The Thirteenth Doctor as Imagined by Doctor Who Fans

I am a big Doctor Who fan. I told my mom a few years ago about this great new show I was watching, Doctor Who, and she said, “You used to watch that when you were little. It had the guy who always wore the long scarf.” I took that as a good sign – I was a fan already, even thought I didn’t remember it! I’ve loved what each new actor has brought to the role, even though Christopher Eccleston will always be my Doctor.

For those that have never seen it, Doctor Who is a British science fiction TV show made by the BBC. It follows the adventures of a mysterious and eccentric alien known as the Doctor. He travels through time and space in his spacecraft, the TARDIS (an acronym for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space), which looks like a blue British police box from the 1950’s. With his companions, he explores time and space. In his travels he saves civilizations and defeats enemies, while helping others to solve their problems.

Recently, a member of the London Zoo forum posted an interesting challenge to artistic Doctor Who fans:

A Time Lord can regenerate twelve times before dying. Thirteen incarnations in all.

Design the thirteenth incarnation of the Doctor.

You may additionally redesign the DOCTOR WHO logo, the TARDIS and other elements of the property should you so wish.

Here are a few of the brilliant creations these talented fans came up with. Which one do you like the most? Tell me in the comments!

Key Vocabulary:

• science fiction – a type of book or film about imaginary scientific events, such as space travel, aliens or the future
• mysterious – something that is not fully understood, unusual
• eccentric – not behaving or thinking in an ordinary or accepted way; odd; strange
• acronym – a word formed from the first letters or parts of other words: “SCUBA” is an acronym for “self-contained underwater breathing apparatus.”
• companion – a person who goes with another person
• regenerate – to re-create or make new or better

incarnations – versions

Questions for Discussion:

1. Have you ever watched Doctor Who?
2. If so, who is your favorite Doctor?
3. Which of the imagined 13th Doctors above do you like the most?

ESL Activity: Correct the LOLcat – Baby Gate

Animals can’t speak English very well. Fix this cat’s spelling and punctuation to make a correct sentence.

Post a comment and let me know how you think this should be said. Come back next Friday for the answer!

Learn English online with this ESL teaching idea using LOLcats! You can teach lessons using this activity on many things like grammar, vocabulary, spelling, reading, writing, and pronunciation.

Click here to see the answer to last week’s Correct the LOLcat.

ESL Movie Matching Activity – September 3rd Releases

In this activity, students read synopses of new movie releases and, using the visual and textual context provided by the posters, match the movie description with the correct movie poster.

These movies will be released in theaters in the United States and the United Kingdom on Friday, September 3rd.

I want to see Going the Distance and My Dog Tulip. What movies are you looking forward to seeing? Tell me in the comments!

Teachers: Click here to download the free printable PDF of this activity to use in class.

It’s Hurricane Season – Are You Prepared?

Are you affected by hurricanes where you live? Historically, September is the worst month of the Atlantic hurricane season. From the years of 1851 to 2006, September was the top storm-producing month, with 459 named storms!

September is also National Preparedness Month in the United States.  This is a time when people are encouraged to prepare for emergencies, such as fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes. “National Preparedness Month is a great way to get Americans and our communities and businesses to come together in planning and preparing for a disaster,” FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said. “Disasters can hit any place, any time, so it’s essential that we take concrete steps together, now, to ensure a better response later.”

But what does it mean to be prepared? Ready.gov has some advice on what to include in a basic emergency supply kit. Here are a few of the recommend items that they say should be included in your emergency supplies (visit the ready.gov site for a complete list of items):

Water: One gallon of water per person per day for at least three days.	Food: At least a three-day supply of non-perishable food.	Radio: Battery-powered or hand crank.	Flashlight: With extra batteries.

First Aid Kit: To treat minor injuries.	Pet Supplies: Food and water for your furry friend.	Documents: Important family documents in a waterproof, portable container .	Clothing: A complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes.

Key Vocabulary:

• a named storm – Names are given to tropical cyclones, including hurricanes, to avoid confusion when more than one storm is being followed at the same time. A storm is named when it reaches tropical storm strength with winds of 39 mph, and becomes a hurricane or typhoon when its wind speed reaches 74 mph.
• prepare – to make ready
• concrete – able to be seen and touched; real
• non-perishable – not likely to spoil or rot

Questions for Discussion:

1. Do you live in an area that is affected by hurricanes?
2. Do you have an emergency supply kit? What items would you include in your kit?
3. Why is it important to be prepared for emergencies?

ESL Activity: Correct the LOLcat – Happy Turtle

Animals can’t speak English very well. Fix this turtle’s spelling and punctuation to make a correct exclamation.

Post a comment and let me know how you think this should be said. Come back next Friday (or Saturday, if I’m lazy like I was this week ) for the answer!

Learn English online with this ESL teaching idea using LOLcats! You can teach lessons using this activity on many things like grammar, vocabulary, spelling, reading, writing, and pronunciation.

Click here to see Key Vocabulary and the answer to last week’s Correct the LOLcat.

Events in History – How Big Are They Really?

The moon - if it were centered over Australia

Often it’s difficult to fully comprehended the impact of events in history. For example, the Great Wall of China is big, but how big is it really? The floods in Pakistan have devastated the country, but how can we understand the impact of it in relation to our own area? We see the moon every night, but is there a way that we can visualize how big it is in relation to a place we already know?

Historians and designers at the BBC have created a unique way to bring history and the physical world right to your doorstep. “Dimensions” is an experiment in bringing home the human scale of events and places in history. It takes important places, events and things, and overlays them onto a map of where you are. From the howbigreally site:

Dimensions simply juxtaposes the size of historical events with your home and neighbourhood, overlaying important places, events and things on a satellite view of where you live. Certain “Dimensions” can be transformed into short walks, so you can get a physical appreciation of the distances involved. Dimensions is part of the BBC’s continual experimentation in trying to find new ways to communicate history.

The flooding in Pakistan, if it occurred in the Southern United States

The site is an amazing tool that allows you to put yourself in the middle of history, the physical world, events, disasters and so much more. For example, to the right is a picture of the impact the floods in Pakistan would have if they had occurred in my location. The scope of the disaster was hard to comprehend until I saw this picture.

I encourage you to go and explore your world using this eye-opening tool.

What events and locations interest you the most? How have these pictures changed your view of history and your own world? Tell me in the comments!

Key Vocabulary:

• comprehended – to understand the nature or meaning of; grasp with the mind
• impact – influence; effect
• in relation to – an association between two things; relevance of one to another
• visualize – to form a mental image of
• overlay – to place one thing over another
• juxtapose – to place close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast

ESL Activity: Correct the LOLcat – The Sampler

Animals can’t speak English very well. Fix this cat’s spelling and grammar to make a correct sentence.

Post a comment and let me know how you think this should be said. Come back next Friday for the answer!

Learn English online with this ESL teaching idea using LOLcats! You can teach lessons using this activity on many things like grammar, vocabulary, spelling, reading, writing, and pronunciation.

The New Mindset for the College Class of 2014

The Beloit College Mindset List is a unique way to look at the attitudes and events that have shaped the current freshman college class. It was originally created in 1998 by Tom McBride and Ron Nief as a reminder to professors to be aware of dated references. It quickly grew to become a fascinating look inside the rapidly changing worldview of each new generation. From beloit.edu:

Each August since 1998, Beloit College has released the Beloit College Mindset List. It provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college this fall. The class of 2014 has never found Korean-made cars unusual on the Interstate and five hundred cable channels, of which they will watch a handful, have always been the norm. Since “digital” has always been in the cultural DNA, they’ve never written in cursive and with cell phones to tell them the time, there is no need for a wrist watch. Dirty Harry (who’s that?) is to them a great Hollywood director.

They will now be awash with a computerized technology that will not distinguish information and knowledge. So it will be up to their professors to help them. A generation accustomed to instant access will need to acquire the patience of scholarship. They will discover how to research information in books and journals and not just on-line. Their professors, who might be tempted to think that they are hip enough and therefore ready and relevant to teach the new generation, might remember that Kurt Cobain is now on the classic oldies station.

Here are a few items on the list that I found interesting: (with my 2 cents in green)

• Few in the class know how to write in cursive.
To be fair, I was born 14 years before them, and I’m still terrible at cursive!

• Email is just too slow, and they seldom if ever use snail mail.
In my opinion, just using the term “snail mail” makes a person sound dated.

• A quarter of the class has at least one immigrant parent, and the immigration debate is not a big priority…unless it involves “real” aliens from another planet.
It’s always good to know that the next generation will be a little more open-minded than the previous generation.

• They never twisted the coiled handset wire aimlessly around their wrists while chatting on the phone.
I’m going to truly date myself here and say that I definitely remember doing this in my youth!

• Toothpaste tubes have always stood up on their caps.
A minor detail, but interesting, nonetheless.

• Having hundreds of cable channels but nothing to watch has always been routine.
Well, I’ve always thought, at least flipping channels gives you something to do if you’re bored already.

You can read the entire list here. Which items stood out for you? What are your thoughts on the list choices they made? Tell me in the comments!

Key Vocabulary:

• mindset – the ideas and attitudes with which a person approaches a situation
• dated – out-of-date or old-fashioned
• worldview – the overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world
• relevant – related to what is being discussed or is presently important

Are You Afraid of Friday the 13th?

Today is Friday the 13th, a day that superstition holds is a day of bad luck. This day happens at least once a year and, at most, can occur three times each year. According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in the United States, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by a fear of this day. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed.

Are you afraid of Friday the 13th? Why or why not? Tell me in the comments!

Key Vocabulary:

• superstition – a belief, not based on reason or knowledge, in the ominous significance of a particular thing
• bad luck – unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event
• phobia – a strong, abnormal, or unreasonable fear or dislike of something
• paralyzed – unable to move
• routine – a regular course of action

Video Comprehension Questions:

1. What is a friggatriskaidekaphobe?
2. What two places may the superstition have come from?
3. Fill in the blanks: Researchers in the Netherlands found that there were 4% fewer ________________ and less ___________________ on the supposedly unlucky day.
4. What band released their debut album on a Friday the 13th?

Discussion Questions:

1. Are you superstitious?
2. Do you do anything differently on Friday the 13th?
3. Do you have any phobias?

I Don’t Wanna Dance by Hey Monday – Video and Cloze Activity for the ESL Classroom

Teachers: Click here to download a printable cloze activity based on the lyrics to this song to use in class.

“I Don’t Wanna Dance” is the first single by American pop punk band Hey Monday, from their debut album “Beneath It All.”  Cassadee Pope, the 20-year-old singer, wrote the lyrics and the music was composed by the entire band. This song was released on July 27th and the video premiered on July 29th on MTV.

As the video begins, Pope is wearing a black dress with hot pink leggings, holding a concert that goes along with the song. Clips of her at a party, arguing with a guy, are combined with shots of her and the rest of the band. In the shots when she is in the crowd, the camera from the guy’s point of view. He is seen flirting with other girls and generally just being a jerk. At the end, he runs away as all the girls chase after him!

Do you like this song and video? Why or why not? Tell me what you think in the comments!