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Tamil Months

Sixth graders learn the months of the traditional Tamil calendar — Chithirai (சித்திரை), Vaikasi (வைகாசி), Aani (ஆனி), Aadi (ஆடி), Aavani (ஆவணி)… The Tamil year begins in Chithirai (mid-April) with Puthandu, the Tamil New Year! Maadham (மாதம்) means month. They put the first months in order.

Grade 6Months50 minutes1 class periodACTFL / World LanguagesExplicit teaching4 StandardsACTFL
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Learn the Tamil months.
  • ✓See the spring-start calendar.
  • ✓Learn about Puthandu.
  • ✓Talk about dates.
Essential Question

Chithirai, Vaikasi… what are the months of the Tamil calendar?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Put in Order · Interactive

Order the Months

Project this and have students put the first Tamil months in order from Chithirai to Aavani.

📆 Put the Tamil months in order — Chithirai to Aavani!Try it
Tap “Chithirai” (1st month) first!
The Lesson · Language Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Speak · Reflect)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — The Tamil Calendar

6 min

What are the months in the Tamil calendar?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Point to a calendar.
  • Say “Chithirai.”
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Repeat.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Months

12 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Model Chithirai onward.
  • Note the year begins at Puthandu (mid-April).
  • Send students to Order the Months.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Note it.
  • Order.
3

Practice — Practice

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say the first month.
  • Say your birth month.
  • Order some months.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Say it.
  • Order.
4

Speak — Speak

13 min

Students speak.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say when Puthandu is (Chithirai 1).
  • Name a month.
  • Ask a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Name.
  • Ask.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a month.
  • Say the first month.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (Novice-High).

ACTFL
Communication 1.2

Interpretive: understand months.

ACTFL
Cultures 2.1

Explore the Tamil calendar & Puthandu.

ACTFL
Connections 3.1

Connect to calendars & seasons.

ACTFL
Communication 1.3

Presentational: name months.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Month cards in order.
  • Point on a calendar.
  • Chant the months.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with the first 3 months.
  • Order two at a time.
  • Use a calendar.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Learn all 12 Tamil months.
  • Research Puthandu customs.
  • Compare to the Western calendar.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 📆Month cards + calendar
  • 💻Order the Months
  • 🎉Puthandu images
  • 📓Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

maadham (மாதம்)monthChithirai (சித்திரை)1st month (~Apr–May)Vaikasi (வைகாசி)2nd monthAani (ஆனி)3rd monthAadi (ஆடி)4th monthAavani (ஆவணி)5th monthMaargazhi (மார்கழி)9th monthPuthandu (புத்தாண்டு)Tamil New Year
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is the FIRST month of the Tamil calendar?
Chithirai.
QUESTION 2
When does the Tamil year begin?
At Puthandu, in mid-April.
QUESTION 3
What is Puthandu?
The Tamil New Year.

Reflect: months.

Have students name the first Tamil month and when Puthandu is. A printable Tamil months sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Tamil MonthsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Tamil MonthsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Tamil MonthsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: Aadi (ஆடி), Aani (ஆனி), Aavani (ஆவணி), Chithirai (சித்திரை), maadham (மாதம்), Maargazhi (மார்கழி), Puthandu (புத்தாண்டு), Vaikasi (வைகாசி)
  1. 3rd month
  2. Tamil New Year
  3. month
  4. 5th month
  5. 1st month (~Apr–May)
  6. 9th month
  7. 4th month
  8. 2nd month

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is the FIRST month of the Tamil calendar?
  2. When does the Tamil year begin?
  3. What is Puthandu?
Answer key — Part A: 1) Aani (ஆனி) · 2) Puthandu (புத்தாண்டு) · 3) maadham (மாதம்) · 4) Aavani (ஆவணி) · 5) Chithirai (சித்திரை) · 6) Maargazhi (மார்கழி) · 7) Aadi (ஆடி) · 8) Vaikasi (வைகாசி)
Part B: 1) Chithirai. 2) At Puthandu, in mid-April. 3) The Tamil New Year.