New beginnings

DID YOU KNOW? — 9/11

The September 11 attacks were a series of four terrorist attacks that the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda launched upon the United States in New York City and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. Four airplanes were hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists to be flown into buildings in suicide attacks.

Two of those planes were crashed into the World Trade Center complex in NY and brought down the famous Twin Towers. A third plane was crashed into the Pentagon and the fourth was targetted at Washington D.C. metropolitan area, but had fortunately missed its goal. Almost 3,000 people died that day, including the 227 civilians and 19 hijackers

aboard the four planes. In the history of the United States there had never been a deadlier incident for firefighters. ▪ M.I.

ISSUE 05/13

September 2013

Monthly newsletter for and by English learners and teachers in Bjelovar-bilogora county

Editors: Maja Ivanović, prof. Komercijalna i trgovačka škola Bjelovar

Irena Pavlović, prof. mentor Srednja škola Čazma email: sparkles.newsletter@gmail.com

The British Royal Family 2

Abolishing the monarchy 3

CN TEXT results 4

Summer Concerts in Croatia 5

“I Have a Dream” 6

Celtic Horoscope part 3 7

So, no books? 8

Inside this issue:

Contributors to this issue:

Vedrana Dujnić Petrač,

High school Čazma

Ivan Lukovečki

Cartoon artist

Dario Vidić

High school Čazma

“The one red leaf, the last of its clan,

That dances as often as dance it can,

Hanging so light, and hanging so high,

On the topmost twig that

looks up at the sky.” ~Samuel Taylor Coleridge ~

And.... We’re back!

I know that most of you don’t see the beginning of school as a good thing, and autumn seems as a dreary time of the year, but there is definitely something to look forward to now that summer vacations are over—

Sparkles©!! We have recharged our batteries and are more than eager to get back to doing what we

love—teaching and learning English.

As the new school year brings about new students into our classrooms and new experiences to gain, I am happy to say that Sparkles© is still here for all of you to do just that—learn and share. Any kind of project you do in the classroom, any special occasion you celebrate, or if you simply hear about something and think others should be informed as well—just let

us know.

We start off the September issue with The British Royal Family because they were the biggest buzz this summer. In the students’ corner you will find the results of our CN TEXT competition and a short overview of the major music events in our

beautiful Croatia this summer.

Don’t miss the article about M.L. King’s famous speech and the third part of the Celtic horoscope. Teachers, you haven’ t been forgotten! Check out your corner with a great article on how to become a mean teacher and what if there

were no books.

Last but not least, we would like to invite you to introduce your schools to the whole county. From the next issue we will be dedicating a spread on one or two schools each month, so everyone can read about all the amazing stuff your schools are proud of. Please send your texts and pictures with all the things you would like to show off to our email address

sparkles.newsletter@gmail.com.

Have a great school year! ▪ M.I.

The ceremony was held in the

Westminster Abbey with the

Archbishop of Canterbury conduct-

ing the marriage. William's best

man was his brother,

Prince Harry, while the

bride's sister, Pippa,

was maid of honour.

The ceremony was at-

tended by the bride's

and groom's families,

as well as many foreign

royals, diplomats, and

the couple's chosen

personal guests (the guest list was

almost 2,000 people).

After the ceremony, the couple

made the traditional appearance on

the balcony of Buckingham

Palace. The whole event cost Ł20

m and the day was a public

holiday. It was also the first boost

to the economy - with half a

billion pounds made in tourism,

including both bookings and

souvenirs.

The second in line to the British

throne, Prince William married his

college sweetheart Catherine Mid-

dleton on April 29th.

Perhaps you don't know who

Queen Sophia and her husband

Juan Carlos are, you may have

not heard about Crown Prince

Frederick and Crown Princess

Mary, but if you haven't got a

clue about the British Royal

Family, you have probably spent

your life on a deserted island.

Throughout the last couple of years, the best

known British brand - The Royal Family (aka

The Firm) - has been making headlines almost

every single day. They are probably the most

popular royal family in the world,

commanding the respect and

affection of millions.

The names of Queen Elizabeth

II, Prince Charles, late Lady

Diana, Prince William and his

wife Kate and now little prince

George are the UK's most

successful export, doing

wonders for British economy. The economic

recession that hit the world left little trace on

them as if being royalty means being

detached from the real life. Let's see how

they've managed to do that through three

huge events in three successive years.

2012, with a special extended bank

holiday central weekend in the UK

on 2-5 June. The Queen attended

the Epsom Derby, while the Big

Jubilee Lunch and the Thames Dia-

mond Jubilee Pageant took place

afterwards. A concert was held at

Buckingham Palace and a network

of beacons was lit throughout the

UK and the Commonwealth. Inevi-

tably, a Service of Thanksgiving

was held at St. Paul’s Cathedral,

The Diamond Jubilee of Queen

Elizabeth II marked 60th

anniversary of the accession of

Queen Elizabeth II to the thrones of

seven countries upon the death of

her father, King George VI, on 6

February 1952. With the Queen

being only the second UK monarch

to mark 60 years on the throne, the

date surely is special. Although

Accession Day was on 6 February,

celebrations occurred throughout

followed by a formal carriage

Procession. The cost for the

economy, including an extra

holiday, came to Ł1,2 bn, but the

Jubilee prompted the same carnival

atmosphere which swept the nation

for the wedding of the

Duke and Duchess of

Cambridge the

previous year and

brought even more

money from tourism.

Page 2

2011: THE ROYAL WEDDING

This Month’s Buzz

2012: THE ROYAL JUBILEE

The British Royal Family

On July 22nd, Kate Middleton, the

Duchess of Cambridge, has given

birth to a baby boy. His Royal

Highness Prince George of

Cambridge is third in line to the

throne. The son of Prince William

and Middleton weighed 3.6 kg and

was delivered at 4.24 pm in the

maternity wing of St Mary's

hospital, London, by natural birth.

The Duke of Cambridge was at the

bedside, saying later in a statement

"We could not be happier".

These are the news that travelled

the globe less than two months

ago. Hundreds gathered on the

streets of London to celebrate the

news. Rolling news channels

around the world devoted their

coverage to the birth and tourists

rushed again to the UK to share

those special moments with The

Royal Family.

The cost is almost nonexistent in

comparison to the benefits for the

economy. There is boost to retail

sales through people buying

souvenirs and commemorative

items, a small lift to alcohol and

food sales as some people

want to celebrate the arrival

of the Royal Baby. A knock-

on effect of the birth would be

sales of baby products as

other new parents copied the

duchess, just like ‘Kate effect'

has already taken the fashion

world by storm. The UK is

developing a culture of ‘keeping

up with the Cambridges’ that isn’t

going away. All in all, authorities

predict a boom in tourism that

would generate Ł5 billion until

2015. All thanks to The Firm.

AGAINST abolishing the monarchy:

The Royal family brings economic

benefit to the country mostly through

tourism.

They give the nation reasons for pag-

eantry.

As ambassadors of their country,

they promote it abroad.

They do an amazing amount of char-

ity work.

They are a link with history and give

the British a sense of pride.

In difficult times, they boost morale

and catalyse the 'feel-good' factor.

To outside

observers,

the fact

that so many residents of British

islands celebrate the Royal birth

may seem a little strange. Why are

the citizens of a modern, liberal

democracy so pleased that the

Royal line of succession has been

secured, ensuring that there will be

a hereditary head of state for at

least another 90 years, not to

mention a white, male head of

state? The question of whether or

not to do away with the monarchy

is one that generates heated

discussions among experts and

laymen alike. Here is a short

overview of some of the

arguments on both sides so you

can make up your mind as well.

FOR abolishing the monarchy:

They are partially funded by the

British taxpayers.

They are undemocratic - none of

them were elected.

They are religiously discriminatory -

only the members of the Church of

England can inherit the throne.

They are an old-fashioned institution

and a remnant of the past.

They promote snobbery.

They prop up the establishment.▪ I.P.

Page 3

2013: THE ROYAL BIRTH

A Heated Discussion: Should they or shouldn’t they?

As promised, here are the results of our June CN U TXT competition. Not only did you explain the meaning of some very common abbreviations, you also sent some texts to show how they are used. Check them out! Congratulations to the winners!

STUDENTS’ CORNER

coo = cool gerd = oh, my God! hmu = hit me up

wut = what props = respect, recognition

sup = What's up? idk = I don't know

wbu = What about you? kk = OK, cool

idc = I don't care wdymbt = What do you mean by that?

jk = just kidding meh = indifference, equivalent to shoul-

der shrug uok = Are you OK? tbh = to be honest

gtg = got to go gg = good game

wtb = want to buy bbiab = be back in a bit

jtlyk = just to let you know

INES KUPSJAK:

Hey Emma, sup? Last night was so awesome. We had such

a great time. It was fun. I would like to go out again. What about

tonight? Are you in? Call me and let me know. Idk what to wear.

Wbu? Gtg now. Bye.

LUCIJA PIRŠLJIN:

Hi, sup? Jtlyk, I was on golf. It was gg. JK, you know idc about

sport. It's boring over here. I eat chocolate and idk wut to write. Do

we count empties? Well, gtg, ttyl. ;)

JOSIPA SALAJ:

Hey, sup?! I was at the seaside for 2&1/2 weeks. Wbu? Tbh I was a

little disappointed because you said that you would be there. I hope

to see you soon. Bye

DARIA BIRUŠ:

Do u want to go shopping? I wtb a dress for my b-day

and after that we could go to my place and study, jk.

But it would be so coo to pass math test this time.

CHECK IT OUT! Have you read this? Have you seen this? Have you heard this?

If you liked The Da Vinci Code, Angel

and Daemons and The Lost Symbol, you'll

probably enjoy the latest Dan Brown -

Inferno. Though it is said it is nothing but

461 pages of predictable, formulaic, unbe-

lievable, breathless action, once again we

follow Robert Langdon, the invincible

Harris Tweed-clad aca-

demic, in his new ad-

venture. As it happens,

the future of the world is

at stake and only Lang-

don can save it. Not a

masterpiece, but a page

turner by all accounts. ▪

I.P.

Ready for a new set of monsters? Based on

the worldwide best-selling book series, The

Mortal Instruments: City of Bones is set in

contemporary New York, where a

seemingly ordinary teenager, Clary (Lily

Collins), discovers she is the descendant of

a line of Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of

young half-angel warriors

locked in an ancient battle

to protect our world from

demons. After the

disappearance of her

mother, she joins forces

with Shadowhunters, who

introduce her to a

dangerous Downworld,

filled with numerous deadly creatures. ▪ I.P.

Imagine Dragons are an American indie

rock band. They gained exposure after the

release of their debut studio album, Night

Visions, in September 2012. After their

world tour, they were named "The

Breakthrough Band of 2013", and their

single Radioactive is said to be "the

biggest rock hit of the year." Beside

Radioactive, we also recommend It's time

(nominated for best

2012 rock video),

Hear me and On

Top of the World. ▪

I.P.

Page 4

Car

toon

by I.

L.

Page 5

The benefits of bilingualism

Concerts in Croatia during the summer

On July 27 a musical legend came to Zadar and held a concert in front of

15000 people in Jazine. According to The Rolling Stone magazine, Santana

is the 15th greatest guitar player in the world and at the age of 67 he is

still showing an incredible energy which would put many younger people to shame. Toussaint L’Overture

followed by the Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va, then Maria, Maria,

the amazing Corazon Espinado and, of course, Smooth are just some of his

many hits which he performed with his band, much to the audience’s enthusiasm. The

guitar performed

miracles...

On August 13 Robbie Williams filled up the Maksimir stadium in Zagreb.

40000 fans didn’t let the wind and the rain spoil the fun. It was a

spectacle, to say the least. Robbie came down a 20 meter high

construction and opened the concert with the cult song Let Me Entertain You. Music and singing are just a part

of Robbie’s show. He’s an impressionist and a comedian whose

energy is absolutely contagious and it’s obvious he is enjoying himself to

the fullest. Come Undone, Everything Changes, Candy, Rock DJ, Feel, She's The One and Angels made the crowd

go wild. All in all, an

amazing night...

Among the other more prominent artists who visited Croatia this

summer were: Olly Murs (opening for Robbie Williams), Zaz, Roger

Waters, Snoop Dogg, Fatboy Slim, Prodigy, Peter Gabriel, Skunk

Anansie, Iron Maiden, Arctic Monkeys, Basemant Jaxx, Afrojack, Armin Van Buuren, Martin Solveig

and many, many more. Hope you got a chance to see and hear at least

one of them... ▪ M.I.

Page 6

“I have a dream” anniversary

By speaking the way he did, he edu-

cated, he inspired, he informed not

just the people there, but people

throughout America and unborn gen-

erations.”

To honour it, the nation's first Afri-

can-American president delivered a

speech of his own on the very same

steps. President Obama paid tribute

to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

before throngs of people who de-

scended on the National Mall in

Washington, D.C., to commemorate

the anniversary, declaring that "His

words belong to the ages, possessing

a power and prophecy unmatched in

our time. We rightly and best remem-

ber Dr. King's soaring oratory that

day, how he gave mighty voice to the

quiet hopes of millions." Pointing to

laws, social change, and himself as an

example of how far the nation has

come since King's speech, Obama was

quick to highlight economic dispari-

ties between whites and blacks as

proof that King's dream hasn't been

fully realized. We all have a dream

that one day the situation will

change. ▪ I.P.

On August 28th, it was 50 years to the

day since Martin Luther King Jr. stood

on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial

and delivered, to a crowd of 250,000,

one of the most famous speeches in

American history. The speech Dr. King

gave has, over the years, been reduced

to four words only, but probably four of

the greatest words to be uttered in po-

litical oratory. "I have a dream", he

shouted at the end of his address, hav-

ing painted his vision of a fairer, better

future. It was a spirited call for racial

justice, equality and integrated society

and the pinnacle of the American Civil

Rights Movement. As a part of the

March on Washington for Jobs and

Freedom, one of American largest civil

rights rallies, it is often credited with

helping pass the Civil Rights Act of

1964, and the Voting Rights Act of

1965.

US Representative John Lewis, one of

the youngest speakers at the event,

later said, “Dr. King had the power,

the ability, and the capacity to trans-

form those steps on the Lincoln Memo-

rial into a monumental area that will

forever be recognized.

This windy, bright September afternoon

My heart is wide awake, yet full of dreams.

The air, alive with hushed confusion, teems

With scent of grain-fields, and a mystic rune,

Foreboding of the fall of Summer soon,

Keeps swelling and subsiding; till there seems

O'er all the world of valleys, hills, and streams,

Only the wind's inexplicable tune.

My heart is full of dreams, yet wide awake.

I lie and watch the topmost tossing boughs

Of tall elms, pale against the vaulted blue;

But even now some yellowing branches shake, Some

hue of death the living green endows:--

If beauty flies, fain would I vanish too.

This afternoon was the colour of water falling through sunlight; The trees glittered with the tumbling of leaves;

The sidewalks shone like alleys of dropped maple leaves, And the houses ran along them laughing out of square, open

windows. Under a tree in the park,

Two little boys, lying flat on their faces, Were carefully gathering red berries

To put in a pasteboard box.

Some day there will be no war, Then I shall take out this afternoon

And turn it in my fingers, And remark the sweet taste of it upon my palate,

And note the crisp variety of its flights of leaves. To-day I can only gather it

And put it into my lunch-box,

For I have time for nothing But the endeavour to balance myself

Upon a broken world.

Odes to September

September, 1918

By Amy Lowell In September

By Charles G. D. Roberts

ROWAN (April 1st-April 10th; October 4th-October

13th)

UNDER THE SIGN OF DELICACY. According to Celtic

tradition, the fruit from this tree is the food of gods. They say that the rowan works against bad

fate.

YOUR PROFILE. At the same time

you are flexible and resistant like your

tree, you are a sociable person, and you can adapt to any kind of personal-

ity. Full of attention, you know how to listen and give advice. The souls in

need search for you very often…

DRUIDS' ADVICE. People will lean on you too much. Be careful not to let them eat you! You

have to try and find balance between the help you give to others and your own personal needs. Listen to your intuition

and you'll know what's good for you.

MAPLE (April 11th-April 20th; October 14th-October

23rd)

UNDER THE SIGN OF INDEPENDENCE. The maple symbolizes moving. Its fruit contains two winged seeds.

Before they fall, they can float dozens of meters around.

YOUR PROFILE. The inability

to move, whether literal or meta-

phorical, makes you sad. You have the need to advance, and

you're never satisfied with the

given answers. Challenges excite you. You are ambitious and stub-

born.

DRUIDS' ADVICE. Even though you are sure of your ideas,

you should use diplomacy to avoid conflicts which could be

numerous. Make headway slowly, and don't take too many

risks.

WALNUT (April 21st-April 30th; October 24th-

November 11th)

UNDER THE SIGN OF PASSION. People used to say that it was dangerous to fall asleep under the walnut tree. One

could meet the devil there…This tree is connected to desire

and jealousy.

YOUR PROFILE. You hate it

when it's cold and you need the heat. Sensual and passionate,

you set yourself on fire easily.

You can't stand being in the

shadow.

DRUIDS' ADVICE. You will have to slow down with your

tensions and avoid all the unnecessary reactions. This period

is great to develop on your personal level, if you calm down

a bit. Don't lose everything recklessly.

CHESTNUT (May 15th-May 24th; November 12th-

November 21st)

UNDER THE SIGN OF THOUGHTFULNESS. This tree is

very fruitful in autumn. Tradition has made it the symbol of thoughtfulness

because it has given people food for

the winter.

YOUR PROFILE. You are simple and

honest. You have the natural sense of justice and equal distribution. This

society of consumerism annoys you. You don't like the mess it creates. Sometimes people think you

are sarcastic because they don't understand you.

DRUIDS' ADVICE. You don't like changes because they make you feel insecure. In that case, learn to skirt the obstacles. Open

yourself to others. A simple dialogue can solve a big conflict.

ASH (May 25th-June 3rd; November 22nd-December 1st)

UNDER THE SIGN OF AMBITION. Because it was used to make spears and arrows, it is a symbol of force and power. Dru-

ids used the strength oft his tree to fight the destructive power of

water.

YOUR PROFILE. Hardworking and ambitious, you want to

make progress. With your independent nature, you can't stand when somebody wants to limit your

freedom. But you know how to re-

spect others. You are a trustworthy person and people around you can

count on you.

DRUIDS' ADVICE. This is a bad

moment to react fiercely. You have

to take a step back and isolate your-self. If you don't progress as fast as you want to, ask yourself

some questions…

To be continued... ▪ V. D. P.

Page 7

C E LTI C H ORO S CO PE 3 /4

A PLAN FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR:

I AM GOING TO BE A MEAN TEACHER

(thanks to Laura Staunton and Barb Erickson)

A MEAN teacher insists that each student does the best he/she is ca-

pable of doing. A MEAN teacher insists that students hand in their as-

signments on time and takes off points for late assignments. A MEAN

teacher does not accept incomplete assignments. A MEAN teacher

requires each student to think carefully and to make his/her own deci-

sions. A MEAN teacher holds each student responsible for his/her own

behaviour. A MEAN teacher makes students keep the classroom,

themselves and their belongings neat and clean. The world needs

more MEAN teachers. They Make Excellence A Necessity. ▪ I.P.

So, what if there were no books?

Something to make you laugh. Instead of students'

words of wisdom, this month we're presenting parents'

excuses collected by high school teachers from Boston,

Massachusetts, US.

1. My son is under a doctor’s care and should not take PE today. Please execute him. 2. Please exkuce Lisa for being absent she was sick and I had her shot. 3. Please excuse Ray Friday from school. He has very loose vowels. 4. Please excuse Tommy for being absent yesterday. He had diarrhea, and his boots leak. 5. Please excuse Jimmy for being. It was his father’s fault. 6. Sally won’t be in school a week from Friday. We have to attend her funeral. 7. Please let Jean leave the room if she asks. She has been sick with dire rear. 8. Please excuse Jason for being absent yesterday. He had a cold and could not breed well. 9. Please excuse Wayne for being out yesterday. He had the fuel. 10. Please excuse my daughter's absence. She had her periodicals.

Apps aren't intended to replace teachers, but to enhance their teaching and make them more effective, interesting and, probably, productive. The gadget itself has more immediate appeal to most teenagers than a book would have. Plus, the modern generation of both learners and teachers are used to the richness and range which digital offers us. Quality apps offer a personalized learning experience; in other words, each student doing an appropriate task for their level at the right stage of the lesson. They provide video tutorials where the new point is explained so that those who didn’t get it, or missed the lesson or want to go through it again, can do just that.

There are step-by-step examples and quizzes to test learning and

provide homework tasks with

instant feedback prescribing

remediation or intervention as

required.

On the methodological level, they don't bring anything new - it is

standard direct, three stage

approach based around teaching, review and assessment.

Have a look around and find the one

that works for you. Why not harness

that technology and marry it to an

efficient teaching methodology? ▪ I.P.

This text is inspired by and based on a new approach to the teaching of algebra piloted in several American schools two years ago. Several groups of students having tablets along with an interactive full curriculum app were compared to groups using the traditional, print-driven approach. The results were convincing, with 20% more students scoring A or B than those using the “old school” approach. How can this be relevant to us, teachers of English? For starters, what the applications clearly do is help the teachers explain, illustrate, practise and correct in a more effective way than print materials.

CPD IN 10 MINUTES OR LESS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=h79V_qUp91M

TEACHERS’ CORNER