Happy Holidays!
A. You’ll hear a conversation on the ways peoples in China celebrate the Spring Festival. Listen to what they say to each other and fill in the blanks.
John: Hello, Tan. You look great today. I like your new dress. Tan: Thank you. I am ____________________ for the Spring Festival. John: Oh, yes, Chinese seem to have lots of things to do before that big day. Tan: Yes, indeed! Among the Han nationality people, northerners usually have jiaozi. It is a ____________________. Southerners like tangyuan, a kind of dumpling made of glutinous rice flour served in soup. It means the ______________________________. John: That sounds interesting. Tan: The Yao people like to do ____________________ dance. John: What is that? Tan: It is a ____________________ dance to greet the spring and wish for a good ______________________________. John: I see.
John: Hello, Tan. You look great today. I like your new dress. Tan: Thank you. I am dressing up for the Spring Festival. John: Oh, yes, Chinese seem to have lots of things to do before that big day. Tan: Yes, indeed! Among the Han nationality people, northerners usually have jiaozi. It is a symbol that the new replacing the old. Southerners like tangyuan, a kind of dumpling made of glutinous rice flour served in soup. It means the reunion of the family. John: That sounds interesting. Tan: The Yao people like to do the plowing dance. John: What is that? Tan: It is a ceremonial dance to greet the spring and wish for a good harvest. John: I see.
Answer these questions in pairs
★ What did you learn about northerners of the Han people celebrating the Spring Festival? ★ How do Southerners celebrate the Spring Festival? ★ What is a plowing dance?
Pair work: Student A picks up one group of people listed below and ask questions on how they celebrate the Spring Festival; student B answers the questions with the help of the China's Lunar New Year group of people. Please be creative in phrasing the questions. The above conversation can serve as a reference.
Example: Student A: What do the Han people do on China's Lunar New Year? Student B: They often rest and spend the time for entertainment. Student A: I see. What do they wear on China's Lunar New Year? Student B: They usually dress up for the Lunar New Year. Student A: That sounds interesting. What does China's Lunar New Year mean to people in China? Student B: It is meant to be a time for family reunion. Student A: Oh, I see.
The Daur People
The Han People
- China's Lunar New Year
- Rest and entertainment
- Dress up for Family reunion
- Make preparations for
- Pay a New Year call
- To let off firecrackers
- To pay respect to
- To frighten demons and ghosts
- New Year's cake
- Spring Festival couplet
- The first line of a couplet horizontal scroll
- The second line of a couplet
- Decorate homes
- Lanterns and streamers
- Tangyuan
- Glutinous rice flour
- Temple fairs
- Spring Festival entertainment
- Shadow puppet shows
- Photo exhibitions
- Folk art for sale
- Traditional foods and snacks
- People in the northeast
- Dance on the night before the New Year
- Early morning of the next day, people smear each other's faces with soot, wishing good harvests and happiness.
- Boys, smear, faces of the girls
The Yao People
Bouyei
- The plowing dance
- Boys and girls in best clothes and ornaments; watch the dance
- Three dancers: representing an ox, a plowing peasant, and a hoeing peasant
- Dancers sing and dance to greet the spring and wish for a good harvest.
- After the dance, boys and girls dance together.
- People of the southwest
- Stay up all night on New Year's Eve
- At dawn, girls, carry water , from , river Girl carrying the first two buckets , is considered , happiest and most industrious
- New Year's Day, boys and girls, visit each other's homes, go on , outings together
D. Listen to the following passage and then fill in the blanks as you listen to the passage the second time. Pay attention to the bold words and expressions.
Each year when winter is at its end and spring __________, people throughout China __________ the first traditional holiday of the year, Spring Festival. During the festival, many families enjoy the custom of pasting poetic Spring Festival __________ on the sides of their doorframes and __________ their rooms __________ New Year pictures. The evening before Spring Festival, lunar New Year's Eve, is an important time for family reunions. The whole family get together for a sumptuous dinner, followed by an evening of pleasant talk or games. Some families __________ all night, “seeing the old year out.” At midnight, firecrackers are set off as a ____________________. The next morning people pay New Year calls __________ relatives and friends. During the festival, various traditional recreational activities are enjoyed in many parts of China, most memorably lion dance, dragon lantern dance, __________, and ____________________.
Each year when winter is at its end and spring around the corner, people throughout China celebrate the first traditional holiday of the year, Spring Festival. During the festival, many families enjoy the custom of pasting poetic Spring Festival couplets on the sides of their door frames and decorating their rooms with New Year pictures. The evening before Spring Festival, lunar New Year's Eve, is an important time for family reunions. The whole family gets together for a sumptuous dinner, followed by an evening of pleasant talk or games. Some families stay up all night, “seeing the old year out.” At midnight, firecrackers are set off as a farewell to the old year and a welcome to the new. The next morning people pay New Year calls on relatives and friends. During the festival, various traditional recreational activities are enjoyed in many parts of China, most memorably lion dance, dragon lantern dance, land-boat rowing, and stilt-walking.
How to make SUGGESTIONS and SHOW DESIRE/INTEREST/INTENTION
Why don’t we ... (+ verb without ‘to’) ? Shall we ... (+ verb without ‘to’) ? Would you like to ... (+ verb) ? Let’s ... (+ verb without ‘to’) What about ... (+ -ing) ? How about ... (+ -ing) ? If I were you, I would... Subject + could/should + verb... I suggest/recommend that + sentence I suggest/recommend + ing... It would be nice if we could...
I would like to... I wish I could... I think I will... I will try to... I feel... I prefer/intend/plan/hope/long/need/aspire to... I must... I can't live without... It's my dream to..
How would you negotiate with your dad concerning what to do on this Lantern Festival? Both your dad and you have a different to-do list. Things listed on the top are of more interest than those listed at the bottom. Your mom wants a family holiday—doing everything together as a family. Try to talk your dad into doing the things you like. Your mom will be the decision-maker. Cook up a conversation in groups of three with the help of the table and the list of useful expressions below.
B. You are engaged in a meeting discussing your team's plan for the Dragon Boat Festival. Some Westerners at your company know little about the festival. Please work in pairs, one being the new Western employee, and the other, the local member of the team. The Westerner's role is to question the customs and traditions related to the festival and to seek advice on the possible ways of enjoying the festival; the local member's role is to inform and make suggestions. Work out a conversation by referring to the useful expression list above and the word list below.
Words & Expressions the Dragon Boat Festival 端午节 Qu Yuan (a poet, c.340-c.278) 屈原 Kingdom Chu 楚国 throw oneself into (a river) 投（江） the Miluo River 汨罗江 hurry to 赶到 get out of water 打捞 scatter rice into the river 撒米（入江） zongzi (a pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves) 粽子
A Listen to the passage and complete the information about holidays in China and traditional festivals for minority groups.
Holidays in China include New Year (January 1st); Spring Festival (New Year by the lunar calendar); International Working Women's Day (March 8th); Qing Ming Festival (around April 5th); International Labour Day (May 1th); International Children's Day (June 1st); Dragon Boat Festival (May 5th of the lunar calendar); Anniversary of the founding of the PLA (August 1st); Teacher's Day (September 10th); Mid-Autumn Festival (August 15th of the lunar calendar); and National Day (October 1st), etc. China's many minority ethnic groups have their own traditional festivals, including the Dai people's Water-Splashing Festival, the Mongolian's Nadam (Recreation) Fair, the Yi people's Torch Festival, the Yao people's Danu Festival (or Woman Ancestor's Day), the Bai people's Third Month Fair, the Zhuang people's Song Fair, and the Tibetans' New Year and Onghor (Expecting a Good Harvest) Festival.
Pair work: Take turns to ask and answer questions orally. The sentences below are for your reference.
- What date do ...people celebrate...?
- When does...start/begin?
- What time of the year do ...people enjoy...festival/fair?
- What is the traditional holiday for ...people?
- What holiday falls on October 1st?
- Do you know the traditional holiday for...people?
- What is it?
- How do you say the holiday for...people in English?
Group discussion: Read the passage and discuss the following questions in your group.
Lantern Festival falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar calendar, the night of the first full moon after Spring Festival. Traditionally, people eat sweet dumplings and admire lantern displays during this festival. Sweet dumplings, round balls of glutinous rice flour with sugar fillings, symbolize reunion. The custom of displaying lanterns can be traced back to the first century A.D. On this festive night, many cities hold lantern exhibitions. In rural areas fireworks are set off, as people walk on stilts, perform the dragon lantern dance, dance the traditional yangge and swing in swings.
- What do people eat on Lantern Festival?
- When did people first celebrate this festival?
- Do you know other holidays in China?
- Can you describe orally the customs, traditions, and legends related to the holiday you know?
yummy!
Homework.: Prepare a 2-minute speech on your favourite holiday and why
Thanks!!!
My favourite holiday lesson plan
Camilla Moretto
Created on October 9, 2023
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Transcript
Happy Holidays!
A. You’ll hear a conversation on the ways peoples in China celebrate the Spring Festival. Listen to what they say to each other and fill in the blanks.
John: Hello, Tan. You look great today. I like your new dress. Tan: Thank you. I am ____________________ for the Spring Festival. John: Oh, yes, Chinese seem to have lots of things to do before that big day. Tan: Yes, indeed! Among the Han nationality people, northerners usually have jiaozi. It is a ____________________. Southerners like tangyuan, a kind of dumpling made of glutinous rice flour served in soup. It means the ______________________________. John: That sounds interesting. Tan: The Yao people like to do ____________________ dance. John: What is that? Tan: It is a ____________________ dance to greet the spring and wish for a good ______________________________. John: I see.
John: Hello, Tan. You look great today. I like your new dress. Tan: Thank you. I am dressing up for the Spring Festival. John: Oh, yes, Chinese seem to have lots of things to do before that big day. Tan: Yes, indeed! Among the Han nationality people, northerners usually have jiaozi. It is a symbol that the new replacing the old. Southerners like tangyuan, a kind of dumpling made of glutinous rice flour served in soup. It means the reunion of the family. John: That sounds interesting. Tan: The Yao people like to do the plowing dance. John: What is that? Tan: It is a ceremonial dance to greet the spring and wish for a good harvest. John: I see.
Answer these questions in pairs
★ What did you learn about northerners of the Han people celebrating the Spring Festival? ★ How do Southerners celebrate the Spring Festival? ★ What is a plowing dance?
Pair work: Student A picks up one group of people listed below and ask questions on how they celebrate the Spring Festival; student B answers the questions with the help of the China's Lunar New Year group of people. Please be creative in phrasing the questions. The above conversation can serve as a reference.
Example: Student A: What do the Han people do on China's Lunar New Year? Student B: They often rest and spend the time for entertainment. Student A: I see. What do they wear on China's Lunar New Year? Student B: They usually dress up for the Lunar New Year. Student A: That sounds interesting. What does China's Lunar New Year mean to people in China? Student B: It is meant to be a time for family reunion. Student A: Oh, I see.
The Daur People
The Han People
The Yao People
Bouyei
D. Listen to the following passage and then fill in the blanks as you listen to the passage the second time. Pay attention to the bold words and expressions.
Each year when winter is at its end and spring __________, people throughout China __________ the first traditional holiday of the year, Spring Festival. During the festival, many families enjoy the custom of pasting poetic Spring Festival __________ on the sides of their doorframes and __________ their rooms __________ New Year pictures. The evening before Spring Festival, lunar New Year's Eve, is an important time for family reunions. The whole family get together for a sumptuous dinner, followed by an evening of pleasant talk or games. Some families __________ all night, “seeing the old year out.” At midnight, firecrackers are set off as a ____________________. The next morning people pay New Year calls __________ relatives and friends. During the festival, various traditional recreational activities are enjoyed in many parts of China, most memorably lion dance, dragon lantern dance, __________, and ____________________.
Each year when winter is at its end and spring around the corner, people throughout China celebrate the first traditional holiday of the year, Spring Festival. During the festival, many families enjoy the custom of pasting poetic Spring Festival couplets on the sides of their door frames and decorating their rooms with New Year pictures. The evening before Spring Festival, lunar New Year's Eve, is an important time for family reunions. The whole family gets together for a sumptuous dinner, followed by an evening of pleasant talk or games. Some families stay up all night, “seeing the old year out.” At midnight, firecrackers are set off as a farewell to the old year and a welcome to the new. The next morning people pay New Year calls on relatives and friends. During the festival, various traditional recreational activities are enjoyed in many parts of China, most memorably lion dance, dragon lantern dance, land-boat rowing, and stilt-walking.
How to make SUGGESTIONS and SHOW DESIRE/INTEREST/INTENTION
Why don’t we ... (+ verb without ‘to’) ? Shall we ... (+ verb without ‘to’) ? Would you like to ... (+ verb) ? Let’s ... (+ verb without ‘to’) What about ... (+ -ing) ? How about ... (+ -ing) ? If I were you, I would... Subject + could/should + verb... I suggest/recommend that + sentence I suggest/recommend + ing... It would be nice if we could...
I would like to... I wish I could... I think I will... I will try to... I feel... I prefer/intend/plan/hope/long/need/aspire to... I must... I can't live without... It's my dream to..
How would you negotiate with your dad concerning what to do on this Lantern Festival? Both your dad and you have a different to-do list. Things listed on the top are of more interest than those listed at the bottom. Your mom wants a family holiday—doing everything together as a family. Try to talk your dad into doing the things you like. Your mom will be the decision-maker. Cook up a conversation in groups of three with the help of the table and the list of useful expressions below.
B. You are engaged in a meeting discussing your team's plan for the Dragon Boat Festival. Some Westerners at your company know little about the festival. Please work in pairs, one being the new Western employee, and the other, the local member of the team. The Westerner's role is to question the customs and traditions related to the festival and to seek advice on the possible ways of enjoying the festival; the local member's role is to inform and make suggestions. Work out a conversation by referring to the useful expression list above and the word list below.
Words & Expressions the Dragon Boat Festival 端午节 Qu Yuan (a poet, c.340-c.278) 屈原 Kingdom Chu 楚国 throw oneself into (a river) 投（江） the Miluo River 汨罗江 hurry to 赶到 get out of water 打捞 scatter rice into the river 撒米（入江） zongzi (a pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves) 粽子
A Listen to the passage and complete the information about holidays in China and traditional festivals for minority groups.
Holidays in China include New Year (January 1st); Spring Festival (New Year by the lunar calendar); International Working Women's Day (March 8th); Qing Ming Festival (around April 5th); International Labour Day (May 1th); International Children's Day (June 1st); Dragon Boat Festival (May 5th of the lunar calendar); Anniversary of the founding of the PLA (August 1st); Teacher's Day (September 10th); Mid-Autumn Festival (August 15th of the lunar calendar); and National Day (October 1st), etc. China's many minority ethnic groups have their own traditional festivals, including the Dai people's Water-Splashing Festival, the Mongolian's Nadam (Recreation) Fair, the Yi people's Torch Festival, the Yao people's Danu Festival (or Woman Ancestor's Day), the Bai people's Third Month Fair, the Zhuang people's Song Fair, and the Tibetans' New Year and Onghor (Expecting a Good Harvest) Festival.
Pair work: Take turns to ask and answer questions orally. The sentences below are for your reference.
Group discussion: Read the passage and discuss the following questions in your group.
Lantern Festival falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar calendar, the night of the first full moon after Spring Festival. Traditionally, people eat sweet dumplings and admire lantern displays during this festival. Sweet dumplings, round balls of glutinous rice flour with sugar fillings, symbolize reunion. The custom of displaying lanterns can be traced back to the first century A.D. On this festive night, many cities hold lantern exhibitions. In rural areas fireworks are set off, as people walk on stilts, perform the dragon lantern dance, dance the traditional yangge and swing in swings.
yummy!
Homework.: Prepare a 2-minute speech on your favourite holiday and why
Thanks!!!