Saint Patrick’s Day
Target audience (age): Ensino Médio Aims: reading comprehension and writing practice Duration: 30 min. Organization: pair work Materials: board, activity worksheets, extra sheets for writing, pencils
Preparation: • Have the copies ready for sts.
Procedures: • Before reading the text, ask sts questions about Saint Patrick’s Day. Examples: What do you know about Saint Patrick’s Day? When is it? How do people celebrate it? Where is it celebrated? • Introduce the questions and have sts work in pairs to answer them according to the text. • Correct the answers orally. • Ask sts to write a similar text about a Brazilian holiday for homework or for classwork in pairs.
Wrap-up: • If sts write the text in class, have volunteers read their text to the class.
Answer the following questions.
1. What happened to Saint Patrick at the age of 16? 2. When is Saint Patrick’s Day celebrated? 3. How did Saint Patrick use the shamrock? 4. Where is Saint Patrick’s Day celebrated? 5. What do people wear? 6. What is a shamrock? 7. Did Saint Patrick banish all the snakes from the island? 8. What do people traditionally eat on Saint Patrick’s Day? 9. What is a leprechaun?
Photocopiable – Teacher’s copy Saint Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick lived in the fifth century. He is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. He was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave when he was 16. He escaped, but returned later and brought Christianity to the Irish people. He used to explain the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) with a shamrock. It is believed that he died on March 17th, 461. The first parade to honor Saint Patrick took place in the United States on March 17th, 1762, in New York City. Nowadays, it is celebrated on the same date in many places, with parades in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, etc. About one million people take part annually in Ireland’s Saint Patrick’s Festival in Dublin, a celebration with parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions, and fireworks. People wear green clothes, eat green food, and drink green drinks. They pin shamrocks on their clothes as well.
Symbols The shamrock It was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolized the rebirth of spring. It became an Irish national symbol in the 17th century. Many Irish began to wear it as a symbol of pride. The snake It is said that Saint Patrick once stood on a hilltop and with only a wooden staff banished all the snakes from Ireland. However, this is a metaphor for the triumph of Christianity over paganism. There were never any snakes on the island. Corned beef dish Every year thousands of Irish Americans get together to share a traditional meal of corned beef, potatoes, and cabbage. The leprechaun The Celts believed in fairies, who were tiny men and women who could use their magic powers to serve good or evil. Leprechauns were known for their tricks, which were often used to protect fabled treasure. Based on
Photocopiable – Teacher’s copy Name ______Date ____/___/___
Answer the following questions.
1. What happened to Saint Patrick at the age of 16? 2. When is Saint Patrick’s Day celebrated? 3. How did Saint Patrick use the shamrock? 4. Where is Saint Patrick’s Day celebrated? 5. What do people wear? 6. What is a shamrock? 7. Did Saint Patrick banish all the snakes from the island? 8. What do people traditionally eat on Saint Patrick’s Day? 9. What is a leprechaun? Saint Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick lived in the fifth century. He is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. He was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave when he was 16. He escaped, but returned later and brought Christianity to the Irish people. He used to explain the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) with a shamrock. It is believed that he died on March 17th, 461. The first parade to honor Saint Patrick took place in the United States on March 17th, 1762, in New York City. Nowadays, it is celebrated on the same date in many places, with parades in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, etc. About one million people take part annually in Ireland’s Saint Patrick’s Festival in Dublin, a celebration with parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions, and fireworks. People wear green clothes, eat green food, and drink green drinks. They pin shamrocks on their clothes as well.
Symbols The shamrock It was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolized the rebirth of spring. It became an Irish national symbol in the 17th century. Many Irish began to wear it as a symbol of pride. The snake It is said that Saint Patrick once stood on a hilltop and with only a wooden staff banished all the snakes from Ireland. However, this is a metaphor for the triumph of Christianity over paganism. There were never any snakes on the island. Corned beef dish Every year thousands of Irish Americans get together to share a traditional meal of corned beef, potatoes, and cabbage. The leprechaun The Celts believed in fairies, who were tiny men and women who could use their magic powers to serve good or evil. Leprechauns were known for their tricks, which were often used to protect fabled treasure. Based on
Photocopiable – Student’s copy