Mardi Gras (intermediate level)
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ESL Lesson Plans - Holidays (Intermediate) - Mardi Gras
MARDI GRAS 1. Like many other holidays and festivals observed globally today, Mardi Gras has its roots in Christianity. The French term Mardi Gras translates to Fat Tuesday, and refers specifically to the last day before Lent. Lent is a period prior to Easter when Christians traditionally fasted. Giving up a particular food or vice, such as smoking or eating sweets, is more typical today. 2. The length of Mardi Gras celebrations varies depending on where the celebrations are held. While some parties last a day or two, others run for 46 exciting days. Traditionally the observance began on Epiphany, also known as Twelfth Night, and ended just before Lent. In the Christian tradition, Epiphany is the twelfth day after Christmas when the kings arrived at Jesus' birthplace. Fat Tuesday is also called Pancake Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday. The following day, known by Christians as Ash Wednesday, is the first day of Lent. 3. The term Lent actually translates from Old English to mean the season of spring. Having a festival just before spring is typical of many religions and cultures. If you've ever been to a Mardi Gras celebration, it may surprise you that such a party could have a religious background. Festivals and carnivals that take place before springtime are filled with extravagance and mystery. In fact it is believed that these circus-type festivals existed before Christians adopted them, and that they were toned down to fit the faith. Over time, the festivals grew wilder again and eventually the religious aspect lost its significance. 4. One common element of carnival celebrations worldwide is the parade. These massive spectacles have been popular in the United States since the 1700s when French explorers brought their traditions with them from Paris. To this day, the Mardi Gras parades in America are organized by private clubs called Krewes. These secret societies hide behind masks as they parade down the streets of cities including New Orleans, Louisiana and Mobile, Alabama. The more exclusive Krewes are made up of relatives from previous generations and often have high membership fees. The fees are used to pay for the decorative floats.
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ESL Lesson Plans - Holidays (Intermediate) - Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras - continued 5. In New Orleans there are three special colors associated with Mardi Gras and each color has a symbolic meaning. Green symbolizes faith, purple symbolizes justice, and gold symbolizes power. Costumes, decorations, and beaded necklaces of these three colors are prevalent throughout Mardi Gras. Besides the beads, other special souvenirs such as coins and hand-decorated coconuts are thrown out to the parade watchers from the partiers on the floats. Items that are tossed into the crowds are called "throws". 6. In Rio de Janeiro and other parts of Brazil, this Lenten celebration is known as Carnival. Often dubbed "The greatest party on Earth," Carnival in Rio features a two-day samba school parade. Thousands of travelers from around the world visit Rio for this spectacle, including celebrities who celebrate from VIP balconies along the parade route. The singers and dancers in the parade wear feathers as a symbol of Brazil's ability to overcome troubled times. Judges are placed at various points along the route to determine which school deserves the highest marks. 7. Festivals like Mardi Gras are not necessarily tied to spring. Canadians celebrate Carnival at an annual winter festival in Quebec City that coincides with Mardi Gras. Winter Carnival in Quebec is the largest of its kind in the world with close to one million attendees each year. Rather than feathers and beads and coconuts, it features an ice castle and a winter amusement park for the whole family. Activities include sleigh racing, ice sculpting, and dog sledding.
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ESL Lesson Plans - Holidays (Intermediate) - Mardi Gras
READING COMPREHENSION A. Practice asking and answering the following questions with your partner. Then write the answers in the spaces below. 1. What language does the term Mardi Gras come from? ___________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Why is Ash Wednesday mentioned in the reading? ______________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Who brought the Mardi Gras celebration to America? ____________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What are the private Mardi Gras clubs in New Orleans called? _____________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. What do the purple beads symbolize? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What is the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro often called? _____________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. Where do celebrities typically go to watch the samba parades? _____________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. What do the feathered costumes symbolize? ____________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. Where is the world's most famous winter Carnival? ______________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. What types of things do people do at this winter Carnival? _______________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________
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ESL Lesson Plans - Holidays (Intermediate) - Mardi Gras
VOCABULARY REVIEW A. Match the words on the left with the correct meaning on the right. ____1. roots
a) fairness
____2. fasted
b) very noticeable or common
____3. vice
c) strong belief in something
____4. extravagance
d) origin; place where something or someone began
____5. toned down
e) threw casually
____6. significance
f) viewing and seating area from above
____7. exclusive
g) a place to enjoy rides, games, and other fun activities
____8. floats
h) stopped eating for a period of time
____9. faith
i) only available for a select person, group or time period
____10. justice
j) an unhealthy habit or tendency
____11. prevalent
k) decorated vehicles that parade participants ride on
____12. tossed
l) made something less noticeable or bright
____13. dubbed
m) a quality of excess; more than necessary
____14. balcony
n) nicknamed
____15. amusement park
o) importance
B. Choose the word(s) with the closest meaning to the underlined word in the following sentences. 1. Beaded necklaces are prevalent on the streets of New Orleans during Mardi Gras. a. decorative b. found frequently c. a shade of purple 2. The samba dancers had faith that their school would win the contest. a. a wish b. a suspicion c. a strong belief 3. The vice Kyle chose to give up during Lent was eating potato chips in front of the TV. a. food b. bad habit c. treat ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright 2010. This eBook is produced and distributed by Red River Press Inc. All rights reserved. The contents within this e-book/document may only be photocopied by members of ESL-Library.com, in accordance with membership terms and conditions. Contact
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ESL Lesson Plans - Holidays (Intermediate) - Mardi Gras
B. continued 4. The last Krewe in the parade was dubbed "the crown crew". a. named b. denied c. topped 5. The coconut was tossed into the crowd from the float. a. brought b. taken c. thrown 6. Over time justice for women has improved in many countries. a. power b. fairness c. money 7. The crowd toned down their cheers in order to hear the music. a. shouted b. reduced c. sang
C. Choose the correct word from the list to complete the following sentences.
~ roots
floats
fasted
amusement park
exclusive
balcony
extravagance
significance ~
1. At the _______________________ we watched a parade with many ____________________. 2. Church members ____________________ for three days to raise money for the poor. 3. The club was ____________________ for males. No women were allowed to join. 4. Though Mardi Gras is often held in America, it has French ____________________. 5. The celebrities watched the dancers from the ____________________. 6. The ____________________ is most prevalent in the beaded costumes and floats. 7. Many people do not understand the ____________________ of the three Mardi Gras colors.
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ESL Lesson Plans - Holidays (Intermediate) - Mardi Gras
PAIR WORK Part 1: Sharing Information Directions: You and your partner each have a short reading about King Cake. Read your article and then share your information with your partner. Work together to complete the questions that follow.
Student A Baking a King Cake has been part of the Mardi Gras tradition in America since the French explorers introduced it in the early 1700s. A traditional New Orleans King Cake is an oval shaped twisted sweetbread topped with icing and dressed with purple, green, and gold sprinkles. A small plastic baby doll is placed inside the King Cake. This dessert is served to guests at a Mardi Gras party. The person who finds the toy baby becomes the King or Queen. The King or Queen person has to throw the party the following year or at least foot the bill for the next King Cake. King Cakes are sold in many bakery shops throughout the Mardi Gras season. It is usually up to the person who buys the cake to place the baby inside. This prevents the bakery from getting sued if anyone chokes while searching for the toy baby. In some cultures a bean is used rather than a plastic baby.
Student B The traditional King Cake served at Mardi Gras parties is round in shape. There are many theories about its origins. The ring formation possibly symbolizes the circular route the gift-bearing magi took as they searched for the baby Jesus. According to the Christian belief, the group of kings took a roundabout way to Jesus because King Herod had sent his army to follow them and do away with the baby. Another theory suggests that the ring shape symbolizes the crown of the kings. In some cultures, Twelfth Night is more commonly known as King's Day. Besides parties, the King Cake is also served at office and school functions. Though it is often a simple coffee cake, King Cake is sometimes baked with extravagant fillings.
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ESL Lesson Plans - Holidays (Intermediate) - Mardi Gras
Pair Work: Comprehension Question Sheet – King Cake Directions: Work with your partner to complete the following questions. (You each have half of the information in your previous readings.) 1. What does the shape of the King Cake symbolize? 2. What is Twelfth Night also known as? 3. What is traditionally found inside a King Cake? 4. Who brought the King Cake tradition to America? 5. What object is placed inside the cake instead of the toy in some cultures? 6. What happens if you find the treasure inside the cake? 7. Who was King Herod? 8. What kind of cake is the traditional King Cake? 9. Besides Mardi Gras parties, where else might you find people eating King Cakes? 10. Why don't bakeries sell King Cakes with the treasure already inside? __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright 2010. This eBook is produced and distributed by Red River Press Inc. All rights reserved. The contents within this e-book/document may only be photocopied by members of ESL-Library.com, in accordance with membership terms and conditions. Contact
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ESL Lesson Plans - Holidays (Intermediate) - Mardi Gras
VOCABULARY, IDIOMS, EXPRESSIONS Reading Glossary 1. sprinkles (noun): colorful sugary specks that decorate the tops of desserts Ex. The child requested pink sprinkles on top of her birthday cake. 2. throw a party (verb): to host a party and invite guests Ex. My neighbors throw a New Year's Eve party every year. 3. foot the bill (verb): to pay for the cost of something Ex. When a child breaks something at a store the parents have to foot the bill. 4. gift-bearing (adjective): carrying presents Ex. The gift-bearing guests arrived for the birthday party. 5. roundabout way (adjective + noun): in an indirect way or manner Ex. Mark took a roundabout way home to avoid the traffic. 6. do away with (verb): to remove or get rid of something that is not needed or wanted Ex. You can do away with the old table when you buy the new one. 7. filling (noun): type of food placed inside a cake or pastry, such as mixed fruit or cheese Ex. The child chose a doughnut with cherry filling. 8. sue (verb): to seek compensation (money) or justice (in court) for one's personal injury or loss Ex. The hair salon got sued after one of their customers lost all of her hair.
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ESL Lesson Plans - Holidays (Intermediate) - Mardi Gras
VOCABULARY, IDIOMS, EXPRESSIONS Vocabulary and Idiom Practice A. Word Forms: Look at how the bold words are used in the sentence. Are they used in the same way as in the reading? Are they used in a different form? Identify the part of speech (noun, verb, or adjective) for each word in bold. 1. We asked the baker to fill the inside of the cake with strawberries and cream.
___________
2. Mary found the toy baby in the King Cake, so she has to foot the bill for the cake next year.
___________
3. I'm afraid we don't bear any gifts today.
___________
4. Instead of traffic lights, there are roundabouts in the city to slow traffic down.
___________
5. I think we can do away with the party balloons now that everyone has gone home.
___________
6. We will sprinkle the cake with a bit of icing sugar to make it look like snow.
___________
7. Necklaces and coconuts are examples of throws you may see parade performers tossing.
___________
8. You could get sued for not clearing the snow from your driveway.
___________
B. Writing: Rewrite your partner's reading passage in your own words. Include the vocabulary from the glossary. __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright 2010. This eBook is produced and distributed by Red River Press Inc. All rights reserved. The contents within this e-book/document may only be photocopied by members of ESL-Library.com, in accordance with membership terms and conditions. Contact
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ESL Lesson Plans - Holidays (Intermediate) - Mardi Gras
FIND SOMEONE WHO... Directions: Walk around the classroom and ask your classmates questions. (Write the answers to the questions in the space provided below.) Find someone ... 1. who has performed in a parade. _____________________________________________________________ 2. who likes to wear beaded necklaces. _________________________________________________________ 3. who has been to Quebec. __________________________________________________________________ 4. who has eaten pancakes on Pancake Tuesday. __________________________________________________ 5. who has dreamed of joining the circus. _______________________________________________________ 6. who wants to go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. _______________________________________________ 7. whose favorite color is purple. ______________________________________________________________ 8. who loves to go to wild parties. _____________________________________________________________ 9. who knows how to dance the samba. _________________________________________________________ 10. who wants to go to Rio de Janeiro. __________________________________________________________ CLASS DISCUSSION: A Song A "carnival song" is a song that is played for many years at Mardi Gras festivals. It eventually becomes part of the tradition. New ones are played each year, but some have been around for more than one hundred years. One traditional song is called "If ever I cease to Love". This song is full of nonsense. It is traditional to make up new verses when you sing it. Here are a few of the verses people sing:
If ever I cease to Love If ever I cease to Love, ever I cease to Love May fish grow legs and cows lay eggs If ever I cease to Love, ever I cease to Love May all dogs wag their tails up front
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ESL Lesson Plans - Holidays (Intermediate) - Mardi Gras
CLASS DISCUSSION A Song - continued If ever I cease to Love, ever I cease to Love May alligators fly way up in the sky If ever I cease to Love, ever I cease to Love May the trolley’s jump track and never come back If ever I cease to Love, ever I cease to Love May the levies fall down and the people all drown If ever I cease to love, May the moon be turned to green cream cheese If I ever cease to love, May we all turn into cats and dogs If ever I cease to love, May sheepsheads grow on apple trees
Discussion: Get into groups and work on the following questions. 1. Which verse made you laugh the most? 2. Which verse do you not understand? 3. Which verse came true in history? 4. Make up your own verses. Share your verses with the class.
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ESL Lesson Plans - Holidays (Intermediate) - Mardi Gras
ANSWER KEY
READING COMPREHENSION 1. The term Mardi Gras is French. It means Fat Tuesday. 2. Ash Wednesday is mentioned because it is the first day of Lent, or the first day after Mardi Gras. 3. French explorers brought their tradition to America. 4. The private Mardi Gras clubs in America are called "Krewes". 5. Purple symbolizes justice. 6. The Carnival in Rio is often called "The Greatest Party on Earth". 7. Celebrities typically watch the samba parades from VIP balconies along the parade route. 8. The feathers symbolize Brazil's ability to overcome troubled times. 9. The world's most famous winter Carnival is held in Quebec City, Canada. 10. People enjoy the winter amusement park with events such as dog sledding, ice sculpting and sleigh racing. VOCABULARY REVIEW A. Match the words 1. d
2. h
14. f
15. g
3. j
4. m
5. l
6. o
7. i
8. k
9. c
10. a
11. b
12. e
13. n
B. Choose the words with the closest meaning 1. b
2. c
3. b
4. a
5. c
6. b
7. b
C. Choose the correct word 1. amusement park, floats
2. fasted
3. exclusive
4. roots
5. balcony
6. extravagance
7. significance PAIR WORK - Sharing Information 1. The King Cake may symbolize the shape of the magi's crowns. It may also symbolize the secret route they took while searching for the baby Jesus. 2. Twelfth Night is also called King's Day.
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ESL Lesson Plans - Holidays (Intermediate) - Mardi Gras
PAIR WORK - Sharing Information (continued) 3. A toy baby is traditionally found inside a King Cake. 4. The French explorers brought the tradition to America. 5. In some cultures a bean is placed inside the cake. 6. If you find the baby inside the cake you have to hold the next King Party, or at least buy the cake next time. 7. King Herod was the king who wanted to kill baby Jesus. 8. A King Cake is often a plain sweetbread or coffee cake, but it can also have special filling. 9. You will also find people eating King Cakes at offices and schools. 10. Bakeries don't want to be responsible if someone chokes on the treasure.
VOCABULARY AND IDIOMS - Practice A. Word Forms 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
verb verb verb noun verb verb noun verb
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