Внеклассное занятие по теме «Thanksgiving Day»

Внеклассное занятие по теме «Thanksgiving Day»

Цель занятия: знакомство с культурой страны изучаемого языка, ее традициями и обычаями; развитие языковых умений и навыков.
I. Background
The first Thanksgiving Day was celebrated by the Pilgrims on 1621. They came from England for religious freedom. They sailed from Plymouth, England, on September 16, 1620. Their ship was called the Mayflower. They landed at Plymouth Rock, in Massachusetts, on December 26, 1620.

The first winter was a terrible time. There was much sickness and starvation. Native Indians taught the Pilgrims how to plant, to fish, to hunt and how to survive in America. The crops did well, and in the fall of 1621 the Pilgrims had a great harvest. They were very thankful and decided to celebrate with a feast. The Pilgrims invited their Indian friends to share this Thanksgiving feast.

Thanksgiving was proclaimed a national day of observance by Congress in 1941.

II. Thanksgiving Day

The fourth Thursday in November is Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a national holiday, so most people don’t go to work. People get together with their families and friends to give thanks for the good things in their lives. Many people travel by plane, train, bus, or car to be with their relatives. More people travel for Thanksgiving than for any other holiday.
On Thanksgiving Day, families come for a special dinner. The family in the picture is together for Thanksgiving dinner. They are going to eat turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, end cranberries. They will have pumpkin pie for dessert. After dinner, the family will relax and talk. Some of them will watch a football game on TV.
Thanksgiving started over 350 years ago with a Pilgrims. In the fall of 1620, one hundred Pilgrims came to the United States from England. They come on a boat, the Mayflower. Half of the people came for religious freedom. All came for new lives.
The first winter, the Pilgrims were hungry, sick, and cold. Many people died. Then the Native Americans, the Indians, helped the Pilgrims. They taught the Pilgrims to plant corn and build houses. In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims wanted to give thanks for their new land. They also wanted to thank the Indians for their help.

The first Thanksgiving was three days long. The picture on the next page shows the Native Americans and the Pilgrims celebrating together. But in the years after the first Thanksgiving, there were many problems between the newcomers and the Indians. The newcomers took land from the Indians. They killed Indians and destroyed the Native American way of life. Today many Americans feel ashamed about this. Some states celebrate Native Americans day. On these days, Americans honor Native Americans and remember the peace and friendship of the first Thanksgiving.

Traditions and Customs
Thanksgiving day comes on the 4^th Thursday in November. It is a legal holiday celebrated throughout the United States. People of  all faiths celebrate this day. They give thanks for the many good things in their lives.
This is a family holiday. Families come together from near and far. In some places special religious services are held in the morning. Then comes the traditional feast. Turkey with stuffing in the main dish. It is served with sweet potatoes, squash, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Apple cider is the drink of the day.

Football is the most popular game on this day. For many schools, the Thanksgiving Day game is the most important  one of the year. Usually there are several football games to watch on TV.

Macy's department store holds its annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Celebrities, floats, bands,and balloons shaped like famous storybook and cartoon characters appear in the parade. Santa Claus arrives at the end. His coming marks the beginning of the Christmas season.

Stores, classrooms, and homes are decorated with turkeys, pilgrims, Indians, wreaths, of dried flowers, and vegetables. Horns of plenty are also very popular.

Charitable organizations serve dinners to needy people. They also send baskets of food to the elderly and sick.
III. Themes and Thoughts

Gratitude, Thankfulness, Compassion, Sharing, Religion

Heap high the board with plenteous cheer,and gather to the feast,

And toast the sturdy Pilgrim band whose courage never ceased.

- Alice W. Brotherton

It is better to give than to receive.

- Proverb

Harvest comes not every day, though it comes every year.

- Thomas Fuller

When corn is ripe, ‘tis time to reap.

-       Martin Parker

IV. Circle the word that best completes each sentence.

1. On Thanksgiving some organizations prepare food for the needy and the (stores, faiths, elderly).
2. It is traditional to make turkey with (wreaths, feasts, stuffing) on Thanksgiving.
3. People of all (survive, faiths, harvests) celebrate this holiday.
4. The Pilgrims organized a (feast, wreath, faith) to celebrate that they were alive.
5. Thanksgiving is an (annual, observance, elderly) holiday celebrated by people of all faith.
6. After the Indians taught the Pilgrims how to plant, they had a good (survival, harvest, wreath).
7. Congress decided to have a day of (annual, survival, observance) for Thanksgiving in 1941.
8. The first year that the Pilgrims were in America many died of (starvation, stuffing, harvest).
9. Thanks to the Indian, the Pilgrims learned to (feast, annual, survive).

It is traditional to decorate stores and homes with turkeys, Pilgrims, and (wreath, stuffing, elderly) of dried flowers and plants.

V. Ask questions about sentences below.

1.        People of all faiths celebrate Thanksgiving in November.

a.     Who                                                                                          ?

b.    When                                                                                        ?

c.     What                                                                                        ?

2.        The most famous Thanksgiving event in New York City is the Thanksgiving Day Parade. At the end of the parade Santa Claus arrives. People watching the parade feel excited and happy.

a.     What                                                                                        ?

b.    When                                                                                        ?

c.     Who                                                                                         ?

d.    How                                                                                         ?

e.     Which Thanksgiving event                                                         ?

3.        Charitable organization send food to the

4.         needy and elderly.

a.     What kind                                                                                 ?

b.    What                                                                                        ?

c.     To whom                                                                                  ?

5.        Thanksgiving was proclaimed a national day of observance by Congress in 1941.

a.     What                                                                                        ?

b.    When                                                                                        ?

c.     By whom                                                                                  ?

d.    Which holiday                                                                          ?

VI. Use some of the words on the pumpkin pie to write a Thanksgiving story.