British+and+American+Festivals

FEBRUARY FESTIVALS: ST. VALENTINE'S DAY
A teacher of English, Isabel Perez has an interesting site where you can find different activities related to St. Valentine's Day.

Try this quiz about St. Valentine's. Let's read the following text and answer the questions. ==media type="custom" key="25113952" width="72" height="72" Video History about St. Valentine==

MARCH FESTIVALS: ST. PATRICKS DAYmedia type="youtube" key="QjnJB_HSc2U" width="560" height="315"
Visit this site:[| http://wilstar.com/holidays/patrick.htm]and read the article. Look for the answers to these questions. Share your answers with your classmates. 1. Where and when was St Patrick born?
 * Activity 1: Who was St Patrick?**

 2. What happened to him when he was 16?

 3. When did he become a Christian?

 4. How long was he a slave?

 5. Where did he study and who was his teacher?

 6. What did he want to do with his life?

 7. Where did he want to go?

 8. Who was sent there in his place and how long did he stay there?

 9. What experiences did Patrick have in Ireland?

 10. How long did he work in Ireland?

 11. Where did he go when he retired?

 12. When did he die?

 13. What legends developed about St Patrick?

 14. What is the traditional icon of the day and what does it symbolize?

Using questions 1-14 above, now finish the biography about St Patrick below in your own words. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">St Patrick was born in Wales in AD 385. He was sold into slavery when he was <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> 16 and became a Christian after he arrived in Ireland... ......................................... <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">........................................................................................................................................... <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">.
 * Activity 2: What is the history of St Patrick's Day?** <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Visit this site: [] and read the article. Then complete the following sentences.


 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">St Patrick's Day is more of a ___ holiday in Ireland.__
 * 2) __<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">The first US celebration was in __ __in__ _.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">The parade in ___ attracts over a million spectators every year and began in__ _.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">The city of ___ colors its river__ _.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">St Patrick's Day celebrates being ___ with pictures of__ _ and ___. We__ _ Irish food and tell Irish ___.


 * Activity 3: A St Patrick's Day Treasure Hunt – Celebrations around the World**

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">St Patrick's Day is celebrated all over the world. You have 15 minutes to visit these sites and answer the questions about various international celebrations.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Ireland **

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> Dublin - [| http://www.stpatricksday.ie/cms/events.html/]


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">United States of America **

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> New York City - []

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> Chicago - []

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> Rochester, New York - [|http://www.rochesterparade.com/CalendarFrameSet.htm]

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> Savannah, Georgia - [|http://stpats.savannahnow.com/]

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> St. Louis, Missouri - [|http://www.irishparade.org/2004/index.html]


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Rest of the world **

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> Toronto, Canada - []

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> Tokyo, Japan - []

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> Seoul, Korea - []

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> Denmark - []

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">In which city...


 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">..is there an Irish Sports day?
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">...will there be a lecture about Tolkein?
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">...will have cartoon character balloons in the parade?
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">...is there an exhibition of paintings about Ireland?
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">...is the river colored green?
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">...is the Grand Marshall Miss World?
 * 7) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">...is the parade on Fifth Avenue?
 * 8) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">...is the water in the fountains colored green?
 * 9) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">...will there be four nightly processions of different vehicles?
 * 10) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">...is there a fundraiser at an Irish pub on February 29th?

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Now, summarize for the class how St Patrick's Day is celebrated.


 * Activity 4: Irish Culture**

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">There are many traditions connected with St Patrick's Day. Visit the links and investigate one of these aspects of Irish culture and report on it to the class. The questions will help you.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">The Shamrock **

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">How Stuff Works:[| http://people.howstuffworks.com/saint-patrick3.htm]

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> The Holiday Spot: [|http://www.theholidayspot.com/patrick/shamrock.htm]


 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Why is the shamrock related to St Patrick?
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">When was the first reference to the shamrock and what was it used for?
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Why is three the Irish magic number?


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">The Blarney Stone **

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">The Holiday Spot:[| http://www.theholidayspot.com/patrick/shamrock.htm]

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> How Stuff Works: []


 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">1. Where is the Blarney Stone
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">2. What legend is told about the Blarney Stone?
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">3. What gift does the stone give?
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">4. What does "blarney" now mean?


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Leprechauns **

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">The Holiday Spot: [|http://www.theholidayspot.com/patrick/shamrock.htm]


 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">1. What is a leprechaun and what does it look like
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">2. What kind of treasure do leprechauns hide from people?
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">3. How can you get their treasure?


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Irish Blessings and Sayings **

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">The Holiday Spot: []


 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">1. What are blessings? How can you tell which of the texts are blessings? What word do they begin with?
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">2. Choose one blessing and memorize it. Recite it and explain what it means.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">3. Choose one of the other sayings. Explain it to your classmates.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">1. Do you think you know a lot about St Patrick's Day? Take this quiz and find out:

 * 1) ==<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> The Holiday Spot - [] ==

BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">...........................................................................................................................................

OCTOBER FESTIVALS: HALLOWEEN
[|HALLOWEEN VOCABULARY]: STUDY THE WORDS AND MAKE THE Halloween is celebrated in come countries. The USA is one of them. As you know children of different ages go from one house to another knocking at the door and saying " trick or treat" but of course there are some rules that children must know when they go from one house to another. Read the rules [|HERE], understand them and play a real [|SAFETY GAME] American children usually play before Halloween.
 * HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES**: Try the following [|interactive crossword]

Are you a good chef? Do you like reading English. Go to [|this article]and prepare some delicious good dishes for your Halloween party at school. Tell your teacher. I am sure she will love it. ==**NOVEMBER FESTIVALS: GUY FAWKES NIGHT BONFIRE NIGHT BRITISH COUNCIL ACTIVITY WORKSHEET**==

**THANKSGIVING DAY**
Go to the following[| site] and read the facts about THANKSGIVING. Prepare five questions to do to your partner and we'll check it later in class. Open another tag and use the [|LONGMAN DICTIONARY] if you wnat. If you prefer to use a bilingual dictionary go to [|wordreference].

[|ONLINE THANKSGIVING ACTIVITIES]

[|THANKSGIVING PUZZLE] A VERY INTERESTING ACTIVITY: IF YOU WANT TO BE A HISTORIAN AND INVESTIGATE ABOUT THE FIRST THANKSGIVING START [|HERE] TAKE YOUR TIME BECAUSE IT IS A BIT LONG ACTIVITY.

[|A THANKSGIVING TREASURE HUNT]. YOU CAN DO IT IN PAIRS

Thanksgiving Day Text

**DECEMBER FESTIVALS: CHRISTMAS**
CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS Read it and do the quiz you can see after it to check if you have understood the text. CHRISTMAS TRADITION QUIZ CHRISTMAS INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES Quiz on the song

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Remember, remember...**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Can you complete this rhyme? > Remember, remember > The _ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. November 5th is known as Guy Fawkes Day or _- 2. In which year did the conspirators try to destroy the Houses of Parliament? 3. What happened to the conspirators? 4. Why was November 5th made a holiday? 5. Children often ask for a "penny for the guy". What is the //guy//? 6. Why did the Pagans light fires at this time of year? > <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Guy Fawkes Fact File** > Remember, remember, > The fifth of November. > Gunpowder, treason and plot, > There seems no reason > Why gunpowder treason > Should ever be forgot.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">November 5th is known as Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Day. In Britain on November 5th it is the custom to build bonfires (large outdoor fires) and set off fireworks.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The man responsible for Bonfire Night is Guido Fawkes (Guy Fawkes). He was the leader of a group of conspirators who wanted to blow up the British Houses of Parliament on November 5th, 1605.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The 'Gunpowder Plot' was discovered and Fawkes and his accomplices were executed.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Parliament was so happy to be safe that it ordered November 5th to be a holiday. It became the custom to make an effigy of Guy Fawkes and place it on top of a bonfire.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some children still make effigies of Guy Fawkes, which they call 'guys'.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Before they burn them on bonfires, children show their 'guy' on the street and ask for money, saying "Penny for the guy".
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The beginning of November has been a time for bonfire celebrations since prehistoric times. Pagans believed that when the days grew shorter, the sun was leaving them. They lit fires in the sun's honour to persuade it not to go, and to frighten away evil spirits.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are firework displays all over Britain on the night of November 5th.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During the weeks before Guy Fawkes night, several hundred people (mostly children under 16) have accidents with fireworks.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Each year the cellars of the Houses of Parliament are searched the evening before the opening of Parliament just in case....
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is a famous rhyme about the event: