Unit 1 Festivals around the world 段庆

What festivals do you know? Brainstorming What festivals do you know? National Day New Year Christmas … Father’s Day Army Day FESTIVAL Mid-Autumn Day May Day Spring Festival Children’s Day Dragon Boat Festival Teachers’ Day Mother’s Day

Spring Festival Lantern Festival January 1 January 15 Make a guess Spring Festival January 1 at lunar calendar Lantern Festival January 15 at lunar calendar

Dragon Boat Festival May 5 at lunar calendar Mid-autumn Day August 15 at lunar calendar

the last Thursday of November Easter around March 22 — April 25 Thanksgiving Day the last Thursday of November

Halloween October 31 Christmas Day December 25

Pre-reading Look at the pictures and title of the passage below. Guess what kind of information will be introduced in the passage.

Reading: Skimming Read para 1, the headlines and the last para 1.How many kinds of festivals are mentioned? What are they? 2.What's the main idea of the text? Beside the ancient festivals, ______________________________________ the author introduces some today's festivals.

Celebrations (verbs*) Para.2 Festivals of the Dead in the shape of skulls with “bones ” on them Festival Country Celebrations (verbs*) clean graves, light incense, light lamps , play music Obon Japan The Day of Mexico the Dead eat food and cakes, offer food, flowers and gift Halloween Western countries dress up, ask for sweets, play a trick

Paragraph 3: Festivals to Honor People country Name of festival when For whom China Dragon Boat Festival May5 in lunar calendar The second Monday of October the U.S.A. Columbus Day India Oct.2

Key word? happy China and Japan In European countries Enjoy mooncakes Para.4 Harvest Festivals China and Japan In European countries Enjoy mooncakes decorate…with Key word? happy get together have meals Diligent, intelligent ,ambitious, confident, responsible, open-minded, resourceful, tolerant, active, persistent, Admire the moon win awards

( ) 2. Easter celebrates the birth of Jesus. Para.5 Spring Festivals True or False? ( ) 1. At the Spring Festival in China, families gather to celebrate the New Year on January 1st. ( ) 2. Easter celebrates the birth of Jesus. ( ) 3. When Cherry Blossom Festival comes, the country will be covered by pink snow. ( ) 4. Spring Festivals are the most energetic and important festivals. F Lunar New Year F return of Jesus from the dead F covered with cherry tree flowers, look as though... T

What is one important reason to have festivals and celebrations? Para.6 What is one important reason to have festivals and celebrations? Festivals let us enjoy life, be proud of our customs and forget our daily life for a little while.

T or F The ancient people needn’t worry about their food. Halloween used to be a festival intended to honor the dead. Qu Yuan was a great poet who people honor a lot in China. Mid-autumn Festival is held to celebrate the end of autumn. Easter celebrates the birth of Jesus. F T T F F

Comprehending: Answer the questions 1. What makes autumn festivals happy events? Food is gathered for the winter and the agricultural work is over.

2. What do Spring Festivals celebrate? the end of the year the coming of spring the new year

4. Compare the festivals of the dead in Mexico, Japan and China 4. Compare the festivals of the dead in Mexico, Japan and China. What things are similar? What things are different? Similarities: to honor the dead. go to clean their ancestors’ graves in China and Japan. offer food, flowers and gifts to the dead in Mexico. Differences: The Mexicans eat food in the shape of skulls and cakes with "bones" on them, but Chinese and Japanese do not .

Create your new festivals. Discussion Create your new festivals. Name? When? What it celebrates? What people do?

1. Go over the text after class and try to write a summary of the. Homework 1. Go over the text after class and try to write a summary of the. 2. Try to find out as much information as possible about festivals around the world.