'Mardi Gras 2008' photo (c) 2008, DoctorWho - license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/

Mardi Gras and Carnivals are held around the world just prior to the fasting season of Lent, which is coming right-up!

Our regular ninth-grade English curriculum includes a pretty thorough unit on New Orleans, and thought that students in that class and those in my Intermediate English class might find it interesting to learn how it’s celebrated around the world.

Readers might also want to check-out The Best Websites For Teaching & Learning About New Orleans.

Here are my choices for The Best Sites To Learn About Mardi Gras & Carnivals (and, of course, are accessible to English Language Learners):

Fact Monster has a relatively accessible explanations of the celebration.

The CBBC has a short slideshow of Carnivals throughout the world.

You can see a Mardi Gras video at the History Channel.

The New York Times has a Mardi Gras slideshow and a video showing the first Mardi Gras celebration that took place after the devastating Hurricane Katrina.

How Stuff Works has a fair amount of text about Mardi Gras.

Breaking News English has a lesson, with audio support for the text, on the Brazilian Carnival.

The New York Times has a slideshow about the celebration in Venice, Italy.

ESL Pod has a simple explanation of Mardi Gras.

ESL Holiday Lessons has a simple Mardi Gras quiz.

EL Civics has a Mardi Gras Lesson.

Here’s a downloadable PowerPoint on Mardi Gras.

The San Francisco Chronicle has a slideshow about the Slovenian Mardi Gras.

UNESCO has a video about the carnival in Croatia.

Carnival 2010 comes from The Big Picture.

A Carnival Artist Without a Carnival is a video from The New York Times about a Haitian artist.

Rio fire destroys thousands of Brazil carnival costumes is from the CBBC Newsround.

Carnival 2011 is a series of photos from The Atlantic.

Top 10 Mardi Gras Traditions

In pictures: Brazil celebrates Carnival is from The BBC.

Rio Carnival 2012: costumes and celebrations is a slideshow from The Guardian.

In pictures: Rio de Janeiro carnival is from The BBC.

Carnival 2012 is a photo gallery from The Atlantic.

More From Carnival 2012 is a photo gallery from The Atlantic.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a slideshow from The Guardian.

The History Channel has a good selection of multimedia resources on Mardi Gras.


Global Carnival Celebrations
is a slideshow from ABC News.


Carnival 2013 in Brazil
is from The Atlantic.

In Recife, 3 Rhythms Get The Carnival Party Started is from NPR.

From Brazil to Macedonia: Carnival Ignites Colorful Celebrations is a photo gallery from NBC.

Carnival 2014 Around the World is a photo gallery from The Atlantic.

Carnival 2015 Around the World is a photo gallery from The Atlantic.

Making Mardi Gras is an Associated Press interactive.

Zika virus: health experts fear Carnival celebrations will lead to spread is from The Guardian.

Carnival 2016 Around the World is a series of photos from The Atlantic.

Carnival 2017 Around the World is a photo gallery from The Atlantic.

Photos of Carnival 2018 Around the World is from The Atlantic.

THREE VIDEOS ABOUT BRAZIL’S CARNIVAL (YES, I KNOW IT’S EARLY)

Carnival in Venice 2019 is from The Atlantic.

For Mardi Gras, A Parade Celebrates Mexican Immigrants In New Orleans is from NPR.

Mardi Gras 101 is from CNN.

Here’s a photo gallery from The Atlantic.

Feedback, as always, is welcome.

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