1. Festivals around the world 李晓琴

2. Group work 1.Help each other to know and remember the new words and expressions. 2.Discuss the form in warming up. 6 minutes 6 minutes

3. Group work 1.Read the text and find the main idea of each paragraph. 2.Finish the form. Help each other to find the correct answers. 3.Check the answers to the questions on P3. 15 minutes 15 minutes

4. FestivalsCountries Obon Japan the Day of the Dead Mexico Halloween the Dragon Boat FestivalChina Columbus DayUSA Mahatma Gandhi Day India the Mid-autumn Festival China/Japan the Spring FestivalChina Carnival Easter Cherry Blossom Festival Japan Thanksgiving festivals Festivals of the dead Festivals to honour people Harvest festivals Spring festivals western countries European countries

5. Scanning 1.Which three times of the year did people celebrate in ancient times? Answer the following questions: 2.What kind of things are done to celebrate the Obon Festival? 3. Why does India have a national festival on October 2? 4. How do Europeans celebrate Thanksgiving festivals? 5. Name three things people do at the Spring Festival in China.

6. 1.Which three times of the year did people celebrate in ancient times? a. the end of cold weather; b. planting in spring and harvest in autumn; c. When hunters caught animals. 2.What kind of things should be done to celebrate the Obon Festival? People should go to clean the graves, light incense, lamps and play music.

7. 3. Why does India have a national festival on October 2? To honor Gandhi who helped gain Indian’s independence from Britain. 4. How do Europeans celebrate Thanksgiving festivals? People decorate churches and town halls with flowers and fruit; people get together to have meals. 5. Name three things people do at the Spring Festival in China. eat dumplings, fish and meat; give children lucky money; dragon dances; visit family members

8. Comprehending Let’s check the answers to the questions on P3 now.

9. Use the information from the passage to answer the questions. 1.What are festivals of the dead usually for? 2.What makes autumn festivals happy events? Festivals of the dead are for honouring or satisfying dead ancestors or others, who some people believe might return to help or harm living people. Autumn festivals are happy events because people are thankful that food is ready for winter and the hard farm work is finished.

10. Use the information from the passage to answer the questions. 3. What do people usually do at spring festivals? 4. What is one important reason to have festivals and celebrations? At spring festivals, people usually have dances, carnivals and other activities to celebrate the end of winter and the coming of spring. It is important to have festivals and celebrations so we can enjoy life / be proud of our customs / forget our work for a little while.

11. Use the information from the passage to answer the questions. 5. Compare the festivals of the dead in Mexico, Japan and China. What things are similar? What things are different? The Chinese, Japanese and Mexican festivals of the dead all have customs to honour the dead. The Chinese and Japanese go to clean their ancestors’ graves, and the Mexicans offer food, flowers and gifts to the dead. However, there are some differences. The Mexicans eat special food that looks like bones, something the Chinese and Japanese do not do.