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SHOW STUDY GUIDE FOR:

Book by Noah Putterman

Music and Lyrics by David Christensen & Luke Holloway

Study guide prepared by: Jennie Lynn Godfrey, Noah Putterman, and the Casa Mañana Performing Arts Conservatory

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Table of Contents

Theatre Terminology...3

The Theatre ABCs...3

About Casa Mañana...4

FAQ...4

Show Synopsis...5

Pre-show Questions...6

Project 1: Compare and Contrast Holidays...7

Project 2: Holiday Scrapbooks...8

Project 3: A Different View...9

Project 4: Your Own Holiday...10

Project 5: Holidays Around the Globe...11

Project 6: Your Own Santa Clause...13

Project 7: Homophones...14

Project 8: Write A Letter...15

Project 9: Santa.com...16

Project 10: Act It Out...17

Contact Information...18

Resources...19

Theatre Terminology

Actor: The people who use their imaginations

to bring a character to life on stage.

Blackout: Before the beginning of a show, the

lights on stage and in the audience all go out.

Don’t worry, they will come back on very

quickly!

Box Office: Tickets are sold at the box

office.

Character: A person, animal or figure in a

story.

Choreographer: The person who creates and

teaches the dance moves to the actors.

Costumes: The clothing the actors wear on

stage.

Designer: The people who create the look and

sound of the show.

Director: The person with the vision for the

show. He oversees the entire production.

Music Director: The person who teaches the

music to the actors and helps them sound

great!

Prop: Something an actor carries or uses on

stage.

Set: The structures that create the physical

environment of the production.

Stage Crew: The people who help backstage.

The stage crew might move sets or help with

costumes.

Stage Manager: This is the supervisor of the

actors, designers, and stage crew. She helps

everyone stay organized and informed of the

many parts of the creative process!

The ABCs of Being a Great Audience Member

Applaud!

When the show finishes and the actors

come on stage to take their bows,

make sure to applaud for their hard

work. If you like something during the

show, it’s OK to give a short round of

applause, too.

Be respectful!

Everyone’s attention should be on the

actors on stage. To help with this,

make sure not to talk to the people

around you, kick the seat in front of

you, or stand up during the show.

Cooperate with the actors.

Sometimes, the actors need YOUR

help to tell the story. If they ask the

audience a question, go ahead and

answer! Also, feel free to laugh if

something is funny—the actors LOVE

honest laughter.

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About Casa Mañana

You are visiting Fort Worth’s oldest, most famous live theater! Casa

Mañana began bringing live Broadway musicals to the area in 1936, but

it looked a lot different from today. The original building was open-air,

had a revolving stage surrounded by a moat and fountains, and seated

4,000 guests!

This incredible building was unfortunately torn down, and the current

geodesic dome was built in 1958. Casa Mañana was one of the country’s

first theatres to produce theatre for young audiences through its

Children’s Playhouse. It was also a pioneer in the field of theatre

education and continues to be a well-respected theatre school.

Casa Mañana has brought in many famous performers and tours of

popular musical theatre productions. Today, the organization produces

its own shows, which means it uses its own creative team to create the

look and feel of a show.

The theater holds over 1,000 people and is a thrust stage, which means

that the audience can sit on three sides of the stage. At one time, the

stage was in the round, which meant that people could sit on all sides of

the stage to watch the show!

Frequently Asked Questions What do we do when we arrive?

Students will line up in the lobby near a

colorful sign with your group’s name on

it. Your field trip coordinator should

check in and pay any remaining

balances at the concessions stand. An

usher will escort you to assigned seating

starting about 30 minutes before the

show begins.

What do we do afterwards?

Make sure to get your bus driver’s

contact information! They will be waiting

for you outside in front of the building,

and busses will load in the order that

they are lined up.

Does Casa Mañana sell concessions

or merchandise?

Not during our school shows. Come to a

weekend performance to purchase

souvenirs!

Can we take pictures?

Pictures may be taken outside or in the

lobby, but not during the show!

Show Synopsis

It’s Christmas Eve, and Santa has an important

announcement—it’s his last Christmas! He’s handing

over the reins to someone else who will have to be

Santa for the next 1000 years...at least.

Who will Santa choose? Henchy the Elf thinks he’s a

perfect fit for the role, but Santa chooses a surprised

dad, Nick, who is not sure he’s up for the job. But his

daughter, Bee, knows he can do it.

Henchy sets himself on a mission to show Santa that

Nick is not the right choice for the job, and he is thrilled

watching Nick struggle learning all of the skills it takes to

become “Jolly Ol’ St. Nick.” Henchy finally comes up

with a plan that might just be the one to usurp the new

Father Christmas.

Unfortunately, the brilliant plan backfires in a way that

puts every child’s Christmas in jeopardy! Will the folks in

the North Pole be able to rescue this ho-ho-holiday

disaster?

With fun dance numbers, a heartwarming story, and

plenty of Christmas cheer, this is sure to be a crowd

pleaser for kids of all ages.

This original script was written by Noah Putterman, and

its first appearance is at Casa Mañana, Fort Worth, TX

in November and December, 2016.

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Pre Show Questions

Ask students to make predictions about

the play they’re going to see based upon

what they know about Santa Claus and

Christmas.

Besides Santa, what other characters do you expect to see?

How do you imagine the scenery, costumes and props?

Do you think that there will be music? If so, how will it sound?

Actors do a lot of things to change themselves into their characters. Have

students brainstorm ways they think the characters will be portrayed by the

actors. Remind them to consider techniques such as movement, voice,

costume and makeup.

Some people do not celebrate Christmas. Ask your students to share if they

celebrate a winter holiday or to share if they do not celebrate holidays with

their families because of cultural or religious beliefs. If there are students

who do not celebrate Christmas, have someone share what they know

about Santa and Christmas. Other students may also share what they do for

their winter holiday.

Some characters in this story go through many big changes, both in their

physical appearance and in their attitude. Think about yourself and how you

have changed throughout the years. What are some ways you or your life

are similar to your life as a baby? A toddler? A preschooler?

What do you think you will see at the theatre? Why do you think that is an

important item to have at a theatre? Remember this is LIVE theatre, not a

movie!

Curriculum Connections:

ELA: Comparisons

Social Studies: Holidays

around the world

Objectives:

Students will learn basic

information on holidays

around the world. They

will compare and contrast

two holidays.

Materials:

Winter Holidays sheet

Compare Two Holidays

sheets for each child.

Project 1:

Compare and Contrast Holidays

1. Have students read aloud from the “Winter

Holidays” sheet from Scholastic, included in the

Resources Section of this guide. Or, watch

videos about different holidays on the PBS

Learning website, found here: http://

www.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/holidays/?

topic_id=1730

2. Then print out and share copies of Compare Two

Holidays. Ask students to choose two winter

holidays and compare important facts about

them. This printable asks students to answer the

following questions about each holiday:

3. Why do people celebrate this holiday?

4. When does this holiday take place?

5. Who celebrates this holiday?

6. Where is this holiday celebrated — in one

country or many countries?

7. How do people celebrate? Describe a popular

tradition.

8. What are some important symbols of this

holiday?

9. Share one more interesting fact about the

holiday.

10.When they've completed the printable, have

them share important differences and similarities

between their holidays with a partner.

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/celebrate-winter-holidays-teachers-guide

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Project 2: Holiday Scrapbooks

Students have the opportunity to share with one another how they celebrate

the holidays or other important days in the lives of their families with this fun

activity!

1. Send a note home to parents asking them to send a few holiday pictures to

school with their child. Make sure to let them know that the pictures will

be cut up for a scrapbook, so suggest sending copies of favorite pictures.

2. Gather together stickers, fun colored paper cut outs, markers, washi tape,

and other decorative items.

3. Give each child a piece of cardstock that will become the back of their

scrapbook page. It doesn’t matter the size as long as everyone’s page size

is the same.

4. Students decorate their scrapbook pages and write notes about their

favorite holiday memories or who is in their pictures.

5. Bind all of the scrapbook pages together. You can make this as simple or

fancy as you would like—either use a hole-punch and some string to bind

them together, use a binder or find a cute scrapbook to fill with the pages!

6. This scrapbook is great to set out at open houses!

Curriculum Connections:

Art– Mixed media,

designing layouts, and

art as a means of

communication

Social Studies—

Comparing holidays,

learning about

differences among

people

Objectives:

Students will create a

class scrapbook

showing how they

celebrate their winter

holidays.

Materials:

Pictures from child’s

home

Scrapbook pages

Scissors

Glue

Various paper or sticker

decorations

Scrapbook OR string

and 3-hole punch

Curriculum Connections:

Social Studies—personal interviews,

multiple perspectives, cultures around

the world, oral narratives

ELA—writing and recording personal

narratives, oral narratives, reporting/

journalism

Objectives:

Students will interview and report on an

individual’s experience of their winter

holiday.

Materials:

Paper and pen, or other recording

device.

Young students may benefit from having

a few “special guests” visit their

classroom rather than setting up their

own interviews.

Project 3: A Different View

What was it like to celebrate Hanukkah during

World War II? What is it like to fast during

Ramadan? Invite your students to participate in

an oral history project to get a unique first-hand

look at a holiday. They could interview

someone about how holidays were celebrated

in the past or about a holiday from another

religion or culture. They might interview a

relative, a neighbor, or someone from their

community, like a member of a place of

worship. Once they have chosen their topic

and set up the interview, they should develop a

set of questions. Encourage them to think

about all aspects of a holiday, from rituals and

symbols to favorite foods and songs. Share

these tips for their interview:

1. Write down your questions beforehand.

Make sure you know what you want to ask,

but don't be afraid to ask follow-up

questions during your interview.

2. Come prepared. Research basic

information about the holiday or time period

before the interview. After all, this is your

chance to hear about someone's personal

experiences so don't ask questions you can

find in book!

3. Listen carefully. Even if you use a tape

recorder, write down the most important

facts.

4. Say thank you! Always follow up with a

thank-you note. And it's nice to share your

interview with the person too.

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Project 4: Your Own Holiday

Holidays often begin as a way to remember and celebrate someone or

something important. Often the development of a holiday as a

recognized day in the year takes years to become established, but you

are going to get the chance to create your very own holiday!

1. Think of something important to you. It could be a person (Martin

Luther King, Jr. Day), a time of year (Winter Solstice), an event

(Easter), or even something seemingly everyday (National Donut

Day).

2. Declare this person or thing a holiday, and name your holiday!

3. What date in the calendar year is your holiday on?

4. What would people do to celebrate your holiday?

5. Why do you think that this holiday should be important to other

people?

6. Decorate a card that you would give to someone else on this holiday,

and make sure to create a personal note inside!

7. Share your holiday with your classmates, and give or send your card

to someone in your class!

Curriculum

Connections:

ELA—creative writing

Objectives:

Students will create

their own holiday and

design ways to

celebrate this holiday.

Materials:

Paper and pencil

Construction paper

Markers

Scissors

Glue

Curriculum Connections:

Social Studies—holidays around the

world

Objectives:

Students will learn about 5 different

countries and the winter holidays they

celebrate.

Mexico: Students will make piñatas

to burst during their reenactment

of the traditional Posadas party.

Sweden: Students will role-play

Santa Lucia Day while wearing self

made wreaths with candles.

Africa: Students will eat their

homemade Kinaras on self-made

woven placemats, which they made

out of traditional Kwanzaa colors.

Israel: Students will make and play

a game with their self-made

dreidels. Students will make

Latkes.

America: Students will decorate a

Christmas tree, make Christmas cards,

and go Christmas caroling.

Materials:

Mexico: Balloons, newspaper, glue,

candy

Sweden: sweet roll recipe, hot

chocolate, and materials to make a

wreath with candles

Africa: red, green, and black

construction paper, bread, cream

cheese, carrots and raisins

Israel: Dreidel pattern, potatoes and

grater to make Latkes.

American: Christmas tree, construction

paper for cards, Christmas songs for

caroling

Project 5: Holidays Around the Globe

Denise Todd from Hot Chalk Lesson Plans walks us through how

she teaches her young students about holidays around the globe

in this fun, interactive lesson series.

She writes:

I put on my “magic shoes” that I wear when we want to pretend. I

asked the students to get on the magic carpet and hold on

because we were going on a trip around the world to see how

other people celebrate Winter Holidays.

Our first stop was Mexico:

We read the book “Nine Days to Christmas” by Maria Hall. We

learned that in Mexico, they start celebrating nine days before

Christmas Day. This commemorates the journey of Mary and

Joseph to Bethlehem and their search for lodging. We discovered

one of their most colorful traditions is the Posadas party. It is

celebrated every night from December 16th to December 24th.

Families seek shelter at their neighbors. They are told there is no

room for them because they are already full just like Mary and

Joseph. As they turn away, they are told to come in. then they

have a party.

We made piñatas. We used blown up balloons and covered them

with strips of newspaper dipped in a flour and water mixture. After

our piñatas were dry, we painted them and filled them with candy.

The students acted out the story by going to the other classrooms

to ask for lodging. I had asked the other teachers to say they did

not have room for us so we moved on to the next room. No one

had room for us. The aide waited for us in our room. When we

returned to our classroom, we asked the aide if there was room,

for us. She welcomed us in and already had things ready for our

Posadas party.

During the party, students burst their piñatas. We had a special

punch that was made from an old Mexican family recipe.

The next day, we were off to Sweden:

We started on our magic carpet by reading about Christmas in Sweden. We found that in Sweden, they celebrate Santa Lucia Day. Santa Lucia was a little girl that was a Christian. Christianity was against the law in Sweden at this time. When Santa Lucia’s mother became ill, she prayed for her mother. Her mother got better the government found out and had her condemned to death. Santa Lucia Day is celebrated in honor of this little girl’s faith. (continue to next page).

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Sweden celebrates Santa Lucia Day by having the oldest girl in each family dress in a white robe and wears a wreath of lighted candles and leaves. The girl wakes up her family and serves them sweet rolls and hot chocolate.

We made a wreath with candles and leaves on it. We made sweet rolls and hot chocolate. We wore our wreaths on our heads while serving each other sweet rolls and hot chocolate.

The next morning, we traveled to Africa:

We read “My First Kwanzaa” by Deborah M. Newton Chocolate. We found that African-American families in the United States celebrate Kwanzaa. They celebrate from December 26th until January 1st. for seven days; they celebrate African harvest culture and the joy of being a family.

Family members wear brightly colored clothes in honor of the occasion. They fly a red, green, and black flag. The family works together stringing beads of bright colors. There is a family reunion, and on the last day of Kwanzaa, they share gifts.

They have a kinara, which is a candleholder. It holds seven candles. Each day another candle is lit during the seven-day celebration. The candles represent cherished principles of the Kwanzaa celebration.

We made woven placemats out of the colors on the kinara (green, red, and black). Then we made a kinara using bread, cream cheese, carrots, and raisins. Students enjoyed eating their snack on their placemats.

The next day, we were on our way to Israel:

We were ready to learn about Hanukkah. We learned that Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday. Its roots came from Israel. Some people call Hanukkah “The Festival of Lights”. The title of our book was “Light the Light!” by Margaret Moorman.

We found the holiday is honored for eight days sometime between November and December. Each day for eight days, a candle is lit on a menorah. After lighting the menorah, the Jewish families play games and exchange gifts. Their children enjoy playing with a dreidel. One of their favorite snacks is called Latkes which is what we call potato cakes in America.

Students made a dreidel, which is a four-sided top that players take turns spinning and collecting bean seeds. The player that collects all the seeds is the winner. Students enjoyed making and playing the game. For our snack, we made Latkes.

The next morning, we made our way back to America:

We started our American traditions by decorating our Christmas tree. We then made Christmas cards and practiced songs for caroling. Students sewed their own elf hats that they wore to carol around school. After singing, we presented everyone with one of our homemade Christmas cards. We made gifts for our parents and wrapped them in homemade gift paper. We made gingerbread men cookies and shared gifts with the classroom.

Project 6: Your Own Santa Clause

In the musical, the elves learn Santa Claus Clause 46: “When such

time comes that Santa Claus has served no less than one thousand

years, he may choose to relinquish his position.”

And Punchy teaches us that a clause is term meaning “a particular

and separate article, stipulation, or proviso in a treaty, bill, or

contract.” That’s kind of like a fancy way of saying that a clause

is a small promise inside of a much bigger promise!

Imagine that you had to make a big promise, or a contract, to

become Santa Claus.

Make a list of 5-10 clauses, or smaller promises, someone would

have to make to be the very best Santa he could be.

Examples of your clauses could be:

Santa will always remain loving and kind

Santa will eat at least one cookie each day

If a child is without a home, Santa will still find a

way to give the child gifts

Share your list with a few friends and ask each other:

Why was this clause important to you?

What would happen if this clause was not in the

Santa Claus agreement?

How would you know that Santa was keeping his

promise in this clause? What would he do to show

you that he is being successful?

Curriculum Connections:

ELA—creative writing

Objectives:

Students will create and

share the aspects they feel

would make a great Santa

Claus.

Materials:

Paper and pencil

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Curriculum Connections:

ELA—homophones, creative writing

Objectives:

Students will learn and identify

homophones.

Materials:

YouTube homophone video or similar

video about homophones

Paper and pencil

Project 7: Homophones

One funny moment in the play is when Punchy the Elf says, “There’s no Santa clause!” The other elves are shocked because they heard a word, clause, that is a homophone. If they had READ what he said and not HEARD it, they would have seen that Punchy was using the word “clause” and not the name “Claus.”

This activity helps students learn about homophones.

1. Without showing students the word in print,

say, “Can anyone tell me the meaning of the word won (or too)? What else do you need to

know before you can tell me the meaning of the word?” (You need to see the word written down

or hear it in a sentence.) “Why do you need more information in order to spell some words

correctly?” (Because some words sound the same but are spelled differently.)

2. Show your students a fun homophone song,

like this one from the Weatherford Institute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJUqJyX5NSA

3. Introduce the vocabulary word,

“homophone” by seeing if they can interpret what it means based on what they saw on the

video. Help them come to the understanding that homophones are words that sound the

same but they mean different things and have different spellings.

4. Create a list as a class of homophones and

write then on the board. A large list can be found in the resources section of this guide.

5. Now, students get the opportunity to make

their own tricky homophone sentences! Students write 1-3 sentences or jokes showing

how tricky homophones can be. A classic example is the joke, “Why was six afraid of

seven? Because seven ate (eight) nine!” The above video has lots of great examples as well.

6. Students get with a partner to share their

sentences or jokes, and then the class can share out their favorites.

Project 8: Write a Letter

Many children who celebrate Christmas write a letter

to Santa Claus detailing the gifts they hope to receive

for Christmas. Did you know that you can also write a

letter to your local Congressman, Mayor, Senator, and

even to the President of the United States to tell them

about an important change you want to see?

As an example, if you are concerned about the

environment in your city you can write a letter to the

mayor to bring her attention to the situation. You could

even offer a suggested solution!

Mail your letter to your recipient, making sure to

address the envelope properly if you are choosing to

send the letter through the US mail. Some government

officials can be contacted through email. Addresses

can be found online:

Senators:

http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/

House of Representatives:

http://www.contactingthecongress.org/

Mayors:

Do an internet search for your city’s website

Curriculum Connections:

ELA—Persuasive writing

Social Studies—US Senate,

House of Representatives,

democracy, government

officals.

Objectives:

The student will write a

letter to her government

official, addressing a

concern.

Materials:

Paper, pen, envelope,

stamp

OR

Access to a computer with

internet

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Project 9: Santa.com

Bee comes up with a great idea to help bring Santa’s operations

into the 21st century—she suggests building a website where

children can write their wish lists! In this activity, students

get the same chance to make a website that they think will be

helpful for others to use.

1. As a class, brainstorm several problems that they might

encounter on a regular basis. Let them think outside of the

box during brainstorming. They can list everything from “I

have to do my homework” to “I can’t tie my shoes” to “My

sister always uses my clothes.”

2. Vote on which problem sounds like an interesting one to

solve.

3. Now brainstorm possible solutions that they might try to

solve their problem. Guide their thinking to tangible things

that might be put on a website, such as a retail site where

their sister can buy the same shirt she is always stealing.

4. Following a writing project planning web (an example is

found in the resources section), create topic tabs

(subtopics from the main website idea) and the different

features you would like in each of the topic tabs. For our

clothing store idea, maybe you have a “Store” tab that

offers a section with a catalogue and a section where

sisters can post their wish lists.

5. Once your class has come up with an outline, you can see it

in action by using the website http://

kidswebsitecreator.com/ to build their websites online.

6. Share your site with parents and admin, and hopefully you

will get several hits to show kids how they can easily make

their ideas into reality!

Curriculum Connections:

Science—Problem solving,

computer science

Art—Website design

ELA—Brainstorming and

outlining

Objectives:

Students will identify and

address a common problem

and offer solutions for this

problem through a website.

Materials:

Writing project planning web

Computer with internet

access

Curriculum Connections:

ELA—Plot, Character

Theatre—Movement, tableau

Objectives:

To work as a group to recreate plot

points of Santa Claus

Materials:

None

Project 10: Act It Out

A tableau is when actors stand in

frozen, silent “pictures,” showing

different parts of a story, like the

kids in the photo above.

In a group of three to five, think of

an event in the plot of Santa Claus.

Each of you decide which character

you will be, and create a tableau of

that event. See if your classmates

can guess which event you are trying

to show! Remember – a tableau does

not move or make sounds!

Contact Us

Give us a call for more information

about theatre education classes,

camps, and programs.

Casa Mañana

3101 W Lancaster Ave

Fort Worth, TX 76107

(817)321-5040

education@casaMañana.org

Visit us on the web at

www.casaMañana.org/education

A Note from Casa Mañana’s Education Department Thank you so much for using this study guide and for choosing Casa

Mañana as your field trip destination! We strive to offer the best theatre for

young audiences and the best in theatre education, and we value your

input. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or suggestions you

may have.

If you have dramatic students you think might be a fit for the stage, Casa

offers many programs to nurture such talent! We offer a full range of

theatre performance classes for students ages 3-18, summer camps, and

an apprentice program for ages 14-19. Contact the education office for

more information.

Thank you for partnering with us to raise up the next generation of theatre

lovers!

Casa Mañana Performing Arts Conservatory

For Resources and TEKS, please see the following pages

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Name ______________________________ Date_______________________________

Compare 2 Holidays

Around the world, communities celebrate different holidays to honor their histories, beliefs and

cultures. Choose two holidays. Compare and contrast them in the chart below.

Why do people celebrate this

holiday?

When does this holiday take

place?

Who celebrates this holiday?

Where is this holiday cele-

brated? In one country or in

many?

How do people celebrate?

Describe a tradition.

What are some important

symbols of this holiday?

Share one more interesting

fact about this holiday.

Material provided by: Scholastic.com , Winter Holidays Activity

Holiday 1

_____________________________

Holiday 2

_____________________________

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Winter Holidays

Hanukkah For eight days each November or December, Jews light a special candleholder called a menorah. They do it to remember an ancient miracle in which one day's worth of oil burned for eight days in their temple. On Hanukkah, many Jews also eat special potato pancakes called latkes, sing songs, and spin a top called a dreidel to win chocolate coins, nuts, or raisins.

St. Lucia Day

To honor this third-century saint on December 13, many girls in Sweden dress up as "Lucia brides" in long white

gowns with red sashes, and a wreath of burning candles on their heads. They wake up their families by singing

songs and bringing them coffee and twisted saffron buns called "Lucia cats."

Christmas

People celebrate this Christian holiday by going to church, giving gifts, and sharing the day with their families. In

some parts of Europe, "star singers" go caroling — singing special Christmas songs — as they walk behind a

huge star on a pole.

Kwanzaa Kwanzaa, which means "First Fruits," is based on ancient African harvest festivals and celebrates ideals such as family life and unity. During this spiritual holiday, celebrated from December 26 to January 1, millions of African Americans dress in special clothes, decorate their homes with fruits and vegetables, and light a candleholder called a kinara.

New Year

In Ecuador, families dress a straw man in old clothes on December 31. The straw man represents the old year.

The family members make a will for the straw man that lists all of their faults. At midnight, they burn the straw

man, in hopes that their faults will disappear with him.

Chinese New Year

Many Chinese children dress in new clothes to celebrate Chinese New Year. People carry lanterns and join in a

huge parade led by a silk dragon, the Chinese symbol of strength. According to legend, the dragon hibernates

most of the year, so people throw firecrackers to keep the dragon awake.

Mardi Gras

The time of Lent is a solemn one of reflection for Christians, so the Tuesday before Lent begins is a time of

merry-making for many people around the world. In New Orleans, people wear costumes and attend huge pa-

rades for the festival of Mardi Gras. Brazil's Carnaval also features parades, costumes, and music. This day is

also known as Shrove Tuesday. In England, some towns have pancake contests in which women run a race

while flipping a pancake at least three times.

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/holidays-sampler-around-world

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TEKS

Kindergarten

110.11 (4) (A) predict what might happen next in text based on the cover, title, and illustra-

tions;

110.11 (6) (A) identify elements of a story including setting, character, and key events;

110.11 (6) (B) discuss the big idea (theme) of a well-known folktale or fable and connect it

to personal experience;

110.11 (8) (B) describe characters in a story and the reasons for their actions.

110.11 (13) (E) share writing with others

110.11 (15) Writing/Expository and Procedural Texts. Students write expository and proce-

dural or work-related texts to communicate ideas and information to specific audiences for

specific purposes. Students are expected to dictate or write information for lists, cap-

tions, or invitations.

110.10 (B) (E) retell or act out important events in stories

111.2 (8) (A) collect, sort, and organize data into two or three categories;

113. 11 (A) identify similarities and differences among people such as kinship, laws, and re-

ligion

113.11 (B) identify similarities and differences among people such as music, clothing, and

food.

113.11 (12) (A) describe and explain the importance of family customs and traditions;

113.11 (12) (B) compare family customs and traditions

Grade 1

110.12 (9) (A) describe the plot (problem and solution) and retell a story's beginning, mid-

dle, and end with attention to the sequence of events

112.12 (9) (B) describe characters in a story and the reasons for their actions and feelings.

26

110.12 (19) (B) write short letters that put ideas in a chronological or logical sequence and

use appropriate conventions (e.g., date, salutation, closing)

110.12 (23) A) generate a list of topics of class-wide interest and formulate open-ended

questions about one or two of the topics

110.12 (23) (B) decide what sources of information might be relevant to answer these ques-

tions.

(113.12 A) describe the origins of customs, holidays, and celebrations of the community,

state, and nation such as San Jacinto Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day

113.12 (1) (B) compare the observance of holidays and celebrations, past and present.

113.12 (19) (A) use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list

and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement a solu-

tion, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution

113.12 (19) (B) use a decision-making process to identify a situation that requires a decision,

gather information, generate options, predict outcomes, take action to implement a decision,

and reflect on the effectiveness of that decision

117 (5) (A) discuss, practice, and display appropriate audience behavior

117 (5) (B) discuss dramatic activities; and

117 (5) (C) discuss the use of music, creative movement, and visual components in dramatic

play.

Grade 2

110.13 (6) (A) identify moral lessons as themes in well-known fables, legends, myths, or sto-

ries; and (B) compare different versions of the same story in traditional and contemporary

folktales with respect to their characters, settings, and plot.

110.13 (8) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Drama. Students understand, make in-

ferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of drama and provide evi-

dence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected to identify the ele-

ments of dialogue and use them in informal plays.

110.13 (24 ) (A) generate a list of topics of class-wide interest and formulate open-ended

27

questions about one or two of the topics

110.13 (24) (B) decide what sources of information might be relevant to answer these

questions.

113.13 (16) (A) identify the significance of various ethnic and/or cultural celebrations

113.13 (16) (B) compare ethnic and/or cultural celebrations

Grade 3

110.14 (7) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Drama. Students understand, make

inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of drama and provide

evidence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected to explain

the elements of plot and character as presented through dialogue in scripts that are

read, viewed, written, or performed.

110.14 (19) Writing. Students write about their own experiences. Students are expected

to write about important personal experiences.

110.14 (25) (A) generate research topics from personal interests or by brainstorming

with others, narrow to one topic, and formulate open-ended questions about the major

research topic; and (B) generate a research plan for gathering relevant information (e.g.,

surveys, interviews, encyclopedias) about the major research question.

110.14 (31) Listening and Speaking/Teamwork. Students work productively with others in

teams. Students continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students

are expected to participate in teacher- and student-led discussions by posing and an-

swering questions with appropriate detail and by providing suggestions that build upon

the ideas of others.

113.14(13) (A) explain the significance of various ethnic and/or cultural celebrations in

the local community and other communities; and (B) compare ethnic and/or cultural cele-

brations in the local community with other communities.

117.112 (6) (A) exhibit audience etiquette during live and recorded performances;

117.112 (6) (E) describe a variety of compositions and formal or informal musical per-