English Club: #3

Topic: Christmas.

Ice Breaker:(25 min) Listening Exercise. “Let it snow” and “Rocking around the Christmas tree.”

  1. Listen to the songs and talk about its content/meaning
  2. Pass out the handouts and listen again and fill in handouts as song plays. Let them ask questions about confusing phrases.
  3. Listen again and fill in remaining words. Go through any new words or phrases.

Small groups:Divide into as many small groups as there are facilitators.

  1. (20 min) Story strips. Divide your students into groups of 2-3 and give each group a scrambled set of story strips. Tell each group that they are to unscramble the story and place the sentences in the correct order. After all the groups are finished go through the highlighted vocabulary words
  1. (15 min) Christmas quiz. Read the attached Christmas quiz and have your students write their answers on a piece of paper. Go over the answers together. Answers: C, A, B, D, A, C, C, A, B
  1. (20 min) Discussion questions. Divide into as many small groups as there are facilitators. Facilitate a discussion about Christmas using the following questions:
  1. Explain one tradition you know about Christmas.
  1. What symbols are associated with Christmas?
  • Santa Claus (Saint Nicolas –priest gave gifts to poor people on Christmas Day)
  • Stockings – children hung their sock above fireplace to receive gifts
  • Nativities, Christmas Trees, Caroling, etc.
  • Candy Cane - some see symbolism such as:
  • Letter “J” – Stands for Jesus
  • Peppermint flavor – Like the gift of spices from the wise men
  • White candy – Stands for the virgin birth and Jesus’ holy sinless life
  • Cane – Like a staff used by shepherds (Jesus is “good shepherd”)
  • Hard Candy – Jesus is like a “rock”, strong and dependable
  • Color red – For God’s love that he sent Jesus to die for us
  1. Why do you think people give gifts on Christmas? a. Saint Nickolas, b. the wise men, c. God gave us Jesus
  1. Is the American holiday of Christmas similar to the KZ New Year Holiday? How? Why are they similar?
  1. What questions do have about the American Christmas holiday?

Large group:(10 min) Idioms. Go through the following idioms:

  • I'm lit up like a Christmas tree–an expression of excitement.
  • Shop ‘til you drop – to go shopping until you are so tired that you drop to floor in exhaustion
  • It’s the thought that counts – what is important about getting a gift is not how great the gift is but the thought and feeling a person put into getting it for you

Mary, a Jewish girl, was living in Galilee and was engaged to be married to Joseph, a Jewish carpenter.

An angel visited her and explained to her that she would give birth to a son and his name would be Jesus.

Mary questioned the angel, "How can this be?" The angel explained that the child would be conceived by the Holy Spirit and would be the Son of God.

While Mary was still engaged to Joseph, she miraculously became pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

At that time, Caesar Augustus ordered that a census be taken, and every person in the entire Roman world had to go to his own town to register.

Joseph, being of the line of David, was required to go to Bethlehem to register with Mary.

While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus. Probably due to the census, the inn was too crowded, and Mary gave birth in a simplestable.

She wrapped the baby in cloths and placed him in a manger.

Out in the fields, an angel of the Lord appeared to a group of shepherds. The angel announced that the Savior had been born in the town of David.

The shepherds decided to travel to Bethlehem to see the child. There they found Mary, Joseph and the baby, in the stable.

After their visit, they began to spread the word about this amazing child and everything the angel had said about him.

At this time wise men (Magi) from the east saw a star, they came in search, knowing the starsignified the birth of the king of the Jews.

We they found Jesus with his mother in Bethlehem, they boweddown and worshipped him, offering treasures of gold, incense and myrrh [perfume].

Christmas Quiz

  1. How did Mary find out she would have a child?
  2. She noticed she was getting bigger and knew she was pregnant
  3. God told her that she would have a child
  4. An angel told her that she would have a child
  5. None of the above
  1. How did Mary and Joseph decide on naming their child “Jesus”?
  2. An angel told them what to name the child
  3. They followed the local customs and named him after his father
  4. They thought it sounded nice
  5. None of the above
  1. What town was Jesus born in?
  2. Nazareth
  3. Bethlehem
  4. Shemkent
  5. Galilee
  6. None of the above
  1. What did the wise men give to Jesus?
  2. Gold
  3. Incense
  4. Myrrh
  5. All of the above
  1. Why did Mary and Joseph travel to another city (Jesus’ birthplace) before Jesus was born?
  2. To be registered
  3. To visit relatives
  4. To go on a vacation
  5. None of the above
  1. Who was the last to visit baby Jesus?
  2. Herod
  3. Shepherds
  4. Three Wise Men
  1. Where did Jesus sleep the night of His birth?
  2. In a baby carriage
  3. In an inn
  4. In an animal’s feeding trough
  5. In His mother’s arms
  6. None of the above
  1. How did the Shepherds find Jesus?
  2. An angel told them where to go
  3. They followed a moving star to Jesus’ home
  4. They asked for directions from local people
  5. None of the above
  1. How did the wise men find Jesus?
  2. The angels told them where to go
  3. They followed a moving star to Jesus’ home
  4. They asked for directions from local people
  5. None of the above

Christmas Quiz

  1. How did Mary find out she would have a child?
  2. She noticed she was getting bigger and knew she was pregnant
  3. God told her that she would have a child
  4. An angel told her that she would have a child
  5. None of the above
  1. How did Mary and Joseph decide on naming their child “Jesus”?
  2. An angel told them what to name the child
  3. They followed the local customs and named him after his father
  4. They thought it sounded nice
  5. None of the above
  1. What town was Jesus born in?
  2. Nazareth
  3. Bethlehem
  4. Shemkent
  5. Galilee
  6. None of the above
  1. What did the wise men give to Jesus?
  1. Gold
  2. Incense
  3. Myrrh
  4. All of the above
  1. Why did Mary and Joseph travel to another city (Jesus’ birthplace) before Jesus was born?
  2. To be registered
  3. To visit relatives
  4. To go on a vacation
  5. None of the above
  1. Who was the last to visit baby Jesus?
  1. Herod
  2. Shepherds
  3. Three Wise Men
  1. Where did Jesus sleep the night of His birth?
  2. In a baby carriage
  3. In an inn
  4. In an animal’s feeding trough
  5. In His mother’s arms
  6. None of the above
  1. How did the Shepherds find Jesus?
  2. An angel told them where to go
  3. They followed a moving star to Jesus’ home
  4. They asked for directions from local people
  5. None of the above
  1. How did the wise men find Jesus?
  2. The angels told them where to go
  3. They followed a moving star to Jesus’ home
  4. They asked for directions from local people
  5. None of the above

Let it snow / Rocking around the Christmas tree

Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we've no place to go
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

It doesn't show signs of stopping
And I've brought some corn for popping
The lights are turned way down low
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

When we finally kiss goodnight
How I'll hate going out in the storm!
But if you'll really hold me tight
All the way home I'll be warm

The fire is slowly dying
And, my dear, we're still goodbying
But as long as you love me so
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

______

Rocking around the Christmas tree
at the Christmas party hop
Mistletoe hung where you can see
every couple tries to stop
Rocking around the Christmas Tree
Let the Christmas spirit ring
Later we'll have some pumpkin pie
and we'll do some caroling
You will get a sentimental feeling when you hear voices singing
"Let's be jolly; Deck the halls with boughs of holly"
Rocking around the Christmas Tree
Have a happy holiday
Everyone dancing merrily
In the new old fashioned way
Let it snow / Rocking around the Christmas tree

Oh the ______outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we've no ______to go
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

It doesn't show signs of ______
And I've brought some corn for popping
The ______are turned way down low
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

When we finally kiss goodnight
How I'll hate going out in the ______!
But if you'll really ______me tight
All the way home I'll be warm

The fire is ______dying
And, my dear, we're still goodbying
But as long as you love me so
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

______

Rocking around the Christmas tree
at the Christmas ______hop
Mistletoe hung where you can see
every ______tries to stop
Rocking ______the Christmas Tree
Let the Christmas spirit ring
Later we'll have some ______pie
and we'll do some caroling
You will get a sentimental ______when you hear voices singing
"Let's be jolly; Deck the halls with boughs of holly"
Rocking around the Christmas Tree
Have a happy ______
Everyone ______merrily
In the new old fashioned way