Music Monday: Christmas Carols

Jingle Bells............... Can you finish the line?   How about this one? Silent night..........  You can sing these Christmas carols this holiday season, or maybe you prefer to listen to recordings of them. Also, it's always a treat to hear choirs singing the Christmas carols.


 Here is my favourite, The Christmas Song, by Nat King Cole. He did several versions of this song from the forties, fifties and the early 1960's. Unfortunately he was a smoker and died young, but his song continues on each Christmas.


I'm not the only person who loves this song. In 2004, The Christmas Song was the most popular holiday song with women age 30 to 49.*  So, why is it my favourite? My father loved to play this song, and I guess the next generation can't help but enjoy this gifted singer's voice and his wonderful song.



Listen again and follow the words. It's full of Christmas tradition.



How much do you know about holiday traditions?
 True=T   False=F


1.   Many people roast nuts called chestnuts in the fireplace.   T/ F


2.   Jack Frost is ice cold, but he is not a real person.   T/F


3.   Goose is more popular than turkey for Christmas dinner.   T/F


4.   The mistletoe plant is hung at a door for people to kiss under.  T/ F


5.   The young children believe in Santa Claus.      T/F


6.   Santa brings toys and candies to the good boys and girls.      T/F


7.  The excited children look in the sky for Santa and Mrs. Claus.   T/F


8.   Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays are popular greetings.    T/F




* From Edison Media Research: What we learned from testing Christmas music in 2004

Music Monday: The Twelve Days of Christmas

The Twelve Days of Christmas is a popular song because it easy for people of all ages to sing. It starts, 

"The first day of Christmas, 

my true love gave to me....." 

Each day for twelve days this lucky woman receives a special gift. The words are easy, but it is difficult to remember all twelve gifts and the order of the gifts. Listen to the song, then see if you can remember the twelve gifts.



1.   On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me


a)   a pair of pear trees
b)   a partridge in a pair tree
c)   a  piper piping


2.    On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me


a)   two turtle drums
b)   two French hens
c)   two turtle doves


3.   On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me


a)   three French hens
b)   three free chickens
c)   three Lords a leaping


4.   On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me


a)   four French birds 
b)    four cawing birds
c)    four calling birds


5.   On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me


a)   five olden rings
b)   five gold rings
c)   five golden rings


6.    On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me


a)    six maids a milking
b)    six geese a laying
c)    six geese swimming


7.    On the seventh day of  Christmas, my true love gave to me


a)    seven swans a laying
b)    seven swans a swimming
c)    seven geese a swimming


8.   On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me


a)   eight ladies singing
b)   eight maidens leaping
c)   eight maids a milking


9.   On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me


a)   nine ladies leaping
b)   nine ladies dancing
c)   nine lads a leaping


10.  On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me


a)   ten lads a leaping
b)   ten ladies  a singing
c)   ten lords a leaping


11.  On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me


a)  eleven pipers playing
b)  eleven pipers piping
c)   eleven piping pipers


12.  On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me


a)  twelve runners running
b)  twelve pipers piping
c)  twelve drummers drumming


****lords and laidies are part of the high society of England

Scavenger Hunt: Remembrance Day

How good are you at surfing the net?  Start by going to Google Search.


1.    What day is Remembrance Day this year?  Next year?




2.   Name a place in Toronto where there is a Remembrance Day Ceremony.




3.   Write the first two lines of the famous poem, In Flanders Fields.




4.   The author of  Flanders Fields is John McCrae. Tell me something about this man.




5.  What is an important symbol for Remembrance Day? Draw a picture.








6.   Find a Remembrance Day photo you like with a caption. Write the caption or the words under the photo.






7.   Ottawa has one of the largest gatherings on Remembrance Day. Find a video of the parade or ceremony on youtube.






Finished?  Type the title of your video in "comments".

Music Monday: Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day  is  a song by a Canadian singer and song writer,  Bryan Adams.  Remembrance Day is a memorial day that is observed on the eleventh day on the eleventh month at the eleventh hour or November 11th at 11:00 a.m.


Enjoy the song and try the quiz. Don't forget to "see how you did".

Trick or Treat

Trick or treat? Only children go out for candy on Hallowe'en. High school kids are too old. The kids go door to door in the neighbourhood. Sometimes they say, "Trick or treat" and then they are given a wrapped candy or chocolate bars. They do not get sweets like cake or cookies.


Every neighbourhood has decorated houses. Some of the houses have jack-o-lanterns near their doors. Decorations include scary images such as skeletons, monsters, ghosts, coffins, graveyards or spiders in cobwebs. Some houses have scary noises coming from inside. The children are not afraid of the scary decorations because it is all part of the fun.


The costumes are important to the children. They choose who they want to be for Hallowe'en. The child can be good or bad. For example, a girl might choose to be a witch or a princess. Animals, heroes and scary characters are popular.


 Try this word game. These are popular costumes for the children. The vowels are missing. Complete the  words.


1.   D__v__l                            9.    W__tch
2.   Ang__l                             10.   P__r__t__
3.   S__p__rm__n                  11.   Bl__ck  c__t
4.   B__tm__n                        12.   Gh__st
5.   Sp__ d __ rm__n             13.    Pr__nc__ss
6.   Cl__wn                            14.    Z__mb__ __
7.   L__ __n                           15.     V__mp__r__
8.   Sk__l__t__n                    16.     M__nst__r  

How to Make a Jack-o-lantern

     Thanksgiving and Hallowe'en are the two celebrations in the fall. Hallowe'en is always the last day of October or October 31st. Before Hallowe'en, there are many orange pumpkins in the groceries stores. Many people like to buy them to decorate their homes on Hallowe'en night. But first, you must carve them into a face or cut out a picture on the pumpkin. After, you put a candle inside and it becomes a lantern to place outside the front door. How do you make a jack-o-lantern? Today, we have a guest writer, Munirah. She will explain step by step.

It is easy to make a jack-o-lantern. First, pick up a pumpkin and cut the stem like a lid. Then clean the pumpkin and take out the seeds. Next, carve the eyes, nose and mouth. After that, take one candle and light it and melt the wax into the the pumpkin. Finally, put the candle on the wax in the pumpkin and cover the pumpkin with the lid. Lastly, put the pumpkin in the window. Also, don't forget to use the broom and dust pan to clean up.

Happy Hallowe'en!

     

Fall in Ottawa

It's fall or autumn. Can you answer these questions about fall?


1.  When is the first day of fall?


2.  What month do you think I took these photos?


3.  Last fall, I was in Ottawa for a Canadian holiday. Do you know what holiday?


4.  Do you know any good places to visit in Ontario during the fall season? Where?


5.  Can you think of any areas in Toronto that will be pretty in the fall? Where?


6.  What is the name of the leaf on the Canadian flag?


7.   Do you know the name of 2 kinds of popular trees?


8.   Do you know the name of a tree that doesn't change colours?


9.   Do you like the fall? Why or why not?


10. What does "autumn years" mean? What do you want to do in the autumn years of your life?

At the Movies:E.T.,1982

E.T. is almost thirty years old. Here is an advertisement for when the movie became twenty years old. Steven Speilberg is the director and the young girl in the movie, Drew Barrymore, has become a famous American actress.


 Movies are a part of our culture. We talk about the movies we watch and two generations have seen E.T.. I saw the movie and so did my kids. Also, movies show the behaviour of people. For example, you see a family in this movie, a separated mother and her three children. The kids order pizza, and ride bikes. The mother reads a child's story, Peter Pan, to her young daughter before she goes to bed. In this movie, the family enjoy a popular celebration in October called Hallowe'en. Understanding the culture makes learning English easier.


The movie, E.T., won awards for its music, sound and visual effects. The actor, E.T.,  was a robot which was a big deal back in 1982. It cost 1.5 million to make the robot. It couldn't walk, so a person was used sometimes. They did not want to pay an additional one million to make the robot walk (1)  Enjoy the advertisement which is called a movie trailer




Talking about movies. Answer the questions.


1.    What kind of movie is E.T? (horror, romance, comedy, sci-fi, action movie)


2.    Who is the director?


3.    Where does the story take place?


4.    What is about?   


5.    E.T. talks. What does he say in the movie trailer?


6.    How does the movie end?


7.    What is your favourite English movie?


8.    Who is your favourite Canadian or American actor or actress?


9.    What kind of movie do you like to watch?


10.  How often do you watch movies?






(1)  www.fiftiesweb.com

Action Verbs: Simon's Cat

Simon and his cat are sleeping in an armchair. Then a fly arrives and wakes up Simon's cat. His cat chases the fly and makes a big mess. Answer the seven questions.

1. What does Simon's cat spill?
2. What does this pet knock over?
3. What does Simon's cat drop on the floor?
4. What does this cat tear?
5. What does this cat rip in several places?
6. What does Simon's cat finally kill?
7. What does poor Simon swallow?

Past time: When was the last time you .....

1. spilled something? What did you spill?
2. knocked over something? What did you knock over?
3. dropped something? What did you drop?
4. tore something? What did you tear?
5. ripped something? What did you rip?
6. killed something? What did you kill?
7. swallowed something terrible? What did you swallow?

How old is Canada?

By Green Wellies

Happy Canada Day!
Originally uploaded by Green Welliesa

Canada Day is July 1st. That means this Friday is the start of a long weekend. This weekend there will be lots of celebrating around Toronto. There will be free music at all the city squares and some of the parks..........and don't forget the fireworks! Some people buy fireworks and have private parties. Others go to public fireworks at different locations in the city.


Here's a quick quiz to see what you know about Canada. Do you know which ones are true or false?


1. Canada became a country in 1867.

2. The first prime minister was John A MacDonald.


3. Canada started with ten provinces.


4. The last province to join Canada was British Columbia.


5. The first immigrants in Canada were from Britain and Spain.


How did you do? Ask your teacher about the last one.  Would you like to know the  other answers and more about Canada? Go to an earlier post, Happy Canada Day .  




Related Posts:

• Happy Canada Day
• What is Canada?