORT OF TORTURE VICTIMS - June 26th
English Lesson Plan on Day in Support of Torture Victims
(eslholidaylessons.com)
INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST DRUG ABUSE AND ILLICIT TRAFFICKING - June 26th
English Lesson Plan on Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
(eslholidaylessons.com)
WORLD BLOOD DONOR DAY - June 14th
English Lesson Plan on World Blood Donor Day
(eslholidaylessons.com)
CHILD LABOUR
English Lesson Plan on World Day Against Child Labour - June 12th
(eslholidaylessons.com)
FORTUNE TELLER / FUTURE
Fortune teller
"This lesson, suitable for pre-intermediate students, follows on from presentation and controlled practice of the future ‘will'.
It is an extended role-play activity which is simple to set up and fun for the students."
(teachingenglish.org.uk)
(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2) (Permanent link 3)
CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change overview
"In this lesson students will gain an overview of what climate change is.
They will read some short texts, exchange information and make notes.
They will also learn some useful vocabulary on the topic."
(teachingenglish.org.uk)
"LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER"
Pouvoir prendre part à un procès
"Cette séquence se propose de mener les élèves vers la prise de parole en interaction lors d’un procès simplifié
à partir de l’étude d’une nouvelle de Roald Dahl "Lamb to the Slaughter" mise en scène par Alfred Hitchcock...
Ce scénario a été testé en classe de troisième en fin d’année..."
(Cécile Clavel - Ac. Toulouse)
CONEY ISLAND
A Holiday in Coney Island. NY.
A video + Java Games: Flashcards, matching, concentration, and word search.
Created by Renée Maufroid. (Ac. Lille)
CHILD LABOUR
Child Slavery - Lesson plans 
(continuetolearn.uiowa.edu)
High street retailers accused of exploiting workers in Asia - an article
"Report claims Tesco, John Lewis, Levis and Asda are among UK firms denying factory workers a living wage...
Any members of the Ethical Trading Initiative, an alliance of UK retailers and trade unions working to improve lives around the world,
must sign up to a labour practice code which stipulates that working conditions should be safe and hygenic, that child labour is not used
and that reasonable wages are paid."
(guardian.co.uk)
US: End Child Labor in the Fields
"Hundreds of thousands of children are employed as farmworkers in the United States, often working 10 or more hours a day.
They are often exposed to dangerous pesticides, experience high rates of injury, and suffer fatalities...
The Children’s Act for Responsible Employment (CARE Act) would update US law to ensure that all working children are protected equally."
(kintera.org)
Fingers to the Bone: Child Farmworkers in the United States
(YouTube)
Children of the Fields
"a short documentary about the hidden problem of migrant children working in U.S. agriculture today...
Filmed in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Texas..."
(YouTube)
THE AMAZING RACE
Recommendé par Marie Luce Morin (Ac. Rouen) :
"Cherchant une tâche finale pour la séquence aventure en 4ème, j'ai pensé à une émission télé
dans laquelle les participants se montrent débrouillards et sportifs.
Je suis tombée sur l'émission américaine « The Amazing Race ».
La « saison » 18 , épisode 2 se déroule en Australie.
Je pense que la tâche intermédiaire va consister à se présenter pour le casting de cette émission: les pays que j'ai déjà visités, les expériences que j'ai déjà eues (nourriture, moyen de transport etc...) et à présenter la personne avec qui l'on part: la règle du jeu; une équipe de 2 personnes."
Des videos exploitables :
The Amazing Race : Season 18 - Episode 2 - In Australia
- The Amazing Race 18 Episode 2 Part 2
- The Amazing Race 18 Episode 2 Part 3
- The Amazing Race 18 Episode 2 Part 4
- The Amazing Race 18 Episode 2 Part 5 :
"Cette partie me semble exploitable pour montrer quelques éléments de la culture aborigène."
(YouTube)
SAGGY TROUSERS
Saggy trousers banned on Texas buses
"Saggy trousers may be fashionable among urban youth but they won't be allowed on some buses in the state of Texas...
"Pull 'em up or find another ride," reads signs on city buses in Ft. Worth."
"The saggy trousers look has been around for more than a decade, tracing its roots to prison attire because inmates are not issued belts.
It spread to the rap and hip-hop music community, and from there became a popular symbol of freedom
and cultural awareness for many young people."
(telegraph.co.uk)
(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2)
EUTHANASIA
“Dr Death” Dies Aged 83 (4th June, 2011)
- a lesson plan
TOPIC : assisted suicide
(newsenglishlessons.com)
Dr. Jack Kevorkian Dies at 83: A Doctor Who Helped End Lives
"In arguing for the right of the terminally ill to choose how they die, Dr. Kevorkian challenged
social taboos about disease and dying while defying prosecutors and the courts."
(nytimes.com)
BULLYING
Student bullying - infographic
"The statistics show a student is bullied every seven minutes in the U.S.A., and that most of the time, bullying occurs on playgrounds.
77% of students are bullied and cyber-bullying is rapidly approaching this percentage as well."
(anglais.over-blog.org)
CULTURE
Causey Farm
"is a family-run, fun based venue for a variety of entertainment, tourism and educational programs...
Our educational programs have an interactive, 'Hands-On' focus, visitors get to participate in all activities.
For international tourists - learn about live Irish culture the fun way!
Dance a jig, play the bodhráin, cut turf in a bog, bake brown soda bread, see a sheepdog at work and more!...
Causey Farm is situated 5 miles from Kells in County Meath, just 40 miles from Dublin, Ireland."
(causey.ie)
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CELL PHONE / CANCER
Cell phones cause cancer - Cartoons
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To avoid brain cancer - a cartoon
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(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2)
ORGAN TRAFFICKING
China: Teenager 'sells kidney for iPad 2'
"The 17-year-old... told a local TV station he had arranged the sale of the kidney over the internet...
It all started when the high school student saw an online advert offering money to organ donors.
Illegal agents organised a trip to the hospital and paid him $3,392 (£2,077) after the operation.
With the cash the student bought an iPad 2, as well as a laptop...
In 2007, Chinese authorities banned organ trafficking and have introduced a voluntary donor scheme to try to combat the trade."
(BBC)
More information here (siliconrepublic.com) and there. (telegraph.co.uk)
NUCLEAR
Special report : NUCLEAR ENERGY
"25 years after Chernobyl, a nuclear crisis confronts Japan. We examine the pros and cons of our nuclear world...
Explore our global database of nuclear reactors."
+ Featured Stories
+ Timeline of Nuclear History - interactive
(voanews.com)
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
What have they been doing?
"First watch the video , then click on "play this game". There are four pages of activities."
Created by Renée Maufroid. (Ac. Lille)
DANGERS / FOOD / HEALTH
Deadly E. Coli Strikes Europe (3rd June, 2011)
- a lesson plan
(breakingnewsenglish.com)
TOPIC : Dangers
(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2) (Permanent link 3)
IDIOMS
Idioms 4 You
English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions including definitions, explanations, conjugations, scenarios and audio.
Since launching the site, Robert Ross has added many fine illustrations. 
(idioms4you.com)
"to rest on your laurels"
DICTIONARY
lingro - dictionary
(lingro.com)
EXAMPLE :
WATCH Lingro on-line training videos
(teachertrainingvideos.com)
ICE CREAM VAN
World’s first amphibious ice cream van sets sail on The Thames
"The vessel reaches a top speed of five knots and chimes Rod Stewart’s classic ‘We Are Sailing’ (lyrics under the video)
as it ploughs through the waves."
+ a VIDEO
(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2)
TRAINING VIDEOS
ELT/ESL TRAINING VIDEOS
with great sites and tips on how to use them
(teachertrainingvideos.com)
BLACK HISTORY
Milestones in Black History
"African Americans and their contributions to American society and culture are honored each February with Black History Month.
Since arriving in America in 1619 as slaves, African Americans have fought for their independence and to be seen as equals.
These struggles have produced many historical icons and events that make all Americans proud..."
- with "a chronological list of many events that shaped black history and some information
about the brave men and women who led the way for today’s generation."
(usa-people-search.com)
Thanks to Mrs Morgan Suzies
NUCLEAR
Germany To Close All Nuclear Power Plants (31st May, 2011)
- a lesson plan
(breakingnewsenglish.com)
See Nuclear energy
MOBILES / CANCER
Mobiles 'may cause brain cancer'
" The World Health Organization's cancer research agency says mobile phones are "possibly carcinogenic"...
it is important to take pragmatic measures to reduce exposure such as hands free devices or texting."
See : What else is labelled possibly carcinogenic ?
(BBC)
(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2)
POLICE
Brazilian police to use 'Robocop-style' glasses at World Cup
"Brazilian police will use futuristic 'Robocop-style' glasses fitted with facial recognition equipment
to identify and root out troublemakers at the 2014 World Cup...
A small camera fitted to the glasses can capture 400 facial images per second and
send them to a central computer database storing up to 13 million faces...
The camera will generally be used to scan faces in crowds up to 50 metres (164ft) away but can be adjusted,
if searching for a specific target, to recognise faces as far as 12 miles away...
Robocop, the American film of 1987, told the story of a police officer who was killed by criminals
but re-created as a cyborg with an array of weaponry and built-in zoom vision."
(telegraph.co.uk)
 "Military Police officials from Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have been given demonstrations of how the device works." |
 Robocop |
MUSIC
EXCELLENT DOCUMENTARY ON NEW YORK CITY’S MID-1970S’ MUSIC SCENE - 4 videos
- "superb BBC documentary on the birth of punk, disco and hip hop in New York City."
(dangerousminds.net)
IRAQ WAR
“She died on an incident that I sent her on.”
"Max Voelz met his future wife, Kimberly, on Valentine’s Day, while they were training to work
in Explosive Ordnance Disposal — the Army’s elite bomb squad.
Both Max and Kim were sent to Iraq in 2003. One night, Max called in the location of an explosive
and Kim was sent to disarm it. She did not survive the mission.
Max sat down for StoryCorps to remember her."
(storycorps.org)
Army Couple Deploys To Iraq, But Only One Returns - an article
(npr.org)
DAILY ROUTINE
Useful dog tricks
"Jesse loves helping around the house."
(YouTube)
- with a song : Josh Woodward - Coffee :
"My life is grounded in a firm routine
Of coffee sleep and work"
(lipwalklyrics.com)
Thanks to Renée Maufroid. (Ac. Lille)
STORYTELLING
Storytelling – #eltchat summary
"Storytelling is one of those great lessons where students are mostly in control and have freedom to be creative."
IDEAS FOR GETTING STUDENTS TELLING STORIES
(eltchat.com)
NUCLEAR
Germany: Nuclear power plants to close by 2022
"The decision makes Germany the biggest industrial power to announce plans to give up nuclear energy...
you can base your energy policy not on nuclear, not on coal, but on renewables."
(BBC)
SWEARING
£80 fine for swearing in public
"Swearing in public could result in boisterous people being fined £80 in a new police initiative to combat anti-social behaviour...
Officers in Barnsley, in south Yorkshire, have been told to monitor the language of people
out shopping, eating or merely relaxing in the town centre...
The fines are a part of a series of monthly campaigns aimed at tackling different types of anti-social behaviour."
(telegraph.co.uk)
GUN GESTURES 
School reprimands seven-year-old boys for playing 'army game'
in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
"A primary school has been condemned by parents for disciplining two seven-year-old boys after teachers ruled
playing army games amounted to "threatening behaviour"...
Staff ... reprimanded the two boys after they were seen making pistol shapes with their fingers."
The school said "the gun gestures were “unacceptable” and were not permitted at school."
(telegraph.co.uk)
(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2)
BOOKS / HAY FESTIVAL
20 facts about Hay-on-Wye and its famous festival
on the Wales-England border.
"There are about 30 bookshops in Hay-on-Wye...
Bill Clinton described the Hay Festival as 'The Woodstock of the Mind'."
Ticket sales up as stars descend on Hay Festival 2011 + AUDIO : Rob Lowe and Ralph Fiennes
(BBC)
Hay-on-Wye (Welsh: Y Gelli Gandryll),
"often described as "the town of books", is a small market town and community in Powys, Wales...
Since 1988, Hay-on-Wye has been the venue for a literary festival, now sponsored by The Daily Telegraph newspaper, which draws
a claimed 80,000 visitors over ten days at the beginning of June to see and hear big literary names from all over the world."
(Wikipedia)
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THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL RUNS FROM 26 MAY TO 5 JUNE 2011.
See the headline guests.
(hayfestival.com)
(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2)
IMMIGRATION
'House of Fog and Sand' & 'The Visitor': Illegal Immigration
- a lesson plan with movie segments
(warmupsfollowups.blogspot.com)
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Crossing Over: Immigration
- a lesson plan with movie segments
(warmupsfollowups.blogspot.com)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
"is a 2011 comedy film based on the book of the same name... It is the sequel to 2010's Diary of a Wimpy Kid. "
(Wikipedia)
"Seventh grade student Greg Heffley endures trials and tribulations at school but they are nothing compared
to the bullying he suffers at home from his older brother, Rodrick."
(londonnet.co.uk)
Watch the TRAILER
(YouTube)
ENVIRONMENT
'Avatar': Environment, Sustainability
- a lesson plan with movie segments
(warmupsfollowups.blogspot.com)
(Permanent link 1) (Permanent link 2)
BACKGROUNDS :
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