The document summarizes the customs of three American holidays: Christmas Day, Valentine's Day, and Independence Day. It describes traditions such as gift giving, decorating with lights and trees, exchanging valentines, having romantic dinners, hosting barbecues, and watching fireworks displays while wearing patriotic clothing and listening to songs like "The Star Spangled Banner". It also discusses the origins and history behind some of the customs for each holiday.

1. Actividad 2- Lectura de comprensión (adquisición de nuevos conocimientos) El maestro facilitará textos con información acerca de las celebraciones estadounidenses, mismas que los alumnos tendrán que leer. *Tarea: los alumnos, de manera individual, elegirán dos de las celebraciones contenidas en las lecturas e investigarán la manera en que se celebraba cada una de ellas en el tiempo de sus abuelos. Proceso de pensamiento implicado: relación de cambios. Crear un cuadro de las costumbres de Estados Unidos compradas con las de Mexico. Utilizando recursos como Google Docs, Zoho, etc. Reading comprehension: the customs in the US Christmas Day It is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, Church celebrations, and the display of various decorations—including the Christmas tree, lights, mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly. Santa Claus (also referred to as Father Christmas, although the two figures have different origins) is a popular mythological figure often associated with bringing gifts at Christmas for children. Santa is generally believed to be the result of a syncretization between Saint Nicholas and elements from pagan Nordic and Christian mythology, and his modern appearance is believed to have originated in 19th century media. Christmas is celebrated throughout the Christian population, but is also celebrated by many non-Christians as a secular, cultural festival. Because gift-giving and several other aspects of the holiday involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, Christmas has become a major event for many retailers. In many countries there are many different types of decorations used depending on the traditions and available resources. In the Western world, rolls of brightly colored paper with secular or religious Christmas motifs are manufactured for the purpose of wrapping gifts. The display of Christmas villages has also become a tradition in many homes during this season. Other traditional decorations include bells, candles, candy canes, stockings, wreaths, and angels. In many countries a representation of the Nativity Scene is very popular, and people are encouraged to compete and create most original or realistic ones. Within some families, the pieces used to make the representation are considered a valuable family heirloom. Christmas decorations are traditionally taken down on Twelfth Night, the evening of January 5. The traditional colors of Christmas are pine green (evergreen), snow white, and heart red. Valentine's Day St Valentine's Day has roots in several different legends that have found their way to us through the ages. One of the earliest popular symbols of the Valentine's Day is Cupid, the Roman god of love, who is represented by the image of a young boy with bow and arrow. Several theories surround the history of Valentine's Day. Whatever the odd mixture of origins, St Valentine's Day is now a day for sweethearts. It is the day that you show your friend or loved one that you care. You can send candy to someone you think is special. Or you can send roses, the flower of love. Most people send a
Valentine
, a greeting card named after the notes that St Valentine received in jail. One of the most popular ways couples celebrate Valentine's Day is by planning a romantic getaway which may be a romantic dinner at restaurants, the special place where the couple met for the first time, go on a Cruise, go dancing, give & receive Serenades, etc. Whether their romantic escape occurs exactly on Valentine's Day, the weekend before or after, anytime in the month of February, or soon thereafter, the little extras that resorts add make getaways that much sweeter. Independence Day In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Families often celebrate Independence Day by hosting or attending a picnic or barbecue and take advantage of the day off and, in some years, long weekend to gather with relatives. Decorations (e.g., streamers, balloons, and clothing) are generally colored red, white, and blue, the colors of the American flag. Parades often are in the morning, while fireworks displays occur in the evening at such places as parks, fairgrounds, or town squares. People tend to put on cloth that have American symbols on it, the most common one is putting T-shirts, hats, shoes, jeans, with the American flag as their symbol. Independence Day fireworks are often accompanied by patriotic songs such as the national anthem
The Star-Spangled Banner
,
God Bless America
,
America the Beautiful
,
My Country, 'Tis of Thee
,
This Land Is Your Land
,
Stars and Stripes Forever
, and, regionally,
Yankee Doodle
in northeastern states and
Dixie
in southern states. Some of the lyrics recall images of the Revolutionary War or the War of 1812.