Christmas Around the World Part 1

Objectives & Outcomes

Students will compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic. Students will demonstrate understanding of a text through creative interpretation.

Materials Needed

• A worksheet describing how Christmas is celebrated in 5 locations around the world
• Construction paper
• Art supplies such as paint or colored pencils

Procedure

Opening to Lesson

• Explain to students that Christmas is a holiday that is celebrated all around the world. Some families celebrate it with their church in a religious way, some families celebrate with their families without any relation to religion, and some families do not celebrate at all.
• Ask students if they celebrate Christmas at their house and ask them what they do.

Body of Lesson

Modeling

• Project Worksheet 1, Christmas in the United States on the board for students to see.
• Call on a student to read about how Christmas is celebrated in the United States.
• On a world map, show students where Germany, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Australia are and ask students what they know about these countries.

Option 1 (Interactive Class Activity)

• In advance, cut Worksheet 2 into individual pieces so that each country is on a separate paper. Give one country to each student.
• Tell each student to read about their country.
• Tell students you are going to partner them and they will learn about how other countries celebrate Christmas.
• Tell them to hold up on their fingers the number written on their sheet. (Mexico 1, Australia 2, Trinidad and Tobago 3, Germany 4)
• Tell number 1 to go and find a number 4 and stand by them.
• Tell number 2 to go and find a number 3 and stand by them.
• When all students are paired, have them read their countries information to their partner.
• When they have finished, tell number 4 to go find number 2 and share country information and tell number 3 to go find number 1 and share their information.
• When they have finished, tell number 4 to go find number 3 and share country information and tell number 2 to go find number 1 and share their information.

Option 2 (Independent or Partner Reading)

• Pass out the worksheet with all the countries listed and have students read independently or with partners.

Independent Practice

• Refer to the first worksheet with the images of a typical United States Christmas Celebration and tell students that they will draw a similar scene from one of the countries they learned about.
• Have students choose, or assign students to draw a scene depicting the country’s celebration of Christmas.

Closing

• Let students show their pictures to the class
• Discuss the similarities and the differences of the way Christmas is celebrated around the world.

Assessment & Evaluation

Students will complete a drawing and have a discussion.

Modification & Differentiation

The teacher can pair students or allow them to work in small groups. Teacher can also provide small-group instruction to those who need assistance.

Learn more about teaching students about holidays and history here.

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