Tasks: to talk about flags (when and where they are used/displayed)
to read and improve a text about Flag Day in the US
to describe the flags of Poland and EU
to recognize other emblems and symbols
Preparation: make copies of the worksheet (1 copy per student)
Skills: speaking, writing, reading
Language: national emblems
‘there is/are, was/were’
spelling
Sources: WIKIPEDIA (en.wikipedia.org) – the FREE encyclopaedia
■ Sketch the American flag on the board. Elicit the word flag. Distribute the worksheets. Ask your Ss where and when they can see the Polish flag. Then, collect their ideas on the board.
Key
[suggested answers:]
· the Parliament
· President’s Palace in Warsaw
· Town Halls and other public buildings
· most public holidays (in the streets, on buses)
· sports events (e.g. football fans often have national flags, especially during international events)
· when important foreigners visit Poland
· demonstrations (i.e. when people protest; they sometimes burn flags)
■ Explain that June 14 is Flag Day in the US. Ask your Ss to predict how old the American flag is. Ask them to skim through the text to confirm their guesses. Check the answers.
■ Ask your Ss to read the text again, adding capital letters when necessary. Check the answers with your group.
■ Ask your Ss to draw a simple picture of the Polish flag in the box of the left. Then, ask them to work in pairs and answer the questions on the worksheet.
· The Polish flag is red (bottom) and white (top).
· The stripes are horizontal.
· Surprisingly, we do celebrate it. In 2004, May 2nd was named Flag Day, but it is not a public holiday.
· Monaco and Indonesia. Their flags also consist of two horizontal stripes, but the top stripe is red. The flags of Monaco and Indonesia are not identical, though. Their proportions (length to width) are different.
■ Check whether your Ss know that the flag on the right is a flag of the European Union. Explain that Poland, as a member of EU, can use its flag together with the national one.
■ Ask Ss to complete the description of the second flag. Check the answers.
■ Ask Ss to read the short text below. You may want to pre-teach/explain a few words, particularly fixed, perfection and completeness. Then, ask them to write 6 sentences explaining the meaning of the number of stars of the European flag.
The European flag consists of a circle of twelve golden stars on a blue background.
1. There were 12 apostles.
2. There were 12 Olympian gods.
3. There were 12 tables of Roman law.
4. There are 12 hours on a clock.
5. There are 12 months in a year.
6. There are 12 signs of the zodiac.
■ Ask Ss to name some other symbols/emblems of countries. Provide any vocabulary they will need.
■ Ask them to read the descriptions and name the symbols.
· European anthem
· European motto
Designed by Bartosz Michałowski for Pearson Longman 2
k-krawicka