March 20, 2017 -- Monday
平成２９年３月２０日　－－　げつようび　　月曜日
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　月＝Moon, month
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　曜日＝Day of week





ワーム・アップ：　えいご　で　かきます。
　　　　　　　　（Read the handout about the vernal equinox, first.)

①　　さくら　の　木（き）　は　だいがく　の　まえ　に　あります。
　　　The cherry tree is in front of the university.
②　　わたし　は　さくら　が　すき　です。　I like cherry blossoms.
③　　３月２０日　は　しゅんぶん　の　日（ひ）　です。
　　　The 20th of March is the spring equinox.

”Shunbun no hi　　　　春分　の　日　　　しゅんぶん　の　ひ

”Summary

”In Japan the vernal equinox is a welcome holiday as it marks the end of winter and the arrival of spring

”The vernal equinox (or spring equinox) marks the beginning of astronomical spring.

It occurs during the month of March in the Northern Hemisphere, and during September in the Southern Hemisphere. It usually falls on March 20 or 21.

In Japan the vernal equinox ('Shunbun no Hi') is a welcome holiday as it marks the end of winter and the arrival of spring.

At the same moment that the vernal equinox occurs in one hemisphere, it is the time of the autumnal equinox in the other hemisphere.

Traditionally, the equinoxes were a time to venerate ancestors, and the two dates of the Vernal and Autumnal equinoxes became holidays celebrated in Shinto to pay respects to past members of the imperial family.

In 1948, the holiday was changed to its current form as part of post war reforms that converted religious holidays into secular holidays. The day is intended to celebrate the love of nature and living things.

In modern Japan, the day still maintains its older traditions as visiting family graves and holding family reunions is a common way of celebrating the equinox.”

Students worked in pairs on reading on page 124, comparing content with drawing on page 123.   Write out the ４　INCORRECT sentences in the reading, the ones that don't match the drawing.

While they were working, some students performed the dialogue on page 103-104 of Nakama.


しゅくだい　　宿題　　　Homework
１．Page 124 of Nakama, above.
２．Dialogue on pages 103-104 of Nakama.