Spring Festivals Lesson Plan

Learning​ ​Objectives: Preparation​ ​Time:​ 5 minutes

1. To present/review and practice nouns Completion​ ​Time:​ 45 minutes

connected with festivals and celebrations
2. To read four short texts about different spring
festivals Resources:​ Spring festivals activity sheets
3. To write a short email to a friend

Skill:​ Reading, writing and speaking

Age/Level:​ Adult/Intermediate to upper-intermediate.

Warm-up (5 minutes)
Lead a class discussion about different festivals and celebrations around the world. Ask students if they
know any festivals which are celebrated in spring.

During the discussion elicit some of the following nouns, which students will need to know to complete
activity ​(​parade / feast / firework / occasion / origin / tradition / temple / ritual​)
Write down these words on the board as they are mentioned.

Activity 1 (10 minutes)

Divide the class into pairs. Distribute Activity 1.
Have students match the vocabulary to the definitions (A–H).

Key​: A. origin B. temple C. ritual D. feast E. tradition F. parade G. firework H. occasion

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Activity 2 (15 minutes)
Write the names of the four festivals on the board (Las Fallas, Nowruz, Songkran, Holi festival) and find
out if any of the students have heard of any of them.

Put students back in pairs and distribute Activity 2. Have students scan the texts and speculate which
ones match which festival.

You can give your students extra support by pre-teaching the following language to help them speculate:

● Songkran sounds like it's in (country)

● Nowruz could be celebrated in (country)
● Las Fallas is definitely (country adjective)
● Holi might be a/an (country adjective) festival

Key:​ A. Songkran B. Las Fallas C. Holi festival D. Nowruz

Next have students read the texts again and this time complete the gaps using the vocabulary from
Activity 1. Remind them that some of the nouns may be plural.

Key:​ 1. traditions 2. temples 3. parades 4. firework 5. occasion 6 rituals 7. origin 8. feast.

Activity 3 (15 minutes)

Handout Activity 3. Read the instructions with the class and give them 10 minutes to complete their
email. Fast finishers can discuss which festival they chose with the person next to them.

Collect emails to correct after class.

Model answer:
Hi Peter,

How are you? I am currently in Thailand celebrating the Songkran festival. It is so much fun! The streets
are full of people running around throwing water at each other. We also visited some amazing temples. I
think you’d love it! Do you want to come with me next year?

Speak to you soon,

Dan

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Extension activity (5–10 mins)
If you have time at the end of the class put your students back in their original pairs and have them
answer the discussion questions.

Monitor students and praise good use of target language.

Finish the class with some feedback and error correction.

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