SILVIA

FIGUEROA RODRGUEZ 1

UNIDAD DIDCTICA CHRISTMAS IS COMING TO TOWN
1. INTRODUCCIN
La unidad didctica que se detalla a continuacin ha tomado como referencia el Marco Comn Europeo
de Referencia para las Lenguas (MCERL), as como la Ley Orgnica 8/2013 de 9 de diciembre para la
mejora de la calidad educativa (LOMCE), el Decreto 315/2015, del 28 de agosto por el que se establece la
ordenacin de la Educacin Secundaria Obligatoria y del Bachillerato en la Comunidad Autnoma de
Canarias (BOC n 169, de 28 de agosto de 2015), as como el Decreto 83/2016, de 4 de julio por el que se
establece el currculo de la Educacin Secundaria Obligatoria y el Bachillerato en la Comunidad Autnoma
de Canarias (BOC n 136, de 15 de julio de 2016), que supone la concrecin del Real Decreto 1105/2014 de
26 de diciembre, por el que se establece el currculo bsico de la Educacin Secundaria Obligatoria y el
Bachillerato (BOE n3, de 3 de enero 2015).
La unidad Christmas is coming to town se impartir en el primer trimestre, en un curso de 1 de
Bachillerato de 26 alumnos, durante 4 sesiones de 55 minutos cada una. Las presentaciones finales del
alumnado llevarn al menos dos sesiones ms. Durante el transcurso de esta unidad, se trabajarn distintos
criterios de evaluacin contemplados en el currculo de la Primera Lengua Extranjera en la Comunidad
Autnoma de Canarias. Estos criterios son:
- Criterio 2: Aplicar las estrategias adecuadas para comprender el sentido general, la informacin esencial,
los puntos principales, los detalles relevantes o las informaciones, ideas y opiniones tanto implcitas como
explcitas claramente formuladas y los matices de mensajes transmitidos de viva voz o por medios tcnicos,
con el fin de responsabilizarse de su propio aprendizaje, consolidar su autonoma y como medio de
desarrollo personal y social.
- Criterio 3: Produccin de textos orales claros, bien organizados y con detalles suficientes, adecuados al
receptor y al contexto, y que traten sobre temas generales y ms especficos dentro del propio campo de
especializacin, o que sean de inters personal, para comunicarse con suficiente autonoma en situaciones
corrientes o menos habituales en los mbitos personal, pblico, acadmico y ocupacional/laboral.
- Criterio 6: Comprender las ideas principales, informacin detallada e implicaciones generales de textos
escritos, autnticos o adaptados, de cierta longitud y lingsticamente complejos, que traten de asuntos
concretos o abstractos cuando estn dentro del propio campo de especializacin, o que sean de inters
propio, con el fin de participar con suficiente autonoma en los mbitos personal, pblico, acadmico u
ocupacional/laboral. El tema elegido es la Navidad, ya que dentro de la asignatura se pretende que el
alumnado no slo aprenda el idioma sino que tambin se familiarice con los aspectos socioculturales ms
significativos de loa pases donde se habla la lengua extranjera, respetando las convenciones comunicativas
ms elementales, mostrando un enfoque intercultural y una actitud de empata hacia las personas con cultura
y lengua igual o distinta.
2. OBJETIVOS
1. Entender y gestionar informacin escrita relativa a la celebracin de la Navidad en distintos pases.
2. Producir textos sencillos que den respuesta a preguntas relacionadas con la lectura.
3. Comprender informacin especfica de textos orales y utilizar los conocimientos adquiridos para llevar a
cabo distintos juegos que demuestren lo aprendido.
4. Desarrollar la competencia digital a travs de la bsqueda de informacin para la preparacin y
presentacin de un poster digital o similar, sobre otras celebraciones y/o acontecimientos histricos propios
de pases de habla inglesa.
3. METODOLOGA
A nivel legal, los principios metodolgicos en los que se fundamenta esta unidad, se encuentran en el
Decreto 86/2016 de 4 de julio que establece el currculo de la ESO y Bachillerato de la Comunidad
Autnoma de Canarias y en el anexo II de la Orden ECD/65/2015 en el que se indican algunas orientaciones
para facilitar el desarrollo de estrategias metodolgicas que permitan trabajar por competencias en el aula. El
profesorado ha de propiciar siempre un entorno motivador que surja de los intereses de su grupo-clase, que
se adece a sus necesidades, atienda a sus expectativas y se vincule al conocimiento previo del alumnado y a
los gustos propios de estas edades, siempre que estos supongan un objetivo asumible para sus caractersticas
y capacidades en un entorno de inmersin lingstica y mtodo natural de adquisicin del aprendizaje.
En lo concerniente a la dimensin del alumnado como Agente Social, como individuos que reciben,

CHRISTMAS IS COMING TO TOWN

producen e interactan, se hace necesaria la aplicacin de metodologas activas y atractivas de aprendizaje

basadas en tareas, proyectos o resolucin de problemas, entre otros.
La segunda dimensin del alumnado, la del Aprendiente Autnomo, requiere metodologas abiertas que
hagan de este el principal conductor de su propio aprendizaje, y en las que el docente sea, ante todo, una
gua, un apoyo y una referencia. En este sentido, tanto las TIC como los recursos tradicionales diversos
facilitan un aprendizaje autnomo en contraposicin con el seguimiento de mtodos nicos, excluyentes y
cerrados.
La ltima dimensin, la del alumnado como Hablante Intercultural y Sujeto Emocional y Creativo
implica, por un lado, la eleccin de los mtodos y recursos ms apropiados para la transmisin y aceptacin
de la cultura, los valores y las normas propias de la lengua estudiada y, por otro, el uso de metodologas que
fomenten el aspecto emocional del individuo de una manera ldica y atractiva.
4. MATERIALES Y RECURSOS
En esta unidad se hace uso de las TIC, tanto de materiales disponibles en la web de uso general,
como de materiales creados por el profesor para el desarrollo de la unidad. Los alumnos tambin manejarn
los recursos digitales necesarios para presentar el proyecto final.
5. SESIONES DE TRABAJO
Las distintas actividades comprendidas en esta unidad didctica se desarrollarn en cuatro sesiones
de 55 minutos cada una. Al final, los alumnos tendrn que trabajar en casa para entregar un poster digital que
presentarn de manera oral en otras dos sesiones, 3 grupos por sesin. La unidad se desarrollar en el mes
diciembre para preparar la celebracin de la Navidad.
* SESIN 1
- TORMENTA DE IDEAS (25 minutos): Con idea de conectar con los conocimientos previos de
los alumnos, mostrarles un glogster hecho por mi sobre el tema, para hablar de vocabulario propio de
la Navidad, escuchando tambin el mensaje de navidad del ao pasado de la reina Isabel II de
Inglaterra, incluido en el glogster. Esta actividad se desarrollar en el aula de clase con el grupo total
de alumnos (gran grupo). Se utilizar el ipad para proyectar el glogster y escuchar y ver el vdeo de
la reina.
- ESCHUCHAR UNA CANCIN DE NAVIDAD (30 minutos): Los alumnos escucharn la
cancin de Billy Mack Christmas is all around, realizando las actividades propuestas, para
terminar cantndola todos juntos. Esta actividad la realizarn de manera individual a la hora de
escuchar, trabajando en parejas para completar los ejercicios escritos. Se utilizar el ipad y el
rockbox para escuchar la cancin.
* SESIN 2
- LECTURA SOBRE LA CELEBRACIN DE LA NAVIDAD EN DISTINTOS LUGARES
DEL MUNDO (55 minutos) : Para llevar a cabo esta tarea, los alumnos se separarn en grupos.
Dado que el 1 de Bachillerato cuenta con 26 alumnos, se harn 2 grupos de 5 alumnos cada uno, y 4
grupos, de 4 alumnos cada uno. Cada grupo tendr que leer la informacin que aparece en el link
para poder despus contestar las preguntas relativas a la lectura. Los ltimos 15 minutos de la clase
se dedicarn a la puesta en comn de las respuestas (gran grupo). Dada la importancia de que los
alumnos se conciencien de que trabajar en grupo significa repartir tareas y trabajar cooperativamente
por igual, la misin del profesor durante el transcurso de la actividad, ser la de guiar y vigilar que la
totalidad del alumnado participe. El profesor facilitar una hoja con las preguntas a cada grupo, en la
que podrn escribir las respuestas. La lectura ser online por lo que se llevar a cabo en la sala de
ordenadores del instituto.
* SESIN 3
- HACER DOS ESCUCHAS RELACIONADAS CON LA NAVIDAD (55 minutos): Los
alumnos trabajarn individualmente para llevar a cabo esta actividad que consiste en escuchar dos
conversaciones diferentes, alojadas en la plataforma del British Council, sobre temas propios de la
Navidad. Una vez que hayan realizado las escuchas, mximo de 3 veces cada conversacin, podrn
demostrar lo que han aprendido jugando a los diferentes juegos que he creado para la ocasin y que

SILVIA FIGUEROA RODRGUEZ 3

estn relacionados con el vocabulario que aparece en las escuchas. La actividad se realizar tambin
en la sala de ordenadores del instituto y requiere que los alumnos vengan provistos de auriculares
para que cada uno pueda seguir su propio ritmo. El profesor velar por el correcto desarrollo de la
actividad, interviniendo en caso de duda, y ayudando a aquellos alumnos menos duchos en el empleo
de ordenadores y pginas web.
* SESIN 4
- BSQUEDA DE INFORMACIN (55 minutos): Trabajando en grupos, tal y como se hizo en la
sesin 2, los alumnos entrarn en la pgina ego4u.com para buscar informacin sobre distintas celebraciones
que tienen lugar en pases de habla inglesa. Algunas posibilidades son: Guy Fawkes Day, Thanksgiving,
Independence Day, Saint Patricks Day, Saint Valentines Day, Easter, etc. Se admitir cualquier otra
sugerencia que ellos hagan, siempre y cuando sean celebraciones de pases de habla inglesa. Podrn utilizar
otras pginas para la bsqueda de informacin como la Wikipedia o cualquier otra que ellos encuentren.
Una vez seleccionada la informacin, cada grupo tendr que preparar y presentar un poster digital,
powerpoint o Prezi que explique la celebracin elegida. Si bien la bsqueda de informacin se realizar en la
sala de ordenadores y el profesor actuar como gua en la seleccin de contenidos, el producto final, la
presentacin digital, se har como trabajo de casa y se enviar por correo electrnico al profesor con
antelacin al da previsto para empezar los orales.
* SESIONES 5 Y 6
- Las ltimas dos sesiones de la unidad didctica estarn dedicadas a la presentacin digital y oral de
los trabajos preparados por lo distintos grupos, 3 grupos cada da. Las presentaciones se llevarn a cabo en
el aula, utilizando el proyector y el ordenador o Ipad del profesor (algunas presentaciones pierden los efectos
al ser proyectadas con el Ipad). En el transcurso de las presentaciones, los alumnos presentarn de forma oral
y slo utilizando un guin, la informacin recabada en la sesin 4. El tiempo mnimo de presentacin ser de
unos 10 minutos por grupo (dos o tres minutos por persona) y al finalizar cada presentacin, el resto del
alumnado y el propio profesor, puede realizar preguntas sobre la celebracin escogida. La evaluacin de esta
tarea final se regir por una rbrica propia de la evaluacin de presentaciones orales.
* ACTIVIDADES DE REFUERZO Y AMPLIACIN
En tanto que la unidad didctica seleccionada no se presenta para la adquisicin de contenidos, sino
ms bien, para la familiarizacin con la cultura propia de pases en los que se habla la lengua extranjera
estudiada, no se prevn actividades de refuerzo y ampliacin concretas. No obstante, la agrupacin de los
alumnos por ejemplo, se har teniendo en cuenta las distintas capacidades y supondr por tanto una medida
de refuerzo de aquellos que presentan ms problemas. La bsqueda de informacin en fuentes ajenas a la
pgina recomendada, supondr una medida de ampliacin para aquellos otros alumnos que quieran saber
ms.
6. EVALUACIN
6.1. TIPOS DE EVALUACIN
Si bien se dan distintos tipos de evaluacin que son la inicial, la formativa y la sumativa, en esta
unidad didctica slo evaluaremos el producto final, la presentacin, ya que el resto de las tareas y
actividades estn principalmente encaminadas a familiarizar al alumno con el tema y a trabajar las destrezas
de lectura y escucha necesarias para ser competente en uso del idioma.
6.2. INSTRUMENTOS DE EVALUACIN
Los instrumentos que nos permitirn estimar el adecuado desarrollo de las distintas actividades sern
diferentes segn el tipo de tarea que se lleve a cabo. En la sesin 1, durante la tormenta de ideas, el profesor
podr observar de primera mano, los conocimientos previos del alumnado sobre la Navidad. Durante la
escucha de la cancin, se valorar sobre todo, la capacidad para captar vocabulario especfico para rellenar
los huecos. En la sesin 2, los alumnos demostrarn su destreza lectora a travs de la solucin de preguntas
relativas al texto de la lectura. En la sesin 3, despus de haber realizado las dos escuchas, demostrarn su
agudeza auditiva mediante los juegos propuestos en la tarea. Las sesin 4, que tal y como habamos dicho,
estar dedicada a la bsqueda de informacin relativa al tema elegido, demostrar la capacidad del alumnado
para hacer una adecuada seleccin de la informacin que les permita hacer las presentaciones finales con
xito. Las ltimas dos sesiones, dedicadas a la presentacin oral de los distintos trabajos digitales sobre

CHRISTMAS IS COMING TO TOWN

celebraciones, son las ms importantes ya que son las que conforman el producto final de toda la tarea. Estas
presentaciones se valorarn utilizando una rbrica de valoracin creada a tal efecto y propia de productos
orales.
7. BIBLIOGRAFA
- Ley Orgnica 8/2013 de 9 de diciembre para la mejora de la calidad educativa (LOMCE)
- Decreto 315/2015, del 28 de agosto por el que se establece la ordenacin de la Educacin Secundaria
Obligatoria y del Bachillerato en la Comunidad Autnoma de Canarias (BOC n 169, de 28 de agosto de
2015)
- Decreto 83/2016, de 4 de julio por el que se establece el currculo de la Educacin Secundaria Obligatoria y
el Bachillerato en la Comunidad Autnoma de Canarias (BOC n 136, de 15 de julio de 2016), que supone la
concrecin del Real Decreto 1105/2014 de 26 de diciembre, por el que se establece el currculo bsico de la
Educacin Secundaria Obligatoria y el Bachillerato (BOE n3, de 3 de enero 2015)

SILVIA FIGUEROA RODRGUEZ 5

ANEXOS
SESIN 1
1.1 Brainstorming: glogster preparado para llevar a cabo la tormenta de ideas de la primera sesin y que
incluye un pequeo video con el mensaje de Navidad 2015 de la reina de Inglaterra.
http://spontyteacher.edu.glogster.com/christmas-is-coming-to-town
1.2 Cancin de Navidad:
Christmas Is All Around
Billy Mack
I feel it in .. (a)
I feel it in my .. (b)
Christmas is all around me
And so the feeling grows
It's written on the .. (c)
It's everywhere I go
So if you really love Christmas
C'mon and let it .(d)
You know I love Christmas
I always will
My mind's . (e)
The way that I feel
There's no beginning
There'll be no (f)
Cause on Christmas
You can depend
In everything I do
You gave your presents to me
I need Santa beside me
And I gave mine to you
You know I love Christmas
I always will
My mind's ..(e)
The way that I feel
There's no beginning
There'll be no (f)
Cause on Christmas
You can depend
Cause on Christmas
You can depend
It's written on the ...(c)
It's everywhere I go
So if you really love me
C'mon and let it .. (g)
C'mon and let it (g)
So if you really love
C'mon and let it
If you really love me

CHRISTMAS IS COMING TO TOWN

C'mon and let it

Now if you really love me
C'mon and let it .. (g)

EXERCISES ON THE SONG

1. Fill in the gaps following the clues given.
a) You've got five in each hand.
b) You've got 10 on your feet.
c) Something that blows.
d) It's white and it comes down from the sky.
e) Phrasal verb which means to decide, to take a decision.
f) Word that appears when the film is finished.
g) Irregular verb which means to exhibit
2. Sentences in paragraph 4 are all mixed up. Listen to the song and put them in the correct order.
3. Speaking: Have you listened to this song before? Could you recognise the film it appears in?
4. Sing along.
SESIN 2
2.1 El texto de la lectura que aparece en esta sesin en el diseo de la unidad didctica, es el que aparece a
continuacin, sacado del siguiente enlace:
https://www.soon.org.uk/articles/christmas/around-the-world.html
Las preguntas propuestas, aparecen despus de la lectura.
Belgium
On 6th December Sinterklaas or Saint-Nicholas is celebrated, which is an entirely different holiday from
Christmas. Santa Claus in Belgium is called de Kerstman or le Pre Nol and he does come around on
Christmas day to bring children presents. There are different cultures in Belgium, the Northern part being
Vlaanderen (speaking a Dutch dialect), the Southern part being Wallonie (speaking a French dialect) and the
Eastern part speaking German.
Small family presents are given at Christmas too, under the tree, or in stockings near the fire-place, to be
found in the morning. Christmas breakfast is a special sweet bread called 'cougnou' or 'cougnolle' - the shape
is supposed to be like baby Jesus. Some families will have another big meal on Christmas day.
Brazil
Father Christmas is called Papai Noel. Many Christmas customs are similar to USA or UK. For those who
have enough money, a special Christmas meal will be chicken, turkey, ham, rice, salad, pork, fresh and dried
fruits, often with beer. Poorer people will have chicken, rice and beans and will also drink beer and coke. For
dessert people enjoy some Brazilian sweets Brigadeiro made of condensed milk and chocolate. Both rich and
poor have Christmas trees. A poor person's Christmas tree is made of plastic or is just a dry tree branch. As
we don't have snow in Brazil, poor people put cotton over their Christmas tree branch to simulate snow.
Christmas time varies a lot from south to north region.
Finland
Finnish people believe that Father Christmas (Santa Claus) lives in the north part of Finland called
Korvatunturi, north of the Arctic Circle. People from all over the world send letters to Santa Claus in
Finland. (It is only fair to say that the people of Greenland say that really, Father Christmas lives in
Greenland!) There is a even big tourist theme park called 'Christmas Land' in the north of Finland, near to
where they say that Father Christmas lives.E veryone cleans their houses ready for the three holy days of
Christmas - Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. Christmas Eve is very special, when people eat
rice porridge and a sweet soup made from dried fruits (plums, raisins, apples, pears, apricots and figs). Its

SILVIA FIGUEROA RODRGUEZ 7

eaten in the morning or at lunchtime. They will then decorate a spruce tree in the home. At midday, the
'Christmas peace declaration' is broadcast on radio and TV from the Finnish city of Turku by its Mayor.
In the evening, a traditional Christmas dinner is eaten. The meal will include casseroles containing liver,
rutabaga, carrot and potato, with cooked ham or turkey. Some families eat liver pate. Rawpickled slightly
salted salmon, herrings and salad called rosolli. Mushroom salad is also common. Rosolli is cold salad made
from peeled, cooked and diced potatoes, carrots, beetroot and diced apples, onions and pickled cucumber.
Season with salt (some people use also pepper). Whipped cream (+ salt, vinegar and beetroot colour to make
it pink) is served with rosolli. Food traditions during the Christmas period depend on which part of Finland
people live.
In Lapland and in Finland's islands there are different foods. Other foods include cooked peas, different kind
on salads, roe, cold fish-dishes, pates, other casseroles such as beetroot casserole with cheese or with blue
cheese, sweet and spiced breads, carelian pies, and cheeses. Gingerbreads, spiced cakes, different kind of
cakes and cookies and others to eat with coffee or milk. You eat these at "day-coffee" time on the Christmas
eve (after the Christmas peace declaration which everybody watches on TV, or before going to the church
and graveyard), in the evening.
Christmas smells include mulled wine, gingerbreads, spices - cinnamon being the most common - Christmas
tree, burning candles and hyacinthe. Poinsettia and hyacinths are the most popular Christmas flowers. On
Christmas eve many go to church, on the afternoon or late afternoon (time depends of local churches) - this
is new tradition.
The real and old Christmas church service is early on the morning of Christmas day. Many go there too.
Graveyards are very beautiful places on the Christmas eve, since there are lot of soft white snow and the only
lights come from candles people bring to the graves of loved ones. If relatives are buried in other graveyards,
there are places in graveyard you can lit your candle to remember them. Many families will visit cemeteries
and graveyards to place a candle onto the burial graves of family members. Cemeteries are very beautiful at
Christmas-time.
Having a sauna of course is part of celebration. People go there before church and graves, or after them.
After sauna is the festive dinner. The high moment! After that comes Santa Claus (if there are children) or
the presents that are under the Christmas tree are opened. In some families where there are no small kids, the
presents are not put under the tree, but collected to big sacks, which are carried near the front door. Then a
family member might say, "Did I heard sound of reindeers and bells " or "Did I hear Santa Claus." When
they go to check, there are big sacks full of presents there. So it was Santa after all! Then people drink coffee
and eat cakes, cookies and other sweet things. Enjoy present and play games. Small kids go to bed but others
stay up late.
Children receive their presents on Christmas Eve, usually with a family member dressing as Father
Christmas. As children grow older, they come to realise that 'Father Christmas' is really a bigger brother,
sister or family member.
France
In France, Christmas is always called 'Nol. Everyone has a Christmas tree, sometimes decorated in the old
way with red ribbons and real white wax candles. Fir trees in the garden are often decorated too, with lights
on all night.
Father Christmas is called Pre Nol. The Christmas meal is an important family gathering with good meat
and the best wine. Few people send Christmas cards. More people send New Year cards to wish everyone
good luck and joy for the New Year. These days Christmas lunch is a starter of fois gras (a strong tasting
pate made from goose liver) followed by lunch of seafood - usually including lobster and oysters.
Decorations in houses are minimal but British traditions are catching on here and all the big shops and town
centres have Christmas decorations including trees.
Germany
Germans love to decorate their houses at Christmas. Many houses will have little wooden frames holding
electric candles in their windows, and coloured pictures of paper or plastic which look beautiful from the
outside at night. Often too, they will have an 'Adventskranz' - a wreath of leaves with four candles. (Advent meaning 'coming' - is the 4 week period before Christmas). On each Sunday of Advent, another candle is lit.
Most homes will also have little wooden 'cribs' - a small model of the stable where Jesus was born, with
Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, and animals.
Father Christmas - Der Weihnachtsmann - brings presents in the late afternoon of Christmas Eve (December
24th), after people have been to a church meeting. The presents are then found under the Christmas tree. One
person in the family will ring a bell and call everyone to come to the room. On Christmas Day, fish (carp) or
goose will be cooked.

CHRISTMAS IS COMING TO TOWN

Hungary
Santa Claus ('winter-grandfather, Tel-apo or Mikulas) comes on the 6th of December. Children should clean
and put their shoes outside next to the door or window before they go to sleep. Next day candies and/or small
toys appear in them in red bags. For children, who don't behave well, a golden birch placed next to the
sweets, a symbol for spanking... (but don't worry, it is just for fun, and not for actual punishment.)
On 24th of December, children go to their relative or to the movies, because little Jesus brings the tree and
the presents that evening to their house. It is customary to hang edible things on the tree, like golden
wrapped assorted chocolates and meringues beside the glass balls, candles (real or electrical), and sparklers.
Families usually cook festive dinner for that night. An example would be fresh fish usually with rice or
potatoes and home made pastries as dessert. After dinner, the tree would be viewed by the children for the
first time. It was very exciting. Christmas songs are sung and then the gifts under the tree are shared.
Older children attend the midnight mass with their parents. (During communism, children had to hide at the
back of the church. Teachers could have lost their jobs for attending the mass. Later (in mid 1970's) most of
the Communist Party leaders of the town attended it too.) Next day the children attack the edible part of the
tree. Festive food is enjoyed on the second and third day too.
Latvia
Latvians believe that Father Christmas brings presents on each of the 12 days of Christmas starting on
Christmas Eve. Usually the presents are put under the family Christmas tree. (What a good idea to spread
Christmas out longer!) It was in Latvia that the first Christmas tree was decorated. The special Latvian
Christmas Day meal is cooked brown peas with bacon (pork) sauce, small pies, cabbage and sausage.
New Zealand
Christmas starts for us with gifts under the tree, to be opened Christmas morning. Then its onto a Christmas
lunch either at home or at one's parents place. Turkey or chicken with all the trimmings is eaten, then come
tea time, it is a Bar-B-Q for friends and family to get together,and have a few beers or wines with the meal!!
Portugal
People adhere to the tradition that Father Christmas brings presents to children on Christmas Eve. The
presents are left under the Christmas tree or in shoes by the fireplace. A special Christmas meal of salted dry
cod-fish with boiled potatoes is eaten at midnight on Christmas Eve.
Romania
On the 6th December St Nicholas comes and puts small gifts in children shoes that have been polished and
placed near the windows and if children have been naughty they get a little stick.
Usually people in the country side grow their own pigs which are sacrificed for Christmas on the 20th of
December, and the meat is cooked in different ways for the Christmas meal, like home made
smoked/unsmoked sausages. Each part of the pig is used in different ways to make different dishes. Mince is
made and together with rice, onions and spices is used for the stuffed cabbage or vine leaves, which are
called 'sarmale'. So pig is traditional for Christmas meal.
On Christmas Eve usually children go around houses and sing carols and get fruit, sweets or money in
exchange. On Christmas Day everyone has a big family meal and visit relatives. In the country side people
dress as bears and goats and go and sing special traditional songs at each house in the village.
People from Transylvania serve stuffed cabbage on Christmas Eve, and next day for lunch. Most likely the
reason for that custom is that stuffed cabbage is the best on the second and third day after it was cooked.
Moms can prepare the food a day earlier, leaving more time for decorating and organizing. Very practical.
On 25th December, the whole family used to attend church and ate stuffed cabbage for lunch.
Russia
In the days of the Soviet Union, Christmas was not celebrated very much. New Year was the important time
- when 'Father Frost' brought presents to children. With the fall of Communism, Christmas can be openly
celebrated - either on December 25th; or more often on January 7th. This unusual date is because the Russian
Orthodox church uses the old 'Julian' calendar for religious celebration days. Special Christmas food includes
cakes, pies and 'meat dumplings'.
Sweden
The most important day is Christmas Eve. A special Christmas meal is eaten on Christmas Eve - ham (pork),
herring fish, and brown beans - and this is the time when families give presents to each other. Many people
attend a church meeting early on Christmas Day.
United States
The USA is so multi-cultural that you will find many different ways of celebrating Christmas.
One friends writes about Christmas meals,
"Our family (Eastern European origin) favor turkey with trimmings. My grandparents and their relatives

SILVIA FIGUEROA RODRGUEZ 9

preferred keilbasi (Polish sausage), cabbage dishes, and soups. My husband's Italian family insisted on
lasagna!"
Another friend wrote:
All year long children are told to behave, or they will get coal in their stocking. On Christmas Eve, they hang
highly stylized stockings on the mantle of the fireplace, then go to bed early so that they will find presents in
the morning. They are told that at midnight Santa will come, bringing a huge bag of toys. He will come
down through the chimney, leave candy in the stockings and presents under the Christmas tree (anything
from a Pine or Fir to a Spruce), then 'plug one nostril' and shoot up through the chimney. (This comes from
the story " A Visit From St. Nicholas," where St. Nick laid a finger "aside of his nose." He wasn't plugging
up his nose - he was making a sign for secrecy.) Cookies are traditionally left for him, and a carrot is
commonly left for Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer, very much a part of Christmas tradition (Santa will land
on the roof with his sleigh and nine reindeer). On Christmas morning, things such as cinnamon rolls or
coffee cake are served for breakfast, and for dinner there is typically ham (and occasionally regal plum
pudding). That is it for celebration Boxing Day is never celebrated, Epiphany is only celebrated by
Catholics, and Advent not commonly celebrated.
Another American reader wrote in with the following:
Advent is celebrated in almost all Roman Catholic and mainline Protestant churches. I was Roman Catholic
until I was 15, as were my grandparents, and we always followed the four weeks of preparation before
Christmas in our church services. I found the same to be true in my father's Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America, my friend is United Methodist Church, my in-laws are Presbyterian USA congregations, and for
myself, as a member and pastor of the United Church of Christ for the last 16 years. We also recognize
Epiphany in mainline Protestant churches. On the first Sunday following January 6, our service tells again
the story of the Magi who came to Jesus presenting their gifts following his birth. As a child, I fondly
remember leaving carrots and sugar for all of the reindeer, along the mil and cookies for Santa!

Preguntas
1. In which country is Christmas celebrated in many different ways?
2. Where do people eat special bread with the shape of Jesus?
3. Which country is not very fond of Christmas cards?
4. In which country does Father Christmas have to work a lot?
5.Which country says that Father Christmas lives there?
6. In which country wasn't Christmas much celebrated, for political reasons?
7. In which countries do people eat turkey and chicken?
8. In which country can you eat the tree decoration?
9. In which country are presents given after mass, on the 24th December?
10. Where was the first Xmas tree decorated?
11. In which country do people decorate the cementeries?
12. Which is the earliest country to give presents?
SESIN 3
3.1 Escuchar los dos enlaces con vocabulario propio de la Navidad Britnica, en la pgina del British
Council:

1) http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/overcooked/tell-me-about-christmas-part-1
2) http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/overcooked/tell-me-about-christmas-part-2

3.2 Comprobar el nivel de adquisicin del vocabulario, con los distintos juegos creados por m para ello.

SESIN 4

http://reviewgamezone.com/game.php?id=11083

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0

CHRISTMAS IS COMING TO TOWN

4.1 En el enlace buscar informacin sobre las distintas celebraciones o acontecimientos para hacer la
presentacin digital en grupo.
https://www.ego4u.com/en/read-on/countries

SESIONES 5 Y 6
5.1 RBRICA DE EVALUACIN DE LA PRESENTACIN ORAL

La calificacin de los alumnos se har de manera individualizada pese a que la presentacin se haga de
manera grupal. Se tendr preferentemente en cuenta la presentacin oral, 70% de la nota; la presentacin
digital tendr un 30 % .

Silvia Figueroa Rodrguez

Tarea 2