Tag: holidays

Biological Clock Day

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VOCABULARY:

circadian rhythm – n., our internal clock that keeps time by tracking light and darkness

biological – adj., relating to life or living things

rhythm – n., a regular pattern of movement or sound

protein – n., the building blocks of body tissue

hormones – n., chemical substances that act like messengers in the body

regulate – v., to control something

cluster – n., a group of things that are close together

hypothalamus – n., part of the brain that controls many bodily functions

genes – n., the basic units of heredity that carry your traits

organism – n., a living thing

sensitive – adj., showing a strong response to chemicals or other things in the environment.

blue light – n., the light that comes from sunlight and digital devices

miraculous – adj., something that is very surprising or lucky, like a miracle

Biological Clock Day is celebrated on April 28th. It’s a day to recognize the body’s natural ability to keep track of time, also known as the biological clock or circadian rhythm.

The biological clock is related to more than just aging.

For a start, both men and women have a biological clock, and all of this is celebrated by Biological Clock Day!

The biological clock acts as a sort of inner schedule by which a person lives that can often affect their behavior as well as their mood.  Also known more formally as the ‘circadian rhythm’, this internal clock controls a sleep-wake pattern that fits in with the light and dark of a day according to the rhythms of the planet.

Proteins and hormones regulate the biological clock. Scientists are just now discovering exactly what makes us sleepy or wide-awake.

This internal clock is located in a tiny cluster of cells known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). The SCN is in a part of your brain called the hypothalamus. Throughout the day, internal clock genes in the SCN send signals to control the activity throughout your body. The SCN is sensitive to light.

source: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/circadian-rhythm

What is a biological clock?

  • A biological clock is the body’s internal system that regulates sleep-wake cycles and other rhythms.
  • It’s made up of proteins that are turned on and off by thousands of genes. 
  • A master clock coordinates all the biological clocks in the body. 
  • The biological clock keeps working even when an organism is not exposed to natural light. 

How can you support your biological clock? 

  • Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
  • Avoid naps that make it hard to fall asleep at night.
  • Stop eating and exercising a few hours before bed.
  • Avoid caffeine and nicotine before bed.
  • Wear glasses that block blue light.

    Biological Clock Day was established to celebrate the natural rhythms of the body and show appreciation for the miraculous way the human body is formed. The day is meant to raise awareness for the need that people have to pay more attention to what their bodies and brains are telling them.

    source: https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/biological-clock-day/

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    President’s Day: Discovering Lincoln and Washington Through Biography

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    President’s Day is a national holiday in the United States, celebrated on the third Monday of February. It honors two of the most respected leaders in American history: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Both were born in February and are remembered for their strong leadership and lasting impact on the country.

    George Washington was the first president of the United States. He led the American army to victory in the Revolutionary War and helped create the new government. Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president. He led the country during the Civil War and worked to end slavery. His famous speech, the Gettysburg Address, is still studied today.

    George Washington 1732-1799
    Abraham Lincoln 1809-1865

    Reading biographies is a great way to learn about these presidents. For English learners, books like Who Was George Washington? (ISBN-139780448448923) and Who Was Abraham Lincoln? (ISBN-139780606040068) are excellent choices. These books use simple language and include helpful illustrations and timelines. They show how each man grew up, faced challenges, and became a leader.

    Biographies help us understand history and the values of honesty, courage, and service. They also improve reading skills and vocabulary. On President’s Day, take time to explore the lives of Washington and Lincoln. Their stories can inspire us to be better citizens and lifelong learners.

    📚 Tip: Try reading with a friend or writing a short summary after each chapter. It’s a fun way to practice English and learn about American history!

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    It’s holiday time!

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    Winter Holidays Around the World

    Winter is a special season. The days are shorter, the nights are longer, and in many places, it is cold and snowy. Around the world, people celebrate different winter holidays with family, friends, food, and traditions. Let’s look at some of the most popular winter holidays.

    Christmas

    Christmas is celebrated on December 25th in many countries. People decorate a Christmas tree, hang lights, and give gifts. Families often eat a big meal together. In some traditions, children wait for Santa Claus to bring presents. Popular Christmas colors are red, green, and gold.

    Hanukkah

    Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that usually happens in December. It lasts for eight nights. Families light a special candleholder called a menorah. They eat foods fried in oil, like latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts). Children often play with a small toy called a dreidel.

    Kwanzaa

    Kwanzaa is celebrated in the United States from December 26th to January 1st. It honors African traditions and culture. Families light candles in a holder called a kinara. Each day represents a different value, such as unity, creativity, or faith. Music, dancing, and storytelling are also part of Kwanzaa.

    New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day

    All around the world, people celebrate the New Year on December 31st and January 1st. Many people stay up until midnight to welcome the new year. Fireworks, parties, and special foods are common. People also make resolutions—promises to themselves about things they want to do in the new year.

    Vocabulary to Remember

    • Tradition – something people do again and again over many years
    • Celebrate – to enjoy a holiday or special event
    • Candle – a stick of wax with fire at the top for light
    • Meal – food eaten together at one time
    • Resolution – a plan or promise for the future

    ✨ Winter holidays bring light, joy, and warmth during the cold season. Even though traditions are different, the message is often the same: spending time with loved ones and sharing happiness.

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    History of Indigenous Peoples’ Day: today, October 13, 2025.

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    VOCABULARY

    Indigenous – adj., of or relating to the earliest known inhabitants of a place

    Disrupt – v., to throw into disorder

    Recognize – v., to admit that something exists

    Hurtful – adj., causing pain, especially emotional

    Glorified – v., to make something seem great

    Colonial – adj., relating to people settling in a new place, often belonging to someone else

    Oppression – n., cruel or unjust use of authority or power

    Trauma – n., a psychological state resulting from severe mental or emotional stress or injury

    Erased – v., to wipe out, to make something disappear

    Self-sufficient – adj. to be able to take care of oneself

    Sustain – v., to keep up, to supply nourishment

    Movement – n, series of acts working toward a desired end

    History of Indigenous Peoples’ Day: today, October 13, 2025.

    Indigenous Peoples’ Day began in 1977 as an idea expressed at a UN conference on discrimination.  In 1990, South Dakota was the first state to recognize the day.

    In 1992, protests and demonstrations disrupted planned Columbus Day celebrations in San Francisco and Santa Cruz. People began referring to that day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, to celebrate the rich culture and the lives of the Native American people. Soon, those cities also recognized the holiday.

    For the Native Americans, Columbus Day was always hurtful as it glorified the violent past of 500 years of colonial torture and oppression by European explorers like Columbus. Indigenous Peoples’ Day draws attention to the pain, trauma, and broken promises that were erased by the celebration of Columbus Day. Before his arrival, the indigenous folk were successful self-sufficient communities that sustained life for thousands of years.

    Year by year, the movement to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day spreads to more and more states, towns, and cities across the United States of America.*

    *https://nationaltoday.com/indigenous-peoples-day/

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    LABOR DAY, AMERICAN STYLE.

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    It’s Labor Day!

    The first Monday in September is Labor Day in the USA.  Unlike many US holidays, it is a celebration without rituals – except for shopping and barbecuing. For most of us, it marks the last weekend of summer holidays and the start of the school year.

    Ritual – n., an established form for a ceremony or observance

    Founder – n., someone who takes the first steps in building something

    Envision – v., to imagine, to picture to oneself

    Means – n., things that are useful or help to achieve a desired end

    Unify – v., to make different things into one unit

    Reduction – n., to make something smaller, to decrease

    Recall – v., to remember

    Struggle – n, the act of working hard or fighting for something

    Maypole — n., a tall pole decorated with flowers and ribbons

    The holiday’s founders in the late 19th century envisioned something very different from what the day has become. The founders were looking for two things: a means of unifying union workers and a reduction in work time.

    • If you’re living in the USA, don’t confuse this day with May 1st, (May Day), which is International Workers’ Day.

    This day is celebrated in over 160 countries to recall the struggles and achievements of the labor movement. 

    In France, people carry and give lilies-of-the-valley. Many countries, such as Italy and Nicaragua, celebrate with dances around a Maypole.

     

    In America, Labor Day is less political and more about fun.

    See you in class very soon! And:

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    Solstice sustenance

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    Vocabulary:

    Sustenance — n., nourishment that maintains life, food.

    potential — n., adj., able to come into being; possible

    bountiful — adj., as much or more than is needed, abundant

    mimic — v., to copy or imitate

    approximately — adv., about, almost exact

    Traditionally, people celebrated the return of light, life, fertility, and the potential for a good harvest on the summer solstice. The summer months bring a bountiful harvest and the foods served at solstice gatherings mimic the sun. Round, sun-colored fruits like lemons, oranges, peaches, and nectarines are the flavor of the day as well as vegetables like yellow squash, corn, and tomatoes.

    source: https://chantallascaris.co.za/2021/12/22/summer-solstice-foods-from-around-the-world/#:~:text=The%20summer%20months%20bring%20a,yellow%20squash%2C%20corn%20and%20tomatoes.

    ROASTED SUMMER VEGETABLES

    INGREDIENTS

    • 2 zucchini
    • 1 yellow squash
    • 1 small red onion
    • 1 red bell pepper 
    • 2 Tbsp olive oil 
    • 1 tsp dried basil or 1/2 bunch fresh
    • salt and pepper to taste 
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

    INSTRUCTIONS 

    • Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Wash and chop the vegetables into approximately 1-inch pieces. 
    • Spread the vegetables out over a large baking sheet (or two, if needed) so they’re in a single layer and not piled on top of one another. Drizzle the olive oil over top, then add the basil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables until they’re evenly coated in oil and spices.
    • Roast the vegetables for 30-40 minutes, stirring once or twice (every 15-20 minutes or so), until the vegetables are soft and browned on the edges. Taste the vegetables and add another pinch of salt if desired. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over top just before serving.
    Summer Vegetables Prepped and Ready to Roast

    Roasted Summer Vegetables Finished

    I like to add an extra pinch of salt after roasting, so you get some salt sitting on the surface to give each bite a little pop. I also like to sprinkle with a little fresh parsley for freshness and to add a pop of color, but that’s optional.

    source: https://www.budgetbytes.com/roasted-summer-vegetables/

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    Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

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    Vocabulary Preview:

    Civil rights movement: n., actions between 1954 and 1968 taken to change laws of racial discrimination

    Protests: n., a gathering of people who believe the same thing and want others to learn about it.

    Abolish: v., to eliminate or stop something completely

    Segregation: n., when all of one kind of people have to be together; for example, racial segregation.

    Boycott: n., to stop buying or using something as a protest

    Unconstitutional: adj., an act or belief that is not part of the ruling document of a country

    Orator: n., someone who speaks powerfully and well

    Martin Luther King, Jr. was an important leader in the civil rights movement in America in the ‘50s and ‘60s.  He used peaceful protests to secure basic rights for people of color, including the right to vote.  It was by nonviolent methods that he helped abolish the racial discrimination and segregation laws that were in place at the time.  These laws ruled where people of color could sit or walk or even go to school.

    His first efforts in the civil rights movement were inspired by the Montgomery Bus boycott.  This began in 1955, when an African American woman named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus for a white man, as the driver had told her to.  Parks was arrested and fined. Subsequently, people of color refused to ride the buses at all, and this boycott continued for over a year.  Eventually, the Supreme Court ruled that these laws were unconstitutional.

    King went on to work hard helping people of color, changing many laws and attitudes in America. He became known as a great orator, and his speech “I Have a Dream” is one of the most famous in this country’s history.  Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated when he was 39 years old, while still trying to improve the lives of others.  We mark his birthday nation-wide as a federal holiday and try to increase our awareness of the racial problems that still exist in America.

    Sign From Segregated Nashville Bus Number 351

    Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. addresses the crowd at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., where he gave his “I Have a Dream” speech on Aug. 28, 1963, as part of the March on Washington.

    The speech was ranked the top American speech of the 20th century in a 1999 poll of scholars. The speech has also been described as having “a strong claim to be the greatest in the English language of all time.”

    Sources:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_a_Dream

    AFP via Getty Images

    To listen to King’s famous speech:

    https://www.npr.org/transcripts/122701268

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