6.1 Halloween and St. Valentine's Day!

UNIT 6

Keeping traditions and
customs alive!

Topic	Keeping traditions and customs alive!
	Grammar	Understanding verb patterns and verb syntax.
	Reading Skills	Finding factual information and sharing this with others Reading to find factual errors in a text
	Listening Skills	Listening for incorrect information. Sequencing pictures according to a listening text
	Writing Skills	Describing a traditional ceremony
	Vocabulary	Verbs of expression and belief; traditions and ceremonies.
	Speaking Skills	Giving opinions; agreeing and disagreeing with speakers.

Strategies:	I can work with others to find answers to problems; I can learn from what others in my group say; I can use set phrases to agree or disagree with others

Lesson 1

AIMS

To evaluate whether information is
effective, accurate or incorrect?
To think of similarities in customs in various
countries around the world

Read the following statement.
Do you agree or disagree
with it? Why?

‘Society passes social and family values to future generations through
customs and traditions'.

Task 1

A. Read the definition of each word.

Custom:	something that a social group does at certain times of the year.
Tradition:	the passing down of beliefs, customs and practices from one generation to the next.

B.	In pairs, write a list of the different customs and traditions you know. Compare your list with the class. Which is your favourite Greek custom or tradition?

Task 2

A.	Listen to the musical piece. What musical instruments do you hear in the recording?

B.	How does the music make you feel? Is this modern or traditional music? Why?

C.	Are local celebrations necessary for society? Why? Why not?

Pre-reading

A.	Look at the two pictures of traditional celebrations around the world. What do you know about these celebrations and traditions?

In what ways do the pictures show the kind of things
associated with the celebrations and traditions?
Which of these celebrations do your like most? Why?
Discuss your answers with your partner.

B.	In pairs write down 3 things that you know about ‘Halloween' and ‘Valentine's Day'. Think about: a) when it is b) what happens c) who enjoys it most.

Halloween and St.
Valentine's Day!

Reading

Task 1a

A.	Now, check your ideas by reading the text on Halloween below; your partner will read the text on St. Valentine's Day on p.146. Tell each other what you have learned about the customs.

	TEXT 1 HALLOWEEN is an annual celebration and takes place on the 31st October every year. Originally called ‘All Hallows Eve' which means the evening before All Saints Day. Hallow is an old English word for Saint. Over the years, people joined the two words together to make the name Halloween. It is the night of pumpkins, candles,
ghosts, tricks and treats, witches and brooms. One story says it is a night when the spirits howl like wolves and go round the streets looking for living bodies. It is a creepy idea but these days, people do not believe such things happen. The Celts thought that dead friends would return with their souls in the body of a black cat. This has remained the symbol of Halloween to the present day. Naturally, the living did not want to lose their body to a spirit, so on the night of Halloween, villagers would put out the fires in their homes to make them cold and undesirable. Then, they would dress up to frighten off the spirits. In the dead of night, people would go from door to door to collect food to donate to their favourite God. They would take this to a bonfire on top of a local hill, eat and dance and have a good time. After the bonfire,
the people were nervous about walking home in the dark so they dressed up as spooky characters and carved faces in their candle holders which they made from huge orange pumpkins. They hoped that the light of the candle would frighten the spirits away. Nowadays, people still parade from place to place and frighten others but everyone laughs because they know it is just good fun. The young people of the town or village visit different houses and call out ‘trick or treat'. The custom is for the people in the house to pretend to be afraid and to give the children a treat of some chocolates or biscuits. Parents allow children to stay out late because there is no school the next day.

B. Use the questions below to ask your partner about the text he or she has read:

i) Who was St. Valentine?
ii) When is St. Valentine's Day?
iii) Why did the Emperor Claudius put Valentine in prison?
iv) What do Japanese men do on March 14th?
v) What might your father give your mother on Valentine's Day?

C. What does the decoration of a key on Welsh spoons mean?

Task 1b

In pairs, find 3 phrases in the text on Halloween which refer to things that
happen today.

1) _______________________

2) ______________________

3) _______________________

Lesson 1

Task 2

A.	In pairs, find out how long Claudius was emperor of Rome. Look at your history book or ask your history teacher.

B.	In pairs, find 3 differences between each custom in Task 1. List your differences and compare them with the answers of other members of the class.

C.	As a class, discuss the importance of having these traditions.

Vocabulary

Task 1 - Set phrases

The phrases in the box come from Text A. In pairs, use the phrases in the box to
complete the sentences a-g below. There is one extra phrase you do not need to use.

on the night of	in the dark	over the years	the top of
in the dead of night	on the 5th of November	in the past,	at the turn of

The customs we have today come from things people did ……………………… .
The Hogmany party in Scotland is ……………………… 31st December.
It is difficult to see very far ……………………… .
The custom says that the ghosts come out ……………………… when everyone is asleep.
Halloween is ……………………… .
The tradition has not changed a bit ……………………… .
They light bonfires at ……………………… the hill.

Task 2 - Word formation

A. How good is your memory? The words are in the texts on Halloween and
St.Valentine's Day. Write the nouns beside each of the following words:

i) marry	............................	iv) celebrate	............................
ii) engage	............................	v) cancel	............................
iii) decorate	............................

B. Use the endings -age, -ment, -ion,
to form nouns from the words in
the box on the right.

Example: decide -> decision

excite ___________
instruct ___________
process ___________
argue ___________

carry ___________
agree ___________
invent ___________
spill ___________

In pairs, try to think of more nouns with the endings: -age, -ment, -ion. Then
make your own sentences and compare them with your partner. Decide who
has written the better sentences.

Halloween and St.
Valentine's Day!

Grammar

A.	Read through the text on Halloween in pairs and circle 7 verbs which DO NOT HAVE an object. Compare your answers with the rest of the class.

Example: People would go from door to door.

B.	In pairs find three examples of verbs in the text on St. Valentine which HAVE an object. Put a circle around the verb AND their object. Compare your answers with the rest of the class.

Example: Some people believe this is a modern day celebration.

C. In pairs, decide which verb from the box below matches each sentence i-vi:

a) fall

b) wore

c) happen

d) cried

e) exist

f) allowed

i) Mary's parents ........................... her to go to the bonfire celebration.
ii) Ghosts do not ............................
iii) Annette ........................... a cloak and hat as a fancy dress.
iv) Did anything unusual ........................... at the carnival?
v) The little girl ........................... when she saw the ugly mask.
vi) Be careful! You will ........................... if you climb up there.

C.	Write your own sentences with the verbs from the box and compare your answers with the other students.

Grammar rules

In pairs, choose a group of verbs on the right to complete the rules:

Verbs like: ……………………………… take 'to'+ verb.
Verbs like: ……………………………… take an object.
Verbs like: ……………………………… take an object + 'to'.
Verbs like: ……………………………… take an object + object.
Verbs like: ……………………………… do not take an object or 'to'.

give - show - tell
enjoy - own - build
happen - cry - fall
remind - allow - advise
try - seem - agree

Task

Read the sentences 1-5 below and match them to the appropriate verb pattern
a-e from the Grammar box above. Circle the right verb in bold italics
according to the pattern.

The ghost disappeared / discussed when they entered the room.
We decided / invited Mary to our Halloween party.
The child said / asked me a question.
Children believe / prefer to play outside.
Mum gave / told the children to be careful.

Compare your answers with your partner.