ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

EIGHTH GRADE Teacher: Angie Ruiz

UNIT #3: SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE!
I PART. Based on the pictures, write the correct vocabulary about HOLIDAYS using the vocabulary into the box.

New Year’s Day - Mother’s Day - Juan Santamaria Day – Valentine’s Day - Christmas Day - Labor Day –
Annexation Day

3.

1.

2. 4.

5.

6.
7.

II PART. Answer the following questions.

1. When do people celebrate on Christmas Day? _____________________________________

2. When do people celebrate Juan Santa Maria’s Day? _______________________________

3. When do people celebrate Independence’s Day? _________________________________

4. When do people celebrate Mother’s Day? _________________________________________

5. What do people do on Christmas Day? ____________________________________________

6. What do people do on Mother’s Day? _____________________________________________

1
III PART. Read the following description about celebrations.

Valentine’s Day - Juan Santamaria’s Day - April fool’s Day - Independence’s Day - Halloween -
Christmas - Virgin of Los Angeles Day
1. People sing carols or listen choirs. Some people go shopping for Christmas presents, others stay at home with their
families having special dinner. ____________________________

2. On this date, people send greeting cards called Valentines to their sweethearts, friends and members of the family.
People give candies, flowers and different gifts to their friends. __________________

3. Children usually dress up as scary characters such as Frankenstein, Dracula or other monsters.
People give kids candies. _____________________

4. It is celebrated in the USA. Americans play tricks on their best friends and relatives.
___________________________

5. It commemorates the national hero who fought at the battle of Rivas against the American William Walker.
_______________________

6. It is celebrated with big patriotic parades. Marching bands go the street celebrating Costa Rica’s birthday.
___________________

7. There are religious processions and pilgrimage to Cartago. _________________

IV Part. Listen to the following conversation and choose the best option for the questions:
http://www.esl-lab.com/like1/like1.htm

A) Select with an “X” the best option.

1. What is the plan for tonight?

a- have a clown b- sing karaoke c-see a movie

2. The woman likes the idea?

a- yes b- no

B) Listen a second time and write Yes or No.

The woman likes _____________________.

Action ______ comedies ________ love _______ horror______ foreign ________

2
V Part. Read the following texts about description of how the teacher’s family and relatives
celebrate Father’s Day. Complete the diagram with verbs in Past tense located in the text.

I am Angie. Last father´s day we had a special celebration. First, we prepared

breakfast for my father. Then we gave him some presents. After that, we got ready and
we went to my grandmother´s house. Later, we helped prepared lunch. Finally, we had
a delicious lunch with our grandparents. We ate rice with chicken.

had

Verbs in
Past tense

VI Part. Answer the following questions about your opinion and interview your classmates. Write the answer into
the box.

Questions Your answers Classmate’s answer

1. What did you do

on ___________?

2. What did you

eat?

3. Where did you

go?

4. Who did you go

with?

5. What did you

see?

6. What activities
did you do?

3
VII Part. Using the handout from the previous task and the following template, learners write about their last
holiday/celebration/festival.

HOLIDAY, CELEBRATION OR FESTIVAL

First, We prepared breakfast.

Second,
After that,
Then,
Finally,

VIII Part. Watch the video “Top 10 celebrations around the World 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-
QhQRNkxBQ .Match the countries with their celebrations.
Matching
Country Celebration
Brazil A. ( ) Oktober Festival
Germany B. ( ) La Tomatina
China C. ( ) Halloween
Ireland D. ( ) Burning Man Festival
Thailand E. ( ) Rio de Jainero Carnival
Italy F. ( ) Yi Peng Lantern Festival
United States G. ( ) Chinese New Year
Spain H. ( ) Saint Patrick’s Day
Nevada, USA I. ( ) Holi
India J. ( ) Carnival in Venice

IX Part. Complete the chart with correct information based on the last video.

The Carnival of Venice - La tomatina - Carnival in Rio de Janeiro –

Yi Peng Lantern Festival - Chinese New Year

Holidays around the World. How is it celebrated?

Parade, samba, costumes, dance, decorations.
Play, costumes, fireworks.
Buddhist merit, floating lights.
Venetian masks, carnival theaters troupes.
Throw tomatoes.

4
X Part. Read the following information and do activities A and B
Saint Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick’s Day, feast day (March 17) of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. Born in Roman
Britain in the late 4th century, he was kidnapped at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave.
He escaped but returned about 432 to convert the Irish to Christianity. By the time of his death on
March 17, 461, he had established monasteries, churches, and schools. Many legends grew up
around him—for example, that he drove the snakes out of Ireland and used the shamrock to
explain the Trinity. Ireland came to celebrate his day with religious services and feasts.
It was emigrants, particularly to the United States, who transformed St. Patrick’s Day into a big
celebration of things Irish. Cities with large numbers of Irish immigrants, who often wielded
political power, staged the most extensive celebrations, which included elaborate parades.
Boston held its first St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1737, followed by New York City in 1762. Since
1962 Chicago has coloured its river green to mark the holiday. (Although blue was the colour
traditionally associated with St. Patrick, green is now commonly connected with the day.) Irish
and non-Irish alike commonly participate in the “wearing of the green”—sporting an item of green
clothing or a shamrock, the Irish national plant, in the lapel. Corned beef and cabbage are
associated with the holiday, and even beer is sometimes dyed green to celebrate the day.
Although some of these practices eventually were adopted by the Irish themselves, they did so
largely for the benefit of tourists.

XI Part. Match the picture with the correct vocabulary.

Shamrock 1 ( )

Saint Patrick 2 ( )

Leprechaun 3 ( )

Parade 4 ( )

5
XII PART. Match the following to complete the statements.

On March 17th _____________ ( ) a. People started to colour

Chicago’s river into
green.
The first Saint Patrick’s parade ( ) b. are symbols of this
was _____ celebration.

The shamrock represents ( ) c. in 1737

_____

Since 1962 ______ ( ) d. cabbage and corn beef

People usually eat _______ ( ) f. People celebrate Saint

Patrick’s Day.
Finally, leprechauns ( ) g. The Trinity (Father, Son,
Holy Spirit)

XIII Part. Read the information again. After that, complete the following gaps.

Parade - Saint Patrick’s Day - Celebrate - beef - green

- cabbage

First, Ireland came to _____________ this day with religious services and feasts.

After that, immigrants transformed ____________________________ into a big celebration.

Then, in 1737 Americans started to celebrate with a _____________________.

Later, in 1962, people dyed the river with a _______________color.

Finally, people usually eat __________________and___________________________.

6
XIV Part. Answer the questions about Saint’s Patrick’s Day.

1. When do people celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day? ___________________________________________

2. What is the color represented on Saint Patrick’s Day? ______________________________________
3. What is the symbol of Saint Patrick’s Day? _______________________________________________

XV Part. Complete the dialogue with your own information. Practice the dialogue with your classmate.

A. Hello ___________________. Where are you going this time?

B. Hi. I am going to __________________(country)__ to enjoy _____________(festival/celebration).
A. Why do you like it?
B. It’s because _________________________(reason).
A. When is your travel?
B. It’s on __________________(date).
A. Oh! What a nice experience.
B. Yes, I think it will be the best.

XVI PART. Read this conversation. Practice the pronunciation.

Tom: Do you like Christmas?

Jane: Yes, I love it.

Tom: Do you have a dinner?

Jane: Yes, I have a delicious dinner.

Tom: Who do you celebrate it with?

Jane: I celebrate it with my family.

Tom: What foods do you prepare?

Jane: I prepare rice, turkey and a salad.

Tom: What activities do you have in the celebration?

Jane: We have the dinner, the presents and some music