In my Simon in Germany post, I wrote about November and how I still mark Bonfire Night here in Germany, where it means nothing.
In this lesson we’ll find out what Bonfire Night is, learn some vocabulary for fire and fireworks, and practise using the new words to talk about celebrations.
Level: A2–B1.
This lesson comes from my Simon in Germany blog post.
Read: Remember, Remember, the 5th of NovemberActivity
Do you have fireworks in your country? When do people use them?
Reading: What is Bonfire Night?
Bonfire Night is on the 5th of November in the UK. In 1605, a man called Guy Fawkes and his friends wanted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London. They put gunpowder under the building, but the plan failed and Guy Fawkes was caught. Since then, people in the UK have celebrated every year with bonfires and fireworks. Some people make a "guy", a figure made of old clothes, and burn it on the bonfire.
Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| bonfire | a big fire outside |
| fireworks | they explode in the sky with colours and noise |
| sparkler | a small firework you hold in your hand |
| gunpowder | a powder that explodes |
| to celebrate | to do something special on an important day |
Exercise: Fill the gaps
- In 1605, Guy Fawkes wanted to blow up _____.
- He used _____.
- Today, people _____ with fireworks.
- Children often hold _____.
Show answers
1. the Houses of Parliament
2. gunpowder
3. celebrate
4. sparklers
Simon says: Here in Germany, Bonfire Night means nothing. But every year I buy sparklers for it. That's not easy, because you can usually only buy them for New Year's Eve. When I was a child, it was very cold on Bonfire Night. I wore a hat, a scarf and gloves, and I wanted to get close to the fire. At the last few Bonfire Nights I went to in the UK, I didn't even need a coat.
Language learning can be really challenging. I know, because I’m a language learner myself. I hope the information and activities were helpful. Try the following:
What's your favourite celebration in autumn? Write two or three sentences about it. Try to use at least two new words from today.
This lesson comes from my Simon in Germany blog post.
Read: Remember, Remember, the 5th of NovemberImage credit: Photo by floerio on Pixabay
floerio https://pixabay.com/users/floerio-5561303/
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