“Holidays and traditions in the United Kingdom”.

Тема: “Holidays and traditions in the United Kingdom”.

Цели мероприятия: 1. Обобщить лингвострановедческий материал по указанной теме. Углубить и расширить знания по теме.

2. Совершенствовать умения и навыки практического владения английским языком по данной теме по всем видам речевой деятельности: чтению, аудированию, говорению и письму.

3. Повысить интерес к изучению иностранного языка.

Оснащение: Календарь праздников Соединенного королевства Великобритании и Северной Ирландии, набор картинок по теме “Holidays”, предметы, связанные с британскими праздниками (“valentine” card, jack-o-lantern, a pumpkin, a Christmas stocking, Christmas and New Year’s cards, “a guy” a cracker, a poppy, a red rose, a daffodil, a dove, a boiled egg and a chocolate egg, a box, Father Christmas), игра “Hunters”, control cards, quiz, карточки для учащихся.

План – конспект мероприятия.

Teacher: Dear boys and girls! We are very glad to see you at our competition today. There are two teams: the first team and the second team. They will show us their knowledge of the holidays, customs and traditions in the United Kingdom, because our competition is devoted to it. We’ll speak about different holidays in the United Kingdom. You’ll have several tasks. Some of them were prepared by you at home but most of them were not prepared. I hope our competition will be fun. The pupils who show the best knowledge of the holidays in the United Kingdom will be given special prizes. Let’s start our competition and introduce our teams to each other.

The first team: We are “Red roses”.

The second team: We are “Daffodils”.

Teacher: Think and answer. (Загадывает загадку)

He came to us before New Year

A healthy merry fellow.

But every day he loses his weight

And in a year he’ll fade away.

Pupil: It’s a calendar.

Teacher: You are right. It’s a calendar. (На доске огромный календарь с 12 месяцами и названиями известных британских праздников). The first task is the following: answer the questions about the holidays in the United Kingdom. Обеим командам задают вопросы. За каждый правильный ответ первая команда получает красную розу, а вторая команда получает нарцисс).

1. What public holidays do you know in the United Kingdom?

2. Name holidays of religious origin.

3. What movable holidays do you know in the United Kingdom?

4. What are the names of four national holidays of the countries of the United Kingdom?

5. What is the most popular holiday in the United Kingdom?

6. What is the most popular holiday in Scotland?

Teacher: Your task was to prepare several stories about different holidays in the United Kingdom.

Pupil (the first team): In England Christmas Day is celebrated on the 25^th of December. The English people send and receive Christmas cards, gifts, presents. Children especially wait for this merry holiday. Little children believe that when they are asleep, Father Christmas comes to visit them with a big bag of toys. They often hang up large stockings to receive the presents. On Christmas morning children look into their stockings and see their gifts. Every family tries to have a Christmas tree, which is decorated with coloured lights. They also hang little toys, sweets on the tree and they put presents under the tree. All families gather together for Christmas dinner. They eat a roasted turkey, Christmas pudding. (Children show a Christmas card and a Christmas stocking)

Pupils sing a song “Christmas – tree”.

O Christmas – tree, o Christmas – tree,

Your branches green delight us.

O Christmas – tree, o Christmas – tree,

Your branches green delight us.

They’re green when summer days are bright.

They’re green when winter snow is white.

O Christmas – tree, o Christmas – tree,

Your branches green delight us.

Teacher: (asks questions – two questions for each team)

1. Christmas pudding was first made many, many years ago. Now it is the highlight of Christmas dinner. Children often put holly on the pudding. Traditionally a coin is placed into the pudding. Why do the British do it?

Answer: It is a tradition. It brings good luck to a person who finds it.

2. Every English family sends and receives many Christmas cards. What is there traditionally on almost every card?

Answer: Traditionally on almost every Christmas card there is a Robin – a Christian bird.

3. It is an evergreen plant with small white berries. On Christmas Eve there is a bunch of evergreen plant in every house. Under this bunch boys kiss girls. What is the name of this evergreen plant?

Answer: It is Mistletoe. Mistletoe is a symbol of peace and friendship.

4. Father Christmas comes into children’s homes on Christmas Eve. He has a white beard and white and red clothes. He is always merry. He brings presents for children. Where does he come from?

Answer: They say that Father Christmas comes from the North Pole.

Teacher: Thank you, children. Now, let’s listen to the second team.

“Daffodils” are going to tell us about Hallowe’en.

Pupil (the second team): Many years ago people believed in devils and witches. Children put on masks and went to the streets to beg. It was Hallowe’en Day. Children celebrate this day too. Hallowe’en is the day or evening before All Saints Day. Hallowe’en stories and games are hundreds of years old. Then people believed in devils, witches and ghosts. Now most people do not believe in devils. English children celebrate Beggar’s Night as Irish children did in the 17^th century. They dress up in Hallowe’en costumes and go out into the streets to beg. They often wear masks over their faces. They go from house to hose and knock on the door. When people come to the door, the children say “Trick or treat?” “Trick or treat?” meaning “Give us a treat or we’ll play a trick on you” People give the children sweets, cookies and apples”. A favourite Hallowe’en custom is to make a jack-o-lantern. The children scrape out a pumpkin and cut the eyes, nose and mouth. They light a candle inside the pumpkin to scare their friends. They set jack-o-lantern in the windows. (Children show jack-o-lantern)

Hallowe’en, Hallowe’en, magic night.

We are glad and very bright.

We all dance and sing and recite

“Welcome! Welcome! Hallowe’en night!”

Teacher: Match the words with their definitions:

1. jack-o-lantern a) the season which comes after summer and before winter

2. a pumpkin b) an autumn holiday for children

3. a monster c) a large, round, orange vegetable

4. a treat d) a pumpkin with a face out in it

5. autumn e) a false face

6. Hallowe’en f) a gift such as money or candy

7. a mask g) an unusual frightening creature

Teacher: Fill in the missing vowels:

H…ll…w… …n, M…nst…r, w…tch, c…st…m, d…rk, gh…st, sc…r…, d…v…l, g…bl…n, cl…wn, sk…l…t…n, m…sk, h…b…, p…mpk…n.

1. It is a church holiday. Parents decorate eggs for children. In many parts of the country eggs are hidden in the yards and the children have to find them. Little children believe the rabbit comes and leaves the eggs for them. Eggs are the symbol of new life and the most popular emblem of this holiday. (Easter)

2. This holiday is usually in March. People visit their mothers if possible and give them flowers and small presents. If they cannot go they send a card: Most mothers like to celebrate this day with the whole family. Some people take their mothers to a restaurant for dinner. (Mother’s Day)

3. It is a popular holiday. It is the day preceding the first day of Lent. In medieval times the day was characterized by merrymaking and feasting, a relic of which is the eating of pancakes. (Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday)

4. On this day people light fireworks and burn a guy on a bonfire. This is in memory of the time when Guy Fawkes tried to destroy Parliament in London in 1605. The historical meaning of the occasion is no longer important. Children put on some old costumes and take the guy. They walk round the city and ask people for money. “One penny for a guy!” Everywhere you can see fireworks and bonfires! You can hear loud bangs here, there and everywhere! (Guy Fawkes Night)

5. It is customary for people to remain awake until after midnight on December 31^st so that you may “watch the old year out and the new year in”. Many parties are given on this night. The theatres, night clubs and restaurants are crowded. The favourite song at this holiday is “Auld Lang Syne”. It was written by Robert Burns. It is not a public holiday. It is not as widely celebrated as Christmas in England. The most popular custom in Scotland is “first – footing”. (New Year’s Day)

6. It is not a legal or national holiday. Banks and offices are not closed, but it is a happy little festival, especially for children and young people. It is celebrated among persons of all ages. It is a religious holiday; it has roots in several legends. One of the early symbols of this holiday is Cupid, the Roman God of Love. The day is time to send little gifts to those you love. Flowers and candy are favourite presents what sweethearts send each other. A greeting card is sent to someone loves, but usually without giving the name of the sender. (St. Valentine’s Day)

Saint David’s Day.

On the 1^st of March each year one can see people walking around London with leeks pinned to their coats. The many Welsh people who live in London like to show their solidarity on their national day. The day is actually called Saint David’s Day, after a sixth century abbot who became patron saint of Wales. David is the nearest English equivalent to the Saint’s name, Dawi. The saint was known traditionally as the “waterman”, which perhaps means that he and his monks were teetotalers. A teetotaler is someone who drinks no kind of alcohol, but it does not mean that he drinks only tea, as many people seem to think. In spite of the leeks mentioned earlier, Saint David’s emblem is not that, but a dove.

Give the right answer.

1. Welsh people have their national day on the 1^st of May. (March)

2. The day is called Saint Patrick’s Day. (David’s)

3. The saint was known traditionally as “the milkman”. (waterman)

4. Saint David’s emblem is a leek. (a dove)

Teacher: Now, children, match the country, the holiday and the date.

Saint David’s Day England November, 30

Saint Andrew’s Day Wales March, 1

Saint George Day Ireland March, 17

Saint Patrick’s Day Scotland April, 23

Teacher: Let’s play a game “Hunters”

December, 31 New Year’s Eve

February, 14 Saint Valentine’s Day

December, 25 Christmas

December, 26 Boxing Day

January, 1 New Year’s Day

January, 25 Burn’s Night

March, 1 Saint David’s Day

March, 17 Saint Patrick’s Day

April, 1 Fool’s Day

April, 21 Queen’s birthday

April, 23 Saint George’s Day

May, 1 May Day

October, 31 Hallowe’en

November, 5 Guy Fawkes Day

November, 11 Remembrance Day

November, 30 Saint Andrew’s Day

the fourth Sunday in Lent Mother’s day

the day, preceding the first day of Lent Pancake Day

the last Friday before Easter Good Friday

the Monday after Easter Sunday Easter Monday

the last Monday in August Summer Bank Holiday

the last Monday of May Spring Bank Holiday

Teacher: On different holiday British people usually eat traditional dishes. The following task is “Match the holiday and the food”

1. New year’s Day a) shortbread

2. Bonfire Night b) haggis

3. Hallowe’en c) hot – cross buns

4. Christmas d) pancakes

5. Easter e) hot soup, haggis, potatoes

6. Good Friday f) roasted potatoes, roast turkey and Christmas pudding

7. New Year’s Eve g) boiled eggs, chocolate eggs and simnel cake

8. Burn’s Night h) hot soup, baked potatoes and toffee apples

9. Pancake Day I) sausages, potatoes and chestnuts cooked in the bonfire

Teacher: The following task is “Match the holiday and the pictures”

jack-o-lantern New Year’s Day

guy Christmas

Santa Claus Saint Valentine’s Day

a fur – tree Hallowe’en

a valentine card Bonfire Night

a poppy Easter

a chocolate egg Pancake Day

hot – cross bun Remembrance Day

pancakes Mother’s Day

roses Burn’s Night

kilt Good Friday

The Holiday Quiz

1. The most popular holiday in Britain is …

1. Easter

2. Christmas

3. New Year’s Day

2. There are … public holidays in Great Britain.

1. Seven

2. Ten

3. Fifteen

3. The symbol of St. Valentine’s Day is …

1. A rose

2. A “valentine”

3. A daffodil

4. To make a jack-o-lantern is a favourite … custom.

1. Hallowe’en

2. Christmas

3. Easter

5. Saint Valentine’s Day now is a day for …

1. Sweethearts

2. Children

3. Elderly people

6. On New Year’s Day people eat …

1. Pancakes

2. Haggis

3. Boiled eggs

7. Egg – rolling is a traditional … pastime.

1. Easter

2. Christmas

3. Hallowe’en

8. People light fireworks and burn a guy on a bonfire on the …

1. 31^st of October

2. 5^th of November

3. 14^th of February

9. Saint Andrew’s Day is the national day of …

1. England

2. Wales

3. Scotland

10. The emblem of Saint George’s Day is …

1. A red rose

2. A daffodil

3. A dove

Keys: 1-b, 2-a, 3-b, 4-a, 5-a, 6-b, 7-a, 8-b, 9-c, 10-a.