Christmas Around the World  This technology-based lesson allows students to use the Internet as a research tool to locate information about different Christmas celebrations around the world.  By discovering the way the world celebrates, students have an opportunity to learn about tolerance.

Become a Thanksgiving Historian  Students may be surprised to find out that some ideas they have about the history of Thanksgiving are actually myths.  In this lesson students become a true "Thanksgiving historian" by completing a Venn diagram about the Wampanoag people and the Pilgrims with information acquired through Internet searches.

Holiday Celebrations
This lesson involves the students in learning about the holidays: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and las posadas. The students will learn about each holiday and create a holiday of their own from some important details they learned about each holiday. They will work in partners on the computer and share the ideas with the class or with their cooperative/small group. The students will each present their own holiday to the class and create a project about their holiday using Kid Pix or another computer program.

Thanksgiving WebQuest
Students will function as  history detectives to determine what is true (factual) and what is  myth (not correct) about the First Thanksgiving.

Traditions at Home and Around the World  Each student will research his/her own family traditions and report findings to the class using presentation software.  In partner groups, students will select a country to research.  Their research will focus on traditions of a chosen country and will be compiled in brochure format.

Beyond Turkey: Pilgrim projects for Thanksgiving.

Celebrations Around the World: Information on several holidays and how they are celebrated in various countries.

A to Z Teacher Stuff Holiday Themes  Links to lesson plans, printables, thematic units, activities.  Organized by theme, subject, and grade levels.

Holiday Facts and Fun: A Multicultural Christmas:  The spirit of a favorite holiday's underlying message - love and joy - is enhanced by the unique presentation featuring Northern European, African-American, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian youngsters explaining family and ethnic customs associated with their celebrations.  Short video from United Streaming.

Holiday Facts and fun: Cinco de Mayo:  At a special assembly, performers from San Antonio's famed Guadalupe Cultural Center present a pageant that explains the historical significance of Cinco de Mayo.  Short video from United Streaming.

Holiday Facts and Fun: Hanukkah:  This program explains why Hanukkah is an eight-day celebration of religious freedom.  Short video from United Streaming.

Holiday Facts and Fun: St. Patrick's Day:  St. Patrick's Day, celebrated by the Irish and admirers of Irish culture, is shown in all its glory, with parades, dances, and special programs.  Short video from United Streaming.

Holiday Facts and Fun: Thanksgiving  In this colorful presentation, children learn interesting facts, including how harvest festivals are celebrated in various places around the world.  Short video from United Streaming.

Holiday Facts and Fun: Valentine's Day:  Why do we send cards and flowers to loved ones on Valentine's Day? Who is Dan Cupid, and why does he shoot arrows at unsuspecting victims? Why is the red heart a symbol of love? These and many other questions are answered in this light-hearted, fact-filled look at one of our favorite holidays.  Short video from United Streaming.

Holiday Facts and Fun: Presidents' Day:  With the help of a colonial Presidential crier children come to understand why we celebrate Presidents' Day and what makes it so special.  Short video from United Streaming.

Suggestions for English Language Learners: 
(E/B=Entering/Beginning, D=Developing, E=Expanding)

(E/B) Students match vocabulary pictures with illustrated holidays.
(E/B) Students sort vocabulary, pictures, or phrases according to holidays.
(D) Students find explicit information about holidays from text and visual sources.
(E) Students interpret explicit information about holidays from visual sources.
(E/B, D, E) Students look at pictures from different times and places in history to compare. 
(E/B, D, E) Students draw pictures of their family’s traditions and identify how American student’s culture is different from their own.
(E/B, D, E) Students bring in artifacts from their culture for everyone to review.
(E/B, D, E) Students explore all the different cultures in the classroom before the school year is over.

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