December HolidaysBy:

Thad CookCarrie Bradshaw

&Christy Corder

December Holidays

This lesson was created especially for the FIRST GRADE.

Goals

• It is important for children to be aware of all the different holidays celebrated around the world in the month of December.

• This lesson will teach the students to become less ethnocentric.

• This lesson will help the students appreciate the diversity of cultures and holidays around the world.

Objectives

• Students will:– Understand why each holiday is

celebrated– Understand where each holiday is

celebrated– Be able to identify the group of people

who celebrate each holiday– What each holiday means

Hanukkah• What is Hanukkah?

– It is an eight day festival of lights celebrating the return of the temple in Jerusalem.

• Who celebrates Hanukkah?– People of Jewish decent.

• When is Hanukkah?– In December usually close to Christmas.

• What is so special about Hanukkah?– It is a celebration of God’s faithfulness. – People receive presents for eight days.

Hanukkah Activities• Play dough Menorah

Materials: play dough, birthday candles, large candlesProcedure: Roll out piece of play dough and press to form base. Place large candle incenter and four small candles on each side of large.

• Candle puppetsMaterials: Toilet paper rolls, Popsicle sticks, foil, glue, scissors, markers, yellowconstruction paper

Procedure: Cover toilet paper roll with foil. Cut a flame shape out of paper and draw a face on it. Glue flame on end of the Popsicle stick. Insert stick in roll, old roll with one hand, make flame dance with other

Hanukkah Books

• Latkes and Applesauce

• The Chanukah Guest

• When the Hanukkah Candle Met the Christmas Star

Hanukkah Recipes• Potato Latkes

6-8 medium potatoes1/2 medium onion3 large eggs1/4 cup flourSalt and pepper to taste

Using a cheese grater or food processor, grate 6-8 potatoes to yield 6 cups. Drain off the extra liquid. Grate 1/2 onion. Mix the grated potatoes and onion with the eggs and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Preheat oil in a skillet and drop your batter by teaspoonfuls into the hot oil. Fry until brown on the edges, then flip and fry the other side. Serve while still warm. Warm latkes and cold milk will satisfy the vegetable and milk requirements at snack time. This recipe will serve 8 school children or 12 preschool children.

Hanukkah Recipes

• Tasty MenorahsMaterials: Bread, cream cheese or butter, carrot sticks, pretzel sticks, raisinsProcedure: Spread bread with cream cheese or butter, arrange 8 pretzels as candles andcarrot stick as large candle in center. Use raisins as flames at ends of carrot and pretzel sticks.

Christmas

• What is Christmas?– The celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

• Who celebrates Christmas?– Christians

• When is Christmas?– December 25th

• What is so special about Christmas?– Giving and receiving, being with family and

friends.

Christmas Activities

• Making paper stockings Procedure: The children trace a tagboard

stocking tracer onto red construction paper, glue on some cotton at the top, write their name in glue

and sprinkle glitter on it. • Gingerbread houses Procedure: Arrange graham crackers in the

shape of a house. Use icing to keep them together. Decorate with licorice, gum drops, colored icing, m&m’s, peppermints, and candy canes.

Christmas Books

• The Night Before Christmas • The Polar Express• How the Grinch Stole Christmas• The Christmas Story• Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer• A Christmas Mouse

Christmas Recipes

• Sugar Cookies- Sugar, margarine, eggs, milk, baking powder, flour vanilla flavor, and a dash of salt.- Make dough, roll out, cut cookies and bake!

• Cranberry Nut Cake- Shortening, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, milk, chopped cranberries, and chopped pecans.

Kwanzaa• What is Kwanzaa?

– A spiritual, festive, and joyous celebration of the goodness of life.

• Who celebrates Kwanzaa?– African-Americans

• When is Kwanzaa?– December26th – January 1st

• Why is Kwanzaa so special?– Each day of celebration represents a different

principle of Kwanzaa. It is a way of life, not just a celebration.

Kwanzaa Activities

• Making mkekas (placemats). We weave placemats using black construction paper and strips of green and red paper. We eat on our mkekas at our holiday party.

• Students will be able to explain some of the symbols of Kwanzaa.

• Students will demonstrate their understanding of Kwanzaa by making a book about what they have learned.

Kwanzaa Books• Imani's Gift at Kwanzaa• K is for Kwanzaa• It’s Kwanzaa Time!• The Gifts of Kwanzaa• Seven Candles for Kwanzaa• The Story of Kwanzaa• Kwanzaa arvest

The Complete Kwanzaa : Celebrating Our Cultural Harvest My First Kwanzaa Book The Children's Book of Kwanzaa : A Guide to Celebrating the Holiday The Children's Book of Kwanzaa : A Guide to Celebrating the Holiday

Kwanzaa RecipesBanana Fritters4 tablespoons of sugar1 cup all purpose flour2 eggs2/3 c. Milk1 very ripe banana-peeled and mashedNeed: Deep fryer, a bowl ,fork and paper towelsProcedure:1. Mix sugar and flour, then add eggs and milk.2. Blend in the banana.3. Form the mixture into thick patties, or fritters.4. Deep-fry the fritters at 375' for three minutes. (Warning: Be very careful of the danger of hot-oil spills and splashes.) Remove the fritters when they are a golden brown.5. Drain the fritters on a paper towel and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Delicious!

Assessment

• December Holiday Book-Materials: books, crayons, markers, drawing paper, glue, and scissors

-Procedures: Each child will pick their favorite thing about each of the three holidays. We will then create a book with a chapter for each holiday for the class.

Helpful Websites

• http://www.lessonplanpage.com/• http://www.lessonplanz.com/• http://www.teachernet.com/• http://www.melanet.com/• http://www.chosenpeople.com/• http://www.eduhound.com/• http://www.holidays.net/