Урок “RELIGIONS.CHRISTMAS”
Aims
: developing speaking skills, teaching students to express their own ideas in English ,developing spontaneous skills based on the students’ personal experience and views, developing positive ways of thinking; educating students with respect to the world’s culture and eternal values.Equipment
: computer, projector, screen, texts.- WARMING
There are so many countries on the Earth and so many people living on it. We are different. We have different skin colour. We have different political views and rather often it leads to military conflicts. We believe in one thing or another. Some people believe in the supernatural: for them the world that can’t be explained scientifically is as real as anything. Others will argue with them and say that they believe only in those things that can be proved.
What do you believe in?
(The world progress, the postulate “beauty will save the world”, reincarnation, life after death, horoscopes, yourself, love at first sight, the idea that all events are predetermined, the postulate
That money and power cannot make you happy, the postulate that every new generation is wiser than the previous one, magic and etc)
What do our beliefs depend on?
(Our character, background, experience and so on). A huge number of people all over the world profess some religion – Christianity,
Islam, Buddhism, Judaism or some other – and find in their religions answers to the most difficult questions.
Do you think the place of religion has changed recently? Would you say that its role in modern life is increasing? Do you think people should know basic things about religion even if they are non-believers? Why?
GIVING THE TOPIC
We are going to speak about religion and not exactly about religion i.e. man’s and your own attitude to different things, about negative and positive ways of thought and something else like Christmas, its significance, aspects.
People always had teachers. And the greatest teachers of mankind knew what the ideal should be. They either spoke to God like Moses on Mount Sinai; or thought of the way to God like Buddha; or got relations like Muhammad or knew the way like Jesus of Nazareth. What do you know about universal religions of the world? Many people all over the world are religious. Look at the symbols of the main religions, the names of their sacred texts and the pictures of their sacred buildings. Say which they represent. (Приложение)
Let’s start with Christianity .Who is the founder of Christianity? Where was he born? Who are Christians? Why are they called like that? Where do they worship? What shape are the most Christian places of worship built? What parts does the bible consist of? What are the main Christian holidays?
And now let’s answer some questions about Islam. What is the Muslim Holy Book called? What does this name mean? What is the mosk? What is a minaret? How often do Muslims pray? What do they use for praying? Why is Mecca such an important place for Muslims? What is the main Muslim festival called?
The oldest of the world’s four great religions is Judaism. Who created the universe according to Judaism? Who is Abraham? Who is Moses? Who are rabbis? What is Sabbath? How is it celebrated? What do followers of Judaism celebrate during the festival called Passover?
The main religion in many Asian countries is Buddhism. How old is this religion and where did it originate? Is Buddha a god? What do we know about him? What can be seen in all Buddhist temples? What is the cycle of life according to Buddhism? How can it can be broken? What is Nirvana? Why do people try to reach it?
I see you have quite good knowledge of the topic. But nevertheless let’s check up once more.
CHECKING-UP
Take the paper number one .You see the names of the religions and the facts about them. Match them
Christianity
Islam
Judaism
Buddhism
1. The followers of this religion do not believe that the world that the world was created by God
2. In these religions men and women usually don’t worship together.
3. This religion is the youngest of all.
4. This religion has more followers than the others.
5. According to this religious teaching people can achieve happiness on earth.
6. Followers of this religion eat a special type of food during their holiday.
7. Followers of this religion try to visit the place where the creator of their religion was born.
8. Followers of this religion are allowed to eat only after sunset during one of their holidays.
9. Men following this religion cannot be bareheaded when in the place of worship.
10. A key concept of this religion says that one of their holy men sacrificed his life for them.
MATCHING
You’ve got some papers. Take the paper number two. You can see the places of pilgrimages on the screen.
Read the descriptions of these places in your papers and match them with the pictures.
A RELAXING PAUSE
I hope you like listening to music. I have a nice record for you. It’s Armstrong’s “Let my people go” Would you like to listen to this hymn? It would be a good start for our next exercise.
GRAMMER EXERCISE
You’ve heard the name of Moses. We are going to read about him but there are gaps in the text. Try to use your knowledge and complete the text with derivatives from the words in the brackets.
MOSES
Moses grew up in Egypt, but his parents were Israelites. Once he killed an Egyptian and had to 1 … ( appear) from the country. He hid himself in the desert. In the 2 … (wild) Moses found a job as a shepherd. One day, as he was tending his sheep on Mount Horeb, he saw an 3 … (usual) sight: a bush which seemed to be on fire. Yet there was no smoke, and the bush was not 4 … (destroy). Out of the 5 … (burn) a voice spoke: “I am the God of your fathers. I have seen the 6 … (suffer) of my people in Egypt. I have come down to bring them to a 7 … (marvel) land, land flowing with milk and honey. Moses, my 8 … (serve), I send you to Pharaoh so that you may lead my people out of Egypt.” It was God speaking, there could be no 9 … (take) about it, and Moses bowed until his face touched the ground. “Who am I,” he cried, “that I should appear before Pharaoh? “I am God”, said the voice, “and I have sent you. Now go. And 10 … (certain) I will be with you”. The voice ceased and there was only the wind on the 11 … (lone) mountain, and the bush was only a bush with Moses kneeling before it.
GROUP WORK
Let’s make three groups .I’ve got a picture for each one. Look at them and say what they depict. Now listen to the text “Best-remembered Bible Stories”. See if you were right, and how many details you managed to remember. (Приложение)
SPEAKING ABOUT CHRISTIANITY
I’ve got one more picture for you. It’s the Nativity. Let’s restore the story of the birth of Jesus Christ together .The information in your papers number 3 can help you.
- The Bible
- Mary and Joseph
- travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem for a censes
- no empty rooms at the inn
- stay in a stable
- born in the stable
- laid in a manger
- a bright star appears in the sky(the star of Bethlehem)
- an angel tells shepherds about the baby Jesus and tells them to go to the stable to worship the Saviour
- three kings (the Three Wise Men) from the East also come to worship Jesus following the bright star
- the Wise Men brings gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
PROJECT WORK
Pupils show their project works devoted to the celebration of Christmas in different countries.
SUMMING UP
Thanks a lot for your work. Well-done! Christmas is the time when people “open their shut-up hearts”
It’s the time of harmony, peace and mercy, love to other people and forgiveness.
Our beliefs areas varied as we are, that’s why a civilized modern man treats other people’s beliefs with respect, rejecting only those, which are immoral or lead to illegal action. Every nation has its own way. You know we can’t blame Moses, Buddha, Mohammed or Jesus for terrorist actions in India, Jerusalem or Spain.
What do we need in our complicated world? I think we are to be tolerant and respectful to all religions and remember that we are people.
OK, we are having our lesson on the threshold of Christmas. I think it’s high time to sing .Let me give the words of the traditional Christmas song “Twelve Days of Christmas”. Get ready! Don’t forget your lines: the first, the second, the third and so on. Ready, steady, go!
Thank you very much for the lesson. I hope the spirit of it will be with you at Christmas time.