ESL Holiday Lessons.com: Ice Cream Day

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

One of the yummiest holidays of the year must be National Ice Cream Day. It takes place in the USA on the third Sunday of July every year. It celebrates one of the world’s best-loved desserts. It started in 1984 when famous ice cream lover President Ronald Reagan announced July as the National Ice Cream Month. It was certainly a good month to choose, being in the middle of summer. But even in winter, ice cream still tastes delicious. It’s fitting that the USA has a national day to celebrate their favourite sweet. Americans eat more ice cream than anyone else in the world. It is probably the national dessert, along with apple pie. On this day, people will have fun making homemade ice cream and having ice cream parties.

Makers say ice cream is nutritious and good for us. There is a lot of sugar and calories in it, but otherwise, it’s quite good for you. It’s made of milk and has other vitamins and minerals. Ice cream is different in many countries around the world. Italians are very proud of their gelato, while Indians believe their kulfi is the tastiest. The history of ice cream is a little unclear. Historians say it arrived in Europe from China hundreds of years ago. The French and Italians designed flavoured milk ices, which made their way across the Atlantic. This is when it became known as “ice cream”. The first ice cream parlor in America opened in New York City in 1776. It is now a $3 billion industry in the USA alone.

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	One of the yummiest	a.	month to choose
2	one of the world’s best-	b.	national dessert
3.	It was certainly a good	c.	their favourite sweet
4.	a national day to celebrate	d.	holidays of the year
5.	Americans eat more ice cream	e.	loved desserts
6.	It is probably the	f.	than anyone else

Paragraph 2

1.	ice cream is nutritious	a.	of their gelato
2	It’s made of milk and	b.	in the USA alone
3.	Italians are very proud	c.	and good for us
4.	Indians believe their kulfi	d.	as “ice cream”
5.	This is when it became known	e.	has other vitamins
6.	It is now a $3 billion industry	f.	is the tastiest

LISTENING GAP FILL

___________________ holidays of the year must be National Ice Cream Day. It takes place in the USA on the third Sunday of July every year. ___________________ the world’s best-loved desserts. It started in 1984 when famous ice cream lover President Ronald Reagan announced July as the National Ice Cream Month. It was certainly a good month to choose, ___________________ of summer. But even in winter, ice cream still tastes delicious. It’s fitting that the USA has a national day to celebrate ___________________. Americans eat more ice cream than anyone else in the world. It is probably the national dessert, along with apple pie. On this day, people ___________________ homemade ice cream and having ice cream parties.

Makers say ice cream ___________________ for us. There is a lot of sugar and calories in it, but otherwise, it’s quite good for you. It’s made of milk and has other ___________________. Ice cream is different in many countries around the world. Italians are ___________________ gelato, while Indians believe their kulfi is the tastiest. The history of ice cream is a little unclear. Historians say it arrived in Europe from China hundreds of years ago. The French and Italians ___________________ milk ices, which made their way across the Atlantic. This is when it became known as “ice cream”. The first ice cream parlor in America opened in New York City in 1776. It is now a $3 billion industry ___________________.

WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

One of the yummiest holidays of the year __________ be National Ice Cream Day. It takes place in the USA on the third Sunday of July every year. It celebrates one of the world’s best-__________ desserts. It started in 1984 when famous ice cream __________ President Ronald Reagan announced July as the National Ice Cream Month. It was certainly a good month to choose, __________ in the middle of summer. But even in winter, ice cream still tastes delicious. It’s __________ that the USA has a national day to celebrate their favourite __________. Americans eat more ice cream than anyone else in the world. It is probably the national dessert, __________ with apple pie. On this day, people will have fun __________ homemade ice cream and having ice cream parties.

being
fitting
along
must
lover
making
loved
sweet

Makers say ice cream is __________ and good for us. There is a lot of sugar and calories in it, but __________, it’s quite good for you. It’s made of milk and has other vitamins and minerals. Ice cream is different in many countries around the world. Italians are very __________ of their gelato, while Indians __________ their kulfi is the tastiest. The history of ice cream is a little __________. Historians say it arrived in Europe from China hundreds of years ago. The French and Italians designed flavoured milk ices, which made their __________ across the Atlantic. This is when it became known as “ice cream”. The first ice cream parlor in America opened in New York City in 1776. It is now a $3 billion __________ in the USA __________.

believe
unclear
alone
nutritious
industry
proud
otherwise
way

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.

One of the yummiest / yum-yum holidays of the year must be National Ice Cream Day. It takes place in the USA on the third Sunday of July every year. It celebrates one of the world’s best-loved deserts / desserts. It started in 1984 when famous ice cream loving / lover President Ronald Reagan announced July as the National Ice Cream Month. It was certainly a good month to choice / choose, being in the middle of summer. But even in winter, ice cream still tastes / tasting delicious. It’s fitting / fit that the USA has a national day to celebrate their favourite sweet. Americans eat more ice cream than someone / anyone else in the world. It is probably the national dessert, along with apple pie. On this day, people will have funny / fun making homemade ice cream and having ice cream parties.

Makers say ice cream is nutritious and good for we / us. There is a lot of sugar and calories in it, but otherwise, it’s quite / quit good for you. It’s made of milk and has other vitamins and mineral / minerals. Ice cream is different in many countries around the world. Italians are very pride / proud of their gelato, while Indians believe their kulfi is the tastiest. The history of ice cream is a small / little unclear. Historians say it arrived in Europe from China hundreds of years ago. The French and Italians designer / designed flavoured milk ices, which made their way across the Atlantic. This is when it became known was / as “ice cream”. The first ice cream parlor in America opened in New York City in 1776. It is now a $3 billion industry in the USA lonely / alone.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

One of the (1) ____ holidays of the year must be National Ice Cream Day. It takes place in the USA on the third Sunday of July every year. It celebrates one of the world’s best-loved (2) ____. It started in 1984 when famous ice cream (3) ____ President Ronald Reagan announced July as the National Ice Cream Month. It was (4) ____ a good month to choose, being in the middle of summer. But even in winter, ice cream still tastes (5) ____. It’s fitting that the USA has a national day to celebrate their favourite sweet. Americans eat more ice cream than anyone else in the world. It is probably the national dessert, (6) ____ with apple pie. On this day, people will have fun making homemade ice cream and having ice cream parties.

Makers say ice cream is (7) ____ and good for us. There is a lot of sugar and calories in it, but otherwise, it’s quite good for you. It’s made (8) ____ milk and has other vitamins and minerals. Ice cream is different in many countries around the world. Italians are very (9) ____ of their gelato, while Indians believe their kulfi is the tastiest. The history of ice cream is a (10) ____ unclear. Historians say it arrived in Europe from China hundreds of years ago. The French and Italians designed flavoured milk ices, which (11) ____ their way across the Atlantic. This is when it became known as “ice cream”. The first ice cream parlor in America opened in New York City in 1776. It is now a $3 billion industry in the USA (12) ____.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	yum-yum	(b)	yuck	(c)	yummiest	(d)	yam
2.	(a)	desserts	(b)	deserted	(c)	desert	(d)	dessert
3.	(a)	lovely	(b)	lover	(c)	loving	(d)	loved
4.	(a)	certainty	(b)	certainly	(c)	certain	(d)	certain
5.	(a)	delicacy	(b)	deliciously	(c)	delicious	(d)	delicacies
6.	(a)	long	(b)	length	(c)	longing	(d)	along
7.	(a)	nutrients	(b)	nutritious	(c)	nutrition	(d)	nutrient
8.	(a)	of	(b)	by	(c)	at	(d)	to
9.	(a)	pride	(b)	prouder	(c)	proudest	(d)	proud
10.	(a)	small	(b)	few	(c)	little	(d)	tiny
11.	(a)	made	(b)	took	(c)	gave	(d)	did
12.	(a)	lonely	(b)	lonesome	(c)	loneliness	(d)	alone

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	the mysumtei holidays
2.	the world’s best-loved retedsss
3.	It was aerynlict a good month
4.	ice cream still tastes ocsieldiu
5.	ebtreeacl their favourite sweet
6.	making ehamedmo ice cream
Paragraph 2
7.	ice cream is nitrisutuo and good for us
8.	anvimist and minerals
9.	Italians are very rodup
10.	Indians believe their kulfi is the itesatts
11.	it iadverr in Europe from China
12.	a $3 billion ryutndsi

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	minerals. Ice cream is different in many countries around the world. Italians are very proud
( )	of July every year. It celebrates one of the world’s best-loved desserts. It started in 1984 when famous ice cream lover
( )	choose, being in the middle of summer. But even in winter, ice cream still tastes delicious. It’s fitting that the USA has
( )	say it arrived in Europe from China hundreds of years ago. The French and Italians designed flavoured milk
( 1 )	One of the yummiest holidays of the year must be National Ice Cream Day. It takes place in the USA on the third Sunday
( )	calories in it, but otherwise, it’s quite good for you. It’s made of milk and has other vitamins and
( )	fun making homemade ice cream and having ice cream parties.
( )	a national day to celebrate their favourite sweet. Americans eat more ice cream than anyone else in the
( )	world. It is probably the national dessert, along with apple pie. On this day, people will have
( )	of their gelato, while Indians believe their kulfi is the tastiest. The history of ice cream is a little unclear. Historians
( )	President Ronald Reagan announced July as the National Ice Cream Month. It was certainly a good month to
( )	in America opened in New York City in 1776. It is now a $3 billion industry in the USA alone.
( )	ices, which made their way across the Atlantic. This is when it became known as “ice cream”. The first ice cream parlor
( )	Makers say ice cream is nutritious and good for us. There is a lot of sugar and

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	of One year the of holidays yummiest the
2.	one desserts loved - best world’s the of
3.	It choose to month good a certainly was
4.	anyone than cream ice more eat Americans else
5.	have will people cream ice homemade making fun
6.	is cream ice us for good and nutritious
7.	are proud their Italians very of gelato
8.	believe kulfi the Indians their is tastiest
9.	say Historians China from Europe in arrived it
10.	became known as “ice cream” This is when it

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

THE ICE CREAM DAY SURVEY

Write five questions about Ice Cream Day in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out. Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITING

Write about Ice Cream Day for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Ice Cream Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Ice Cream Day. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. POSTER: Make your own poster about Ice Cream Day. Write about will happen on this day around the world.