Highland Games

Задачи урока:

• Знакомство с Олимпийскими играми в Шотландии, развитие умения извлекать информацию о культуре англоязычной страны из текста;
• Развитие способности к догадке, к сравнению и сопоставлению, к формулированию выводов из прочитанного;
• Воспитание уважительного отношения к другой культуре;
• Формирование лексических навыков чтения и говорения;
• Развитие умения читать и понимать на слух с целью извлечения детальной информации.

Оборудование: компьютер (презентация), демонстрационный материал, карточки,   географическая карта, текст из книги “О Великобритании вкратце”  (с. 165), журнал “Speak Out” № 60-61, видеофильм “Highlands of Scotland”

Teacher: Good morning, my friends. Today we are going to speak about the Olympic Games in Scotland. The Games are called the Highlands Games.

T: What do you know about the Olympic Games?

Are the Olympic Games in Scotland different?

T: Let’s read a text. Be attentive and curious.

a) Чтение текста с извлечением нужной информации

The Highlands Games

List of expressions:

Tossing the caber – метание шеста.

Putting the weight – поднятие веса.

Throwing the hammer – метание молота.

Dancing and piping – танцы и игра на волынке.

Bagpipes – волынка.

bagpipes competitions – состязания в игре на волынке.

the Sword dance – танец с саблями.

the Reel – рил (шотландский народный хороводный танец).

Scottish Highland Games, at which sports (including tossing the caber, putting the weight and throwing the hammer), dancing and piping competitions take place, attract large numbers of spectators from all over the world.

These meetings are held every year in different places in the Scottish Highlands. They include the clans led by their pipers, dressed in their kilts, tartan plaids, and plumed bonnets, who march round the arena.

The features common to Highland Games are bagpipes and Highland dancing competitions and the performance of heavy athletic events – some of which, such as tossing the caber, are Highland in origin. All competitors wear Highland dress, as do most of the judges. The games take place in a large roped-off arena. Several events take place at the same time6 pipers and dancers perform on a platform; athletes toss the caber, put the weight, throw the hammer, and wrestle. There is also a competition for the best-dressed Highlander

Highland dancing is performed to bagpipe music, by men and women, such as the Sword Dance and the Reel.

No one knows exactly when the men of the Highlands first gathered to wrestle, toss cabers, put weights, throw hammers, dance and play music. The Games reflected the tough life of the early Scots. Muscle-power was their means of livelihood-handing timber, lifting rocks to build houses, hunting. From such activities have developed the contests of tossing the caber, putting the weight and throwing the hammer. Tossing the caber originated among woodmen who wanted to cast their logs into deepest part of the river.

Tossing the caber is not a question of who can throw it farthest. For a perfect throw the caber must land in the 12 o’ clock position after being thrown in a vertical semicircle.

b) Показ презентации. Приложение 1.

Студенты просматривают слайды и комментируют слайды предложениями из текста и дополнительной литературы.

• The caber toss is considered the most impressive event at the Highland Games.
• The stone put (метание камня) is another important event.
• In the hammer throw, the athletes throw a Scottish hammer.
• The tug of war (перетягивание каната) is one of the most exhausting competitions. Here you see 8 men pulling against another team of eight.
• Highland dress is the traditional costume worn by Scottish men on important occasions. Its main parts are a tartan kilt (a man’s skirt with folds that reaches to the knees), a sporran (a flat bag made of fur or leather hanging in front of the kilt), and a small knife which is put in the top of one of the stockings.
• The Highland Games open and close with impressive ceremonies.
• This is a parade of Tartans where the members of each clan are announced to visitors and honored guests as they march together around the parade field.
• Every highlander is a member of one of the big families, or clans, of Scotland. And all the people of one clan have the same name and wear the same tartan.
• Entertainment at the games ranges from the bagpipes competitions to bands playing Scottish folk songs or Celtic rock. There also competitions in Scottish dancing.
• Sword dance is a war dance. You should be careful not to touch the crossed swords as you dance. In the past, it was thought that if the warrior touched a sword as he danced, he would be wounded or even killed in battle.
• These men and women are dancing a reel, a quick and cheerful Scottish dance (шотландский народный танец). Some reels are very difficult but others are very easy. Often the men stand in one line and the women in another.
• Highland fling (шотландская удалая пляска, флинг) is the oldest of the Scottish dances, dating back to the eleventh century. This dance of happiness and joy should be performed on the same spot.
• The nighttime program is known as a Torchlight Ceremony (церемония факелов) or Calling of the Clans. This is where a representative from each clan comes forward adding their torch to a large bonfire; remembering the days of old when the clans gathered in Scotland.

T: Let’s see a short film about the Scottish Games. Then tell us some information.

1. просмотр фильма дважды;
2. обмен информацией, начиная предложения следующими фразами:

It is interesting to know that …
I’d like to add that…
Don’t you know that …
You know I believe that …
I’m glad to know that …

T: Your home task was to find interesting information about the Highland Games.

You are welcome!

S1: In the 11^th century, Scottish King Malcolm III organized contests in a Scottish village called Braemar to find the strongest and fastest men in his kingdom. Those who were the strongest  became the king’s bodyguards and those who were fastest became his messengers.

S2: The Highland Games were very spectacular and many people came to Braemar when the  contest was held. Some wanted to take part, others just came as visitors.

S3: Now the Highland Games do not take part in Scottish villages and towns, but also in many  other countries where Scottish people have settled. And today’s games also attract many  visitors.

S4: One of the most impressive events at the games is the tossing of caber. A caber is a long log,  it is 5 metres long and weighs about 45 kg. The athlete holds the caber by one end and tries  to throw it so that it lands on the other end and then falls away from the thrower.

S5: Other events of the Highland Games include hammer throw, stone put (метание камня), tug  of war (rope pulling), as well as running and lumping. There are also competitions in  bag piping and Scottish dancing.

S6: The atmosphere at the Highland Games is great. You can meet Scottish people, learn a little about Scottish history, listen to Scottish music and enjoy great Scottish food and drink.

T: Thank you, it is really very interesting.

VI. Brain-storm

T: What else do you know about Scotland? Answer my questions.

1) What is the name for New Year’s Eve in Scotland? (Hogmanay)
2) What is a part of a traditional Scottish dress? ( Kilt)
3) What does a word ‘Mac’ mean? (a son of)
4) What is a poetic name of Scotland? (Caledonia)
5) What is the symbol of Scotland? ( the thistle)
6) What is a Scottish name for coloured checks? (tartan)
7) What is the Scottish word for ‘family or ‘descendants’? (clan)

VII. Подведение итогов урока.