405

: St. Valentines Day

The topic of the event: St. Valentines Day.
Practical Object: Development of monological speech skills.
Educational Object: To widen pupils knowledge on Holidays in Great Britain.
Developing Object: To improve the process of understanding, to develop speaking
skills, language-guess work and logical thinking.
Educative Object: To bring to the attention of the pupils the history of St. Valentines
Day and in such a way to widen their knowledge concerning it. To educate the pupils
of understanding the importance of this holiday with the help of poetry.
Form: 8 A
Audio-visual aids: a screen, cards with poems, greeting cards, notebook, tape
recorder with song records.
:
1)

.
2) .
3) .
4) .
:
, ,
, .
T: Good morning, children! I am glad to see you today. Do you know what special
day we have today?
1

Ps: Today is St. Valentines Day.

T: That is right. And do you know the origin of this holiday?
Ps: Every February, 14, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in
the name of St. Valentine.
T: Yes, thats true. Do you know the essence of this holiday and what does it mean for
people ?
Ps: It is thought, that in Roman mythology was one child, whose name was Cupid.
He is depicted as child carrying a bow arrows. Due to the popularity of this depiction
by poets and artists over the centuries, this is how we see this darling little god today.
He let his arrows fly, striking peoples hearts with love and desire for appropriate and
sometimes inappropriate people. In such a way, a person fell in love with another
appropriate person and this love symbolizes sincerity and fairness. This day means
for sweethearts the possibility to show their love and devotion.
T: That is absolutely correct. I see that you know a lot about this holiday. So, today
we are going to speak about the origin of this holiday. We also are going to discuss
some quotations and proverbs about this fascinating feeling love. and at the end of
our lesson we will read some poems devoted to this holiday, that you have chosen
and prepared at home.
.
T: Every February we celebrate Valentines Day by making different presents. We can
give flowers, candies and greeting cards to the people we love. But who is this
mysterious

saint

and

why

do

we

celebrate

this

holiday?

One legend says that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in
Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than
those married, he outlawed marriage for young men.
Valentine, realizing the injustice of this act, defied Claudius and continued to perform
marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentines actions were discovered,
2

Claudius ordered to kill him. And Valentines Day is celebrated in the middle of
February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentines death, which probably
occurred around 270 A.D.
And do you know anything about this saint?
P1: I know another legend. Valentine fell in love with a young girl, who visited him
during his imprisonment. Before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed
From your Valentine, an expression that is still in use today.
P2: I heard another story. Valentine was killed

because of attempting to help

Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured.
P3: And I know that by the Middle Ages, perhaps thanks to this reputation, Valentine
became one of the most popular saints in England and France.

. .
.
T: Children, I think you know, that the theme of love was very important for the
whole history of peoples existence. And of course, a lot of writers and poets wrote
about love. Now, I give you the opportunity to chose one quotation from the list
which Ill give you, and everybody of you is going to share his or her opinion.
( 1)
.
T: You already know that beloved usually give each other different greeting cards.
However, is it the only symbol of this day? Definitely not. Could you please name
any other symbols?
Pls: doves, hearts and arrows, white pink and red color.
T: Why do you think such a bird but not a cock or peacock is a symbol of this day?
3

Pls: Maybe because doves mate for life and represent love, unity and peace.
( 2)
.
Children, I know that each of you prepared a poem devoted to St. Valentines Day.
There are special cards in this box with your names. You have to take out one card
and to address the poems you have chosen to the person whose name is on the card.
We will do it one by one. Lets start! ( 3)
, .
Children, well done. I hope today you have got to know a lot of really interesting and
useful information. Thank you for your preparation. Have a good day! Good bye!
1
1) Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love. ~Albert Einstein
2) Love is a symbol of eternity. It wipes out all sense of time, destroying all
memory of a beginning and all fear of an end. ~Author Unknown
3) Anyone can catch your eye, but it takes someone special to catch your heart.
~Author Unknown
4) Love is the magician that pulls man out of his own hat. ~Ben Hecht
5) I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.
Emma Goldman
6) Love is a game that two can play and both win. ~Eva Gabor
7) Without love, the rich and poor live in the same house. ~Author Unknown
8) Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to
your

own.

Robert A. Heinlein
9) The only thing we never get enough of is love; and the only thing we never
give enough of is love. Henry Miller
10)
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make. Paul
McCartney

2
4

P1: it was believed that birds chose their mates on February 14. And so the dove was
chosen to be the bird representative because it was sacred to the Roman Goddess
Venus because it chose a lifelong mate. It was thought that they were magical and
were often used to divine the future. The heart of a dove was often an ingredient in
love potions. If you saw a white dove fly overhead it was suppose to be good luck. If
you dreamt of a dove it was a sign that you had a promise of happiness.
P2:

The

heart

is

symbol

both

of

love

and

also

vulnerability.

When you send someone a Valentine, you take a risk of being rejected and your
feelings hurt.
P3: So a piercing arrow is a symbol of death and the vulnerability of love. On the
other hand, the heart and arrow also symbolize the merging of the male and female as
one.
P4: Red symbolizes warmth and feeling. It is associated with the color of the human
heart.
White is a symbol of purity. (In some cases also of Faith and so it means the faith of
the love two people have for each other.)
And so Pink (combination of Red + White) is then a symbol as I understand if of
innocents or virginity in some cases.

3
***
Hearts and flowers on Valentines day.
heart shaped candy, help me say:
I Love you in a special way,
because love is the reason for Valentines day.

***
Valentines day is a special time
for songs to sing
and poems that rhyme,
a happy time for everyone.
Im so glad you're a friend of mine

***
5

This Valentine's Day,

I'm thinking about
the special ways
you have made my life better.
The little things,
the not-so-little things...
Your kindness,
the way you always listen
and pay attention to me.
You make my world
brighter and richer.
You're a gift to me,
and I thank you
for being you.

***

***
Valentines are people who
Are willing to be flowers,
Letting us enjoy their beauty
Even if for hours.
No Valentine hides from the sun,
Though sometimes lost in light.
If you love them, they just open,
Not unhappy to be woken
Even in the night.

It's Valentine's Day that time of year

when we are

***

once again reminded

of the grand,

Valentine's a day to say, "I love you,"

old difference between

A ritual that stages something real,

men and women.

Letting out the truth of what I feel

Women are better.

Even as I think it often of you.

Nor could I with such grace without this day
Tell you that I'm grateful that I have you,
Impress upon you just how much I need you,
Needing such a frame for what I say
Even as I would my heart reveal.