Wednesday 2 November 2016

GUY FAWKES: A BRITISH TRADITION

Resultado de imagen de guy fawkes

The British celebrate Bonfire Night every year on 5 November in the memory of a famous event in British history, the Gunpowder plot.

Let's learn more about this tradition with different activities.


After reading the story and answer the questions you can do the following activities:

1. Look at the ‘Remember, Remember’ poem. The whole class could recite this together.

Remember, Remember



Remember, remember the fifth of November, The gunpowder treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, twas his intent
To blow up King and parliament. Three score barrels were laid below To prove old England's overthrow.


By God's mercy he was catched,
With a dark lantern and lighted match. Holler boys, holler boys, let the bells ring Holler boys, holler boys, God save the King.

Resultado de imagen de guy fawkes story board

2. Now, carry out a storyboarding task in small groups. Put the parts of the story into the correct sequence. 


     Plotting
Robert Catesby gathers a group of seven men to help him in a plot to blow up the King James I and Parliament at the Royal State Opening of Parliament on 5 November. He has to persuade them to join him. He reminds them that the King is not letting Catholics practise their religion. The gang are very angry and think the King deserves to die.


Digging the Tunnel
In May 1604 Guy Fawkes and Thomas Percy find a house very near to Parliament and rent it. Fawkes called himself John Johnson and pretends he is Percy's servant. They then began to dig a tunnel underground from their rented house to Parliament to smuggle in the gunpowder. They dig, and they dig and they dig...


Planting the gunpowder
In Marc1605 the gang have a stroke of luck. A cellar underneath the House of Lords comes up for rent. They can abandon their digging and rent the cellar. They put 36 barrels of gunpowder in the cellar ready for the Royal State Opening of Parliament. They cover the barrels with fire wood to disguise them in case anyone looked inside.


Lord Monteagles letter
Lord Monteagle, a very important man and friend of King James, is given a letter at dinner on October 26th 1605. A tall, mysterious stranger had handed it to his servant in the street earlier in the evening. He takes his mystery letter to show to friends in the government, but they are slow to act. King James I is away hunting and many ministers are suspicious that it is a fake.



Guy Fawkes in the cellar
The gang find out about the letter but they are determined 
to carry out their plot. On the afternoon of 5 November 1605, Guy Fawkes takes up his position in the cellar with his matches and waits for the ceremony to start. Soldiers come to check the cellar. On first look they find nothing and just question Guy Fawkes. They return to check again and find the gunpowder. Guy Fawkes is
arrested and taken to see the King.



King, Tower and Torture
King James I is furious. He demands that Guy Fawkes reveal the names of anyone else involved with the plot. Guy Fawkes is determined not to give them up, even when the King threatens him with imprisonment in the Tower of London. He is sent to the Tower where is he tortured on a rack.
He eventually gives them the names of the other plotters.



Hung, Drawn and Quartered!
The gang are caught and publically hung, drawn and quartered. Their heads are placed on sticks for everyone to see what punishment awaits anyone who might plot to kill the King.

3. In small groups, try to write an acrostic poem using the words 'Gunpowder Plot' and selecting key points from the story. 

 
Acrostic poem


G is for the guards searching the cellar for the gunpowder. 
U ...............................................................................................................................
N ...............................................................................................................................
P ................................................................................................................................
O ............................................................................................................................... 
W ................................................................................................................................ 
D .................................................................................................................................
E ................................................................................................................................
R .................................................................................................................................


P ...............................................................................................................................
L ...............................................................................................................................
O ...............................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................



Key words from the story: tunnel, dig, cellar, letter, Lord Monteagle, Robert Catesby, Parliament, hung, drawn, quartered, Tower of London, torture, rack, Catholic, Protestant, religion, arrest, barrels, matches, Royal State Opening of Parliament ceremony.

Resultado de imagen de discussion


4. Finally, you can discuss different points about the story. Here you have some prompts:

a) Robert Catesby and the plotters were all Catholic. The Protestant King and Parliament would not let them practice their religion. What do you think about this?

b) Do you think Robert Catesby and the plotters were right to challenge the
King and Parliament? Explain your answer.

c) What do you think about the way they decided to take action?

d) Do you think it was right that the plotters were put to death? Explain your answer.

5. You can fill in the following report file with the information you have learnt. 

Born: _____________________________________________________

Died:
_____________________________________________________

Full name:
_____________________________________________________

Nationality:
_____________________________________________________

Children:
_____________________________________________________

Parents:
_____________________________________________________

Occupation:
_____________________________________________________

What was he famous for?:
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

If you want to do more activities about this British tradition, pelase CLICK HERE and HERE.

Resultado de imagen de GUY FAWKES SIMPSONS

1 comment:

  1. I think there is a need to look for some more information about such Secure English Language Test and many other like these.

    British Citizenship Exam

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