Christmas in Britain

Christmas in Britain

Suggested level – Pre – Intermediate

Тетяна СОБИНА, учителька англійської мови

Білоцерківського ліцею іноземних мов – гімназії № 9, Київська обл.

Objectives:

to learn some facts about Christmas in Great Britain,

to develop basic skills,

to improve listening and reading skills,

to practise skills in using vocabulary.

Equipment: a laptop or a computer, handouts, posters about Christmas.

Type of the lesson: interactive.

Duration: 60 minutes.

                       PROCEDURE

I. INTRODUCTION

Teacher: Good morning, students! You are welcome to our unusual lesson. What date are we going to have tomorrow? It is the 25^th of December. What is the holiday? It’s Christmas! It is the greatest holiday which brings us joy and happiness. Merry Christmas! Let’s sing a song ‘We wish you a Merry  Christma

WARMING UP

(The students sing a song ‘We wish you a Merry Cristmas!’)

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

And a Happy New Year

Good tidings we bring

To you and your kin

Good Tidings for Christmas

And a Happy New Year!

Now bring us some Figgy Pudding

Now bring us some Figgy Pudding

Now bring us some Figgy Pudding

And a cup of good chear!

We won’t go until we get some

We won’t go until we get some

We won’t go until we get some

So bring it right here!

II. MAIN PART.  LISTENING

Teacher: Now you are going to watch a video. Look at the screen and after watching it , answer the question: What do we celebrate on this day? The task after listening to the story. Choose the correct answer:

1. About …… years ago in a small town called Nazareth there was a little house.

a. 500

b. 2000

c. 20000

2. There was a little house, where lived a young girl named …… .

a. Ann

b. Helen

c. Mary

3. She was going to be married to a good man named ……. .

a. Joseph

b. Peter

c.Mike

4. One day …… appeared to Mary.

a. an angel

b. a cat

c. a bird

5. Soon you will have a son. He will be called …… .

a. Jesus

b. Gabriel

c. Michael

6. Mary and Joseph had to make their way to ………

a. Pariz

b. Bethlehem

c. Nazareth

7. Jesus was born in a humble small …… .

a. stable

b. house

c. palace

8. There were some ……. keeping a watch over the flocks of sheep.

a. shepherds

b. workers

c. dancers

The Christmas story – Birth of Jesus Christ.

About 2000 years ago in a small town called Nazareth there was a little house where lived a young Jewish girl named Mary.  She wasn’t  married, but she was going to be real soon to a good man named Joseph. Well, one  day something amazing happened. An angel of the Lords Gabriel, a very important angel, appeared to Mary: ‘Who are you?’

‘I am Gabriel. Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favour with God. He loves you very much. God has sent me here to tell you that soon you’ll have a son.’

‘Huh! Me? A son?’

‘Yes, a son! He will be called Jesus. He will be great and will be called ‘the son of God’. Mary was very obedient and she said ‘I am the handmade of the Lord! May God do with me as he wants to.’ Mary wanted to do just as God told her to do.

Just near the time Mary was about to have her baby the Roman emperor sent soldiers to announce a new Law: ‘Ok, listen everyone! The emperor Caesar Augustus says that all of you need to pay some taxes now and register for census.’

So Mary and Joseph made their way to Bethlehem because that’s where Joseph had to pay taxes. It was about 65 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem and the trip took many many days.’ And when they reached Bethlehem guess what happened?

All the places were full. All the inns were full.

‘Mary, you wait here. Make yourself comfortable. By then I will try to find a suitable place for us to say.’ Joseph kept knocking and knocking, again and again. He had been looking and looking for a place to stay and Mary was about to have a baby! ‘Well, I have tried almost all the inns and it looks like all of them are full. Dear Mary, how do you feel? ‘

‘I am very tired, Joseph. But please don’t worry! I am sure, God will provide a place for us!’ Poor Joseph and Mary were so tired and didn’t know what to do. ‘Oh God, tell me what to do. Help me. I have no idea, no clue! It’s sad that Mary and Joseph had no place to stay, no place to go! A place no one would’t have expected the son of God to be born in. It wasn’t a palace, not some castle, not in a fancy building either God’s son was born in a humble small stable! Joseph said:’I’ll go and get some fresh hay where you can sleep comfortably tonight.’ That night Jesus was born. And ooh it was a wonderful night. Big star shining in the sky. There was no crib, so they laid baby Jesus in a manger. It was full of fresh hay and made it a little comfortable for the baby. Near Bethlehem, that night there were some shepherds keeping a watch over their flocks of sheep when suddenly an angel appeared to them: ‘I have good news for you. There is a saviour who has been born.’ 

‘What? Really? What saviour? Can we see him? Where is he?’ The angel told them where to find him. The shepherds were so excited and happy. They ran to the stable and found Jesus just as the angel had told them. After they had seen Jesus , they spread the news and everyone who heard was in wonder!

III WRITING.

Teacher: After waching the video you have also the task: complete the sentences.

1. An angel of the Lords Gabriel ….

2. Joseph had to ….

3. The shepherds ….

4. The trip took ….

a. …. many, many years ago.

b. …. were so excited.

c. …. appeared to Mary.

d. …. pay taxes.

The song ‘Silent Night’

Silent night, Holy night

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon virgin, mother and child

Holy infant, tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace,

Sleep in heavely peace.

Silent night, Holy night

 

IV SPEAKING.  Presentation ‘Christmas traditions.’

Teacher: There are a lot of words connected with Christmas traditions: Santa Claus, sleigh, reindeer, bell, carols, chimney, wreath, candle, stocking, Christmas tree, a candy, a cane, presents. You can see the cards with these words. You have to put the names below the pictures on the board.

Teacher: The word ‘Christmas’ is derived from the words ‘Christ’s mass’- the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The holiday means the beginning of the new year and the new life.

Student 1: Christmas Tree is one of the most important symbols of Christmas holiday. The tradition of a Christmas tree appeared in ancient times in Germany. The Christians brought trees into their homes to decorate. Nowadays at Christmas British people are presented a big Christmas tree by Norway. They put it up in Trafalgar Square in London.

Teacher:  We have prepared all the decorations for Christmas tree: tinsel, baubles, ribbon, ornaments, chocolates, lights, star. Let’s sing a song and decorate our Christmas tree.

The song ‘Christmas tree.’

We’ve got a Christmas Tree

We’ve got a Christmas Tree

Oh how lucky we must be!

Bringing the outside inside  

The tree looks nice,

But something’s not right.

Let’s put some tinsel

On the Christmas tree

Tinsel on the Christmas tree.

The tree looks nice,

But something’s not right.

Let’s put some baubles

On the Christmas tree

Baubles on the Christmas tree.

The tree looks nice,

But something’s not right.

Let’s put some ribbon

On the Christmas tree

Ribbon on the Christmas tree.

Teacher: Why do children like Christmas? Yes, because of presents.

Student 2: People send Christmas cards and give presents. The first Christmas card was designed by William Egley, an English artist in 1842.

Student 3: In Britain children hang Christmas stockings over their beds. They believe that Santa Claus will come down the chimney and fill the stockings with presents.

Student 4: One of the Christmas traditions is singing special songs which are called carols. Now let’s sing a song ‘Up on the housetop.’

The song ‘Up on the housetop.’

Up on the housetop reindeer pause

Out jumps good old Santa Claus

Down through the chimney with lots of toys

All for the little ones, Christmas joys

Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn’t go?

Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn’t go?

Student 5: We know that children in the whole world look forward to Santa Claus for presents on Christmas Eve. Santa Claus lives in the North and drives in a deer- drawn sleigh, loaded with toys and presents for all children.

Teacher: Christmas is a time for joy, parties, dances and celebrations. Christmas is the season of giving and receiving presents, singing carols, sending and receiving Christmas cards, waiting for Santa Claus and of couse, Christmas miracles. Where is our Santa Claus?

Santa Claus: Ho! Ho! Ho!  Merry Christmas, my dear friends!

Let’s sing a song ‘Santa Claus is coming to town.’

The song ‘Santa Claus is coming to town.’

You better watch out

You better not cry

Better not pout

I’m telling you why

Santa Clause is coming to town

He’s making a list

And cheching it twice

Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice

Santa Claus is coming to town.

Santa Claus: Now, my dear students, I am going to read you some riddles and your task is to guess them. So let’s listen:

Riddles: 1. This word starts with an ‘R’. These animals pull Santa’s sleigh. What are they called?                     

2. This word starts with a ‘P.’ Christmas is a time for giving. All children wait for it at Christmas. What is this other word?

3. This word starts with a ‘W.’ It is the season of the year in which Christmas is celebrated. What is it called?

4. When there is enough of it, you can go sking.

5. Children hang them up on 24^th of December.

6. A bush with leaves and red berries.

Santa Claus: Thank you, dear children. Let’s  dance and sing a song ‘Merry, Merry Twistmas!’

The song ‘Merry, Merry Twistmas.’

A bright Christmas Tree

Everybody Twistmas!

Sing and dance with me.

Jingle- jangle sing all day long.

Mingle- mangle dance with Pinkfong.

Golden bells are ringing, ding- dong.

Singing –a ling- a ling- a ling!

Twist, twist!

Christmas dance!

Twirly- wirly! Twirly- wirly!

Twist dance, One, Two! One, two, three!

One, Two, Twist!

Merry, Merry Twistmas!

A bright Christmas tree.

V EVALUATION.

Santa Claus: Now, let’s solve the crossword.

Down

1. The holiday celebrated on the 25 th of December is ….

2. On the eve of Christmas we are decorating a Christmas ….

3. The traditional dish of British Christmas dinner is ….

Across

1. We send a Christmas …. for all our friends.

2. The traditional dish of British Christmas dinner is ….

3. The symbol of love and reconciliation is ….

4. The symbol of lighting is ….