Halloween lesson (B2/C1)

• Halloween

Lesson B2+/C1

Halloween

B2/C1

Warm-up Questions

1. What are your favorite holidays throughout the year?

2. Why do we celebrate Halloween? What’s it all about?

3. Do you know of any festivals or celebrations in other cultures that are similar to Halloween?

Match

Pre-Listening Vocabulary Matching

Match the words with their meaning as used in the article.

• prank (n)

• patchwork (adj)

• veil (n)

• frown on (sth)

• ritual (n)

a practical joke / trick played on someo

a thing composed of many different paren

a thing used to cover or conceal somethi

to disapprove of something

religious ceremony involving a series of

• a practical joke / trick played on someo

• a thing composed of many different paren

• a thing used to cover or conceal somethi

• to disapprove of something

• religious ceremony involving a series of

Match

Pre-Listening Vocabulary Matching

Match the words with their meaning as used in the article.

• morph into sth (v)

• bonfire (n)

• vandalism (n)

• trash sth (v)

to gradually change into something else

a large outdoor fire, often used in a ce

action intended to purposefully damage s

to damage or wreck something

• to gradually change into something else

• a large outdoor fire, often used in a ce

• action intended to purposefully damage s

• to damage or wreck something

• … from communion with the dead, to pumpkins and pranks, Halloween is a patchwork (0:10)

• It was the time when the veil between death and life was supposed to be at its thinnest. (0:48)

• … the villagers gathered and lit huge bonfires to drive the dead back to the spirit world. (0:59)

• But as the Catholic Church’s influence grew in Europe, it frowned on the pagan rituals like Samhain (1:05)

• … the night was All Hallows Eve, which gradually morphed into ‘Halloween’ (1:50)

• But over the years, the tradition of harmless tricks grew into outright vandalism. (2:20)

• It was originally an extortion deal: give us candy or we’ll trash your house. (2:40)

• Comprehension: Watch, Recall, Retell: Retell the video’s main ideas to a partner in your own words.

Video: Halloween History from National Geographic (3:11)

Note: The festival “Samhain” is pronounced as “Sow-win.”

Open Ended

Replace the underlined phrase with a word from the pre-listening vocabulary list on page 1. Then ask the questions to a partner.

1. you / ever / do / a practical joke / on someone?

__________________________________________________________________?

2. Why / people / disapprove of / Halloween?

__________________________________________________________________?

3. your city / a thing composed of different parts / of different cultures?

__________________________________________________________________?

4. someone / ever / damage / your property?

__________________________________________________________________?

​Speaking Activities: Debate!

Background: In 2017, Hillcrest Elementary School in Wisconsin decided not to let children wear costumes at school.[1] The school explained, “We want to be inclusive of all families including those families who don’t celebrate Halloween or find purchasing a costume a hardship.” (Video 1:59)

One parent, Crystal Landry, commented: “I just think it’s sad…. It just kind of seems the way society is going... It just kind of seems silly to take it all away.”

Task: Choose a role and spend a few minutes preparing. The School Board member will go first.

Situation: You and your friend are out shopping for Halloween costumes.

Friend B
Your friend wants to dress up as either a ninja or Cleopatra. You don’t think these are appropriate costumes, however, because they represent other cultures and are therefore ‘cultural appropriation’. Talk with your friend. Suggest a different costume.Key expression: Even in festivities, it’s important to respect and honor other cultures.

You have found two costumes that interest you: ninja or Cleopatra. Your friend doesn’t think you should choose one of these costumes because they represent other cultures, and therefore, are ‘cultural appropriation’. You don’t agree, however.Key expression: It's all in good fun. No one takes these costumes seriously.

Friend A

Match

Collocation Review

• frown

• morph

• bring people into

• It’s all

• cultural

on

into

the fold

in good fun

appropriation

• on

• into

• the fold

• in good fun

• appropriation

Final Discussion Questions

1.     Is it possible to communicate with the dead?

2.     Is the way people celebrate Halloween today different from its original intention or history?

3.     What are your favorite scary movies to watch at Halloween time?

4.     Is there any way to make Halloween healthier in North America?