Religious holidays Lesson Plans

My curriculum unit also intends to give American young scholars a present-day sense of what it is like to be an immigrant and/or refugee. The second purpose of this unit is to provide lessons about Muslim immigrants and refugees who make the United States their new home. Students study the immigration of the early 1900s and other historical periods.

Students examine ways in which holiday television specials reflect some of the religious, historic and cultural themes of the holidays on which they focus. They create their own holiday television specials in groups, each focusing on a holiday.

Learners engage in a lesson which lesson focuses on the Equal Access Act and a Supreme Court case involving the meeting of extracurricular religious clubs on school property.

Students examine the relationships between and among powers inside and outside Afghanistan in connection to United States military aggression in the territory. They examine the interaction between the Northern Alliance, the Taliban, Pakistan, etc.

Students explore Italian politics and warfare of the High Renaissance. They explain the effects of the Protestant Reformation and the Counter Reformation.

Students compare illustrations from the book of hours with modern day calendars and planners. In this calendar comparison lesson, students examine "The Annunciation" by Master of James IV of Scotland before discussing the use of a book of hours. They watch a video about calendar pages in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Students compare the works to a modern calendar/planning book and then create a book of hours.

Ninth graders explore the different ways people celebrate their religions.  In this Religion lesson, 9th graders examine the basics of Islam.  Students create a handout on a specific topic about Islam. 

Learners create informative pages for a fictitious desserts cookbook that examine the religious significance and symbolism of holiday sweets from cultures around the world.

Students examine how they greet the holiday season and participate in a class discussion to explore the ongoing debate on how best to celebrate the holidays. They read and discuss an article, and write a personal essay.

Various Muslim holidays and their meanings are researched and your students will predict whether or not they should be recognized on the New York City school calendar.  An extension could be to write a letter to the Mayor about their suggestions, this would develop and clarify your class's reasoning.