JOSEMA: Hello and welcome to Europa News, our school news bulletin. My

name is Jose Manuel Sánchez Mañas and this is my colleague, Belén Román

Albarrán. Hello Belén

BELÉN: Hello Josema! Yes, that’s it. We are students from sixth grade from

Europa School, in Almería. In each programme we will try to analyse the current

events happening in our school. This is our first programme and there are a lot

of interesting news awaiting as. Let’s start!

HEADLINES

J: We are going to talk about flickr and our school correspondence project with

Practiques School

B: At the end of the first term, we celebrated our annual Christmas festival

J: Christmas holidays finished and we had to come back to school

B: The laptops are here, but the interactive digital whiteboards haven’t arrived

yet. Where are they?

J: We started our class blog: www.blogceipeuropa.wordpress.com

B: Problems with electricity

J:We celebrated the Day for Peace

B: The handball competitions have started

J: Finally, we will talk about the different subjects in 6th B and 6th C

J & B: This is Europa News!

FLICKR

B: During the first trimester, we began to use flickr, an exchange platform of

photos and videos which we use to communicate in English with the boys and

girls from Practiques school, in Mallorca, who we met in the linguistic immersion

camp in Jerica.

J: We have uploaded photos from the camp, as well as videos presenting

ourselves in English and there are many commentaries in English as well.

B: At first, flickr will be used at school as well as at home, but we had to change

the password to access the platform and because of this, it cannot be used at

home.

J: Either way, we continue with the project and we are still very excited.

Christmas Festival

J: The 18th of December, Europa school celebrated its annual Christmas

festival.

B: Many fathers, mothers and guardians came to see their sons and daughters

dance, sing carols, act in plays, etc.

J: Everyone was very excited and a bit nervous in case something went wrong

but everything came out very well.

B: The class 6th B sang a very pretty Christmas carol named “War is Over,” by

John Lennon. For this, the students made tee-shirts with fabric paint in Art.

J: The class 6th C interpreted an original song where some students played the

flute and other whistled.

Christmas Holidays finished

B: Last 11th January, pupils from Europa school came back from their

Christmas holidays.

J: On the one hand, they were sad because Christmas holidays were over, but

on the other hand, they were happy to see their friends.

B: Besides, they were very excited when they were told that the Andalusian

government would give them a laptop and would bring interactive digital

whiteboards to the school.

J: Pupils spent a few days talking about the presents the three wise men and

Father Christmas had brought them and where they had spent their Christmas

holidays.

THE LAPTOPS

J: On Thursday 21st January, The Andalusian government gave a laptop to all

third cycle Europa school students.

B: This laptop is to be used in the classrooms and at home.

J: With them, pupils can surf the Internet or look for information that they cannot

find in their class books.

B: Moreover, the laptop includes very interesting games, activities and

programs that are very useful for learning.

J: The Andalusian government hopes that this expense will contribute to the

development of the student’s ICT knowledge.

THE BLOG

B: On Thursday, 24th January, Javi, our English teacher, opened the CEIP

Europa sixth grade's blog.

J: Everyone was glad that we had our own blog. The blog has several sections:

B: Home: it gives information about the new updates and about what is going on

at school

J: Activities: in this page you can take a look at the different activities we do

B: Europa speaks: it is the sixth grade’s class magazine. It includes the different

texts that students write: field trips, descriptions, events that have caught our

attention, stories, poems, etc.. The aim is to awaken interest in writing and

reading, with texts that really interest us, and of course, to make known our

creations and to become writers, poets, journalists, translators, dreamers, etc.

J: Introductions: these are our introductions in English

B: Resources: it is a page with different links to web pages that can help us

improve our English.

J: We encourage you all to visit our blog and to share your opinions, so that our

blog will have many interesting contents and information and it can become a

channel of communication between you and us.

THE ELECTRICITY WENT OUT

J: We have been without light at school for two days, the 28th and 29th of

January.

B: Because of this, we have had to open all of the blinds and the majority of the

kids have been bothered by sunlight in their face or other parts of the body.

J: For that, we had to move or position ourselves looking at another direction.

B: This electricity problem has also been the reason we haven’t been able to

use the Internet.

J: Also, with the electricity down, many of the activities planned for “Day for

Peace” have been pushed back.

B: However, finally, the 1st of February, we did the activities that had been

postponed.

J: We hope this doesn’t happen very often.

DAY FOR PEACE

B: Friday, the 19th of January, Europa school celebrated “Day for Peace.”

J: We had chocolate milk with sponge fingers.

B: Later, we all gathered on the playground and made the symbol of peace and

had a moment of silence for those who died in Haiti.

J: Also, the students in charge of each class put the containers of collected

money for the Haitians in a giant dove of peace

B: The P.E. teacher took pictures from the roof of the school.

J: Finally, at one, everyone returned to class.

B: During this celebration, we could not read the poems for peace or dance

because there was a problem with the electricity, so the following day, Monday,

the 1st of February, these acts were performed.

SPORTS

J: This month, the boys and girls from Europa School handball team have been

training very hard.

B: Besides, they are very happy, because Unicaja, the team sponsor, gave

them their sport kit, which consists of two t-shirts: one black and one green; and

green short trousers.

J: Their first match was on 22nd January. Europa school played very well, both

the boys and the girls teams. Their opponents played very hard, but in the end

they achieved a draw

J: And now we’ll move on to the news of each class.

SUBJECTS 6 TH B

B: We’ll begin with the news of 6th B.

SPANISH: We’ve done the exams on units 6 and 7. We’ve started topic 8, as

well. In this subject we study spelling, literature, grammar, and oral expression.

MATHEMATICS: We’ve also done the exam on topics 6 and 7, and we’ve

studied fractions, that have turned out to be more difficult than we expected.

SOCIAL AND NATURAL SCIENCES: On Wednesday, the 10th of February, we

did an exam on topic 6. The day before, as we do with all the topics, we did a

quiz to revise for the exam. The winners were the Pavos Rangers! Moreover,

there was also a prize for the fair game, for the group that best plays as a team

and collaborates with its classmates.

ENGLISH: We’re learning a lot about speaking this language at the same time

that we’re having fun. We are also doing numerous activities, like for example:

school correspondence with Flickr, the blog, a television news bulletin... In the

book we are studying verbs and professions.

ART: We did a stained-glass window and the result was spectacular. We’ve also

used a computer program to do drawings: Tux Paint. Now we’re planning to

build a lighthouse.

MUSIC: We’re studying topic 7. The teacher usually explains the reading and, at

times, gives us exercises to practice with the flute.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION: We’re learning how to play volleyball. The class loves

this sport and we think it’s a very amusing and interesting activity. Moreover, we

did a football exam... the marks were really bad!

SUBJECTS 6 TH C

J: I am now going to speak to you about what’s happening in 6th C.

SPANISH: The main grammar topic in Spanish is currently “the verb.” In

spelling, interrogative pronouns or the use of “y” are some of the different things

that we’re studying. In vocabulary, acronyms and abbreviations are the only

things that we’ve studied this trimester. And in the literature section the studied

themes are the summary, a brief writing that offers us information summing up a

book or a movie, and the direct or indirect style of narration.

MATHEMATICS: Our teacher is Mr. Nicolás and he’s teaching us the addition,

subtraction, multiplication and division of fractions. It’s very easy.

SOCIAL AND NATURAL SCIENCES: We’re studying energy and heat, electrical

power stations and the consequences that the use of fossil fuels has.

ENGLISH: With Javi we’re looking at interrogative pronouns and professions.

Also, we’re doing a school blog and using Flickr so that we can communicate

with CP Practiques, another primary school from Mallorca.

ART: We’re learning to draw people’s faces as well as draw and paint a rose

using various types of colours. It’s really fun.

MUSIC: We’re studying the Celtic peoples, their music, origins, etc. Also, we’re

studying Eastern Asian countries and their music.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION: This past February 1st, we did an exam on football. It

was made up of five questions about indoor football and five about outdoor

football. That same day, we started volleyball, a sport that’s quite popular in

Almeria, because it has a very good team. Most of the school students state

that they like this sport.

B: Now we move on to our “Interviews” segment.

INTERVIEWS

J: In each program, the “Interviews” team at Europa News will interview two

people from the school, a celebrity and a pet.

B: To start with, we have a live connection with our daring reporter Manuel Soto

Fernández.

J: That’s right. Manolo, are you there?

MANOLO: Well, at the moment I’m standing at the door of a classroom where

we spent many years when we were little kids. It’s Mrs. Charo’s classroom.

We’re going to interview this great teacher, with whom many of the students of

6th B took our first steps at school.

MANOLO: Hello, Mrs. Charo… You’re not Mrs. Charo!

MARIA JOSE: No.

MANOLO: Who are you?

MARÍA JOSÉ: My name’s Maria Jose. I’m a new teacher at school.

MANOLO: Ah, really? OK, and you’re happy at this school?

MARÍA JOSÉ: Yes.

MANOLO: So, where is Mrs. Charo?

MARÍA JOSÉ: Well, I guess she’s in her new classroom, at the new nursery

school.

MANOLO: OK, Let’s see… yes, it looks as though our colleague Estela Varela

Prados is with us… Come on, Estela

ESTELA: Hi Manolo. Well, that’s right. We’re in Mrs. Charo’s classroom, who’s

learning a lot of English this year and has met up with us to answer our

questions in English. In the first place, thank you for being at our interview.

CHARO: Don’t worry about it. It’s a pleasure. I get to practice my English.

ESTELA: Where are you from?

CHARO: I’m from Granada, but I love Almería too

ESTELA: You’ve got three sons. Would you like to have another son or another

daughter?

CHARO: No. Three are enough

ESTELA: If you weren’t a teacher, what would you like to be?

CHARO: I like painting as a hobby, but I have never considered another job.

ESTELA: Do you like working with children?

CHARO: Yes, I do.

ESTELA: Have you ever worked with older children?

CHARO: Yes, I have.

ESTELA: Do children sometimes surprise you?

CHARO: Yes, they do. Everyday they come up with a different surprise.

ESTELA: Did you like working with us?

CHARO: Yes, a lot.

ESTELA: Did we work hard?

CHARO: Yes, you did. You were very intelligent, bright and… a bit naughty too!

ESTELA: Do you remember the names of your pupils in the year 2003?

CHARO: Yes, I do: Maribel, José Antonio, Carlos, Estela,… and many more…

ESTELA: Do you remember the names of the goblins?

CHARO: Yes, I do. Their names were Pachín and Pachán.

ESTELA: Alright, Mrs. Charo. That’s all. Thank you so much.

CHARO: You’re welcome. It’s been a pleasure speaking with you again, Estela

ESTELA: We’ll return to our connection at the main studios. Goodbye.

B: Thank you very much for your interviews, Manolo an Estela, and a big thanks

to Mrs. Charo and Mrs. Maria Jose, as well.

J: Now we continue with our next interview at Europa News.

B: And from one expert teacher to another. From Mrs. Charo to Mr. Javi.

J: Mr. Javi is our English teacher. Additionally, he teaches 6th B Science and

Social Studies and Art, 5th grade French and English with the children aged 3 to

5.

B: That’s right, Josema. He’s a young teacher, fun and willing to work, even

though when he gets angry… it’s better that you’re not near him!

J: Let’s see the interview that Francisco Castillo Caballero and María del Mar

García García have done with him.

INTERVIEW WITH JAVI

F: Hello, teacher Javi! How are you?

JAVI: I am fine, thank you.

F: For starters, I’d like to thank you for agreeing to give us an interview.

JAVI: Well, I have to thank you. It’s my pleasure. I’m very happy to be appearing

in the first instalment of Europa News.

F: You are a new teacher in the school. Did the other teachers and pupils help

you when you arrived at the school?

JAVI: Well, to tell you the truth, at the beginning I was a bit lost because

everything was new for me. However, both the teachers and the students have

been very kind and they have also been very helpful. I have to thank you all.

F: Why did you decide to be an English teacher?

JAVI: I decided to become an English teacher when I worked as a Spanish

conversation assistant in France and I realized that I loved working with

children. Besides, I have always liked foreign languages and other cultures and

I consider that being a teacher is one of the most beautiful professions.

F: What school do you prefer: “Goya” or “Europa“?

JAVI: Well, that’s a difficult question. I think I love both schools. Goya was the

school I went to when I was a child, and I have got very fond memories of those

years. However, I also like Europa, because it is my first school in Almería, and I

will always remember my first experiences and my first students here.

F: Do you think your pupils are good and friendly?

JAVI: Weeell… it depends…. Sometimes they are a pain in the neck, because

they don’t listen to me and they talk too much… However, in general, they are

very kind and very friendly, and they usually get good marks in their exams!

F: Do you like the project? Why?

JAVI: Yes, I like the project. I think it is a very useful tool to learn English and it

helps me to motivate my students.

F: Why did you make the blog?

JAVI: Well, I made the blog because it is a very interesting tool to communicate

with other people, to use English in a natural way and to develop our computer

skills.

F: My partner María del Mar will continue with the interview.

MARÍA DEL MAR: Hello, teacher Javi

JAVI: Hello, María del Mar. How are you?

MARÍA DEL MAR: I’m fine, thank you. Can we continue?

JAVI: Yes, we can

MARÍA DEL MAR: How many languages do you speak?

JAVI: I can speak English, French, Italian, Spanish and I also learnt a bit of

Chinese and Czech at the university, but I can only remember a few words,

because I haven’t practiced for a long time, and if you don’t practice a language,

you forget it!

MARÍA DEL MAR: How many languages did you speak when you were our

age?

JAVI: I could speak English and Spanish,… but I have to admit it: your English

is better than the English I spoke when I was your age!

MARÍA DEL MAR: Were you a good student?

JAVI: Yes! I have always been a good student! I think you have to be a good

student and you have to work hard if you want to succeed in life!

MARÍA DEL MAR: Do you have any pets?

JAVI: No, I don’t. I had two fishes and silkworms when I was a child, but I don’t

have any pets now. I can also remember the animals my granny had at the

farm, like rabbits, hens, etc.

MARÍA DEL MAR: Would you like to have a pet?

JAVI: Maybe, why not? Maybe, I would like to have a dog, but I don’t have

enough time to look after them

MARÍA DEL MAR: Ok, that’s the end of the interview. Thank you very much

JAVI: You are welcome

MARÍA DEL MAR: And now, Europa News continues!

B: Thanks, Maria del Mar and José Antonio. It's been a really interesting

interview. And thank you, as well, to Javi. Do we have more interviews?

J: Of course. As you well know, we had an important visit at school this past

month.

B: Penélope Cruz, the Oscar-winning Spanish actress, visited Almería and our

school.

J: Let's see the interview that Europa News did.

INTERVIEW WITH PENÉLOPE CRUZ

PEPE: Hello, Pe, and welcome to our school

MAR: Thank you! I am very happy to be here

PEPE: What is your favourite film and why?

MAR: My favourite film is Volver, because it was directed by Pedro Almodóvar,

my favourite director, and thanks to it I had my first nomination for an Oscar.

PEPE: How many Oscars do you have?

MAR: I have one Oscar, that I won in 2009 with the film `Vicky Cristina

Barcelona' but it was my second nomination. This year I am nominated again

for the flim `Nine'

PEPE: How many films have you done?

MAR: I have participated in 50 films. The film that made me famous was `El

laberinto Griego´, by Rafael Alcázar. My biggest box-office hits are Vanilla Sky,

Gothika, Sahara, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Volver and Blow. I love making films.

PEPE: Who helped you become an actress?

MAR: The film ¡Átame!, by Pedro Almodóvar, helped me to make the decision to

become an actress. Besides, my studies in classic ballet in the National

Conservatory of Madrid, were also very helpful.

PEPE: Who is your favourite director?

MAR: My favourite director is Pedro Almodóvar. When I was younger, I dreamt

of making a film with him.

PEPE: What are you favourite scenes?

MAR: My favourite scenes are from the film Volver. One of them is when we

went to the river and we buried the fridge. I also like when I sing the main theme

of “Volver”

PEPE: Are you working on any film now? What is its name?

MAR: Not now, but I have just finished the film Nine. It is very cool

PEPE: Now, let’s find out more details about your visit to Almería and to school

Europa. My partner María continues the interview

MARÍA: Why do you visit Almeria?

MAR: Because the climate is very nice, it is a quiet and beautiful city, you can

walk peacefully, etc. Besides, as I am always traveling, visiting Almería is like

going to paradise… or even better. But, the main reason to visit Almería is

because a lot of movies have been shot there.

MARÍA: Do you like Almeria?

MAR: Yes, I do. As I have just said, I think Almería is a magical and charming

city

MARÍA: Do you like the beaches in Almeria?

MAR: Oh. Yes! I love the beaches but now it is winter and I can’t swim in the

beach. Anyway, I go to the promenade and I love watching the waves. It is very

beautiful!

MARÍA: Why do you visit our school?

MAR: Because I really wanted to see a school in Almeria and this school

seemed a charming one to me. Besides, when I was told that I would be

interviewed, I was very happy. Moreover, the children from this school are great,

and the teacher too, of course! They treat me very well!

MARÍA: Do you like our school?

MAR: Of course, I do. I'm surprised with this school. It is different from the

others. There are a lot of plants and I love them.

MARÍA: Well, Penélope, thanks for everything, and good luck at the Oscars!

MAR: Thank you

MARÍA: We continue with Europa News

B: And now, to end this segment, let's see the interview that Manolo did with his

turtle!

INTERVIEW WITH PONGA

MANOLO: How are you today?

PONGA: I’m fine, thanks  

 

MANOLO: Where are you from?

PONGA: I am from the Mediterranean sea

 

 MANOLO: Where do you prefer to live: at Manolo’s aunt’s house or at Manolo’s

house?

PONGA: Now, I prefer to live at Manolo’s aunt's house.

MANOLO: Are you comfortable in your garden?

PONGA: Yes, I am comfortable in my garden, but sometimes Kay, Manolo’s

dog, goes to the garden and plays with my body.

 

MANOLO: Do you have any family near here?

PONGA: No, I don’t

  

MANOLO: Do you get along with the other turtles?

PONGA: Yes, I do.

  

MANOLO: Do you have any enemies?

PONGA: Yes, I do. Kay is my worst enemy

  

MANOLO: Do you like your food?

PONGA: Yes, I like my food, especially tomatoes

 

MANOLO: What plants do you like the most?

PONGA: I like green, fresh grass.

 

MANOLO: Why do you go so slow?

PONGA: Because my shell is very big and heavy.

 

 MANOLO: Why do you have a shell?

 PONGA: Because it protects me.

J: And with this last interview we put an end to this first Europa News bulletin

B: We have to thank all the people that made this programme possible: our

editorial team, our decoration team and our interviews team, Mrs Charo, Mrs

María José, teacher Javi, Manolo’s turtle, Penélope Cruz, Danielle, Jeevan, and

all the students from 6th B and 6th C. Thanks to you all

J: We hope you enjoyed this programme and we want you to visit our blog and

the following Europa News bulletins

B: We leave you with a charming surprise

J&B: Bye, bye!