How do Christmas celebrations differ between the US and UK? (teamteaching)

Teachers: ·       Olena Holovach, Volodymyr-Volynskyi Gymnasium named after O. Tsynkalovskyi ·       Tetiana Rarata, Volodymyr-Volynskyi Gymnasium named after O. Tsynkalovskyi      Lesson Topic:  How do Christmas celebrations differ between the US and UK? Form: 10 Language level: upper-intermediate Number of students: 12 Student ages: 15-16 Purpose of lesson: Students will develop integrated skills to communicate about Christmas celebrations in Great Britain and the USA. Lesson Objectives: ·       Students will revise the vocabulary related to Christmas celebrations. ·       Students will describe and compare Christmas celebrations in the   English-speaking countries. ·       Students will create a Christmas postcard. Resources:   ·       Christmas Traditions: Britain vs. America – Anglophenia http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2013/12/christmas-traditions-britain-vs-america ·       How to Have a British Christmas – Anglophenia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2W3QR9WXdA&t=208s ·       Justin Bieber – Mistletoe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUjn3RpkcKY ·       Mission 2: Coursebook. V. Evans, J. Dooley. Express Publishing. p.31. ·       PowerPoint presentation
LESSON PROCEDURE
Teacher action	Student action	Materials/Equipment needed	Time needed Total: 45 min
Introduction/Warm up
Motivation. The teacher introduces the topic of the lesson Lead in. Vocabulary revision. The teacher uses PPp to have Ss revise the vocabulary on Christmas and ask Ss to explain the word or use it in a sentence if they see it on the screen.	Students explain or use the words in their own sentences.	Pictures. Power Point presentation	1 min 5 min
Body
Reading comprehension. The teacher provides students with worksheets and has them read the text and do reading comprehension tasks.	Ss read the text and do the reading comprehension tasks.	Worksheet  (text)	6 min
We celebrate Christmas on December 25. Christmas honours the birth of Jesus Christ and is celebrated by Christians all over the world.    In England, preparations for Christmas begin in November, when shop windows are decorated with Christmas ornaments such as colourful streamers, silver tinsel and golden bells. Christmas lists are written to Santa Claus by children. Finish touches are put on Christmas cakes and puddings. A Christmas tree is decorated with ornaments, bulbs and a star at the top. Glittering lights are hung in the streets and on the trees, and wreaths are placed on city buildings and doorways.   On Christmas morning, the tearing of wrapping paper is heard as gifts are exchanged, opened and admired. If it is a “white” Christmas, fresh snow covers the town and the snowmen are made. As the turkey is sizzling in the oven, its delicious aroma fills the house. Later, turkey, sausages, bacon, stuffing and potatoes are served for dinner. The family, dressed in their best clothes, sit down to enjoy a delicious meal which puts a smile on everyone’s face. In the evening, families relax and enjoy the gifts they have received.   The warm feeling of Christmas spirit fills the home as the children play happily with their new toys and the adults relax. This is the time when family members feel closest to each other, after sharing a day of love and joy. Comprehension tasks  People decorate Christmas trees with stars, bulbs wreaths and ornaments (T/F) Tasty turkey, sausages, bacon and potatoes make people smile (T/F) Shopkeepers dress the shop windows with: a)     Streamers, tinsel, bells b)     Bulbs, ornaments, stars c)     Gifts, wrapping paper, snowmen Christmas is sometimes called “white” because: a)     The streetlights are white b)     The buildings and shops are decorated with white ornaments c)     The fresh snow spreads over the streets of the town When do the Christmas preparations begin and how? What happens on Christmas morning? What do people feel in the evening?
Listening. Singing a song. The teacher provides Ss with    worksheets. The task is to read the song “Mistletoe” and fill in the missing words from the list. The teacher plays the song so that Ss will check their answers and sing along.	Ss read the song and fill in the missing words. Ss listen, check and sing along.	Worksheet (song) Video	8 min
Justin Bieber –Mistletoe snow, lights, mistletoe, holiday, reindeer, miracle, winter, cheer, star, Santa, holiday It’s the most beautiful time of the year 1)___________ fill the streets spreading so much cheer I should be playing in the winter 2)____________ But I'mma be under the mistletoe I don’t want to miss out on the 3)__________ But I can’t stop staring at your face I should be playing in the winter snow But I’mma be under the mistletoe With you, shawty with you With you, shawty with you With you under the mistletoe Everyone's gathering around the fire Chestnuts roasting like a hot July I should be chillin' with my folks, I know But I’mma be under the 4)___________ Word on the street 5)__________'s coming tonight, 6)___________'s flying in the sky so high I should be making a list I know But I’mma be under the mistletoe With you, shawty with you With you, shawty with you With you under the mistletoe With you, shawty with you With you, shawty with you With you under the mistletoe Eh, love,the wise men followed the 7)____________ The way I follow my heart And it led me to a 8)___________ Eh love, don't you buy me nothing I am feeling one thing, your lips on my lips That's a very, merry Christmas It’s the most beautiful time of the year Lights fill the streets spreading so much 9)__________ I should be playing in the winter snow But I'mma be under the mistletoe I don’t want to miss out on the holiday But I can’t stop staring at your face I should be playing in the 10)__________ snow But I’mma be under the mistletoe With you, shawty with you With you, shawty with you With you under the mistletoe With you, shawty with you With you, shawty with you Shawty with you, under the mistletoe Kiss me underneath the mistletoe Show me baby that you love me so-oh-oh Oh, oh,ohhh Kiss me underneath the mistletoe, Show me baby that you love me so-oh-oh Oh, oh,ohhh Keys: 1-lights, 2-snow, 3-holiday, 4-misletoe, 5-Santa, 6-reindeer, 7-star, 8-miracle, 9-cheer, 10-winter
Introducing the material. 1)     Reading. Pair work. The teacher splits the class into six pairs (according to the pictures of Christmas symbols Ss pick out) and has the two groups read the text about Christmas celebrations in Britain and the USA. The teachers gives out ball-shaped pictures related to British or American Christmas to each pair (each pair receives 2 pictures) and has the pairs decorate the paper Christmas tree on the board. The teacher also has the pairs  tell   the class about the facts depicted in their pictures.	Students work in six pairs.  They read the text.  Ss read the text, find out about the fact depicted in the pictures, decorate the Christmas tree with the ornaments, and tell the class about the fact related to British or American Christmas.	Pictures Text “Christmas Traditions: Britain vs. America” Paper Christmas tree, paper ornaments, handouts “Christmas Traditions: Britain vs. America”	10 min
Christmas Traditions: Britain vs. America      It is widely held in the U.S. that Santa resides—along with his reindeer, his helpers and, of course Mrs. Claus—in the North Pole. Most Americans would think you’ve had one too many snowballs if you mentioned Lapland.      It is very common for school age children to write letters to Santa Claus. However, the Brits take it a step further and burn the letters in the fireplace so the ashes fly up the chimney and Father Christmas can read the smoke.      Rather than hanging stockings above the fireplace, British children hang them at the end of their bed hoping they will be filled by Christmas morning.      Also, instead of leaving out milk and cookies for Father Christmas the Brits leave him   in a mince pies with brandy because he is a grown up.      The main dish in the UK is usually   roast turkey often surrounded by Brussel sprouts. Don’t necessarily expect to eat turkey in America. Americans reserve that particular food item for Thanksgiving, and often opt for ham or roast beef on Christmas Day. Moreover, traditional Christmas desserts such as Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and mince pies are not particularly popular in the U.S. More likely, your post-meal treat will take the form of one of the following: pumpkin pie, marzipan, fruit cake, apple pie, pecan pie, coconut cake or sweet potato pie.      During the dinner, of course, we Brits are used to putting on our paper hats and pulling a Christmas cracker with a fellow diner. No such luck in the United States, where paper hats are less common and Christmas crackers are virtually unheard of. Just think of all the rubbish jokes Americans are missing out on!      You might think the absence of the Christmas cracker would make for a rather underwhelming Boxing Day—the day after Christmas, when the remaining crackers are often pulled. Except Americans don’t even celebrate Boxing Day (though it is a nationally recognized holiday in Canada).      One thing America does have in abundance, though, is lights. The extravagant Christmas decorations you may have seen in films like Home Alone are real, and some homeowners even turn their houses into full-on light shows with Christmas-themed music blasting from a PA system. Driving through American suburbia at Christmas can sometimes feel like a tour of Disney World.
Writing postcards. Group work. The teacher splits the class into 2 groups of 6 according to the picture they pick out. Group A – students have been in Great Britain Group B – students have been in the USA The teacher has Group A to create and write a Christmas postcard to Group B and vice versa. The information to be included: ·       Where you are ·       Weather, what you are doing at the moment ·       Food and traditions that impressed you ·       Christmas wishes ·       Closing remarks The teacher asks the groups to exchange the postcards and read them aloud.	Ss pick out the pictures. Group A – Students make and write a postcard from the UK to their classmates who have been in the USA on holidays. Group B – Students make and write a postcard from the US to their classmates who have been in the UK on holidays. The groups exchange the postcards and read them aloud.	Paper, magazines, pens, pencils, scissors, glue	10 min
Conclusion/Wrap Up
The teacher has Ss say what they have found out during the lesson. The teacher gives out paper snowflakes and has Ss write  short Christmas wishes to their classmates on the snowflakes.	Ss tell the class what they have learnt about Christmas celebrations in the two English-speaking countries. Ss write short wishes to their classmates on the snowflakes and put them on the board.	Paper snowflakes, pens	2 min 2 min