9ο Δημοτικό Σχολείο Χαλκίδας Γιάννης Σκαρίμπας

On Wednesday 18th March, 2015, we watched the theatrical performance ‘The Princess and the Pea’ by  ‘The English Theatre Club’ which took place in our school’s auditorium.  Prince Harold wants a princess as a present for his birthday since he thinks that it’s high time he got married. His mother, the queen, however, does not agree with him!

Our students had the chance to watch a theatrical performance in English for the first time. It was a wonderful interactive comedy based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale ‘The Princess and the Pea’, with a lot of singing and dancing. The children watched the play showing great interest and enthusiastically took part in it by playing roles and dancing with the actors and actresses on stage! Watching such a theatrical performance is a memorable experience for students and teachers ,  since it does not only entertain but at the same time helps students develop their communicative skills!

Την Τετάρτη 18 Μαρτίου 2015, παρακολουθήσαμε στο χώρο του σχολείου μας τη θεατρική παράσταση ‘The Princess and the Pea’ από το ‘ The English Theatre Club’. Ο πρίγκηπας Harold θέλει ως δώρο γενεθλίων μια πριγκίπισσα καθώς θεωρεί πως ήρθε η ώρα να παντρευτεί. Η μητέρα του και βασίλισσα όμως έχει διαφορετική άποψη!

Οι μαθητές μας είχαν την ευκαιρία να παρακολουθήσουν για πρώτη φορά μια θεατρική παράσταση στην Αγγλική Γλώσσα. Μια υπέροχη διαδραστική κωμωδία βασισμένη στο ομότιτλο παραμύθι του Χανς Κρίστιαν Άντερσεν ” Η Πριγκίπισσα και το Μπιζέλι”, γεμάτη τραγούδι και χορό. Τα παιδιά παρακολούθησαν με μεγάλο ενδιαφέρον και συμμετείχαν ενεργά παίζοντας ρόλους και χορεύοντας με τους ηθοποιούς επί σκηνής!  Μια μοναδική εμπειρία για μαθητές και εκπαιδευτικούς, καθώς μια τέτοια παράσταση ψυχαγωγεί και παράλληλα καλλιεργεί τις επικοινωνιακές δεξιότητες των μαθητών μας.

On their last day at school before Christmas holidays, our students presented Christmas plays, songs and carols. Some of them were in English. 1st grade students wished everybody Merry Christmas and a Happy New year, second grade students sang ‘We wish you a Merry Christmas’ and 5th and 6th graders sang ‘What child is this’.

December 25 is probably the most important holiday for Christians, who celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Certain traditions are shared by many countries. However, each tradition has different versions in different countries.

When we think of Christmas, we think of gifts. There is always a gift giver who brings joy to young children. This white bearded old man who is always dressed in red is Santa Claus in the USA, Father Christmas in England and Saint Basil in Greece. This is why people in England exchange gifts on Christmas day and children want to stay up until late on Christmas Eve to see Father Christmas get into their house through the chimney and put their gifts in their stockings. Children in Greece usually receive their gifts on January 1, Saint Basil’s day and that is because Saint Basil from Caesarea is the one who brings the gifts.

Delicious food is another thing that comes to mind when thinking of Christmas. Roast turkey or goose, which is traditional, is usually the main dish on the English Christmas menu. Turkey has taken the place of pork on some Greek Christmas menus as well.  However, pork remains our traditional dish.

The English leave some room for their Christmas desserts, puddings and Christmas cake. In Greece, there is a greater variety of Christmas desserts; melomakarona, kourabiedes, kataifi, baklava, diples. Few can resist this temptation.

Finally, there is no Christmas without Christmas decorations. In England people decorate trees. Decorating a tree is actually a German tradition adopted by the English and later on by people in other countries. In Greece people usually start decorating their trees on December 6, Saint Nicholas day. Saint Nicholas is the protector of sailors and for this reason people used to decorate small wooden boats in the past. However, trees have taken the place of boats nowadays.

Gifts, delicious food, desserts, decorations all add to the glamour of the best holiday of the year. The most important thing of all though, is that people have the chance to sit around the Christmas table, spend time with their beloved ones and at the same time think of those who are in need.

May the spirit of Christmas be always in our hearts!

November 17, 1973, is a very important day for Greece. It is the day when the Athens Polytechnic students up-rose against the military Junta (1967-1974).

The seven-year fight against the military dictatorship culminated in the events of November 17, 1973. In the early hours of that day, a tank sent by the government crashed through the gates of the Athens Polytechnic. The students had barricaded themselves in, protesting against the Junta. While they were in the Polytechnic, they were broadcasting on a clandestine radio station that the time was right to overthrow the junta. Their broadcasting always started with the words “Here is Polytecheion”.

November 17, is not a public holiday in Greece. However, it is an observance day. Schools celebrate this day with poems, short plays and songs whereas universities stay closed. A lot of people in Athens take part in a demonstration that begins from the campus of the Polytechnic and ends at the United States Embassy.

This uprising, which is said to have been influenced by the youth movements of the 1960s such as the May 1968 events in France, symbolises resistance to tyranny. Celebrations that take place on November 17 make Greek people always remember that ideals such as freedom and democracy are worth fighting for.

On October 31, people in America, Great Britain and other countries celebrate Halloween. It is the night before the Catholic Festival of All Saints. Halloween traditions are of Celtic origin although most of them are mainly associated with America. What do these traditions involve?

People make pumpkin lanterns by removing the inside of a pumpkin and cutting eyes, a mouth and a nose into one of its sides. Then they put a candle in it.

Children dressed in scary costumes visit houses in their neighbourhood saying ‘trick or treat’ to those who open the door. If they do not get what they want – sweets or money – they play a trick on their neighbours.

Scary films are very popular on Halloween night. Older children go to a friend’s house or to the cinema and watch a scary movie.

Those who are in the mood for a party choose fancy dress costumes such as witches, ghosts and skeletons, dress up and go to Halloween parties which people have at home or at clubs. They usually play scary games or tell ghost stories.

On October 28, we celebrate ΄Ochi day’, the day on which Ioannis Metaxas, the Prime Minister of Greece, replied “Ochi”( No ) to Benito Mussolini, the Italian Prime Minister, who wanted to occupy Greece. Metaxas asked the Greeks to fight to the death. A few hours later the Italians attacked the Greek borders in Albania. That was the beginning of the Greco-Italian war which lasted for six months.

We are entitled to be proud of our fierce resistance to the Italians and, thus, celebrate it. Had it not been for Greece, WWII would have lasted longer and the extent of casualties would have been greater.

Celebrations begin in schools on 27^th October. Students present poems, songs, short plays and videos concerning that day.  On October 28, celebrations continue with student and military parades throughout the country.

All these celebrations help us realise the importance of the Greek contribution to WWII and make younger generations never forget that their forefathers fought heroically and finally gained for their country the independence it possesses today.

On Friday October 24, we talked about obesity and healthy eating. 5th grade students created collages and posters whereas students of grades 1 to 4 watched relevant videos.

Goofy Cartoon– Tomorrow We Diet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU9F0COGm5Q

Your Vitamin ABC’s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H8_6gMH4Do

Food Groups Are Rocking Tonight http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaLvxVnn8Yg

On October 6, 2014 our school celebrated the 1^st National School Sport Day sending the message that we are all different but equal. Among other activities students watched three videos in English:

The Swing of Change   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJza7j6L9S0

True Colours – Anti-Bullying   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndBqJ329MOc

I’d like to teach the world to sing   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlR0KElxxVg

While watching the video of the song “I’d like to teach the world to sing”, 6^th grade students were holding cards with messages of love, friendship, diversity and respect created by 4th grade students. At the end of this presentation, our 6^th graders sang the song as well.