Taras Shevchenko's Poetry Contest

                              

Sometimes our students may ask if the British or Americans can speak Ukrainian or know something about our history and literature. The best way to prove they do know quite a lot about us is to read Ukrainian poetry in English (French or German). 

That's how the idea of this contest popped into the students' heads. 

The only difficulty was to choose the winners, because all of them were brilliant!!  

                                                                 

                                                                     

 

                                                                   

 

                                                                         

 

                                                               

                                                             

Taras Shevchenko's Days

         

Much can be told about this Great Ukrainian. Let's just remember Him and His eternal words, learn and recite His poems!  

    My Testament   

When I am dead,  bury me  In my beloved Ukraine,
My tomb upon a grave mound high
Amid the spreading plain,
So that the fields, the boundless steppes,
The Dnieper's plunging shore
My eyes could see, my ears could hear
The mighty river roar.

When from Ukraine the Dnieper bears
Into the deep blue sea
The blood of foes ... then will I leave
These hills and fertile fields --
I'll leave them all and fly away
To the abode of God,
And then I'll pray .... But till that day
I nothing know of God.

Oh bury me, then rise ye up
And break your heavy chains
And water with the tyrants' blood
The freedom you have gained.
And in the great new family,
The family of the free,
With softly spoken, kindly word
Remember also me.

Project work

                      Sometimes a little spark of inspiration is enough for "mini projects"

                  

                                               

Sad modern history

These days we are remembering those brave innocent people who died two years ago. They were just defending our dream to be a part of European Union ...  
                         
     
  

Do you celebrate Valentine's Day?

Dear Students, 

As Valentine Day is approaching, I'd like to find out your attitude to this holiday. 

Do you celebrate it? Do you buy loads of Valentine's Day cards? Or, are you one of those who even don't care? 

Feel free to comment and express your own point of view! 

Best wishes, 

Miss Olesia 

     
                                           

PS  You have one week to write your comments (up to five sentences). 

February 12 is Abraham Lincoln's birthday

                               

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) was the 16th president of the USA 1861-65, a Republican. In the American Civil War, his chief concern was the preservation of the Union from which the Confederate (Southern) slave states had seceded on his election. In 1863 he announced the freedom of the slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation. He was re-elected in 1864 with victory for the North in sight, but was assassinated at the end of the war.  

Groundhog Day (the USA)

                             

February 2 brings the most watched weather forecast of the year - and the only one led by a rodent. Legend has it that on this morning, if a groundhog can see its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If it cannot see its shadow, spring is on the way. 

                              

                                                      Why the Groundhog?

Since a groundhog (or woodchuck, marmot, "whistle pig") hibernates for the winter, its coming out of the ground is a natural sign of spring. In Europe centuries ago, people watched for other hibernating animals, including badgers, bears, and hedgehogs as signs of winter's end. Germans who immigrated to Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s began keeping an eye on the groundhog. The widespread population of the rodent made it a handy agent for this particular weather superstition.  

                                                        Why now? 

Early February is midway between the winter soltice and the spring equinox. Throughout history numerous holidays have marked this seasonal crosssroads. Among there is Candlemas Day, February 2 (February 15 in Ukraine), a Christian holiday that celebrates Mary's ritual purification. Early Christians believed that if the sun came out on Candlemas Day, winter would last for six weeks more.  

                                            Punxsutaway Phil and Friends  

In the 1880s some friends in Punxsutaway, Penn., went into the woods on Candlemas Day to look for groundhogs. This outgoing became a tradition, and a local newspaper editor nicknamed the seekers "the Punxsutaway Groundhog Club". Starting in 1887 the search became an official event centered on a grounhog called Punxsutaway Phil. A ceremony still takes place every year. 

Today Phil lives in a climate-controlled habitat adjoining the Punxsutaway Library. The weather-watching rodent's predictions are recorded in the Congressional Records of the USA National Archive.