Secondary School Let’s visit our town

Classes: 3A - 3B - 3C

Presentation of a text about Brisighella in English

• Learning about the history of one’s own town helps developing knowledge of events, people, structures and changes in the past.

• Learning outcomes:

• Learners should to know about some aspects of Brisighella, its tourist attractions and facilities

• Learners should be able to analyse historical sources, geographycal and art elements

Activate prior knowledge

• I project a photo of Brisighella on the multimedia blackboard

• I ask learners to tell any words or phrase they associate with the image.

• Brainstorming ideas: I find out what learners already knows.

• I accept some L1 and translate. • I write the words and phrases on the board • I ask learners to predict what they will learn

about in this lesson

VOCABULARY FOCUS

• I write on the board: ancient, valley, rocky peaks, stronghold, fortress, conquered, restored…

• I ask learners which words they don’t know and I explain the meaning.

• In this CLIL activity the teachers of history, geography and art need to provide:

• a clear structure for learning about these subjects in order to support learners to communicate about past, geography and art

• Language support so that learners feel confident.

BRISIGHELLA

• LOCATION

• MAIN FEATURES

• ORIGIN

• MAIN HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS

• TOWN NOW

• EVENTS

• TYPICAL PRODUCTS

• NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

Brisighella in English

• Brisighella is an ancient medieval town and spa centre in the Lamone valley and it is situated at the foot of three rocky peaks: the first one is dominated by the Clock Tower the second one by the Rocca Manfrediana and the third by the Monticino Sanctuary.

• This area was inhabited in ancient times but the village originated in the 13th century when the commander Maghinardo Pagani built an important fortress on one of the three peaks.

• In the 14th century the Manfredi family, lords of Faenza, built their fortress on a second peak. Then this fortress was conquered by Cesare Borgia , the Venetians and finally by the troops of thre Pope.

• The Medieval village consists of a labyrinth of ancient streets and stairs in the chalk around the main square: Piazza Carducci.

• Brisighella has a thermal centre known for centuries for its sulphurous waters suitable for the treatment of the respiratory tract. This is also the ideal place to relax and get fit thanks to the spa treatments: mud and bathing therapies.

• During the year in this town several tourist and cultural events take place: The Medieval Festival reviving a world of ancient magic and medieval atmosphere between June and July, the Four Autumn Featival celebrating the typical products of this area: the delicious “mora romagnola” ( a celebrated Romagna breed of pig), the pear ”volpina”, the truffle and the olive.

• Actually Brisighella offers a great variety of high quality products: the famous “ Brisighello” oil, different kinds of wines (for example Sangiovese and Albana) and charcuterie that can be found in several fine restaurants of the town.

• Finally trekking and mountain bike lovers can visit the natural area of the Carné Park and the Tanaccia Cave and the Chalk Vein.

Index card activity (about Brisighella in general)

• It’s a good way to store information about this topic • It’s useful to summarize the essential features of Brisighella • LOCATION________________________________________ • MAIN FEATURES_______________________________________ • ORIGIN___________________________________________ • MAIN HISTORICAL

DEVELOPMENTS_________________________________ • TOWN NOW________________________________________________ • EVENTS___________________________________________________ • TYPICAL PRODUCTS____________________________________________ • NATURAL

ATTRACTIONS_____________________________________________

CONSOLIDATE HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDING

• Index card activity (about Brisighella in general) • It’s a good way to store information about this

topic • It’s useful to summarize the essential features of

Brisighella • This activity involves a COLLABORATIVE

LEARNING : pair or small group work allow learners to communicate the language of the subject topic. Small groups can then share their work and ask questions.

Step 2

• Presentation of the places of interest in Brisighella (written text with photos)

• Fortress

• Clock Tower

• Monticino Sanctuary

• Town Hall – Palazzo Maghinardo

• Civic Museum G. Ugonia

• Ancient Via del Borgo or Road of the Donkeys

• San Giovanni in Ottavo or Pieve del Tho

Local historical attractions

• On the three rocky peaks stand: • Rocca Manfrediana : It was built by Francesco Manfredi in 1310 then restored and completed by the Venetians in

1509. It is an example of medieval stronghold. Now it has been restored and you can have wonderful views of the whole valley.

• Clock Tower : it was built in 1290 by Maghinardo Pagani as a defence and to control the surrounding area . It was restored in 1850 and a clock was added. It has a 19th century bulwark structure but a medieval basement.

• Monticino Sanctuary : this sanctuary dates back to the 8th century and it is devoted to the Virgin Mary. There are frescos by the painter S. Lega (19th century)

• In the centre of the town • Ancient Via del Borgo or Road of the Donkeys : it is an elevated and covered 12th century street which is enlighted

by half-arches of various size. It was built as a defensive fortification then became the trail for caravans of donkeys going to the chalk quarries. People working in the chalk vein lived in this place with their families : their houses were upstairs and the stables downstairs.

• Palazzo Maghinardo : Town Hall a Neoclassical style building in Piazza Marconi • Civic Museum “Giuseppe Ugonia” : it houses the works of the lithographer Giuseppe Ugonia (1881- 1944) and a

collection of 19th and 20th century prints donated by S. Morselli • In the surrounding area • San Giovanni in Ottavo or Pieve del Tho : situated at about 1km far from Brisighella. It was built around the fifth

century and then rebuilt in an extended form between the 11th century and the 12th century. It’s called “in ottavo” because it stands at the eighth mile of the ancient Roman road that ran from Faenza to Tuscany. According to a legend this church was built at the behest of Galla Placidia (daughter of Theodosius, the last Roman Emperor). It’s a church in a Roman style with a nave and two aisles.

• The old fountain :It is the oldest public fountain of the town . It was built in 1490 an provided water from the chalk vein.

FACT FILES about historical attractions

• HISTORICAL ATTRACTION:

• NAME __________________________________

• BUILT IN _________________________________

• SITUATED ________________________________

• RESTORED/COMPLETED/STYLE _______________

• WHY TO SEE IT____________________________

Consolidate understanding

• Students are asked to complete factfiles about historical attractions

• HISTORICAL ATTRACTION: • NAME • BUILT IN • SITUATED • RESTORED/COMPLETED/STYLE • WHY TO SEE IT • Pair work: learners exchange information using their

worksheet and the language support written on the board.

CROSS-CURRICULAR LINKS: Geography and art

• Personalization: I find out what learners already know about castles and if any of them have seen one.

• I provide each student a MAP of Brisighella. Learners study the map and then I ask

• - where the main tourist attractions are situated

• -what are the symbols (I revise the function “Locating places” using the prepositions)

Plenary

• At the end of the lesson I review what was learned: I ask learners to tell

• -something new they learned

• -something they already knew

• -something that was interesting

• -something they would like to find out about

ASSESSING LEARNING

• I prepare a CHECKLIST of OUTCOMES to indicate how well the learners are performing:

• EX: NAME____________________________________

• 1) Can communicate information about Brisighella

• 2) Can understand a text

• 3) Can transfer information from a text to a fact file ( selecting and using relevant information)

• 4) Can collaborate with a peer ( to check one another’s work)

Assessment

• ORAL ASSESSMENT : Each students introduces a place of interest using images/ photos on the board

• WRITTEN ASSESSMENT

• 1)GAP-FILL

• 2)MATCHING SENTENCES

• 3)Complete a TIME LINE

• 4)Multiple choice

STEP 3 - PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES IN BRISIGHELLA

• I provide a card with a list of public buildings and facilities with symbols that can be found in the MAP.

Activities

• ACTIVITY 1: I ask students what they can do in those places for example

• What can you do in a post office? • What can you do in a pharmacy? • What can you do in a museum? • ACTIVITY 2:( PAIR WORK) VOCABULARY WORKSHEET : Match symbols and words by writing the correct numbers into the

boxes • ACTIVITY 3 :(PAIR WORK) Locate a place using the prepositions of

place for example Where is the railway station? Where is the Tourist Information Centre? Where is the post office?

STEP 4 ASKING FOR AND GIVING DIRECTIONS IN BRISIGHELLA

• I use this activity to practice asking for and giving directions in a meaningful contest and using prepositions of place to revise the names of places in town.

• The students look at the map of Brisighella and work in pair asking each other questions about how to get to a certain place and giving instructions

Speaking activities

• I provide the students a card to remind words and phrases we have already studied and give the cues to build up the dialogues (pair work)

• In order to motivate the learning students go around in town and perform the dialogues in proper places.

• Students use communicative functions in a meaningful context

• I evaluate their speaking (oral assessment)

• A tourist is at the railway station. He asks the way to the Civic Museum G.Ugonia

• A:Excuse me. Can you tell me the way to the museum G.Ugonia?

• B:Turn right into Via Maglioni. Walk along. Take the second street on the left. Go straight on and the museum is at the end of the street. You can’t miss it. It’s near the tourist information centre.

• 2)A tourist is in the car park in Via Roma. He wants to go to the Road of the Donkeys

• A:Excuse me. How can I get to the Road of the Donkeys?

• B: Turn right into Via Roma. In Piazza Carducci take the second street on your left, then turn right into Via Naldi. The Road of the Donkeys is on your left, near the Palazzo Maghinardo the Town Hall

• 3)A tourist is in the public garden and he asks the way to the Clock Tower and how long it takes

• A: Excuse me. How do I get to the Clock Tower?

• B: Go up into Via De Gasperi, then turn right into Via Roma and go straight on as far as Piazza Carducci. Go up into Via Naldi. The Clock Tower is at the end of the street.

• A: How long does it take to go there ?

• B: It takes twenty minutes on foot.

• 4) A tourist is in front of the Police Station. He wants to go to the Monticino Sanctuary. He asks the way

• A: Excuse me. Can you tell me the way to the Monticino Sanctuary?

• B: Sure. Walk along Via Roma and turn right into Via Pascoli. Go up Via Pascoli and the Sanctuary is on the left

• 5) A tourist in at the old fountain. He asks the way to the fortress

• A: Excuse me, How can I get to the fortress?

• B: Turn left into Via delle volte. Turn right into Via Monticino then turn left into Via Bonfante. Walk along At the end turn right into Via Pascoli and go up this street. The fortress is on the right

• 6) A tourist is in Piazza Carducci She wants to go to the Theatre Spada.

• A: Excuse me. Can you tell me the way to the Theatre Spada?

• B Go up t Via Porta Fiorentina. Turn left into Via Spada. The theatre is on the right in front of the church of Santa Croce

Follow up Investigate

• Learners in pairs look for information on leaflets or on website about other tourist attractions in town

• Students are asked to create their own leaflet or flyer about Brisighella in English using photos, realia, advertisments…etc and to present it to the class in L2

Step 5 Follow up Art Hadleigh Castle by John Constable

• Reading of a work of art showing a castle of an artistic period (Romanticism) that the students are studying

• Art teacher and English teacher work together : art teacher gives language support and specific content

• Outcomes: students can:

• learn specific language to describe a painting of a landscape

• use specific words to describe emotions

• get information about Romanticism in art

Reading a work of art: Hadleigh Castle

I project a slide of this painting and ask students questions about what

they can see I provide a factfile:

ARTIST : JOHN CONSTABLE

( 1776-1837) YEAR: 1829

TYPE : OIL ON CANVAS DIMENSIONS : 122 X 164cm

LOCATION : Yale Centre for British Art, New Haven, USA

HADLEIGH CASTLE

• John Constable is one of the most important English romantic painters of landscapes. • IN HIS WORKS THE MAIN INTEREST IS THE CONTEMPLATION OF NATURE AND THE LANDSCAPE IS A

WAY TO COMMUNICATE FEELINGS. • Between 1821 and 1822 he made several studies about the sky, especially clouds he used for his

paintings where weather elements are painted in detail and paid great attention to light effects. • In a letter Constable wrote:” In a landscape the sky is a dominant element : it is the source of light

in nature and reigns above everything” • He visited Hadleigh castle in 1814 and made a minute drawing of the castle. The painting was

executed in 1829 and exhibited at the royal academy. • In “Hadleigh castle” the ruins of the castle are surrounded by a sky full of threatening clouds that

are the most lively part of the painting. seagulls flying restless seem to announce the rain. • There are two little men but they are not relevant as in Romantic art man is melt with nature. • Constable painted this picture after the death of his wife so the desolate landscape and the ruins of

the castle communicate his sorrow. • The colours of the sky are spread almost violently moving fast in every direction through

brushstrokes of pure colour that seem to anticipate the technique of the impressionists. • The contrast of light and shadow gives a strong energy. actually constable‘s dynamic technique is

expressed also through brushstrokes of pure white like spots of sun ( on the meadows near the Thames)

Hadleigh Castle (reading comprehension)

• Constable’s interest: contemplation of nature • Landscape way to communicate feelings • Importance of the sky / clouds • Hadleigh Castle: ruins of the castle on the left • Clouds dominate in the central part • Two little men with no importance • Colours. Dark, grey, white spots • Technique: brushstrokes of pure colour • Feeling: sadness ( the painter painted it after his

wife’s death)

Activities

• I ask students questions such as

• 1)What can you see in this painting?

• 2)What is the most important element?

• 3)Are there any people? are they big or small? Why?

• 4)Look at the sky. is it calm or cloudy? Is there going to be a storm?

• 5)What colours are used? how is the colour spread?

• 6)What feeling does the painting evoke (anxiety, sorrow, anger, joy, peace, affection)?

• 7) Do you like this painting? Why? Why not?