Happy Easter

Now that the assessment week is over and it is time for a break, I'm going to enjoy a few days to indulge in some free time and recharge energies. Spending quality time with my family will surely foster my stamina to face the last term of this school year. In the meantime, I wish you all a great Easter.

Picture via Google Images

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Easter Break and more

It's high time to take a break and indulge in some free time, without worrying about the merciless early morning alarm clock or the everyday busy schedule. While T@PT is away, some important venues will take place around the world, and one is already happening today:

•  March 22nd is World Water Day. 

Over twenty years ago the United Nations recognized March 22 as the first World Water Day. This year's theme is water cooperation. As the following photographs show, the need for cooperation on this precious resource is great, as some enjoy plenty while others suffer drought. Collected HERE are images of water and its many uses as we approach the annual World Water Day. (Source: The Big Picture) 

• March 23rd is The Earth Hour

The Earth Hour is a movement that aims to unite people so as to protect the Planet. Follow this LINK to enter The Earth Hour website and find out how you can celebrate this venue in your hometown. Watch The Earth Hour official video HERE.

• March 31st is Easter

Many Christians worldwide celebrate Easter with special church services, music, candlelight, flowers and the ringing of church bells. Easter processions are held in some countries such as the Philippines and Spain. Many Christians view Easter as the greatest feast of the Church year. It is a day of joy and celebration to commemorate that Jesus Christ is risen, according to Christian belief. (Source: TimeAndDate). In New York City, you can watch the Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival on Fifth Avenue. Each year on Easter the best of the bonnets are showcased along Fifth Avenue as New Yorkers celebrate the holiday by roaming the streets in their most festive spring gear from 10am to 4pm. The parade marches north on Fifth Avenue, starting at 49th Street, but the best place to watch is from the area around St. Patrick's Cathedral. (Source: NYC - the official guide)

Having said this, enjoy these so long expected Spring days and have a holy Easter with your beloved ones. Relax, have some fun and don't forget The Earth Hour's motto: 'I will if you will'. See you soon!...

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ELT resources for Easter

Mary Glasgow Magazines suggests in its newsletter a bunch of activities and teaching ideas for Easter. This month, you can find a wide range of exciting resources about rabbits, eggs and chocolate. How do you celebrate Easter in your country? Many British children believe that the Easter bunny comes to their garden to hide eggs. In Australia, the tradition is to eat chocolate hot cross buns on Good Friday. The celebration is taken to the extreme in New York; where a spectacular Easter parade takes place on Easter Sunday along Fifth Avenue featuring rabbits, flowers, clowns and more! The good news is that our Easter resources haven't been hidden by any rabbit so far. 

For Elementary Students (A1):

• Entertain your beginners with a video about Easter and get them to complete the two accompanying video activities! 
• American children eat jelly beans rather than chocolate eggs at Easter. Find out more by reading this article about a Jelly Bean Factory.

For Pre-intermediate (A2) and Intermediate (B1)

• Ready, steady... GO for the Easter egg hunt and learn more about Easter traditions in both the UK and the USA.
• Find out more about Spring traditions and baby animals with this worksheet!

Image credits: TES

TES presents its Easter top 50 most popular resources ever. At Teaching Ideas you will find a wide range of ideas and resources to help you when you are teaching children at Easter. Last, but not least, as both the Christian Easter and the Jewish Passover take place this month, Larry Ferlazzo presents a 'The Best…' list sharing hispicks for the best online resources out there about these holidays that are accessible to English Language Learners. 

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Mothering Sunday

Mother’s Day, or Mothering Sunday as it is more traditionally known, is an annual celebration where families up and down the UK pay tribute to the role mums play in their lives, giving thanks for everything they do. Similar celebrations also take place around the world but not necessarily on the same day. In Britain the date of Mother’s Day itself is not fixed but it always falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent, which this year was on March 10. The date varies as it depends on when Easter is, but if you’re keen to plan ahead then get March 30 next year in your diary as that is when Mother’s Day 2014 takes place.

In, Follow UK 

(abridged and adapted)

Jamie Oliver believes that nothing says ‘love you mum’ more than cooking her something delicious. So to really spoil her, he suggests his followers to have a look at the following tasty options in his website. As in Portugal we celebrate Mother's Day on the first sunday of May, we have plenty of  time ahead to practise these scrumptious dishes and pay tribute to our mothers with a lovely home-made meal, full of love, and with a British flavour. 

Butternut squash muffins with a frosty top
Photo credits: David Loftus

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Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day

Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day

Pancake Day (also known as Shrove Tuesday) takes place 47 days before Easter Sunday. Because the date of Easter Sunday is dictated by the cycles of the moon, Pancake Day can occur anytime between February 3 and March 9. In 2013 it takes place on February 12. 

Shrove Tuesday marks the last day before Lent, traditionally a period of abstinence, associated with clearing your cupboards of goods such as sugar, fats and eggs. It's commonly known as Pancake Day because it represents a good opportunity to use such ingredients ahead of the fasting period. Pancake races and batter-based feasts come to London every Shrove Tuesday. Source: TimeOutLondon

These pictures were taken on February 21, 2012, and portray the Annual Rehab Parliamentary Pancake Race in London. Now in its 15th year, the annual Pancake Race, which races money for the charity Rehab, sees teams of Lords, MPs and political correspondents racing in a circuit whilst tossing pancakes in a frying pan on Shrove Tuesday.

All pictures by Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images Europe

In the pictures below you can see probationary (trainee) choristers from Salisbury Cathedral flip pancakes outside the cathedral doors after a lesson on the meaning of Shrove Tuesday and the approaching liturgical season of Lent.

                                                                                            Photos by Matt Cardy

Jamie Oliver, the famous British cook, is preparing a competition for February 12th - The Pancake Day Competition. All you have to do is watch the video below and follow the instructions.

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Easter Egg Hunt

Egg hunt is a game during which decorated eggs, real hard-boiled ones or artificial, filled with or made of chocolate candies, of various sizes, are hidden in various places for children to find. The game may be both indoors and outdoors. The egg was a symbol of the rebirth of the Earth in Pagan celebrations of spring and was adopted by early Christians as a symbol of the rebirth of man at Easter. The egg symbol was likened to the tomb from which Christ arose.Traditionally the game is associated with Easter and Easter eggs, but it has also been popular with spring time birthday parties.

When the hunt is over, prizes may be given out for various achievements, such as the largest number of eggs collected, for the largest or smallest egg, for the most eggs of a specific color, consolation prizes, booby prizes, among others.    

Source: Wikipedia (adapted)                    

                                                                            

pictures via Google Images

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