Life in english speaking countries

SUMMARY

English learners pay more attention to studying grammar and lexical units and the question of regional studies often remains obscure and unknown to English learners. The aim of this lesson is to attract much attention to some historical, geographical, political and cultural issues connected with the English speaking countries. This lesson is designed for 10-11 grade teachers and covers the questions within secondary school curriculum.

Aims: to have a general survey of the theme “English Speaking Countries”, to broaden pupils’ knowledge in all spheres of country study, to develop thinking and speaking abilities, to help them respect people of other nationalities.

Aids: geographical maps, flags, parts of clothes, fans, popular sights, pictures of famous people, pictures (to refer them to idioms), transformers, TV, DVD recorder, a disk.

Plan of the lesson:

Presentation of English Speaking Countries.

The UK.The USA.Canada.Australia..All-round questions about English Speaking countries.The sights of their countries.English Proverbs.Famous dates.Idioms..Famous people.Riddles.Video presentation (Manners in England and China).Football transformers.

The procedure of the lesson:

I Organization moment.

II Presentation.

There are 4 teams representing 4 English speaking countries: The UK, the USA, Canada and Australia. (each team has a map, a flag and some objects or clothes, showing that they represent the named country). Each team presents his country. They can tell everything they consider important.

III All-round questions.

T: Each country has 3 trivia questions from easy to difficult.

The Unitd Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

1. Name 4 parts of the UK with their capitals and national symbols.
2. Who was John Lennon?
3. Speak about the royal family, about Queen Elizabeth II
4. The United States of America
5. Speak about the history of American flag. How is it called?
6. Who founded America?
7. Name at least 2 American presidents and speak about them.
8. Australia
9. Who discovered Australia and when?
10. What kind of Australian animal resembles a teddy bear?
11. Why is Australia called an “upside down world”?
12. Canada
13. What is the national emblem of Canada?
14. What provinces and territories does Canada consists of?
15. What famous waterfall is there in Canada?

V. Picture questions.

T: you will be shown some sights of the cities or interesting places. You should guess what and where it is and speak about it.

The sights of: New York. Big Ben. Trafalgar Square. Buckingham Palace. Downing Street 10. The Tower.The Niagara. Falls. Ottawa. Sydney.

V. Proverbs. Students get one part of the proverb. They have to walk and find another part in the students hands.

T: You’ll be given only one part of the proverb, you should find the other part of it.

Proverbs: Bad news travels fast. If you run after two hares you will catch none. Easily earned money is quickly spent. Knowledge is power. Better untaught than badly taught.Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.Everything is good in its season. Marriages are made in heaven.

1. Famous dates from the history of the countries

T: We’ll check how well you know you countries. You’ll be shown dates or numbers and you should tell about them.

1666-Great Fire in London. 651-numbers of members in the House of Commons. 13-stripes on American flag

56000000- population of the USA. 8000000-population of London. 1078- William the Conqueror built the Tower of London. 1960-the Beatles was formed in Liverpool. 600-rooms in Buckingham Palace. 9000-guests at a summer party in Buckingham Palace. 100- rooms in 10 Downing Street. 13.5- the bell of Big Ben weighs. 96.7- meters Big Ben in height. 11:30- the time the ceremony of changing the Guards start. 51- meters Nelson’s Column in height

1564-William Shakespeare was born. 1770- James Cook discovered Australia. 1952- Queen Elizabeth became the Queen of the UK. 1926, April 21- Queen Elizabeth was born. 1492- Columbus discovered America.

1. Idioms

T: You know that the idiom is a phrase which means something different from the meaning of the separate words. You’ll be shown pictures, try to refer to one of the idiom you know and say what they mean.

dioms: a fat cat-somebody rich and powerful; like cat and dog-fighting badly; to give a bad look-to look angrily;to feel blue-to be in a bad mood; a white elephant- an expensive useless present; on thin ice- in unsafe or risky position; up in the air- undecided, uncertain; walking on air- very happy; tight place-in a difficult situation;

1. Famous people.

T: There are many famous people in the English speaking countries. You’ll be shown pictures of popular people you should tell who they are and tell everything you know about these people.

Famous people: Christopher Columbus. William Shakespeare. Robin Hood. Queen Elizabeth II. George Washington. Walt Disney. James Cook. The Beatles.

X Riddles

T: There are many riddles in every language. English language has riddles too. Your task is to guess the riddles.

Riddles: What goes through a door, but never goes in or comes out? Wind. What is it that doesn’t ask questions, but must be answered? Telephone. I go all night and all day. And yet I never go away. Clock. I have cities, but no houses, forests but no trees, rivers without water. What am I? Map. What falls on the water, but never gets wet? Shadow. What is it a man cannot live without? Name. They look at one another all the time, but never meet? Floor and ceiling. There are four brothers live under one roof? Table. Why can’t the world ever come to an end? Because it is around. What star is not seen in the sky? A film star.

X Video presentation

T: You are going to watch three presentations you will watch them and get ready to give advice to the visitors of those countries. You can use information that you already know. Each team works for one country: England, China and Japan. You must use the statements on the blackboard and use should or shouldn’t in your sentences.

England

The first thing you should remember when in England is always to say “please” and “thank you”. Never push into a queue of people or they’ll be angry. Don’t be late for appointments and don’t talk with your mouth full. Remember-always ask before smoking in someone’s house.

China

When in China, don’t kiss anyone in public-it’s very rude. Never be late for appointments, and don’t tell jokes to people you don’t know very well. Be careful when you are eating, too-never leave your chopsticks pointing upwards in your rice because this makes people very upset. A last tip-when you give someone a present, give it with both hands.

Japan

In a sushi bar-

You should pass through the curtain putting your hand at an angle of 42э

You should show with your fingers how many people come to eat

You should ask permission to sit next

When you drink beer the cap is removed by a waiter, but you should pour it yourself

The low ranking staff should pour for the higher staff rank

Lady pour tea or drink for a man and then for herself

You should eat sushi with three fingers. When taking in your hand you should soak in soya

You should express thanks to a cook while eating whether the food is delicious or not Cross fingers when you are full and ask for a bill

You should give money with two hands and a bow

XI Football transformers

T: So, customs and traditions in Europe and Asia are quite different. R.Kipling once said: “East is East, and West is West, and never the twains shall meet”. Even the way of drinking tea is different. The English have black tea with milk, with sandwiches, cookies and buns. The Chinese usually enjoy having green tea and offer it to their guests with a bow. But there is one more mutual between West and East.

Демонстрируется короткий фрагмент футбольного матча.

T: Do you ever go to football matches?

What’s your favourite football team?

Let’s do football transformers.

Begin with the word BITE.

Make it past tense. - - -

Change one letter to spell the past tense of light. - - -

Change one letter to form a word that means “to strike” - - -

Change one letter to spell a verb that means “have a seat” . - - -

Change one letter to spell a number. - - -

Begin with the word HEAT

Change one letter to spell a place to seat

Drop two letters to form a preposition - -

Add a vowel to form a verb meaning “finished a meal” - - -

Scramble the letters to spell a beverage. - - -

Add a consonant to the end to create noun indicating a special group.

T: Now use each of the words you have formed in Part I to complete one of these sentences.

Eleven players make up a football . (team)

American football fields are 100 long. (yards)

The winning team more points than the other team. (scores)

In American football, a touchdown is worth points. (six)