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Tuesday 25 March 2014
Saturday 22 March 2014
Monday 17 March 2014
Happy Saint Patrick's Day 2014
found pic @ Google Images |
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated tomorrow, March 17th, the
saint's religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth
century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over 1,000
years. On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent,
Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate
in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were
waived and people would dance, drink and feast--on the traditional meal of Irish
bacon and cabbage.
Saint Patrick, who lived during the fifth century, is
the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. Born in Roman Britain, he was
kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave at the age of 16. He later escaped,
but returned to Ireland and was credited with bringing Christianity to its
people. In the centuries following Patrick's death (believed to have been on
March 17, 461), the mythology surrounding his life became ever more ingrained
in the Irish culture.
Since around the
ninth or 10th century, people in Ireland have been observing the Roman Catholic
feast day of St. Patrick on March 17. Interestingly, however, the first parade
held to honor St. Patrick's Day took place not in Ireland but in the United
States. On March 17, 1762, Irish soldiers serving in the English military
marched through New York City. Along with their music, the parade helped the
soldiers reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as with fellow Irishmen
serving in the English army.
Tradition
Originally, the
colour associated with Saint Patrick was blue. Over the years the colour green
and its association with Saint Patrick's day grew. Green ribbons and shamrocks
were worn in celebration of St Patrick's Day as early as the 17th century. Saint
Patrick is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the
Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish, and the wearing and display of shamrocks and
shamrock-inspired designs have become a ubiquitous feature of the day. In the
1798 rebellion, to make a political statement, Irish soldiers wore full green
uniforms on 17 March in hopes of catching public attention. The phrase
"the wearing of the green", meaning to wear a shamrock on one's
clothing, derives from a song of the same name.
St. Patrick's Day around the World
Sydney Opera House lit up for St. Patrick's Day @ Wikipedia |
Nowadays, people of all backgrounds celebrate St.
Patrick's Day, especially throughout the United States, Canada and Australia.
Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick's Day is
celebrated in many other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore
and Russia.
In modern-day
Ireland, St. Patrick's Day was traditionally been a religious occasion. In
fact, up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17.
Beginning in 1995, however, the Irish government began a national campaign to
use interest in St. Patrick's Day to drive tourism and showcase Ireland and
Irish culture to the rest of the world. Today, approximately 1 million people
annually take part in Ireland 's St. Patrick's Festival in Dublin, a multi-day
celebration featuring parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions and
fireworks shows.
Saturday 15 March 2014
Suggestions and ELT Resources to celebrate St. Patrick's
If you want to tell everybody about this Irish ancient celebration, you can work out a couple of shamrock badges, mini-bags or bookmarks:
You can also write a limerick (a funny poem with five lines, which usually makes no sense). A limerick starts with, “There once was a …” or “There was a …”. The first two lines and the last one usually have 8 or 9 syllables. The fourth and fifth lines have 5 or 6. Here is an example:
There once was a teacher who was bad.
She made all her students very sad.
She was always mean.
She always wore green.
And she even gave tests to her dad.
You can also listen to some traditional Irish sounds:
Or get a bit more modern and listen to:
If you are a food lover, don't forget that your meal won't be complete without corned beef and cabbage. The most important is that you build a meal with a "green" theme: spinach, asparagus, any leafy greens, potatoes or rice with parsley, and a minty green dessert:
found pic @ kidactivities |
To finish your day in style, don't forget the pleasure of a unique Irish Coffee...
found pic @ dinnervine |
... and of course, your Saint Patrick's wishes:
found pic @ Google Images |
HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!!!
Friday 14 March 2014
Happy Pi Day!
image credits: EDUTOPIA |
Read here and here at T&L for further information about Pi Day!
And today we also celebrate Einstein's birthday!
And today we also celebrate Einstein's birthday!
Saturday 8 March 2014
Tuesday 4 March 2014
Pancake Day 2014
photo credits: The Telegraph |
Pancake Day,
also known as Shrove Tuesday in Britain, is the day before Ash Wednesday and the
start of Lent. 'Shrove' stems from old English word 'shrive', meaning 'confess
all sins'. It is called Pancake Day because it is the day traditionally for
eating pancakes as pancake recipes were a way to use up any stocks of milk,
butter and eggs which were forbidden during the abstinence of Lent.
The
traditional pancake is thin and crepe-like and is eaten sprinkled with sugar
and a squeeze of lemon. However, serve as you like with jam, Golden Syrup,
honey, chocolate spread, whatever takes your fancy. In some places pancake
races are held, where participants run along tossing a pancake as they go.
photo credits: Nick Hopper for Hemsley & Hemsley |
Here you will find a wide variety of ELT activities on Pancake Day that can be
printed out and worked on with your class under the signature of Encyclopaedia Britannica, which has created a spotlight on the topic with colouring drawings, puzzles, games, crafts and even recipes and tips, so that you can cook a perfect pancake!
Monday 3 March 2014
Brief History of Carnival
The word
"Carnival" refers to the numerous festivities that occur in many
Catholic cities every year prior to the Lenten season. These festivals often
last several days or weeks and are widely popular celebrations of local history
and culture. Residents and visitors prepare for Carnival festivities throughout
the year. Revelers both young and old can enjoy numerous organized activities
or party in the city streets with their families, friends, community members,
and strangers.
Religious and Historical
Significance of Carnival
Lent is the Catholic
season that represents the forty days prior to Jesus' death on Good Friday and
his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which usually
falls in February. On certain days of Lent, Catholics are supposed to abstain from
eating meat as a physical and spiritual reminder of Jesus' sacrifices. The word
"Carnival" likely originates from the Latin term "carne
levare," or "to remove meat." On the day before Ash Wednesday
(Mardi Gras or "Fat Tuesday,") many Catholics ate all of the meat and
fat in their homes, and held large parties in the streets as one last
celebration before the penitential Lenten season. It is a time when all social
classes could disguise themselves, congregate, and forget their usual
tribulations. Carnival originated in largely Catholic Southern Europe and spread
to the Americas during the age of exploration and colonization.
Carnival Traditions,
Similar and Distinctive
Carnival in Venice, Italy Photo credits: flickr |
What follows are some of the world's most famous and popular Carnival celebrations.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
photo credits: myclipta |
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana is home to Mardi Gras, the most popular Carnival in the
United States. Dozens of social clubs, called "krewes," parade
through the streets of New Orleans over a six week period. The people on the
floats or on horseback throw small presents to the spectators, such as beads,
plastic cups, and stuffed animals. Revelers party in the city's French Quarter.
Mardi Gras still occurs annually, even after Hurricane Katrina impacted the city in
2005.
Trinidad and Tobago
The two small islands of Trinidad and Tobago are known for having
the best Carnival in the Caribbean Sea. Trinidad's Carnival has been influenced
by African cultures due to the slave trade hundreds of years ago. On the two
days before Ash Wednesday, revelers dance in the streets to the sounds of calypso music and steelpan
drums.
Venice, Italy
Since the 12th century,
Venice's Carnival has been well known for intricately created masks and
masquerade balls. Throughout history, Venice's Carnival was banned numerous
times, but since 1979, the event has occurred annually. Many events occur in
the city's famous canals.
Additional Carnivals in
the US
Although New Orleans has
the most visited Mardi Gras in the United States, some smaller celebrations
include those in:
· Mobile, Alabama
· Biloxi, Mississippi
· Pensacola, Florida
· Galveston, Texas
· Baton Rouge, Lafayette,
and Shreveport, Louisiana
Additional Carnivals in
Latin America
Besides Rio de Janeiro
and Trinidad, many more cities in largely Catholic Latin America celebrate
Carnival. These include:
· Salvador, Recife, and
Olinda, Brazil
· Oruro, Bolivia
· Buenos Aires, Argentina
· Mazatlan, Mexico
· Some cities in Colombia,
Uruguay, Panama, and the Dominican Republic
Additional Carnivals in
Europe
Many more cities still
celebrate Carnival on the continent where it originated. These include:
· Torres Vedras, Portugal
· Viareggio, Italy
· Tenerife Island, part of
Spain's Canary Islands
· Cadiz, Spain
· Binche, Belgium
· Cologne, Germany
Carnival Entertainment
and Imagination
The activities of the
Carnival season, developed over centuries from religious and cultural rituals,
have become enormously popular in several cities around the world. Large crowds
congregate in the streets to enjoy the extravagant parades, rhythm of the
music, and colorful costumes. It's an exciting, creative spectacle that no
visitor will ever forget.
Carnival
Resources
in About.com > Geography > Education (slightly adapted)
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