News Flash English :: Easter Folklore Traditions

START

1. FOLKLORE TRADITIONS: What do you know about folklore traditions in your country? What do you know about folklore traditions in Central & Eastern Europe? Go round the room swapping stories. Change partners often.

2. DICTATION: The teacher will read some of the article slowly and clearly. Students will write down what they hear. The teacher will repeat the passage slowly again. Self correct your work from page 2 - filling in spaces and correcting mistakes. Be honest with yourself on the number of errors. Advise the teacher of your total number of errors. Less than 5 is very good. 10 are acceptable. Any more is room for improvement! More than 20 - we need to do some work!

3. READING: Get students to read the passage aloud. Swap readers every paragraph.

4. VOCABULARY: Students look through the article. Underline/highlight any vocabulary you do not know. Look in dictionaries. Discuss and help each other out. The teacher will go through & explain any words or phrases you do not understand.

5. EXPLAIN: Explain the following: positively hated / not always fun / hand woven / local willow cane / by male standards / douse / fertility / healthy / traditions are dying out / strange pagan traditions / derive / ancient practices / a little coy / frankly / shudder / Easter bunny

6. FOLKLORE TRADITIONS: Think of 4 folklore traditions in your country. List them below. Compare and discuss with your partner.

1	3
2	4

The teacher will choose some pairs to discuss their findings in front of the class.

7. FOLKLORE TRADITIONS: Use your findings in no 6 to discuss the below.

Student A
1) What do you know about these folklore traditions?
2) Have you ever taken part in any of them?
3) How old are they?
4) Are these practiced solely in your country or in other countries?
Student B
1) What do you like about them?
2) Do you dress up in traditional costume?
3) Do you dress in traditional costume when enacting the traditions?
4) What is your favourite folklore tradition?

8. I WENT TO SEE A FOLKLORE TRADITION AND I SAW…:
(Name of tradition)_________________________________

Think of 10 things you might see when watching a folklore tradition. Write them below. Compare and discuss with your partner.

1	6
2	7
3	8
4	9
5	10

The teacher will choose some pairs to discuss their findings in front of the class.

9. QUICK DEBATE: Student A believes folklore traditions should be kept alive, promoted and also physically promoted. Student B believes folklore traditions have no place in the modern world we live in and should be consigned to history books about the country. Debate this with your partner.

10. FOLKLORE TRADITIONS; With your partner on the board write as many words to do with ‘Folklore traditions’ as you can. One-two minutes. Compare with other teams. Discuss together – linking your words.

11. SENTENCES: Choose six/nine of the words from no 10. Write two/three sentences using two/three words in each. Underline your chosen words. The teacher will if necessary correct your work. Students might be asked to read their sentences aloud.

12. ARTICLE QUIZ: With your partner or in small groups: (1 point for each correct answer. Lose ½ point if you look at the article for help!)

Student A
1) What happens in Slovakia on Easter Monday?
2) What is repeated until midday generally?
3) Today females are a little ‘what’ when discussing their Easter?
4) What is the alternative mentioned at the end of the article?
5) What can a girl expect?
6) The tradition was originally thought to keep women…
7) Where do these strange pagan rituals derive from?
8) What is on a cane?
9) Older lads are offered what?
10) What are sold outside Tesco?
Student B
1) Describe the instrument used?
2) What do the girls give in return for being whipped?
3) Name the tree that that cane is made from
4) Who will the local girls be chased by?
5) Tradition adds a ribbon on the cane. Why?
6) When can the girls get their own back?
7) How do most foreign visitors react to these traditions?
8) What can a girl in Slovakia expect in bed on Easter Monday?
9) What is the Slovak word for this whip or cane?
10) Where do the young men whip the girls?

13. UN-SCRAMBLE: Put the following into the right order:

Easy
1) eh? Easter chocolate instead a bunny
2) offered are older drink a lads
3) the give eggs chocolate boys girls
4) can girl visits expect many a
5) repeated midday ceremony until is the
Harder
6) their girls get own water with can back cold the
7) be boys likely whipped the by the to girl is
8) fertile thought was keep it originally women to
9) Bratislava Tesco in are sold whips outside
10) Slovakia hated by is positively women Easter in Monday
(Answers are on page 15 – sentences adapted from article)

14. EASTER: Think of four things to do with Easter. List them below and discuss.

1	3
2	4

The teacher will choose some pairs to discuss their findings in front of the class.

15. YOU & EASTER: Discuss the following with each other…

Student A
1) What did you do at Easter?
2) What do you normally do at Easter?
3) What should you have done at Easter but didn’t?
4) What did you watch on the telly?
5) Was this a typical Easter for you?
6) Your question
Student B
1) What is Easter?
2) Was it a religious Easter for you?
3) Does religion play any part of your Easter?
4) Is Easter too commercial now?
5) Should Easter be kept traditional?
6) Your question

16. SENTENCE STARTERS: With your partner(s), finish these sentence starters. Change partner(s) and talk about the sentences you made.

Easter is _____________________________________________________
Folklore traditions _______________________________________________
Fertility is _____________________________________________________
Chocolate bunnies ______________________________________________
The girls are ___________________________________________________

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: After reading the article guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	Easter in Slovakia is loved by women	T / F
b.	Easter Friday for girls in Slovakia is not always fun	T / F
c.	Village men throw their women in the rivers	T / F
d.	A girl is likely to be whipped by the boys	T / F
e.	The girls give the boys hand painted decorative eggs	T / F
f.	Older lads are offered a drink of beer	T / F
g.	Girls sometimes wake up to a bucket of water all over them	T / F
h.	Girls can douse the boys with water	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

a.	Likely	Old
b.	Colourful	Alcohol
c.	Whips	Criteria
d.	Coy	Natural
e.	Standards	Bright
f.	Visitors	Attractive
g.	Decorative	Cane
h.	Fresh	Tourists
i.	Spirits	Shy
j.	Ancient	Probably

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article:

a.	While Easter is loved	girls sometimes wake up to a bucket…
b.	If you are a girl	to be chased by the village boys
c.	You are likely	hand painted decorative eggs…
d.	The girl	a ribbon on a cane
e.	Tradition adds	Chocolate Easter bunny
f.	In return the girls give the young boys	can expect many visits
g.	In other parts of Slovakia	from a village in the east or centre…
h.	A girl	fertile, fresh youthful and healthy
i.	…to keep women	is likely to be whipped
j.	Maybe a	by men in Slovakia

GAP FILL: READING

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Easter folklore traditions live on in Slovakia

While ______ is loved by men in Slovakia it is positively hated by women. Let me explain…If you are a girl from a village in the east or centre of Slovakia Easter Monday is not always fun. Why? You are likely to be chased by the village boys who will throw you in the nearest ______. Worse - the girl is likely to be whipped by the boys in the morning using a specially decorated hand woven local ______ cane with colourful _______. Called a “korbáč” in Slovak it’s used by the young men to whip the girls on the legs below the _____ when they catch up with them. Such _____ are sold before Easter outside Tesco in Bratislava! Tradition adds a ribbon on the cane by each ‘victim’. This testifies the number of girls and women a lad has managed to whip or ____. In return the girls give the young boys hand painted decorative eggs or chocolate ____. Older lads are offered a drink of spirits.

ribbons

stream

soak

eggs

whips

knees

willow

Easter

In other parts of Slovakia girls sometimes wake up to a ______ of cold water being thrown over them in their beds. By male standards this is seen to be the biggest fun! The ceremony of splash-and-whip is repeated until midday - generally. A girl can expect many visits! The good news is the girls can get their own back. In the afternoon, the following day or week - depending on the region - they can _____ the boys with cold water. Good for them! What’s it all about? _________! It was originally thought to keep women _______, fresh, ________ and healthy for the rest of the year. Today times have moved on…these __________ are dying out, especially in modern day cities. Most foreign visitors to Slovakia are indeed surprised by these strange _____ rituals that derive from ancient practices. Today many females are a little coy when it comes to discussing these Easter traditions, as it turns out most have had it done to them. Frankly most hated it and shudder. Maybe a chocolate Easter _____ instead eh?

traditions

pagan

bunny

fertility

bucket

youthful

fertile

douse

GAP FILL: LISTENING:

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Easter folklore traditions live on in Slovakia

While Easter _______________ in Slovakia it is positively hated by women. Let me explain…If ______________ from a village in the east or centre of Slovakia Easter Monday _________________. Why? You are likely to be chased by the village boys who will throw you in the nearest stream. Worse - the girl is likely to be whipped by the boys ______________ using a specially decorated hand woven local willow cane with colourful ribbons. Called a “korbáč” in Slovak it’s used by the young men to whip the girls on the ____________________ when they catch up with them. Such whips are sold before Easter outside Tesco in Bratislava! Tradition adds a ribbon on the cane by each ‘victim’. This testifies the number of girls and women a lad has managed to whip or soak. In return the girls give the young boys hand painted decorative eggs or chocolate eggs. Older lads ___________________ of spirits.

In other parts of Slovakia girls sometimes wake up to a bucket of cold water being thrown over them in their beds. By male standards this _____________ the biggest fun! The ceremony of splash-and-whip is repeated until midday - generally. A girl can __________________! The good news is the girls can get their own back. In the afternoon, the following day or week - depending on the region - they can douse the ____________________. Good for them! What’s it all about? Fertility! It was originally thought to keep women ____________________________ healthy for the rest of the year. Today times have moved on…these traditions are dying out, especially in modern day cities. Most foreign visitors to Slovakia are indeed surprised by these strange pagan rituals that derive ______________________. Today many females are a little coy when it comes to discussing these Easter traditions, as it turns out most have had it done to them. Frankly most hated it and shudder. Maybe a chocolate ____________ instead eh?

DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

Did the headline make you want to read the article?
Did anything in the article surprise you?
How did you spend Easter last year?
Have you ever been soaked or whipped?
If yes, when and how?
Are you for this tradition or against?
Which other countries practice these ancient traditions?
Do you think these pagan traditions are dying?
Is it right to allow these traditions in this day and age?
Did you get any Easter eggs this year?

---------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

Did you like reading this article?
What do you think about what you read?
How did you spend Easter this year?
Do you give Easter eggs to anyone?
What other ancient traditions do you know of at Easter?
Do you think it’s right that boys can whip girls at Easter?
Have you ever decorated an egg?
Have you ever used a whip?
Do you know of any other pagan rituals?
Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

What was the most interesting thing you heard?
Was there a question you did not like?
Was there something you totally disagreed with?
What did you like talking about?
Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

PRESS: ROLE PLAY: SPEAKING:

With your partner or in groups of three / four discuss the following:

	Findings
Holidays at Easter
Family at Easter
Working at Easter
Roads at Easter
Traditions at Easter
Sport at Easter
Your choice at Easter

The teacher will select some students to discuss their situations in front of the class.

LANGUAGE: CORRECT WORD: Choose the correct words from a–d below and write them in the article.

While (1) ____ is loved by men in Slovakia it is positively hated by (2) ____. Let me explain…If you are a girl from a (3) ____ in the east or (4) ____ of Slovakia Easter Monday is not always fun. Why? You are likely to be chased by the village boys who will throw you in the nearest (5) ____. Worse - the girl is likely to be whipped by the boys in the (6) ____ using a specially decorated hand woven local (7) ____ cane with colourful (8) ____. Called a “korbáč” in Slovak it’s used by the young men to whip the girls on the legs below the (9) ____ when they catch up with them. Such whips are sold before Easter outside Tesco in Bratislava! Tradition adds a ribbon on the cane by each ‘victim’. This testifies the number of girls and women a lad has managed to whip or soak. In return the girls give the young boys hand painted decorative eggs or chocolate eggs. Older lads are offered a drink of spirits.

In other parts of Slovakia girls sometimes wake up to a bucket of cold water being thrown over them in their beds. By male standards this is seen to be the biggest fun! The ceremony of splash-and-whip is repeated until (10) ____midday - generally. A girl can expect many visits! The good news is the girls can get their own back. In the afternoon, the following day or week - depending on the region - they can douse the boys with cold water. Good for them! What’s it all about? Fertility! It was originally thought to keep women fertile, fresh, youthful and healthy for the rest of the (11) ____. Today times have moved on…these traditions are dying out, especially in modern day cities. Most foreign visitors to Slovakia are indeed surprised by these strange pagan (12) ____ that derive from ancient practices. Today many females are a little coy when it comes to discussing these Easter traditions, as it turns out most have had it done to them. Frankly most hated it and shudder. Maybe a chocolate Easter bunny instead eh?

1.	(a)	Christmas	(b)	Easter	(c)	summer	(d)	spring
2.	(a)	wives	(b)	grandmas	(c)	girls	(d)	women
3.	(a)	town	(b)	city	(c)	village	(d)	mountain
4.	(a)	centre	(b)	south	(c)	west	(d)	north
5.	(a)	spring	(b)	river	(c)	stream	(d)	estuary
6.	(a)	night	(b)	morning	(c)	afternoon	(d)	evening
7.	(a)	oak	(b)	elm	(c)	Ash	(d)	willow
8.	(a)	pearls	(b)	string	(c)	ribbon	(d)	ribbons
9.	(a)	knees	(b)	waist	(c)	stomach	(d)	neck
10.	(a)	one	(b)	midnight	(c)	noon	(d)	midday
11.	(a)	day	(b)	week	(c)	year	(d)	month
12.	(a)	spirits	(b)	rituals	(c)	rights	(d)	ritual

GRAMMAR 1: MIDWAY

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Easter folklore traditions live on in Slovakia

(1)_____ Easter is loved by men in Slovakia it is positively hated by women. Let me explain…If you are a girl (2)____ a village in the east or centre of Slovakia Easter Monday is not always fun. (3)_____? You are likely to be chased by the village boys (4)___ will throw you in the nearest stream. Worse - the girl is likely to be whipped by the boys in the morning using a specially decorated hand woven local willow cane (5)____ colourful ribbons. Called a “korbáč” in Slovak it’s used by the young men to whip the girls on the legs below the knees (6)____ (7)____ catch up with them. (8)____ whips are sold before Easter outside Tesco in Bratislava! Tradition adds a ribbon on the cane by each ‘victim’. This testifies the number of girls and women a lad has managed to whip or soak. In return the girls give the young boys hand painted decorative eggs or chocolate eggs. Older lads are offered a drink of spirits.

such

with

who

why

they

from

when

while

In other parts of Slovakia girls sometimes wake up to a bucket of cold water being thrown over (1)____ in (2)_____ beds. By male standards this is seen to be the biggest fun! The ceremony of splash-and-whip is repeated until midday - generally. A girl can expect many visits! The good news is the girls can get their own back. In the afternoon, the following day or week - depending on the region - they can douse the boys with cold water. Good for them! (3)____’s it all about? Fertility! It was originally thought to keep women fertile, fresh, youthful and healthy for the rest of the year. Today times have moved on…these traditions are dying out, especially in modern day cities. (4)____ foreign visitors to Slovakia are indeed surprised by (5)____ strange pagan rituals (6)____ derive from ancient practices. Today many females are a little coy (7)____ it comes to discussing these Easter traditions, as it turns out most have had it done to them. Frankly most hated it and shudder. (8)_____ a chocolate Easter bunny instead eh?

that

their

these

them

when

what

maybe

most

GRAMMAR 2: EASY

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Easter folklore traditions live on in Slovakia

While Easter is loved by men in Slovakia it is positively hated by women. Let (1)__ explain…(2)__ you are a girl from a village in the east or centre of Slovakia Easter Monday is not always fun. Why? You are likely to be chased by the village boys who will throw you in the nearest stream. Worse - the girl is likely to be whipped by the boys in the morning using a specially decorated hand woven local willow cane with colourful ribbons. Called (3)__ “korbáč” in Slovak it’s used (4)__ the young men (5)__ whip the girls on the legs below the knees when they catch up with them. Such whips are sold before Easter outside Tesco (6)__ Bratislava! Tradition adds a ribbon (7)__ the cane by each ‘victim’. This testifies the number of girls and women a lad has managed to whip or soak. In return the girls give the young boys hand painted decorative eggs or chocolate eggs. Older lads are offered a drink (8)__ spirits.

(1)__ other parts of Slovakia girls sometimes wake up to a bucket (2)__ cold water being thrown over them in their beds. (3)__ male standards this is seen to be the biggest fun! The ceremony of splash-and-whip is repeated until midday - generally. A girl can expect many visits! The good news is the girls can get their own back. In the afternoon, the following day or week - depending on the region - they can douse (4)___ boys with cold water. Good for them! What’s it all about? Fertility! It was originally thought (5)__ keep women fertile, fresh, youthful and healthy (6)___ the rest of the year. Today times have moved on…these traditions are dying out, especially in modern day cities. Most foreign visitors to Slovakia are indeed surprised by these strange pagan rituals that derive from ancient practices. Today many females are a little coy when (7)__ comes to discussing these Easter traditions, as it turns out most have had it done to them. Frankly most hated it and shudder. Maybe (8)__ chocolate Easter bunny instead eh?

for

the

HOMEWORK

1. INTERNET: EASTER TRADITIONS: Search the Internet and find more information about Easter traditions in your country/other countries. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

2. NEWSPAPER ARTICLE: Write an article on “Easter in my country.” (Minimum 200 words)

3. NEWSPAPER ARTICLE: Write an article on “Folklore traditions.” (Minimum 200 words)

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Which article was best and why?

WRITING: IN CLASS:

1. FIVE MINUTE ARTICLE: Write an article on “Easter in my country.” You have five minutes. Afterwards swap articles with your partner. Read through their article and correct any mistakes. The teacher will select some students to read out their work. Countdown: Every minute the teacher may say, “You have xx minutes.”

2. FIVE MINUTE ARTICLE: Write an article on “Folklore traditions.” You have five minutes. Afterwards swap articles with your partner. Read through their article and correct any mistakes. The teacher will select some students to read out their work. Countdown: Every minute the teacher may say, “You have xx minutes.”

SPELLING TEST

The teacher will ask the class individually to spell the following words that are in the article:

1 specially	11 bucket
2 fertile	12 whips
3 modern	13 spirits
4 ancient	14 youthful
5 traditions	15 rituals
6 pagan	16 frankly
7 thrown	17 shudder
8 decorative	18 coy
9 especially	19 originally
10 instead	20 dying

ANSWERS: 2

12. UN-SCRAMBLED: (adapted from article)

Easy
1) A chocolate Easter bunny instead eh?
2) Older lads are offered a drink
3) Girls give the boys chocolate eggs
4) A girl can expect many visits
5) The ceremony is repeated until midday
Harder
6) The girls can get their own back with cold water
7) The girl is likely to be whipped by the boys
8) It was originally thought to keep women fertile
9) Whips are sold outside Tesco in Bratislava
10) Easter Monday is positively hated by women in Slovakia

ANSWERS: 1

TRUE / FALSE:

a. F

b. F

c. T

d. F

e. F

f. F

g. F

h. T

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	Likely	Probably
b.	Colourful	Bright
c.	Whips	Cane
d.	Coy	Shy
e.	Standards	Criteria
f.	Visitors	Tourists
g.	Decorative	Attractive
h.	Fresh	Natural
i.	Spirits	Alcohol
j.	Ancient	Old

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	While Easter is loved	by men in Slovakia
b.	If you are a girl	from a village in the east or centre…
c.	You are likely	to be chased by the village boys
d.	The girl	is likely to be whipped
e.	Tradition adds	a ribbon on a cane
f.	In return the girls give the young boys	hand painted decorative eggs…
g.	In other parts of Slovakia	girls sometimes wake up to a bucket…
h.	A girl	can expect many visits
i.	…to keep women	fertile, fresh youthful and healthy
j.	Maybe a	chocolate Easter bunny

GAP FILL: Easter folklore traditions live on in Slovakia

While Easter is loved by men in Slovakia it is positively hated by women. Let me explain…If you are a girl from a village in the east or centre of Slovakia Easter Monday is not always fun. Why? You are likely to be chased by the village boys who will throw you in the nearest stream. Worse - the girl is likely to be whipped by the boys in the morning using a specially decorated hand woven local willow cane with colourful ribbons. Called a “korbáč” in Slovak it’s used by the young men to whip the girls on the legs below the knees when they catch up with them. Such whips are sold before Easter outside Tesco in Bratislava! Tradition adds a ribbon on the cane by each ‘victim’. This testifies the number of girls and women a lad has managed to whip or soak. In return the girls give the young boys hand painted decorative eggs or chocolate eggs. Older lads are offered a drink of spirits.

In other parts of Slovakia girls sometimes wake up to a bucket of cold water being thrown over them in their beds. By male standards this is seen to be the biggest fun! The ceremony of splash-and-whip is repeated until midday - generally. A girl can expect many visits! The good news is the girls can get their own back. In the afternoon, the following day or week - depending on the region - they can douse the boys with cold water. Good for them! What’s it all about? Fertility! It was originally thought to keep women fertile, fresh, youthful and healthy for the rest of the year. Today times have moved on…these traditions are dying out, especially in modern day cities. Most foreign visitors to Slovakia are indeed surprised by these strange pagan rituals that derive from ancient practices. Today many females are a little coy when it comes to discussing these Easter traditions, as it turns out most have had it done to them. Frankly most hated it and shudder. Maybe a chocolate Easter bunny instead eh?

LANGUAGE WORK

1 - b

2 - d

3 - c

4 - a

5 - c

6 - b

7 - d

8 - d

9 - a

10 - d

11 - c

12 - b