Spring Festivals / the Equinox

An ESOL lesson embedding numeracy, diversity and British values, centred on the Spring Equinox and three festivals which happen around / on this day - Purim, Holi and Shunbun No Hi. Learners collect unfamiliar words on a vocabulary sheet and ask and answer questions to elicit meaning / explanation. There is a powerpoint to introduce the topic, using acronyms eg 7DIAW  - Seven Days In A Week to elicit key words, and lead to an explanation of what the Vernal Equinox is and when it is. A jigsaw reading activity follows, with photo prompts to support learners with less familiar vocabulary (eg bonfire, blossom, synagogue). Finally, a discussion task elicits what these festivals have in common. The vocabulary collection sheet can then be used for a homework task, either preparing spellings or writing sentences. These activities should take around 3-4 hours in total.