Festivals around the world

Unit 1

Christmas

This Festival celebrate the birth of Jesus. In western countries, around the festival, people will stop working and have a week off. People will decorate their house with some trees and other decorations. Family members may get together to have a big dinner. Children can get gifts in stockings on that day and friends may sent cards to each other.

December 25th

It is an American Festival. It was first celebrated to thank for a good harvest. Nowadays, on this festival, family members will get together to have a meal and give thanks together for the good things they have . Turkey and corn are usually symbols of this festival.

Thanksgiving Day

The fourth Thursday in November

It was first celebrated in honour of the dead. Now it becomes a festival of children. On this festival, children will dress up and play trick or treat.

Halloween The night of Oct.31st

It celebrates Jesus’ coming back to life. On this festival, people often go to church to sing songs and hear about Jesus. Lilies, rabbits and colored eggs are the symbol of the festival.

Easter A Sunday in March or April between March 21st and April 25th

It is a western festival for lovers.

Valentine’s Day February 14th

It is acceptable to play tricks on your friends on this day.

April Fool’s Day April 1st

It is a day you should say thanks to your mother.

Mother’s DayThe second Sunday in May

Father’s Day The third Sunday in June

foreign festivals

Foreign festivals

Christmas Day

Thanksgiving Day

Mother’s Day

Father’s Day

April Fool’s Day

Valentine’s Day

Easter

Halloween

Chinese festivals or holiday

Lantern Festival

The Dragon Boat Day

Tomb Sweeping Day

The Spring Festival

Double-ninth Day

New Year’s Day

Women’s DayInternational Labor Day

Children’s Day

National Day

What kinds of Chinese festivals or holiday do you know?

Brainstorm

Mid-Autumn Festival

Army Day

Teachers’ Day

Tree-Planting Day

Discussion

what is your favorite festival?

What does it celebrate?

What do people do at that time?

Why do you like it best?

My favorite festival is __________. It takes place on__________. It celebrates___________. People often __________________.

Spring Festival

To celebrate the coming of the spring dress in new clothes/ dress up ( 穿上盛装 ) lucky money in red paper( 压岁钱 ) set off firecrackers( 放鞭炮 ) and fire workers Lion/Dragon dances a get-together feast ( 团圆饭 ) pay visits to relatives

Read Para 1 and answer the following question.

what kind of origins do today’s festivals have?

scanning

How many types of festivals are mentioned in the passage?

1. Festivals of the Dead2. Festivals to Honor the People3. Harvest Festivals4. Spring Festivals

Why are festivals important to people?

Read the last paragraph and answer the following question.

kinds of fstivals names of fstivals countries

Festivals of dead

Festivals to Honour People

Harvest Festivals

Spring Festivals

EX1 Fill in the following chart according to the passage

Obon Japan

Day of the Dead Mexico

Halloween Western countries

Dragon Boat FestivalColumbus DayMahatma Gandhi Day

ChinaUSAIndia

Thanksgiving FestivalMid-Autumn festival

Spring festivalCarnivalEasterCherry Blossom Festival

ChinaWestern countriesJapan

USA

China

1、What's the purpose of this kind of festivals?

2、 How do peopole celebrate the festivals?

Type 1 Festivals of the dead

to honour the dead

to satisfy the ancestors.

Purpose:

Obon 盂兰盆节

clean the graves and light incense in memory of their ancestors.

Light lamps and play music to lead the ancestors back to earth.

Offer food, flowers and gifts to the dead

Food in shape of skull and cakes with "bone" on them

The Day of the Dead 亡灵节

old beliefs

the return of the spirits of dead people

Halloween 万圣节

dress up and ask for sweets

play a trick on…

Type 2 Festivals to Honour People

Purpose:

be held to honour famous people

Dragon Boat Festival

China

Columbus Day

USA

National Festival

India

Type 3 Harvest Festivals

Purpose:

People are grateful for the harvest /

for the end of the agricultural work /

award for farm produce

Harvest Fstivals

rooster/cock

decorate churches and town hall.

get together to have meals.

Thanksgiving Day

Mid-Autumn festival

people admire the moon and enjoy the mooncake

Type 4 Spring Festivals

purpose ：

the most energetic and important festivals / look forward to the end of winter/

to the coming of spring

people eat dumplings, meat, fish

dragon dances/carnivals

children may get lucky money

families celebration the lunar New Year together.

the spring Festival 春节

Carnivals and Easter

dancing day and nightcolourful clothing religious and social festiv

al for Christiansreturn of Jesus

Cherry Blossom Festival

is covered with cherry tree flowers /

looks as though it might be the sea of pink snow.

Discussing

Many pepole today would like to celebrate foreigh festivals rather than Chinese traditional festivals.what's your opinion about this situation?

For example: Valentine’s Day Vs. Qiqiao Festival The Spring Festival Vs. Christmas

which one do you prefer?

why?

Home WorkWork in groups and create your own festival and then report it to the class.

Name of the festivals:Date:Meaning:Why it is celebrated:How it is celebrated:

• 1.Peace Day no fighting or conflicts are allowed. People learn and talk about peace.

• 2.Happiness Day People must only do things that will make others happy.

People Learn about happiness.

• 3.Friendship Day No arguments or fights are allowed. People learn about friendship.

• 4.Nature Day No pollution or destruction of nature is allowed. People learn and talk about nature.

Examples:

Retell the text by filling the following blanks:

There are all kinds of festivals and ___________ around the world ,which are held for different reasons . The were mainly held at three times a year---the end of the cold winter, planting in spring and harvest in autumn .Some festivals are held to _______ the dead or _______ the ancestors in case they might __________ ,while other festivals are held to honor famous people or the gods such as _____________________and Columbus Day.

celebrations

honor satisfy

do harm

Dragon Boat Festival

Retelling

Harvest and Thanksgiving festivals are happyevents because the food is _________ for the winter and because a season of ____________work is over ,to which Mid autumn festival belongs .And the most energetic and important festivals are the ones that look forward to the end of winter and to the _______ to spring such as the _______ New Year ,at which people have a very good day .

gathered

agricultural

cominglunar