My dream dinner

It's time for another BigColaFor21 update! This time the theme is food, more specifically our dream dinners. Boy, do I get hungry reading this! Must be time for lunch.

My dream dinner

I like all kinds of unhealthy food such as pizza, kebab, hamburgers and steak. My dream dinner would have a table full of these foods, so I could eat as much as I want to.

Paul Woods

I like to eat a lot, so the day’s meal means me a lot. The first I would concentrate to food/meals healthiness = What means that the food should have vitamins. The second thing that I would put “my eye on” is the taste of the food off course. It is very important to eat something that you like and not some things that you hate. I love meat and chicken, but I can’t eat fish cause I’m allergic to many ingredients. The third thing or a rule is to have potatoes in your food! Potatoes are good and they match with lots of meals in nowadays. For example if I have beef, it would have French fries otherwise it’s just real potato with other foods. Last we need a perfect drink and that is water or milk.

Alan Richards

My dream dinner is like a big table that is full of different foods, like French fries, hamburgers, pizza, different luxury foods and fast food. I like to take my friends for that dinner and dad and brother. The food is in a big dining room. Waiters bring the food in. And the dinner will be free.

Eric Beach

My dream dinner would be cooked by someone famous, like Jamie Oliver, because I like the way he cooks and that he’s trying improve American and English school food. 

First I would like to eat a good and healthy salad. Then I’d like to eat a good steak, beef or lamb, and something with it. 

After that I would eat a big dessert. Something fancy that I haven’t eaten before. I would eat it in a nice restaurant with my family or friends

Alice River

The salad would be made of pineapple, cucumber, tomato, macaroni and toast crumbs. (Plus nachos!)
Spaghetti and chicken breasts, one of my favorite foods, would be the dinner today. I like to leave my spaghetti half-cooked, it tastes better like that, and I like to leave the chicken in the oven just a little longer than suggested, just in case, because raw chicken can kill you like the noise. 

After that awesome deliciousness comes the dessert-ness! Because the dinner was quite full 'n' stuff, the dessert is going to be just ice cream and fudge. This is my dream dinner – ENJOY!

Michelle Iron

My dream dinner would be healthy and tasty. There must be chips and sausages. And vegetables too. Cucumber and salad. But no tomatoes. I really hate them. They taste horrible. And chicken of course. BBQ is nice too. And for dessert lots of sweets and ice cream. For drinks I want coca cola light. My favorite restaurant is steakhouse, maybe. There is good steak and the food is really good. I like food there, because I’m a steak eater.

Emily Pommes

My kind of school day

Alright, here we go again. The following updates, starting with "My kind of school day," include stuff that we've been working on during the last couple of months. Hope you guys enjoy our updates! Any comments are heartily welcome!

On my kind of school day, students school would start at nine o`clock. They would have art, home economics, religion and Finnish. Then they would go home at two o`clock. No homework and no detention. Students would choose their own seats. Teachers would show lots of videos and students wouldn`t have to write so much. They would have only textbooks, not workbooks. Pupils could leave their books at school. Classrooms would be much nicer and chairs softer. No tests at all. Students won`t have to give talks. Books would be funnier and more interesting.

Julie Hale

My kind of school day would be easy and it would have all the easy subjects. We would watch a movie and have pizza for lunch. Before Christmas me and my class went to Tampere to watch a movie and go eat. The cinema was small and there was no one. After the movie we went to subway. After that I went home by bus.

Paul Woods

Day starts with English. Then there is P.E. for two hours, like inside the school. Then we eat food and then is crafts at the end of the day. Day is like four hours long.

Eric Beach

I usually wake up at 7 o’clock in the morning. When I get to school I go and wait in front of my class until the lesson starts. Then I study very hard all day and hang out with friends and eat. I usually go home at 14 o’clock but sometimes I go home at 15 o’clock. When I get home I do my homework.

Calvin W. Hill

If the decision was mine, the schooldays would be shorter. I really think we don’t need schooldays this long.

I would like to study more languages and less maths. I don’t think we will use the junior high’s mathematics in any part of our lives. There could be less physics and chemistry, too.
The schooldays could be more relaxed. Maybe there could be softer chairs or something.
I’d also like some kind of “resting hour” in the middle of the school day. There would be resting classrooms in the school. In those rooms there would be big, soft armchairs and sofas and little televisions with headphones. There the pupils could relax and rest before the next lesson.
There shouldn’t be a compulsion to go out on any break if the temperature is lower than -10. I really hate cold air, it’s so hard to breathe.

I would prefer more essays and stuff and less sitting and being unoccupied. But I don’t like vocal presentations, not at all. I also think that teachers should give less homework.

Marie Cain

I would love to wake up at 7.30 am, because now I have to wake up at little past 6 am. I would have plenty of time to wake up and get ready for school. I’d have time to do my make-up and hair.

Even if I would get to choose the school subjects I wouldn’t want the school day to be like three hours of P.E and three hours of art, that would be boring and I’m no good at them.

My kind of school day would be a lot shorter. And the breaks would be longer. There would be no homework. There would be English and Finnish. After the school day I would go out with my friends.

Alice River

My kind of school day would be very relaxed. It would start at ten o’clock and stop at two pm. First I would have two art lessons. Lunch would be healthy and delicious. After lunch I would have two music lessons. There would not be any compulsory outside breaks in the winter. No one would not bully and everybody would have fun!

Charlotta Snowhill

I would like that my school starts at 10.00 o’clock. First we would have two hours P.E (physical education). Then we could have a nice and healthy lunch at school. Next we should have some education still like physics or mathematics, so we would still learn things in schools. The school day would end with Finnish class so we might learn some new things. Then the school day would end and everyone would be happy and ready for next day.

Alan Richards

Check back next week for our new update! Here's this week's song of the week, by the way. A great song chosen by Paul Woods.

Restart - The New 21!

Long time no see! It has been a while. But now the time has come to restart the blog with a new group of people. The new BigCola 21! In this blog we're going to present our best stuff that we've been doing over the last couple of months. Of course we're doing new things all the time, so you should get a weekly update from us until late May. The first update is going to be up next week. But without further ado, here's the new BigCola 21 (or most of it).

Charlotta Snowhill
I'm almost 15 years old and I live in Kangasala in Finland. I was born in Keuruu. I live with my little brother, mum and stepfather. My dad, his wife and dog called Frida lives in Oulu. Frida is Giant Schnauzer. I like her so much! I go to Oulu once in mounth to see them. I like movies, sleeping and music. I write and draw too.

Roxie Bluerose
I'm 14 years old. I live in Kangasala. In my family there is me, mom, dad and my twin brother. I love them all really much. I love to draw. I love music too. Without music my drawings don't get compelete. I like reading and writing stories too.

Eric Beach
I'm 14 years old. I live in Kangasala. In my family there is me, my brother, dad and mom. I like to be with my friends outside and down hill skiing. And I got hamster.

Calvin W. Hill
I'm 14 years old. I live in Kangasala. I'm into paddling. I listen to house music. I have no pets. My school is Pikkola. I like to workout. I love food. I hate cigarattes and snus. I have a girlfriend, and I love her.

Julie Hale
I'm 14 years old. I live in Kangasala. I have a big family and we have two dogs, a guinea pig and a cat. I like them a lot. I play floorball. I also enjoy reading and cooking.

Alice River
I'm 14 years old girl from Kangasala. I live with my mom, dad, sister and our two dogs. I live in an old house in the country. I love riding and reading. I listen pop and acoustic music. I don't have a fauvorite artist. I like to be with my friends and just hang out with them and we also watch lot of movies.

Eve Baggins
I'm a 15-years-old girl from Finland who likes to draw and read. My hobby is swimming and I like to do many other sports too, like skiing and cykling depending of the time of the year. I like sleep as long as I want and I hate being busy. But I also hate the boring times when there is nothing to do. My dream is to someday draw a cartoon of my own, if that's possible.

Emily Pommes
I'm 15-years-old girl from Kangasala. I like swimming and it is my hobby. I love it. I like listen to music and read books too. In my freetime I'm whit my friends.

Marie Fields
I'm 14 years old. I live in Kangasala. My hobby is snowboarding and i like it very much. I go to Pikkola school. I live with my two sisters, and parents. I like to be with my friends too.

Michael Hill
I’m 14 years old. I live in kangasala. My hobby is floorball and billiard. I live with my little brother and parents. My freetime I´m whit my friend`s.

Paul Woods
I'm 14 years old. I live in Kangasala. I go to school called Pikkola. I don't have any hobbies at the moment. I like watching movies.

Michelle Iron
I am 15 years old, and I live in Kangasala with my workaholic mom, troublemaker brother and fat pets. I like drawing, painting, writing and listening to music. They are all my hobbies. I am also addicted with watching movies.

Sophie Wien

I am 15 years old and I live in Kangasala. I like music, watching movies, sleeping and also I like to be with my friends too. I have relatives in Sweden and I go there once of year, usually at summer holiday.

Tony Colombo
I'm 14 years old. I live in Kangasala. I'm into trial. I like music. I live whit my mom, dad, two sisters, dog and cat.

Alan Richards

I'm intrested in gaming and programming. I also like Legos and Ice Tea. I spend my freetime usually with my friends.

Hannah Farley
I'm 14 years old. I live in Kangasala near my school. I live whit my mom, dad and whit my twin sister. We have also a dog. I like to be whit my friends and I like listen to music.

Marie Cain
I am 14 years old. My family members are my parents, my older sister and my dog. I like many thing like writing, reading and listening to music. I also like to spend time with my friends. I don't really like skating or being alone for a long time.

Guest Writer: The Beast's House

Happy New Year everyone! We'll start the year with something special: the first edition of Guest Writer! We're going to publish texts in this blogs from pupils who aren't actually on this course, but have written great stories. Of course we want to make them available for other people to read as well. This text is by the mysterious Matt, with the picture drawn by Paaba. Read on... if you dare!

The Beast's House

My name is Bob. I’m going to tell you a story about me and my friend, Robert, who I call Rob. I think that you won’t believe me, but I’m going to tell you the story anyway.

Seven days ago it was very misty and windy weather. Rob and I were at my place. We were planning a visit to an abandoned house. I wanted to show my courage to my classmates and Rob wanted to come with me. We took two torches with us and went to the house.

When we were walking to that scary house, we told stories that we had heard about that house. –I have heard that someone has been killed in the house, Rob said to me. –I have heard that there lived an old man once. He had a very big dog which wasn’t a dog at all! I was quiet for a little moment and then I continued. –The “dog” was a Beast! –A Beast? Rob asked. –Yes, a Beast. A horrible monster which killed and ate people! I told. Rob shivered. –Are you scared? I asked with a bit disparaging tone in my voice. –No! Rob shouted. –Good, I said. –Look, Rob said. There was the house, just in front of us.

The door squeaked and sent shivers down our spines. We walked in and I turned on my torch. Suddenly the door closed. Rob shouted loudly. I tried to calm him down. –It was just the wind, I said. Rob breathed deeply. –We must go on, I said and turned. We were at the entry. There was a big hall and three corridors. All of them were very dark, but one of them was short. The other two looked very long. –Let’s go in that short one, we said together.

We walked until we came to a door. We opened it and went through. We were in some kind of a dining room. There was blood all over the walls. A long table in the middle of the room was also covered with blood. We were really scared. We exited the room fast and ran back to the entry.-Let’s leave, Rob whispered to me. –No, I said and continued, did you come here just for a visit? We can’t leave now. –Okay, okay, Rob answered. We chose the door in the left and went in.

We arrived to an old sitting room. All the furniture and the floor were covered with dust. The room was very big. There were bookcases on the sides of the room. There was no television or computer in that room. Furniture looked very antiquated. We walked to the center of the room. Suddenly the sound of heavy steps reached my ears. Someone or something was coming towards us. We were both frightened. The steps came closer. Quickly we ran to the next room which was small. Two ropes hung from the roof. There was a small box in the corner of the room. It was full of big knives and edged weapons. I thought what someone has done with those things and ran to the next room which wasn’t a room at all; it was a wide and long corridor. There were two cabinets in that corridor. We went inside them and listened when that creature came in the corridor. We held our breath. The creature walked slowly past us. We waited for five minutes after it had gone before we dared to get out of the cabinets. But then we noticed that the steps had stopped. I looked at the end of the corridor. There it was - The Horrible Beast which eats people. I had heard stories about The Beast but I hadn’t believed them. Now I did.

The Beast looked like a big dog, but it had long and sharp claws, red eyes and long teeth. It looked straight at us. The Beast’s red eyes started to glow. We screamed, turned around and started to run. We ran to the first door we saw and went through it. –Oh my God! Rob shouted. There were dozens of skeletons lying on the ground. I was terrified. –We have to run, I said and moved on. We ran to the next room. The Beast was after us. It was fast, really fast. –It’s going to reach us any second, Rob said. –Turn left! I commanded him. We turned left and The Beast ran past us. We noticed the stairs to the upper floor and we climbed up.

We found ourselves in a dark bedroom. There was a big bed in the middle of the room. It was covered with dust. Two chairs and a little nightstand were also covered with dust. We shut the door and dragged the two chairs in front of the door. –There’s no exit here except that door! I shouted. We heard The Beast coming up the stairs. –Let’s climb on that bookshelf, Rob proposed. –Good idea, I answered. We started to climb. I touched one book and suddenly the bookshelf turned. In front of us appeared a corridor that led under the ground. –Perhaps we should go there, I said. –No, Rob said. –It can be a dead end! –It’s still better than being on the bookshelf, I said and listened when The Beast tried to get in. –That Beast just overturns the bookshelf and we’re dead! The Beast was breaking the door. We decided to go underground.

The stone stairs were long. Finally we came to a chamber which was very dark. We turned on our torches. We were in some kind of a cellar. It was full of coffins. We ran across the room. Suddenly Rob stumbled on a coffin and he fell on the ground. I helped him up. We heard The Beast’s steps but we couldn’t escape. And The Beast was coming. We were desperate. –Look! Rob shouted suddenly. I looked up to the cellar’s ceiling. There was a wooden hatch! –We’re saved! I said. At the same time we heard growling. The Beast was behind us. –Open it, quickly, I whispered to Rob. He opened the hatch and we went through it. Quickly I closed the hatch and Rob put a heavy stone on it. The Beast tried to open the hatch. We carried more stones on the hatch and ran away.

In front of my home we stopped. We were both out of breath. –I will never go to that house again, I said. –That was horrible, Rob said. –See you tomorrow, I said and went home.

Yesterday, five days after we had visited that horrible house, Rob was not at school. After school I heard that Rob was found dead from his bed! They didn’t tell me the details, but I eavesdropped on the policemen and I heard that Rob had a terrified look on his face and that he was killed by some creature that had sharp and long claws. I was scared. –It was The Beast! I thought. –I’m going to be next. I didn’t know what to do.

It happened yesterday. Rob was found dead. It’s evening now and I can’t get it out of my mind. What if The Beast comes for me? Hey, what is that? Someone is walking downstairs. I think that I have heard those steps before. But those aren’t my dad’s steps. He is sleeping and doesn’t have such heavy steps. Someone is coming upstairs now. Who could it be? I ask myself. I have to stop writing now and hide. I’m afraid. Those are THE BEAST’S STEPS!

Happy holidays!

Updates in this blog have been fairly few in December. The reason was we were too busy doing other things, and we only had a couple of lessons in December anyway. Now that the well-deserved holidays are upon us, it's time to thank the 22 pupils who made this blog come to life these past four months. So thank you, there's actually still some stuff coming up in the blog later that was made by you guys. In January it's time for another group of pupils to take over and lead this blog into unknown territories.

Until then, happy holidays and a happy new year everyone!

Interview of Satu Mühlig-Hofmann

We interviewed Satu, because she is our homeroom teacher.

(Written by Paulina Rock, Marie Rivers, Kathy Spoon and Kate Ronney)

What kind of things do you like in your work?

  I like pupils and lessons.

What kind of things don’t you like in your work?

  I don’t like tests and conferences.

Why did you start teaching?

  It was an accident. I started to study languages, because they are so lovely. After five years I thought what I want to do and then I studied teacher’s studies. 

Why did you start just in Pikkola?

 Because there was a place open and I applied that place and luckily I got it.

How long have you been in Pikkola?

  I have been here about ten months.

What’s your favorite color?

  My favorite color is blue.

What’s your favorite food?

  My favorite food is Chicken salad.

Have you got any hobbies?

  Reading and I go to the gym when I have time.

Do you have any pets?

  Yes, I have fish.

What language do you prefer to teach?

  They all have their own good things but it varies really much. It is hard to say.

What language do you like the most?

 The most I like German.

Here is Satu in her classroom.

Poster time (back to the 80s)

Check out the full size version here.

As promised, here are some of the posters the pupils did while travelling through the wonderful 1980s. Be sure to look the readable full size versions via the links! The first one on the left is by Wayne Teller. It's interesting that the game Super Mario Bros hasn't changed all that much in 30 years. That certainly makes the game a classic!

Check out the full size version here.

Talking about classics, these hairstyles on the right don't really fit that category. Then again, who am I to say that. You be the judge! This great poster was done by Mary Rabine.

Check out the full size version here.

This cute pink poster on the left was done by Kate Ronney, Kathy Spoon, Paulina Rock and Marie Rivers. Below you can see another great fashion poster, which was done by Jane Lauper.

Check out the full size version here.

Finally we have another contribution by the BigColaFor21 boys, Max Corvin and Niclas Gaustad. The subject should tell you as much - it's about electronics, computers and space! Viva megalomania!

Check out the full size version here.