Christmas Around the World Part Two
In December I love to take my students on a world tour, discussing how holidays are celebrated in different countries and cultures. In Part One we traveled to Germany, Australia, Russia, Denmark, Spain, England, France, South Africa, Ghana, Liberia, Ethiopia, Canada, and Greece. Now the world tour continues! (Find more with Part One and Part Three )
India
Most people in India are not Christians, they are Hindu or Islamic. However, there are Christians in India who celebrate the holiday. The following picture books are not Christmas books, but they are great books about Indian art and culture!
Lamps are an important part of both Christmas and Diwali celebrations in India, so while visiting the country each child makes his/her own little lamp and plays a game that practices greater than, less than, and equal to.
Sweden
In Sweden, not only do children celebrate Christmas, they also celebrate St. Lucia Day!
While in Sweden we practice composing and decomposing numbers with Swedish buns, practice reading nonsense words as we gather lights and stars, and we make St. Lucia wreaths for the girls and Star Boy hats for the boys.
United States
The United States of America is the home of the beloved Christmas story, The Night Before Christmas, so we definitely need to have a reading of the story while there! I also love sharing the Christmas songs from "Super Simple Songs" with the students while in the United States. The children love these fun and active tunes!
Also in the United States, we practice blending phonemes, or switch the skill to segmenting while decorating a tree, we read sight words to the tune of jingle bells, and make Christmas gifts for the children to give to Moms and Dads.
Bahamas
Next it's time to head off to the ocean. We head to the Bahamas and the Christmas carnival parade: the Junkanoo!
While in the Bahamas, we practice producing and expanding complete sentences and then the children make a "starfish" ornament to hand on their Christmas tree.
Peru
Now we're in Peru, which has it's own winter holiday called the "Festival of the Sun". However, since Peru's seasons are opposite ours, they celebrate their winter holiday in June! During Christmas time it is warm in Peru, and so part of their Christmas celebration is a huge fireworks show.
While in Peru we practice classifying and sorting, practice reading sight words, and then make a yummy Panettone snack.
Israel
Israel is a very special place to those who celebrate Christmas, because this country is the place where Jesus Christ was born. However, though there are Christians in Israel, most of the people in the country are celebrating Hanukah.
While in Israel we practice decoding words while walking to Bethlehem and make a shining Christmas star.
Mexico
Mexico is home to a beautiful Christmas procession that occurs on December 16 called Las Posadas. It is also home to the Christmas flower La Flor de Nochebuena or the poinsettia.
One activity I love to do with my students while in Mexico is to break a piñata. You can purchase a piñata or make one out of a brown paper grocery bag. I love to use this song by Nancy Stewart to teach the children about the piñata. I love all of Nancy's songs, and you can find more information on this song at her website.
In Mexico we make poinsettias and practice recognizing the letters of the alphabet.
China
Most Chinese citizens are not Christian, but there are Christmas celebrations in large urban centers of China. Chinese New Year is a much larger holiday in this country.
While in China we practice writing letters and the students make Chinese lanterns.
Italy
Italy is home to the Christmas witch La Befana whose story is told in typically beautiful fashion by Tomie De Paola.
In Italy, students practice substituting sounds with La Befana and make an Italian ceppo.
Scotland
Our last stop is Scotland, where Christmas was banned until 1958 and is now celebrated in a quiet fashion.
Here we practice number names with some mischievous elves and make a shape elf.
You can find all of these activities in our Christmas World Tour Part Two packet and supplementary materials in our Christmas Around The World Scrapbook. Both are available here and at our Teachers Pay Teachers Store. Here is an overview planning sheet that is included and shows everything that is included.
Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!
Description
Christmas Around The World Thematic Unit. Teach across the curriculum!
Part One of our Christmas Around the World Thematic Unit is filled with time-tested, quality activities that are strategically linked to Core Standards. It is divided into areas of literature, music, art, literacy, math, social studies, creative writing, word wall, and guided reading.
Part One Features The Countries of:
Germany
Australia
Russia
Denmark
Spain
England
France
Africa
Canada
Greece
The activities include:
Literacy Activities
Germany: Reading Sight Words
Australia: Surfing Santa: Segmenting Words
Russia: Land of the Sweets: Comprehension
France: Le Reveillon: Rhyming
Greece: St. Nicholas’ Boats: Naming Sounds
Greece: Nonsense Word Fluency
Italy: Befana’s Toys: Changing Initial Sounds to Make New Words
Math Activities
German Advent Calendar: Solving Problems Using Mental Math Strategies.
Denmark: Nisse The Elf: Subtraction
Africa: Candle, Candle: Decomposing Numbers
Canada: Tree Delivery: Making Combinations for 10
Spain: Spanish Shoes: Writing Numbers
England: Stocking Stuffing: Counting Objects For a Given Number
Songs and Fingerplays
Germany: O Tannenbaum
Australia: Six White Boomers
Denmark: Ten Little Gnomes
Spain: Navidad
Art Projects
Germany: Star Christmas Countdown
Russia: Nesting Dolls/Nutcracker
Denmark: Danish Christmas Heart
Spain: Balthazar & the Wise Men
Africa: Candle Art
Canada: Strip Christmas Tree
England: Christmas Cards
France: Christmas Santons
Greece: Christmas Fishing Boat
Kitchen
Australia: Pavlova
Writing
Country Word Walls
Guided Reading
Christmas Friends: Sight Word Reader
Class-Made Book: Around the World
BONUS: Find more ideas and supporting books, videos, and songs here: http://www.kindergartenkiosk.com/kindergartenkiosk/12/2/christmas-around-the-world
© Kathy Crane
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Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!
Christmas Around The World Thematic Unit. Teach across the curriculum!
Part One of our Christmas Around the World Thematic Unit is filled with time-tested, quality activities that are strategically linked to Core Standards. It is divided into areas of literature, music, art, literacy, math, social studies, creative writing, word wall, and guided reading.
Part Two Features The Countries of:
India
Sweden
United States of America
Bahamas
Peru
Israel
Mexico
China
Italy
Scotland
The activities include:
Literacy Activities
Sweden: St. Lucia Reading Nonsens Words
USA: Decorate Away: Blending Phonemes
USA: Decorate Away: Blending Phonemes or Phoneme Segmentation
Bahamas: Junkanoo: Using Common Nouns in Complete Sentences
Israel: Identifying Letters or Decoding Words
Italy: Befana’s Toys: Changing Initial Sounds to Make New Words
Mexico: Poinsettia Race: Naming Letters Quickly
China: Christmas Lanterns: Writing Alphabet Letters
Math Activities
India: Diwali Day: Identifying and Comparing Numbers
Sweden: St. Lucia Day Deliveries: Composing Teen Numbers.
Peru: Fiesta de Navidad: Classifying and Sorting Objects
Scotland: The Mischievous Elves: Identifying Numbers
Songs and Fingerplays
India: Little Clay Lamp
Sweden: Lucia Day
USA: Ring Your Bells
Peru: Fiestas de Navidad
Art Projects
India: Clay Lamp
Sweden: Star Hats, St. Lucia Wreaths
USA: A Gift for Mom & Dad
Bahamas: Starfish Santa
Israel: My Star
Italy: My Ceppo
Mexico: Poinsettia Construct
Scotland: Shape Elf
Kitchen
Australia: Pavlova
Peru: Panettone
Writing
Country Word Walls
Guided Reading
Around The World: Sight Word Reader
Class-Made Book: Around the World
© Kathy Crane
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Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!
Christmas Around the World Scrapbook enhances the memories of Christmas Around The World Activities and reinforces researching key details. Complete the scrapbook, and then bind into an around the world memento.
This product contains:
An full-color informational card for each country
Two Scrapbook Cover Options: Color or Black and White
A Scrapbook Page for each of the 20 countries Found in our Christmas World Tour Thematic Units.
A Culminating Scrapbook Craft to include into the scrapbook.
An original song adaptation of Let There Be Peace On Earth to sing with your students and include in the scrapbook.
Countries Include
Germany
Australia
Russia
Denmark
Spain
England
France
Africa
Canada
Greece
India
Sweden
United States of America
Bahamas
Peru
Israel
Mexico
China
Italy
Scotland
Norway
© Kathy Crane
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Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!
Holidays around the World Thematic Cross-Curricular Activities takes a look at multi-cultural celebrations that are held in the Winter months. It is filled with time-tested, quality activities that are strategically linked to Core Standards. It is divided into areas of literature, music, art, literacy, math, social studies, creative writing, word wall, and guided reading.
Part Three Features:
Eid
Kwanzaa
Hanukkah
Diwali
The activities include:
Literacy Lessons
Eid: Reading Sight Words
Eid Variation: Reading Alphabet letters
Happy Kwanzaa: Reading Nonsense Words
Spin the Dreidel: Naming Alphabet Letters
Spin the Dreidel Variation: Decoding CVC Words
Follow the Lamps: Blending and Segmenting Words
Art Projects
Eid: Crescent Moon
Kwanzaa: Kinara
Hanukkah: Star of David
Hanukkah: My Menorah
Diwali: Rangoli
Scrapbook Pages:
Eid
Kwanzaa
Hanukkah
Diwali
Songs/Fingerplays
Eid
Kwanzaa
The Dreidel Song
Diwali is Here
© Kathy Crane
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Here's what people are saying about this unit:
“What a lot of work! Worth every penny. Thanks!”
“I bought part 1 last year and loved it, so I got part 2 this year to add to my unit and combine with others I had found. Loved it!”