Topic aims: Students speak about Scotland. They use information they get themselves.

Skill aims: Students speak, express their ideas, recite poems and sing.

Reviewing aims: Students revise country studying material (Scotland).

Cultural aims: Students learn new facts about Scotland (its history, culture, people).

Materials required: Computer, maps, pictures, cards with words, etc.

Product: The name of Scotland, used in poetry (Caledonia).

Procedure

Good Morning. I am very glad to see you. Let’s begin our lesson, devoted to Scotland, its history, culture and people. 

Nowadays, people go to Scotland by plane, by train and so on. We are to go there by force of our imagination, by mind. Let’s begin our travelling by singing a Scottish popular song ‘My Bonnie”. By the way, "Bonnie Scots Tour” is a very popular name for travel agencies.

Students sing "My Bonnie”.

Studying a country we usually begin with its geographical situation and the description of its peculiarities.

Students speak about Scotland. They use information they get themselves.

Now I am going to ask you some questions about Scotland and put your answers onto the board. We are to get with their help the ancient name of Scotland, used in poetry. So, we’ve just heard about some Scottish traditions and their national clothes. What is their national clothes’ name?

(Anticipated answer – Kilt. The card is put onto the blackboard –I is highlighted.)

What is the usual beginning of Scottish family names? ( Anticipated answer –Mac. The card is put onto the blackboard – C is highlighted.)

Do you know the name of the special pattern on the kilt? 

(Anticipated answer –Tartan. The card is put onto the blackboard – N is highlighted.)

Every Scottish clan has its own tartan. How do they call their national musical instruments? (Anticipated answer –Bagpipes. The card is put onto the blackboard. – A is highlighted.)

There were times when kilts, tartan and bagpipes were forbidden (prohibited, not allowed). It was in 1746 after the Culloden battle, when the troops of Bonnie Prince Charlie were defeated by the English troops. The right to wear tartan, kilts and play the bagpipes was gained by the Scots only in 1782. 

When you look at the slide, you’ll see the Scottish emblem. The history of it is rather a curious one. As a matter of fact, for many centuries the Scottish people had been struggling for their independence. The story goes back as far as the Romans’ invasion.

A Student presents the report.

Isn’t it interesting? So, what’s the name of the Scottish emblem? (Anticipated answer –Thistle. The card is put onto the blackboard. L is highlighted.)

That’s a rule that every country has its own flag. The flag of Scotland is called St Andrew’s cross. It is known, that St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland. 

Anticipated answer: The saint patron of Scotland is St Andrew. According to legends, he lived in the1st century, AD and was one of Jesus Christ’s pupils. He was executed on a diagonal cross. This cross, St Andrew’s cross, is on the flag of Scotland. St Andrew’s day, the 30^th of November, is celebrated as the Scottish National Day.

So, what’s the name of the saint patron of Scotland? (Anticipated answer –Andrew. The card is put onto the blackboard. D is highlighted.)

Although Scotland is rather a small country, its history is very rich and full of tragedy. What names come to your mind when you hear the word "Scotland”? Of course, Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary Stuart. 

Anticipated answer: She was the daughter of the Scottish king James V. She became queen when she was only one week old. She dreamed to become Queen of both Scotland and England, but Elizabeth, Queen of England, her cousin, ordered Mary to be killed. After Elizabeth’s death, the son of Mary, the king of Scotland, became also the king of England, James I. (The card is put onto the blackboard. A is highlighted.)

Some more tragedy. This card is called "the nine of diamond”. What is it both famous and despised for? Its name is "The Disgrace or The Damnation of Scotland”. When William III, William of Orange, in 1689 came to Scotland, clan chiefs came to welcome him. But one clan leader, McDonald from Glencow, was late. He was punished very cruelly. When playing cards, William III wrote on the card the order for a captain Campbell to kill all the people from the clan of the McDonalds. It was done so. 128 soldiers came to the clan of McDonalds as guests. And at the dead of night they killed all the men, women and children of the clan, more than 40 people all in all.

And one more object. It is a spider. Once it changed the history of Scotland. How did it happen?

The case is connected with Robert the Bruce, who became King of Scotland in 1307. Scotland

was recognized independent under his rule in 1328. The story that most people know about Robert the Bruce is that he watched a spider showing determination which encouraged him to do the same. 7 times Robert Bruce was defeated by the English army. 7 times the spider reconstructed its web. When the insect began to reconstruct the net for the 8^th time, Robert Bruce gathered his followers for the last battle. He won a victory.

One more curious fact.

There was a famous poet in Scotland, Thomas Lermont by name. His nickname was Томас Рифмач. In the family of M. Yu. Lermontov there was a legend that this poet was his ancestor. Lermontov devoted to the legend one of his youthful poems, "Желание”.

Walter Scott appreciated the poems of T. Lermont greatly. Лермонт был первым, кто в XIII веке стал писать рифмованные стихи. Он изложил в стихах легенду о Тристане и Изольде.

So, you’ve seen: the history of Scotland is rather interesting, but sorry to say, we are time-bound. Thus we are coming to most prominent representatives of the Scottish people.

Robert Burns

A Student presents the report. Students recite "My Heart’s in the Highlands” and its translation by S. Marshak: "В горах моё сердце".

Walter Scott

A Student presents the report.

As it has just been said, Sir Walter Scott was an outstanding poet. I’d like you to listen to some extracts from his poetry to illustrate the fact.

(Перевод Г. Гнедича)

Let’s add the name of Scott to our column. (The card is put onto the blackboard. O is highlighted.)

Before finishing our lesson, let’s say some words about Scotland of today. When speaking about Scotland’s lakes we bear in mind that somewhere in one of them there may be a monster, Nessy by name. Has anybody seen Nessy? Who will tell us about this mystery of Scotland? What is the monster like?

A Student presents the report. So, what’s the name of the monster? (Anticipated answer –Nessy. The card is put onto the blackboard. E is highlighted.)

Слово Caledonia уже выявлено на доске.

So, we’ve got the ancient name for Scotland, now used in poetry. Caledonia was originally the Roman name for northern Britain.

And to Caledonia one more extract from Walter Scott’s poetry is devoted. I suppose, it will remind you of "My Heart’s in the Highlands” by Robert Burns. I’d like you to listen to it.

(перевод Т. Гнедич)

Alas, our Bonny Scots Tour has come to an end.

We are to finish our lesson. The aim of it was – Scotland, its people, culture and history. Thank you for your help. Your marks are…