Lesson Plan Primary School. Class 2

1. Lesson plan – Primary School
Topic: It´s festival time
Students’ level: pre-intermediate
Age: 11 years old
Number of students: 25
Duration of each lesson: 80 minutes
ALUMNO RESIDENTE:
Período de Práctica: segundo ciclo- primaria
Institución Educativa: Instituto Primo Capraro
Dirección: Gallardo 40 - Bariloche
Sala / Grado / Año - sección: 6th form
Cantidad de alumnos: 25
Nivel lingüístico del curso: pre-intermediate
Tipo de Planificación: clase
Unidad Temática: Celebraciones
Clase Nº:
Fecha: 24/08/2017
Hora: 12:55 - 14:15 hs.
Duración de la clase: 80 minutos
Teaching points: Festival vocabulary (Mardi Gras), Present perfect with
ever and never
Aims: During this lesson, learners will be able to:
 Identify the new vocabulary presented in a meaningful context
 Develop the students´ skills through different activities.
 Develop students´ ability to describe festivals and understand
 Understand the present perfect tense used with ever and never
REVISION Lexis Function Structure Pronunciation

2. Teaching approach: The lesson is based on the Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT). Students are expected to infer the rules of the target
language and learn new vocabulary by means of listening, reading and
using it in communicative activities. The lesson was planned in order to
develop students´ language awareness.
Materials and resources: set of photos(nouns and verbs), CD, CD player,
a world map, a bag, some photocopies about different festivals in the
world, bingo charts
Pedagogical use of ICT in class: In this lesson, some audiofiles will be used
so as to develop students´ listening comprehension. Activities will be
organized through the combination of audio and visual material which will
enhance language learning and acquisition.
Seating arrangement: During the lessons the students will be sitting in
pairs as usual. They will also be asked to work in small groups, choosing
their partners.
Cooperative work: The whole lesson demands cooperative work because
the T will guide the students through questions in order to promote
language awareness. Therefore, the students will be expected to
participate actively. There is a group activity that enhances collaborative
work.
Festivals,
occasions
and
celebrations.
lantern,
pumpkin,
turkey,
bonfire,
fireworks,
powder,
lamps
Making
preparations
for a party
Present
Perfect
I have + past
participle
She has +
past
participle
Weak form of
have
/həv/
NEW
More festival
vocabulary.
Mardi Gras
and other
celebrations
Knowing
about
different
festivals
around the
world
Present
perfect:
negatives
and
questions
Ever and
never
Schwa
parade
/pəˈreɪd/
colorful
/`kʌləf(ə)l/

3. Potential problems students may have with the language: In order to
minimize difficulties students may find while the T uses the target
language, different classroom management strategies will be applied: the
lesson is carefully planned, timing is controlled to be efficiently used, the
visual and auditory input is chosen to facilitate learning, activities will be
modeled and more examples will be given in case difficulties arose.
Routine 5’:
Purpose: to start the lesson and establish rapport.
I get into the classroom and greet students: “Hello everyone! How are you
today?” The students may answer: “we´re fine” “OK” “very well, Miss”. They
always make me some comments at the beginning of the lesson.
Then, I ask them to stick their names on the desks: “Please, stick the piece of
paper with your names on the desk, so it would be easier for me to remember
your names”
Transition comment: “OK, are you ready to start the lesson? Here we go!”
Warm-up 5’:
Purpose: to get students into the mood for work and review the present perfect
tense.
I ask the pupils how we make the present perfect form of the regular verbs. I
elicit that we use has/have and we add –ed or –d to the main verb. For example:
I have cleaned my bedroom. Samuel has organised his birthday party. Then, I
ask: “when do we use this tense?” I elicit that we use it to talk about actions
which have recently ended, but they have an impact on the present. I explain:
“Suppose that I´m completely wet so I say: “It has rained a lot” it is not raining
now. The action of raining has recently ended but the impact on the present is
that I´m completely wet.”
I write the verbs: DO, BUY, COME, SEE, GET, GIVE, GO, MAKE, SEND and EAT on
the board. These verbs are taken from the activity 4 from the Activity Book that
the students did as homework. l ask them to write on the board the past
participle forms.

4. Once the sts complete the list of irregular verbs, I ask: “Are these verbs regular
or irregular?”
Presentation 10´:
Purpose: to further expose the learners to the target language, to deepen their
knowledge about when the Present perfect tense is used and at the same time
to know about another festival.
We go on working on present perfect and its uses. I explain that we also use the
present perfect tense when we talk about someone´s current life experience.
We talk about what someone has done or what he or she has experienced, but
don´t specify when or in what circumstances it happened. In this case we use the
words EVER and NEVER.
I write some example on the board:
1. Have you ever been to India?
2. I have never celebrated Diwali.
Then I say: “Look at these examples, Can you work out when we use ever and
when never?”
I elicit the rules from the students. Ever is used in questions and never is used in
affirmative sentences with a negative meaning.
Then, I say: “Later we´ll come back to this use of the present perfect. Now we
are going to learn about another festival that it is celebrated in New Orleans.
Please, open your students´ book at page 62” I point out the title to the class
and ask: “Do you know what kind of celebration Mardi Gras is? Look at the
photo, what can you see on it?” I write on the board the words they mention so
as to check their predictions (pre-reading activity) about the text we are going
to read.
Transition comment: “OK, it´s reading time. Let´s read about this celebration,
Mardi Gras so we can check if your predictions are true or not”
Development 30’:
 Activity 1 – 10’:
Purpose: this activity fosters reading comprehension and besides
promotes the practice of present perfect tense.

5. I ask the sts to read the text and I ask:” where is New Orleans?” A student read
the first paragraph and then the second is read by another student. Then I ask
them to complete individually the gaps with the correct form of the verbs in
brackets, and then they answer the question about the text. I monitor as they
work individually to complete the task. When they have finished, they can
compare their answers with a partner. Here I ask: “So, now that you have
finished the task, Where is New Orleans?” They raise their hand to answer the
question. I ask for class agreement before confirming the answer is correct.
Read and complete the text with the correct form of the verbs. Where is New
Orleans?
People in many countries celebrate carnival. It is an annual festival before the
start of the Lent. The biggest celebration is usually on Shrove Tuesday. Mardi
Gras is French for Shrove Tuesday. The Mardi Gras festival in New Orleans, USA,
is one of the most famous carnival celebrations in the world.
There are parades in the streets. There are amazing decorated floats in the
parades. People wear costumes, masks and make-up. They have parties and they
sing and dance. There are often wonderful fireworks too.
This parade (1)……………………..(start). The people
(2)……………………..(dress up) as clowns. They
(3)………………………………… (put on) make-up and funny hats. They
(4)…………………………………. never…………. (have) so much fun before
and they are going to celebrate all night.
An interesting Mardi Gras tradition in New Orleans is bead throwing. People on
the floats throw strings of colorful beads to the crowd. You can see lots of
people wearing them.
(5) …………………. you ever ………………… (see) a carnival parade?
Text taken from: Hopscotch 6 (2017) National Geographic.
 Activity 2 -5’:
Purpose: to continue developing their listening comprehension strategies
and to check if their answers are correct.

6. I explain to the class that they are going to listen to the CD to check their
answers from the previous activity. I play the CD twice if necessary and ask
the pupils to raise their hand to write the answers on the board. I check the
spelling and I ensure that they all have the answers written correctly in their
books.
 Activity 3 -5’: Game
Purpose: this activity encourage to enlarge the students´vocabulary about
festivals (nouns and verbs)
I present a bag which contains different pictures about festival words. The
students take a picture and say the word. For instance: parade, float, put on,
fireworks, wear, beads, costume, funny hat, make-up, mask, celebrate,
dance, sing, take part in, enjoy.
They stick the picture on the board and write the word, then they complete a
text using the verbs.
Photos/pictures
Complete the text with the verbs
(celebrate, dance, enjoy, put on, sing, take part in, wear)
Carnival is a time to (1)…………………before the beginning of Lent. In
many countries people (2)…………………….in parades. They dressup in
costumes and they (3)……………………make-up or
(4)………………….masks. People (5)……………… parties where they
listen to music, (6)…………….and (7)………….songs together.
Taken from: Hopscotch 6 (2017) Nat Geo
 Activity 4 -10’:
Purpose: to practice the irregular verbs through a game and have fun.

7. I write on the board a list of irregular verbs studied during the unit:
1. put on
2. go
3. be
4. take (part in)
5. throw
6. have
7. wear
8. see
9. eat
10. send
11. make
12. buy
13. come
14. get
15. do
16. sing
17. give
18. write
I hand in some charts and I invite the sts to choose 10 of them and write them
on the chart so we can play bingo. I give the instructions to the sts and when
they have written the verbs, I start saying the past participle of them. The sts
have to write the past participle verb next to the infinitive in the chart. Once a
pupil/some pupils complete the list of their 10 verbs they say loud: BINGO!
Bingo chart (to be completed by the sts)
 Activity 5: Group Work -20’
I invite the sts to form 6 or 7 groups so as to work with some festival text. I hand
in a text to each group. They read the texts and answer some questions. Then,

8. each group presents its festival to the rest of the class. They speak about when,
where and the special traditions. One member of the group writes on the board
as a summary a little table with the information.
Questions
1. When is it held?
2. Where does it take place?
3. What does it celebrate?
4. Are there any special traditions?
Students complete a table like this on the board:
Festival When? Where? Special Traditions
St. Lucia
Day of the Dead
Cocuk Bayrami
May Day
May Day
May Day is a festival that celebrates the arrival of spring. This festival is celebrated on
May 1st. This day is celebrated throughout the world. In many countries it is a major
holiday such as the United Kingdom, India, Romania, Sweden, and Norway. In many
countries the day is celebrated as Labor Day.
England- May Day has a long history and tradition in England. The day is celebrated
with music and dancing. Perhaps the most famous part of the celebration is the
Maypole. Children dance around the Maypole holding onto colorful ribbons. Many

9. people use flowers and leaves to make hoops and hair garlands as well. A lot of towns
also crown a May Queen on this day.
Walpurgis Night - Some countries celebrate the night before May Day called
Walpurgis Night. These countries include Germany, Sweden, Finland, and the Czech
Republic. The celebration is named after English missionary Saint Walpurga. People
celebrate with large bonfires and dancing.
Scotland and Ireland - Long ago in the Middle Ages the Gaelic people of Scotland
and Ireland celebrated the festival of Beltane. Beltane means "Day of Fire". They had
large bonfires and dancing at night to celebrate. Some people are starting to celebrate
Beltane again.
History of May Day- May Day has changed throughout history. In Greek and Roman
times it was a day to celebrate spring and specifically the goddesses over spring. In
early Gaelic times as well as in pre-Christian times in Scandinavia, May Day was also a
day to celebrate the coming of Spring. When Christianity came to Europe and England,
May Day became intertwined with Easter and other Christian celebrations. In the
1900s May Day became a day to celebrate labor in many communist and socialist
countries. They would celebrate the worker as well as the armed forces on this day.
Later the day would become a Labor Day in many countries throughout the world.
Fun Facts About May Day
 In Ancient Greece they celebrated the Festival of Chloris. She was the goddess
of flowers and spring. The Ancient Romans had a similar festival in honor of the
goddess Flora.
 Morris Dancers in England wear hats decorated with flowers, suspenders, and
ankle bells. They stomp their feet, wave handkerchiefs, and bang sticks
together when they dance.
 One traditional May Day dance in England is called the Cumberland Square.
 A Maypole stands all year long in Inkwell, England. It has been there since
1894.
 Maypoles were sometimes made from old ship's masts.
Adapted from: https://www.ducksters.com/holidays/may_day.php

10. DAY OF THE DEAD
Skeletons are scary, right? Not if you're celebrating Día de los Muertos, or Day
of the Dead.
REMEMBERING RELATIVES
Day of the Dead combines the ancient Aztec custom of celebrating ancestors
with All Souls' Day, a holiday that Spanish invaders brought to Mexico starting
in the early 1500s.
The holiday, which is celebrated mostly in Mexico on November 1 and 2, is like
a family reunion—except dead ancestors are the guests of honor. Day of the
Dead is a joyful time that helps people remember the deceased and celebrate
their memory.
TREATS FOR THE DECEASED
First, people set up a candlelit altar in their homes so spirits can find their way
back to their relatives. The altar also offers some of the favorite foods of the
deceased—just in case they get hungry. Items that were important to the
ancestors when they were alive, such as a favorite book or musical instrument,
are placed on the altar as well.
Then it's off to the graveyard for a big party. Families bring a huge feast to eat
while they clean tombstones, sing songs, and talk to their ancestors. Parents
might even introduce a baby to a grandparent who died before the baby was
born.
FUNNY BONES
And don't forget the skeletons. During Day of the Dead, life-size papier-mâché
skeletons and miniature plastic or clay skeletons are everywhere. Why?
Mexicans honor their ancestors on Day of the Dead, but they're also reminding
themselves that death is just a part of life. Hanging out with skeletons reminds
people that one day they will be skeletons—but not for a very long time!
The skeletons are posed doing all sorts of wacky things, such as playing guitar,
taking a bath, or making tortillas. Apparently people aren't the only ones who
get to have fun on Day of the Dead!
Two fake skeletons are posed playing instruments.

11. What is Halloween?
It is October 31st, when you see children dressed in spooky costumes, going from one house
to the other, trick or treating for candy and sweets. Then you know that this day is Halloween- a
time of superstitions and celebrations. It is a festival observed in Western countries and falls on
the Eve of All Saints Day. Kids and adults attend costume parties, make lanterns out of
big pumpkins, visit haunted locations, tell scary stories to each other, play pranks and also
watch horror movies. People light bonfires to ward off all evil spirits and ghosts.
History behind Halloween
Halloween is also known as All Hallows’ Eve. Pope Gregory III, in the eighth century, assigned
November 1st as a day to honor all saints and martyrs. This day was declared as a holiday and
named as All Saints Day. The day before All Saints Day was known as Hallows’ Eve and later
came to be known as Halloween.
Why do we celebrate Halloween?
The very early celebration of Halloween was seen amongst the Celtic people who lived in
areas now known as Great Britain and Northern France. The Celts were people who
worshipped nature especially the Sun God. They also worshipped a God named Samhain who
was believed to be the Lord of the dead and cold winter season. They believed in the Vigil of
Samhain which said that on October 31st all dead souls would be summoned by Samhain and
would take the body of the animals and roam around the Earth. The priests of the Celtic people
would then build large fires on hilltops in order to give strength to the Sun God and remove the
darkness. They sacrificed animals and burned dried crops in order to help the Sun God. They
believed that this ritual would help the Sun God to overcome the winter season and shine
again. At midnight they would start worshipping Samhain. This day would start the beginning of
New Year. The ember from the bonfire would then be taken by the people to burn firewood at
their own homes in order to ward off evil spirits.
This culture continued until the Celts were captured by the Romans Catholics. The Romans
brought with them their own traditions and costumes. They had declared November 1st as a
holiday for all martyrs and saints to honor them. But witchcraft came into existence at that time
and witches would come out on 31st October and perform their rituals. The superstitions and
beliefs continued and this day was termed at All Hallows Day.
Symbols used in Halloween
 Over time many symbols came to be associated with Halloween to ward off evil spirits.
 The turnip was used in Ireland and Scotland.
 Pumpkins were used by natives in North America, now they are universally used.
 Corn husks and Scarecrows were also used to ward off evil.
 Black, Orange and Purple are traditional colors of Halloween.
Halloween for Children
Over time, Halloween has evolved into a community based, children friendly celebration.
Activities like trick or treating, dressing up in various costumes and having Halloween theme
based parties have now become the norm. Even adults become a participant in costume
parties.
Trick or Treat has become customary for kids. Children, dressed in costumes, go from one
house to another asking the question ‘Trick or treat?’ The treats given to children can be
various candies, things to eat or sometimes money. Tricks would include the children playing
some kind of mischievous prank on the owners of the house. Tricks would be done if the
owners do not give any form of treat to the children.

12. Chinese New Year Facts and History
This year, Chinese New Year is falling on January 28, 2017. This day is important in
Chinese culture. The holidays run for 15 days, starting from the first day of a new moon
and ending with the full moon. The Lantern Festival happens then, with lantern displays
and a parade at night. Chinese New Year tradition- In many places, there is a dragon
dance too on this day.
Facts about Chinese New Year
In Chinese New Year, the date of the new year changes every year, because the Chinese
base their calendar on lunar years. The date depends on the day when a new moon rises.
The Chinese New Year calendar has a 12 years cycle. Each year is based on the name of
an animal. 2017 will be the Chinese Year of the Rooster.
Story behind Chinese New Year
A long time ago in China, Buddha wanted a way to measure time. So he invited all the
animals to race against each other in crossing a river. 12 animals could do this
successfully and the Emperor rewarded these 12 animals by naming a year after each one
of them, in the order in which they had crossed the river. So, Chinese New Year starts with
the year of the Rat, followed by the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat,
Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
Chinese Zodiac Animal Years
Depending on the year that you are born in, you are supposed to have qualities of the
animal representing that year. Discover your animal sign with the help of your birth year
Birth Year Animal Sign Quality Traits
1996, 2008 Rat Imaginative, generous, observant, intelligent, secretive
1997, 2009 Ox Leaders, confident, disciplined, strong, impatient
1998,2010 Tiger
Sensitive, emotional, competitive, natural leaders,
courageous
1999,2011 Rabbit Wise, thoughtful, affectionate, selfish, quiet, intelligent
2000,2012 Dragon Enthusiastic, perfectionist, intelligent, self-confident, proud
2001,2013 Snake Possessive, proud, thinker, secretive, wise
2002,2014 Horse Witty, friendly, cheerful, popular, impatient, alert
2003,2015 Sheep Intelligent, well-mannered, creative, dependent, shy
2004,2016 Monkey Intelligent, witty, social, talkative, restless, mischievous
2005,2017 Rooster Hard working, courageous, dreamers, practical, bossy
2006,2018 Dog Honest, reliable, logical, anxious, introverts
2007,2019 Pig Sincere, friendly, intellectual, honest, lazy, innocent

13. Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat : History, Facts and Culture
Qu Yuan, the Legend
There was once a poet called Qu Yuan (340 BC-278 BC) who lived in the state
of Chi in China. When the kingdom was about to be attacked, the king asked
his advice. The king banished the poet as he disliked his advice. When the poet
returned, he found that the warring state had taken over his state. He drowned
himself in the river on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar year.
The people there tried to stop the fishes from devouring his body by throwing
rice into the river. Then they started sailing their boats to search for Qu.
The fifth day of the fifth lunar month is when the sun is strongest. The sun and
the Chinese dragon are often shown together to represent energy.
The dragon symbolizes one who brings rain to the rivers which is needed for
the staple food rice to grow.
Dragon Boat Racing
Today the search for Qu is marked by the Dragon Boat Festival or Duanwu, a
great Chinese festival, like the Chinese New Year. A dragon boat is a slender,
long wooden boat shaped like a dragon; with a dragon’s head in front and tail
at the back. Teams cross the river in a race.
Dragon boat racing is usually across half a kilometre. The leader sits in the
front, beating his drum to encourage his team. Today, a boat usually has 22
paddlers, a drummer in the front and a steerer at the rear.
Other Customs
In Chinese culture, Zongzi or rice stuffed with meat or sweet delicacies are
wrapped in bamboo leaves to look like pyramids and served as auspicious
food.
Children wear the “five color thread” on their neck, wrists and ankles which
protects them from evil forces.

14. National Sovereignty and Children's Day in
Turkey- Cocuk Bayrami
Solemn ceremonies and children’s festivals take place throughout Turkey on National
Sovereignty and Children’s Day, held on April 23 each year. Children take seats in the
Turkish Parliament and symbolically govern the country for one day.
What Do People Do?
Many people in Turkey commemorate the first gathering of the Grand National Assembly (the Turkish
Parliament), which took place on April 23, 1920, by attending local ceremonies or laying wreaths at
monuments of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic. The biggest ceremony takes
place at the Ataturk Mausoleum in Ankara.
Because Ataturk dedicated the Turkish Republic to children, Turkish schoolchildren take seats in the
Parliament for the day and symbolically govern the country. They elect a president who then addresses
the country on national television. Children’s festivals take place throughout the country. The state-run
Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) brings children, aged eight to 14, from different
countries around the world to Turkey. These children stay with Turkish families for a week and
participate in children’s festivals, which culminate is a gala-performance on April 23.
Public Life
National Sovereignty and Children’s Day is an official holiday in Turkey. Government offices, schools
and most businesses are closed on this day. Public transport routes may vary in the event of street
performances.
Background
The first gathering of the Turkish Grand National Assembly took place on April 23, 1920, during
Turkey’s War of Independence (1919-1923). Mustafa Kemal Ataturk proclaimed the parliament an
important step toward building a new state after the Ottoman Empire was defeated during World War I.
Ataturk dedicated the Turkish Republic to children in Turkey.
Turkey officially celebrated Grand National Assembly Day on April 23 and held a children’s week
starting on that day, from 1923–1934. The Turkish government then combined the two events into
National Sovereignty and Children’s Day in 1935. Turkish Radio and Television Corporation has been
organizing international children’s festivals, held during the week of April 23, since 1979.
Symbols
The most common symbols of National Sovereignty and Children’s Day are:
 A globe or a circle, symbolizing the world.
 A group of children holding hands, symbolizing unity.
 The Turkish flag, symbolizing Turkish statehood.
These symbols are commonly seen on National Sovereignty and Children’s Day in Turkey.

15. The Legend of Sankta Lucia
December 13th is the day that Swedes and others all over the world honor the legend of
Saint Lucia. For many, many years Lucia has brought faith, hope, and a reason to believe in
good things to come. Her legend stems from Syracuse on the island of Sicily. It is thought
that during a time when the rulers of the land did not look favorably upon Christianity, a
woman named Lucia had devoted her life to God and the poor. She gave her entire dowry
to the poor, and the man she was to marry was very upset by this. Lucia was put on trial,
refused to renounce her Christian beliefs and was declared a witch. She was to be burned at
the stake but when the guards tried to light the fire it would not light. Ultimately, she was
stabbed.
There are many theories on how the legend of Lucia came to Sweden. It could have been
brought by priests, German traders or even by the Vikings in their adventures to southern
Europe. No one knows just how it evolved into the uniquely Swedish tradition it is today,
and there are many versions of a Swedish Sankta Lucia story.
One popular version is a story of a terrible famine many years ago. On December 13th a
well-lit ship on Lake Vannern approached the shore carrying a woman at the helm dressed
in white with a glow around her head. Having heard the Italian version the starving people
thought it could be Saint Lucia coming to save them from this terrible famine.
Many Swedes believe that the Swedish version of the legend has to do only with the fact
that Lucia comes from the root word “Lux” which means light.
The tradition of celebrating St. Lucia in Sweden really did not start to evolve until the late
1800’s. Many families today celebrate it in their homes. The eldest daughter dresses in a
long white gown with a red ribbon tied at the waist. She dons a crown of fresh greens and
lit candles on her head.
Lucia can be attended by younger siblings, girls (attendants) in white robes with tinsel
around their waists and heads, and boys (starboys) in white robes, cone hats, and
carrying stars. Very early in the morning hours the children serve coffee and Lussekatter
(Lucia buns) to all the people in the house while singing traditional Swedish Lucia songs.
Swedes also celebrate St. Lucia Day in local churches, businesses, and schools. Many towns
and cities have a Lucia contest for all of the girls who have reached a certain age. Being
chosen the town’s Lucia is quite an honor for any young lady.
Lucia Buns (Lussekatter)

16. Closure 5´:
“Well, guys it´s almost time! You´ve worked so hard today. The class was
fantastic! We´ve learnt a lot about some festivals around the world.See you next
class! Bye!”
Homework:
Write sentences using the bingo´s verbs. Remember to use the present perfect
and festival vocabulary.
 To be completed by my tutors:
Lesson plan
component
Excellent
5
Very Good
4
Good
3
Acceptable
2
Below
Standard
1
Visual
organization
X
Coherence and
sequencing
X
Variety of
resources –
Learning styles
X
Stages and
activities
x
Teaching
strategies
X
Language
accuracy
X
Observations Jime,there are some aspectstopolish. Doworkon contextratherthan ongrammar
explanations.Exposestudents tothe targetlanguage meaningfully.
Hope my commentsare clearand useful.Make the necessarychangesbefore
deliveringthe lesson,pls.Take the suggestionsintoaccountforfurtherlessonplans.
Best,
Aure