Winter Solstice literacy L1 reading and writing

Winter Solstice

Name _________ Date ________

Adapted from:

The Pa g a n c e le b ra tio n o f Winte r So lstic e (a lso kno wn a s Yule ) is o ne o f the o ld e st winte r c e le b ra tio ns in the wo rld .

Anc ie nt p e o p le we re hunte rs a nd sp e nt mo st o f the ir time o utd o o rs. The se a so ns a nd we a the r p la ye d a ve ry imp o rta nt p a rt in the ir live s. Be c a use o f this ma ny a nc ie nt p e o p le ha d a g re a t re ve re nc e fo r, a nd e ve n wo rship p e d the sun. The No rse me n o f No rthe rn Euro p e sa w the sun a s a whe e l tha t c ha ng e d the se a so ns. It wa s fro m the wo rd fo r this whe e l, ho ul, tha t the wo rd yule is tho ug ht to ha ve c o me . At mid winte r the No rse me n lit b o nfire s, to ld sto rie s a nd d ra nk swe e t a le .

The a nc ie nt Ro ma ns a lso he ld a fe stiva l to c e le b ra te the re b irth o f the ye a r. Sa turna lia ra n fo r se ve n d a ys fro m the 17th o f De c e mb e r. It wa s a time whe n the o rd ina ry rule s we re turne d up sid e d o wn. Me n d re sse d a s wo me n a nd ma ste rs d re sse d a s se rva nts. The fe stiva l a lso invo lve d d e c o ra ting ho use s with g re e ne ry, lig hting c a nd le s, ho ld ing p ro c e ssio ns a nd g iving p re se nts.

The Winte r So lstic e fa lls o n the sho rte st d a y o f the ye a r (21st De c e mb e r) a nd wa s c e le b ra te d in Brita in lo ng b e fo re the a rriva l o f C hristia nity. The Druid s (C e ltic p rie sts) wo uld c ut the mistle to e tha t g re w o n the o a k tre e a nd g ive it a s a b le ssing . O a ks we re se e n a s sa c re d a nd the winte r fruit o f the mistle to e wa s a symb o l o f life in the d a rk winte r mo nths.

It wa s a lso the Druid s who b e g a n the tra d itio n o f the yule lo g . The C e lts tho ug ht tha t the sun sto o d still fo r twe lve d a ys in the mid d le o f winte r a nd d uring this time a lo g wa s lit to c o nq ue r the d a rkne ss, b a nish e vil sp irits a nd b ring luc k fo r the c o ming ye a r.

Ma ny o f the se c usto ms a re still fo llo we d to d a y. The y ha ve b e e n inc o rp o ra te d into the C hristia n a nd se c ula r c e le b ra tio ns o f C hristma s.

Nov 2011. Kindly contributed by Jeanette Emmerson, Leicestershire Adult Learning Service. Search for Jeanette on Covers many L1 adult literacy reading /writing elements. For detailed curriculum links visit the download page for this resource. Page 1 of 4

Winter Solstice

Name _________ Date ________

Adapted from:

Fill in the g a ps with the se missing words: sto o d fa lls fo llo we d c e le b ra te o ld e st a nc ie nt b a nish invo lve d

The Pa g a n c e le b ra tio n o f Winte r So lstic e (a lso kno wn a s Yule ) is o ne o f the _______ winte r c e le b ra tio ns in the wo rld .

Anc ie nt p e o p le we re hunte rs a nd sp e nt mo st o f the ir time o utd o o rs. The se a so ns a nd we a the r p la ye d a ve ry imp o rta nt p a rt in the ir live s. Be c a use o f this ma ny _______ p e o p le ha d a g re a t re ve re nc e fo r, a nd e ve n wo rship p e d the sun. The No rse me n o f No rthe rn Euro p e sa w the sun a s a whe e l tha t c ha ng e d the se a so ns. It wa s fro m the wo rd fo r this whe e l, ho ul, tha t the wo rd yule is tho ug ht to ha ve c o me . At mid -winte r the No rse me n lit b o nfire s, to ld sto rie s a nd d ra nk swe e t a le .

The a nc ie nt Ro ma ns a lso he ld a fe stiva l to _______ the re b irth o f the ye a r. Sa turna lia ra n fo r se ve n d a ys fro m the 17th o f De c e mb e r. It wa s a time whe n the o rd ina ry rule s we re turne d up sid e d o wn. Me n d re sse d a s wo me n a nd ma ste rs d re sse d a s se rva nts. The fe stiva l a lso _______ d e c o ra ting ho use s with g re e ne ry, lig hting c a nd le s, ho ld ing p ro c e ssio ns a nd g iving p re se nts.

The Winte r So lstic e _______ o n the sho rte st d a y o f the ye a r (21st De c e mb e r) a nd wa s c e le b ra te d in Brita in lo ng b e fo re the a rriva l o f C hristia nity. The Druid s (C e ltic p rie sts) wo uld c ut the mistle to e tha t g re w o n the o a k tre e a nd g ive it a s a b le ssing . O a ks we re se e n a s sa c re d a nd the winte r fruit o f the mistle to e wa s a symb o l o f life in the d a rk winte r mo nths.

It wa s a lso the Druid s who b e g a n the tra d itio n o f the yule lo g . The C e lts tho ug ht tha t the sun _______ still fo r twe lve d a ys in the mid d le o f winte r a nd d uring this time a lo g wa s lit to c o nq ue r the d a rkne ss, _______ e vil sp irits a nd b ring luc k fo r the c o ming ye a r.

Ma ny o f the se c usto ms a re still ______ to d a y. The y ha ve b e e n inc o rp o ra te d into the C hristia n a nd se c ula r c e le b ra tio ns o f C hristma s.

Nov 2011. Kindly contributed by Jeanette Emmerson, Leicestershire Adult Learning Service. Search for Jeanette on Covers many L1 adult literacy reading /writing elements. For detailed curriculum links visit the download page for this resource. Page 2 of 4

Winter Solstice

Name _________ Date ________

Adapted from:

Re a ding que stions

1. Ano the r na me fo r the Winte r So lstic e is a . Sa turna lia b . Yule c . C hristma s d . Winte r Da y

2. Whic h tre e wa s se e n a s sa c re d ? a . Elm b . Fir c . Ha ze l d. Oak

3. The Winte r So lstic e is o n a . 12th De c e mb e r b . 25th De c e mb e r c . 21st De c e mb e r d . 1st Ja nua ry

4. The C e lts tho ug ht the sun sto o d still fo r a . 28 d a ys b . 12 d a ys c . 7 d a ys d . 17 d a ys

5. Who b e g a n the tra d itio n o f the yule lo g ? a . Ro ma ns b . No rse me n c . C hristia ns d . Druid s

6. Why wa s the yule lo g lit?

7. Wha t is the me a ning o f the wo rd ` se c ula r' in the la st se nte nc e ?

Nov 2011. Kindly contributed by Jeanette Emmerson, Leicestershire Adult Learning Service. Search for Jeanette on Covers many L1 adult literacy reading /writing elements. For detailed curriculum links visit the download page for this resource. Page 3 of 4

Winter Solstice

Name _________ Date ________

Adapted from:

Othe r a c tivitie s

8. Und e rline a ny unfa milia r wo rd s a nd lo o k the se up in a d ic tio na ry. Write so me se nte nc e s using the se wo rd s.

9. Hig hlig ht a nything yo u fo und inte re sting in the a rtic le . Do a se a rc h o n G o o g le to find o ut so me mo re info rma tio n.

10. Exp la in why a c o mma is use d in this se c tio n o f the a rtic le . At mid- winte r the Norse me n lit bonfire s, told storie s a nd dra nk swe e t a le .

11. Ho lly, ivy, o a k a nd mistle to e we re sa c re d p la nts. Wha t o b je c ts wo uld b e sa c re d to yo u in winte r (fo r e xa mp le ? lo g fire s, ho t wa te r b o ttle ...)? Write a sho rt p ie c e o r a p o e m a b o ut this.

Nov 2011. Kindly contributed by Jeanette Emmerson, Leicestershire Adult Learning Service. Search for Jeanette on Covers many L1 adult literacy reading /writing elements. For detailed curriculum links visit the download page for this resource. Page 4 of 4

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