Unit 1 Festivals around the world

Period one Warming up

Teaching aims:

1. To know some meanings of different festivals, springs and customs.

2. To think about the variety of events and festivals in the world.

3. Learn some new words on festivals and customs and how to use them.

Teaching procedures:

Step 1. Warming up

Hello, everyone! Welcome you back to school! Today, we'll talk about a new topic-FESTIVALS. Festivals are meant to celebrate important events. Different countries have different festivals. Even, in one country, there are still many different festivals. Now, think about how many festivals you know and can you tell us what you know.

(Sample: New Year, Yuan Xiao Festival, International Women's Day, International Labor Day, Chinese Youth Day... )

Step 2. Group work

Now, turn to Page 1. Let's work in groups and list the three more Chinese festivals that you know.

Discuss: When they take place, what they celebrate and what people do at that time.

Festival Time of Year/date What it celebrates What people do Mid-Autumn Festival Autumn/fall The beauty of the full moon, harvest, time with family and friends Give/Eat mooncakes and watch the full moon with family and friends Spring Festival January/February The end of winter, arrival of spring, Lunar New Year, reunion with family and relatives Give money in red paper to children; see dragon dances; eat fish, prawns and dumplings; visit family members National Day October 1 The founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 Take time off work; travel to visit family or to see other parts of China; go shopping Dragon Boat Festival/Duanwu Festival The fifth day of the fifth month in lunar calendar The memory of the beloved poet Qu Yuan who died in 278 BC Eat zhongzi; watch dragon boat races; throw rice wrapped in reed leaves into water in memory of Qu Yuan; put herbs on doorways for good health Step 3. Homework: Try to find more information about other festivals on line and tell out the