HOLIDAYS+AND+FESTIVALS

=**HALLOWEEN**=

What do you know about this American festival? Have a look here: http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-2INvDKU0f6GH_L6s8y5cWXOKoqU-?cq=1&p=164

Now download this file and bring it to school.



Then do this vocabulary exercise: http://www.zanichellihappening.it/mostra_articolo.asp?IdArticolo=1357

Finally, have a look at how our American friends at ** Patrick Henry High School, San Diego, CA   **dressed up for Halloween 2008: http://henry.sandi.net/staff/cpauchni/hal08.html

=GUY FAWKES=

What do you know about this British festivity? Watch this video and listen to the story: http://www.quia.com/hm/325207.html

Now read these two articles: http://www.zanichellihappening.it/mostra_articolo.asp?IdArticolo=197 http://www.tolearnenglish.com/free/civi/civi4.php

Then listen to and read this: http://www.kico4u.de/english/topicotw/guyfaw.htm, do the quiz: http://www.kico4u.de/english/topicotw/guyfawkesquiz.htm and try a dictation at: http://www.learnenglish.de/Dictation/DictationBonfireI.htm

Take this exercise: http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-3732.php

Now, do you know everything about Guy Fawkes? Try this hard quiz (launch the game), and you'll find out! http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/launch_gms_gunpowder_plot.shtml

And last but not least, have a look at what a school set up for Guy Fawkes: http://www.ictacchiventuri.it/english/guy/index.html Open the sections Traditions and take the Quiz.

=THANKSGIVING=



Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated in the United States of America and in Canada, it doesn't have a precise date like Halloween does (October 31st) or my birth date. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the U.S.A. and on the second Monday of October in Canada. Thanksgiving is a huge event in the U.S.A.: school stops, national sports stop, stores close, everything shuts down that day. It is a very joyful day, the whole family gathers for a meal.

I am very lucky because I am a dual citizen, both American and Italian, so every year I go to my American family and together we celebrate Thanksgiving!

This year Thanksgiving was on Thursday 22nd November. I was missing from school from Saturday 17th to Sunday 25th 8-P.

Anyway, this year was a bit different. It was different because last year my whole "American" family (twenty-two people) celebrated together but this time two of my dad's sisters celebrated with their husband's side so it turned out to be only nine of us this Thanksgiving: my aunt, my uncle, my three cousins, my sister, my father, my grand-mother and I.

As you all will know, turkey is the main component of the traditional Thanksgiving meal, but there are other delicacies which were present on the Thanksgiving table last Thursday. They were: mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy and vegetables (both normal and roasted). I know it sounds delicious :). After the amazing main meal the desserts were served... INCREDIBLE, just incredible... they were sooo good! We had a choice between four different pies: Pumpkin pie (the traditional Thanksgiving dessert); Pumpkin pie but this pumpkin was whipped for the pie, Caramel-Apple pie and Apple-Cranberry pie. Don't they sound just mouth-watering??? I of course had a piece of each pie :D.

I had a lot of fun this year because I got closer to my cousins. We talked the whole night, laughing and joking around, it was so very entertaining!

That concludes my Thanksgiving //reportage.

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee,

Shaky//

I hope I wrote this page in a simple enough manner so that my Italian friends understand it...


 * //Thanks, Shaky for your cooperation! It's been very useful! Your Teacher of English//

To all the students: now please listen to this exercise and do the activities:** http://www.zanichellihappening.it/mostra_articolo.asp?IdArticolo=1019

1. My Thanksgiving: http://www.zanichellihappening.it/mostra_articolo.asp?IdArticolo=216 2. The Thanksgiving Turkey: http://www.zanichellihappening.it/mostra_articolo.asp?IdArticolo=486
 * Then read these articles:**

= = =Christmas Time!= = = Record your thoughts and opinions through your Voki avatar ([|www.voki.com]). Use the following prompts. SPEAK FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES!
 * How do you usually spend your Xmas holidays? What did you do last Xmas? What does Xmas mean to you: is it a religious, a pagan or a commercial holiday? How are you going to celebrate New Year's Eve?**

1. When Xmas comes, I feel... 2. I like/don't like Xmas because.. 3. At Xmas Eve I usually... 4. Last year I spent my Xmas day... 5. This Xmas I'm going/not going to... I want/don't want to... 6. When I was little child, at Xmas I used to/didn't use to... 7. The things I like/hate doing most at Xmas are... 8. My favourite Xmas song is... because... 9. My favourite Xmas movie is... It's a story about.... 10. This New Year's Eve I'm going/not going to... = = = =

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