Why do we celebrate holidays? How did they
start? Discovering the history and significance of holidays is
also a lesson in learning and respecting other cultures and people.
When we learn about the history of the holiday, we learn about
different people around the world. The following activities will
guide you to learning about the special holidays we celebrate
in America. You will work with your one or more of your
classmates to discover the importance of the major holidays in
spring, winter and fall.
You have been hired as the Advertising Team to promote your holiday. Your goal is to convince your classmates that your holiday is the most important holiday of the year. As of team of two or three, your job will be to present to the class the importance, history and activities involved in your assigned holiday. You can use any form of art, video, or lecture to teach your classmates about your special holiday. Each student will be assigned as the Holiday Professor historian (tell where and why it started), Holiday Party Animal (find out the fun things to do on your holiday; arts, crafts, cooking), or the Holiday Cheerleader (will convince your classmates that your holiday is the best).
2) Select the holiday of your choice.
3) You will be assigned to two team members with the same holiday choice (if possible).
4) Choose a role within your group: Professor (historian), Party Animal (activities) and Cheerleader (importance of holiday).
5) First, your team should research your holiday through the internet sites provided, library books, videos and any other source available to you.
6) Next, become your role person and work independently to find as much information as possible about your holiday assignment:
The Holiday Professor may want to view films, research the internet, and take out books from the library about the holiday they're researching.
The Holiday Party Animal may search the internet for their holiday activities, interview grandparents, create a game, collect items for their classmates to make ornaments or decorations, etc.
The Holiday Cheerleader will convince their classmates and schoolmates that their holiday is the best holiday of the year. This can be done through newspaper articles, posters, by conducting a sing along or make a catchy jingle to advertise their holiday.
7) Organize your team members for your final
presentation to the class. You may take up to two or three class
periods.
September
Labor Day
http://www.dol.gov/dol/opa/public/aboutdol/laborday.htm
Rosh Hashannah
http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday2.htm
Rosh Hashannah
http://www.vjholidays.com/rosh/kidstall.htm
Grandparents Day
http://www.searsportrait.com/storybook/grandparents_99_form.html
October
Columbus Day
http://metalab.unc.edu/expo/1492.exhibit/Intro.html
Columbus History
http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Tower/3098/ericlo.html
Halloween Activities
http://www.holidays.net/halloween/
Halloween picture
http://www.backyardgardener.com/pump/pumpkin9.gif
Halloween History
http://www.backyardgardener.com/pump/pumpkin9.gif
Halloween songs
http://www.night.net/halloween/halloween-carols.html-ssi
November
Thanksgiving History and more
http://www.holidays.net/thanksgiving/
Thanksgiving Activities
http://www.magic-rainbow.com/pof/holidays/thanksgiving/index.html
Thanksgiving Games
http://www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/thanksgiving/thanksgiving.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Corridor/9316/index.html
Holiday history
http://www.worldbook.com/fun/holidays/html/holidays.htm
December
Christmas Songs
http://www.virtualchristmas.com/
http://www.sikids.com/games/carols/
http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/xmas/music.html
Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah
http://www.agirlsworld.com/amy/pajama/winter/
Christmas History
http://www.holidays.net/christmas/
http://128.138.129.27/library/bpl/child/season/Seasonal.html
http://www.worldbook.com/fun/holidays/html/christ.htm
Christmas Pictures
http://xmasclipart.virtualave.net/santa.htm
http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/xmas/clip.html
Christmas Activities
http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/_xorn-other.html
Hanukkah
http://www.searsportrait.com/storybook/hannukah_96_form.html
Holiday history
http://www.worldbook.com/fun/holidays/html/holidays.htm
January
Song for New Year's
http://www.chivalry.com/cantaria/lyrics/auldlang.html
New Year's
http://www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/newyears/fun.htm
http://wilstar.com/holidays/newyear.htm
Martin Luther King Jr.
http://www.yahooligans.com/Around_the_World/Countries/United_States/History/Civil_Rights_Movement/Martin_Luther_King__Jr__Day/
February
Groundhog Day
http://ourworld-top.cs.com/DonaldRHalley/ghdsongs.htm
Groundhog Day
http://www.yahooligans.com/Around_the_World/U_S__States/Pennsylvania/History/Groundhog_Day/
Valentine's Day
http://www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/valentin/fun.htm
History of Valentine's Day
http://www.pictureframes.co.uk/pages/saint_valentine.htm
President's Day
http://www.usis.usemb.se/Holidays/celebrate/presiden.html
President's Day Coloring
http://www.funorama.com/presidentsday.html
Lincoln
http://www.yahooligans.com/Around_the_World/Countries/United_States/Government/Executive_Branch/Office_of_the_President/Presidents/Lincoln__Abraham__1809_1865_/
March
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/mlk/holiday/index.html
St. Patrick's Day
http://www.nando.net/toys/stpaddy/stpaddy.html
History of St. Patty's Day
http://www.heathersholidaze.com/march/
http://www.heathersholidaze.com/march/history.html
St. Patrick's Day Activities
http://www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/stpatty/fun.htm
http://www.primarygames.com/holidays/st.patricksday/stpatricksday.htm
April
Easter
http://www.searsportrait.com/contest/easter_00_activity.html
Easter Activities
http://www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/easter/fun.htm
Easter History
http://www.worldbook.com/fun/tty/html/easter.htm
Arbor Day
http://www.yahooligans.com/Around_the_World/Holidays/Arbor_Day/
May
Memorial Day
http://www.yahooligans.com/Around_the_World/Holidays/Memorial_Day/
http://home.earthlink.net/~mediadesigns/Calendar.html
Cinco De Mayo Day
http://www.yahooligans.com/Around_the_World/Holidays/Memorial_Day/
Mother's Day
http://www.yahooligans.com/Around_the_World/Holidays/Mother_s_Day/
http://home.earthlink.net/~mediadesigns/Calendar.html
