Christmas Around the World

To take a break from the very serious, somber mood of my social studies class (refugee crisis) I'd thought I'd incorporate Christmas. Learning how other cultures celebrate Christmas can also incorporate geography too. Like all the units, the students will get a hand-out of the vocabulary, writing exercises and the readings, as well as a map.

How is Christmas celebrated in Taiwan? Asia? I found out that most of the students werent familiar with the Nativity story, so I had to show them a little cartoon with Chinese subs, as well as one with easy English.

 Reading: Christmas Traditions Around the World

Vocabulary:

1.     a Feast (n.)

2.   a  Saint (n.)

3.   an  Event (n.)

4.    Mass (n.) 彌撒；彌撒曲 to go to Mass 參加彌撒

5.    a hymn (n.)

6.    celebrate (v.)

7.    Pilgrims (pl. n.)  a pilgrim

8.   the  Host (n.)

9.    a Shelter (n.)

10.  Priests (pl. n.) a priest

11.   Decorated (past tense verb or adj.)   we decorated the tree/ the decorated tree

12.  the Winter solstice (n.)

The Philippines: Christmas season begins in September with the feast of Saint Pio (畢奧神父) and ends in January, meaning nearly half the year is Christmas in the Philippines. The event closest to December 25th is a nine-day mass called Simbang Gabi, which includes hymns and Filipino foods. Christmas Eve is celebrated all night and then followed by a day of family talks and gift giving. Maligayang pasko (Merry Christmas)! Mexico: In the nine days before Christmas, children and adults dress up as Mary and Joseph and visit different neighborhoods ("Las Posadas"). These “pilgrims” sing songs at houses to ask for shelter. The host replies in song and offers drink and food. Children try to break a star-shaped piñata and do not receive gifts until January 4th. Feliz Navidad! Ethiopia: Christmas Eve is celebrated on January 6th in accordance with the local Ge’ez calendar. On that night, priests carry nicely decorated umbrellas and wear traditional clothing. They march through cities with large groups of people. In the morning, people feast, presents are exchanged, and some people play sports. During the Timkat parade, held 12 days later, a stone石頭  replica 複製品 of the 10 Commandments (十誡（指《聖經》中，上帝透過摩西頒布給猶太人的行為準則) is wrapped in rich fabrics and carried by priests on their heads. Melkam Ganna! Finland: Finns believe that the Winter Solstice brings out the spirits of the dead. On Christmas Eve, celebrated at roughly (about) the same time, Finns place candles around the graves of relatives. Hyvää Joulua! Vietnam: Christmas was only recently reintroduced to largely Buddhist佛教徒 Vietnam after a relaxation of restrictions受約束的 in the early 1980s. It is a mainly a Jesus-free event. Santa is sometimes shown on a scooter instead of a sleigh and Vietnamese Catholics天主教徒 gather in churches that look like temples. Citizens visit crowded city centers and later eat Christmas chicken soup. Chúc Giáng Sinh Vui Vẻ!

Answer the questions:

1)     Which country has the longest Christmas holiday season?

2)     In Mexico, what should you do if Mary and Joseph show up at your door?

3)     What do priests carry on their heads during Timkat?

4)     Your opinion: Which celebration sounds most interesting to you?

II.          Festival of Lights

Central to the Christmas theme is the importance of light at the darkest time of the year. Baby Jesus is the light in a dark world. Even before Christianity, ancient people celebrated light during winter solstices.

 Reading 2: Festivals of Light

Vocabulary:

1.     Wreath

2.    To honor (v.)

3.    Choir

4.    To light (v.) past= lit

5.    Yule log

6.    Mistletoe

7.    Temple

8.    Sacred (adj.)

9.    dreidle

Festival of Light: St. Lucia's Day in Sweden  According to folk tradition, December 13th follows the longest night of the year in Sweden. During the winter there are only a few hours of sunlight each day. St. Lucia is honored this day with her wreath of candles. The oldest girl in the family is declared St. Lucia on December 13th. On this day she dresses up wearing a white robe with a red sash and a wreath with candles on her head. The "St. Lucia" of the family serves everyone a special  (saffron 番紅花粉 ) bun called Lussekatter. Schools have a celebration with a St. Lucia choir. All the girls dress up as St. Lucia and the boys are "Star Boys." Traditions of light: Christmas in France Bon Noël ! The Christian tradition of light during the Christmas season is celebrated by the Advent Candles which are lit for the next four following Sundays before Christmas Day. Families also burn a yule log. This tradition goes back pre-Christian celebrations during Winter Solstice. French children put their shoes by the fireplace on Christmas Eve in hopes that "Pere Noel" (Santa Claus) will bring them some toys. They leave a snack and a glass of wine for Pere Noel and beet greens for the donkey that travels with him. Pere Noel is tall and thin. He has a long red robe trimmed with fur. Pere Noel brings toys to children in a sack. As he comes, he calls out “tralala, tralala, bouli, bouli, boulah.” Families go to church at midnight on Christmas Eve. After church everyone eats a huge dinner called "Le Reveillon." After this large dinner of goose, turkey, chicken, or beef; a fish dish, cheese, bread, wine, and fruit, many families serve a "Buche de Noel." The Buche de Noel is a sponge cake decorated like a yule log. Some families burn a real log in the fireplace. French families think that mistletoe is also lucky and hang it everywhere. If a man or woman are under the mistletoe at the same time, they must kiss. Traditions of light: Hanukkah （猶太教的）獻殿節，光明節（在12月，爲期八天） Hanukkah is the Jewish Festival of Lights celebrated in countries all over the world. In 165 B.C. there was a great battle  戰役 between the Maccabees and the Syrians 敘利亞人／敘利亞的. The Jews won the battle  and when they went to their temple, they found that the Syrians had allowed使有可能 their sacred light to go out. They only had oil for one day. The miracle奇跡 of Hanukkah is that the oil lasted 8 days until a messenger could return with more. There are nine candles in the menorah大燭台. One is used to light the other candles and the other eight stand for the eight days that the oil kept burning. Children play a game with a spinning top called a dreidl. Everyone eats special foods such as potato pancakes. On Hanukkah it is traditional for parents to give their children money or "gelt."

1 1. Which traditions are similar to Taiwanese Chinese New Year?

22. Which Christmas foods would you like to try? I would like to try...

13. What might Light be a symbol for? Light can represent...

Resources:
http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/

http://www.everythingesl.net/lessons/light_festivals.php

http://www.everythingesl.net/lessons/spanish_christmas.php

Torah Tots

ESL Christmas 2016: Charlie Brown and Angels

I have the same ESL kids as last year, so I will review the Nativity  story  (The First Christmas) and carols we sang last year 2015.

This year I want to focus on Charlie' Brown's Christmas and the meaning of Christmas.

Charlie Brown's dilemma is about finding meaning in our modern, neurotic Christmas with its commercialism and pleasing others, over something more authentic. He cries out for meaning and Linus answers him with quoting Luke 2: 8-14 which is itself a prophetic quote.

At the end all the characters sing the classic carol, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!" Of course we will sing it too!
Before we watch the whole 1965 version, I will introduce the whole concept of the "Holiday Blues", and the story's characters. Then we will read the script beforehand, as I didn't find any YouTube versions with Chinese subtitles. If we had time, it would be fabulous to bring some drama into the classroom and act it out (script here).

Class Handout document here.

Vocabulary:

1.     Secularism  (n.) 現世主義/ secular (adj)

2.    Faith (n.) 宗教信仰/ faithful (adj.)

3.    Non-Secular (adj) = religious

4.    Commercialism  (n.) 商業主義；重商主義；利潤第一主義./ commercial (adj.) 

5.    “Holiday Blues” winter sadness, depression, missing dead family members

6.    Meaning (n.) 重要性；價值/ meaningful (adj.) synonym:______________

The Characters（電影、戲劇或故事中的）人物，角色:

Graphic Organizer (pg 3 PDF)

Charlie Brown: lead character, depressed 抑鬱的,消沉的,沮喪的, neurotic 神經過敏的，神經質的, modern 現代的 man

Linus: The voice of Meaning 重要性 (Faith宗教信仰). He is seen as weak and depending on his trusty blanket, but he can see Charlie's real problem better than Lucy.  He is wise 明智. In the end he does help all of them back to the Nativity story.

Lucy: "Know it all" "自以為無所不知的人", psychiatrist 精神科醫生 , psychologist 心理學家
 (Secularism 現世主義) She advises Charlie to be busy (forget about his emptiness) and direct 導演 a Christmas play.

Sally: Charlie's little sister who only cares about gifts and money (Commercialism 商業主義；重商主義；利潤第一主義).





Snoopy: Charlie Brown's Beagle 華格爾犬, who only cares about decorating his doghouse better than the others. (Commercialism)
Snoopy is the world's most famous beagle.
史諾比是世界上最著名的小獵犬。

 The Ending with Chinese Subs  Here

Questions:

1. Why is Charlie Brown depressed?
2. Why isn't Linus depressed?
3. Why does Charlie Brown chose the one weak sapling 小樹 over all the big, fake 假的，偽造的 Christmas trees?

The Non-Secular Meaning: Linus' Speech 

 The author and text: This was the 3rd gospel 福音書（《聖經》中記載耶穌生平的四福音書之一） written (according to tradition) by one of Jesus' followers (one of the 12 disciples耶穌十二門徒), named Luke, who was a well educated, urban doctor who wrote in Greek 希臘式的. It was written around 80 AD.

Luke 2: 8-14 (MEV) Modern English Version	路加福音 2: 8-14  Chinese New Version
The Shepherds and the Angels	天使向牧羊人報喜信
8 And in the same area there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And then an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were very afraid. 10 But the angel said to them, “Listen! Do not fear. For I bring you good news of great joy, which will be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.12 And this will be a sign to you: You will find the Baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly there was with the angel a company of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest,     and on earth peace, and good will toward men.”	8 在伯利恆的郊外，有一些牧人在夜間看守羊群。  9 主的一位使者站在他們旁邊，主的榮光四面照著他們，他們就非常害怕。  10 天使說：“不要怕！看哪！我報給你們大喜的信息，是關於萬民的：  11 今天在大衛的城裡，為你們生了救主，就是主基督。 12 你們要找到一個嬰孩，包著布，臥在馬槽裡，那就是記號了。”  13 忽然有一大隊天兵，同那天使一起讚美　神說： 14 “在至高之處，榮耀歸與　神！ 在地上，平安歸與他所喜悅的人！”

The Importance of Jesus' Birth:

1. TIME: The West counts time (the Gregorian calendar) according to Jesus' birth. BC Before Christ and AD anno Domini. So the year 2017 is 2017 years after Christ's birth. Most scholars believe Jesus birth actually happened between 4- 6 BC.
2. RELIGION 宗教信仰；宗教:  He is the founder of the Christian religion (CHRISTIANITY基督教) and believed to be God incarnated in man. He is considered a prophet預言家 by Muslims穆斯林, who also believe in His virgin birth (but not his deity).

Four Big Life Lessons from Charlie Brown's Christmas:

1. Holiday Blues are a real thing for many people.
2. Christmas is more than presents.
3. Keep it real, not fake traditions
4. Take time to enjoy

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 

(lyrics, video with Mandarin lyrics)

Extra:
Angels We Have Heard On High
Easy Angel Origami (1, 2, 3)







If we have time, I'll review from last year, A Christmas Carol, The Nutcracker and the Grinch. Unlike last year, I won't test on this.

Merry Christmas!

ESL Unit 3 Animals, Bikes and Paul Bunyan

I. Reading Comprehension

A. Hummingbirds

Vocabulary:

1. hummingbird (n.)       The bird feeder attracts many hummingbirds in summer.
2. quite + noun (used for emphasis 強調)        He is quite a player.
3. acrobat  (n.)     I wish I was as fit as the acrobats in the circus.
4. kingfisher  (n.)      We watched the kingfisher eat a fish.
5. to hover (v.)     The helicopter hovers over the car crash.
6. to match (v.) no + match for sth/sb    Hillary was no match for Trump.
7. skill (n.)       I have no skill in math.
8. strength  (n.)   She has more strength in her writing than last year.
9. nectar  (n.)      The bees like the nectar of this flowering herb.
10. to sip (v.)    Teacher sips her coffee slowly.
11. marking (n.)     My cat has black and white markings.
12. silk  (n.)         Her hair is as soft as silk.

台灣翠鳥覓食Kingfisher feeding (Taiwan)

B. Bats

Vocabulary:

1. to stretch (v.)     Stretching your muscles after a workout prevents injury.
2. active (adj.)       Although my grandma is old, she is still very active.
3. to hang (v.)      We hung ornaments on the Christmas Tree last night.
4. expression (n.)   Your face has a funny expression.
5. to guide (v.)     The dog guides the blind man across the street safely.
6. pitch (n.)       The song's pitch is too low for me to sing.
7. echo (n.)      The hiker yells on the mountain top, to hear his echo.
8. squeak (n.)   The mice are squeaking under the floor.
9. sonar (n.)    The navy uses a sonar system in their submarines.
10. to bump (v.)  The rude people bumped into me without an apology.
11. confused  (adj.)  to get + confused   I always got confused in math class.
12. to recognize (v.)    So many years had passed, that we didn't recognize each other.

EXTRA: Pollinators 授粉

1. What are the world's pollinators?
2. Why are pollinators important for the earth?
3. Which pollinators are endangered?

Resources:

BBC Earth
1.4 Billion Jobs Depend On Pollinators

Venn Diagram: Hummingbirds and Bats

C.Giraffes

1. graceful (adj.)    My mom is a graceful dancer.
2. gracefully (adv.)  My mom dances gracefully.
3. grown (adj.) 成年男子／女子的   His neighbor's dog is a full grown pet.
4. average (n.) 平均數；平均   My average (grade) is about 85%.
5. to gain weight (v.)   I gain weight every winter.
6. awkward (adj.)  扭捏不自然的 He was so shy and awkward with girls.
7. to gallop (v.)   飛跑，疾馳  The horse gallops across the fields.
8. to pace (v.) 為…定速度     The joggers pace themselves with their leader.
9. gentle (adj.)     Be more gentle with yourself.
10. curious (adj.)     All young toddlers are curious.

Extra: Giraffes at risk of extinction

D. Paul Bunyan 保羅 班揚

1. legend傳說，傳奇故事；民間故事 (n.) The movie is based on a Japanese legend.
2. giant巨人 (n.) Many different cultures believed in giants.
3. wore  (v.) past to wear  She wore the wrong uniform today.
4. porridge 燕麥粥，麥片粥 (n.)  English speaking kids eat oatmeal porridge for breakfast.
5. footprint腳印；足跡 (n.) The footprints of dinosaurs are on the mountains near my home.
6. lake 湖，湖泊 (n.) The lake near school is named after a dragon.
7. lumberjack 伐木工人，木材採運工 (n.) Lumberjacks needed to be super strong.
8. to form 製作；成為 (v.) Volcanic islands are still forming.
9. Grand Canyon 大峽谷國家公園(n.) Astronauts can see the Grand Canyon from space.
10. to drag 拖 (v.) The car is dragging a box behind it.

++ Lumbersexual :  A male hipster with a rugged, outdoorsy look, typified by plaid shirts and a full beard (Chinese)

E. Bike Safety

1. tip 指點，指導 (n.)  Grandma gave my aunt some useful cooking tips.
2. to cycle 騎單車／腳踏車 (v.)  He cycles three times a week to work.
3. serious 嚴重的；糟糕的 (adj.) We have some serious problems understanding this lesson.
4. hand signal 信號 (n.)  Do cyclists in Taiwan use hand signals?
5. to obey (v.) 服從，順從  The drivers obey this traffic light because of the cameras.
6. bright (adj.) 光明的，明亮的  The butterfly has a bright blue color.
7. bicyclist 騎腳踏車的人(n.) Many bicyclists come to Yilan for its many trails.
8. [working] order (n.) state of being  正常工作狀況；良好使用狀況 

TV for sale in (good) working order.出售性能良好的電視機。

Are your immigration papers in order (= legally correct)? 你的移民證件是否合法？

The coffee machine is out of order (= not working).咖啡機壞了。

II. Grammar

A. Synonyms and Antonyms

Game, Games 2

B. Homophones

C. Prefixes 前綴 (rap song)

In the word "unimportant", "un-" is a prefix.
在單詞 unimportant 中，un- 是前綴。

1. Common
2. Games 
3. Quiz

D. Possessive Pronouns/ Games/
E. Compound Subject + Compound Predicate
F.Subordinating Conjunctions