American and British festivals. Scenariusz lekcji języka angielskiego

The lesson plan

TOPIC: American and British festivals.
LEVEL: Pre –intermediate
AGE OF STUDENTS: 12-13 year-olders
AIMS OF THE LESSON:
• to make students familiar with the important part of British and American culture – the festivals
• to practice reading skills (reading for the specific information)
• to practice listening skills (filling in the gaps with one of the previously listed words)
• to practice speaking and new vocabulary
• to make students familiar with comparison and contrast constructions

ANTICIPATED PROBLEMS:
Students may have problems with listening exercises and the usage of some new difficult vocabulary.
ASSUMPTIONS:
The knowledge of the basic grammatical structures and vocabulary. Some students may know a little about foreign festivals.
NEW VOCABULARY: wrap, feast, flaming, secular, blow up, Lent, rebirth, etc.
TEACHING AIDS: pictures, handouts, a tape-recorder

PROCEDURE:
1) Warm-up activity:
The teacher puts on the board five pictures (they are given as the appendices) connected with American and British festivals. Students are asked what all these pictures have in common and what they think the lesson will be about ( they should answer that the pictures are related with American and British festivals and they will probably be the topic of the lesson). Afterwards the teacher asks the class which of the discussed festivals are international ones and are also celebrated in Poland.

2) Matching exercise :
Students’ task is to match the words with the appropriate definition. All the vocabulary is connected with festivals and will appear in the texts that they are going to read.

3) Pre-reading activity:
The teacher asks the class if they know any American or British festivals and if they know, how are they celebrated.

4) Reading :
The teacher divides the class into 6 groups. Each group receives their own text related to the one American or British festival (the difficult vocabulary is explained below the text). The students’ task is to read the text and find the answers to the three following questions:

- What is the name of the festival?
- When is it celebrated?
- How is it celebrated?
Each group also has to choose the leader. Her/his task is to write down all the answers on the paper and read it aloud to the whole class. ( the answers are prepared by the whole group).

5) Speaking activity as a post-reading activity:
The teacher writes on the board the most useful expressions in comparison and contrast discussion ( e.g. on the contrary, on the other hand) and divides the class into 3 groups. The groups’ task is to compare in group discussion the celebrations of the following festivals in Poland and US/UK and later present the conclusions on the forum. The festivals are:
Polish – Święto Zmarłych and Halloween
Wigilia and Christmas Eve
Easter and Wielkanoc
This activity is based on the knowledge which students gained from the previous activity – the readings, and their own experience.
6) Pre-listening
The teacher asks students if they know any English/American carols and what their titles are.
7) While-listening activity:
The teacher gives the students a gapped text of the popular American Christmas song called “ Santa Claus is coming to town” performed by Frank Sinatra. While listening to the song the students try to fill in the gaps. The song is played three times, two for the activity and third time for singing.
8) Homework – writing:
The students have to write a paragraph about their favourite Polish festival. They ought to write why they had chosen this festival and how it is celebrated in their family.

The used texts (exercises'content) come from the websides and books: http://www.santas.net/britishchristmas.htm
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/
http://halloween.friko.net/
We learn English 2 - Zawadzka, Moszczak