"Steps to understanding Culture"
план-конспект урока по английскому языку (11 класс) по теме

Steps to understanding Culture

Objectives:

1. to develop students’ ability to communicate effectively on the topic;
2. to develop thinking skills such as problem solving;
3. to teach students to express their point of view;
4. to develop students’ social and interpersonal skills;
5. to develop students’ skills of unprepared speech (in pairs and groups).

Materials and equipment: worksheets, a computer, projector, interactive whiteboard.

Level: Intermediate.

Procedure

I. Greetings. Introduction to the topic.

Teacher: Good morning, boys and girls! I’m glad to see you all here.  

Warming – up:

In the modern world people are judged not only by what they do but how they do it. Life in the society is impossible without everyday contacts and meetings, so all relationships depend on the way people behave and treat each other. Human relations and communication skills are important. That’s why along with education, people should develop cultural issues. But what is Culture? We’ll try to answer the question at the end of the lesson. This is the aim of our lesson today.

Step 1. Definition of culture

To give the definition of culture we will watch a video “What is Culture?”

After watching it pupils answer questions:

• What is culture?
• What national cultures are mentioned in the video?
  (Western, Eastern, Latin, Mexican, Middle-Eastern, African)

Teacher: So, can we say that culture is the human made part of human environment and is the sum of total knowledge beliefs, arts, morals, laws, customs and other capabilities and habits acquired by humans as members of a society.

Slide “Definition of culture” - picture

Step 2. Importance of Culture

Teacher: But why is culture so important for us?

Possible answers:

• Through culture we understand what is acceptable and what is not
• It helps to estimate our actions
• Teaches us rules of behavior
• It shapes our personality
• It helps to socialize
• Creates a feeling of belonging and togetherness
• Helps civilization to survive

Step 3. Elements/parts/aspects of Culture

Teacher: as we can see, culture of a community or nation includes all the arts, beliefs and social institutions characteristic of a community or nation.
What aspects or parts of culture can you name?

Possible answers:

• Literature and Music
• Values and Beliefs
• Customs and Traditions
• Museums and Picture Galleries
• Theatre and Cinema
• Patterns of Behaviour
• The Language We Speak
• Morals and Beliefs
• Rules and Laws in Community
• Fashion (the clothes we wear)
• Cuisine (what and how we eat)

Step 4. Art

Teacher: We can speak about either material, or spiritual culture. Art is both.

Art has been a part of our life for as long as humanity has existed. For thousands of years people have been creating, looking at, criticizing, and enjoying art. That’s why there are so many proverbs and sayings about art.

Slide “Proverbs”

I would like to ask you three questions: what is art, what is its purpose, and why has it survived for so long. 

Question 1. What is art? What kinds of arts do you know?

Possible answers: 

Question 2. What is art’s purpose. (Importance of Art in our life)

Possible answers: 

•  Entertains us
•  Reflects feelings and emotions
•  Shapes our personality
•  Educates / teaches
•  Makes us better

Question 3.  Why has art survived for so long?

Possible answers:

• Brings delight and admiration
• Wakens our best hidden qualities
• Teaches values and morals

Teacher: what individual and universal values, morals does art teach us?

Possible answers:

Values, Morals

Teacher. Why do you think, individual values are so important?

Possible answers:

I think individual values are important as “When there is peace in the individual, there will be peace in the family and in the community”.

Step 5. Visiting Museums and Galleries

Watch the video called “Most famous paintings in the World”. Do the task. (cards)

Task 1.

Say if the sentences are true, false or not stated.

1. “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci is the most famous painting in the world.
2. “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci covers the back wall of the dining hall at Santa Maria delle Grazie monastery in Milan, Italy.
3. “The Creation Of Adam” is a fresco painting by Michelangelo.
4. “Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
5. “The Scream” by Edvard Munch is a scary painting painted on a canvas.
6. “The Persistence Of Memory” (Постоянство памяти) belongs to the brush of Spanish artist Salvador Dali.
7. “Girl With A Pearl Earring” by Johannes Vermeer is called “the Dutch Mona Lisa” because of her enigmatic expression coupled with the mystery of her identity.
8. “The Night Watch” (Ночной дозор) by Rembrandt van Rijn depicts a city guard.
9. “Self-Portrait Without Beard” by Vincent van Gogh was given by him to his father as a birthday present.
10. “Guernica” by Pablo Picasso depicts the bombing of the Spanish town of Guernica.

Matching exercises

Task 2.

The answers: ____________________________________________________________________

Song “Starry, Starry Night”

Task 3.

Match the items on the right to the items on the left.

The answers: ____________________________________________________________________

Read the texts and fill in the table (pair work)

Possible answer

Step 5. Visiting Museums / Galleries

Teacher. Do you agree that nothing can be fun than visiting museums and galleries? What famous museums and galleries do you know?

Possible answers:

Pupils tell about some famous museums and galleries (homework checking)

The Hermitage, Tretyakov Gallery, National Gallery of London, Louvre…

Teacher. Look at the board, what are your ideas of this quote:

“Culture is what makes you a stranger when you are away from home”.

Pupils give their possible answers.

Conclusion 

• Beauty will save the world
• Art is long, life is short.

Homework

Comment on one of these statements.

• Nowadays young people are not interested in art
• Nothing can be fun than visiting museums and galleries
• Human values change in time
• There exist universal values that are important for everybody

Write 200-250 words. Use the following plan:

• Make an introduction to state the problem
• Express your personal opinion and give 2-3 reasons for your opinion
• Express an opposing opinion give1-2 reasons for the opposing opinion
• Explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion
• Make a conclusion restating your opinion