Thanksgiving

   

    Most fruit and vegetables grow through the summer and are ready to bring in when autumn comes. This time is called the harvest. After the harvest, many people want to say thank you to God for all the food. There are church services called Harvest Festivals or Thanksgiving Services. There are lots of fruit, vegetables, flowers and loaves of bread in the church, and people sing special songs of thanks. These services started hundreds of years ago. 

   

                                              

    In September 1620, a group of English people called the Pilgrim Fathers sailed from Plymouth, England across the Atlantic Ocean, in a ship called The Mayflower, to Cape Cod in North America. They went away from England because of their religion, and because they wanted land for their families. They wanted to grow food for themselves - not for other people. 

 

   

   The Piligrims sailed for sixty-six dangerous days across the Atlantic Ocean. When they arrived, they called their new home New England, but they were not the first people to live there. The Indians were there first. Sometimes the Pilgrims fought with the Indians but they also learned a lot from them. The Indians showed them how to live from their new land, for example, and how to grow and cook new kinds of fruit and vegetables. 

     The first winter was difficult. Many of the Pilgrims died because it was very cold and they had little food. In the spring they started to grow food, helped by some friendly Indians, and in the autumn of 1621 they celebrated their first harvest. 

    The Pilgrims wanted to give thanks, not only for the harvest, but for their new home, new life and new friends. 

   The date of Thanksgiving Day in the USA has changed three times, but i is now the fourth Thursday in November. Most American and Canadian families still have a Thanksgiving Day dinner with their family. They have turkey and autumn vegetables, and then pumpkin pie. 

      In the USA, there are a lot of big football matches on that day, so many people go to the games or watch them on television. 

    Canada is north of the USA, so the winter is longer and the harvest is earlier there. The date of Thanksgiving Day has changed more than once, but is now the second Monday in October. In Canada there is a Thanksgiving Day holiday and the traditional dinner is turkey and pumpkin pie - like in the USA. 

thanksgiving - подячний молебень

to bring in - плодоносити

harvest - урожай

the Pilgrim Fathers - англійські колоністи в Америці

Election Day Vocabulary

Ballot (paper) - виборчий бюлетень
ballot box - скринька
by-elections - додаткові вибори
campaigning - проведення передвиборчої агітації
Central Election Commission (CEC) -  ЦВК
Committee of Voters of Ukraine - КВУ (комітет виборців України)
counterfoil - контрольний талон
District Election Commission - ТВК (територіальна виборча комісія)
early elections - позачергові вибори
election day - день виборів
election night count - підрахунок голосів після закриття виборчих дільниць
election fraud - фальсифікація результатів голосування
equal access - рівний доступ
Final vote count - остаточний підрахунок голосів
gerrymandering - влаштовувати передвиборчі махінації
imitation ballot - фальшивий бюлетень
intimidation - залякування
invalid ballot - недійсний бюлетень
majority system voting - голосування за мажоритарною системою
opinion polls - опитування
parliamentarians - депутати
personal ID card - посвідчення особи
precinct - виборча дільниця
Precinct Election Commission (PEC) - дільнича виборча комісія
promulgation of results - оприлюднення результатів
proxy - довірена особа
repeat election - повторні вибори
scheduled elections - чергові вибори
tabulation of votes - підрахунок голосів
threshold - відсотковий бар'єр
turnout - явка
unique citizen number - ідентифікаційний номер громадянина
voter list - список виборців
will expression - волевиявлення

For the Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

by Laurence Binyon                                                                       http://www.activityvillage.co.uk

Remembrance Day

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them."

From "For the Fallen" by Laurence Binyon

Get the children involved and help them to understand what Remembrance Day is.

What is Remembrance Day?

Remembrance Day, or Poppy Day, is held in Commonwealth countries to remember members of the armed forces who have died in the line of duty, as well as all those who have been involved with and affected by war and conflict. Originally declared a special day in 1919 by King George V to remember the soldiers killed in the First World War, now we remember soldiers from all wars who have given their lives.

As the First World War was formally declared over "at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, we traditionally hold two minutes of silence throughout the Commonwealth on 11th November every year. In addition, the second Sunday of each November is known as Remembrance Sunday, and church services remember our fallen soldiers while the Queen, members of the Royal Family, politicians and old soldiers lay poppy wreaths at the Cenotaph in London (near the Houses of Parliament).

Leading up to Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday we buy small paper "poppies" to show that we are remembering the sacrifices of those who died, and also to raise money to support serving and ex-Service personnel and their families. People who have lost a loved one in service put small wooden crosses near war memorials around the country, and local branches of the Royal British Legion lay wreaths.

Poppies at the Cenotaph

Why Poppies?

A Canadian doctor, John McCrae, wrote a poem in 1915 about the devastation he saw in the Flanders area of Belgium and in northern France during the First World War. The land lay destroyed by terrible battles, and many men were buried there. But despite the devastation of battle, the wild poppies survived. Dr McCrae's poem was published in Punch magazine, and the poppy became the symbol of remembrance. 

Veterans Day

In 1938, a legal holiday was established in the United States on 11th November, "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'" In 1954 the name of the holiday was changed to Veterans Day, and it became a day to honour US veterans of all wars.

                                                       http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/remembrance-day

Guy Fawkes' Day

   In 1604, the King of England was James I. He was a Protestant. Many people didn't like him because they were Catholics and wanted a Catholic king. A Catholic called Guy Fawkes, and his friends, had a plot to kill King James, and his government, when he opened Parliament in London on 5 November 1605.

   They put thirty-six boxes of gunpowder in a room underneath the Houses of Parliament. They wanted to kill everyone at the same time. But the plan didn't work. One of Guy Fawkes' friendswrote a note to someone about it. At about midnight on 4 November, the King's soldiers found Guy Fawkes and the gunpowder. They sent him to prison but he didn't want to give  the names of his friends. They did terrible things to him for eight days until he said all their names.
   Parliament decided that Guy Fawkes and he other plotters had to die. In January 1606, when people heard the news that the plotters were dead, they made many fires in the streets to celebrate. King James was alive and well.
   Every year on 5 November, in most parts of Britain, people build a big fire outside, with all the dead leaves and old pieces of wood they do not want. Th fire is called a bonfire. They make a dummy (called a "guy") of Guy Fawkes, from old clothes.
   Sometimes children carry the guy around the streets to show people. They say, "Penny for the guy", and ask people for money for fireworks.
   Many children learn these old words about Guy Fawkes' Day:

           Remember, remember
          The fifth of November, 
          Gunpowder, treason, and plot, 
          I see no reason 
         Why gunpowder treason, 
         Should ever be forgot. 

         

  

                                                                    

Vocabulary

plot - змова

plotter -  змовник

gunpowder - порох

underneath - під

dummy - опудало, манекен

treason - зрада

Little Theatre

A year ago my colleagues and I were working at the fairy-tale play "The Twelve Months". Both students and teachers did their best. It was a huge success.

Today I'd like to share the results of our hard work (the screenplay and some photos).

                                  The Twelve Months 

            ACTORS:

  Author 1

  Author 2 

  Princess

  Professor

  Minister

  Wicked Stepmother

  Her own daughter

  Stepdaughter  

  12 months 

  Boys and Girls

                                             Scene I.   In the palace

(Princess, Professor, Minister)

The palace rooms, a hall for lessons, table, chair, inkwell

 Author 1: It has been 5 years as the king died.

 Author 2: He had a daughter, the Princess.

 Author 1: The professor cared about the princess and taught her.

 Author 2: A young princess was very capricious and careless.

                                 (Professor is on the stage)

 Princess (behind the curtains):

 - Professor, where are you?

  Professor:

 - I'm here baby! It's time to begin our lesson. Let's begin, Your Majesty. Repeat the rules of writing. 

 Princess:

 - Oh, really it's all so boring. Every time the same thing: learn, learn, learn ...

 Professor:

 - Your Majesty, if you want to be a Queen, you must learn!

 Princess:

 -   Learn, learn, learn ... Every time learn and learn... I don’t want to learn! I will make an order now,

     and I will execute everybody!

 Professor:

 - Excuse me, Your Majesty, but why?

  Princess (angrily):

 - Because I am angry again! You teach me all the time, I'm tired. Okay, I'll do one exercise, and then I want to have dinner! Well, what is it? 

 

 Professor (dictates):

 -Ok. Please, take a pen and write: "The grass is green,

The sun is shining,

The bird from the spring

 To us is flying!"

  Princess (angrily):

 - This poem is too long! And it is winter now, not spring. I will not write this!

  Professor:

 - But the poet has written so!

 Princess:

- But I want to write only "The grass is green." I am the Queen, and not a child!!!

   It is winter now and it is snowing! I don’t want winter! I want spring! Yes, let it be spring now!

  Professor:

 - But, Your Majesty, it is impossible! Spring will come, only after the winter!

  Princess:

 - But I want spring! I am the Queen! I can order!

(Princess calls the Minister)

  Princess (says to the Minister):

 - Hey, Minister! Order the winter to go away, and let the spring come! I want to see the green grass. And let the birds sing!

 Minister:

 - But, Your Majesty, I can’t do this. And what about the New Year and Christmas holidays?

 Princess:

 - I don’t want Christmas! I want to have flowers! Now!

 Minister:

- But, the first flowers appear in April ...

  Princess (amazed):  

 - In April? And what kind of flowers?  

 Professor:

 - Snowdrops.

  Princess:

 - Why only in April?  ...

  Professor:

 - It is the law of nature. After December comes January. Then February, March, and April come.

 Princess:

 - And what month is it now?

 Professor:

 - December. And after January…

  Princess:

 - No, no, no… I don’t want to wait for so long! I want flowers! Now! No January begins unless I have snowdrops!

 - Minister! Make a decree now: Flowers in the palace! Who brings flowers to the palace, will have a basket of gold!

 Minister: Yes, your Majesty!

                                                     Scene II.  In the house of the stepmother

                                                            (Stepmother, Daughter, Stepdaughter)

Author 2: In a small village there lived a wicked woman who had a daughter and a stepdaughter.

 Author 1: She loved her daughter, but the stepdaughter could do nothing to please her.

 Author 2: Whatever she did was wrong. 

Author 1: The daughter lay in bed whole day long eating cakes.

 Author 2: Вut the stepdaughter was on her feet from morning till night: 

Author 1: She was fetching water or carrying wood from the forest.

 Author 2: Washing linen in the river, or weeding in the orchard. 

                                                              (A poor village house)

  Stepmother (says to her daughter):

- Today it is Christmas! It is holiday today! I am tired of sitting at home. Let’s go and visit somebody ...

 They hear the sound of trumpets and the voice of Herald

Herald:

 - Attention! Attention! Listen, everybody! The Royal Decree: The Princess will give the basket full of gold to a person who brings her a basket full of snowdrops!

 Stepmother (says to her daughter):

- Have you heard? Where is our basket?

                                                                       

                                                     (They start looking for a basket)

Stepmother (about stepdaughter):

-          Where is this lazy girl? We'll send her to the forest!  

                                                       (The stepdaughter comes in)

Stepmother:

 - Where did you go? We are waiting for you the whole hour!

 Daughter:

 -You always go where you want ...

 Stepdaughter:  

 - I was cleaning in the pantry.

  Stepmother and daughter (together):

 - And now you go to the forest for the snowdrops!

  Stepdaughter:

-          What are you talking about? What snowdrops in winter?

 Stepmother:

 - Again, you argue? I’ve said, go to the forest and bring snowdrops!

 Daughter:

 - Go, and don’t come back without the flowers. Here, take the basket! 

                                                             (The stepdaughter goes out)

 Stepmother (tells her daughter):

 - If she brings snowdrops, then we take them to the Princess and we get a lot of money!

 Daughter: Oh, it is great! 

                                                 

                                                         Scene III. Snow-covered forest

 Author 1: The little girl burst into the tears, but she put on a torn shawl and left the house. 

 Author 2: It was very cold.

 Author 1: The wind was very strong and threw snowflakes into her eyes as she walked.

 Author 2: It grew darker and darker, the sky was black, and there was not a single star in                       the sky.

 Author 1: She came to the forest. Now it was quite dark, and she couldn’t even see her

                   hands.    

 Stepdaughter:

 - All day I go through the forest in the snow. It is so cold! But I'm afraid to go home. I would better

    die here ...

 Author 2: The child sat on the log of a tree. She began to freeze to death.

 Author 1: Suddenly she saw a light among the trees. She went to the light.

Stepdaughter:

-Oh! What is that? A Light? I will go there and see!

 Author 1:  She saw 12 men sitting around the fire.

Month December:

 - Who is going there among the trees? Come into the light.

Stepdaughter:

 - Hello. Can I have a little warm at your fire?

 December:

 - Come to the fire, baby. Sit closer.

 January:

 - I often see her here in the forest.

 February:

- I also see her in the forest gathering the brushwood.

March:

- And I always see her working in the garden.

May:

- I often see her working in the field.

June:

- We, summer months, know her very well.

July:

- From morning till night she works in the house.

August:

-  She cooks and always does the washing.

September:

-          And we, autumn months often see her working all the day too!

October:

-          She picks berries in the forest.

November:

- This girl never rests! She is always as busy as a bee.

April:

- What are you doing in the woods at this time?

Stepdaughter:

-          It’s not my idea. My Stepmother sent me to the forest to bring snowdrops. And she said not to return without the flowers. But where can I find snowdrops in winter?  

                                                             (The girl is crying)

March (asks his brothers):

 - Well my friends, shall we help?

 Brothers (together):

 - Yes! Of course! We can help you.

Months: Let it be spring!   

April:

 - Go on, quickly take your snowdrops. Hurry up! You have only an hour!

 Stepdaughter (happily):

- Thank you, dear brothers-months! You saved me from a cruel death.

 April:

- Well, now go home safely. And one more thing ...

                                                      (April gives Stepdaughter a ring)

April:

 - Here's a magic ring. If you need my help, just drop it, and we will come. But do not tell anyone

   about what you saw and heard near this fire.

  Stepdaughter (happily):

-          Thank you! You are so kind!!

                                                              (Stepdaughter sings a song)   

 Stepdaughter:

- Dear ring, it’s Christmas time and I am so lonely. Show me how people celebrate it all over

   the world.

          (The ring shows children from France, Britain and Ukraine. They tell Stepdaughter

                       how Christmas is celebrated in their countries and sing carols) 

                                        

                                                                                 
                                                Scene IV. In the house of the stepmother

Author 2: The little girl ran home quickly with the full basket of snowdrops. 

 Author 1: There was no wind any more. The Moon showed her the way.

 Author 2: At last she came up to the house and knocked at the door.

Daughter:

 - Someone is knocking at the door. Who is this?

Stepdaughter (exhausted):

 - Here are the snowdrops. Well, I want to rest and to warm myself by the fire. 

 Daughter:

 - Mother, look, she brought the snowdrops! What are we waiting for? Let’s run to the palace!

                                                          Scene V. In the palace

Author 1: And at this time in the palace. 

 Professor:

- Happy New Year to you, Your Majesty!

  Minister:  

 - And a Merry Christmas!

 Princess:

 - Don’t you understand? I said: no flowers – no New Year and Christmas!

  Professor (nervously):

 - Your Majesty – is it a joke?

  Princess:

  -  No! I'm not joking. So where are the flowers? Bring them to me now!

  Herald: The flowers for the Princes!

  (The stepmother and her daughter come in) 

Minister: Here, Your Majesty. These people brought you the snowdrops!

 Professor:

- What? I must be going mad! Flowers! In winter! Spring - winter? Oh, God!

  Princess (happily):

 - Professor, well, what did I tell you? Give me the flowers! Where did you get them?

 Stepmother:

 - We went to the forest … with my daughter… and all night we looked for the flowers … among snow in the forest … and suddenly found the flowers.   

Princess:

 - What next?

  Stepmother:

 - Well, we … quickly picked … the flowers!

 Daughter:

 - And we saw the bird … sitting on the tree … and calling spring ...

 - Go on!

  Stepmother:

 - Well, spring is calling, well, ... sun, ... blooming! singing ...

 Minister:

 - It cannot be!

 Professor:

- It is impossible!

 Stepmother:

 - Well, We… went to the palace!

 Daughter:

 - Yes! Yes!

 Stepmother:

- To get the gold. Here are the flowers and the basket.  

 Princess:

 - Hey! Minister! Give them a basket of gold!

 Princess (turns to the stepmother and her daughter):

 - And now take us to the forest! I want to see the flowers!

                                       (Stepmother and daughter fall to their knees in fear)

 Stepmother:

- No, no, we cant!

 Daughter:

 - Yes! Yes! We can’t.

 Princess:

- Why not? I order you! Now! 

Stepmother:

- Your Majesty, please. Save us! It is not us who found the flowers.

  Daughter:

 - Yes, yes it's my sister. Ask her!

  Princess:

- Bring her here! No! We will go to find her!

                                                         Scene VI. In the winter forest

Author 2: Princess, Stepmother and all the people went to the stepdaughter.

 Author 1: They saw that she was sitting and admiring the ring.

 Author 2: Stepmother showed her to the Princess.

Princess:

-Hey! What’s this? Show me your ring! And show me where you found snowdrops in winter!

 Stepdaughter:

 - Who are you?

  Princes:

 - I am the Queen! Well, tell me! 

Stepdaughter:

 - But there are no more flowers.

  Princess:

 - And where did you get them? 

Stepdaughter:

 - I cannot say. It's a secret!

  Princess:

 - What? Give me a ring!

  Stepdaughter:

 - Oh, my dear brothers! Come and help me!

 December:

 - Did you call us? Here are we.

  April:

- What has happened?

 Stepmother:

 - And who is this? Perhaps he is a Snowman! 

 Daughter:

 - No, not a snowman!

 Stepmother:

 - Yes!

  Daughter:

 - No!

 Stepmother:

 - Yes!

  Daughter:

 - No!

 Stepmother:

 - You are a snowman!

  Daughter:

 - No!  You are a snowman! 

Stepmother:

 - You!

  Daughter:

 - No! You!

 Stepmother:

 - You!

  Daughter:

 - No! You!

 May:

 - Look! They quarrel like dogs!

  December:

 - Stop to quarrel! Or I will freeze you!

 January:

- Go away. And never return!

 February:

- And who are you?

 Princess (afraid):

 - I am the Queen!

 March:

-Who? The Queen?

 Princess (afraid):

-Yes, the Queen! And I want to see the snowdrops in the forest! Bring me snowdrops!

  And who are you?

 December:

- We are the 12 months of the year! And we can do anything! I can freeze you!

  Professor:

- Please, please! Stop! Don’t be angry! She is only the child! She is so little!

 Princess (hides behind the Professor):

 - Oh! I’m so afraid!

 Professor:

- You better ask for mercy, your Majesty!

 Princess:

- No! I don’t want! I am the Queen!

 January ( to Princess):

 - You better ask for mercy or you will freeze and die!

  Princess (to the months):

Oh! No! Forgive me!

 Stepdaughter:

 - At Christmas - Lord forgives us all!

Professor:

-All is well, that ends well!

                                                Princess sings a song (“Happy New Year”)