-Good afternoon students, our guests. I’m glad to see you. You know that people all over the world celebrate different holidays. Today we’ll get acquainted with some interesting manners of celebrating popular holidays in English speaking countries.
The English proverb says: “So many countries, so many customs”. That’s why we are going to speak about some of these holidays, learn about their customs and traditions. But first of all we’ll start with the words which will help us in our conversation.
[ k] – Christmas, calendar, carry, coal, coffins, creature
[ h] – Halloween, help, harvest, holiday
[ a:]- dark, garlic, card, heart, tart
[ w] – werewolf, witch, wail, wish, sweetheart
[ai] – price, survive, decide, mind
-Now let’s read tongue-twisters:
Each Easter Eddie eats eighty Easter eggs.
If two witches would watch two watches, which witch would watch which watch.
-Well done, children. There’s one holiday which is especially popular among young people all over the world. It’s celebrated on February, 14. What holiday is this? (St. Valentine). There are 2 legends about the origin of this holiday. Who will tell us about these?
1 student
The first Valentine was a Christian priest who was imprisoned in the 3rd century for spreading the teaching of Christ. He was beheaded, but before his death he managed to write a farewell letter which was signed: “From your Valentine”.
-What about the other legend?
2 student
The second Valentine was an Italian bishop who was imprisoned for secretly marrying couples contrary to the laws of Roman Imperior. Since then we start celebrating this holiday.
-How do we usually celebrate this holiday?
3 student
We send greeting cards to our sweethearts and friends and ask them to “Be my Valentine. We present red hearts, roses and chocolates to or friends and family.
-Sometimes the loving heart is broken. Try to help such people and gather the broken hearts together.
-What Russian proverb about love, do you know?-
-Well done, students! And I’d to read you a remarkable poem written by A.S. Pushkin. It was translated from the Russian by Oleg Maslennikov. (“I loved you once”- Я Вас любил)
- When we talk about love, we think about our dearest persons for us, our mothers. In spring we celebrate “Mother’s Day”. Well, boys and girls, will you tell about this holiday?
1 student
It is a happy and nice holiday. It is celebrated in each family. In the morning men go shopping to buy some flowers. They try to clean flats, cook a holiday dinner and write greeting cards.
2 student
Sons help their fathers too. They make a cake, lay the table and wash dishes after dinner. All women try to be nice and happy on this day.
-Excellent work! Now can you guess what was the most interesting and scary holiday for children in English speaking countries? Right you are. It’s Halloween. Who will tell us about this holiday?
1 student
October 31st is a very special holiday for children. In old times the night of October was the last night of the year when all the witches and ghosts were out. It was the celebration of dead souls.
-How do English children celebrate this holiday?
2 student
Children make aces on pumpkins and put candles inside. These pumpkins are called “Jack’o lantern”. All children are dressed in costumes of ghosts and witches.
3 student
Dressed in costumes they go to different people’s houses, ring them at the door, saying: “Treat or trick” and people give them sweets and apples.
-OK. Let’s get acquainted with some popular Halloween costumes. ( 3 картинки- вампир, оборотень и ведьма)
-Great. There is a very popular tradition to sing songs about witches. Let’s have a musical pause and sing “Witches brew”.
Well done, children! You are so nice! Let’s go on. What is the next holiday according to the calendar? Who can tell what holiday is celebrated only in America? ( Thanksgiving Day).
OK. Now we will listen to the text about this holiday and then you’ll answer the questions. (звучит аудио запись текста).- картинки пилигрима, фото Линкольна.
This custom began with the pilgrims. They are English religions minority who decided to leave their country in search of religious freedom. On the 16th of September, 1620, a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymouth and reached North America only on the 11th of November, 1620.The colonists suffered from cold and hunger and by the end of winter half of them were dead. But with the help of the native Indians, who taught them how to fish, hunt and plant corn they managed to survive.
After the successful harvest, the governor decided to hold a special Thanksgiving feast, and they invited he Indians. They gave thanks for the new life, for good friends, new homes and plenty of food.
In1864, Abraham Lincoln established the last Thursday in November as a day for all Americans to give thanks.
Now it’s time to answer my questions.
1) When did they leave Plymouth?
2) What was the name of the boat?
3) When did they reach North America?
4) Who helped them to survive?
5) Who established this holiday for Americans?
-Excellent answers, children. Who’ll tell us what is the date today? What holiday is it today? I think you know everything about this holiday. Tell us, please.
1 student
People in different countries celebrate Christmas in various ways. Christmas is a birthday of Jesus Christ. People in England and America celebrate it on the 25th of December. (Картинка- Рождение Христа)
2 student
Some weeks before Christmas people are very busy. They buy Christmas tree, presents and greeting cards. People decorate their Christmas tree with coloured balls and stars. People put presents under the Christmas tree.(socks).
-And who gives presents for children?
3 student
Parents and relatives. Besides , children believe that Father Christmas or Santa Clause comes at night and brings presents for them, too. When children go to bed they hang their Christmas stockings near their beds. And in the morning their stockings are full of presents.
-What is the traditional dish at Christmas?
4 student
Christmas is a time for eating. The traditional food is turkey, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding. When they make a pudding they put a penny into it. The man who finds the coin is happy and lucky all the next year.
5 student
And there’s one more tradition. Children write letters to Santa Clause. In their letters they tell him what they want for Christmas and give a promise to be good in the coming year. Your homework was to write your letter to Santa. Let’s listen some of them. ( читают письма – 2 ученика)
Dear, Santa,
My name is… I live in… with my Mum, Dad and my little sister( brother..) I help my mum to cook breakfast on Sundays. I really want a new bicycle for Christmas. Will you give it to me, Santa?
I promise, I’ll be good next year. I’ll get only good marks at school. I’ ll always do my homework in time.
Bye, Santa.
(name)
-Well children, let’s collect your letters , put them into the magic box and send them to Santa Claus.
Excellent, I’m sure that you’ll get your present from Santa. But we live in Russia. What holiday do we usually celebrate instead of Christmas? (New Year’s Day)
1 student
It’s New Year’s Day. There are a lot of New Year traditions in Russia. In every home there is a New Year tree, with lights and decorations. Children always wait for Father Frost to come and give hem presents. Many people think that New Year’s Day is really a family holiday.
2 student
But in Britain not everybody celebrate this holiday. A lot of people go to Trafalgar Square to see the Christmas tree. They have a New Year party at home. (pictures)
3 student
I’d like to say that there’s a funny tradition: the First Foot. This is the first person to enter the house. It must be a man, because it is believed that if a woman sets foot in the house, bad luck will follow you throughout the year. The first visitor must carry food, drink and a piece of coal into the house.
-Thank you children, you have worked hard today. Our lesson is coming to the end. What did you like best at our lesson? What new facts did you learn from our lesson?
Today your answers were good and your marks are the following…
(оценки на снежинках).
-But who’s knocking at the door? (Стук в дверь. Появляется Дед Мороз.)
“May I come in? Hello, dear boys, girls and guests! Did you recognize me? I hope that you speak English very well. You are interested in English and I want to give you my Christmas Presents.
Happy Christmas, let all your dreams come true! ( a song “Dashing through the snow”)
