Daniela Munca ESL Class Blog

2010-01-03T14:53:00.001-08:00

Dear all, my experience at the TESOL conference in New York has been equally exciting and productive. I have learned how to use a couple of online tools and I think any ESL/EFL instructor could use them to engage language learners in creative mini projects. I would like to share these with you:

1. Dvolver: http://www.dvolver.com/live/home.htmlallows teachers and learners to create and direct their own mini-movies. There are a few easy steps to follow - you can choose your characters, scenes and backgrounds, add text and music and your movie is ready! You can see the one I created for my American Culture students below

2. Online Comics Generator: http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Choose as many characters as you want, give them a "mood", add a thought or a talk balloon and your comics is ready for printing and using in class (great with elementary students).

3. Screen-o-Matic: http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/Need to create a tutorial for your students? Do you want your students to create online projects where they would use their own voice? Try this tool - it's easy and it's free!

Welcome to our Food for Thought iEARN Project

2009-03-27T02:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our Food for Thought Project!
My dear EFl students! Welcome to our Food for Thought Online Project ! We will be using this blog as our common interactive space to post our best pictures, essays, recipies, videos and power point presentations. Your first task for this week will be:
1) Post an introductory message with the following information included:
- your name
- where you are from
- what your favourite food is
- why you would like to participate in this project
- any interesting hobbies or special talents

We will join many other students from around teh world to study about food as part of the iEARN community - I will register you as iEARN participants, so that you can access the Project Webpage and tell us more:- how many countries participate in this project?- what kind of recipies do they publish online?- can you find an unusual recipe posted by a participant from a different country?Go to the Forum and explore it and be ready to talk about your findings in class!
All the best - see you online,Olga Ahramenco

Moldova in the Next Vista for Learning Video Online Library

2009-01-06T07:07:00.000-08:00

Last semester my students and I worked on the iEARN / Next Vista for Learning Video Introduction to Communities Project - which aims to create an online library of free videos for learners everywhere - to help them find resources to learn just about anything, meet people who make a difference in their communities, and even discover new parts of the world. We are working on a series of slideshows and short videos which aim to introduce our country Moldova to the world. Have a look at my students' work and tell us what you think!I believe this is a great idea for teachers who want to involve their students in online collaborative projects involving image, slideshows and videos as means of communication. More info on the project here: http://dvmuncaesl.wetpaint.com/page/Video+Introductions+to+Communities

EFL FLEX in Moldova

2008-08-04T03:23:00.000-07:00

This summer ACCELS Moldova in collaboration with ALC (American Councils), where I am currently working as an EFL instructor, have organised a summer immersion program for the FLEX (Future Leaders Exchange Program) finalists from all over the former Soviet republics, who came to Moldova to improve their English, study about US culture and get ready to face an academic year in the States. This is a short video we put together with the activities we enjoyed the most: the first part is just a slide show of pictures and comments, the second represents a series of short videos with the FLEX students sharing their experience in Moldova. A couple of students have visual and hearing impairments. These interviews were taken during our last EFL Conversation class, when the students talked about what they liked doing during these 5 weeks and is they are ready to leave for US.

Check on our Voicethreads!

2008-04-13T17:32:00.000-07:00

My students and I have explored Voicethread - and created a couple of presentations on different topics you might find interesting and fun to watch! For teachers: I have also uploaded a lesson plan you can find on my TeacherWeb page ("Lesson Plans" section).
Check on the following links if you want to find out more about:

1. Beyonce and her career as a singer and actress: http://voicethread.com/#q.b106050 and http://voicethread.com/#q.b106194 (or type in "Beyonce" in the Browse section of Voicethread);
2. My experience in NY by Gabi Lu http://voicethread.com/share/103345/

3. Advantages of Travelling http://voicethread.com/#u75245.b89426

4. Past Perfect -http://voicethread.com/#q.b90651 and http://voicethread.com/share/89461/
5. Modal Verbs: http://voicethread.com/#u64820.b89478.i455697

6. Niagara Falls: http://voicethread.com/#q.b105995 and http://voicethread.com/share/106041/

7. Rodeo Superstitions https://webmail.olemiss.edu/cgi-bin/webmail.cgi?cmd=url&xdata=~2-dc582f0887a4d72d3a1cc428f64397b3f88ca4f4e19dd9c7dd00&url=http!3A!2F!2Fvoicethread.com!2Fshare!2F106194!2F
8. The sttue of Liberty http://voicethread.com/#q.b105979

9. Yosemite National Park http://voicethread.com/share/106629/

Don't forget to create an account or sign in first to watch them.

What is a "Tornado" ?

2008-04-10T07:45:00.000-07:00

What you need to know about tornados:

1. Scientists don't know exactly how tornadoes form, but that they usually occur in the United States when cool dry air from the north mixes with warm moist air from the south.

Find out by yourselves:

- What is a twist? - What is a tornado alley?

2. Watch the following National Geographic Videos. What did you notice about tornadoes?

3. Tornados are found most frequently east of the Rocky Mountains during the spring and summer months. Find out how tornados form here.
4. In an average year, 800 tornadoes are reported nationwide, resulting in 80 deaths and over 1,500 injuries.
5. The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous destruction with wind speeds of 250 mph or more. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long. Once a tornado in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, carried a motel sign 30 miles and dropped it in Arkansas!

Having fun with Cartoons!

2008-04-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

Fun Facts about Niagara Falls!

2008-03-27T18:11:00.000-07:00

Have a look at Niagara Falls, one of the most beautiful places in USA. Although they aren't the highest waterfalls in the world, the volume of the water that flows over the falls combine with their height to make Niagara Falls exceptionally spectacular. Find out who survived a trip down Niagara in barrel, how the Falls froze almost completely one year, why they "stopped" the water and what are Niagara's best attractions.

General Information

Niagara Falls at Night

Attractions and Tours

Niagara Movie

Crazy Adventures!

10 Niagara Falls Attractions

Niagara Falls Frozen in 1911!!!

Interesting Facts about the Falls.

Teachers can survive anything (even Niagara!)

Let's learn more about the Grand Canyon

2008-03-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

1. This week we will be learning about Grand Canyon. I have put together some interesting sites we could explore and find out more information about this wonderful site.

Grand Canyon facts at El Civics for ESL Students

2. Find out what a Skywalk is from this slideshare presentation : Skywalk in Grand Canyon

3. Watch this amazing video and feel free to share comments: Grand Canyon on Youtube

4. Learn about the Indian Tribes from the Grand Canyon: Navajo People

Atomic Bomb Testing in Vegas

2008-03-06T13:03:00.000-08:00

How did Atomic Bomb Experiments change Las Vegas? Was it safe to watch those explosions? What do you think about that?

The History of Bugsy Siegel and Las Vegas

2008-03-06T13:02:00.001-08:00

You know that Bugsy Siegel was the first person to build a casino in Vegas. What else did you find out about him from this video?

Wedding in Las Vegas

2008-03-06T12:59:00.001-08:00

What do you think of this wedding? Would you get married in Vegas? Would you like to invite Elvis to your wedding?

Elvis singing about Las Vegas!

2008-03-06T12:50:00.001-08:00

Have you ever been to Vegas? Would you like to go there one day? What would you like to see or to do there?

Dresses on the Oscar Red Carpet

2008-03-06T12:47:00.000-08:00

Did you like the dresses the actresses wore at the 2008 Red carpet Ceremony? which one was the best and which one was the worst?

More about Al Capone - History project

2008-03-06T12:38:00.000-08:00

This is a short history project on Al Capone - did you find anything new? Tell us what you think about this man - did he deserve to go to Alcatraz?

The City of San Francisco

2008-03-06T12:31:00.001-08:00

San Francisco

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This is a presentation about the City of San Francisco Heidi and Gabi worked together on. What did you like about it? What was new for you? Would you like to go there some day? What would you like to see there?

Alcatraz - a very interesting island in San Francisco Bay

2008-03-06T12:28:00.001-08:00

Cowgirls - and the Rodeo

2008-03-06T12:26:00.001-08:00

A Quiz about Oscars

2008-02-19T19:39:00.000-08:00

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Let's see how much you know about the Oscars!

http://www.classmarker.com/m_test.php?id=7774

American Culture Quiz!

2008-02-14T21:15:00.000-08:00

I have just created a really nice quiz on American Culture based on the texts we read and the videos we watched so far. Let's see if you can make 100%! Good luck!

http://uk1.hotpotatoes.net/ex/26942/PTYGFFQF.php

ESL Class Blogs - A Collaborative Model

2008-02-05T17:47:00.000-08:00

5 Must-Have Tools on your ESL Class Blog!

2008-01-31T20:09:00.000-08:00

Blogs are wonderful free tools teachers can design to meet the needs of their particula syllabus, curriculum, students' learning styles and personal teaching philosophies. My students like our ESL class blog because it incorporates a variety of tools they are using EVERY day in and outside class. This is a list of 5 "must-have" tools I put together and recommend to any ESL teacher who wants to use blogs as a tool rather than as a simply instructional media:
1. Online Dictionaries
(with visual and audio/pronunciation features, also with ESL learner features)
Merriam-Webster online dictionary, http://www.m-w.com/ , VisuWords, http://www.visuwords.com/ and Thefreedictionary: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/lookup.htm

2. Grammar Girl: wonderful free podcasts for anyone interested in improving writing skills in English:
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/default.aspx
3. Online Essay Map: great tool for students who can not organise ideas in paragraphs or don't know how to write a topic sentence:
http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/student_material.asp?id=63
4. Free online Puzzle and crossword makers, great fun tools to improve students' spelling and vocabulary: http://www.puzzlemaker.com/ (a Web-based service, with a variety of puzzles to choose from (Letter Tiles, Crosswords, Fallen Phrases).
Kelly's Multiple Choice HTML Quiz Generator, http://a4esl.org/q/h/help/write-mc.html (which may be used to generate interactive self-study quizzes, where the sample questions are replaced with one's own.).
5. Media Sharing Tools:
Slideshare - the world's largest community for sharing power point presentations on the web
http://www.slideshare.net/
TeacherTube – an online community for sharing instructional videos
http://www.teachertube.com/
Just demonstrate the students how to use them and then they will take over the classroom! How about your list of must-have blogging tools for teachers and students?

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Ugly Betty, SCI Miami, Grammar Girl and Merriam-Webster in one package!

2008-01-30T17:26:00.000-08:00

It is true that Web 2.0 opened new horizons to both teachers and students. Anyone can easily access information on an infinite variety of subjects in just a couple of seconds: we are became legitimate participants in the world outside our classroom. The problem is now – how can we face the amount o information bombarding us n a daily basis. How can we teach our students select appropriate material and be effective while surfing the web? A possible answer is RSS – a great tool to make classroom blogging more productive for the students and professors. At the beginning of the semester, I included a list of links I want my students to check on a regular basis. These are online dictionaries (Merriam Webster http://www.m-w.com/ check on the ESL Learner section!!!), CNN, US Today and BBC news, Grammar Girl podcasts, and of course some fun stuff: like Ugly Betty Blog (believe it or not, I am watching that too from time to time Jhttp://www.uglybettyblog.com/ ), or CSI Miami blog (I am a big fan of that http://www.cbs.com/primetime/csi_miami/blog.php !!!!). My students started complaining that it became time consuming to check on all these blogs and links daily, so the RSS solution was perfect for me! I asked all of them to create a Bloglines account, subscribe to their favorite blogs and check on the headlines that appear on the right section. This is how they can skim for information they might find useful, or just have fun browsing on the latest posts – just like browsing a newspaper! Easy, time saving and just very cool! Try it out with your students and let me know if it worked for them!

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English is a Crazy Language - Do you agree?

2008-01-23T19:22:00.000-08:00

Dear ESL Grammar students! Welcome to our ESL Class bklog. this is the first post I want you to read and comment on.

English is the most widely spoken language on our planet, used in some way on every continent. Half of the world's books are written in English, and the majority of international telephone calls are made in English. Nonetheless, it is now time to face the fact that English is a crazy language. In what other language do people drive in a parkway and park in a driveway? Why is it that when we transport something by car, it's called a shipment, but when we transport something by ship, it's called cargo? Why are people who ride motorcycles called bikers and people who ride bikes called cyclists? Why -- in this crazy language -- can your nose run and your feet smell? Why is the word abbreviation so long? If olive oil is made from olives, what do they make baby oil from? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian consume? If pro and con are opposites, is congress the opposite of progress? A writer is someone who writes, but fingers don't fing and hammers don't ham. One goose, two geese -- so one moose, two meese? One blouse, 2 blice? ? One index, two indices -- one Kleenex, two Kleenices? If the teacher taught, why isn't it also true that the preacher praught? Why is it that the sun shone yesterday while I shined my shoes? Why is it that when the sun or the moon or the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible? English is a crazy language.
Do you agree with author that English is Crazy? Give examples of things that confuse you about this language. Have you ever had any confusing, embarrassing or funny situations related to misunderstandings in English?

2007-12-10T10:14:00.000-08:00

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Our Video-Interview about using Blogs in class

2007-12-08T17:05:00.000-08:00

Technorati Tags: dvmunca, esl class blog, university of mississippi

Reflection on your last project - Creating ESL Blogs

2007-12-02T18:29:00.000-08:00

This semester is over and I am glad that all of you managed to create and share great blogs! I have had time to look at all of them and appreciate your effort and creativity:

Mohannad http://mohannadsblog.blogspot.com/- Last but not the Least! Your blog looks really good and I am glad that you shared with us all the essays you wrote this semester! They are really well organized and apparently everybody liked them. Good luck with your upcoming GRE exam!
Keizo http://keizo-trivia.blogspot.com/ - You got the most "HONEST and ACCURATE" blog! I found out a lot about you through your postings. Thank you for the suggestions for improving our ESL program! I also appreciate your accurate grammar and spelling - you spend enough time editing your posting and I can see how much your writing skills have improved. Great Job!
Nadera http://alkoor.blogspot.com/ - I know how challenging was this activity for you, but it was worth it - You have the BEST ORGANISED blog! You have completed all the requirements and all your posts are nicely arranged. I am proud of you!
Pauline http://po-esl-usa.blogspot.com/ - you have the best "CROSS CULTURAL" blog - you always make comparisons between French and American culture and you share your impressions about USA in a very honest, detailed and accurate way. I am really happy you are enjoying your experience here and I hope to see you next semester in the ESL Program.
Alex http://kakacaoz.blogspot.com/ - Your blog is definitely the most "MUSICAL" blog! Thank you for sharing your favourite music with us! I know you have another blog in Chinese, but the one in English is not bad at all as well.
Kelly http://kellylab.blogspot.com/ - has the most "MEDIA-RELATED" posts: I also like Grey's Anatomy; Have you checked on their blog: http://television.aol.com/show/greys-anatomy/426427/main?sem=1&ncid=AOLETV00170000000003
Gabi http://gabilupocketsize.blogspot.com/- Gabi, your blog reflects your personality - it is the "FUNNIEST" blog! I liked the way you described your culture shock in USA and I enjoyed reading ALL your posts.
Ji-Hee http://jihee-jun.blogspot.com/ I didn't know that Korea is the most wired nation in the world!!! Your blog was the most CONCISE one, but you still fulfilled all the requirements.

I believe you ALL worked hard for this last project, so you will all get "A" for it!

Online Evaluation

2007-11-27T18:29:00.001-08:00

Electronic Evaluation of an ESL course

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Dear ESL Lab and EFS 100 students - the fall semester has come to its end. Please feel free to share your comments, suggestions and future recommendations as a comment to this PPP. Answer to the question on the slides and post your enswers bellow - I hope that you had fun this semester and learned a lot at the same time. Have a great Chrismas break!

How to create an ESL blog

2007-11-14T15:16:00.001-08:00

Creating a Blog - Activity for ESL students
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The Myth of Dracula

2007-11-12T16:01:00.001-08:00

The Myth Of Dracula daniMD

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This is a powerpoint on Prince Vlad Tepes and the historical facts behind "Dracula" story SlideShare Link

My Experience in USA - Climbing the "Hollywood" Hill!

2007-11-12T14:40:00.001-08:00

Hi! My most memorable experience was visiting Los Angeles and climbing up the "Hollywood" hill. I went there last year, in December, to vizit my friend Mark, a Peace Corps volunteer I met back in my home country. Mark has lived in LA for all of his life, but surprisingly, he jas never climbed up the Hollywood Hill;:

- "I can see it perfectly from down here", he would say:)

So, Tamara and I decided to convince him to go up there and see what it looks like from a closer view. Easier said than done - the climbing was much longer than we expected - it took us 3 hours to walk up to the sign, but it was worth it!

"Dracula, my love" song activity

2007-11-03T19:44:00.000-07:00

Watch this video and find 6 mistakes in the lyrics of the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVyz5Hyy1is

Everybody in the country
Come along and move your body
To the rhythm of Italy,
My hommie Dracula, from Transylvania.

Hello, darling I'm Dracula, the famous King Charming
Don't, don't, don't be running
Come, let me hug you on the neck, you sexy mammy.

I hate the way you love and I hate the way you rock
I hate the way you talk, it makes me really really cold
So give me, give me your kissin' and carress
Make me, make me your Dracula contessa.

Notorious like Biggie Biggie, dangerous like Tupac
Sneakin' like a snake he'll come around and suck your tears
D to the R-A-C, U to the L to the A
Dracula my hommie, coma', comin' yo' way.

A groom out of a coffin marries a bleeding bride!!!

2007-10-30T22:06:00.000-07:00

You think this is a joke??? Well, this one is a REAL wedding! Tina Milhoane, 22, and Robert Seifer , 24, exchanged vows Wednesday at the entrance to the 7 Floors of Hell haunted house's outdoor cemetery. The groom made his entrance while emerging from a coffin borne by six pallbearers. "It's weird watching your son get out of a coffin," said his father, Robert Seifer. "Usually when you see someone in a coffin, they're going the other way -- in, not out."
The minister, clad as the Grim Reaper, read The Lord's Prayer from a scroll clutched in bony-gloved hand. "This is the sweetest wedding that I've ever been to," said co-worker Tim Perrien, his face caked in makeup. His date, Jessica Repas, was dripping with blood as the lead character in the horror move "Carrie." "It was morbid," gushed friend Katie O'Malley. "Beautiful."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/offtopic/chi-odd-haunted-wedding,1,6585066.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

Would you get married like that?

Halloween Crocodile :)

2007-10-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

Pumpkins are very popular on Halloween - people carve them, make pumpkin pies, decorate them, but none of these is even close to what a very inventive farmer from Germany accomplished. In order to attract customers and sell the pumpkins he grows on his farm, a farmer from Hartheim-Feldkirch, southwestern Germany, build a huge colourful crocodile! I guess it took him some time to put all these pumpkins together, but the result is really eye-catching, don't you think? http://fe57.news.sp1.yahoo.com/i/757

What a Pumpkin!!!!!

2007-10-29T13:49:00.000-07:00

Do you want to see the BIGGEST pumpkin in the world? You should pay a visit to Joe Jutras from Rhode Island, who brought a 1689 pound pumpkin to the Topsfield Fair GPC weigh-off in Topsfield, Ma. on September 29, 2007. His new world record beat the previous world record by 187 pounds. Last year's world record holder was Ron Wallace with a 1502 pound pumpkin at the Rhode Island Weighoff on October 7, 2006.
What an awesome achievement! Can you imagine what a Jack-O'Lantern we could make out of this pumpkin?

http://www.pumpkinnook.com/giants/giantpumpkins.htm

Can you beat THIS record?

2007-10-29T13:38:00.000-07:00

Do you like eating? Maybe it's time for you to join IFOCE - International federation of Competitive Eating :) http://www.ifoce.com/news.php?action=detail&sn=183

To get on the front page you just have to beat Eric Bookeran, an American competitive eater AND a rap musician who won the Entenmann's Pies Thanksgiving Invitational, consuming 4 3/8 pumpkin pies in six minutes ! Eric started his career eating ONIONS (Yuk!!!), with which he first became an eating champion. Currently Eric is a subway conductor on the 7 train in New York City. Booker also has released multiple rap albums, which he listens to while eating during his competitions :)

The most economical car by Volkswagen

2007-10-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

Worried that gas prizes go up and up incessantly? Buy a Volkswagen! This company presented the world's most economical road car: the 1-litre or 285 mpg car.
It has an average fuel consumption of just 0.99 litres per 100 kilometres. It manages to combine driving pleasure with a level of fuel consumption never seen before.
The 1-litre car is a vehicle which looks more like a sports car than a typical research vehicle.
It is 3.47 metres long, but just 1.25 metres wide and just over a metre in height. To save weight, it is made of carbon composites and is not painted.
The interior is sportingly simple in design, yet offers enough space for two people.

The Best Cars in the world - which one do you want to buy?

2007-10-26T08:45:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered which car is the fastest? In order find out about this, we calculate how much time a car needs to accelerate too 100 miles per hour (160km/h), and then to stop immediately. This is the top 3 list:
1. 10. Lamborghini Gallardo 13.65 secs
2. 9. Porsche 911 Turbo 12.5 secs
3. Ferrari Enzo 10.9 secs
http://www.automotoportal.com/article/10_Worlds_Fastest_Cars

How about safety? According to Forbes, the safest cars of 2007 are:
1.Acura RDX SUV
2.Audi A6 sedan
3.Audi A4 family
http://www.forbes.com/vehicles/2007/05/11/car-safe-vehicle-forbeslife-cx_dl_0514safecars_slide_2.html?thisSpeed=15000
So, which one would you prefer?

Having fun building home-made helicopters!!!

2007-10-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

Speaking of hobbies - some people collect stamps, others read books in their spare time, but Mubarak Muhammad Abdullahi, a 24-year-old physics undergraduate in northern Nigeria, designs helicopters in his back yard! How? He takes old cars and motorbikes to pieces in the back yard at home and builds his own helicopters from the parts.
"It took me eight months to build this one," he said, as he filled the radiator of the banana yellow four-seater which he now parks in the grounds of his university.
The chopper is powered by a second-hand 133 horsepower Honda Civic car engine and kitted out with seats from an old Toyota saloon car. Its other parts come from the carcass of a Boeing 747 which crashed near Kano some years ago.
For a four-seater it is a big aircraft, measuring twelve metres (39 feet) long, seven metres high by five wide. A small screen on the dashboard connects to a camera underneath the helicopter for ground vision, a set of six buttons adjusts the screen's brightness while a small transmitter is used for communication. How to drive it? "You start it, allow it to run for a minute or two and you then shift the accelerator forward and the propeller on top begins to spin. The further you shift the accelerator the faster it goes and once you reach 300 rmp you press the joystick and it takes off," Abdullahi explained from the cockpit.
What is remarkable is that he learned the rudiments of flying a helicopter from the Internet and first got the idea of building one from the films he watches on television!!!!! Could you do something like that?

Money and fame can't buy style and good taste :(

2007-10-23T11:17:00.000-07:00

Richard Blackwell is a fashion critic, journalist, television personality, artist, and former fashion designer known internationally as Mr Blackwell. He is the creator of the Ten Worst Dressed Women list, an annual awards presentation he unveils in January of each year. He is also famous for his book: Mr. Blackwell: 30 Years of Fashion Fiascos. He was an important designer and during the 1960s he became the first in history to present his line on a television broadcast; and the first to make his line available for plus-size women. In 1960 he created the first “Ten Worst Dressed Women” and in January this year we will see who aree “the lucky” or shall I say “the unlucky” finalists. Guess who is on top five: Britney Spears and Paris Hilton fight for the first title!!!! Mr. Blackwell called them " Screamgirls" and "style-free and fashion deprived". Next on the list are Lindsay Lohan (No. 3), who went, he claims "from adorable to deplorable" – and the 57-year-old Meryl Streep, even though she played a fashionista in The Devil Wears Prada. Christina Aguilera - "All crass and no class" and Mariah Carey - who wears her clothes too tight come next. I guess money and fame can’t buy style and good taste!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Blackwell
http://www.boston.com/yourlife/fashion/gallery/2006_golden_globes_worst_dressed/
http://beauty.ivillage.com/celebstyle/rantsraves/0,,8sg36zf2,00.html

2007-10-21T17:30:00.000-07:00

1. Oprah Winfrey 2. J.K. Rowling 3. Martha Stewart 4. Madonna 5. Celine Dion 6. Mariah Carey 7. Janet Jackson 8. Julia Roberts 9. Jennifer Lopez 10. Jennifer Aniston 11. The Olsen Twins 12. Britney Spears 13. Judge Judy 14. Sandra Bullock 15. Cameron Diaz 16. Gisele Bundchen 17. Ellen DeGeneres 18. Nicole Kidman 19. Christina Aguilera 20. Renee Zellweger
These 10 women have been selected by Forbes as the "richest women" on this planet. You probably wonder how they got in the list? You don't have to find gold or oil, you don't have to create a mega mall chain like WalMart or Home Depot. It's much easier - appear in films, make successful music add a perfume and fashion line like JLo, appear in one of Victoria's Secret catalogs like Gisele or just write a mega successful book at least half as popular as "Harry Potter" and you can get in the list, too. The richest actress on the list is Julia Roberts, who built her estimated $140 million fortune film by film. The Pretty Woman star was the first actress in Hollywood to ask a $20 million-per-film paycheck!!! Twins stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are often credited in the media as presiding over a fortune of as much as $100 million. Not bad for a couple of 20-year-old cute young ladies. Read more here: http://www.forbes.com/2007/01/17/richest-women-entertainment-tech-media-cz_lg_richwomen07_0118womenstars_lander.html. Good luck!

$10 million for a .... CAR??? Would it be that much if it was made out of gold?

2007-10-20T15:03:00.000-07:00

Have a look at this car - it looks cool, but a little bit old fashioned, doesn't it? This is not a Mercedes, a Rolls Royce or even a Lamborghini, but if you want to have it you need to really empty your pockets: get ready to spend just $ 10 million! The world's most expensive car is up for sale. This Bugatti Type 41 Royale was the brainchild of Ettore Bugatti--and also a hugely expensive misstep in the history of his firm. In the 1920s, Bugatti was expecting to get a contract from the French military to build 16-cylinder aircraft engines. The contract never materialized, but Bugatti felt he could use half that engine, a straight eight, to form one of the most amazing luxury cars in history. This is still the largest engine of any car to be sold privately. Now the present anonymous owner--believed to be Japanese--has commissioned Bonham & Brooks in London to offer the Bugatti Royale for resale to anyone willing to pay the asking price.
So, what do you say - is it worth $ 10 million or not?
If you don't like this one, check on the following 10 cars - they cost much less - just around
1 192 057 USD dollars each :)
http://www.funforever.net/archives/most-expensive-cars-of-2006/

Madonna keeps it hot! Doesn't she have enough money already ????

2007-10-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

I used to think Hollywood and show biz is all about being young and attractive. the older you get, the less probable it is that you will be successful and attractive as an actor, singer or any celebrity - I guess I was wrong! Madonna, who is far from being in her twenties, intends to sign a $120 million recording and touring deal with live entertainment promoter Live Nation Inc. and leave her longtime record label at Warner Music Group Corp. I wish I earned $120 by the time I am 50! Doesn't she have enough already? I can sincerely say that I admire Madonna for being able to re-invent herself again and again and still be attractive and successful! I guess she is the best example for the saying: "Women are like wine - the older, the better":)

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/11/madonna.deal.ap/

It's all about wrapping! Can you believe it?

2007-10-20T13:11:00.000-07:00

I have recently come across an article about kids and Mc Donald's. There is a big fuss about eating healthy lately, people re-invent mother nature to make healthy products tastier and more appealing to the consumer, but in fact it's not about the quality, but about wrapping!!! Check this out: http://www.abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/story?id=3452600&page=1
New research shows preschool-aged children are more likely to rate food as tasty if it comes in a McDonald's wrapper. It can be a carrot or even a piece of broccoli they would normally hate that they can call "tasty" as long as it says "McDonald's" in the package.

Hi! This is our ESL Class Blog- Let's start blogging!

2007-10-20T12:51:00.001-07:00

Dear ESL Lab students! This semester we will try to learn in a diffrent way - we will be using this class blog to study English, find great resourses on the Web, exchange ideas and feedback with each other and share our essays, powerpoint presentation, videos and pictures with the rest of the world! You will also create your own blogs and I will teach you how to share photo albums, Youtube videos and power point presentations with everyone on the Web! This blog will also display useful links to oline dictionaries, video and audio resources to learn English and just cool stuff to read in English! Good luck in the new semester!

Hi! My name is Daniela Munca. I was born in a small but beautiful country in Eastern Europe - Moldova, on the border of the Nistru River, separating Moldova from Ukraine. I am an international graduate student in TESOL (Teaching English to Students of Other Languages) at The University of Mississippi, as well as an ESL Instructor within the ESL Program. I teach elementary to upper-intermediate undergraduate and graduate students from all over the world.
My students come from Korea and China, Jordan and India, Chile and Saudi Arabia, Sweden and Nederland, Armenia and Italy, France and Japan. We always have fun while learning English- it’s so exciting to share cultures and customs around the world in one classroom!
I like teaching because I meet so many different students and learn something new each day. My students are my source of energy; they make my day and know how to make me smile J

Daniela Munca ESL Class Blog

Welcome to our Food for Thought iEARN Project

Moldova in the Next Vista for Learning Video Online Library

EFL FLEX in Moldova

Check on our Voicethreads!

What is a "Tornado" ?

Having fun with Cartoons!

Fun Facts about Niagara Falls!

Let's learn more about the Grand Canyon

Atomic Bomb Testing in Vegas

The History of Bugsy Siegel and Las Vegas

Wedding in Las Vegas

Elvis singing about Las Vegas!

Dresses on the Oscar Red Carpet

More about Al Capone - History project

The City of San Francisco

San Francisco View Upload your ownThis is a presentation about the City of San Francisco Heidi and Gabi worked together on. What did you like about it? What was new for you? Would you like to go there some day? What would you like to see there?

Alcatraz - a very interesting island in San Francisco Bay

Cowgirls - and the Rodeo

A Quiz about Oscars

American Culture Quiz!

ESL Class Blogs - A Collaborative Model

5 Must-Have Tools on your ESL Class Blog!

Ugly Betty, SCI Miami, Grammar Girl and Merriam-Webster in one package!

English is a Crazy Language - Do you agree?

Our Video-Interview about using Blogs in class

Reflection on your last project - Creating ESL Blogs

Online Evaluation

How to create an ESL blog

Creating a Blog - Activity for ESL students View Upload your own

The Myth of Dracula

The Myth Of Dracula daniMD View Upload your ownThis is a powerpoint on Prince Vlad Tepes and the historical facts behind "Dracula" story SlideShare Link

My Experience in USA - Climbing the "Hollywood" Hill!

"Dracula, my love" song activity

A groom out of a coffin marries a bleeding bride!!!

Halloween Crocodile :)

What a Pumpkin!!!!!

Can you beat THIS record?

The most economical car by Volkswagen

The Best Cars in the world - which one do you want to buy?

Having fun building home-made helicopters!!!

Money and fame can't buy style and good taste :(

$10 million for a .... CAR??? Would it be that much if it was made out of gold?

Madonna keeps it hot! Doesn't she have enough money already ????

It's all about wrapping! Can you believe it?

Hi! This is our ESL Class Blog- Let's start blogging!

San Francisco

View Upload your own
This is a presentation about the City of San Francisco Heidi and Gabi worked together on. What did you like about it? What was new for you? Would you like to go there some day? What would you like to see there?

Creating a Blog - Activity for ESL students
View Upload your own

The Myth Of Dracula daniMD

View Upload your own
This is a powerpoint on Prince Vlad Tepes and the historical facts behind "Dracula" story SlideShare Link