Anglais · voie professionnelle · pour l’enseignant
Programme de langues vivantes de la voie professionnelle, CAP et baccalauréat professionnel (arrêté du 3 avril 2019, BO spécial n° 5 du 11 avril 2019). La voie professionnelle n’a pas d’axes : la séquence relève des « Thèmes d’étude pour l’acquisition des repères culturels et savoirs lexicaux associés » : « jours fériés, fêtes nationales et locales » ; « traditions, us et coutumes, folklore, contes et légendes ».
A2 vers B1. La séquence se situe au passage de A2 à B1 : l’élève comprend et utilise des expressions courantes sur des sujets familiers (A2), puis commence à raconter un événement, une fête ou une expérience et à donner brièvement son avis (B1).
Is a celebration still the same when we share it online instead of living it together at home or in the street?
Les grandes fêtes de l’Angleterre, de l’Écosse, du pays de Galles, de l’Irlande et des États-Unis, mois par mois : les Journées du patrimoine (Heritage Open Days), la fête des moissons (Harvest Festival), Halloween, la nuit des feux de joie (Bonfire Night), Thanksgiving, Noël, la soirée en l’honneur de Robert Burns (Burns Night), la Saint-Valentin, Mardi gras et sa course de crêpes (Pancake Day), la Saint-Patrick, Pâques et la fête de l’Indépendance (Independence Day).
Je vous propose d’étudier les grandes fêtes du monde anglophone afin de jalonner l’année scolaire. Ces temps forts tombent souvent juste avant les vacances, à un moment où l’attention des élèves fléchit et où ils apprécient un changement de rythme.
Loin d’être des séances « récréatives » sans enjeu, ces fêtes ouvrent une vraie fenêtre culturelle sur l’Angleterre, l’Écosse, le pays de Galles, l’Irlande ou les États-Unis. Elles permettent de revoir du lexique et des points de grammaire dans un contexte vivant.
J’ai choisi des supports agréables, ludiques et colorés, utilisables en classe entière comme en petits groupes. Chaque fête débouche sur une activité créative : les élèves produisent quelque chose qu’ils peuvent montrer, afficher ou offrir.
Sur chaque fiche, le texte, la consigne et l’exercice sont entièrement en anglais, sans traduction côté élève. Pour onze fêtes, le volet « Activités pour la classe » propose des petites activités, un exercice exemple autocorrigé et une tâche finale. Chaque fiche s’imprime comme une fiche à trous, ou se partage sur l’ENT.
Chaque fête indique un niveau conseillé. Toutes les activités restent adaptables : on simplifie la consigne ou on ajoute une production plus longue, selon la classe et le rythme de travail de chacun.
All school year, month by month: the big festivals of the English-speaking world, explained in simple English, with a video to watch in class, a task and words to remember.
In September · England and Scotland
For a few days in September, castles, town halls, workshops and places that are usually closed open their doors, at no cost.
In Scotland, the same idea is called Doors Open Days.
Your turn: Name three places you can visit on Heritage Open Days: “a castle, a museum, a…”
Late September or early October · United Kingdom
People say thank you for the crops of the year. In many British schools, children bring tins of food for families who need them.
Your turn: Make a list of five foods you can give to a food bank.
All of October in the UK, February in the USA · United Kingdom and United States
A month to learn about Black women and men who made history in science, the arts and sport.
In the UK, it has existed since 1987.
Your turn: Choose one person from the video. Write two sentences: “He/She was… He/She…”
October 31st · Ireland, United Kingdom, United States
Level A2 · CAP, 2de bac pro
Halloween comes from a very old Celtic festival in Ireland and Scotland, Samhain. It marked the start of winter.
In the past, people carved turnips; in America, pumpkins took their place. Children dress up and knock on doors: “Trick or treat!”
Your turn: Draw your costume and describe it: “I am a witch. My hat is black.”
Moment conseillé : La dernière semaine avant les vacances de la Toussaint.
Petites activités
Exercise → The “Wanted” poster
Complete the poster with the words from the box. Use each word once.
WANTED: GRIBBLE, the monster of the school canteen
He is : he is three metres tall!
He has got three eyes, the colour of grass, and very teeth: they can cut a tin can.
His arms are long and , like a gorilla’s.
He is very : nobody sees him, nobody hears him.
Crimes: Last night, he all the sweets and he the teachers.
Reward: 100 pumpkins!
Answers: huge, green, sharp, hairy, sneaky, stole, scared.
Tâche finale : la galerie des monstres
Chaque élève invente son monstre et réalise son affiche « Wanted ». Les affiches sont exposées dans la classe. Par deux, les élèves font le tour de la galerie, lisent les descriptions à voix haute et votent pour le Most Wanted Monster.
In October or November (November 8th in 2026) · India, the UK and the world
Millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains celebrate Diwali. It marks the victory of light over darkness.
People light small lamps called diyas and draw colourful patterns in front of the house: rangolis. In Leicester, in England, the festival attracts huge crowds.
Your turn: Draw a rangoli pattern and colour it. Say the colours in English.
November 5th · United Kingdom
Level A2 → B1 · 2de bac pro
In 1605, Guy Fawkes and other plotters wanted to use gunpowder to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London, and King James I with them: this is the Gunpowder Plot.
The plot failed. Since then, every November 5th, people light big bonfires and fireworks. “Remember, remember the fifth of November!”
Your turn: Learn the first line of the poem and say it with your neighbour: “Remember, remember the fifth of November!”
Moment conseillé : À la rentrée des vacances de la Toussaint.
Petites activités
Exercise → The front page of 1605
Put the verbs in brackets in the simple past.
LONDON, 5th November 1605
Last night, guards (find) a man in the cellars under Parliament. His name (be) Guy Fawkes. He (want) to blow up Parliament and kill King James I. Fortunately, the plot (fail) , and Londoners (light) bonfires to celebrate.
Answers: found, was, wanted, failed, lit.
Tâche finale : le flash spécial de 1605
Par groupes, les élèves réalisent la une complète de leur journal, puis la présentent comme un flash d’information télévisé : un présentateur, un reporter « sur place », un témoin. La classe vote pour le meilleur titre.
November 11th · United Kingdom and Canada
On November 11th, 1918, the armistice ended the fighting of the First World War.
In the UK, people wear a red poppy and keep a two-minute silence at 11 o’clock. In Canada, people wear a poppy too.
Your turn: Make a paper poppy. Write a word about peace on it.
The fourth Thursday of November · United States
Level A2 · CAP, 2de bac pro
Americans remember the harvest meal of 1621 in Plymouth, shared by the Mayflower settlers and the Wampanoag people. In 1863, Lincoln made it a national holiday.
Families get together for turkey and pumpkin pie. In New York, a huge parade goes through the streets in the morning.
Your turn: Complete the sentence three times: “I am thankful for…”
Petites activités
Exercise → The gratitude tree
Join the two parts with because: choose the right ending. Then write your own sentence.
Answers: 1. she cooks delicious meals · 2. he always makes me laugh · 3. I learn a lot about my future job · 4. your own answer.
Tâche finale : l’arbre et le restaurant
Chaque élève écrit trois feuilles pour l’arbre de gratitude de la classe. En groupes, les élèves créent ensuite le menu illustré d’un restaurant de Thanksgiving, puis jouent la scène : serveur et clients passent commande en anglais.
December 25th (and Boxing Day on the 26th) · UK and the English-speaking world
Level A2 → B1 · CAP, 2de bac pro
In the UK, people open an Advent calendar, hang up stockings and pull crackers at the table, with a little paper hat inside.
December 26th, Boxing Day, is a bank holiday. At 3 pm on the 25th, many families listen to the King’s Christmas message.
Your turn: Write a Christmas card in English for a friend: “Dear…, Merry Christmas!”
Moment conseillé : La dernière semaine avant les vacances de Noël.
Petites activités
Exercise → Cracker jokes
Match each riddle with its answer.
Answers: 1. Snowflakes (like cornflakes!) · 2. He has a black belt · 3. Sandy Claws (Santa Claus + sand + claws) · 4. Snow.
Tâche finale : le grand tirage des crackers
Chaque élève fabrique un cracker en papier et y glisse une devinette de sa composition. Les crackers sont échangés et « tirés » à deux. Chacun lit sa devinette, la classe cherche la réponse. Pour finir, défilé des ugly jumpers dessinés.
January 25th · Scotland
Level B1 · 1re bac pro
Scottish people celebrate the birthday of their national poet, Robert Burns, born on January 25th, 1759.
On the menu: haggis, brought in to the sound of the bagpipes. People read his poems and sing “Auld Lang Syne”.
Your turn: Find Scotland on a map. Name two things from Burns Night: “haggis, bagpipes…”
Petites activités
Exercise → The toast
Read the model. Then write a toast to an object you use every day, and read it aloud.
Model: Here’s to you, my old hammer! You are strong and faithful. Every day, you help me build. Without you, my work would be impossible. Raise your glasses to the hammer!
Here’s to you, ! You are and . Every day, you help me . Without you, . Raise your glasses to !
Example: Here’s to you, my old oven! You are hot and reliable. Every day, you help me bake bread. Without you, there would be no croissants. Raise your glasses to the oven!
Tâche finale : le Burns Supper de la classe
La classe organise un faux dîner écossais : on écoute un morceau de cornemuse, puis chaque élève se lève et prononce son toast à son objet. Les autres lèvent leur verre (imaginaire) et répondent en chœur avec le nom de l’objet.
February 2nd · United States
In Punxsutawney, a small town in Pennsylvania, people wait for a groundhog called Phil to come out of his hole.
The legend says: if Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If he does not see it, spring will come early.
Your turn: Make your prediction for February 2nd: “I think Phil will see / will not see his shadow, so…”
Between late January and mid-February (February 6th in 2027) · China, Asia, London and the world
Chinese New Year follows the calendar of the moon, so its date changes every year. 2027 will be the Year of the Goat.
Lion and dragon dances, red lanterns and red envelopes with money: in London, Chinatown has one of the biggest celebrations outside Asia.
Your turn: Find your Chinese zodiac animal and say: “I was born in the Year of the…”
February 14th · UK, United States and the world
Level A2 · CAP, 2de bac pro
The day is named after Saint Valentine, a Roman priest of the 3rd century. We don’t know much about his life.
In the UK, people often send a card without signing it: you must guess who wrote it. In the USA, children exchange small cards with the whole class.
Your turn: Write a kind message for a classmate: “You are… because…”
Moment conseillé : Souvent juste avant ou pendant les vacances d’hiver.
Petites activités
Exercise → Compliment cards
Choose the right adjective.
Answers: generous, determined, funny, kind.
Tâche finale : le mur de la bienveillance
Chaque élève tire au sort deux camarades et leur écrit une carte de compliment : « You are… because… ». Les cartes sont décorées et affichées sur un grand cœur au mur. Variante : un acrostiche sur le métier préparé par la classe.
Shrove Tuesday, the day of Mardi Gras (February 9th in 2027) · United Kingdom
Level A2 · CAP, 2de bac pro
Before Lent, people used up their eggs, milk and butter: they made very thin pancakes, eaten with lemon and sugar.
In some towns, people run races with a frying pan, flipping their pancake as they go!
Your turn: Put the steps in order and say them in English: “mix, pour, flip, eat”.
Moment conseillé : Mardi gras tombe souvent juste avant ou pendant les vacances d’hiver.
Petites activités
Exercise → The recipe
Put the steps in order: choose First, Then, After that or Finally.
Answers: First, mix… Then, pour… After that, flip… Finally, add…
Tâche finale : la course et l’émission de cuisine
Course de pancakes en relais dans la cour, poêle à la main. De retour en classe, chaque groupe tourne une vidéo d’une minute : une émission de cuisine où l’on explique la recette avec les connecteurs.
March 1st · Wales
Saint David is the patron saint of Wales. On this day, people wear a daffodil or a leek, the two symbols of the country.
Some children go to school in traditional Welsh costume.
Your turn: Draw the Welsh flag and describe it: “There is a red dragon…”
The first Thursday of March · United Kingdom and Ireland
On World Book Day, schools celebrate books and reading.
Many children go to school dressed as a character from a book.
Your turn: Choose a character from a book or a film. Write three sentences: “I am… I live in… I like…”
March 17th · Ireland and the world
Level B1 · 1re, Terminale bac pro
Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. March 17th is a public holiday on the whole island.
Everything turns green: the parades in Dublin and New York, and even the river in Chicago, which is dyed green.
Your turn: Name five green things in English: “a shamrock, grass…”
Petites activités
Exercise → The limerick
A limerick has five lines. Lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyme with each other; lines 3 and 4 rhyme with each other. Complete the poem with the words from the box.
There once was a lad from Tralee
Who wanted to swim in the .
He jumped off a
In his best Sunday ,
And came home with a crab on his !
Tralee is a town in the west of Ireland.
Answers: sea, rock, sock, knee.
Tâche finale : le concours de limericks
Chaque élève écrit un limerick sur un personnage inventé de sa ville ou de son métier. Lecture publique, puis la classe vote pour le plus drôle. Le gagnant reçoit l’« or du leprechaun » (des pièces en chocolat), caché au bout d’une chasse au trésor en anglais.
April 1st · UK and the English-speaking world
Level B1 → B1+ · Terminale bac pro
On this day, people play jokes and tricks. In the UK, tradition says the jokes stop at midday.
The media join in too: in 1957, a BBC programme showed a Swiss family picking spaghetti… from trees!
Your turn: Invent a funny fake headline for April 1st: “Scientists discover…”
Moment conseillé : Juste avant les vacances de printemps.
Petites activités
Exercise → Fake news detectives
Is it true or is it an April fool? Use the detective questions, then choose.
In 1957, a famous British TV programme, Panorama, showed a Swiss family picking spaghetti from trees. Many viewers believed it!
Detective questions: Who wrote it? When was it published? Can I find it on other serious websites? Is it too funny or too shocking to be true?
Answers: 1. April fool (BBC, 1957) · 2. True · 3. True (a gowk is a cuckoo, a silly person) · 4. April fool (a BBC joke from 2008: penguins can’t fly!).
Tâche finale : les détectives de l’info
Chaque groupe prépare trois titres d’actualité : deux vrais, un faux. Les autres groupes mènent l’enquête avec les questions du détective et doivent trouver trois indices qui trahissent le canular. Un point par faux démasqué.
A Sunday in March or April (March 28th in 2027) · UK and the English-speaking world
Level A1 → A2 · 3e prépa-métiers, CAP
Easter is a big Christian festival. In the UK, Good Friday and Easter Monday are bank holidays.
Children look for chocolate eggs hidden in the garden: this is the Easter egg hunt.
Your turn: Hide a paper egg in the classroom. Give clues in English: “It’s under… It’s next to…”
Moment conseillé : Juste avant les vacances de printemps.
Petites activités
Exercise → The egg hunt
Complete the clues with in, on, under, behind, between. Use each word once.
Answers: on, behind, in, between, under.
Tâche finale : l’Egg Hunt de la classe
Chaque binôme cache un œuf (en chocolat ou en carton) dans la salle et rédige une suite de trois indices. Les binômes échangent leurs indices et partent à la chasse. Le premier binôme qui retrouve l’œuf gagne.
April 23rd · England
Saint George is the patron saint of England; legend says he defeated a dragon. His flag is a red cross on a white background.
On April 23rd, people also celebrate Shakespeare: he was born around this date and died on April 23rd, 1616.
Your turn: Tell the legend in three sentences: “There was a dragon… George…”
June 19th · United States
On June 19th, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, soldiers told enslaved people that slavery had ended.
Since 2021, it has been a public holiday in all of the United States.
Your turn: Say in one sentence why June 19th is important: “On June 19th, 1865,…”
June 21st · UK, United States and the world
On June 21st, the longest day of the year, everyone can play music in the street, and anyone can listen.
In the UK and in the United States, it is called Make Music Day.
Your turn: Say which instrument you play or would like to play: “I play… / I would like to play…”
July 1st · Canada
On July 1st, 1867, three British colonies joined together to create Canada: this is Confederation.
People wear red and white, wave the maple leaf flag and watch fireworks. Until 1982, the holiday was called Dominion Day.
Your turn: Describe the Canadian flag in English: “It is red and white. In the middle, there is a…”
July 4th · United States
Level B1 · 1re, Terminale bac pro
On July 4th, 1776, the Congress of the American colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence to separate from Great Britain.
Barbecues, parades and fireworks all over the country.
Your turn: Count the stars and the stripes on the American flag. Write: “There are … stars and … stripes.”
Moment conseillé : À préparer pendant les dernières semaines de cours.
Petites activités
Exercise → The class Declaration
Complete the Declaration with must, should and can. Use each word once.
We, the students of , believe that:
Answers: can (a right / a possibility), must (a rule), should (advice).
Tâche finale : la signature de la Déclaration
La classe met en commun ses droits et ses promesses dans une grande Déclaration, recopiée sur une affiche. Chaque élève vient la signer solennellement, comme les délégués de 1776. On dévoile ensuite le drapeau de la classe, dessiné par groupes.
I watch the video once without writing anything. I watch it a second time and I write down three words I recognise. Then I tell my neighbour, in one sentence, what people do on that day. Last, I do the “Your turn” task. Everyone works at their own pace: a different pace is normal.
In “Class activities”, I choose or write my answers, then I tap “Check”. Green is right; red means I can try again.
Need help? Look at the words to remember, or ask your teacher: “How do you say… in English?” The videos open on YouTube. The coloured buttons lead to a complete lesson on the Séquences GEREX website.
Use this grid for every piece of written work in the sequence. The mark stays between 0 and 20: never below 0, never above 20.
Base: 10 points if the task is met.
| Bonuses (up to plus 10) | Points |
|---|---|
| Clear plan, followed | +2 |
| Introduction | +1 |
| Conclusion | +1 |
| Linking words | +1 |
| Figures of speech | +1 |
| Integrated quotations | +2 |
| General knowledge | +2 |
| Points taken off (up to minus 11) | Points |
| Grammar: more than 5 errors | minus 3 |
| Vocabulary: more than 5 errors | minus 5 |
| Phrasing or reasoning: more than 3 errors | minus 3 |
Worked example: task met (10); plan, introduction and quotations (plus 5); grammar (minus 3). Total: 12 / 20.