To Develop an Ever-Improving Capability to Use English

FESTIVALS

Module Happy Days

Unit Festivals

Key Stage Targets To develop an ever-improving capability to use English - to converse about feelings, interests, preferences, ideas, experiences and plans (I.D. b) - to provide for or find out, organize and present information on familiar topics (K.D. a) - to interpret and use given information through processes or activities such as matching, classifying, explaining and drawing conclusions (K.D. b) - to give expression to one’s experience through activities such as providing simple oral and written accounts of events and one’s reactions to them (E.D. d)

Programme Outline On Lai, a Chinese girl, Mina who comes from Japan and James who comes from the United Kingdom are participating in a TV Cultural Show about festivals. Just when they are about to introduce a festival from their home country, the computer in the studio breaks down and loses all their information. However, the computer requests the children to do a presentation on a festival from another country. The children feel confused and worry how they can present on a different festival. Then Mina comes up with the idea that they can help each other research on the topic. James also teaches them to start their research with the 5Ws. What are the 5Ws? How do they gather information on a different festival? The three festivals introduced in the programme are: 1. Tuen Ng Festival or the Dragon Boat Festival which falls on the 5th day of the 5th month in the Chinese calendar: People row on dragon boats and eat rice dumplings to commemorate Qu Yuan, a Chinese poet 2. Girls’ Day which falls on the 3rd of March: Girls in Japan put on their kimonos and get a doll from their mother. The doll is placed on a special shrine. 3. Halloween which falls on the 30th of October: Children put on fancy or scary costumes and knock on people’s doors for tricks or treats.

Learning Objectives 1. to find out how people celebrate festivals in different countries 2. to learn more about different cultures of the world 3. to develop an inquiry approach to learning Communicative Functions 1. Draw others’ attention to people and things and describe them briefly 2. Give a simple account of past events and what people did in the past

Suggested Activities 1. Motivate the class by asking them to name a few festivals celebrated in Hong Kong. Teachers can write the 5Ws on the blackboard and ask pupils questions on the festivals based on the 5Ws. For instance, what is the name of the festival? When is it held? What do people do? Who do they celebrate it with?

2. Briefly introduce the programme outline to the pupils. Ask pupils to make notes of the festivals mentioned in the programme with reference to Copymaster 1. To facilitate pupils doing the task, teachers should ask the pupils to pre-read the questions before viewing the programme. The questions enable the pupils to watch the programme with a purpose and listen for the relevant information. Answers: 1. On Lai – China; Mina – Japan; James – United Kingdom/England/Europe 2.On Lai – Tuen Ng/Dragon Boat Festival; Mina – Girls’ Day; James – Halloween 3. What? When? Where? Who? Why? 4. Sticky rice, salted egg yolk, pork, green beans 5. a doll

3. After viewing the programme, pupils choose one festival from the programme and do a presentation on it with reference to Copymaster 2 and Copymaster 3. Teachers can replay the segment on the chosen festival to allow pupils to gather the information needed for the presentation.

4. As a follow-up activity, pupils can research on their favourite festival and fill in the table in Copymaster 4. Teachers can ask pupils to narrow their research by focusing on the 5Ws. Copymaster 1 Festivals ______Part 1a Make notes according to the following questions while you are watching the programme.

1. Which country do the children come from?

On Lai - ______

Mina - ______

James - ______

2. What are the names of the festivals the children talk about?

On Lai - ______

Mina - ______

James - ______

3. What are the 5Ws mentioned by James?

______

4. What do we need to make rice dumplings? Read the following and tick ( √ ) the ingredients mentioned in the programme. ____ sticky rice ____ noodles ____ eggs ____ salted egg yolk ____ chicken ____ pork ____ black beans ____ green beans

5. What does Mina get from her mother on Girls’ Day?

______Copymaster 2 Festivals ______Part 2a Fact Sheet on Tuen Ng Festival

When is it held? What do people do?

The ______of the People row ______& ______month in the eat ______Chinese calendar ______

Tuen Ng

Who do they celebrate Festival it with? Why do people do that?

People do that to remember They celebrate it with ______, a Chinese their ______and poet. He jumped into the ______. ______because the king did not listen to him. People ______boats and threw ______into the sea so that the fish would not eat his body. Copymaster 3 Festivals ______Part 2b Fact Sheet on Girls’ Day

The ______of ______Girls get a ______from their mother. They also eat ______and drink ______.

Girls’ Day

Who do they celebrate it with? Why do people do that?

They celebrate it with Mothers hope that their their ______and daughter will grow ______and

______. Copymaster 4 Festivals ______Part 3 What is your favourite festival? Do a presentation on your favourite festival with reference to the 5Ws.

Who do they celebrate it with? Why do people do that?