Using Google Versal to create an interactive (and flipped) lesson - An introduction to the UK

I have just tried Versal to prepare an interactive lesson about the UK.

With Versal you can create interactive online learning experiences (from full courses to short lessons or homework assignments) to share with your students. It could be great for a flipped lesson. You can add text, links, images and videos; you can create slide shows, quizzes, diagrams, maps and timelines. This is my example.

Let's talk about the UK (still with Scotland)

At the beginning of the new school year teachers usually explain to their students what they are going to study. Sometimes efl teachers not only teach grammar but also British culture, so one of the first cultural topics they discuss with their students are the geography of the UK and its form of government. Here you can find an interactive mindmap, a digital poster and a  collection of useful websites, just to simplify the work.

Click on the Glogster digital poster below, you will find general information about the United Kingdom and some videos.

Now take a look at my Cacoo mindmap below about the UK form of government. I have edited it with Thinglink to make it interactive. Pass your cursor over the image, you will see that some links will appear.

You can also click on the following link to enlarge the above image:

http://www.thinglink.com/scene/568385850161758208

SCOTTISH REFERENDUM

Last September, 18th Scottish people voted for Scotland independence. The question they were asked to answer was "“Should Scotland be an independent country?” The majority of voters answered "NO". Click on the following link to learn more about the referendum: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/scottish-independence-referendum/about; 

then watch the video below from The Guardian.

Scottish referendum explained for non-Brits

Here you can see the referendum results.

If you want more general information about the Uk government, the Queen and the Royal Family, open my Blendspace lesson.

STUDENTS' TASK

Use Cacoo or some other mindmapping tool to draw your own mindmap about the Scottish referendum (what the referendum process was; what "yes"  and "no" voters wanted, etc.)

How much truth is there in national stereotypes? - Some funny activities to overcome prejudice

Stereotypes are generalizations about groups of people, they can be positive or negative, they can be based on some truth  or completely invented. Clichés about national stereotypes can be great fun, but they mustn’t become prejudice! In this post I will try to talk about some stereotypes in a funny way. By laughing about the most common national stereotypes, you can understand the futility of some prejudices and the great value of diversity! I think that discussing about some national stereotypes could be very useful  to understand not only other cultures, but even our own! In fact, looking at us through the eyes of someone else might make us think!
At any rate, to really understand a culture you have to experinece it first hand!

"To travel is to discover that 

everyone is wrong about foreign countries."

Aldous Huxley

SOME ACTIVITIES

1

First of all, let's have a look at some of the most common national stereotypes:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NationalStereotypes

Some printables:

http://www.eslprintables.com/Vocabulary_worksheets

/Culture_and_traditions/Stereotypes/

What is your opinion, after having surfed the above sites? Do you know any other stereotypes about your country or about a foreign nation? Do you think that travelling could help better understand another culture? Why?

2

Now, let's listen to this song. 

"Englishman in New York" by Sting

Can you recognize any stereotypes in the song? Which adjectives or nouns are used to describe a British man? Are there any adjectives that refer to American people? Can you understand any differences between English and Americans? 

3

Now watch the following video from the BBC and listen to what the British think about their own country's stereotypes. 

How would you describe British people? What do you know about the British? Have you ever been to the United Kingdom?

4

Take a look at the following presentation. I have tried to compare British culture to my own culture summarizing the most popular stereotypes about these two countries. I have surfed the Net to take the pulse of the situation (I considered both the Italian and the British point of view) and I found some interesting and funny opinions (and videos)! 

Sometimes it's good to laugh at some particular aspect, characteristic or attitude but, remember: we should never disrespect anyone!

Now  prepare a presentation about some other cultures, using videos, links, songs, people's opinions or whatever you like! Remember to use irony always respecting others!

World Day for Cultural Diversity - May, 21

May, 21 is World Day for Cultural Diversity. 

Let' s see some activities we can do to celebrate this day.

First of all, you can surf the following sites to get more information about this celebration.

UN website:

http://www.un.org/en/events/culturaldiversityday/index.shtml

UNESCO site:

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/prizes-and-celebrations/celebrations/international-days/world-day-for-cultural-diversity-for-dialogue-and-development/

Do one thing for Diversity and Inclusion:
http://www.unaoc.org/what-we-do/campaigns/do-one-thing-for-diversity-and-inclusion/

A video from Unesco 

1) Let's start talking about multicultural Britain

While studying English language, we study British culture, as well. 

We know that Britain is a multicultural society. Let's see why.

Have a look at this interesting short immigration timeline by BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/uk/2002/race/short_history_of_immigration.stm#1800s

Multicultural Britain by Loescher

Multicultural London by Jonsie Reid

After watching the above videos, answer the questions:

1. What's the famous market near the London Bridge station? Why is it one of the most popular London markets? What can you find there?
2. Where is Brick Lane? What is it locally known as? Why?
3. Is there a "Chinatown" in London as in New York?
4. At the end of the first video some Londoners are interviewed. What do they say about living in a multicultural city?
5. Take a look at the above immigration timeline by BBC. The text ends with these words

"Fifty years after the start of mass immigration to the UK, questions are still being asked about whether or not the UK can become a multi-ethnic society at ease with itself - or whether there is still a long road to be travelled."

         What does it mean? Which are the pros and cons of a multicultural society in your opinion?

2) And now let's talk about a great man who fought for the rights of black people

 M. L. King's speech "I have a dream" 

For the whole speech (with audio, hyperlinks and notes):

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm

Watch the video and read the above speech text, then answer the following questions:

1. When and where was this famous speech held?
2. Who is the "great American" who signed the Emancipation Proclamation? What do you know about  him?
3. What is the Declaration of Independence?
4. What does M. L. King mean when he says: "Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred."?
5. What does M. L. King dream?

M. L. King biography:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/people/martin_luther_king.shtml

Read the above biography and answer the questions:

1. What is Rosa Parks famous for?
2. After her death King became a leading figure in organizing an event. What did he do?
3. What did M. L. King establish in 1957?
4. How many people attended the Lincoln Memorial during the famous "I have a dream" speech?
5. Which prize was King awarded in 1964?

3) Let's try to define stereotypes

... with some humour!

Answer these questions, first:

1. What are stereotypes? 
2. Do you think you stereotype people?
3. Have you ever been victim of  prejudice?
4. Which are some typical stereotypes about your country?
5. Do these stereotypes annoy you or do you laugh at them?

Now click on this post (from The Travelling Teachers) about some typical British and Italian stereotypes ... and have fun!

http://thetravellingteachers.blogspot.it/2013/09/stereotypes-and-prejudice-travelteaches.html

4) And now some videos and songs 

for young learners

A song for young learners to encourage friendship and inclusion

What does it mean to be global?

Intercultural Communication Adventure

An interesting website about multicultural music. A lot of songs (music and lyrics) about diversity and differences:

http://www.songsforteaching.com/diversitymulticulturalism.htm

The Holy Week: let's study cultural and religious topics comparing different cultures.

 Today the Holy Week begins.

Let's compare different cultures: 
some Easter religious traditions in 

the UK and Italy.

 

Holy Week is the week leading up to Easter and is the most solemn week of the Christian year. During this week Christians remember the last week of Jesus' life. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday.

Palm Sunday 
Palm Sunday commemorates Christ's triumphant arrival in Jerusalem to the cheers of the crowd. In many churches, during Palm Sunday services, large palm branches are carried in processions.

 Palm Sunday in Italy
On Sunday morning, the priest followed by all the people waving palms, goes in procession from the church' yard to the church and there he blesses the little branches that everyone brings at home after the Mass. In the South of Italy the palms are mostly
made using branches of olives. People prepare branches of different sizes and decorated them with flowers, ribbons or holy pictures. 

 Palm Sunday in the UK

Many churches provide people with small crosses made from palm leaves at Palm Sunday services.  The priests bless these palms and people preserve them to make the Ash Wednesday ashes for the next year. Churches may also have a procession during which people sing songs and wave their palm leaves. Some churches give people pax cakes at the end of the Mass.

Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter. It is the day of the Last Supper, when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and established the ceremony known as the Eucharist. The night of Maundy Thursday is the night on which Jesus was betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane. The word maundy comes from the command (mandate) given by Jesus during the Last Supper:  love one another.

Maundy Thursday in Italy
In Italy this day is known as Holy Thursday. On this day each Italian church prepare a "sepolcro", a sepulchre. The term sepolcro is a sort of altar or chapel of repose. It is a solemn exposition of floral compositions consisting of  wheat and seasonal flowers or plants and it is the symbol of Jesus’ transition from death to rebirth. Churches hold these sepulchcres until the afternoon of Good Friday, when the flowers and wheat will be distributed to the observants during sacramental communion.

Maundy Thursday in the UK
 In Britain, the sovereign takes part in the Ceremony of the Royal Maundy. This ceremony, held at a great cathedral, involves the distribution of Maundy money to deserving senior citizens (one man and one woman for each year of the sovereign's age), usually chosen for having done service to their community. They receive ceremonial red and white purses which contain coins made especially for the occasion. The white purse contains one coin for each year of the monarch's reign. The red purse contains money in place of other gifts that used to be given to the poor.

Good Friday

Good Friday is the Friday before Easter. It commemorates the Passion of Jesus and his death by crucifixion. It is a day of mourning in church, in fact during Good Friday services Christians meditate on Jesus' suffering and death on the cross. In some countries, there are special Good Friday processions, or re-enactments of the Crucifixion.

Good Friday in Italy
On Holy Friday solemn religious processions with statues are held in many towns. Many churches have special statues of the Virgin, of Jesus and all the protagonist of Christ's passion. The statues parade through the city and are then displayed in the main square or in a church. Parade participants are dressed in traditional ancient costumes.
While Easter mass is be held in every church, the biggest and most popular mass is held by the Pope at Saint Peter's Basilica. On Holy Friday, the Pope celebrates the Via Crucis or Stations of the Cross in Rome near the Colosseum. He carries a huge cross with burning torches and at the end of the celebration he gives the world a blessing.

Good Friday in the UK
Many Catholics do not eat meat on Good Friday. Many people eat hot cross buns on this day. These are made of leavened dough, sugar, currants and spices. The top of the bun is marked with a cross and filled with flour and water paste or rice paper.

Holy Saturday

The Easter Eve service on the night of Holy Saturday is the first Easter service. It's the day when Jesus lay in his tomb. During this service Christians wait hopefully that Jesus will return at midnight. 

Holy Saturday in Italy
In Italy on this day there are masses and some religious processions.

Holy Saturday in the UK
The Easter, or Paschal, candle is lit during this service. The mass traditionally begins outside the church, where the minister and some worshippers gather around a fire and light the candle. After being lit outside, the candle is carried into the church, where the worshippers are waiting in darkness, which symbolises the darkness of Christ's tomb.

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday in Italy
On this day at Vatican City there is the famous Easter Sunday Mass. 

Easter is the end of the Lent season, so food plays a big part in the Easter Sunday celebrations! Traditional Easter foods include lamb or goat, artichokes, and special Easter breads. Colomba (it means "dove" because it is dove-shaped) is a typical sweet. 

Chocolate eggs are also popular, especially among children and they usually come with a surprise inside.

The Monday following Easter, la Pasquetta, is also a holiday in Italy. On Easter Monday, people usually go away from the towns and cities and go to the countryside or to the sea to have a picnic. Easter Monday is a time to gather with friends and have fun.

Easter Sunday in the UK

Priests usually emphasize the dawn of a new life during the Easter Mass.

Easter eggs are very popular in the UK, too.  Children decorate eggs with paint, crayon, water colors, stickers and other material and they are often put in Easter baskets. In the United Kingdom, Easter eggs are often large hollow chocolate eggs filled with bonbons or other candy. 
Many children believe that the Easter bunny comes to their house or garden to hide eggs, so they search for these eggs on Easter morning.

In the UK there are many Easter egg hunts. These can be competitions to see who can collect the most eggs, or somewhere in Britain people roll hard boiled down slopes. In other places, there is a game in which people roll hard boiled eggs against other peoples' eggs.

We've seen some Italian and British Easter traditions.

Are there many differences  between these two countries?

Which tradition do you like most? Why?

How do you usually celebrate Easter?

For more information:
Easter in Italy
http://goitaly.about.com/od/festivalsandevents/a/easter.htm
http://www.delallo.com/articles/easter-pasqua-lunch
http://www.lifeinitaly.com/potpourri/Easter.asp

Easter in the UK
http://www.learnenglish.de/culture/easter.html
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/easter.html
http://www.learnenglish.de/culture/easter.html