День объятий

Hugging Day is an annual holiday created by Rev. Kevin Zaborney. It occurs on January 21 and is officially recognized by the United States Copyright Office, but is not a public holiday. The holiday was founded on January 21, 1986 in Michigan, and has since spread to multiple countries. The purpose for the holiday is to help everyone show more emotion in public. There is only one way you are supposed to celebrate the holiday, offer a hug to anyone and everyone you want. Whether you hug a family member or a stranger, the mental and physical health benefits are the same. Kevin Zaborney chose January 21 because it marks a midpoint between Christmas and Valentines day, where people are figured to be at their emotional low. Americans are embarrassed to show their feelings in public and hoped that a National Hug Day would change that. The Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Medical School has found that French couples spend 3 times as much time touching when compared to Americans. Studies have shown that human contact has many health benefits. It has been found that human contact, such as a hug, is essential for healthy social, psychological and physical development. Hugging can also help build a good immune system, decrease the risk of heart disease, and decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol in women.(from Wikipedia)

Против фашизма

9th November

International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism

After the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, Jews were subjected to increasingly discriminatory treatment accompanied by organised violence. On November 9th 1938, the Nazis stated a pogrom against the Jews. Synagogues were set on fire. Jewish shops had their windows smashed across the country, which gave rise to the name "Kristallnact", which freely translated the Night of Broken Glass. Many Jews physically attacked too. The "Kristallnacht" pogrom is usually seen as the symbolic beginning of the Holocaust. On 9 November each year a European-wide campaign is organised to commemorate the past and to protest against contemporary forms of fascism and anti-Semitism. From: http://www.unitedagainstracism.org/
Know that racism, fascism and anti-Semitism have resulted in the deaths of millions of people. Understand that intolerance is not something that is only in our past, but is also part of our present. Be aware that racism and fascism have many faces, and not all are so easy to recognise. Remember that brave men and women have resisted against fascism.

Всемирный день здоровья

World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7 April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO). In 1948, WHO held the First World Health Assembly. The Assembly decided to celebrate the World Health Day to mark WHO's founding, and is seen as an opportunity by the organization to draw worldwide attention to a subject of major importance to global health. The WHO organizes international, regional and local events on the Day related to a particular theme. World Health Day is acknowledged by various governments and non-governmental organizations with interests in public health issues. 7 April 2011 - Drug resistance is becoming more widespread and many infections are no longer easily cured, leading to prolonged and expensive treatment and greater risk of death. For World Health Day WHO calls for urgent and concerted action to slow down the spread of drug resistance, limit its impact today and preserve medical advances for future generations. Antimicrobial resistance is not a new problem but one that is becoming more dangerous; urgent and consolidated efforts are needed to avoid regressing to the pre-antibiotic era.  For World Health Day 2011, WHO is introducing a six-point policy package to combat the spread of antimicrobial resistance.

Час Земли - присоединяйтесь!!!

Earth Hour is the biggest environmental awareness campaign ever seen! Earth Hour takes place once every year, the last Saturday of March. This year it will be on Saturday 26th from 8.30 to 9.30 PM local time. Its aim is to raise environmental awareness and get us do small things in our daily lives that together can have huge impacts: in other words, to go beyond the hour. It involves turning off your lights for 1 hour. Earth's hour. Earth Hour 2011 will go beyond the hour and beyond climate change, marking a moment where every individual, government and business can make their commitment to environmentally sustainable action for the forthcoming year. Homes, offices, government buildings will go dark to acknowledge the actions of people from all corners of the globe that go beyond the hour.

 Сделай первый шаг - выключи свет 26 марта, в 20.30!

Час Земли - это символическая акция, общественный призыв к решительным мерам по сохранению климата. По оценкам ученых,

Всемирный день воды

International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day. Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. The objective of World Water Day 2011 is to focus international attention on the impact of rapid urban population growth, industrialization and uncertainties caused by climate change, conflicts and natural disasters on urban water systems. This is the first time in human history that most of the world's population live in cities: 3.3 billion people ...and the urban landscape continues to grow. 38% of the growth is represented by expanding slums, while the city populations are increasing faster than city infrastructure can adapt. This year theme, Water for cities: responding to the urban challenge, aims to spotlight and encourage governments, organizations, communities, and individuals to actively engage in addressing the challenges of urban water management.

http://www.worldwaterday2011.org/

День заповедников и благодарности

First, Day of Nature Reserves and National Parks was celebrated on 11 January 1997. The date wasn’t accidental. The first Russian Barguzinsky Nature Reserve was created this day. It is a nature reserve located in Buryatia on the west slope of the Barguzin Range, including the northeast shores of the Lake Baikal and a part of the lake itself. The area of the reserve is 2,482 sq km. It was created in 1916 to preserve and increase the numbers of Barguzin Sable. Beautiful mountainous terrain occupies nearly half of the territory. The middle zones are covered with dense cedar spreads, and the lowest region is dense taiga. Today the reserve serves for broader conservation purpose. Altogether 39 varieties of mammals, 220 kinds of birds, 4 species of reptiles, and about 30 types of fish and numerous invertebrates are protected within the reserve. Among the protected mammals are the sable, brown bear, wolf, lynx, fox, otter, ermine, elk, reindeer, caribou, and musk deer (known as kabarga). Omuls, sigs, sturgeons, graylings, taimens (таймень), lenoks (ленок) and other fish spawn in the rivers of the reserve.

You can read more: http://www.barguzinskiy.ru/index.html

http://www.floranimal.ru/national/park.php?pid=73

Also, 11 January is the most polite day of the year all over the world. It is known as World Thank You Day. The origin of the phrase “thank you” in Russia is from a short form of "Save God". We say “thank you” many times a day, but a sincere gratitude goes from the heart!

Всемирный день доброты

Random Acts of Kindness Day is the name of an unofficial holiday increasingly celebrated around the world by localities or organizations, or nationwide, in order to encourage acts of kindness. The original founder of Random Acts of Kindness Day is unknown. The holiday is celebrated annually in the United States on February 17 and in New Zealand on September 1. It is not a holiday, rather a national day where the entire country is challenged to do something kind to a friend or stranger for no reason at all.
Kindness is the act or the state of being kind — marked by goodness and charitable behaviour, mild disposition, pleasantness, tenderness and concern for others. It is known as a virtue, and recognized as a value in many cultures and religions. According to book two of Aristotle's "Rhetoric", it is one of the emotions, which is defined as being "helpfulness towards some one in need, not in return for anything, nor for the advantage of the helper himself, but for that of the person helped". Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche argued that kindness and love are the "most curative herbs and agents in human intercourse". Kindness is considered to be one of the Knightly Virtues.
virtue – добродетель
curative herbs – целебные травы
intercourse – общение
knightly – благородный, рыцарский
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Watch this wonderful cartoon! I like it a lot. It’s sad, but very, very kind!

and listen to this beautiful song

День учителя

On the 5th of October all teachers will celebrate their professional holiday. This day is not only for teachers, but also for people working in the system of education in Russia. The holiday was firstly declared as Teachers' Day in 1994. Enthusiasm, communicational skills and ability to get on with pupils are the main qualities of a teacher. Having a good teacher is necessary for every person's education. Only progressive teacher can inspire children and give them an opportunity to be successful in their future.
What do you think about an ideal teacher?

День Пи - День полезного Интернета

* От познания к творчеству! http://pedsovet.org/forum/index.php?autocom=blog&blogid=594  ПОЛЕЗНО для уроков литературы
Какие познавательные сайты вы знаете? Поделитесь!

День русского языка

UN Russian Language Day, 6 June, 2010

«Как материал словесности, язык славяно-русский имеет неоспоримое превосходство пред всеми европейскими: судьба его была чрезвычайно счастлива. В XI веке древний греческий язык вдруг открыл ему свой лексикон, сокровищницу гармонии, даровал ему законы обдуманной своей грамматики, свои прекрасные обороты, величественное течение речи; словом, усыновил его, избавя, таким образом, от медленных усовершенствований времени. Сам по себе уже звучный и выразительный, отселе заемлет он гибкость и правильность. Простонародное наречие необходимо должно было отделиться от книжного; но впоследствии они сблизились, и такова стихия, данная нам для сообщения наших мыслей». http://www.un.org/ru/events/russianlanguageday/  

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

The United Nations marks the birthday of Aleksandr Pushkin, recognized as the father of Russian literature, by celebrating Russian Language Day, 6 June, 2010. On the occasion of International Mother Language Day on 21 February, initiated by UNESCO, the Department of Public Information launched of “Language Days at the United Nations”, to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity. United Nations duty stations around the world celebrate six “Language Days” dedicated to the six United Nations official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. Language Days at the United Nations strive to entertain as well as inform, by raising awareness of the history, culture and achievements of each of the six official languages among the United Nations community. The dates for the Language Days were selected for their symbolic or historic significance in connection with each language:
• 8 December, Arabic Language Day, the date on which the United Nations General Assembly designated Arabic as the sixth official language of the United Nations in 1973;
• 23 April, English Language Day, on William Shakespeare’s birthday;

Всемирный день окружающей среды

World Environment Day

World Environment Day (WED) is a day that stimulates awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and public action. It is on 5 June. It was the day that United Nations Conference on the Human Environment began. The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment was from 5-16 June 1972. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972.

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

Russia's environment has worsened considerably in recent years, with many unique nature reserves, including the world's biggest freshwater lake, coming under threat, Greenpeace officials said Friday. Activists highlighted an increase in forest fires and oil spills, and a decline in environmental spending, as part of what they called Russia's destructive environmental legacy over the past decade. "Ten years ago we predicted the situation would get worse," Ivan Blokov, Greenpeace's program director in Russia, told a news conference. "The results are very saddening, but for the time being the situation is not catastrophic."...

http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/world/article/542483--greenpeace-decries-russian-pm-putin-s-environmental-record-over-past-decade

День защиты детей

Universal Children's Day is an event celebrated on various days in many places around the world. International Children's Day is celebrated on June 1 and Universal Children's Day is on November 20. Some countries celebrate a local 'children's day' on other dates. The holiday is simply set to honor children and minors.
Международный день защиты детей — отмечается ежегодно 1 июня. Был учрежден в ноябре 1949 года в Париже решением конгресса Международной демократической федерации женщин. Впервые этот день отмечался в 1950-м году. Кроме этого дня детям посвящены Всемирный день ребёнка (20 ноября) и День защиты детей Африки (16 июня).

Права ребенка

http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B0_%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B1%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B0

Конвенция о правах ребенка

http://www.un.org/russian/documen/convents/childcon.htm

День без табака

World No Tobacco Day

World No Tobacco Day is observed around the world every year on May 31. It is meant to encourage a 24-hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption across the globe. The day is further intended to draw global attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to negative health effects, which currently lead to 5.4 million deaths worldwide annually. The member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) created World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) in 1987. In the past twenty years, the day has been met with both enthusiasm and resistance across the globe from governments, public health organizations, smokers, growers, and the tobacco industry. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_No_Tobacco_Day 

День диалога

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development

is a United Nations–sanctioned international holiday for the promotion of diversity issues. It is currently held on May 21. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed this holiday due to UNESCO's Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity in November 2001. It was proclaimed by UN Resolution 57/249. The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is an opportunity to help communities understand the value of cultural diversity and learn how to live together in harmony. It was adopted in the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Let's discuss every problem! Don't be afraid to ask your parents, teachers, friends any question you like. To avoid misunderstanding it's necessary to speak to each other! Dialogues are for developing! For friendship! For peace in the world! 

День планеты Земля

 Earth Day

Earth Day is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. It was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in held on April 22, 1970 and is celebrated in more than 175 countries every year. Earth Day is celebrated in spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Many communities celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on environmental issues. While the first Earth Day was focused entirely on the United States, an organization launched by Denis Hayes—the original national coordinator in 1970—took it international in 1990 and organized events in 141 nations. Earth Day is now observed each year on April 22 in virtually every country on Earth. Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network. World Environment Day, celebrated on June 5 in a different nation every year, is the principal United Nations environmental observance. Earth Day 2010 coincided with the World People's Conference on Climate Change, held in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and with the International Year of Biodiversity. (from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Forty years after the first Earth Day, the world is in greater peril than ever. While climate change is the greatest challenge of our time, it also presents the greatest opportunity – an unprecedented opportunity to build a healthy, prosperous, clean energy economy now and for the future. Earth Day 2010 can be a turning point to advance climate policy, energy efficiency, renewable energy and green jobs. Earth Day Network is galvanizing millions who make personal commitments to sustainability. Earth Day 2010 is a pivotal opportunity for individuals, corporations and governments to join together and create a global green economy.  http://www.earthday.org/earthday2010
Visit this interesting site for Earth Day crafts, coloring pages, and activities. http://holidays.kaboose.com/earth-day/
How the First Earth Day Came About
By Senator Gaylord Nelson, Founder of Earth Day http://earthday.envirolink.org/history.html
virtually – фактически, в сущности, поистине
observance – соблюдение, обряд, ритуал, почтение
coincide – совпадать, соответствовать, равняться
peril – опасность, риск
renewable – возрожденный, обновленный
galvanize – оживлять, побуждать к действию
commitment – вручение, передача, обязательство
sustainability - поддержка
pivotal – центральный, осевой, основной
Facts about Earth

Age: 4.6 billion years old (Life as we know it, has only existed on the planet for the last 150 million to 200 million years)

Position: 3rd planet from the sun.

Size: 5th largest planet in our solar system.

Diameter: The Earth has an average diameter of 12,742 kilometers.

- Earth is the only planet in the Solar System to have water in its three states of matter: as a solid (ice), a liquid (sea, rain, etc.) and as a gas (clouds).

- The length of time it takes for Earth to orbit the Sun is 365 and a quarter days. To make up this extra quarter which isn't counted at the end of a year, we have an extra day every four years on 29th February.

- Earth travels through space at 66,700 miles per hour.

- The centre of the Earth, its core, is molten. This means that it is liquid rock which sometimes erupts onto the surface through volcanic eruptions. This core is 7,500°c, hotter than the surface of the Sun!

- Earth is the only planet in the Solar System not to be named after a mythical God.

- Only 29% of the surface is actually 'earth.' The rest of the planet's surface (71%) is made up of water. (by Mandy Barrow)
core – сердцевина, ядро
molten – расплавленный

День первого телефонного звонка

On 10 March 1876 Alexander Graham Bell made the first telephone call in his Boston laboratory, summoning his assistant from the next room.

Alexander Graham Bell (March 3, 1847 – August 2, 1922) was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone. A. G. Bell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, 3 March 1847. He was educated at the Edinburgh high school and Edinburgh University. He removed to London in 1867, and entered the University there, but left on account of his health, and went to Canada with his father in 1870. In 1872 he took up his residence in the United States, introducing with success his father's system of deaf-mute instruction, and became professor of vocal physiology in Boston University. Bell's father, grandfather, and brother had all been associated with work on elocution and speech, and both his mother and wife were deaf, profoundly influencing Bell's life's work. His research on hearing and speech further led him to experiment with hearing devices which eventually culminated in Bell being awarded the first U.S. patent for the telephone in 1876. His first public exhibition of the invention was at Philadelphia. In retrospect, Bell considered his most famous invention an intrusion on his real work as a scientist and refused to have a telephone in his study. On 27 March 1884 the first long distance telephone line between New York and Boston was made.

to summon - вызывать
elocution - ораторское мастерство
eventually - возможно
intrusion - вторжение

Read more about A. G. Bell http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Graham_Bell and http://sln.fi.edu/franklin/inventor/bell.html

Поможем птицам!

www.gifzona.com Анимационные картинки

Welcome to National Nest Box Week

(14 - 21 February)

National Nest Box Week aims to get as many people as possible to put nest boxes in order to help our breeding birds and other wildlife. It is organized by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). "National Nest Box Week is great for birds. Starting on St Valentine's Day, it's the time we remind ourselves to provide homes for dozens of species, from Blue Tits to Barn Owls. If you've never built a nest box before, why not give it a go this year? Go on, take part for birds!" Let's support our British friends and take care of our Russian birds too.

http://www.bto.org/nnbw/index.htm

День поцелуев и китов

Kissing Friday (the Friday after Ash Wednesday)

On this Friday of Shrove Week, English schoolboys were once entitled to kiss girls in without fear of punishment or rejection, a custom that lasted until at least the 1940s.

Today is, also, the Day of Whales. This holiday was celebrated in 1896 for the first time. The international commission of whales, after 200 years of cruel killing of whales, prohibited this kind of hunting. The day is considered to be a day of defense not only for whales, but for all sea mammals. This day is especially important for Russia because a lot of whales, dolphins and seals live in our seas. Some of them are endangered and put in the Red Book of Russian Federation and International Union of Nature Protection.

С началом III четверти!

I'm vey glad to congratulate everybody on the beginning of the longest term at school. I hope we'll have a lot of interesting and useful lessons and events not to feel bored and not to become tired. Spring will be soon! You are full of  energy to go on your studying after such exciting merry holidays! I wish you good results and wide horizons!

International Thank You Day

11 января можно без преувеличения назвать одной из самых «вежливых» дат в году — в этот день отмечается Международный день «спасибо» (International Thank You Day). Каждый человек прекрасно осознает значение хороших манер, их необходимость в повседневной жизни, но большую часть благодарностей мы выражаем, как бы невзначай, не задумываясь об их смысле. Однако, слова благодарности обладают магическими свойствами — с их помощью люди дарят радость друг другу, выражают внимание и передают положительные эмоции — то, без чего наша жизнь стала бы скудной и мрачной. Неспроста во многих туристических путеводителях и наставлениях туристам часто указывается: слово «спасибо», произнесенное даже с акцентом на языке страны пребывания, повышает скорость, качество обслуживания и помогает наладить спокойный и приятный отдых.

Считается, что русское слово «спасибо» родилось в 16 веке из часто произносимого словосочетания: «спаси Бог». Интересно, что и корни английского аналога — Тhank you — также уходят гораздо глубже простой благодарности. Это говорит о том, что и русское «спасибо», и «спасибо», произнесенные практически на всех языках мира, имели и имеют чрезвычайно важное значение для культуры любого народа. Известно, что староверы не используют слово «спасибо», они избегают его в своей речи, поскольку считают, что это слово родилось из словосочетания «спаси Бай». Бай — это имя одного из языческих богов.
Психологи уверены, что слова благодарности — это «устные поглаживания», которые способны успокоить и согреть своей теплотой. Главное, чтобы слова благодарности произносились от чистого сердца! Неслучайно издавна в народе существовало очень мудрое поверье — не произноси слова благодарности в состоянии раздражения.
http://www.playcast.ru/view/1084513/604122e8028df8d6ac681f37550d9374ea4c4198pl