Collection
Celebrating Holidays in the Classroom
Explore the origins, symbols, decorations, and foods of winter holidays observed around the world with these ready-to-use lesson plans and unit plans.
- Grades: PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5, 6–8
Holidays are a topic occupying the thoughts of children — and teachers — during much of the year, but especially during November and December. This theme can provide a wonderful opportunity to introduce students to customs and cultures that may be unfamiliar to them and to help them recognize festivals as communal celebrations of culture.
Through the following resources, students will be able to increase their awareness of the ways in which different cultures celebrate the holidays through the use of the Internet and teacher-recommended book lists, as well as express themselves creatively by making crafts and gifts..
And in the Celebrate Winter Holidays interactive unit, students can learn about holidays around the world and even send holiday eCards.
Included Here:
- Articles (7)
- Unit Plans (4)
Articles
Internet Field Trip: Holidays ’Round the World Wide Web
These Web sites provide information on the origins, symbols, music, and food of different holidays, including Chanukah, Christmas, Diwali, and Kwanzaa. Students can also exchange their traditions with classrooms from faraway places.
Do-it-Yourself Patchwork Gifts
Apply students'geometry skills with do-it-yourself patchwork gifts that incorporate tessellations, symmetry, and pattern-forming.
Winter Holidays
Bring families together with these easy projects that they can do together. Construct a dinner plate bar graph marking favorite holiday foods and decorate your classroom with a star-studded holiday global wish list.
Light Up the Season with Storytelling
Share these holiday read-alouds and storytelling techniques to pull your reluctant readers into a tale.
Time to Celebrate!
December Celebrations
Build a classroom library for the December holidays beginning with this list of titles. Compare the December holidays of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa with these exercises in Social Studies, Language Arts, and Art.
Fun Holiday Crafts
Create these easy-to-make holiday decorations and crafts, including a Hanukkah mobile, Kwanzaa cards, and more!
Unit Plans
Everybody Celebrates!
Connect world geography with celebrations by exposing your students to the seven principals of Kwanzaa and La Posada as it's celebrated in Mexico and Central America.
Let's Celebrate!
Giving
This unit lesson plan shows kids that they don't have to spend money to give a thoughtful gift for the winter holidays.
Different Ways We Celebrate
Students explore the concept of tradition by using graphic organizers and responding to writing prompts about holiday customs.
- Subjects:Christmas, Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa
