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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Family Traditions, Customs and Beliefs

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students discuss African childhood, explore family traditions, customs, and beliefs, examine African recipes, discuss differences or similarities in food preparation between the U.S. and Africa, and prepare a dish with adult supervision.
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Activity
National Park Service

The Young Naturalist

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Beginning with a brief history of our 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt, then followed by a discussion of his interest in nature, young scientists take to the outdoors to locate and observe local plants and insects. Scholars return to...
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Lesson Plan
John F. Kennedy Center

Comparing Cultural Holidays

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
A lesson examines the holidays, Día de los Muertos and Halloween. After an exciting clip from the movie Coco, class members review vocabulary and discuss what they know about Halloween. The conversation leads into the history of Día de...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
Curated OER

Tracing Our Own Family Pilgrimages

For Teachers K - 4th
The Pilgrims may have arrived in North America by way of the Mayflower, but chances are, your class members' ancestors came to the United States in another way. Guide them through an exploration of their own heritage, countries of...
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Activity
Scholastic

Explore the Seven Principles

For Teachers K - 12th
A lesson shines a spotlight on what makes Kwanzaa special by taking a close look at its seven principles. Gift ideas encourage scholars to make and give one to their family members. Class members celebrate heroes and role models of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Family: Louisiana Family Folklore

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explore and identify family treasures and research the history to each one. They also organize a variety of artifacts into various categories and research traditional Louisiana artifacts online. Each student draws inferences...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cultural Awareness/Sharing Traditions

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students examine and explore cultural traditions that make their own families unique. In groups, they discuss traditions, write about the similarities and differences in the group, and interview other students.
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Unit Plan
2
2
New York City Department of Education

Learning about Lunar New Year

For Teachers K - 12th
Rich in images and information, a teacher's guide to the traditions of Lunar New Year's celebrations in various cultures addresses celebrations of Buddhism and Daoism. It includes background information about the origins of the...
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Article
Curated OER

How to Celebrate Kwanzaa on Your Campus

For Teachers K - Higher Ed
An article details everything you need to know about celebrating Kwanzaa at your school. An opening-day ceremony starts the seven-day holiday celebration followed a daily routine that includes a greeting, candle lighting, reciting an...
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Worksheet
2
2
K12 Reader

Civil Rights Biography: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

For Students 3rd - 6th Standards
Why do schools and government offices close one day every January to honor the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? Young learners discover the achievements and lasting significance of this influential figure in American history with...
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Lesson Plan
National Woman's History Museum

Defying British Rule: Women's Contributions to The American Revolution

For Teachers 4th - 5th Standards
Primary and secondary sources are the focus of a instructional activity that showcases the important role women played during the American Revolution. Pairs review sources and discuss their findings. A close-reading of an informational...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Celebrate With Silhouettes

For Teachers K - 8th
Students explore history of silhouettes, and help create keepsake silhouettes, frame them, or use them to make a special Mother's Day card.
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Education World

You Are the Historian: Investigating the First Thanksgiving

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Learners examine the facts and myths that surround the "First Thanksgiving" (the harvest celebration of 1621) at Plimoth Colony. They study the role that historians play in the collection and dissemination of history and use their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing About Holidays

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students research a holiday celebrated by their family and write a studenT story in which they explain the history of the holiday and describe ways in which it is celebrated.
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Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

CELEBRATE!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Strengthen research skills by reviewing the months of the year and the holidays celebrated during those months. Learners draw and label a timeline for the months and label each holiday. They work in groups to research the holidays, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dad's Magnetic Personality

For Teachers K - 5th
Students create a gift honoring Father's Day. In this Father's Day instructional activity, students examine the meaning of fatherhood and explore the history of this tradition. Students create a picture collage over a template of their...
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PPT
Curated OER

Thanksgiving

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Random facts about Thanksgiving are noted in this PowerPoint. Tip: Assign a research project to your own class, where students create a slideshow about Thanksgiving--its history, as well as how their family celebrates the holiday.
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Worksheet
1
1
K12 Reader

Civil Rights Biography: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

For Students 3rd - 8th
Introduce your class to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his many accomplishments through a one-page biography. Class members read the text and respond to three questions included at the end. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

National Turkey Off to Disneyland

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students share their holiday traditions, then read about an American Thanksgiving custom. In this current events lesson plan, the teacher introduces the news article with a discussion and vocabulary activity, the students participate in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Gift to Give

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the holiday Kwanzaa by drawing pictures. In this cultural tradition lesson, students discuss the history and actions that take place during the holiday of Kwanzaa. Students draw a picture of a gift they would give to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Create a Holiday: What Will it Be?

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students study holidays and culture. In this customs and traditions lesson plan, students create their own holiday based on traditions and holidays that different cultures currently practice.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Happy Birthday to You

For Teachers K - 6th
Students explore how people celebrate traditional holidays in various cultures. They participate in activities that are used to celebrate birthdays in different cultures. Students analyze the celebrations.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chinese Shadow Puppet Play

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students experience through role-play the art of shadow puppetry and appreciate the role of oral traditions in Chinese history. They research the origins and history of puppetry as a part of a unit on China. They discover what Chinese...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thanksgiving Web Quest

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students review the reasons why Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States. Using the internet, they research the history of the holiday and discover what the first Thanksgiving was like. They also examine a typical menu for a...