Traditions_Teacher`s Notes

Traditions
Level: 4º E.S.O.
Grammar: Passive voice in the present. Time prepositions: at / on / in.
Functions: Explaining processes and instructions.
Vocabulary: Vocabulary about Christmas and Guy Fawkes Night. Dates
Phonetics: Pronunciation of past participles of irregular verbs
This unit introduces the topic of festivals, traditions and cultural aspects related to
the festivities of Christmas and Bonfire Night in the UK.
From the introductory screen you can access either the part about Christmas or the
part about Bonfire Night. You can move from one set of exercises to another using the
buttons in the navigation bar at the bottom of the page. To return to the introductory
screen, the button “Home” is available from all the activities in the unit.
Remind your students to read the task before attempting to do any activity, and to
use the help and glossary buttons if necessary.
The structure of the unit is as follows:
PART 1 - Christmas
1. Christmas time:
a) Reading: First of all, students must listen to three texts which give some
information about Christmas in the UK.
b) Reading comprehension: The following screen is a reading comprehension:
students must choose the best answer for the questions given. They can listen to the
text again by clicking on the help button (question mark icon).
2. Christmas words:
a) Dates 1: Here they have to click on a number and drag it to the name that matches
the date.
b) Dates 2: Now they must listen to the dates and try to write them. They can get
some help clicking the question mark icon.
3. Let's practice:
a) Grammar 1: Here, students must decide if the sentences are passive or active.
b) Grammar 2: This is another exercise about the passive voice. Here students look
at an example of how an active sentence in cha nged into passive, and then they must
choose the correct verbs from the list below and drag them to the correct places.
c) Grammar 3: Now an exercise about time prepositions. Students must place the
time expressions in the right column according to the preposition they are used with.
d) Grammar 4: Here they must fill in the gaps in the text using the time prepositions
they have learned.
4. Christmas Quiz: In this exercise, students must click on the pictures and decide if
the information about Christmas which appears on the screen is true or false.
PART 2 - Guy Fawkes Night
1. Guy Fawkes:
a) Dialogue: In this exercise, students listen to the fragments of the dialogue and
learn about Guy Fawkes Night. They can read the text but they can also hide it (and
listen only) with the “Show/Hide” button.
b) Choose the best answer: Next, students must choose the best answer to
complete the sentences. If they give at least five correct answers (there are six
questions), they will automatically to an extra activity. If they get a lower score, they
will start the exercise again.
Extra activity: This is another comprehension activity, but now parts of the
dialogue are available as help.
c) Pronunciation practice: In this exercise, students practise their pronunciation:
They listen to the original voices, then they record the sentences, and when they
have finished, they can compare their production with the original.
2. Words:
a) Pronunciation 1: This is an exercise about the pronunciation of past participles of
irregular verbs. Students must click on the loudspeaker icons to listen to a word, and
drag it under the right phonetic symbol.
b) Pronunciation 2 - Memory: In this exercise, students will have to click on the
squares and match the written infinitive and the spoken past participle (represented
by the icon of a loudspeaker). As a hint, students should try and open first a sound,
click on it again to listen to the word, and then find the written infinitive
3. Let’s practise:
a) Signs: In this exercise, students must translate the meaning of the signs under
each of them. If they click the help button, they will get some hints about how to
translate signs into Spanish.
b) Tidy up the sentences: Next, students must drag the words into the correct place
to tidy up these passive sentences. They must start by placing the first word of the
sentence, then the second and so on. The help button gives information about the
word order in passive sentences.
4. Game - Hangman: In the last exercise of the unit, students must read the definitions
and try to guess the hidden word in a traditional hangman game by clicking on the
letters in the chart.
Traditions - Answer key
PART 1 - Christmas
1. Christmas time:
b) Reading comprehension:
Screen one: in many countries / a few days before / under the tree
Screen two: some relatives / turkey / in a chilly place
2. Christmas words:
b) Dates 2:
1. The first of December.
2. The twenty-third of March.
3. The tenth of February.
4. The twenty-ninth of March.
3. Let's practise:
a) Grammar 1: yes / no / yes / no / no
b) Grammar 2:
1. Carols are sung by people at Christmas .
2. Christmas pudding is eaten by some people with brandy sauce.
3. Money is given by many people to charity at Christmas.
4. The New Year is celebrated by Chinese people in February.
5. A fish called skate is served by people from Iceland at Christmas .
6. Christmas barbecues are held by Australian people in the garden.
7. Christmas presents are received by Saint Nicholas on Dec 6th in Luxemburg.
8. Christmas cards are sent by the Swedish with a charity stamp.
9. Straw is placed by Polish people under the tablecloth.
c) Grammar 3:
at: night / Christmas / the weekend
on: Monday / 21st December / Christmas Day
in: the morning / December / 1999
d) Grammar 4: at / at / On / On / on / At / in
4. Christmas Quiz:
church: True
grapes: False
/
/
mistletoe: True
Boxing Day: False
/
Christmas cards : True
PART 2 - Guy Fawkes Night
1. Guy Fawkes:
b) Choose the best answer:
Screen one: doesn't know / didn't get on / blow up.
Screen two: didn't succeed / doesn't feel like / toffee apple
Extra activity: no / Catholic / Protestant / no / no / yes
2. Words:
a) Pronunciation 1:
/ei/ - paid / made
/o:/ - caught / thought / fought
3. Let’s practise:
a) Signs:
Se habla inglés / No se aceptan tarjetas de crédito / Se prohíbe fumar (Prohibido fumar)
b) Tidy up the sentences:
Screen one: The Pyramids were built by the Pharaohs.
The house has been painted recently.
The Opera theatre is being rebuilt at the moment.
Screen two: Plants must be watered every two days.
In 2025, computers will be used by everybody.
"Romeo and Juliet" was written by Shakespeare.
4. Game - Hangman:
1. turkey 2. firework 3. bonfire 4. plot 5. spoil-sport 6. toy 7. relative
8. display
Traditions - Audio scripts
PART 1 - Christmas
1. Christmas time:
a) Reading:
Christmas is celebrated in many countries around the world. One of the symbols of
Christmas is the Christmas tree. The tree is decorated a few days before Christmas and
the presents are left under the tree on Christmas Eve by Santa.
On Christmas morning the presents are opened and children get very excited playing
with their new toys. Christmas dinner is a special meal, and some relatives are usually
invited. Turkey is usually the main dish along with roast potatoes and vegetables.
Two typical desserts are Christmas cake and Christmas pudding which are only
eaten at this time of year. The Christmas pudding is made weeks before Christmas and
buried in the back garden.
2. Christmas words:
b) Dates 2:
1. The first of December.
2. The twenty-third of March.
3. The tenth of February.
4. The twenty-ninth of March.
PART 2 - Guy Fawkes Night
1. Guy Fawkes:
a) Dialogue:
Arthur: It's the 5th of November soon -- Guy Fawkes Night, are you going to a bonfire?
Mary: I don't know. I can't decide. I don't even know who Guy Fawkes was.
Arthur: He was a Catholic who lived in the 17th Century. Catholics and Protestants
didn't get on in those days. The King was Protestant and didn't like Catholics at
all. So, Guy Fawkes decided to try to kill the king.
Mary: Kill the king!? How?
Arthur: In those days they stored gunpowder in the Houses of Parliament. When the
king visited Parliament, Fawkes tried to blow him up. He didn't succeed,
though. He was caught and executed. It was called the Gunpowder Plot.
Mary: And that's why we have a bonfire with a Guy on top every year?
Arthur: That's right. So, do you want to come?
Mary: Well, where are you going?
Arthur: I'm going to the Town Park. They're going to have a big bonfire there. There's
going to be a guy and a big fireworks display. It'll be great!
Mary: Oh -- I don't know -- It'll probably rain.
Arthur: Oh, come on, don't be a spoil-sport! If you are lucky, I'll buy you a toffee apple!
c) Pronunciation practice:
1. Are you going to a bonfire?
2. Kill the king!? How?
3. That’s right. So, do you want to come?
4. It'll be great!
5. Oh - I don’t know - It’ll probably rain.
6. Oh, come on, don't be a spoil-sport!
7. If you are lucky, I'll buy you a toffee apple!
2. Words:
a) Pronunciation 1:
/ei/ - paid / made
/o:/ - caught / thought / fought
b) Pronunciation 2 - Memory:
broken / given / gone / known / left / taken / taught / thrown