Part of John's ESL Community, this site has historical information,
interactive activities and printable classroom activities for 15 of America's most celebrated holidays.
Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate love!
At this site, you'll find a list of
21 reasons why someone might love his/
her girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband.
Your Turn: You can send this list to your special
someone, but it would be more interesting
if you wrote your own list. Read this
list for some ideas, and then write your
own ideas. Try to make it as personal as
possible. Include some special memories
that the two of you have together.
When you're finished, email your list
to your sweetheart, or if you want to
be more romantic, write it in a very
nice Valentine's Day card and mail it!
Do you have a crush on someone now?
Is there someone you really, really
like or someone that you're dating?
Do you have a steady boyfriend or
girlfriend?
At this site, you can find out if
you and your "crush" will make a
good couple.
Your Turn: Take the 10-question "Crush Quiz."
For example, "If you have tickets
for the baseball game, but your
"crush" wants to see a movie tonight,
what will you do? Choose one of the
answers.
After you answer all the questions,
the computer will tell you how many
"daisy petals" you scored and if you
and your crush will make a good couple.
This site will teach you about love
in the 19th-century in America (the
Victorian era).
Be sure you check out the "Flirting
with Fans" section, and when you're
finished, click on E-CARDS at the
bottom of the page to send a Victorian
card to your favorite valentine.
Your Turn: Think about the rules of romance in
your country. Make a list of 6 rules.
For example:
-A woman should never call a man.
-The man should be taller than the woman.
-You should never kiss on the first date.
Read about the rules in the Victorian era
again. Are they the same or different than
today's rules in your country. Do you think
the rules are better today or were they
better in the 19th century?
St. Patrick's Day is a
day when everybody is Irish. Don't forget
to wear something green!
Here's a fun word puzzle to try for St.
Patrick's Day. Try to find the words at
the bottom of the page hidden in the puzzle.
Good luck!
Your Turn: Click here
to find out more about St. Patrick's Day and St. Patrick himself.
Then write take the short quiz. What did you learn about this fun day?
Can you remember some of the things that your
mother always said to you when you were a child?
(Maybe she STILL says them to you!) It's amazing
how mothers all over the world say the same things
to their children!
At this site, you'll find a great collection of
"Momisms: Things your mom always said!"
Your Turn:
Make a list of things that your mother
used to tell you (or maybe she still
does).
For example:
-Don't sit too close to the TV!
-Eat all the food on your plate!
-Don't run in the house!
Compare your list with your
classmates' lists. Are they similar
or different?
Mother's Day is a special day to honor your mother.
This page has a special Mother's Day message.
If you like it, you can send the page to
your mother, along with your own personal
message. (Click on SEND THIS PAGE TO A
MOTHER NOW at the bottom of the page.)
The Fourth of July is Independence Day in America. The USA became a country over
200 years ago! Americans take the day off to have picnics,
watch parades, and enjoy giant fireworks displays.
At this site, you can see and read about all the different
American flags throughout history. You can see how the flag
has changed from 1775 until today.
Your Turn: What does your home country flag look like?
Draw a picture of your flag, and show it to your classmates.
Do the different parts of your flag have special meanings?
Explain to the class what your flag means.
Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever
seen a ghost? Do you know anybody who
has seen a ghost?
ARE YOU A GHOST?
One of the fun Halloween traditions is
telling ghost stories. At this site,
you'll find lots of (true?) ghost stories
that people have sent in.
Your Turn: Do you know a scary ghost story? Make some
notes about the story, and then tell your
story to some of your friends or classmates.
If you've never actually seen a ghost, or
don't know a good ghost story, that's ok.
Just make one up!
To really enjoy these stories, you should
tell them with the lights off, and some
candles burning!
Here are some great traditional ghost stories
and folktales from the American South.
You can READ these stories, or you can
LISTEN to a storyteller telling the story.
New stories will appear each month, so check
back.
Your Turn: Do you know a traditional folktale or story
from your home country? Make a few notes
about the story, and then tell the story
to your classmates.
Thanksgiving is a very
special holiday when families gather and give
thanks for all the good things in their lives.
This holiday started out as a traditional
celebration of the harvest time. In fact, this
kind of celebration has occured in many different
cultures. At this site, you can read about celebrations
of the harvest from all around the world.
Your Turn:
Tell your classmates about a harvest celebration
in your country. What happens on this day? Is it
similar to the celebrations on this site? If you
don't have a special harvest celebration, talk
about another special holiday.
One of the most popular Thanksgiving
traditions in America is Macy's Thanksgiving
Day parade, which is famous for its many
giant balloons.
This amazing parade takes place in New
York City, and millions of people watch
it on TV.
At this site, you can read about how they
blow up the balloons and get ready for the
parade. There are lots of great
pictures, and you can even listen to what
people said.
Your Turn: Is there a famous parade in your country?
Write a short essay about the parade.
What is it called? When is it held?
What is in the parade?
Share your essay with your classmates.
Thanksgiving in the
U.S. is a very special holiday
when families meet and have a
traditional Thanksgiving meal of
turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce,
and lots more! Everyone gives thanks
for all the good things in their lives.
Some people send cards to their family
and friends on Thanksgiving. On this
site, you'll find lots of vintage
(old-fashioned) Thanksgiving cards
that you can send online.
Your Turn:
Choose a card that you like. Then
choose some music and the colors
you want to use. Write a title for
your card and then write your message.
In your message, write about the things
in your life that you are very thankful
for. Then send the card to a friend or
family member.
Are you getting ready for
Christmas? Is Christmas a
"big deal" in your country?
At this site, you can learn
all about the traditions of
a North American Christmas.
For example, do you know why
people put up Christmas trees
in their houses? Have you ever
wondered why children hang up
big stockings on their fire-
place mantel?
To learn about these and other
Christmas traditions, just click
on any question.
How old is Santa Claus?
Well, the Santa Claus story
began about 1700 years ago
with a real man named Saint
Nicholas.
At this site, you'll learn
about the history of Santa
Claus and how different
countries have different
Santa traditions.
Your Turn: Do you have a Santa Claus
tradition in your country?
Write a short report about
your tradition and then
compare it to your class-
mates' stories.
Have a class discussion
about other Christmas
traditions in different
countries.
At this site, you can find out how people celebrate
Christmas all around the world. Read about each
country's traditions and customs by clicking on
the country that you want to read about.
Your Turn:
How do you celebrate Christmas in your home
country? Write a short report about the
customs, traditions, and special events
that take place in your country. Compare
them with the customs in your classmates'
countries.
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