Festivals Intermediate
Step 1: Introduce the topic of festivals. Ask your students what festivals they have participated in other countries. Introduce words like customs, traditions, cultural heritage, etc.
Step 2: Have the students discuss the warm-questions and ask for some answers after they are done to create conversations.
Step 3: Introduce the article. Have your students read aloud and go through some of the vocabulary.
Step 4: Have the students complete the vocabulary worksheet before the reading or after the reading. This will depend on teacher preferences.
Step 5: Let the students discuss the discussion questions and elicit answers from them after they are done. You should get them to use the vocabulary in their discussions.
1. What are some of your favorite festivals and holidays?
2. What festivals or holidays from other countries do you wish you could celebrate in your home country? Why?
3. What do you like to do on most festivals or holidays?
4. Are festivals and holidays important? Why?
5. Have some traditional festivals and holidays changed over the years? How so?
Festivals Around the World
Mexico - Day of the Dead
On November 2nd, Mexicans get together to celebrate one of their most popular festivals, The Day of the Dead. The festival is about families welcoming back the souls of their deceased relatives for a short reunion that includes food, drinks, and a large celebration. Often confused with Halloween, The Day of the Dead was the influence for the American night of trick or treating. The festival dates back to 3000 years ago, in ancient Mexico, it believes that the gates of heaven open for one night, and the spirits can visit their families for 24 hours. On this day, people tend to wear skull masks and eat candy, go to parties, spend time with their families, and some bring food to the gravesites (tombs) of their relatives.
Canada - Winter Carnival
For 10 days, Quebec City welcomes visitors from all over the world to celebrate their famous snow festival. The festival started in 1894 as a way to brighten people’s moods and attract tourists. However, the holiday was interrupted many times throughout the years because of the economic crisis of the 1930s and the Second World War. Nevertheless, the holiday came back in the 1950s and has continued ever since. To celebrate, people gather to see or take part in numerous winter events, such as ice canoeing, ice sculpting, snowshoe racing, sledding, sled dog racing, a big parade, and many more activities. One of the popular delicacies at the festival is hot maple syrup that is poured onto ice and then wrapped up with a popsicle stick. There is also a famous hotel made out of ice that has become a favored destination for visitors.
Dragon Boat Festival - China
Every year people in China gather for the annual Dragon Boat Festival. The festival originated in China 2,000 years ago. One legend says that the festival honors the life of a poet named Qu Yuan. This ancient statesman was living in exile after a jealous king banished him from his province. To protest the corruption in his province, he committed suicide by jumping into the Miluo River. The people who loved him rushed out in fishing boats, beating drums to scare off the fish. They also threw rice in the river so that the fish wouldn’t eat the poet’s body. Today, the festival is about celebrating health and chasing away disease and evil spirits. Large boats decorated with a dragon’s face and tail are led by teams of 20, paddling to win the race.
Gion Matsuri - Japan
Gion Matsuri is one of the largest and most famous festivals in Japan. The festival started more than 1000 years ago as a way to appease the gods during an epidemic and was continued whenever there was a plague outbreak. The tradition has survived ever since and now takes place annually during July in Kyoto. The most popular events at the festival are the parades of floats that go through the city streets. These floats show important cultural and historical figures and beautiful decorations like lanterns and textiles, or they may have musicians playing drums and flutes. During the festival, the streets of downtown Kyoto are reserved for pedestrians, where they can enter traditional houses to look at family heirlooms or to eat at one of the many food stalls.
1. Why do people bring food to the tombstones on The Day of the Dead?
2. What do people tend to wear and eat on the Day of the Dead?
3. Why was the Winter Carnival interrupted many times in Canada?
4. What is a popular delicacy to eat at the Winter Carnival?
5. Why did the people beat drums and throw rice in the river when they went to get the poet?
6. What does the Dragon Boat Festival celebrate?
7. Why did the Gion Matsuri festival start 1000 years ago?
8. What do the people do when the streets of downtown Kyoto are reserved for pedestrians?
1. Because they believe the souls of their families return for 24 hours.
2. They wear skull masks and eat candy.
3. It was interrupted due to the economic crisis of the 1930s and the Second World War.
4. Hot maple syrup that is poured on ice and wrapped up with a popsicle stick.
5. To scare off the fish that were eating him.
6. Celebrating health and chasing away disease and evil spirits.
7. As a way to appease the gods during an epidemic and continued whenever there was a plague outbreak.
8. They can enter traditional houses to look at family heirlooms or to eat at one of the many food stalls.
1. Are there any festivals in your country that are similar? How so?
2. Which festival would you like to go to the most? Explain your answer.
3. What do the festivals and holidays in your town/country celebrate?
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Deceased: Someone who has passed away or is no longer living.
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Reunion: A gathering of people who have been separated, usually family or friends coming together after a period of time.
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Interrupt: To stop someone or something temporarily by breaking their action or speech.
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Delicacy: A type of food that is considered rare, delicious, or highly prized. It can also refer to something fragile or easily broken.
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Originate: To begin or come into existence from a particular source.
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Corruption: Dishonest or illegal behavior, often involving someone in a position of power.
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Tradition: A custom, belief, or practice that is handed down within a society or culture from one generation to another.
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Appease: To make someone calm or satisfied by giving them what they want or by doing something to soothe them.
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Heirloom: An object that has been passed down in a family for generations, usually considered valuable or of sentimental importance.
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Festivals Around the World
