Google's Project Glass

I first heard about this project via The Blog Teacher, whose author and editor is my PineTree mate Filipe Mendes!... At the time I thought this was kind of an awkward project but now I don't find it that unmanageable anymore!... Do you remember people's first reactions to mobile phones? Or even to computers? Well, to know more about this intriguing project, watch the video below and follow this link!... I can only say: perilously tending to cause addiction!...

Credit: Google

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One Giant Fun House...

Banning mobile phones

This cartoon by Mac from The Daily Mail relates to news that pupils face a ban on mobile phones in school as part of a new crackdown on classroom discipline. Read more >> A schoolgirl is lying on a psychiatrist's couch. He is treating her for mobile phone addiction, and tells her, 'If they do ban mobile phones in schools, you will gradually learn to speak without one.' The girl looks completely traumatised at the idea. The joke is that he is talking to her on her mobile phone.

GRAMMAR

We do not normally use do or does in affirmative sentences, but we can use them for emphasis. Look at this example: If I do come, I'll bring some food. This means it's not absolutely definite that I will come but in the event that I come, I'll bring some food.

@ The English Blog

Even though this news refers to a situation in the UK, we have similar problems in our schools due to the use of mobile phones in the classroom. It's time everyone realizes that mobile phones are not to be used in class, either by students or... teachers!...

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The old and the new

The iPhone Experience

This video was sent to me by a student of mine. He published it on my Facebook page some time ago. Thank you, André Sousa, for sharing!... This video puzzle is truly awesome!...

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Facebook your students

The old and the new

Speaking of phone calls...

Found it @ Obvious FB Page

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Funny Prank  Calls

Funny prank calls

Found pic at The Lakewood View

A very funny video about Becky from Dublin, an eight year old girl who made a prank call to a demolition company asking to destroy her school. This audio could be used in class when lecturing the topic 'A world of many languagues' so as to approach the issue 'The different British accents', in this particular case, the Irish accent. You could also use this audio on April Fools, as an example of a prank, so typical of this tradition.

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Funny videos

Summer Solstice & Royal Ascot in news

The soggiest solstice ever

In spite of the soggy weather, thousands welcomed the Sun at the prehistoric monument!... Follow this link to take a look at a very interesting photo gallery!... The Telegraph's headline 'Solstice revellers celebrate a grey and wet midsummer dawn at Stonehenge' also highlights the soggy weather. BBC News Wiltshire reports that 'the Police estimated more than 14,000 people arrived for the solstice celebrations. English Heritage said it was one of the lowest attendances in recent years.' In the picture below, visitors to Stonehenge wrapped up in waterproof ponchos to celebrate the summer solstice!...

Photo Credits: SWNS.com

Sunshine & rain at the Royal Ascot

As for The Royal Ascot, the sun shone on day one (photo gallery). The highlight for this day was the enforcement of a new strict dress code by the Royal Ascot fashion police. 'You're not coming in dressed like THAT!', so they said to the racegoers who 'had forgotten' the rules!... Take a look at some fantastic pictures, a courtesy of BBC News Berkshire. My Daily portrays the Royal Ascot 2012 as 'All The Weird And Wonderful Fashion From The Races'. As for itvNews (photo gallery), 'Fashion takes centre stage at Ascot'. The dailymail.co.uk's headline reports that 'It won't rain on our fashion parade! Ladies Day racegoers brave bad weather at Royal Ascot to put on stunning display of hat designs'. You might like to take a look at the photo gallery.

A race-goer during day one of the 2012 Royal Ascot.
Credit: Tim Ireland/PA Wire

Racing fan: The Queen first went to Ascot in 1945 and has attended every year since

Mandatory credit: WENN.com

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Summer Solstice @Stonehenge

Horses, hats & the royals

Prince William turns 30

Prince William is the eldest son of Princess Diana and Prince Charles of Wales and is the next in line to the British throne after his father. He was strongly affected by his parents' divorce in 1996 and his mother's tragic death in 1997 and expressed discomfort at the growing attention he received as he reached adulthood. William served in the Royal Air Force and supports numerous charities.

Synopsis:

• Prince William Arthur Philip Louis Windsor was born on June 21, 1982, being the eldest son of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Charles, Prince of Wales. His official title is His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales. 
• As he is directly in line to the British throne after his father, Charles, he spends a good deal of time at Windsor Castle with Queen Elizabeth, who is very concerned with his upbringing and career development.
• Along with his military career, William supports numerous charities, including serving as patron to Centrepoint, an organization for homeless youth, and the Tusk Trust, which is dedicated to the preservation of African wildlife. In 2007, William and his brother Harry hosted a special concert to celebrate their late mother and raise funds for charities that Princess Diana supported during her life as well as charities supported by the princes. 
• With his marriage at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011, the Queen officially conferred her grandson with the title William, Duke of Cambridge.

In  www.biography.com/people
(abridged and slightly adapted)

Photo Credit: Danny Lawson - WPA Pool/Getty Images

As Prince William turns 30 today, June 21, The Telegraph has published 30 facts about his life. Follow this link to read about facts you may or may not know about him. I would also suggest you to take a look at Prince William in pictures.

According to BBC News UK, St James's Palace has stated that "Prince William's 30th birthday celebration will be a low-key and private affair,''.

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Kate and William's first wedding anniversary

Summer Solstice @Stonehenge

The June solstice is known as the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and the winter solstice the southern hemisphere. The date varies between June 20 and June 22, depending on the year. In the Gregorian calendar the June solstice dates vary. For example, it occurred on June 20 in 2008 and falls on June 21 in 2009. A June 22 solstice will not occur until June 22, 2203, which is 193 years away from 2010. A June 22 solstice previously occurred on June 22, 1971. This year - 2012 - the summer solstice is on June 20 at 11.08 pm UTC.

In TimeandDate (abridged)

photo credit: Christopher_Hawkins via photo pin cc

Sol + stice derives from a combination of Latin words meaning 'sun' + 'to stand still'. As the days lengthen, the sun rises higher and higher until it seems to stand still in the sky. As a major celestial event, the Summer Solstice results in the longest day and the shortest night of the year. The Northern Hemisphere celebrates in June, but the people on the Southern half of the earth have their longest summer day in December.

Awed by the great power of the sun, civilizations have for centuries celebrated the first day of summer otherwise known as the Summer Solstice. The Celts & Slavs celebrated the first day of summer with dancing & bonfires to help increase the sun's energy. The Chinese marked the day by honoring Li, the Chinese Goddess of Light. Perhaps the most enduring modern ties with Summer Solstice were the Druids' celebration of the day as the 'wedding of Heaven and Earth', resulting in the present day belief of a 'lucky' wedding in June. Today, the day is still celebrated around the world - most notably in England at Stonehenge and Avebury, where thousands gather to welcome the sunrise on the Summer Solstice. Pagan spirit gatherings or festivals are also common in June, when groups assemble to light a sacred fire, and stay up all night to welcome the dawn.

In Chiff.com (abridged)

photo credit: Christopher_Hawkins via photo pin cc

Experiencing the summer solstice at this famous site is truly something special. For nearly two thousand years Stonehenge has been an enigma, which is perhaps why it has such a hold on the nation’s imagination. In celebration of the summer solstice the public are giving rare access to the stones at Stonehenge. You’ll find people from all walks of life staying up through the night on June 20th to see the sunrise on June 21st. And at this time, you’ll no doubt begin to sense the site’s long history and alluring mystery. For some people it’s an almost spiritual time, for others it’s just chance to have some fun, but for all it’s a truly memorable occasion.

In eBookers.com (abridged)

Follow this link to take a look at a photo gallery about last year's summer solstice at Stonehenge.

Photo credits: AFP / Getty Images

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The mystery of Stonehenge

Horses, Hats and the Royals

photo credit: John Mason via photo pin cc

Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK's 32 annual Group 1 races. The course is closely associated with the British Royal Family, being approximately six miles from Windsor Castle, and owned by Ascot Racecourse Ltd.

In Ascot Racecourse (abridged)

The five days of the Royal Meeting at Ascot - June 19th to June 23rd - provide one of the most unique and colourful occasions on the sporting calendar. Queen Ann founded Ascot Races in 1711 and members of the Royal family still lead the procession from Windsor Castle to Ascot each day. The Gold Cup meeting, or 'Ladies Day' as it is famously known, is a great day at the races and one not to be missed. Focus switches from racing to fashion, in particular ladies and their hats! 

In LadiesDay (abridged)

Nevertheless, fascinators - the delicate whimsical pieces of headwear favored by the young and posh in Britain and beyond - have been banned from the royal enclosure at Royal Ascot this year. The dress code is new for 2012. Ladies, for example, are asked to wear dresses and skirts that should be of modest length defined as falling just above the knee or longer. 

In Ascot (abridged and adapted)

Follow this link to take a look at other flamboyant hats usually worn at Ascot!

To know more about this event, visit Ascot's official website @

 http://www.ascot.co.uk/

Don't shoot!!!

Can you explain the difference between 'shoot' and 'shoot'? In such situations, I would suggest you to try out a monolingual dictionary, like the Dictionary.com or the Cambridge Dictionaries Online, for example. They're online, for free, at handy, and completely reliable!...

 Found picture @ ELL                                                                 

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'Finished' or 'Complete'?
'Mind full' or 'mindful'?

Last day of school

For those of you, lucky enough NOT to be entering the "exams' season", is this by any REMOTE chance your current mood??? Now that we are reaching the "study+dying" level and starting the paperwork marathon, T@PT is going to slow down its pace of writing... I shall continue to publish but probably not on a daily basis due to the amount of work that awaits me!... Those of you that start your holidays today, enjoy the free time!... The ones that are getting ready for the exams, 'Keep calm and Study on'... PineTree mates, we still have a great amount of work ahead!... Nonetheless our extreme need of a never ending vacation, we'll make it through...

Image credits: ZAZZLE

The exams season is about to begin...

It's not a good season! Definitely NOT! Neither for teachers, nor for students! Every teacher has already been a student, so it's impossible not to remember how we feel amongst the tons of papers one has to study! But as teachers our life hasn't become any easier, you know... Someone has to correct the exams... Have you got any idea how long it takes to correct a single exam? Trust me, it takes much longer than you can possibly imagine!

Having said this, in case you feel like the caption below the picture, don't forget that you are not alone! Studying, dying, correcting & marking exams... It all comes together in the same miserable packet!

Let us yet keep calm and get focused: it's just the "exams season"!... Holidays will be here soon enough... I mean, the end of July is not that far, is it? "Time is psychological", I've heard that before!... Let us keep calm, anyway!... Always keep calm and carry on!... We'll make it through this 'dying' season!...

Found it @9GAG.com

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Cartoons and Funny Videos

Another Queen that rules...

@Absolute Madonna

Madonna (born Madonna Louise Ciccone, August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. She has sold more than 300 million records worldwide and is recognized as the world's top-selling female recording artist of all time by Guinness World Records. Considered to be one of the 25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century by Time for being an influential figure in contemporary music, she is known for continuously reinventing both her music and image, and for retaining a standard of autonomy within the recording industry. Critics have praised her diverse musical productions which have also served as a lightning rod for controversy. 

In, Madonna entertainer (abridged and adapted)

Photo by Leonhard Foeger / Reuters

Every pop star of the last two to three decades has Madonna to thank in some part for his or her success. Madonna left her home state of Michigan with $35 in her pocket and a dream to make it in New York City, and far exceeded that goal with hit singles like "Vogue", "Like a Virgin" and "Hung Up". The one named wonder's memorable music videos and live performances, which almost always include extravagant dance numbers, over the top outfits and eyebrow raising concepts, made her one of MTV's most popular artists. After causing no shortage of controversy with her unabashed sexuality and outspokenness, Madonna has since turned some of her efforts toward being a mother and humanitarian, but not before cementing her place in pop culture as the best selling female rock artist of the 20th century.

In, TIME Specials

The MDNA Tour (also known as the 2012 World Tour) is the ninth concert tour by American entertainer Madonna. It promotes her twelfth studio album, MDNA and will visit Asia, Europe and the Americas. The tour is expected to be extended into 2013, with shows in Australia. It features the singer's first concert appearances in the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, and Colombia. It will follow her record-breaking Sticky & Sweet Tour and is the second concert tour under her 360 deal with Live Nation Entertainment.

In, MDNA Tour 

(abridged and adapted)

'Give Me All Your Luvin' Video Screenshot @ www.madonna.com

For more information go to www.madonna.com and www.madonnarama.com, as well as to 2012 World Tour Official Press Release! Madonna will be in Portugal on June 24th, at 'Estádio da Cidade', Coimbra. You still have the chance to watch her show, as there are some tickets yet to sell!... Don't miss it!... I won't!

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Her Majesty and the Super Bowl

Scooping the Diamond Jubilee

I've been blogging about Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee over the past few days. I wrote about it before the venue, tweeted, and posted on the Facebook during the event, and scooped the topic, once the ceremonies were over!... On Saturday 2 June, the Queen attended the Epsom Derby; on Sunday 3 June, up and down the country, neighbours celebrated the Jubilee by taking part in the Big Jubilee Lunch, being the Thames river pageant the highlight of that day; a concert at Buckingham Palace and Jubilee beacons on Monday 4 June; and on Tuesday 5 June, Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral and carriage procession from Westminster Hall to Buckingham Palace. The procession was shown on big screens in Hyde Park, St James's Park and Trafalgar Square.

Bearing in mind the amount of information and all the sources I had to look up to write about the Jubilee, wouldn't it be great to gather all this website traffic in one single page? Scoop.it allows us to do that! You can curate all your website traffic in one single page and check it out or update it, whenever you fell like it!... Sccop.it is fantastic tool!... I shall write about it later on, and think over how to make my students use this tool next year!... Follow this LINK to take a look at my The Queen Diamond Jubilee Scoop.it! 

I couldn't finish both this text and topic without posting a selection of photos from the Dailymail.co.uk about this unique and memorable venue!... 

 @ Epsom Derby

Big Jubilee Lunch @Savoy

Jubilee river pageant

Prince Charles paid a tribute to 'Mummy' on stage at Buckingham Palace

 Remarkable fireworks display was let off in colours of the British flag

Carriage Procession

Red Air Force Show over the Buckingham Palace

The Queen ...

... and the new Ryal Family generation

Th British spirit along the Buckingham Palace pathway

... and a splendorous video of the fireworks at the end 
of the Diamond Jubilee Concert @ Buckingham Palace

I now invite you to take a sneak peek at Scoop.it 

The longest ruling Queen...

Queen Elizabeth II is the second longest serving monarch. Only five other kings and queens in British history have reigned for 50 years or more. They are: Victoria (63 years); George III (59 years); Henry III (56 years); Edward III (50 years); James VI of Scotland (James I of England) (58 years).    Read more @ 60 Facts about the Queen.
Therefore, and for the time being, the longest ruling Queen of Great Britain is Victoria. Known for ruling during a time of economic and imperial expansion, she gave her name to the Victorian era. 

Alexandrina Victoria (24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India. She married her first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in 1840. Their nine children and 26 of their 34 grandchildren who survived childhood married into royal and noble families across the continent, tying them together and earning her the nickname 'the grandmother of Europe'. After Albert's death in 1861, Victoria plunged into deep mourning and avoided public appearances. As a result of her seclusion, Republicanism temporarily gained strength, but in the latter half of her reign, her popularity recovered. Her Golden and Diamond Jubilees were times of public celebration. Her reign of 63 years and 7 months, which is longer than that of any other British monarch and the longest of any female monarch in history, is known as the Victorian era. It was a period of industrial, cultural, political, scientific, and military change within the United Kingdom, and was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire.      
Source: Queen Victoria
                                       

A new website about Queen Victoria's life, using material from the Royal Archives, has been launched by Buckingham Palace, as an educational and public resource to mark the Diamond Jubilee. 'Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Scrapbook', is focused on Queen Victoria’s life and reign, in particular her Diamond Jubilee in 1897. It contains documents from the Royal Archives, paintings and photographs from the Royal Collection, as well as audio and film clips.

Source: The Official Website of The Queen's Diamond Jubilee

Found both pictures via Google Images Search

I do suggest you to take a look at this scrapbook.
For those of you that value photography, history and web 2.0 tools, I can only say it's a fascinating site!...

Semana Olímpica @PineTree

PROGRAMA:

2 de Junho (sábado) 

Sessão Solene / Inauguração da “Exposição Olímpica” / Porto de Honra

3 de Junho (domingo)  

Dia dos Patins - Workshop

4 de Junho (2.ª feira)  

Dia das Actividades de Ar Livre

5 de Junho (3.ª feira)  

Dia das Modalidades na Rua / Projecto “Também Sou Europa”

6 de Junho (4.ª feira)  

Dia do Desporto Escolar / Passeio Nocturno de BTT

7 de Junho (5.ª feira)  

Dia da Bicicleta

8 de Junho (6ªfeira) 

Última Etapa da III Corrida / Marcha Solidária e Olímpica 

(Agrupamento de Escolas de Pinheiro e Médicos do Mundo) 

9 de Junho (sábado)   

Encerramento da Exposição

O ponto culminante destas comemorações será o Sarau Olímpico, que se realizará pelas 20h do dia 8 de Junho, no Pavilhão Fernanda Ribeiro, em Penafiel. 

Não ao AO90

The Queen's Coronation

Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne on February 6th 1952, upon the death of her father, King George VI. Her Coronation, at Westminster Abbey, followed on June 2nd 1953. A new King or Queen begins to rule as soon as their succession to the throne has been announced. But the Coronation - when the Crown is place on the monarch's head - may not happen until months later.

In, The British Royal Family (abriged and adapted)

  by  Jamie J Gray 

I now invite you to take a look at BBC History, and watch a clip with the highlights from the Queen’s coronation in Westminster Abbey and the subsequent procession through the streets of London. This clip was first broadcast  on June 2nd 1953, and was narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier. (Footage: ITN Source/ITV Studios)

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National Portrait Gallery