B1+ Unit 1 Culture Teacher's Notes.pdf

Culture teacher’s notes

B1+

Unit

Coming of age LEARNING OUTCOMES

A

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I can learn about coming-of-age celebrations in other cultures and use what I learn to make connections with my own culture. ■ I can talk about coming-of-age celebrations in my own culture and understand my own cultural identity. ■ I can make comparisons between cultures and use my own beliefs and values to improve my cultural knowledge, leading to successful cultural communication.

Answers

VOCABULARY FOCUS ball gown [n]: a long dress for a special occasion boost [v]: help something increase, improve or become more successful formal [adj]: suitable for official and important occasions harsh [adj]: difficult heels [n]: attached to women’s shoes to make them higher from the ground hunt [n]: the activity of searching for and killing animals for food and clothing leap [n]: jump maturity [n]: qualities and behaviour expected of an adult origin [n]: the beginning of something; when something first starts to exist ritual [n]: a formal ceremony that is usually the custom of a particular place robes [n]: long clothing usually worn by an important person symbolise [v]: to be a sign or a symbol of something tiara [n]: a piece of jewellery worn by a woman on her head for formal occasions tough [adj]: difficult warrior [n]: fighter

WARMER Ask students what they think ‘coming of age’ means. Elicit some ideas before explaining that it means ‘when a teenager becomes an adult or is old enough to do the things that adults are able to do, such as get married, vote in elections, drive a car (etc.).’ Point out that age varies from country to country and depends on the tradition and culture of the society. 1 In pairs, students discuss the infographic and answer the questions. Allow time for ideas to be shared with the rest of the class. Confirm the minimum age for your country for each of the things listed. 2a Ask students to read the article quickly and find the answer.

Answer The first hunt for an Inuit boy does not involve a celebration, whereas Quinceañera in Mexico and Seijin no Hi in Japan both involve celebrating with a party or a ceremony. 2b Students read the article again and complete the sentences with suitable words. Check answers as a class.

1 15th  2 Aztec  3 hunt  4 traditions 5 at the end of a person’s 20th year  6 traditional 2c Students read the article again and complete the table. Check answers as a class.

Answers What is the age of maturity? Mexico: 15, Canada: 11 or 12, Japan: 20 Why is it this age? Mexico: Age of maturity in Aztec culture; also represents age when girls were old enough to marry, Canada: It’s when boys are considered ready for their first hunt, Japan: It marks the age when a prince celebrated his transition to adulthood How old is the tradition? Mexico: 2,500 years, Canada: 5,000 years, Japan: About 1,300 years How is the event marked? Mexico: Ceremony followed by big party with food and dancing, Canada: Fathers take their sons on their first hunt to test their skills when they believe they are old and strong enough, Japan: All 20-year-olds attend a ceremony and dress up in traditional clothes

  Gateway to culture 3a Students work in pairs to discuss the questions. Then elicit their ideas as a class.

PROJECT 3b Explain to students that they are going to work in the same pairs to prepare a presentation. They will need Internet access to do their research, and this can either be done in class or at home. For Step 1, students decide on an interesting coming-of-age event in another country that they would like to research further. Try to ensure a good mix of countries between pairs. For Step 2, students decide who will talk about which of the points for their presentation. Ask them to make sure that they each have an equal amount of information to present. Encourage students to research any additional information to make their presentation more interesting. 3c Students prepare their presentation in class. Allow students to decide how they would like to present their research, e.g. they could present it orally, make a poster or use computer software to digitally present their information. Encourage other students to ask the presenters questions. Compare and contrast the coming-of-age events between other countries once all pairs have presented.

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