Friday, February 29, 2008

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles


TMNT" redirects here. For the 2007 film, see TMNT (film). For other uses, see Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (disambiguation).

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Clockwise from top: Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (or simply Ninja Turtles, abbreviated TMNT, and officially known in the United Kingdom as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles) are a fictional team of four anthropomorphic turtle mutants, who are trained by their sensei, Master Splinter, to become skilled Ninja warriors. From their home in the sewers of Manhattan, they battle petty criminals, evil megalomaniacs, and alien invaders, all while remaining isolated from society at large. The characters initially appeared in comic books before being licensed for toys, cartoons and film adaptations.








Thursday, February 28, 2008

Catwoman


Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise and created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane.
The original and most widely known Catwoman, Selina Kyle, first appeared in Batman #1 (Spring 1940) in which she was known as The Cat. As an adversary of Batman, she was a whip-carrying burglar with a taste for high stake thefts. Modern writers have attributed her activities and costumed identity as a response to a history of abuse.
Since the 1990s, Catwoman has been featured in an eponymous series that cast her as an anti-hero rather than a supervillainess. The character has been one of Batman's most enduring love interests, and has occasionally been depicted as his one true love.
A popular figure, Catwoman has been featured in most media adaptations related to Batman. Actresses Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether, and Eartha Kitt introduced her to a large audience on the 1960s Batman television series. Michelle Pfeiffer portrayed the character in 1992's popular film Batman Returns. Halle Berry starred in a stand-alone Catwoman film in 2004, though the film features a title character bearing little resemblance to the comic book character. Catwoman is #51 on Wizard magazine's "100 Greatest Villains of All Time" list




Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Hulk


The Hulk (Dr. Robert Bruce Banner) is a fictional character, a comic book superhero appearing in publications from Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the Hulk first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962). He has since become one of Marvel Comics' most recognized characters.
After physicist Dr. Robert Bruce Banner was caught in the blast of a gamma bomb he created, he was transformed into the Hulk, a raging monster. The character, both as Banner and the Hulk, is frequently pursued by the police or the armed forces, often as a result of the destruction he causes. While the coloration of the character's skin varies during the course of its publication history, the Hulk is most often depicted as green. In forty years, he has battled virtually every hero and villain in the Marvel Universe. He has been featured in a number of animated series, a feature film directed by Ang Lee, and a television series with spin-off television movies starring Bill Bixby as Banner and Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk






Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Supergirl


Supergirl is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as female counterparts to DC Comics iconic superhero Superman. The first incarnation of the character—Super-Girl—appears in a story published in Superman #123 (August 1958). This prototype character lead to the creation of the official Supergirl, Kara Zor-El—created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino as the biological cousin of Superman—who debuted in Action Comics #252 (May 1959) entitled "The Supergirl from Krypton." As Supergirl, the Kara Zor-El character plays a supporting role in various DC Comics publications, including Action Comics, Superman, Adventure Comics and several other comic book series unrelated to Superman. Supergirl also stars in an eponymous comic book series which debuted in 1972 and ran until 1974, followed by a second monthly comic book series entitled The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl, which ran from 1982 to 1984.
An editorial mandate, the 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths depicts the death of Supergirl and DC Comics subsequently reboots the fictional continuity of the DC Comics Universe, reestablishing Superman's character as the sole survivor of Krypton's destruction. Following the conclusion of Crisis on Infinite Earths, several different characters written as having no familial relationship to Superman have assumed the role of Supergirl, including the Matrix, Linda Danvers, and Cir-El. Following the cancellation of the third Supergirl comic book series starring the Linda Danvers version of the character, a modern version of Kara Zor-El is reintroduced into DC Comics continuity in issue #8 of the Superman/Batman comic book series entitled "The Supergirl from Krypton" (2004). The modern Kara Zor-El stars as Supergirl in an eponymous comic book series, in addition to playing a supporting role in various DC Comics publications. A pop culture icon, the Supergirl character has been adapted into all media relating to the Superman franchise including merchandise, television, animation, and feature film.




Monday, February 25, 2008

Flash


The first Flash Jay Garrick became the Flash by accidentally inhaling an experimental substance called hard water. He was one of the founding members of the JSA in the 1940's. He remains relatively youthful do to an accident that bathed the JSA including Jay's wife in rejuvenating rays. He is currently active with the JSA and mentors the new Speedster Impulse. The second Flash Barry Allen, a police scientist acquired super speed by being struck by lightning and being bathed with the chemicals he used for work. He mentored the current Flash, Wally West, his nephew who gained his powers in a freak accident that recreated the first one that gave Barry Allen his powers. Sadly Barry Allen died in the Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline in the 1980's. The third Flash Wally West started his career as Kid Flash working with the Teen Titans. He took over the mantle of the Flash from his deceased uncle Barry Allen.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Are you a superhero?




Your Superhero Profile



Your Superhero Name is The Squirrel Bird

Your Superpower is Undead

Your Weakness is Philosophizing

Your Weapon is Your Light Torch

Your Mode of Transportation is Convertible






Your Superpower Should Be Invisibility



You are stealth, complex, and creative.

You never face problems head on. Instead, you rely on your craftiness to get your way.

A mystery to others, you thrive on being a little misunderstood.

You happily work behind the scenes... because there's nothing better than a sneak attack!



Why you would be a good superhero: You're so sly, no one would notice... not even your best friends



Your biggest problem as a superhero: Missing out on all of the glory that visible superheroes get

Which superhero are you? Click here for the test!

Batman



Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a fictional character, a comic book superhero co-created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger (although only Kane receives official credit)[1] and published by DC Comics. The character made his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939). Batman's secret identity is Bruce Wayne, a wealthy industrialist, playboy, and philanthropist. Witnessing the murder of his parents as a child leads him to train himself to physical and intellectual perfection and don a bat-themed costume in order to fight crime. Batman operates in Gotham City, assisted by various supporting characters including his sidekick Robin and his butler Alfred Pennyworth, and fights an assortment of villains influenced by the characters' roots in film and pulp magazines. Unlike most superheroes, he does not possess any superpowers; he makes use of intellect, detective skills, science and technology, wealth, physical prowess, and intimidation in his war on crime.
Batman became a popular character soon after his introduction, and eventually gained his own title, Batman. As the decades wore on, differing takes on the character emerged. The late 1960s Batman television series utilized a camp aesthetic associated with the character for years after the show ended. Various creators worked to return the character to his dark roots, culminating in the 1986 miniseries Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, by writer-artist Frank Miller. That and the success of director Tim Burton's 1989 Batman motion picture helped reignite popular interest in the character. A cultural icon, Batman has been licensed and adapted into a variety of media, from radio to television and film, and appears on a variety of merchandise sold all over the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096895/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0372784/

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Wonder woman

After a short break, back to the superhero project!



Wonder Woman is a fictional character, a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston and one of the three characters to be continuously published by DC Comics since the company's inception in 1944.[1] Marston's wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston, and Olive Byrne, who lived with the couple in a polyamorous relationship[2], served as exemplars for the character and greatly influenced her creation.[3] Wonder Woman first appeared in All Star Comics #8, published in December 1941. She is a founding member of the Justice League.
In addition to comic books, the character was featured in the 1975 to 1979 television adaptation starring Lynda Carter, as well as the Super Friends and Justice League animated series, and a forthcoming animated feature.
Princess Diana is an Amazon from Greek mythology. Her name is reflective of the mythological character, Diana or Artemis. Her mother is Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons. When Diana leaves the Amazons to travel to the world outside, she is known as both Wonder Woman, and as Princess Diana. As Wonder Woman, she was awarded several gifts by the Olympian gods, including the Lasso of Truth created from the Golden Girdle of Gaea and indestructible bracelets formed from the shield Aegis. For several years she was described in the splash page of each story, as "beautiful as Aphrodite, wise as Athena, swifter than Hermes, and stronger than Hercules."





Friday, February 22, 2008

Theater day


A little break from the superhero project today.

Yiannis went to the theater with his class today. A really funny play - a different version of "Home Alone" in Sofouli Theater.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Spiderman






Spider-Man (Peter Benjamin Parker) is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Universe. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 (Aug. 1962), and has since gone on to become one of the most popular, enduring and commercially successful superheroes worldwide, and is arguably Marvel's most famous character. When Spider-Man first appeared in the early 1960s, teenagers in superhero comic books were usually relegated to the role of sidekick to the series' main character -- Robin to Batman, Aqualad to Aquaman and Speedy to Green Arrow. The Spider-Man series broke ground by featuring Peter Parker, a teenage high-school student to whose "self-obsessions with rejection, inadequacy, and loneliness" young readers could relate.[1] Spider-Man has since appeared in various media, including several animated and live-action television series, syndicated newspaper comic strips and a successful series of films.

Marvel has featured Spider-Man in several differently-titled comic book series, the first titled The Amazing Spider-Man. Over the years, the Peter Parker character has developed from shy high school student to troubled college student to a married teacher and a member of the superhero team the New Avengers. A BusinessWeek article listed Spider-Man as one of the top ten most intelligent fictional characters in American comics.[2] In the Spider-Man film series, the character is portrayed by actor Tobey Maguire.

Superman


Superman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero widely considered to be one of the most famous and popular such characters[1] and an American cultural icon.[2][3][4][5] Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective Comics, Inc. in 1938, the character first appeared in Action Comics #1 (June 1938) and subsequently appeared in various radio serials, television programs, films, newspaper strips, and video games.
The origin story of Superman relates that he was born Kal-El on the alien planet Krypton, before being rocketed to Earth as an infant by his scientist father moments before the planet's destruction. Adopted and raised by a Kansas farmer and his wife, the child is raised as Clark Kent, and imbued with a strong moral compass. Upon reaching maturity the character develops superhuman abilities, resolving to use these for the benefit of humanity. With the success of his adventures, Superman helped to create the superhero genre and establish its primacy within the American comic book.[2]
While referred to less flatteringly as "the big blue Boy Scout" by some of his fellow superheroes,[6] Superman is hailed as "The Man of Steel," "The Man of Tomorrow," and "The Last Son of Krypton," by the general public within the comics. As Clark Kent, Superman lives among humans as a "mild-mannered reporter" for the Metropolis newspaper The Daily Planet (the Daily Star in original stories). There he works alongside reporter Lois Lane, with whom he is romantically linked. This relationship has been consummated by marriage on numerous occasions across varying media, and the union is now firmly established within the current mainstream comics continuity.
The character's supporting cast, powers, and trappings have slowly expanded throughout the years. Superman's backstory was altered to allow for adventures as Superboy, and other survivors of Krypton were created, including Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog. In addition, Superman has been licensed and adapted into a variety of media, from radio to television and film. The motion picture Superman Returns was released in 2006, with a performance at the international box office which exceeded expectations.[7] In the seven decades since Superman's debut, the character has been revamped and updated several times. A significant overhaul occurred in 1986, when John Byrne recreated the character, reducing Superman's powers and erasing several characters from the canon, in a move that attracted media attention. Press coverage was again garnered in the 1990s with The Death of Superman, a storyline which saw the character killed and later restored to life.
Superman has also held fascination for scholars, with cultural theorists, commentators, and critics alike exploring the character's impact and role in the United States and the rest of the world. Umberto Eco discussed the mythic qualities of the character in the early 1960s, and Larry Niven has pondered the implications of a sexual relationship the character might enjoy with Lois Lane.[8] The character's ownership has often been the subject of dispute, with Siegel and Shuster twice suing for the return of legal ownership. The copyright is again currently in dispute, with changes in copyright law allowing Siegel's wife and daughter to claim a share of the copyright, a move DC parent company Warner Bros. disputes






Sunday, February 17, 2008

Superheroes


I was reading a text with one of my students the other day - it was about Superheroes. I found out later that the composition subject on the ECCE exam had to do with something like this, so I thought I could do something with my students about it.


First of all I am posting the definition of "Superheroes" taken from Wikipedia:


A superhero (also known as a super hero) is a fictional character "of unprecedented physical prowess dedicated to acts of derring-do in the public interest." Since the debut of the prototypal superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas — have dominated American comic books and crossed over into other media. A female superhero is sometimes called a superheroine or super heroine.
By most definitions, characters need not have actual superhuman powers to be deemed superheroes, although sometimes terms such as costumed crimefighters are used to refer to those without such powers who have many other common traits of superheroes.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Valentine's Day



More and more people around the world tend to celebrate Valentine's Day lately.
It is believed that it is the day you show your love to your partner or "close" friend!!

I have gathered some links about who St. Valentine was and the festivities of the particular day!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Valentine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Neue landeskundliche Erkenntnisse und ihre Bedeutung für die Prüfungen B2 & C1




(Seminar: Goethe Institut Thessaloniki
Referent: Peter Moorkamp)

Seit September 2007 wird sowohl die neue Prüfung Niveau B2, als auch die neue C1 Prüfung durchgeführt.
Obwohl das Format der Übungen hat wenige Änderungen, das Niveau der Sprache ist höher geworden.
Man kann nicht mehr erwarten, dass ein Schüler in 2 Jahren nach dem Zertifikat B1 die C1 Prüfung ablegt.
Die Thematik betrifft sich Leute, ab 16 Jahre – in Deutschland drei Viertel der 16jahrigen sind schon berufstätig und natürlich interessieren sich für viele verschiedene Sachen.
Im Gegenteil, in Griechenland, kommen die Jugendlichen viel später in die Arbeitswelt.
Deshalb haben sie nicht so viele Kenntnisse darüber, was in der Welt passiert.
Durch diese Prüfungen wollen die Deutschen nicht nur ihre Sprache weiter geben, sonder auch etwas von ihrer Kultur.
Das finde ich persönlich sehr interessant, denn man lernt mehr über verschiedene Themen und wird reifer.
Was in den neuen B2 und C1 Prüfungshandbücher steht:
„Die Texte werden von verschiedenen Quellen entnommen, z.B. Zeitungen, Zeitschriften, Sachbüchern und Broschüren… Zielpublikum des Originaltextes ist eine allgemein gebildete muttersprachliche Leserschaft.“
„Beim Hören bestehen die Aufgaben aus Radiosendungen vom Typ Magazin, Reportage, Interview u.a. Der Text ist in authentischer Tempo gesprochen.“
Das heißt nicht mehr auf Grammatik und Syntax beachten, sondern ein umfangreiches globales Wissen haben.

Folgende Themen können in den Prüfungen behandelt werden:
1. Persönliche Daten und Verhältnisse
2. Wohnen, Umwelt
3. Tägliches Leben, Arbeit
4. Freizeit, Unterhaltung
5. Reise
6. Beziehungen zu anderen Menschen, Kultur, Tradition
7. Gesundheit und Hygiene
8. Erziehung, Ausbildung, Lernen
9. Konsum, Handel
10. Ernährung
11. Dienstleistungen
12. Orte
13. Sprache, Kommunikation
14. Klima
Die Kursbücher sind nicht mehr genug. Nebenbei sollte man viele authentische Texte bearbeiten. Zeitungen, Zeitschriften, Radiosendungen usw.
Beim Seminar wurden diese Zeitungen und Zeitschriften vorgeschlagen:

Süddeutsche Zeitung

Frankfurter Allgemeine

Focus

Stern

Spiegel

Zum Hören könnte man auch durchs Internet die Deutsche Welle und das Bayerische Rundfunk wählen.
Es gibt auch eine interessante Video- Magazin – Serie von Goethe Institut:
KuBus mit vielen Interessanten Themen zum Bearbeiten.

Και μία σημείωση για τους γονείς που θέλουν τα παιδιά τους να συνεχίσουν για τα επίπεδα Β2 και C1.
Η θεματολογία των εξετάσεων απαιτεί γενικές γνώσεις πλέον. Δεν αρκούμαστε πια στη γραμματική και στο συντακτικό. Οι μαθητές πρέπει να μάθουν να συζητούν και να γράφουν για θέματα που αναφέρονται σε ιθαγενείς ομιλητές. Για αυτό τον λόγο η προτεινόμενη ηλικία είναι 16 και άνω.
Χρειάζεται πολλή δουλειά και από το δάσκαλο αλλά και από τον μαθητή. Πρέπει να βασιζόμαστε σε αυθεντικά κείμενα (περιοδικά, εφημερίδες, διαδίκτυο) και όχι πια τόσο πολύ στο βιβλίο.
Το Goethe Institut προτείνει 2 χρόνια διδασκαλίας για τις εξετάσεις Β2 και 3 χρόνια για τις εξετάσεις C1 (ή παλιές Mittelstufe).


Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Schoolmuseum


Some weeks ago, I was working on a reading comprehension task (Blick 1, Unit 4) with one of my students. The text was about the oldest school museum in Germany.
It is so amazing to find out how the conditions were 60-70 years ago. You can find items that are really strange now.
For example they had these special jars so that teachers could spit the tabacco they chewed!!!
If the students got bad grades it was the fault of the teacher and some times parents made them quit because of that!!!

You can find more info on this link:

And more school museums in Germany over here:
Hamburger Schulmuseum:

Schulmuseum Nürnberg:

And a link for Greece:


Sunday, February 3, 2008

Wie wäre der ideale Lehrer für dich? (von Vasso)


Meiner Meinung nach, wäre ein Lehrer ideal, wenn er Leistungsfähigkeit und Mitarbeit kombinieren könnte. Ich glaube er würde viele Kenntnisse zu den Schülern geben und er sollte auch viel Lust haben, um neue Informationen zu erfahren und sie den Kindern beizubringen. Aber der ideale Lehrer sollte nicht nur Eifer für seine Arbeit haben, sondern auch verständnisvoll und bereit sein um die Schüler zu helfen, wenn sie Schwierigkeiten habe.
Schließlich. Ein idealer Lehrer wäre sowohl ein guter Arbeiter, als auch ein guter Freund.

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