Saint Patrick's Day

St. Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. He was born in the fourth century and is famous for bringing Christianity into Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day falls on the 17th of March.

Saint Patrick's Day

St Patrick’s Day is now celebrated throughout the world, not just in Ireland, with the largest parade taking place in New York City.

There are several elements of this Irish festival that children love to find out about and you can find numerous on-line resources to help you prepare a very culturally rewarding lesson for both you and your young learners. This festival is full of magical stones, Irish fairies, hidden treasure, lucky charms; everything’s green and there’s even a rainbow with secrets at the end of it. What more could you ask for in a fantasy filled English lesson.

St. Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. He was born in the fourth century and is famous for bringing Christianity into Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day is a very well known Irish national holiday, which is celebrated not only in Ireland but all around the world. It falls on the 17th of March.

History of St. Patrick

St. Patrick was born to wealthy parents in the late fourth century. Until the age of 16, he thought of himself as a pagan. He was kidnapped and sold as a slave at this age by Irish marauders. It was during this capture that he turned to God.

He managed to escape after being a slave for six years and then studied in a monastery in Gaul for 12 years. This was when he knew that his ‘calling’ was to try and convert all the pagans in Ireland to Christianity.

St. Patrick went around Ireland founding monasteries and successfully converting people to Christianity. The Celtic Druids were very unhappy with him and tried to arrest him several times but he always managed to escape.

After 30 years of being a missionary in Ireland, he finally settled down in a place called County Down. He died on the 17th of March, AD 461.

Red Nose Day

Wearing a red nose for a day may seem like a strange way to raise money for charity.
However, it seems to work in Britain.

Red Nose Day (RND) is a well-known event in the UK. The aim of the day is to raise money for a charity called Comic Relief which helps people in need in Africa and in the UK.

Red nose?
Comic Relief was started in 1985 by the scriptwriter Richard Curtis. He wrote the series ‘Blackadder' as well as the famous films 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' and 'Notting Hill'. Richard's idea to start Comic Relief was as a response to the severe famine in Ethiopia. It's called Red Nose Day as on this day many people buy a plastic red nose to wear! The money made from selling red noses goes to the charity.

When is RND?
Red Nose Day takes place every two years in the spring and is now so well established that many people consider it to be an unofficial national holiday. For example, many schools have non-uniform days. This year Red Nose Day is on March 15th.

Money

The slogan for the last RND was ‘Do Something Funny for Money' and the money that was collected helped to fund projects in the following areas: treating malaria, education, maternal health and mental health. The BBC Red Nose Day telethon raised £74.3 million! Money-raising events take place all over the country and many schools participate. People also donate money by post, in banks, by phone using a credit card
and online.

Getting sponsored

Getting sponsored to do something is a common way to raise money on RND. If someone sponsors you it means that they agree to give you a specific amount of money for your actions. Here are some ways that people raise money:
• Get sponsored to wear your pyjamas all day at work or in school.
• Get sponsored to grow a moustache or beard for a month.
• Ask colleagues or classmates for a donation to wear a red wig for the day.
• Get sponsored to give up chocolate, biscuits or crisps.

Red Nose Day is everywhere

In the evening of Red Nose Day a telethon takes place on the BBC TV channels. This is like a television marathon that shows a selection of the events of the day, as well as lots of comic sketches and reports of how the money raised will be spent. There’s a RND Facebook page and you can follow RND on Twitter. People also upload videos of local charity events on YouTube and Facebook.

So, if you are ever in the UK on Red Nose Day, now you know why you may find normal people wearing red noses and doing silly things! It's all for a good cause! If you want to find out more about the day, have a look at the official Red Nose Day website.

The build up to Easter!

I really like celebrating Easter with my family and I know that the time is coming up due to the arrival of Shrove or Fat Tuesday, which this year will be on 4th March. Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent which is then 40 days before Easter Sunday! It might seem a bit confusing but traditionally many people may give up certain rich or fatty foods for lent which means they will not eat that food again until Easter Sunday.

Shrove Tuesday is better known to me as Pancake Day! On this day people try and use up as much of the rich and fatty foods that they have left in their house so they eat lots and lots of the food they are trying to give up. Pancakes are made of flour, eggs, milk and butter so are quite rich and fatty. That's why it's a tradition to eat pancakes on this day!

I love pancake day and I use it as an excuse to have pancakes for breakfast, dinner and tea! I like to have them savoury with meat or cheese but my favourite ones are sweet ones. I like to have them with orange and sugar, chocolate spread or ice cream!

Sometimes I try to give up certain foods too. Last year I gave up crisps for Lent and the year before I gave up chocolate. It can be really hard though and in previous years I have forgotten! This year I haven't given it much thought yet though what I might like to give up this year!

Grammar Unit Will/Won't

WILL/WON´T

• We use will(´ll) and won´t to make predictions about the future.

          When I´m older, I´ll live in France.

           I won´t live in England.

           I´m sure you´ll pass the test tomorrow.

          The questions won´t be very difficult.

• Will is a modal. We use will/won´t + base form of the verb, and the form is the same for all subjects. We don´t use any form of do in the negative.

          You´ll pass the test .
          You won´t pass the test.

          Most students will pass the test.

          Most students won´t pass the test.

• Questions are formed with will + subject + base form of the verb. Again, we don´t use any form of do in questions or short answers.

          Will Sonia go to university? Yes, she will/No, she won´t.

          Will your brothers come to the party? Yes, they will/No, they won´t.

Grammar Unit Present continuous for future arrangements

PRESENT CONTINUOUS FOR FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS

• We can use the present continuous to talk about things that are planned or arranged for the future. We don´t use the present simple or will/won´t for future arrangements.

          I´m travelling to Italy next week

          We´re having a party on Saturday

          Alan is meeting Judy at the airport tomorrow morning

• Future time expressions are often used with the present continuous for arrangements.

          Tomorrow, tomorrow night,next week,next Sunday evening

          The day after tomorrow,the week after next,in three hours´time

Grammar Unit Be going to

BE GOING TO: INTENTIONS

• We use be going to to talk about things we intend to do in the future.

          I´m going to visit my grandfather at the weekend.

          Marco is going to buy some new jeans tomorrow.

• The form is the present simple of be + going to + base form of the verb.

          I´m going to stay at home on Sunday.

          She isn´t going to spend much money.

• The questions is formed with the present simple of be + subject + going to + base form of the verb.

          Are you going to watch the film tonight? Yes, I am/No, I´m not.

          Is Paul going to meet you after school? Yes, he is/No, he isn´t.