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18 Oct 2026
Splash into Songkran: Thailand's Water Festival New Year
Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It
WARM UP
Section: Warm Up
Think Ahead: Which detail do you think appears in this story?
a) People splash water on each other in the street.
b) People build snowmen for the new year.
c) People plant trees in the school garden.
Ask:
(1) What do you do on New Year's Day?
(2) Do you like playing with water? When do you play with water?
VOCABULARY
festival (/ˈfes.tɪ.vəl/, noun)
Meaning: A special day or time when lots of people have fun together.
Example: My town has a music festival every summer.
temple (/ˈtem.pəl/, noun)
Meaning: A building where people go to pray.
Example: We take off our shoes in the temple.
statue (/ˈstætʃ.uː/, noun)
Meaning: A model of a person or animal made of stone or metal.
Example: There is a big lion statue in the park.
bucket (/ˈbʌk.ɪt/, noun)
Meaning: A round container with a handle for carrying water.
Example: I fill my red bucket with sand at the beach.
splash (/splæʃ/, verb)
Meaning: To throw water so it flies through the air.
Example: My little brother likes to splash in the bath.
wet (/wet/, adjective)
Meaning: Covered in water.
Example: My shoes are wet because it is raining.
luck (/lʌk/, noun)
Meaning: Good or bad things that happen by chance.
Example: Good luck in your test today!
It is April in Thailand. People are happy because it is Songkran! Songkran is the Thai New Year. It is a big festival. It starts on 13th April.
Before the party, families clean their homes. They want a fresh start for the new year.
On the first day, people go to the temple. They pour water on Buddha statues. The water is clean and it smells nice. Children pour water on the hands of their grandparents too. This shows love and respect.
Then the fun begins! People are in the streets. They have buckets, bottles and water guns. They splash water on friends and on strangers. Everyone is wet and everyone is laughing. Many people wear colourful shirts.
Water is very special at Songkran. It washes away bad luck. It brings good luck for the new year.
There is a lot of rubbish after the party. Workers clean the streets. Some places in Thailand are very dry, so people use less water. Now many people are thinking about ways to save water.
Songkran is wet, wild and fun!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Section 8: Discussion Questions
1. Do you like Songkran? Why?
2. What is your favourite festival?
3. Do you clean your home for the new year?
4. How do you show love to your grandparents?
5. Why is it important to save water?
FILL IN THE GAPS
FILL THE GAPS
Section 1: Fill in the Gaps
Read the text. Use the words in the Word Bank to fill in the gaps.
Word Bank: splash | temple | buckets | festival
It is April in Thailand. People are happy because it is Songkran! Songkran is the Thai New Year. It is a big _______(1). It starts on 13th April.
Before the party, families clean their homes. They want a fresh start for the new year.
On the first day, people go to the _______(2). They pour water on Buddha statues. The water is clean and it smells nice. Children pour water on the hands of their grandparents too. This shows love and respect.
Then the fun begins! People are in the streets. They have _______(3), bottles and water guns. They _______(4) water on friends and on strangers. Everyone is wet and everyone is laughing. Many people wear colourful shirts.
Water is very special at Songkran. It washes away bad luck. It brings good luck for the new year.
There is a lot of rubbish after the party. Workers clean the streets. Some places in Thailand are very dry, so people use less water. Now many people are thinking about ways to save water.
Songkran is wet, wild and fun!
Section 2: Main Idea
What is the main idea of the article? Circle the best answer.
a) Songkran is the Thai New Year, and people celebrate with water.
b) Songkran is a sports day at school in Thailand.
c) Songkran is a cold and snowy day in winter.
UNDERSTANDING
Section 3: True or False
Read the sentences. Circle T (true) or F (false).
1. Songkran starts on 13th April. T/F
2. Families clean their homes after the party. T/F
3. At Songkran, water brings bad luck. T/F
Section 4: Put Events in Order
Write 1, 2 or 3 to show the order of events in the story.
___ a) People splash water in the streets.
___ b) Families clean their homes.
___ c) People go to the temple.
LANGUAGE
Section 5: Vocab Match
1. temple
2. bucket
3. splash
4. wet
5. statue
a) covered in water
b) a building where people go to pray
c) to throw water so it flies through the air
d) a model of a person made of stone or metal
e) a round container with a handle for carrying water
USE IT
Section 6: Discussion Builder
Choose the best word or phrase to complete each sentence. Then explain your choice.
1. I think Songkran is fun because I like ______.
a) water fights b) snow c) homework
2. At Songkran, people splash water on their ______.
a) friends b) books c) computers
Section 7: Sentence Unscramble
Put the parts in the correct order to make a sentence from the article.
1. A) pour B) People C) on statues D) water E) at the temple
______________________________________________
2. A) wet B) is C) Everyone D) and E) happy
______________________________________________
ANSWER KEY
Answer Key
Warm Up: a) People splash water on each other in the street.
Section 1: (1) festival (2) temple (3) buckets (4) splash
Section 2: a) Songkran is the Thai New Year, and people celebrate with water.
Section 3: 1. T 2. F 3. F
Section 4: 1. b) Families clean their homes. 2. c) People go to the temple. 3. a) People splash water in the streets.
Section 5: 1. b 2. e 3. c 4. a 5. d
Section 6: 1. a) water fights 2. a) friends
Section 7:
1. B, A, D, C, E – People pour water on statues at the temple.
2. C, B, A, D, E – Everyone is wet and happy.
Section 8: Answers will vary.
Thank you for your feedback!