An introduction of American cultureTeaching Aims: I. to develop the Ss speaking skills and the skills of grasping information.II. to help the Ss to enjoy the American culture.III. to encourage the Ss to practice, to participate and to co-operate.Teaching Procedures:Step I. The history of AmericaI. The founding o the coloniesChristopher Columbus is believed to be the discover of America. In 1492, financed by the Spanish king, he sailed west from Span in search of a sea route to the Far east . He failed to reach India but found the islands of Central America instead. Following in Columbus steps，Amerigo Vespucci discovered the continent of south America. The newly-found continent was later named after him, and become known as America, later which was called the New world. II. The name of America III. The holidays of America January ThefirstdayofJanuaryisNewYearsDay.ThisfederalholidaycelebratesthebeginningofeachNewYear.OnthethirdMondayinJanuary,wecelebrateMartinLutherKing,Jr.sbirthdayasafederalholiday.FebruaryFebruary14thisSaintValentinesDay.SaintValentinesDaybeganinEuropeandhasbeencelebratedforhundredsofyears.IntheU.S.today,werememberfriendsandsweetheartswithcardscalledvalentines,flowers,chocolatesorsmallgifts.MarchMarch17thisSt.PatricksDay.ThisholidaycomesfromIreland.Peoplewear3-leafshamrocksbecauseSt.PatrickusedthemtoexplaintheChristianTrinity.ManypeoplecelebratethisholidaybywearingshamrocksorgreenclothinginhonorofSt.Patrick.Somepeopleevendrinkgreenbeer!AprilHolidaysinthespringarecelebrationsoftherebirthoflife. MayMothersDayisobservedintheUnitedStatesinhonorofmothersonthesecondSundayinMay.MothersDayisaholidaytoremembermotherswithcards,flowersandpresents.JuneFlagDayonJune14thistheanniversaryoftheadoptionoftheAmericanflagin1777. ThethirdSundayinJuneisFathersDayintheUnitedStates.FathersDaywasfirstobservedin1910inSpokane,Washington.Thisisadaywhenpeopleremembertheirfatherswithpresentsandcards.Peoplecelebratewithfamilygatherings,picnicsandsportsactivities.JulyTheFourthofJulyisaveryimportantholidayintheU.S.WecelebratethesigningoftheDeclarationofIndependencebyrepresentativesofthethirteenAmericanColonies.OnJuly4,1776.SeptemberSeptemberhasonefederalholiday,LaborDay.IthonorsallworkingpeopleintheU.S.andCanada. OctoberThe2ndMondayofOctoberisColumbusDay,celebratingthehistorictripofChristopherColumbustotheAmericasin1492. October31stisHalloween.Duringthe19thcentury,immigrantstotheUnitedStatesbroughtHalloweencustoms.Thesecustomshavechangedovertheyears.Childrenincostumesgofromhousetohousesayingtrickortreat.Thetreatusuallygiveniscandyandtricksarerarelydone.AcommonsymbolofHalloweenisthejack-o-lantern,whichiscarvedoutofapumpkin.NovemberNovember11thisVeteransDay.ThisfederalholidayhonorsthesoldierswhofoughtinWorldWarIandthosewhofoughtfortheU.S.inallwars.WecelebratebydisplayingtheAmericanflagfromourhomes,havingparadesanddecoratinggraveswithflowersandflags.ThanksgivingDayisthe4thThursdayinNovemberandafederalholiday.OnthisdaywerememberhowtheIndianshelpedthePilgrimsbyteachingthemhowtofarmandhunt.Onthisday,wegivethanksforfood,ourcountry,andourfamilies.DecemberInDecemberwecelebrateholidaysoflightandhopeinthedarkwinter.Thereisaneight-dayJewishholidayknownasChanukahduringwhichcandlesarelitoneachday.December12thistheholidayoftheVirginofGuadalupe,whoappearedtoapoorIndianinMexicoamongwinterflowers.December25thisChristmas,celebratingthebirthofJesusofNazareth.ManypeopledecoratetheirhouseswithChristmastreesandlightsandgivepresentstofamilymembers.ChildrenhangstockingsforSantaClaus(St.Nicholas)tofillwithgifts.Christmasisafederalholiday.TheAfrican-AmericanholidayofKwanzaaisthelastweekofDecember.CandlesarelittorepresentthevirtuesoftheAfrican-Americanpeople.Step IV. Homework I. Try your best to remember the festivals of America.II. And try to know more about the culture of America.