Blog Session 8 How green are you?

Dear Class,

This time please write about the environment we live in...

Mention:

a) Where do people learn about environmentally friendly practices?

b) Have you incorporated recycling in your habits? Describe

c) Do you use a bike or your legs instead of a car?

d) Have you joined or supported any eco-organisations? Why? / Why not?

e) What else have you done? / What else would like to do?

f) What have you done to reduce your carbon footprint?

g) What's missing in our society/Santiago regarding this issue?

Write this post in 240 words minimum and don't forget to make comments on at least three of your classmates’ posts.

Best,

Belén

Sample Post 8

How green are you?

This is 2013 and I can’t believe how people are not yet aware of the importance of taking care of the planet we live in. I think people should learn about “green issues” at school. Sometimes children learn how to make recycled paper and some others have workshops to learn some aspects of recycling. So, environmental-friendly practices can be definitely learnt at school and also at home.

I’ve always tried to be careful with the waste I produce. I use special bins (usually glass, plastic and organic bins) every time I can. Apart from that, I use water wisely; I learnt that in Chiloé when I was 12. It was only when we spent more than 2 weeks with a family in Nalhuitad, where they didn’t have tap water. I’m constantly thinking about ways to reduce my carbon footprint and transmitting the information so more people are aware.

I use my bike in the summer mostly. In winter it’s too cold for me and too contaminated as well but as in spring and summer is windier I tent to think that I’m not breathing so much smog. Also, as I don’t have a car, I’m always walking and taking the bus or the tube.

I support Greenpeace but only through the internet. I do that by signing emails requesting more laws or an action to stop some stupid objective of a millionaire company. I think we should support any eco-organisations if it’s because they want to take care of the planet. I’d love to make tons of copies of “The 11th Hour”, which is a documentary about the state of the Earth, considering air and water contamination mainly. Finally, in terms of the capital city, I think Santiago is missing more laws and public policies so people learn and participate in solving matters related to the environment.

Sample Post 7

I can find many reasons to continue reading and to encourage people reading, in more than one language better still. Considering we start reading since we are children, we can enjoy as many books as we manage to read. Sometimes, though, and for different reasons we can’t read very well or can’t read at all, which differs from reading without being able to show comprehension of what you read.

According to an interesting author, “Reading comprehension is one of the single most remarkable inventions in history and this extraordinary ability of the human brain, is able to make connections among its existing structures” (Wolf, 2004). So, the brain and other organs in our bodies- is linked with the human mind, and we are able to read because the brain and eyes, form the perfect camera for us to comprehend what we read.

Reading can also be considered as a psychological process. This happens at the right back region of the brain, where experts have said that the successful comprehension of written words can be found. Furthermore, images of the brain, which are called positron emission tomography (PET) scans, scientifically show that according to the precise nature of the task performed by a conscious human subject, different regions of the brain will be involved.

Then, several organs are part of an orchestra so we can not only read but also understand, analyse, internalise or critique. Organs such as your eyes are also really important so we don’t want to have a blurred vision; we better take care of our eyes, and of interest in reading as well as in what you are reading.

Blog Session 7 Free Post

Dear Class,

This time you can choose what to blog about again.
Please write 220 words and remember to make three comments at least.

Best,

Belén

Blog Session 6 Summary from a career-related article

Dear Class,

This post is about a summary that you are going to write with your own words.

Go to http://www.theguardian.com/uk

Select a piece of news connected to your area of studies/future career and then write a summary of it.

a) Provide the link to your piece of news.
b) Leave a comment on at least 3 of your classmates' posts.
c) Write the summary in 220 words minimum.

Before you start, check this out:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/factsheet/en07unde-l1-f-hints-for-summarising-written-text

Good luck,

Belén

Sample Post 5

My best holiday

Considering the length, I have to say that my best holiday was one that lasted a month and a half. Also, it could be the best because I was travelling on my own and it was quite an exciting experience. I spent most of my time in Belgium, in the capital Brussels but from there I travelled to other cities in Belgium like Liége and Bruges. By bus, by car or by train I visited London, Paris and Amsterdam too.

Apart from getting around old and beautiful cities, I visited friends and they were very nice with me. I stayed with them, sometimes for two nights some others for a week depending on who I was visiting. I spent 6 films, so I got plenty of black and white pictures from that trip. I spent money going to museums but there are many where you don't pay, and all of them were so interesting... I’m sure I would have visited more museums if I had had more money.

The most important reason to consider this my best holidays was the fact that I was on my own and obviously the chance I had to visit different countries in a bit more than a month. I’m afraid I have no pictures to upload as I didn’t take digital photos and I haven’t scanned them either.

Blog Session 5 Free Post 2

Dear Class,

Again, this week -the second in October- you choose the topic. In my case, as we talked about travelling, getting around and places to stay in previous units, I chose: Me best holiday.

Write this post in 200 words minimum and remember to make comments on at least three of your classmates' posts.

Good luck,

Belén

Sample Post 4

The human brain

I’ve always been interested in how the human body works. One of the reasons why I’m interested is because I practice sports, so why we sweat, stretch and how we can work out our muscles are intriguing facts about our bodies. Those, among other incredible facts like gestating as to have new generations. Sleeping, dancing, walking and reading are just some of the activities that have to do with the brain.

Biology and Education are closely related if we analyse the brain activity. As a teacher, when we study the way human beings learn, we study Psychology but unfortunately we didn’t study Neuroscience. Therefore, as this science has always caught my attention I wanted to learn more about it. A couple of years ago, because of the Masters programme I was studying, I had the chance to read lots of interesting papers about how the brain works when we read and how the way we stimulate the brain affects our learning process.

The human brain is a complex organ and as human beings we are supposed to be the only ones to know something about the way the brain works. With that skill, Pierre Paul Broca (1824-1880), a French pioneer doctor was able to draw a map of the brain and consequently, he discovered a small area in the left hemisphere, which controls the production of language. Indeed, 100 billion neurons in our brains* are responsible for language, communication and many other aspects of our lives.

*http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/sciencetech/facts-about-your-brain/7038?image=2

Blog Session 4 Free Post 1

Dear Class,

This is the first time you can choose the topic. So, as this is a free topic you can choose anything you want, maybe what you did during the holidays, plans for the future or comments...
In my case I'm going to write about the human brain. When I was in school I wasn't as interested in Biology as I am now, but I think this is a good choice now.
This time please write 180 words minimum and remember to make at least three comments on your classmates' posts.


Good luck,

Belén