Students consider the meanings of Christmas by reading an op-ed. As a class, they then create a sequel to the poem "A Visit from Saint Nicholas," in which "Mamma" tells a story about the history of Christmas.

Students read and analyze the anti-slavery poem, "Christmas Bells" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. They discuss the content and form of the poem, write an essay, write an original poem, examine how this anti-slavery poem was converted...

Students read the poem T'was the Night Before Christmas, and then partner with another student to complete a poem of their own based on the original. The new poem has missing words and students fill in the missing parts of speech like a...

Class members meet the original scrooge, the Dickens character whose name has become synonymous with a cold-hearted, tight-fisted, miser. Using the provided worksheet, readers closely examine context clues to determine the meanings of...

Students examine three different versions of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and complete a comparison activity. Their own version of the poem is created and illustrated in this lesson.

Learners describe the elements that make up particular writers' styles. Small groups then choose an author, write something in his or her style, and invite other groups to play 'literary detective' in identifying whose style they have...

Young scholars write in their journals to analyze the use of nostalgia. After reading an article, they identify aspects that are universal for holidays. They describe and examine their own memories of a specific holiday and interview...

Students read about the sights and sounds of a Las Vegas Christmas. They use words and phrases taken from articles in a recent issue of the New York Times to create a holiday-themed "found Poem."

Students read and compare/contrast three different cultural versions of "Twas the Night Before Christmas." Using handheld computers, they read eBook versions of each version, complete a BooksLog, and write and illustrate a modern version...

Students examine their family's particular spending habits for a holiday they celebrate, research the financial expectations of retailers during the holiday season and at other times during the year.

Learners examine the mass marketing of Christmas. In this gift giving lesson, students visit selected websites to discover the history behind gift-giving, research marketing techniques, and consider giving alternative gifts.

Pupils 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.

There are so many holidays celebrated around winter that it can be difficult to keep track. Consider having your class members design a newsletter highlighting a particular holiday, such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Martin Luther King Jr....

Students examine the influence of interaction with other cultures and the environment in relation to calendars. They also look at the origins of the calendar we use every day.

Students investigate the art of animation and various cartoon characters created by Chuck Jones. They complete a Webquest, watch video clips, draw a cartoon character, answer discussion questions, and create an original caricature of a...

Pupils engage in research in order to find the origin of a Korean holiday. They compare American holidays to the ones of Korea in order to find the true meanings of holidays in both cultures.

Students explore the capital of Slovak.  In this World History lesson, students read an article that describes specific details about Bratislava, Slovak, then complete numerous activities that are centered around the article, such...

Third graders explore where South Africa is and then research details about the country to fully assess the background to the book, "At the Crossroads." They receive a map of Africa and color in the country of South Africa and list five...

Learners discover how celebrations evolve. They explore the history of Halloween. Students devise an inclusive celebration for the end of school term. They create an illustrated pamphlet.

Students explore the three main monotheistic religions of the world: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. They compare the history, important figures, holy books, places of worship, and symbols of faith of each religion through discussion...

Young scholars read and discuss, "Post-Christmas Comes a Geek's Gizmo-Rama" by David Pogue. They consider how technologies they use impact their lives.

Students discover how to write to improve their reading skills. In groups, they take pictures of a variety of school events and compile them into a PowerPoint presentation. To end the lesson plan, they add a narration to the slides and...

Learners read a collection of stories and watch videos to learn about the Jewish assimilation in American literature. In this American literature lesson, students watch videos about Judaism, read stories from a contemporary Jewish...

Learners listen to the story "Too Many Tamales" by Gary Soto. Students use the internet to find recipes from around the world. They print out a recipe and put their name on it. The recipes are then combined into a class recipe book.