Festivals Around the World
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In the Streets
1 Read the book page
2 Read & Listen
Come to the carnival! The carnival in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is one of the biggest festivals in the world. It's always in February or March.
There's a parade with big floats. There's music in the streets. People wear colorful costumes. They dance and have fun.
The carnival in Rio de Janeiro is all day and all night. Many people don't go to bed that night!
On the same day, there's a carnival in Venice in Italy. At this time of year, it's summer in Brazil but it's winter in Italy. The weather in Italy is colder than in Brazil.
At the Venice carnival, some people wear long dresses or cloaks. They want to have fun, but they don't want to be cold.
The day after the carnival, Christians start the time of Lent.
Vocabulary
3 Look at the activity page
4 Interactive Activities
1. Picture 1: Write the word.
2. Picture 2: Write the word.
3. Picture 3: Write the word.
4. Picture 4: Write the word.
5. Picture 5: Write the word.
6. Picture 6: Write the word.
7. Rio de Janeiro is in Italy.
8. The carnival in Rio de Janeiro is in January.
9. There's a parade at the carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
10. There's a carnival in Venice every year.
11. The weather is always hot at the Venice carnival.
12. Some people at the Venice carnival wear cloaks.
13. The carnival in Rio de Janeiro is very …
14. You can see … in colorful costumes.
15. Many … don't go to bed that night.
16. The carnival in Venice is in …
17. Some people wear … or long dresses.
18. They want to have …
19. Match the questions and answers.
20. In your country, how is the weather in February?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.21. Do you have a carnival in your country? What do you do?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.Lights
1 Read the book page
2 Read & Listen
For many festivals, people decorate their homes. In India, people put lots of pretty lamps in their homes for the festival of Diwali.
They look at the lamps and think about their family and other people in the world.
Diwali is usually in October or November. It's a very big festival for Hindu people in India, and for Hindus all around the world.
At the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, people light candles on eight nights. One night, they light one candle. The next night they light two candles. On the last night of Hanukkah, they light all the candles.
Hanukkah is usually in December. Children have presents. Many families eat pancakes made with potatoes. They sometimes eat donuts, too.
Vocabulary
3 Look at the activity page
4 Interactive Activities
1. Match the sentence beginnings and endings.
2. Diwali is a ____ in India.
3. It's usually in October or ____.
4. Diwali is a ____ festival for Hindu people.
5. At Hanukkah, people light ____.
6. Children have ____ at Hanukkah.
7. People sometimes eat ____ at Hanukkah.
8. What do Hindus do at Diwali?
9. When is Diwali?
10. What do many people eat at Hanukkah?
11. When is Hanukkah?
12. Do you have a festival with lamps or candles in your country? What do you do and eat?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.Families and Friends
1 Read the book page
2 Read & Listen
Eid is the Arabic word for 'festival'. Eid is a big Muslim festival.
At Eid, people give presents to children and friends. Eid presents are usually money, or things like toys, candy, and new clothes.
At Eid, Muslims think about other people in the world. They give food and money to hungry people and sick people.
People wear new clothes at Eid. In the morning, they get up, wash, and put on their new clothes. They eat dates and cookies for breakfast. Then they go to pray at the mosque.
Lots of people hug their friends. Later, they eat with their family. They also visit their grandparents, and say, 'Happy Eid!'
Vocabulary
3 Look at the activity page
4 Interactive Activities
1. Eid is a ____ festival.
2. Muslims give ____ to children at Eid.
3. They give money, or things like ____.
4. They give food and ____ to hungry and sick people.
5. People wear new ____ at Eid.
6. Eid is the Arabic word for ____.
7. People get up and wash.
8. They sleep all day.
9. They eat dates and cookies for breakfast.
10. They watch a big parade.
11. They wear old clothes.
12. They visit their grandparents.
13. They say, 'Happy Eid!'
14. Order the words: is / festival. / big / Eid / a
15. Order the words: presents / People / friends. / their / give / to
16. Order the words: think / about / people. / other / They
17. Order the words: People / Eid. / at / eat / dates
18. Order the words: go / to / They / mosque. / the
19. Order the words: hug / their / They / friends.
20. Do you have Eid in your country?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.21. Do you have a festival with presents in your country? Which festival?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.22. What presents do you give at this festival?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.Three Kings
1 Read the book page
2 Read & Listen
In the story of Jesus Christ, three good people visited Jesus when he was a baby. They gave him presents. Later, Christians called these people the Three Kings.
In January, Christians have a festival called Twelfth Night. It's called Twelfth Night because it's 12 nights after Christmas.
At this time, Christians think about the Three Kings who visited Jesus with their presents. In some countries, people eat a big cake.
Twelfth Night is a big festival in Spain. There are lots of parades, with people in costumes. People throw candy to children in the streets.
On Twelfth Night, Spanish children put their shoes under the Christmas tree. In the morning, they find presents in their shoes.
Vocabulary
3 Look at the activity page
4 Interactive Activities
1. Picture 1: Write the word.
2. Picture 2: Write the word.
3. Picture 3: Write the word.
4. Picture 4: Write the word.
5. Picture 5: Write the word.
6. Picture 6: Write the word.
7. Match the sentence beginnings and endings.
8. Twelfth Night is a … festival.
9. It's 12 nights after …
10. It's a big festival in …
11. In Spain, there are lots of … on Twelfth Night.
12. The people in the parades wear …
13. At night, children put their … under the Christmas tree.
14. ____ is a Muslim festival.
15. ____ is a Christian festival.
16. Good people visited Jesus on ____.
17. On ____, children put their shoes under the Christmas tree.
18. At ____, people go to the mosque.
19. On ____, there are big parades in Spain.
Spring
1 Read the book page
2 Read & Listen
Spring is a very pretty season. Maybe it's the prettiest season of all. It's usually sunny and there are lots of flowers.
In Japan, people love cherry blossom. These pink flowers open in spring, between January and April.
People have picnics under the cherry trees. They sit and eat, and they look at the cherry blossom.
In Ghana, the rainy season starts in May. This is a good time for farmers, so they have a big festival called Homowo. There are parades in the streets, with music and dancing.
Vila Franca do Lima is in Portugal. In May, there's a festival here, with lots of flowers. Girls carry flowers on their head. The flowers are heavy.
Vocabulary
3 Look at the activity page
4 Interactive Activities
1. Spring is a very pretty ____.
2. It's usually ____.
3. There are lots of ____.
4. In Japan, people love ____ blossom.
5. These flowers open in ____.
6. People have ____ and they look at the cherry blossom.
7. In Japan, people love cherry blossom.
8. Cherry trees have yellow flowers.
9. The flowers open in August.
10. Vila Franca do Lima is in Spain.
11. There's a festival here in May.
12. Homowo is a festival in Ghana.
13. In your country, how is the weather in May?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.14. What is the prettiest season in your country?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.15. Do you have a festival in spring in your country? Which festival? What do you do?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.Thank You
1 Read the book page
2 Read & Listen
Fall is a season of festivals all around the world. It's the season of the harvest. Farmers cut the crops and pick the fruit.
After the harvest, people want to say thank you for the good things in the world.
In South Korea there's a big festival called Chuseok in September or October. Families eat traditional food like rice cakes. Sometimes people also dance.
In the USA, the festival of Thanksgiving is in November. In Canada, it's in October. People have dinner with their family. They eat turkey and pumpkin pie.
In Europe, there are lots of festivals after the harvest. In Poland, girls wear crowns made of flowers. They dance and sing songs.
In Italy, people wear traditional costumes and they dance with wreaths. The wreaths are made of wheat.
Vocabulary
3 Look at the activity page
4 Interactive Activities
1. Picture 1: Write the word.
2. Picture 2: Write the word.
3. Picture 3: Write the word.
4. Picture 4: Write the word.
5. Picture 5: Write the word.
6. Picture 6: Write the word.
7. Odd one out: Poland / South Korea / USA / November / Italy
8. Odd one out: fall / wheat / winter / spring / summer
9. Odd one out: fruit / pumpkin / family / turkey / cake
10. Odd one out: Chuseok / November / September / October / August
11. Odd one out: dance / eat / sing / wear / girl
12. Match the festival custom to the country.
13. When do people pick the fruit?
14. Who cuts the crops?
15. Which country has a festival called Chuseok?
16. When is Chuseok?
17. What do people do at Chuseok?
18. Which countries have a festival called Thanksgiving?
19. When is Thanksgiving in the USA?
Birthdays
1 Read the book page
2 Read & Listen
Christmas is the birthday of Jesus Christ and it's a big festival for Christians. Many people have a Christmas tree in their homes, and there are pretty decorations in the streets.
All around the world, Sikhs have a festival for Guru Nanak's birthday in November. Guru Nanak was a great teacher.
Some Sikhs go to the Golden Temple in India. On Guru Nanak's birthday there are thousands of lamps at this temple.
Vesak Day is sometimes called Buddha's Birthday. On this day Buddhists think about Gotama Buddha – he was a great teacher in India.
They decorate statues of Gotama Buddha. Vesak Day is usually in May.
On Vesak Day in Indonesia, thousands of birds fly into the sky.
Vocabulary
3 Look at the activity page
4 Interactive Activities
1. Christmas is the ____ of Jesus Christ.
2. At Christmas many people have a Christmas ____ in their homes.
3. Guru Nanak was a great ____.
4. Vesak Day is ____ called Buddha's Birthday.
5. On Vesak Day, Buddhists decorate ____ of Gotama Buddha.
6. Thousands of ____ fly into the sky on Vesak Day.
7. Match each festival with its religion.
8. Order the words: a / Guru / Nanak / great / teacher. / was
9. Order the words: His / in / is / birthday / November.
10. Order the words: Golden / Temple. / to / the / Some / people / go
11. Order the words: is / temple / India. / This / in
12. Order the words: lamps / temple. / There / are / the / at / lots / of
13. In your country, do you have festivals for the birthdays of great people? Which people?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.14. When is your birthday? What do you do?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.Midsummer
1 Read the book page
2 Read & Listen
In June, it's summer in Europe. It's usually warm. The nights are short and the days are long.
The longest day in the year is June 21st. It's called Midsummer. At this time, there are many festivals in Europe. People make big bonfires.
In Finland and other countries near the Arctic, it doesn't get dark at Midsummer. There's no night.
In Russia at Midsummer, people sing and dance all night. Girls pick flowers and make pretty crowns. They throw the crowns into a lake or a river.
Midsummer is one of the biggest festivals in Sweden. People decorate their homes with leaves. They make a big pole with flowers and leaves.
They dance around the pole and sing songs. They wear traditional Swedish costumes. Girls make pretty crowns with flowers.
Vocabulary
3 Look at the activity page
4 Interactive Activities
1. Picture 1: Write the word.
2. Picture 2: Write the word.
3. Picture 3: Write the word.
4. Picture 4: Write the word.
5. Picture 5: Write the word.
6. Picture 6: Write the word.
7. Match the sentence beginnings and endings.
8. In Europe, the days are short in June.
9. In Europe, people have bonfires at Midsummer.
10. In Russia, girls throw their crowns into the streets.
11. In Finland, it never gets dark at Midsummer.
12. In Sweden, people dance around a big pole.
13. Do you have a festival with dancing in your country? Which festival?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.14. Do you have a festival at Midsummer? What do you do?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.15. What is the warmest month in your country?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.Halloween
1 Read the book page
2 Read & Listen
October 31st is Halloween. Children wear costumes. In the evening, they knock on doors and people give them candy.
At Halloween, some people buy a pumpkin. They cut holes in the pumpkin, to make eyes, a nose, and a mouth.
They put a candle in the pumpkin, to make a lantern – a lantern and a scary face!
Stores sell Halloween toys, like skeletons and spiders. People aren't really scared at Halloween. It's fun!
The day after Halloween is a Christian festival called All Saints Day. This is a very big festival in Mexico.
People think about their families, and visit the cemetery. It's not a sad festival. People have fun. Children have candy and they play with their brothers and sisters.
Vocabulary
3 Look at the activity page
4 Interactive Activities
1. Picture 1: Write the word.
2. Picture 2: Write the word.
3. Picture 3: Write the word.
4. Picture 4: Write the word.
5. Picture 5: Write the word.
6. Picture 6: Write the word.
7. Match the questions and answers.
8. People make …
9. Children wear …
10. People buy …
11. People … really scared.
12. Stores sell toys, like …
13. Order the words: at / wear / costumes / Halloween. / Children
14. Order the words: knock / on / They / doors.
15. Order the words: People / children / give / candy.
16. Order the words: really / scared. / aren't / People
17. Order the words: on / have / fun / People / All / Saints / Day.
18. Order the words: play / with / their / brothers / They / and / sisters.
New Year
1 Read the book page
2 Read & Listen
All around the world there are big festivals for New Year. People in different countries do different things.
In Spain and Portugal, people eat 12 grapes at midnight on December 31st.
In Japan, people like laughing at midnight. They say, 'Start the year with a laugh, then all the year is happy.'
In Thailand, people throw water in the streets. They have water all over them, but it's not a problem. The weather in Thailand is always hot at New Year.
At New Year, many people watch fireworks. Little children sit on their mother's or father's shoulders so that they can see the fireworks.
The fireworks go up, and all the people say, 'Happy New Year!'
In Sydney in Australia, there are usually more than 80,000 fireworks at New Year.
Vocabulary
3 Look at the activity page
4 Interactive Activities
1. There are lots of festivals at New Year.
2. In Spain, people eat grapes at midnight.
3. In Thailand, people throw water.
4. In Thailand the weather is cold.
5. Many people watch fireworks.
6. There are no fireworks in Sydney.
7. At New Year, people in different countries do …
8. In Spain and Portugal, people eat … grapes at midnight.
9. Japanese people … laughing at midnight.
10. In … people throw water in the street.
11. In Thailand the weather is … at New Year.
12. Puzzle picture 1: Write the word.
13. Puzzle picture 2: Write the word.
14. Puzzle picture 3: Write the word.
15. Puzzle picture 4: Write the word.
16. Puzzle picture 5: Write the word.
17. Puzzle picture 6: Write the word.
18. Puzzle picture 7: Write the word.
19. Puzzle picture 8: Write the word.
20. What is your favorite festival?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.21. When is it?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.22. What do you do?
Personal/open response – not included in the score.Festival Projects
Project page
Project 1: My Festivals Calendar. Project 2: Festival Diagrams.
Picture Dictionary
Picture Dictionary
Example: