Thursday 25 November 2010

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women


In December 1999, the 54th session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring November 25th the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

The origins of November 25th go back to 1960, when the three Mirabal sisters from the Dominican Republic were violently assassinated for their political activism. The sisters, known as the Unforgettable Butterflies, became a symbol of the crisis of violence against women in Latin America. November 25th was the date chosen to commemorate their lives and promote global recognition of gender violence.

For more information, click here. If you want to read and listen to a text about violence against women, click here.

And now you can watch this ad, which is part of an initiative of the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect aimed at ensuring the safety and wellbeing of Australia's children.

Wednesday 24 November 2010

Year 1: Present Simple

Do you want to revise what we've seen about the Present simple? Check out these exercises:
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3

Now you can watch this video and do the exercise.

Thursday 11 November 2010

Year 4: Remembrance Day

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, the guns of Europe fell silent. After four years of terrible fighting, The First World War ended. This moment is still commemorated by millions of people in Britain every year.

Find out more about Remembrance Day.

Now you are ready to do the crossword.

Sunday 7 November 2010

Year 1: Bonfire night

Bonfire Night is celebrated across the UK on 5 November. The date marks the failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament by Guy Fawkes along with a group of co-conspirators in London in 1605.

Find out more about...

Guy Fawkes and Bonfire night

Bonfire Night Traditions in the UK

Friday 5 November 2010

Year 4: Guy Fawkes

Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.

I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot...

This November 5th is Guy Fawkes' Night and it will be celebrated by people across the UK. This year is the 405th anniversary of Guy Fawkes' failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament, King James I and the entire English government.

Luckily, the plot failed but why do people in the UK continue to celebrate such a violent event more than 400 years after the actual attempt?

If you want to know more about the gunpowder plot, you can watch this BBC documentary:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

Then do the crossword and play this game.

Do you want to know more about the history of the nursery rhyme? Check out this website.