Christmas Around the World

Christmas Around the World

Time: Two Weeks

Needed: Plane Tickets, internet, camera, flip camera, computer, projector, songs, books, internet resources (listed below)

Day 1:
•Discuss Christmas and it's traditions & customs.
•Begin the Around the world unit by giving students passports and suitcases.
•Then give them their boarding pass to the airplane. As the plane takes off hand out a small drink and peanuts.
•Tell the children we are traveling to Mexico to learn about their Christmas customs.
•Have a pinata with christmas candy for the children to get and sort out later in a math center.
•Read a Christmas story, Ledgend of the Poinsetta and discuss. Students will make a poinsetta.
•Have students tell about their Christmas tradition

Day 2:
•Discuss Christmas traditions in England.
•Children will make a Christmas Cornucopia. ( Like a reindeer - Rudolph)
•Students will learn some songs and drink warn wassail.

Day 3
•Describe Christmas traditions in France.
Discuss Christmas story Babar And Father Christmas.
•Talk about door hangers and make the Noel door hanger with snowman.
•Eat a chocolate log. (cake)
•Discuss the tradition of the Yule log cake.

Day 3
•Discuss the Christmas customs in Germany.
•Discuss Christkind the angel that visits each home with basket of presents.
•Make a hand print tree with green paint and decorate with beads, buttons and other craft supplies.
•Review what has been taught so far this week.

Day 4
•Describe Christmas traditions in Italy.
Discuss La Befana and read The Legend of Old Befana.
•Have the children make cannolis with pastry shells and vanilla pudding.
• Make broom with red bow if time permits.

Day 5
•Discuss the Christmas traditions in Sweden.
•Discuss Saint Lucia and make crowns of candles and color the Christmas elf.
•Review all countries.

Day 6
•Discuss Christmas traditions in Africa.
•Discuss how Christmas in South Africa is a summer holiday.
•Their Santa is called Father Christmas.
•Read A Kwanzaa Miracle and discuss then make the Kinara.
•Discuss and ask questions on what we have learned.

Day 7
•Discuss Christmas customs of the US and what we got from other countries.
•We will fly back to the United States and back to our rooms.
•Read Legend of the Candy Cane then make and glitter the candy cane or make a reindeer out of a candy cane for an ornament for the tree.
•Teacher observation.

Days 8-9
•The teacher will assign three students each a country.
•Each group of students will explain customs of what they do to celebrate.
•Each can have a job. (Example: One will be the speaker, one can hold the plane ticket and the other can point to that country on a map. (The teacher could use a projector to project a global map. The third student could point to the map on the white board.)
•As each group does their presentation, the teacher (or other students will film their "report" to the class.
•Still photos should also be taken. The teacher help put each group's photo in a powerpoint with the information the students share about that country. (Place a clip art of each country with the group's picture and the name of the country.)
•An extension would be for parents to help with additional props, food, music for each country.

Day 10
•Review all countries and give the children their suitcase to take home.
•Watch PowerPoint
•Watch Video of their reports of Christmas Around the World.
•Students can drink hot chocolate and eat cookies for the movie.