Bring the excitement and beauty of Japanese festivals into your classroom. Kids with special needs create calendars that reflect special festivals and holidays common to Japanese culture. They start the project by creating a list of...

Water is vital for survival, but how does it help global cultures flourish? Elementary and middle schoolers learn about the different cultures around the world that celebrate water and incorporate it into their festivals or traditions.

Kwanzaa is the focus of a three-part lesson that celebrates the history and traditions of the holiday. Before lighting the Kinara, scholars listen to a read-aloud of Seven Candles of Kwanzaa by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Learners express...

Gong He Xin Xi! Happy New Year! Planning a Lunar New Year/Spring Festival Celebration? Check out the activities and resources in a packet that encourages pupils to research the cultural values and traditional practices associated with...

Middle Schoolers research Arkansas community festivals which are tied to the landscape. They create brochures that reflect the festival from a geographical and historical perspective and share them with the class. This ambitious and...

To honor El Dia de los Muertos, scholars work together to create Day of the Dead displays—paper sugar skulls and banners—that bring a festive and memorable flare to the classroom.  

A wonderful series of lessons on Canada is here for your class. Fourth graders investigate the diverse cultures and ethnicities of the citizens of Canada. They study the symbols of Canada, and the festivals and national celebrations that...

Learners view and discuss a video showing different festivals celebrated in Asian cultures. They participate in a class survey of the different festivals celebrated in their own families and brainstorm the purposes for festivals. In...

Research how seasonal changes in Louisiana affect learners' lives and the folklife of their communities and the state. They investigate differences in the seasonal round in the regions of Louisiana, including celebrations, festivals,...

Young scholars analyze the similarities and differences between religious festivals in December and/or January. They research the different holidays and make their comparisons.

Learners research various cultural and religious festivals celebrated and observed by Australians, describing common elements and identifying adaptations that have been made for life in Australia.

Five sessions make up a lesson on the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. After reading and teaching young historians the history of the Jewish holiday, learners explore the celebration through hands-on activities and collaborative...

With the help from learning games and holiday-themed coloring pages, scholars learn the importance of listening carefully and following directions. Coloring pages celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving. Learning games include...

Students investigate the importnce of celebrations anf festivals in Japanese culture and then create a story based upon an image from the lesson. Resource links are provided for images of events.

Young scholars investigate Festivals and invent a new one, and write a short review of it.

Students celebrate May Day. In this Medieval festivals lesson, students research May Day and information about may poles. Students build their own may poles and discuss the significance of the May Day festival.

A creative lesson plan shines a spotlight on Christmas celebrations throughout six different countries. Scholars read an informative text and share their new-found knowledge with their peers. After hearing about each country, pupils...

Students discover the unique beliefs and celebrations of the five major religions in the world. In groups, they discuss the terms associated with each religion and are read books about their celebrations. They create their own dharma...

Pupils utilize several short readings to investigate a variety of multicultural celebrations. The two key celebrations of Diwali and the Festival of Lights provide the background for the exploration.

Learners brainstorm the types of food they eat at home, discussing and comparing with the class. Students brainstorm and make a chart of questions that came out of the activity and their discussions. Learners interview someone who...

As part of a study of holiday traditions, language learners read about the creation of Kwanzaa, the seven-day festival created by Dr. Maulana Karenga to celebrate traditional African values.

Students research an event, celebration, or observance from a culture with which they are not familiar and present their information to the class in this cross-curricular look at festivals and celebrations. The instructional activity...

Students explore the significance of holiday foods, first by researching Halloween-type festivals from around the world, and then by reporting on foods related to different holidays celebrated in their homes.

Learners use the Internet to research the festival of Janmashtami. As a class, they discover the importance of Krishna in the Hindu religion and read poems commemorating her on the Internet. To end the lesson, they use colored pencils to...