Страноведение Великобритании (разработки для занятий элективного курса)
план-конспект занятия по английскому языку (9 класс)

Данный материал содержит разработки занятий для элективнонго курса "Страноведение Великобритании" для 9 класса. В него входят разработки по географическому положению Великобритании, Соборе Святого Павла, Тауэре, Вестминстерском Аббатстве, зданиях Парламента, а также о праздниках:Пасхе, Дне святого Валентина, Рождестве. В приложении есть разработка итогового мероприятия: КВН.

Скачать:


Предварительный просмотр:

Муниципальное бюджетное общеобразовательное учреждение «Средняя общеобразовательная школа»

 города Котовска Тамбовской области

Страноведение Великобритании

(разработки занятий для элективного курса)

Белова Антонина Семеновна

Учитель иностранного языка

The Four Countries of the UK.

Lead in

  1. Look at the map of the world and answer the questions:

 Where is the UK situated?

 What countries does it border on?

 What is the difference between the UK and GB?

 What city is the capital of the UK?

  1. Read the text and answer the questions on the right.

      The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK) occupies the territory of the British Isles. It consists of four main countries which are: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

The UK is an island state: it is composed of some 5,500 islands large and small. The two main islands are: Great Britain (in which are England, Scotland, Wales) to the east and Ireland (in which are Northern Ireland and the Independent Irish Republic) to the west. They are separated by the Irish Sea.

The UK is one of the world`s smallest countries with an area of some 244, 100 square kilometers. The population of the UK is over 57 million people. There are fourteen countries in the world with more people.

The flag of the UK, known as the Union Jack, is made up of three crosses. The up – right red cross is the cross of St. George, the patron saint of England. The white diagonal cross is the cross of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. The red  

diagonal cross is the cross of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.  

The largest and the most densely populated part of the UK is England. The population of England is 47,837 million people. England is washed by the North Sea, the Irish Sea, the English Channel and the Strait of Dover. The name England is derived from the Angles.

The capital of England is London, it is a number of cities, towns and villages that have during the past centuries, grown together to make one vast urban area. Its population is about 8 million people

England is mostly a lowland country. There are upland regions in the north and the southwest, but the rest of England is almost flat.

The main industries in England are the wool industry (with its centers in Leeds and Bradford), heavy machinery, shipbuilding (in Newcastle), the cotton industry (the centre is Manchester.

Scotland is the most northern part of the island of Great Britain. Its population is over 5 million people. Scotland was inhabited mainly by the picts.

Scotland is divided into three regions: the Highlands, which is the most northern and most underpopulated area with a harsh climate, the Lowlands, which is the most industrial region and the Southern Uplands, with hills, which border on England.

The Highlands are among the oldest mountains in the world. There are a lot of valleys and lakes in this region; the best known is Loch Ness.

Shipbuilding is the leading industry. But other industries such as iron and steel, engineering and coal-mining are highly developed too.  

 The biggest city of Scotland is Glasgow. But the capital is Edinburgh; it is the cultural centre of Scotland.

The population of Wales is over 3 million people.The Welsh call their country Cymru and themselves they call Cymry, a word which has the same root as “comrader”.

The living standards of people in Wales are lower than in England.

Wales is a highland country of old, hard rocks. North Wales is a country of mountains and deep valleys. South Wales is a land of high hills. The capital of Wales is Cardiff. The pride of Wales in scenery is Snowdonia. Snowdon is the highest mountain in England and Wales.

The Welsh people are fond of folk music, singing, poetry and drama. Eisteddfod is a festival of Welsh culture. It includes competitions in prose poetry and singing.

Northern Ireland is the smallest component of the UK. It occupies northeast of the island of Ireland, only one-sixth of its territory. The population of Northern Ireland is about 1, 5 million people. Belfast the capital is the leading industrial centre and a large port. The whole economy of Northern Ireland is closely integrated with that of GB. It has roots in three basic industries: agriculture, textiles and shipbuilding.

If one asks an Irishman away from home, what he misses most about Ireland, he will probably tell you “the greenness “.Irish poets put it in a different way when they call Ireland “the Emerald Isle». The fact is that the winds usually blow in from the Atlantic Ocean and make the air and soil warm and      damp. Grass grows well in such a climate and it makes the island look so beautiful.

 

What are the capitals of the four countries of the UK?

How many islands compose the UK?

Is the UK one of the smallest countries in the world?

Why are the three crosses on the flag of the UK?

What seas is England washed by?

How large is London?

Is England a mountainous country?

Can you say what the main industries in England are?

Is the population of Scotland much smaller then of England?

How many regions are there in Scotland?

What is the most famous lake in Scotland?

What are the leading industries there?

Is Glasgow the capital of Scotland?

How do the Welsh call themselves?

Is Wales a flat country?

What is the name of festival of Welsh culture?

How large is Northern Ireland in comparison with England, Scotland and Wales?

What is the poetic name of Northern Ireland?

   

  1. Read the text and say whether these statements are true or false.

  1. The UK is an island state.
  2. The Irish Republic is a part of the UK.
  3. The flag of the UK is known as “Stars and Stripes”.
  4. England is not the largest part of the UK.
  5. The most northern part of the UK is Scotland.
  6. Eisteddfod is a festival of Welsh culture.
  7. The grass is really greener in Ireland.

  1. Complete the table.

                                                   

The UK

Countries

(parts)

Population

Capital

Relief

Industries

1.

2.

3.

4.

  1. Say what new facts you’ve learned from the text.
  2. Work in groups and make a project “The UK as I see it”. Add some more information. While you are working help each other with words, spelling and grammar.  

St. Paul’s Cathedral

1. Warm up

Work in pairs. Look at the picture and answer the questions.

What building is it?

Where is it situated?

Who was it built?

What is it famous for?

2. Read the text and find answers to the questions in ex.1.

The St. Paul’s area of London was almost totally rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1666.Work began in 1675 when Wren was 43 years old; in 1710, as an old man of 78, he was finally able to sit in the completed cathedral.

St. Paul’s Cathedral is the church of the City of London, and although coronations take place in Westminster Abbey, most great ceremonies of state take place in St. Paul’s .It has witnessed many great national events over the centuries, including the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897 and the  marriage of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spenser in 1981

The main entrance to the cathedral is through the west front. The overall impression conveyed by the great interior is of height, light and a kind of intellectual austerity. There are relatively few monuments. The ones that do exist are to important national heroes, predominantly military figures.  

Lord Nelson and Sir Christopher Wren are both buried in the crypt, Nelson in the cask of spirits which preserved his body after the Battle of Trafalgar. Both hаvе memorials in the паvе, the one to Nelson is in the south transept, while Wren's, consisting of the famous phrase Lector, si топuтeпtuт requiris, circuтspice ('Reader, if yоu seek his monument, look around yоu’) is in the pavement below the dome. Тhе paintings in the 365ft (111т) high dome, which has been described as one of the most beautiful in the world, are bу Sir James Thornhill and depict scenes in the life of St Paul.

In one of the towers there is Britain's heaviest hanging bеll, Great Paul, weighing almost 17 tops (17,340 kg).

There are several fascinating areas of the cathedral open to the public оп payment of а fee. Тhе' crypt, whose entrance is in the south transept, has memorials to artists and men of science. The bау containing Wren's tomb is known as Painters' Corner, owing to the many famous artists buried there. In the south aisle of nave is the entrance to the upper parts of the church, including the library and the famous Whispering Gallery. Тhе latter forms а circle of such perfect proportions around the base of the dome that, bу placing your ear against the wall, you сап hear а whisper from many yards away as it travels around the circumference. There are more galleries higher up. Steps lead up to the ball at the very top of the dome. While the view from here is spectacular, the approach is even more dramatic, bу series of iron staircases winding up with~ in the inner and outer skin of the dome, giving а vivid picture of the sheer size of Wren's stupendous construction. The immense Baroque dome is 218f (66т) аbоvе the floor.

3. Read the text again and finish the sentences.

   1. St. Paul’s Cathedral witnessed ……

   2. Inside the Cathedral you can see monuments to ……

   3. The bay containing Wren’s tomb is known as ……

   4. The famous Whispering Gallery forms a circle ……

4. Find in the text words and phrases similar to:

   a) Crowning

   b) Great events

   c) Mainly

   d) Is famous

   e) Building

   f) Beautiful view

5. Work in pairs. Play out a dialogue: You are a guide in St. Paul’s and your friend is a visitor.  

 

 

 

The Tower.

1. Warm up.

Can you solve this riddle?

“It has been a fortress, a palace, a prison , a royal treasury and a museum of arms. What is it?

2. Read the text and find the answer. What is the main idea of each paragraph?

Тhе Tower оп the north bank of the Thames is one of the most ancient buildings of London. It was founded in the 11th century bу William the Conqueror. But each monarch left some kind of personal mark оп it. For many centuries the Tower has been а fortress, а palace, а prison and royal treasury. It is now а museum of arms and amour and, as one of the strongest fortresses in Britain, it has the Crown Jewels.

The grey stones of the Tower could tell terrible stories of violence and injustice. Manу saddest and cruelest events took рlасе within the walls of the Tower. 1t was here that Thomas More the greatest humanist, was falsely accused and executed. Among famous prisoners executed at the Tower were Неnrу VIII’s wives Anna Boleyn and Саtherine Howard.

        When Queen Elizabeth was а princess, she was sent to Tower bу Mary Tudor ("Bloody Mary") and kept prisoner for some time.

Тhе ravens whose forefathers used to find food in the Tower, still live here as part of its history. There is а legend that if the ravens disappear, the Tower will fall. That is why the birds are carefully guarded.

The White Tower was built bу William the Conqueror to protect and control the City of London. 1t is the oldest and the most important building, surrounded bу other towers, which all have different names.

Тhе Tower is guarded bу the Yeomen Warders  popularly called 'Beefeaters'. There are two letters, Е. R., оп the front of their tunics. Тheу stand for the Queen's nаmе Elizabeth Regina. Тhе uniform is as it used to bе in Tudor times.

Their everyday uniform is black and red, but оn state occasions they wear а ceremonial dress: fine red state uniforms with the golden and black stripes and the wide lace-collar, which were in fashion in the16th century.        .

Every night at 1О p.m. at the Tower of London the Ceremony of the Keys or locking up of the Tower for the night takes plасе. It goes back to the middle Ages. Five minutes before the hour the Head warder comes out with а bunch of keys and аn old lantern. Не goes to the guardhouse and cries: "Escort fоr the keys." Then hе closes the three gates and goes to the sentry, who calls: "Halt, who comes there?" Тhе Head warder replies: "Тhе Keys." "Whose Keys?" demands the sentry? "Queen Elizabeth's Keys," comes the answer. "Advance Queen Elizabeth's Keys. All's well." Тhе keys are finally carried to the Queen's House where they are safe fот the night. After the сеrеmonу everyone who approaches the gate must give the password or turn away.

3. Tell in short what interesting facts you learned about the Tower of London.

4. What facts about the Tower would you like to know more?

 The Tower’s Cruel Past

 The Ravens

 The White Tower and other towers

 Beefeaters

 The Ceremony of the Keys

 The Museum of the Arms and Amour.

5. Make a project. Get ready to tell about something very interesting connected with the Tower. Find additional information. Ask your teacher for help.

Westminster Abbey

1.Lead in.

Do you know that there are three most famous buildings in England?

They are St.Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, and…. What is the  third?

These phrases will help you to answer.

A fine Gothic building, the crowning place of the kings and queens of England, Poet’s th Corner beautiful Chapel of Henry VII.  

2. Read the text and check your answer.

Westminster Abbey is a fine Gothic building, which stands opposite the Houses of Parliament. It is the work of many hands and different ages. The oldest part of the building dates from the eighth century. It was a monastery — the West Minster. In the 11th century Edward the Confessor1 after years spent in France founded a great Norman Abbey. In 200 years Henry III2 decided to pull down the Norman Abbey and build a more beautiful one after the style then prevailing in France. Since then the Abbey remains the most French of all English Gothic churches, higher than any other English church (103 feet) and much narrower. The towers were built in 1735-1740. One of the greater glories of the Abbey is the Chapel of Henry VII,3 with its delicate fan-vaulting.4

The Chapel is of stone and glass, so wonderfully cut and sculptured that it seems unreal. It contains an interesting collection of swords and standards of the "Knights of the Bath".5 The Abbey is famous for its stained glass.6

Since the far-off time of William the Conqueror Westminster Abbey has been the crowning place of the kings and queens of England. The Abbey is sometimes compared with a mausoleum, because there are tombs and memorials of almost all English monarchs, many statesmen, famous scientists, writers and musicians.

If you go past the magnificent tombstones of kings and queens, some made of gold and precious stones, past the gold-and-silver banners of the Order of the Garter,7 which are hanging from the ceiling, you will come to the Poets' Corner. There many of the greatest writers are buried: Geoffrey Chaucer,8 Samuel Johnson,9 Charles Dickens, Alfred Tennyson10 ,Thomas Hardy11  and Rudyard Kipling.12 Here too, though these writers are not buried in Westminster Abbey, are memorials to William Shakespeare and John Milton,13 Burns and Byron, Walter Scott, William Makepeace Thackeray14 and the great American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.15

Here in the Abbey there is also the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, a symbol of nation's grief. The inscription on the tomb reads: "Beneath this stone rests the body of a British Warrior unknown by name or rank brought from France to lie among the most illustrious of the land..."

In the Royal Air Force 16 Chapel there is a monument to those who died during the Battle of Britain,17 the most famous and decisive air battle over the territory of Britain in the Second World War.

References

1.  Edward the  Confessor ['edwэd  э kon'fesэ] —король Эдуард Исповедник (умер в 1065 г.)

2.  Henry III ['henri  э      ]-Генрих III (1207—1272), английский король с 1216 г. (при Генрихе III создан первый английский парламент)

3.  Chapel of Henry VII ['tspэl эv 'henri  э 'sevnθ] — часовня Генриха VII (сооружена в 15031513 гг.; один из лучших образцов перпендикулярного архитектурного стиля)

4.  fan-vaulting ['f  n 'vo:ltiη] — нервюры, ребристый свод (характерная черта перпендикулярного архитектурного стиля)

5.  "Knights of the Bath" — кавалеры ордена Бани (один из высших орденов; учрежден в 1425 г.)

6.  stained glass  ['steind 'gla:s] — витраж (цветные стекла в окнах, дверях, составляющие орнаментальную композицию)

7. the Order of the Garter  - орден Подвязки (Высший орден. Число награжденных, не считая иностранцев, не должно превышать 24. Учрежден в 1348 г.)

8.  Geoffrey Chaucer ['to:s ] — Джефри Чосер (1340-1400), поэт, прозаик, «отец английской поэзии»; автор «Кентерберийских рассказов»-одного из первых памятников на общеанглийском литературном языке

9.  Samuel Johnson [d ons n] — Сэмюэл Джонсон (1709—1784), английский критик и поэт, составитель словарей

10.  Alfred Tennyson ['tenisn] — Алфред Теннисон (1809—1892), английский поэт, автор цикла поэм «Королевские идиллии» (1859)

11.  Thomas Hardy ['tom s 'ha:di] — Томас Гарди (1840—1928), английский романист и лирический поэт, автор романов «Тэсс из рода д'Эрбервиллей» (1891) и «Джуд Незаметный» (1896)

12.  Rudyard Kipling ['rΛdjэd 'kipliη]—   Редьярд Киплинг (1865— 1936), английский писатель и поэт, автор рассказов о жизни мальчика   Маугли  среди  зверей  («Книга джунглей»,   1894, «Вторая книга джунглей», 1895), автор стихов, баллад; лауреат Нобелевской премии (1907)

13.  John Milton ['miltэn] — Джон Мильтон (1608—1674), английский поэт, политический деятель; завершает историческую полосу развития художественной культуры Англии, возникшей в эпоху Возрождения; автор поэм «Потерянный рай» (1667), «Возвращенный рай» (1671) и др.

14.  William Makepeace Thackeray [θ  kiri] — Уильям Мейкпис Тек-керей   (3811—1863),   английский   романист,   автор   романа «Ярмарка   тщеславия»   (1848),    воплотившего   социально-типические пороки буржуазного общества, исторических романов   «История   Генри   Эсмонда»   (1852)   и   «Виргинцы» (1857)

15.  Henry Wadsworth  Longfellow — Генри  Уодсуорт Лонгфелло (1807---1882),  известный  американский  поэт,   автор  поэмы «Песнь о Гайавате» (1855) —эпоса о народном герое индейцев

16.  Royal Air Force — ВВС Великобритании

17.  Battle of Britain— Битва за Англию (воздушные бои в районе Лондона и южной Англии в 19401941 гг.)

3. Match the two halves:

1. Wesminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament …

     2. Henry VIII wanted …

     3. Westminster’s construction…

     4. The building of Westminster is …

     5. Almost all the monarchs…

     a) the work of many hands.

     b) have been crowned in Westminster Abbey.

     c) was completed in the 18th century

     d) a brighter and a bigger building

     e) face each other

4. True or false.

     1. William the Conqueror founded a great Norman Abbey.

     2.Westminster Abbey is a fine building in Baroque style.

     3. The construction of the building went on until the 18th century.

     4. Lord Nelson, Duke of Wellington, Sir Joshua Reynolds were buried in   Westminster Abbey.

     5. There are memorials of many statesmen, scientists and writers in Westminster Abbey.

     6.    If you go past the tombs of kings and queens you’ll come to the Painter’s Corner.

5. Make a poster of Westminster Abbey .Say, why people, visiting London, come to Westminster Abbey .Pin your posters on the blackboard and discuss them at the next lesson.

The Houses of Parliament

Lead in.

         1. What are your associations with the phrase “Houses of Parliament”?

 Big Ben          House of

        Lords

Palace of                                  The Houses of Parliament  

Westminster          House of

                        Commons

2. Read the text and write out the most important facts about the two Houses of the British Parliament.

The Houses of Parliament is the seat of British Parliament, which is officially known as the Palace of Westminster. The first building was constructed as early as the 11th century .Most of the old palace was destroyed in a fire in 1865.

The British Parliament consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons and the Queen as its head.

The House of Commons plays the major role in law –making. It consists of Members of Parliament (called MPs for short), each of whom represents an area in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. MPs are elected either at a general election, or at a by –election following the death or retirement of an MP.

Parliamentary elections must be held every five years, but the Prime Minister can decide on the exact date within those five years. The minimum voting age is 18, and the voting is taken by secret ballot.

The party which wins the majority of seats forms the Government and its leader usually becomes Prime Minister. The Prime Minister chooses about 20 MPs from his or her party to become the Cabinet of Ministers. Each minister is responsible for a particular area of the government. The second largest party becomes the official opposition with its own leader and “Shadow cabinet». Leader of the opposition is a recognized post in the House of Commons.

The House of Commons is made up of 650 elected members. The House of Commons is presided over by the Speaker. MPs sit on two sides of the hall, one side for the governing party and the other for the opposition. The first two rows of seats are occupied by the leading members of both parties (called “front –benchers”), the back benches belong to the rank-and-file MPs (“back-benchers”). Each session of the House of Commons lasts for 160-175 days. MPs are paid for their parliamentary work and have to attend the sittings.

The other House of Parliament is the House of Lords. The House of Lords has more than 1,000 members, although only about 250 take an active part in the work of the House. This House consists of lords who sit by right of inheritance and those men and women who have been given life peerages which end with the life of their possessors. Members of this Upper House are not elected. They sit there because of their rank. The chairman of the House of Lords is the Lord Chancellor and he sits on a special seat called the Woolsack.

The House of Lords is the only non-elected second chamber in the parliaments in the world, and some people in Britain would like to abolish it.

The division of Parliament into two Houses goes back over some 700 years. In modern times, real political power rests in the elected House although members of the House of Lords still occupy important cabinet posts.

The  House of   Commons

The  House of  Lords

3. Read the text for the second time and write out English equivalents to the following Russian words and phrases:

  • состоять
  • точная дата
  • простым большинством
  • наследное право
  • занимать пост
  • правящая партия
  • ликвидировать

4. Answer the questions.

  1. Do people elect the Prime Minister directly?
  2. Why would some people like to abolish the House of Lords?

5. Work in groups. Organize debates in the Parliament. Work out a Bill of Rights for the imaginary state.

Group 1 – MPs with its leader,

Group 2 – Opposition, its leader,

Group 3 – Members of the House of Lords.

St. Valentine’s Day

Listening to the song “Love Me Tender” by Elvis Presley pupils enter the classroom and take their seats.

 1. Answer the questions with your partner:

 Do people celebrate St.Valentine’s Day in our country?

 Is St.Valentine’s Day primarily a day for children or for adults, for the single or the married?

 How can you show your love for an individual on St.Valentine’s Day?

2. Read the texts in two groups and answer the questions after them.

Valentine's Day (text № 1).

Valentine's Day happens every year on February 14. Red and pink hearts, along with chubby cupids, decorate stores, offices, and classrooms. Children often make cards to give to their friends and their families. Adults make or buy special cards for the people they love. Friends may give gifts of candy, flowers, jewelry or clothing.

The cards given on Valentine's Day are called "valentines." Valentines often have poems written on them. One of the most popular Valentine's poem is the following:

Roses are red;

Violets are blue;

Sugar is sweet,

And so are you.

Valentine's Day is not a legal holiday. This means that businesses and schools are open. Mail is delivered. But Valentine's Day is still a very special day. Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to tell someone "I'm glad you're my friend," or "I love you."

The Story of St. Valentine (text № 2).

St. Valentine was a Christian priest who lived in 270 A.D. (270 years after Christ was born). At that time, the Roman government controlled much of the world.

The Roman government needed many soldiers to protect its lands. The Emperor Claudius II decided that married men did not make good soldiers because they wanted to stay at home with their wives and children. He made a very strange law that said young men were not allowed to marry. He also said that any priest who married a young couple would be put to death.

A priest named Valentine disobeyed the Emperor. He secretly married many young couples. When the Emperor found out, he had Valentine imprisoned. Valentine was beheaded for his disobedience on February 14. Since Valentine had helped lovers, the day he died became a day for people to express love for others.

   

Questions to the text № 1

1. When is St.Valentine’s Day?

2. Who do children give cards to?

3. What kind of gifts may be given on St.Valentine’s Day?

4. What are the cards given for St.Valentine’s Day called?

5. Is it a legal holiday?

Questions to the text № 2

1. When did St. Valentine live?

2. Why did the Roman government need many soldiers?

3. What strange law did the Emperor make?

4. How did St. Valentine break the law?

5. What do we do on the day of his dearth?

3. Read the texts again and finish these sentences together.

1. People celebrate St.Valentine’s Day on…

2. The cards given on St.Valentine’s Day are…

3. St.Valentine’s Day is a good opportunity to…

4. St.Valentine was…

5. Emperor Claudius made a law…

6. St.Valentine disobeyed … and …

4. Mark the sentences below as “True /False”.

1. The first Valentine was a bishop, a Christian martyr

2. People  send each other  greetings of affection and love.

3. Valentine cards are very colourful with a couple of human hearts on them.

4. St.Valentine’s Day is the main holiday of the year.

5. People are happy when they are loved.

6. Schools are closed on St.Valentine’s Day.

5. Word jumble.

Unscramble the following words:

TEAHR        INEDRF

DCUIP        PYPAN

ELVO        RASD

ACDNY        GFIT

SSROE        AOWRR

Key: 1.heart 2.cupid 3. love 4. candy 5.roses 6. friend

6. Write the words and phrases you can use in the description of St.Valentine’s Day in your school. Exchange your ideas with your classmates.

7. Write a letter to your pen-friend in GB and describe St.Valentine’s Day in your school.

Holidays. Christmas.

1. Warm up.

Brainstorm the idea:” What British holidays do you know?”

        

2. Read the paragraphs and put them into logical order. Give the title to the text.

a) Long ago, each child hung a stocking, or sock, over the fireplace. They believed that Santa entered down the chimney and left candy and presents inside the socks for them. Today the tradition is carried on, but the socks are now large red sock-shaped fabric bags still called stockings. Giving gifts is a Christmas tradition.

b) Christmas is a joyful religious holiday when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The Christmas story comes from the Bible. An angel appeared to shepherds and told them that a Savior had been born to Mary and Joseph in a stable in Bethlehem.

c) Important custom of Christmas is to send and receive Christmas cards, which are meant to help express the sentiment of the season. Some are religious in nature, others are more secular. People begin sending Christmas cards early in December to friends, acquaintances, and co-workers. The post office advises customers to mail early in the season and avoids the Christmas rush. Some people heed the advice; others wait until the last minute and then are upset when their loved ones have not received the greeting card or the present which they send.

d) Three Wise Men from the East (the Magi) followed a wondrous star which led them to the baby Jesus to whom they paid homage and presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

e) On Christmas Eve, there are evening church services which everyone attends. Attention is focused on the nativity scene, while all join in singing carols. On Christmas Day, there are other religious ceremonies at churches which families attend before they make their rounds to visit friends and relatives.

f) Christmas has been associated with gift giving since the Wise Men brought gifts to welcome the newborn Jesus Christ. To people all over the world, Christmas is a season of giving and receiving presents.

g) Going home for Christmas is a most cherished tradition of the holiday season. No matter where you may be the rest of the year, being at "home" with your family and friends for Christmas is "a must." This means that the house will be full of cousins, aunts and uncles that might not see each other during the year.

3. Read the text again and tick:”True”, “False” or “Don’t know”.

1. Christmas story comes from the Bible.

2. People use stockings for Christmas presents.

3. There is usually a Christmas rush at the post offices.

4. Everyone attends a Christmas church service.

5. Going home for Christmas is not a “must”.

4. Do you know what makes an English Christmas?

Work in groups and write a list of essential elements of Christmas/

5. Compare your lists with your partners’ and the teacher’s.

Here is a list of essential elements of Christmas gathered from a poll over two thousand people.

 Food and Drink

 Parties

Television and Queen’s Speech

 A Walk after Dinner

 Midnight Mass and Carol Services

 Children’s Activities (Pantomime and Santa)

 Shopping in the Dark, Fairlit Streets

 Sending out Cards

  Ghost Stories and Murder Parties

 Getting in Touch with Old Acquaintances and Visiting People

 Playing Games

 Carol Singing

 Decorating

6. Write a composition “What I would do if I went to Great Britain for Christmas”

(15 sentences).

Easter

1. Look at the symbols. Do you know what they stand for? 

                                                       

2. Many Easter customs have come down to us from long ago.

Read the texts and choose the titles to them.

  • The rules of this game are to see who can roll a hard-boiled egg the greatest distance or can make the roll without breaking it, usually down a grassy hillside or slope. In England, children rolled eggs down hills on Easter morning, a game which has been connected to the rolling away of the rock from Jesus Christ's tomb when He was resurrected. British settlers brought this custom to the New World. Maybe the most famous egg rolling takes place on the White house Lawn. Hundreds of children come with baskets filled with brightly decorated eggs and roll them down the famous lawn.

  • This custom began because children believed that rabbits laid eggs in the grass. The Easter rabbit is supposed to bring Easter eggs and hide them. He is very shy. He comes at night, and no one ever sees him. Today on Easter Sunday, children wake up to find that the Easter Bunny has left them baskets of sweets. He has also hidden the eggs that they decorated earlier that week. Children hunt for the eggs all around the house and the child who finds the most eggs wins a prize.

a) Hot Cross Buns

b) Easter Parade and Wearing New Clothes

  • The Germans were the first to make this. First, they carefully pricked a hole at each end of the shell and blew out the inside of the egg. Then they coloured and decorated the shells and hung them on a tree or bush outdoors. Sometimes they used bright ribbons and tinsel and other decorations.
  • One of the oldest Good Friday customs is eating them. These small sweet buns, marked with a cross of white icing, may have originated in pre-Christian times. Early Egyptians, Greeks and Romans marked their loaves of bread with symbols to honor their gods and goddesses. Another belief was that eating hot cross buns on Good Friday served to protect the home from fire.
  • The tradition of wearing new clothes on Easter could be dated back to first-century Christians. Like many other Easter symbols, the new clothes represent the new life offered through the death and Resurrection of Jesus. An Americans belief is that good luck can be ensured for the year by wearing three new things on Easter Sunday. In New York City this old Easter custom has turned into a fashion parade on Fifth Avenue.

c) An Easter Egg Hunt

d) Easter Egg Roll

e) Easter Egg Tree

3. Match the beginnings of the sentences in list A with their endings in list B.  

              A                                          B

1. The message of Easter…                      a) play Easter egg games                          

2. On Easter Sunday…                             b) comes at night

3. Hundreds of children…                        c) is “Christ is Risen”

4. The Easter Rabbit…                             d) protects home from fire

5. A common greeting on Easter Day…  e) comes from an egg

6. Eating hot cross buns…                        f) is always the same, it is life without

                                                                   end

7. All life…                                               g) there is a fashion parade in New  

                                                                    York  

     

4. Work in groups of 3-4 students to make a leaflet “Easter traditions”

- Decide who can write about each tradition

- Add some more information, while you are working help each other with words, spelling and grammar.

-Draw pictures. Stick your pictures into your leaflet. When you are ready, pin your leaflet on the wall.

The Club of Merry and Quick-witted Boys and Girls

“Who Knows Britain Best”

Pupils form two teams; they choose the names for their teams. Senior students are the jury, one person is a compere. The results are announced after each game.

Compere: Good evening, boys and girls! I am glad to meet you. We have gathered today to choose who knows Great Britain best.

Answer the questions (3-5 seconds for thinking).

Questions to the team № 1.

 What are the names of the countries of the UK?

 What are the names of their capitals?

 What is the highest mountain?

 What is the longest river?

 What is the largest city?

 How many houses are there in the British Parliament?

Questions to the team № 2

 What are the most important ports in G.B.?

 On what river is the capital of the U K situated?

 What are the most famous university towns?

 Where is textile industry situated?

 Where is coal mined?

 Who is the head of the U K?

2. Do you know these buildings?

Listen to the texts and make a choice

.

Buildings

Westminster

St. Paul

Tower

Houses of Parliament

Text 1

It is one of the most famous of all the historical buildings in London. For many years it has been a fortress, a palace, a prison. It is a museum now. There are a lot of interesting collections in it.

 

                                                                Text 2

It is said to be one of the finest pieces of architecture in Europe. From far away you can see the huge dome with a golden bell and cross on the top. The interior of it is very beautiful. It is full of monuments. It is the greatest masterpiece of Sir Christopher Wren.

Text 3

It stands on the riverside. Tourists always go there. It has two towers. One of them is the clock tower, the clock is the biggest in GB.

Text 4

It is the place where every visitor goes sooner or later. It was a monastery. Now it is a royal church. It is a place of coronations. The Queen Elizabeth was crowned there in 1953.

III. Choose the correct variant. (The task is to be done in the written form).

1. The Whispering Gallery is in:

A) Westminster Abbey    B) St. Paul’s Cathedral     C) Houses of Parliament

2. The name of the present English Queen is:

A) Elizabeth,II       B) Elizabeth, III       C) Elizabeth, I.

3. The Tower of London is now:

A) a royal palace    B) a prison   C) the museum of amour

4. The architect of St. Paul is:

A) Edward the Confessor B) Sir Christopher Wren   C) Sir Charles Barry

5. Big Ben was named after:

A) Ben Nevis   B) Sir Benjamin Hall    C) Benjamin Count

6. Admiral Nelson won the Battle of:

A) Hastings    B) Waterloo   C) Trafalgar

7. The Tower of London was built by:

A) William the Conqueror   B) Julius Caesar   C) Christopher Wren

8. The Ceremony of the Key’s takes place at:

A) The Tower at 10 p.m.   B) Buckingham Palace at 10 p.m.  C) Buckingham Palace at 11.30 a.m.

9. What building can not be found in London?

A) Buckingham Palace   B) the King’s College   C) Westminster Abbey

10. The biggest holiday in GB is:

A) St. Valentine’s Day   B) Halloween C) Christmas

IV. Заполни пропуски буквосочетаниями из прямоугольников, и ты прочитаешь шесть английских пословиц. Соотнеси каждую английскую пословицу с аналогичной русской и поставь перед последней нужную цифру в клеточке.                            

1. As y… make yo… bed, so you …st lie on it.

2. Out of si…, out of m…d.

3. So …ny men, so many …nds.

4. A fr…nd in n…d is a frie… indeed.

5. All is fa… in l…e and w….

6. …en t… Sund…s come togeth….

 Друзья познаются в беде.

 Как постелешь, так и поспишь,

 Сколько голов, столько умов.

 С глаз долой, из сердца вон.  

 В любви и на войне все средства хороши.

 После дождичка в четверг.

V. Домашнее задание.

А) Каждая команда готовит подарок (песня или стихотворение на английском языке)

В). Анаграммы (отгадать 3-4 слова, зашифрованные соперниками)

VI. The jury announces the final results.

Compere: I think that you enjoyed the party. Thank you. Good-bye, everyone.  


По теме: методические разработки, презентации и конспекты

Разработка факультативного занятия элективного курса БИЗНЕС АНГЛИЙСКИЙ по теме "Телефонные разговоры"

Разработка факультативного занятия элективного курса БИЗНЕС АНГЛИЙСКИЙ по теме «Телефонные разговоры» в 9  классеПоставленные цели реализуются через:...

Разработка занятия элективного курса « Выбор темы исследования» с использованием проектной технологии обучения

  Цели занятия: способствовать формированию творческого подхода к выбору темы исследовательской работы. Привить внимание к вопросам отечественного производства качественных товаров. Стимулировать позн...

"В поисках потерянного вещества" - разработка занятия элективного курса "Экологическая химия"

Занятие проводится в форме деловой игры. Обобщается материал по теме "Свойства металлов"....

"Классификация органических реакций". Разработка занятия элективного курса" Избранные вопросы органической химии"

Разработка урока содержит схему сравнения химических реакций неорганических и органических веществ, презентацию с  таблицей типов органических реакций с примерами, примеры задания ЕГЭ А 19 по орг...

Разработка занятия элективного курса "Тайны судебной медицины" (9 класс)

Разработка занятия "Тайны судебной медицины" для элективного курса "Биология и мир современных профессий"...

Способы выражения авторской позиции в тексте на примере анализа рассказа В.П.Астафьева «На закате дня». Методическая разработка занятия элективного курса «Сочинения разных жанров: рецензия…»

Идея выше фактаО.БальзакНаписание сочинения – рецензии при выполнении части 3(С) по русскому языку на Едином государственном экзамене является для учащихся задачей трудной и требующей точного и глубок...

Разработка занятий элективного курса

разработка включает подробные планы в виде конспекта уроков, первое занятие представленно в виде технологической карты....