May the 4th 2023

Star Wars Day is an informal commemorative day observed annually on May 4 to celebrate George Lucas' Star Wars media franchise. Observance of the day spread quickly through media since the franchise began in 1977.

The date originated from the pun "May the Fourth be with you", a variant of the popular Star Wars catchphrase "May the Force be with you". Even though the holiday was not created or declared by Lucasfilm, many Star Wars fans across the world have chosen to celebrate the holiday. It has since been embraced by Lucasfilm and parent company Disney as an annual celebration of Star Wars.

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

April Fools' Day 2023

April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day is a day celebrated in many countries on April 1st. The day is named for the custom of playing practical jokes and hoaxes of varying sophistication on friends, family members, enemies, and neighbours, or sending them on a fool's errand, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible. Traditionally, in some countries, such as the UK, Australia and South Africa the jokes only last until noon, and someone who plays a trick after noon is called an "April Fool". Elsewhere, such as in Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, Russia, The Netherlands, and the U.S., the jokes last all day.

Daylight Saving Time 2023

Daylight saving time (DST)—also summer time in several countries, in British English, and European official terminology—is the practice of advancing clocks so that evenings have more daylight and mornings have less. Typically clocks are adjusted forward one hour near the start of spring and are adjusted backward in autumn.

When DST starts in central Europe, clocks advance from 02:00 CET to 03:00 CEST.  

Though mentioned by Benjamin Franklin in 1784, the modern idea of daylight saving was first proposed in 1895 by and it was first implemented during the First World War. Many countries have used it at various times since then.

St. Patrick's Day 2023

St. Patrick's Day is a global celebration of Irish culture on or around 17th March. It particularly remembers St Patrick, one of Ireland's patron saints, who ministered Christianity in Ireland during the fifth century. 

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in many parts of the world, especially by Irish communities and organizations. Many people wear an item of green clothing on the day. Parties featuring Irish food and drinks that are dyed in green food colour are part of this celebration.

It is a time when children can indulge in sweets and adults can enjoy a "pint" of beer at a local pub. Many restaurants and pubs offer Irish food or drink.

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

"Gabri Veiga’s Cinderella story: from a pumpkin patch to Celta Vigo colossus", by Sid Lowe

 (Reblogged from The Guardian).

Iago Aspas has single-handedly carried Celta on his back for too long. The striker and the club have found a young successor

In the land of Iago Aspas, maybe one day Gabri Veiga will write his own story. Still only 20 and a journalism student, it started with him kicking a pumpkin around his uncle’s place in the Galician countryside. Where it goes, who knows yet, but it’s going to be somewhere good: named the best player in La Liga for February, a likely call-up for Spain this Friday, and scorer of eight (mostly absurd) goals this season.

The one against Betis was ridiculous and some even have dared claim the Celta Vigo midfielder will end up like Aspas, his captain. Only, Veiga insists, there’s no one like him – and he knows, he’s seen it.

Born in O Porriño, Pontevedra province, Veiga was six on the day Aspas made his debut for Celta, the team they both supported a generation apart. He watched him rescue them from sliding into the third tier. Aspas left the same year Veiga arrived, aged 11, and saw the forward come back again, just happy to be home. Veiga saw him score more La Liga goals than any other Spaniard, in four seasons. Now he’s seeing it from up close.

14th March: International Day of Mathematics 2023

The International Day of Mathematics (IDM), a project led by the International Mathematical Union, is a worldwide celebration. Each year on 14th March (14-3: Pi Day) all countries will be invited to participate through activities for both students and the general public in schools, museums, libraries and other spaces.

The theme for 2023 is Mathematics for Everyone.

As the world faces the COVID-19 pandemic, mathematics provides its models and tools to help us understand, monitor, and control the spread of the virus. It is also used to create weather forecasts and prepare for natural disasters. It warns us of climate change and helps us to anticipate and mitigate its consequences.

Mathematics is central to the efficient organization of societies for the benefit of all citizens. It optimizes transportation and communication networks and enables smart planning and management of health, economic, and social systems. Science and mathematics have a crucial role in steering decisions to promote peace and social justice.

As a common language to the planet, mathematics is an essential part of humankind’s cultural heritage. It is present in arts, music, and games, for human enjoyment and well-being.

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only..

Graduation Speech: ESO 4 2022-23 3rd Term PBL Assignment

ESO 4 Students,

This is your PBL assignment for the 3rd term. All of you have to WRITE and DELIVER your GRADUATION SPEECH.  You have to imagine you are going to stand in the school Assembly Hall before your teachers, classmates, parents and guests at your ESO graduation ceremony (to be held, if COVID-19 protective measures permit it, on a date yet to be determined) and deliver your speech, which must be at least 350 WORDS LONG.

The best student will be offered the chance to deliver his or her speech at your graduation ceremony... in English!! Of course, he or she will get extra points in the final mark for that effort.

2023 Carnival, Lent, Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) & Ash Wednesday

Carnival

Carnival is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnival typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, masque and public street party. People often dress up or masquerade during the celebrations, which mark an overturning of daily life.

Asperger Day 2023

February 18th, International Asperger's Day. Can you feel it (too)?

Asperger is a show that visualizes the emotions of people with Asperger, a condition of the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Krister Palo is a 15-year-old student at the International School of the Hague who just happens to have Asperger's syndrome. In his talk, he shares misconceptions about people with Asperger's syndrome, and breaks down some of these popular stereotypes and assumptions.

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

Bolsas de inmersión lingüística 2023

 

Convocadas axudas para a realización de actividades de formación en linguas estranxeiras no ano 2023, destinadas ao alumnado dos centros docentes sostidos con fondos públicos

Orde do 18 de xaneiro de 2023 pola que se convocan axudas para a realización de actividades de formación en linguas estranxeiras no ano 2023, destinadas ao alumnado dos centros docentes sostidos con fondos públicos, escolarizado nos cursos 2021/22 e/ou 2022/23, en réxime de concorrencia competitiva (código de procedemento ED504B).

O prazo para a presentación de solicitudes será dun mes, contado a partir do día seguinte ao da publicación desta orde no Diario Oficial de Galicia.

A información sobre este programa, así como a aplicación "en liña" que se refire na convocatoria, atoparase na páxina web https://www.edu.xunta.gal/axudasle.

• Orde do 18 de xaneiro de 2023 (DOG)
• Extracto da Orde do 18 de xaneiro de 2023 (DOG)

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

Decimal(isation) Day 2023

Decimal Day (15th February 1971) was the day the United Kingdom and Ireland decimalised their currencies.

The old system

Under the old currency of pounds, shillings and pence, the pound was made up of 240 pence (denoted by the letter d for Latin denarius and now referred to as "old pence"), with 12 pence in a shilling and 20 shillings (denoted by s for Latin solidus) in a pound. Especially in an era before widespread computer use, monetary calculation, such as adding up sums of money, was more complicated than with a decimal currency. Tourists were also confused by coins such as the 'half-crown' (worth two shillings and sixpence, or one eighth of a pound). The loss of value of the currency meant that the penny, with the same diameter as the U.S. half dollar, was of relatively slight value (the farthing, worth one-quarter of an old penny, had been demonetised in 1960).

Changeover

Under the new system, the pound was retained but was now divided into 100 "new pence", denoted by the symbol p. New, different coinage was issued alongside the old coins. The 5p and 10p coins were first introduced in April 1968 and were the same size, composition and value as the shillings and florins circulating alongside them. In October 1969 the 50p coin was introduced and the old ten-shilling note was eventually withdrawn, in November 1970. This reduced the number of new coins that had to be introduced on the day and meant that the public was already familiar with three of the six new coins. Small book were made available containing some or all of the new denominations.

Decimal Day itself went smoothly and did not even form the lead story the following day in most national newspapers. Criticisms included the small size of the new halfpenny coin and the fact that some traders had taken advantage of the transition to raise prices. Some used new pennies as sixpences in vending machines.

Now let's hope some day in the near future traffic signs and capacity measurements (for example in petrol stations) in the UK, Ireland and other English-speaking countries will also be decimalised. Shall our eyes see that change? At LEZ we are afraid we won't...

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

St Valentine's Day 2023

Saint Valentine's Day is observed on 14th February each year. It is celebrated in many countries around the world, although it remains a working day in most of them.

Coming Up Roses

 

Keira Knightley sings "Coming Up Roses" in a scene of the 2013 movie "Begin Again".

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

Groundhog Day 2023

Groundhog Day is an annual holiday celebrated on February 2nd in the United States and Canada. A groundhog (Marmota monax) is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels.

According to folklore, if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day fails to see its shadow, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end. If on the other hand, the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks. 

The holiday, which began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, has its origins in ancient European weather folklore, wherein a badger or sacred bearis the prognosticator as opposed to a groundhog.

Blue Monday 2023

Hi there, Labor Students.

Next 16th will be Monday,  not just any Monday, but... Blue Monday!

Blue Monday is a name given to the third Monday in January, thought to be the most depressing day of the year as part of a 2005 publicity campaign by Sky Travel.

The concept is considered pseudoscience with its formula derided by scientists as nonsensical.

Three Wise Men 2023

In Christian tradition the Magi (pronounced /ˈmeɪdʒaɪ/; from the Greek: μάγοι, magoi, usually translated as "wise men", although it probably meant "astronomer" or "astrologer"... that is why they were following a star), also referred to as the (Three) Wise Men, (Three) Kings, or Kings from the East, are said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts.Traditions identify a variety of different names for the Magi. In the Western Christian church they have been commonly known since the 8th century as Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. In the Gospel of Matthew, the only one to describe the visit of the Magi, it states that they came "from the east" to worship the Christ, "born King of the Jews". Although Matthew does not mention their number, because three gifts are recorded as having been given to the Christ Child, traditionally there are thought to have been three Magi. The Magi, as the "Three Kings" or "Three Wise Men" are regular figures in traditional accounts of the nativity and in celebrations of Christmas.

New Year Resolutions 2023

A New Year's resolution is a commitment an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous. The name comes from the fact that these commitments normally go into effect on New Year’s Day and remain until fulfilled or abandoned.

Labor students: Are you making any New Year's Resolutions for 2022? Maybe working harder at school? Spending less time on Tik-Tok or Instragram? Leave your comments and tell everybody what your resolutions for the New Year are!

31st December 2022: New Year's Eve

As you all know, in Spain we eat twelve grapes at midnight. The actual countdown is primarily followed from the clock on top of  the Correos building in Puerta del Sol square, Madrid. It is traditional to eat twelve grapes, on on each chime of the clock. This tradition has its origins in 1909, when grape growers in Alicante thought of it as a way to cut down on the large production surplus they had had that year. Nowadays the tradition is followed by almost every Spaniard, and the twelve grapes have become synonimous with the New Year. After the clock has finished striking twelve, people greet each other and toast with sparkling wine (such as champagane or cider).

The King's Christmas Broadcast 2022

 

King Charles III adresses his first Christmas speech to his country and the Commonwealth. Pay attention to his pronunciation, rhythm and entonation. Read the full transcript down below.

"I'm standing here in this exquisite chapel of St. George at Windsor Castle, so close to where my beloved mother the late Queen is laid to rest with my dear father. I'm reminded of the deeply touching letters, cards and messages which so many of you have sent my wife and myself, and I cannot thank you enough for the love and sympathy you have shown our whole family.

Christmas is a particularly poignant time for all of us who have lost loved ones. We feel their absence at every familiar turn of the season, and remember them in each cherished tradition.

26th December: Boxing Day 2022

Today is Boxing Day. No, it has nothing to do with the sport of fighting with the fists. This is the reason for the name:

A box, usually of earthenware, in which contributions of money were collected at Christmas, by apprentices, etc.; the box being broken when full, and the contents shared.

So, the name Boxing Day derives from the tradition of giving seasonal gifts, on the day after Christmas, to less wealthy people and social inferiors, which was later extended to various workpeople such as labourers and servants.