country studies in language camp

COUNTRY-

STUDIES IN

LANGUAGE

CAMPS

TOPICS

• Geography

• Sights

• History

• Culture (music, arts, cinema, literature)

• Famous people

• Festivals and traditions

• Cultural icons

• Life of children and youth

• Sports and games

ACTIVITIES

• Projects

• Quizzes, contests

• Brain-ring

• Virtual trips/ excursions

• Crosswords, puzzles, wordsearches

• Poems, songs, games

• Thematic days

• Films, cartoons and video

SOURCES

• http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/

• http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/listen-and-watch

• http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/home

• http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk

• http://www.pearson.com.ua/summer-camps.html

• www.katiecutie.com

• www.supersimplelearning.com/songs/themes-series/

• http://projectbritain.com/

• http://www.newsinlevels.com

• www.eclipsecrossword.com

• https://crosswordlabs.com

PRIMARY

SCHOOL

SEASONS

Winter

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

December

February

January

March

Spring

May

April

SUMMER

June July August

AUTUMN

September

November

October

HOLIDAYS

CHRISTMAS

DECEMBER, 25

ST. VALENTINE’S DAY

FEBRUARY, 14

EASTER

MARCH/APRIL

APRIL FOOLS' DAY

APRIL, 1

HALLOWEEN

OCTOBER, 31

Match each symbol with its

holiday and month.

Holidays

a) Christmas

b) Halloween

c) Easter

d) St.Valentine’s Day

e) April Fools' Day

Months

March

April

October

December

February

Symbols

1

2

3

4

5

HALLOWEEN

OCTOBER, 31

JACK-O’-LANTERN

WITCH

GHOST

BLACK CAT

SKELETON

BAT

COLOUR THE PICTURES AND FILL

IN THE MISSING LETTERS.

J_ck-o’-lan_ern Wi_ch G_ost

B_t Sk_l_ton B_ack c_t

CHECK YOURSELF

Jack-o’-lantern Witch Ghost

Bat Skeleton Black cat

COUNT AND CIRCLE THE CORRECT

NUMBER.

HALLOWE’EN CRAFTS

TRICK OR TREAT!

MIDDLE

SCHOOL

SPLIT INTO TEAMS

SOLVE HALLOWE’EN RIDDLES

I AM SCARY AND WHITE. I COME

OUT AT NIGHT. WHO AM I?

GHOST

I FLY AT NIGHT BECAUSE I DON’T

LIKE LIGHT.

BAT

I AM ROUND ON ALL SIDES. I’VE

GOT A LIGHT INSIDE. WHO AM I?

JACK-O’-

LANTERN

PLAY HALLOWE’EN ASSOCIATIONS

MAKE UP A LIST OF HALLOWE’EN

SYMBOLS

YOU’VE GOT STRANGE TELEGRAMS.

FIND OUT WHAT THEY SAY.

Alittlewitchandahorribleskullappeared.

Awhiteghostandagreenmonsterfollowme.

Ablackcatandabatscaredmetodeath.

KEY:

A little witch and a horrible skull appeared.

A white ghost and a green monster follow me.

A black cat and a bat scared me to death.

PUT THE SENTENCES IN THE RIGHT

ORDER TO FIND OUT HOW TO MAKE A

JACK-O’-LANTERN

• Put the candle inside the pumpkin.

• Cut a nose and a mouth.

• Cut eyes.

• Put the pumpkin near the house.

• Take a big yellow pumpkin.

• Light a candle.

KEY:

1. Take a big yellow pumpkin.

2. Cut eyes.

3. Cut a nose and a mouth.

4. Light a candle.

5. Put the candle inside the pumpkin.

6. Put the pumpkin near the house.

MAKE UP AN ACROSTIC POEM

DO THE HALLOWE’EN CROSSWORD

ACT OUT A HALLOWE’EN POEM

JACK-O-LANTERN

I am a pumpkin, big and round

(Use arms to show size of pumpkin)

Once upon a time I grew on the ground

(Point to the ground)

Now I have a mouth, two eyes, a nose

(Point to features on your face)

What are they there for, do you suppose?

(Right forefinger to forehead, thinking gesture)

When I have a candle inside shining bright

(Hold up right forefinger)

I'll be a Jack-O-Lantern on Halloween night!

(Thumbs in armpits, bragging gesture)

SENIOR

SCHOOL

MATCH THE HOLIDAYS WITH THEIR DATES.

PUT THEM IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.

1. New Year's Day a. 5 November

2. St Valentine's Day b. 31 December

3. St Patrick's Day c. 1 January

4. Mother's Day d. 26 December

5. April Fool's Day e. 4 February

6. Easter f. 25 December

7. May Day g. The fourth Sunday in Lent

8. Spring Bank Holiday h. The second Sunday in November

9. Queen Official Birthday i. 1 April

10. Remembrance Sunday j. 31 October

11. Boxing Day k. The last Monday in August

12. New Year's Eve l. The second or third Saturday in June

13. Summer Bank Holiday m. Between 22 March and 25 April

14. Halloween n. The first Monday in May

15. Guy Fawkes' Day o. 17 March

16. Christmas Day p. The last Monday in May

GUESS THE NAMES OF THE HOLIDAYS

FROM THEIR DESCRIPTIONS.

• Millions of flowers are bought on this day. Cards are also

sent.

• People play tricks, practical jokes on each other on this day.

• It is an official holiday and it is not real. There are special

public ceremonies on this day.

• This is the day before All Saints' Day in the Christian

Calendar and is associated with the supernatural.

• On this day people remember the dead of both World Wars.

• People eat a stuffed roast turkey with roast potatoes and

pudding.

• This holiday is based on events in the life of Jesus Christ. It

commemorates Christ's resurrection and His crucifixion.

• You can see bonfires burning and fireworks shooting across

the sky. Boys and girls push an old cart with a dummy.

FILL IN THE GAPS IN THE RHYMES WITH

THE NAMES OF HOLIDAYS.

1. Inside my heart the weather’s warm

There is no trace of wind and storm

And you just made the morning shine,

You said you’d be my ….. .

2. ...’s coming

The pumpkin’s getting fat.

Please put a spider

in the goblin’s hat.

3. … …, … …,

He’s intent

To blow up the Houses of Parliament.

Three score barrels of powder below,

Poor old England to overthrow.

4. Twelve o’clock

And the world is still

As ….. star comes over the hill.

The angels sing, and sing again:

“Peace on earth, goodwill to men.”

5. It’s … Day, and our kitchen is crazy.

We all work together, and no one is lazy.

Dad mashes potatoes, and Hank sets the table.

We roast the turkey with my funny aunt Mabel.

Which of the resolutions do you find the

most important? Make your own resolutions.

On New Year’s Eve Americans write their New

Year’s resolutions. Here are some of the most

popular ones:

To get into shape

To get more organized

To give up smoking / drinking

To get / change the job

To keep a check on expenses and pay down debts

To buy a new house / renovate

To find new friends / love

To learn something new

To travel and enjoy more

DECEMBER, 31 - NEW YEAR’S EVE

What was the man’s answer?

Finish the humorous story.

500 Valentine’s Cards

Mike walked into a post office just before Valentine’s

Day. He noticed a middle-aged man standing in a corner

and sticking “Love” stamps on bright pink envelopes with

hearts all over them. Then the man got out a bottle of

Channel perfume from his pocket and started spraying

scent over the envelopes.

Mike got curious and asked the man why he was

sending all those cards. The man replied: “Every year I

send out 500 Valentine’s Day cards signed ‘Guess who?’”

“But why?” asked Mike. …….

FEBRUARY, 14 – VALENTINE’S DAY

APRIL, 1 – APRIL FOOL’S DAY

Two-line jokes

- Excuse me, could you tell me the way to Bath?

- Well, I always use soap and water.

- Where’s the best place to go when you are dying?

- The living-room.

- What’s lighter than feather but much harder to hold?

- Your breath.

- I’m losing my memory. It’s got me terribly worried.

- Never mind. Try to forget about it.

MATCH THE BEGINNING OF THE JOKE WITH

ITS PUNCH LINE.

1. - Tell me, little boy, how do you like school?

- …

2. - And what will you do when you are as big as your mother?

- …

3. - When is the best time to pick strawberries?

- …

4. - If we get engaged, will you give me a ring?

- …

5. - Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?

- …

6. - You missed school yesterday, didn’t you?

- …

- When the farmer isn’t looking.

- Of course. What’s your number?

- Closed.

- No, sir, not a bit.

- Go on a diet.

- At the bottom.

What do you know about these people?

What are they famous for?

In English-speaking countries there is a

number of holidays dedicated to

outstanding people:

Dr. Martin Luther King Day (US; 3rd Monday in January)

Burns Night (UK; January, 25)

Lincoln’s Birthday (US; February, 12)

Saint Patrick’s Day (UK; March, 17)

Columbus Day (US; 2nd Monday in October)

Guy Fawkes’ Day (UK; November, 5)

TEST YOURSELF

Which of them:

discovered America?

tried to blow up the British Parliament?

fought for civil rights of black people in the

USA?

is a patron saint of Ireland?

is a famous poet?

was an outstanding American president who

fought against slavery in the USA?

What are these holidays dedicated to?

How are they celebrated?

Find out more about them.

There are holidays with unusual, odd names:

• National Tooth Fairy Day (US; February, 28)

• National High Five Day (US; 3rd Thursday in April)

• Royal Oak Day (UK; May, 29)

• Pancake Day (UK; last Tuesday before Lent)

• Groundhog Day (US; February, 2)

Are you environmentally friendly? What does

this expression mean?

A number of holidays are dedicated to

nature and environment:

• World Day of Water (March, 22)

• Earth Day (April, 22)

• World Environment Day (June, 5)

Convince your friend to protect environment.

Discuss with your group mates whether they follow

these rules:

• Sort out your rubbish.

• Use recycled paper to help save trees.

• Avoid buying plastic, refuse to use carrier bags offered by supermarkets.

• Don’t drop litter.

• Use less energy, switch off the lights, don’t waste water, don’t boil more water than necessary when making a cup of tea.

• Use a bicycle or walk instead of using a car for short trips.

• Buy organic food produced without the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides, use ‘environmentally-friendly’ detergents that cause water pollution.

Put the advice above in order of importance

to you. What else should you do to be

healthy?

To stay healthy you should:

• Give up harmful habits

• Take vitamins regularly

• Observe healthy diet

• Stay away from the sun in summer

• Have enough of sleep

• Exercise, stay fit

APRIL, 7 - WORLD HEALTH DAY

Compare British holidays and their dates with

those in Ukraine. Which of these holidays don’t

we have in Ukraine? What other holidays do we

have?

Which festival is the most unusual? Why?

Which festival would you like to take part in?

Why?

Design a poster about one of the festivals for

the English Week at school.

Introduce Ukrainian festivals to a foreigner.

DISCUSS: