Lesson Plan: Weird Festivals

Lesson Level: Senior 1 Duration: 40 Minutes

Lesson Title: Weird Festivals

Grammar and Vocabulary

Vocabulary from New Senior English For China Student's Book 3

Lesson Objectives

To develop vocabulary for discussing festivals around the world

To practice discussion

To create a “new festival” and describe it to the class.

Materials Required

See attached.

Ball for ball toss eliciting.

Preparation

Print enough copies of the materials for

one copy per group of pictures

one copy per group of text and questions

one copy of text in large format, one page per festival.

Procedure

1 (2 Minutes/ 2 Minutes)

Write “Weird Festivals” on board and elicit meanings of the words.

Tell class we will look at some very weird festivals.

2 (3/5 )

Hand out festival pictures.

Ask class what they think they are.

Elicit some suggestions using ball toss.

3 (12/17 )

Put class into groups and give handout of festival descriptions.

Get four (strong) students to front.

Give each student one festival to read.

Class listen to the readings.

Return students to groups.

Groups read and answer questions

Elicit answers from the groups.

4 (3/20)

Ball toss to elicit which festival students would like to see and why?

5. (10/30)

Tell groups they must now devise their own festivals.

Write these questions on the board.

What is your festival called?

When will the festival be?

Why do you want this festival?

How long will it last?

What will happen at the festival?

6 (8/38)

When all groups have finished get each group to stand.

Ask them the questions.

Other groups should listen and take notes.

7 (2/40)

When all groups have presented use ball toss to ask students which festival they would most like to attend and why.

Notes

1. The vocabulary referred to is from the students own Chinese books.

If the students do not have these books alternate vocabulary lists may be used.

2. Text for weird festivals.

Cow Parade

Cow Parade is the world’s largest public art event. It has been seen in Chicago, New York, Kansas City, Houston and London. Many artists are given a life-size model of a cow for them to paint as they like. The cows are then put all around the city for people to look at. Cow Parade is not meant to be serious art, however. It is first and foremost a public art exhibit that is fun for everyone.Most important, Cow Parade benefits charity. At the end of each event, the cows are auctioned, with much of the money going to charity. The Chicago auction raised an amazing $3,000,000.00 for charity. 
The colourful Cow Parade will visit Paris over the next two months with the statues set to pop up in a variety of places.The parade will begin on April 10 and run until June 16. ,
Since it started in 1998 the Cow Parade has appeared in sixteen different cities including Manchester, Moscow and Barcelona.

Cheese Rolling in Gloucestershire

What do you think of when you think of cheese – pizza, sandwiches? Whatever it is, it probably isn't a large round cheese rolling down a hill but that is what happens every year at a hill in England.

Every year at Cooper's hill a large round cheese is rolled down the hill. People run after it as fast as they can. The winner is the person who catches the cheese and they can take it home and eat it. It is a very dangerous festival and the people who take part must be a little crazy. Every year people ar injured. Some just alittle with bruises and sprains. Others have broken arms or broken legs. The hill is very steep and many people fall down and get hurt.There is always a big crowd of people watching – usually four or five thousand. There are about 50 people running and each year there are four races – one of them is just for women.

Bog Snorkeling

A snorkel is something that lets you breath with your fave under water. You use it when you are swimming.

Some people have found another way to use it.

Every year in one town in the UK people go along a ditch cut into the muddy ground. It is 60 metres long and they must swim along it twice. They have to go as fast as they can but they must not swim.

It might be fun when the weather is hot and sunny but sometimes it is cold and wet and horrible. People from all over the world come to try this unusual sport.In 2006 there were people from Russia, Australlia New Zealand and England and many other countries. The winner came from England. He took one minute and forty two seconds to finish.The fastest time ever was just one minute and thirty five seconds.

Hundreds of people stand and watch this very strange sporting festival every year.

The Christmas Santa Run

Early in December every year hundreds of people dressed as Santa go to Newtown. They are there to join in a race. The money from the event all goes to a local charity. Santas from all over the UK go there to take part. The race is four and a half miles long in the streets of Newtown.

It all started in 2001 when 501 Santas raced. After that there were more Santas every year. In 2004 there were more than 4000 Santas. In 2005 it was smaller with only about 1000. From what was a small event to help make money for our small charity the Santa Run has grown into a huge international event.

For a £10 registration fee each competitor receives a Santa Suit prior to the run to decorate and adapt as they wish. The four and a half mile run is mainly on roads and goes through breathtaking views of the Mid Wales countryside.

Name 3 Cities Cow Parade has visited.

How much money was raised by Cow Parade in Chicago?

When did Cow Parade start?

What is the name of the hill where the cheese rolling takes place?

How many people take part in the cheese rolling?

What does the winner of the cheese rolling race get?

How far do the people have to swim in the bog snorkelling??

How fast was the fastest bog snorkelling ever time?

How many people usually watch the bog snorkelling??

How many Santas were in the first ever Santa Run?

How much do you pay to enter the Santa Run?

How long is the Santa run?

3. Images