11 May 2009
Steps 13-14 - Drawing scenes that will help the story
The students will now draw pictures that depict scenes that will help the story, and the teachers will scan the drawings so that some of them can be published here on the blog.
7 May 2009
Steps 11 and 12 - THE STORY!
More than one good friend
“My parents are going to Venice on Saturday, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with us,” Adriana whispered to Sandra that sunny, warm morning. They were in their classroom, sitting side by side, doing the first lesson of the day. Sandra smiled happily at her new friend. As the new girl in school, she was excited that her classmates – some of them, at least – seemed interested in making her feel welcome.
Sandra had first come to Adriana's school three days ago. She then entered the classroom with Mrs Taylor, the class teacher, and for the first minute - while Mrs Taylor was introducing her to the class - she stood there in front of her future classmates, as calm as she could pretend to be, half excited and half afraid really.
But it turned out that her new classmates were more than OK, especially Cristina. She was a slender girl with reddish hair and cute freckles all over her face. She was the best student in class, and very popular too. She always wore beautiful clothes and interesting jewelry. Cristina was sitting in the desk in front of Sandra and Adriana.
Sandra's deskmate, Adriana, was a rather plump girl with wonderful blond hair. She was Cristina's best friend. Sandra was happy to be friends with both of them.
Yet Adriana had become more jealous of Cristina by the minute during the last three days. And now that Adriana had asked her to go to Venice on Saturday, Sandra was wondering whether Cristina would join them. "I hope Cristina is coming too," she told Adriana. "Sure," came the answer, "we often do things together at the weekend." Sandra was happy, secretly hoping the trip would bring the three of them closer together.
On Saturday morning Adriana's parents, Adriana, Cristina and Sandra went to Venice by train. Their town was not far away from Venice, and the sunny weather seemed to promise a great day from the first hours of the morning.
However, the green monster called jealousy soon raised its ugly head. Adriana's parents went to visit an old relative of theirs and the three girls had three hours to themselves, so they decided to walk the famous sights of Venice. Sandra was extremely pleased to see her friends would show her the highlights of Venice on her very first time there! But it seemed that no matter what they did or how slowly they walked, Adriana couldn't keep up with them. Soon Adriana started to feel that she didn't fit in any longer. Cristina and Sandra laughed happily and admired all the amazing things Venice had to offer them, while Adriana was always one step behind them, hardly keeping up.
The worst thing happened when they all got in a gondola for the short ride to the island of Murano. Adriana didn't like water, she was even afraid of it, and the whole ride she just stayed curled up by herself in the middle of the boat, waiting for the ride to end.
She didn't say anything to the girls - she just let them be merry. But inside of her jealousy was growing fast, and after the trip was over.Late at night, tucked in her bed, Adriana knew something had changed that day, and maybe Cristina couldn't be her best friend any more as she now had Sandra.
The last stroke was still to come. It happened on Monday, at school. Even if she didn't seem to pay much attention to Adriana in Venice, Cristina actually kept in mind the fact that Adriana was so afraid of water, and in a conversation during one of the breaks with another classmate this sentence just popped up. By the last break many schoolmates were aware of Adriana's fear.
When Adriana accidentally heard two girls talking about her, she went to Cristina, extremely mad at her.
"Hey, that's not really friendly, what you've been doing," she started. "It actually is really mean. What if I told everybody about your crush on Marco Celentano? Ooops! It just slipped!"
"You'd better stop," answered Cristina, "or I'll tell everybody about the doll you still have in bed with you every night. Ooops! It just slipped!..."
Luckily the bell interrupted their fight. The teacher on duty, Mrs Taylor, who had witnessed the scene along with other students, Cristina included, told everybody to go to their classrooms, but stopped Adriana, Cristina and Sandra and told them they needed to go to the school counsellor's office.
Not really sure why they had to go there, the three girls left the schoolyard and headed for the school counsellor's office. When they arrived there, Mr Johnson the school counsellor was waiting for them.
"Your teacher tells me that you three started not to get along with each other a couple of days ago or so."
Cristina was the first to answer: "You are wrong there, Mr Johnson. We are best friends. We talk. We have just talked. So can we go now?"
"No, you haven't really talked," said the counsellor.
Adriana admitted: "Yeah, I have a problem with little Miss Perfect here. She's always trying to steal my friend."
Sandra started to answer her: "Adriana, I didn't know you felt that way..."
Cristina's words interrupted her: "You never want to hang around with me anyway, Adriana, and Sandra does, so I hang around with her. And there's another thing. You're always trying to be the centre of attention."
Stunned at first, Adriana began to understand Cristina's point of view - "Cristina is also feeling jealousy," she thought to herself - and something lit up inside her and almost cried: "I don't see why we can't hang around together. A person can have more than one good friend, right?"
Sandra was quick to agree: "Yes, I want you both to be my best friends!"
The counsellor was content. "Have you all learned something today?"
Following the girls' approval, he continued in a low voice: “Adriana and Cristina, do you think that you could both be friends with Sandra?” Sandra was again the quickest in answering that – “I really want to be. Can I be a friend to both of you?” The three girls hugged tightly after both Adriana and Cristina shouted “Yes!” Mr Johnson felt relieved and proud that the girls could learn an important lesson: a person can have more than one good friend in life.
“My parents are going to Venice on Saturday, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with us,” Adriana whispered to Sandra that sunny, warm morning. They were in their classroom, sitting side by side, doing the first lesson of the day. Sandra smiled happily at her new friend. As the new girl in school, she was excited that her classmates – some of them, at least – seemed interested in making her feel welcome.
Sandra had first come to Adriana's school three days ago. She then entered the classroom with Mrs Taylor, the class teacher, and for the first minute - while Mrs Taylor was introducing her to the class - she stood there in front of her future classmates, as calm as she could pretend to be, half excited and half afraid really.
But it turned out that her new classmates were more than OK, especially Cristina. She was a slender girl with reddish hair and cute freckles all over her face. She was the best student in class, and very popular too. She always wore beautiful clothes and interesting jewelry. Cristina was sitting in the desk in front of Sandra and Adriana.
Sandra's deskmate, Adriana, was a rather plump girl with wonderful blond hair. She was Cristina's best friend. Sandra was happy to be friends with both of them.
Yet Adriana had become more jealous of Cristina by the minute during the last three days. And now that Adriana had asked her to go to Venice on Saturday, Sandra was wondering whether Cristina would join them. "I hope Cristina is coming too," she told Adriana. "Sure," came the answer, "we often do things together at the weekend." Sandra was happy, secretly hoping the trip would bring the three of them closer together.
On Saturday morning Adriana's parents, Adriana, Cristina and Sandra went to Venice by train. Their town was not far away from Venice, and the sunny weather seemed to promise a great day from the first hours of the morning.
However, the green monster called jealousy soon raised its ugly head. Adriana's parents went to visit an old relative of theirs and the three girls had three hours to themselves, so they decided to walk the famous sights of Venice. Sandra was extremely pleased to see her friends would show her the highlights of Venice on her very first time there! But it seemed that no matter what they did or how slowly they walked, Adriana couldn't keep up with them. Soon Adriana started to feel that she didn't fit in any longer. Cristina and Sandra laughed happily and admired all the amazing things Venice had to offer them, while Adriana was always one step behind them, hardly keeping up.
The worst thing happened when they all got in a gondola for the short ride to the island of Murano. Adriana didn't like water, she was even afraid of it, and the whole ride she just stayed curled up by herself in the middle of the boat, waiting for the ride to end.
She didn't say anything to the girls - she just let them be merry. But inside of her jealousy was growing fast, and after the trip was over.Late at night, tucked in her bed, Adriana knew something had changed that day, and maybe Cristina couldn't be her best friend any more as she now had Sandra.
The last stroke was still to come. It happened on Monday, at school. Even if she didn't seem to pay much attention to Adriana in Venice, Cristina actually kept in mind the fact that Adriana was so afraid of water, and in a conversation during one of the breaks with another classmate this sentence just popped up. By the last break many schoolmates were aware of Adriana's fear.
When Adriana accidentally heard two girls talking about her, she went to Cristina, extremely mad at her.
"Hey, that's not really friendly, what you've been doing," she started. "It actually is really mean. What if I told everybody about your crush on Marco Celentano? Ooops! It just slipped!"
"You'd better stop," answered Cristina, "or I'll tell everybody about the doll you still have in bed with you every night. Ooops! It just slipped!..."
Luckily the bell interrupted their fight. The teacher on duty, Mrs Taylor, who had witnessed the scene along with other students, Cristina included, told everybody to go to their classrooms, but stopped Adriana, Cristina and Sandra and told them they needed to go to the school counsellor's office.
Not really sure why they had to go there, the three girls left the schoolyard and headed for the school counsellor's office. When they arrived there, Mr Johnson the school counsellor was waiting for them.
"Your teacher tells me that you three started not to get along with each other a couple of days ago or so."
Cristina was the first to answer: "You are wrong there, Mr Johnson. We are best friends. We talk. We have just talked. So can we go now?"
"No, you haven't really talked," said the counsellor.
Adriana admitted: "Yeah, I have a problem with little Miss Perfect here. She's always trying to steal my friend."
Sandra started to answer her: "Adriana, I didn't know you felt that way..."
Cristina's words interrupted her: "You never want to hang around with me anyway, Adriana, and Sandra does, so I hang around with her. And there's another thing. You're always trying to be the centre of attention."
Stunned at first, Adriana began to understand Cristina's point of view - "Cristina is also feeling jealousy," she thought to herself - and something lit up inside her and almost cried: "I don't see why we can't hang around together. A person can have more than one good friend, right?"
Sandra was quick to agree: "Yes, I want you both to be my best friends!"
The counsellor was content. "Have you all learned something today?"
Following the girls' approval, he continued in a low voice: “Adriana and Cristina, do you think that you could both be friends with Sandra?” Sandra was again the quickest in answering that – “I really want to be. Can I be a friend to both of you?” The three girls hugged tightly after both Adriana and Cristina shouted “Yes!” Mr Johnson felt relieved and proud that the girls could learn an important lesson: a person can have more than one good friend in life.
29 Apr 2009
Guidelines for Step 11
Tips for writing stories
* Use adjectives to describe the weather and atmosphere.
* Use at least one simile to keep the reader alert.
* Use the Past Simple to talk about actions that happened at a specific time in the past. Use the Past Continuous to talk about an action that was happening at a specific time in the past. Use the Past Perfect to describe an action that happened before another action in the past.
* Use time words (first, as soon as, then, after etc.) to make the order in which events happen clear to the reader.
* Use Direct Speech to make the story more interesting to the reader.
* Use adjectives to describe the weather and atmosphere.
* Use at least one simile to keep the reader alert.
* Use the Past Simple to talk about actions that happened at a specific time in the past. Use the Past Continuous to talk about an action that was happening at a specific time in the past. Use the Past Perfect to describe an action that happened before another action in the past.
* Use time words (first, as soon as, then, after etc.) to make the order in which events happen clear to the reader.
* Use Direct Speech to make the story more interesting to the reader.
3 FACTFILES
1
Name: Adriana
In the play: main character, jealous friend
Hair: blond
Height: 1.55 m
Built: rather plump
Special features: simple clothes
2
Name: Sandra
In the play: new girl at school
Hair: chestnut
Height: 1.60 m
Built: slender
Special features: glasses
3
Name: Cristina
In the play: Adriana's friend
Hair: reddish
Height: 1.65 m
Built: slender
Special features: cute freckles, beautiful clothes, jewelry
Name: Adriana
In the play: main character, jealous friend
Hair: blond
Height: 1.55 m
Built: rather plump
Special features: simple clothes
2
Name: Sandra
In the play: new girl at school
Hair: chestnut
Height: 1.60 m
Built: slender
Special features: glasses
3
Name: Cristina
In the play: Adriana's friend
Hair: reddish
Height: 1.65 m
Built: slender
Special features: cute freckles, beautiful clothes, jewelry
21 Apr 2009
BEGINNING and END
The beginning:
“My parents are going to Venice on Saturday, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with us,” Adriana whispered to Sandra that sunny, warm morning. They were in their classroom, sitting side by side, doing the first lesson of the day. Sandra smiled happily at her new friend. As the new girl in school, she was excited that her classmates – some of them, at least – seemed interested in making her feel welcome.
The end:
“Adriana and Cristina, do you think that you could both be friends with Sandra?” asked Mr Johnson in a low voice. Sandra was the quickest in answering that – “I really want to be. Can I be a friend to both of you?” The three girls hugged tightly after both Adriana and Cristina shouted “Yes!” Mr Johnson felt relieved and proud that the girls could learn an important lesson: a person can have more than one good friend in life.
“My parents are going to Venice on Saturday, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with us,” Adriana whispered to Sandra that sunny, warm morning. They were in their classroom, sitting side by side, doing the first lesson of the day. Sandra smiled happily at her new friend. As the new girl in school, she was excited that her classmates – some of them, at least – seemed interested in making her feel welcome.
The end:
“Adriana and Cristina, do you think that you could both be friends with Sandra?” asked Mr Johnson in a low voice. Sandra was the quickest in answering that – “I really want to be. Can I be a friend to both of you?” The three girls hugged tightly after both Adriana and Cristina shouted “Yes!” Mr Johnson felt relieved and proud that the girls could learn an important lesson: a person can have more than one good friend in life.
19 Apr 2009
Step 10 - Creating a beginning and an ending for our story
Now the students are involved in creating openers and endings for our story.
You begin a story by setting the scene. Imagine that you are looking at a picture and describe the place (where), the time (when), the weather, the people involved (who) and their feelings. You can use someone's exact words (direct speech) to make your beginning more interesting.
You can end a story by describing people's feelings or reactions. You can use someone's exact words (direct speech) to make your ending more interesting. You can also end a story by creating mystery or suspense.
You begin a story by setting the scene. Imagine that you are looking at a picture and describe the place (where), the time (when), the weather, the people involved (who) and their feelings. You can use someone's exact words (direct speech) to make your beginning more interesting.
You can end a story by describing people's feelings or reactions. You can use someone's exact words (direct speech) to make your ending more interesting. You can also end a story by creating mystery or suspense.
12 Apr 2009
The Italian tests no. 2 of 3 Romanian students
This is Ana-Maria's test.
Page 1:
Page 2:
Page 3:
Page 4:
Page 5:
Page 6:
This is Cristian's test.
Page 1:
Page 2:
Page 3:
Page 4:
Page 5:
Page 6:
This is Lisa's test.
Page 1:
Page 2:
Page 3:
Page 4:
Page 5:
Page 6:
Page 1:
Page 2:
Page 3:
Page 4:
Page 5:
Page 6:
This is Cristian's test.
Page 1:
Page 2:
Page 3:
Page 4:
Page 5:
Page 6:
This is Lisa's test.
Page 1:
Page 2:
Page 3:
Page 4:
Page 5:
Page 6:
3 Apr 2009
Characteristics of Adriana
Sandra is a new girl that arrived a week ago at the school where Cristina and Adriana learn. Sandra comes from a school in the countryside and now she has just moved to a very big city. She is in sixth grade.
Cristina and Adriana are two very special friends. It is a friendship they are sworn forever, as teenagers often make. They have known each other for a very long time, since they started first grade. Cristina is the best of the class. Adriana studies quite a lot as well, but she doesn't get the same results and she is somehow envious of Cristina for this reason.
These two friends are always together. After they finish school they go to a course of classical dance together. Cristina has chestnut hair, and she is tall and slender, while Adriana is blonde with some kilos too much, which she thinks she can eliminate by doing sport.
Adriana's parents are workers in a factory. Her dad is always nervous because his employer has been talking about the hypothesis of his dismissal, and he fears he might lose his job and become poor.
When her father realizes that his daughter Adriana is not very good at school, he becomes angry with her because he thinks that if one day, when she is an adult, she doesn't have suitable studies, she will also become just a worker and spend a difficult life.
Adriana doesn't understand the problems of the adults. She doesn't think about her future as an adult, she always thinks about her love, a classmate, Adrian. She continuously writes him dedications in her diary, also in class, and for this she is sometimes taken back by the teachers. Adrian knows nothing of the love of Adriana, he is rather attracted by Cristina, because she is better at school and also nicer.
Cristina has promised to Adriana that she will help her 'conquer' Adrian. In fact, Cristina has surrendered her place in class near Adrian.
Nevertheless for Adrian nothing changes, he remains only attracted by Cristina and that is it.
Adriana has understood that she will never succeed in conquering Adrian and broods a deep, even if hidden, jealousy more and more, toward her friend.
One day at the school exit Adriana races for the bus, which departs in advance, and in the rush her diary drops from her backpack. Cristina, who was following her, but lives next to the school, picks up the diary and tries to stop Adriana, but by now she is already in the bus returning home.
Cristina takes the diary home and plans to deliver it to Adriana the following day in class. For this she sends her a message by mobile phone.
Cristina should not read the diary, but curiosity is too strong and she spends the whole evening discovering the secrets of her friend of the heart. It is not be an easy reading, she now understands that Adriana has been brooding, for a long time now, a hot-tempered envy toward her.
The next day Cristina delivers the diary to Adriana, obviously telling her that she has not even tried to peep at those precious sheets.
That same day however Sandra arrives in class. Cristina usually helps the classmates in difficulty and also in this case she tries to explain the new lessons and the new teachers to Sandra. Cristina spends time with Sandra more and more, also because she doesn't succeed in forgetting the ugly things that she has read in the diary of Adriana and for this she tries to avoid her.
Adriana however doesn't understand why Cristina is getting further from her and by now her anger becomes more and more uncontrollable. At school she is not careful to the lessons any longer, she starts to bring home bad marks and her father becomes angrier and angrier. Up to this point Adriana thinks that the things are going badly for her because Cristina doesn't want her anymore.
Sandra is a new girl that arrived a week ago at the school where Cristina and Adriana learn. Sandra comes from a school in the countryside and now she has just moved to a very big city. She is in sixth grade.
Cristina and Adriana are two very special friends. It is a friendship they are sworn forever, as teenagers often make. They have known each other for a very long time, since they started first grade. Cristina is the best of the class. Adriana studies quite a lot as well, but she doesn't get the same results and she is somehow envious of Cristina for this reason.
These two friends are always together. After they finish school they go to a course of classical dance together. Cristina has chestnut hair, and she is tall and slender, while Adriana is blonde with some kilos too much, which she thinks she can eliminate by doing sport.
Adriana's parents are workers in a factory. Her dad is always nervous because his employer has been talking about the hypothesis of his dismissal, and he fears he might lose his job and become poor.
When her father realizes that his daughter Adriana is not very good at school, he becomes angry with her because he thinks that if one day, when she is an adult, she doesn't have suitable studies, she will also become just a worker and spend a difficult life.
Adriana doesn't understand the problems of the adults. She doesn't think about her future as an adult, she always thinks about her love, a classmate, Adrian. She continuously writes him dedications in her diary, also in class, and for this she is sometimes taken back by the teachers. Adrian knows nothing of the love of Adriana, he is rather attracted by Cristina, because she is better at school and also nicer.
Cristina has promised to Adriana that she will help her 'conquer' Adrian. In fact, Cristina has surrendered her place in class near Adrian.
Nevertheless for Adrian nothing changes, he remains only attracted by Cristina and that is it.
Adriana has understood that she will never succeed in conquering Adrian and broods a deep, even if hidden, jealousy more and more, toward her friend.
One day at the school exit Adriana races for the bus, which departs in advance, and in the rush her diary drops from her backpack. Cristina, who was following her, but lives next to the school, picks up the diary and tries to stop Adriana, but by now she is already in the bus returning home.
Cristina takes the diary home and plans to deliver it to Adriana the following day in class. For this she sends her a message by mobile phone.
Cristina should not read the diary, but curiosity is too strong and she spends the whole evening discovering the secrets of her friend of the heart. It is not be an easy reading, she now understands that Adriana has been brooding, for a long time now, a hot-tempered envy toward her.
The next day Cristina delivers the diary to Adriana, obviously telling her that she has not even tried to peep at those precious sheets.
That same day however Sandra arrives in class. Cristina usually helps the classmates in difficulty and also in this case she tries to explain the new lessons and the new teachers to Sandra. Cristina spends time with Sandra more and more, also because she doesn't succeed in forgetting the ugly things that she has read in the diary of Adriana and for this she tries to avoid her.
Adriana however doesn't understand why Cristina is getting further from her and by now her anger becomes more and more uncontrollable. At school she is not careful to the lessons any longer, she starts to bring home bad marks and her father becomes angrier and angrier. Up to this point Adriana thinks that the things are going badly for her because Cristina doesn't want her anymore.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)