Title – Christmas around the World

By – Heidi Schondelmeyer

Primary Subject – Language Arts

Secondary Subjects – Social Studies

Grade Level – 3

TEK(s):

• 113.5. Social Studies, Grade 3.
  
  (12) Culture. The student understands ethnic and/or cultural celebrations of the United States and other nations. The student is expected to:
  (B) compare ethnic and/or cultural celebrations in Texas, the United States, and other nations.

• 110.5. English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 3.
  
  (3) Listening/speaking/audiences/oral grammar. The student speaks appropriately to different audiences for different purposes and occasions. The student is expected to:
  (D) present dramatic interpretations of experiences, stories, poems, or plays (K-3).

Objective(s):

The student will be able to develop fluency while learning about the ways seven other cultures celebrate the Christmas holidays.

Materials:

• Appropriate number of copies of
  
  Christmas around the World
  
  
• Props suggested in
  
  Christmas around the World
  

Anticipatory activity:

Someone tell me how they celebrate Christmas or perhaps tell the class a tradition your family celebrates.

Body of Lesson:

Allow the students to look over the parts for Christmas around the World, then delegate parts for the students in your classroom. Allow the students to look over his/her selected part for a few minutes. Then perform the Reader’s Theater. Based on the number of children in the class this Reader’s Theater can be performed countless times allowing every student the opportunity to be a part of the audience as well as a performer.

Conclusion:

As a class, discuss the various ways Christmas is celebrated around the world. Allow students to share more traditions of how friends and family they know celebrate Christmas. (

Could also use the lesson to find the countries on the map.

)

Assessment:

The student will be able to read with expression his/her part with 80% accuracy, as well as be a respectful listener while participating as an audience member.

Questions:

Allow adequate time for students to answer questions.

1) How does your family celebrate Christmas?

2) Do you know anyone who celebrates Christmas differently than you do? If so how do they celebrate?

3) Does everyone celebrate Christmas the same?

Introduction:

Child One

:
Welcome to our Christmas play.

We hope you all will stay,

to celebrate with us

on this Christmas day.

Ireland:

(

Children sit at dinner table while pretending to eat dinner and play games.

)


Child Two

: On Christmas in Ireland, Father Christmas gives presents to children.


Child Three

: Families place a candle in the window as a welcome sign to travelers.


Child Two and Three

: In the evening they eat dinner, tell stories, and play games.

Spain:

(

Children wear traditional costumes and dance around a light pole.

)


Child Four

: In Spain, Christmas Eve is celebrated on January fifth; This eve is spent dancing and singing in the streets.


Child Five

: Then they place a shoe on the balcony in hopes that the Wise Men will come and fill the shoe with gifts.


Child Four and Five

: They make a traditional meat stew called puchero olla.

Germany:

(

Child dressed like St. Nicklaus places goodies from a bag into the shoes sitting on a stairwell.

)


Child Six

: In Germany, Christmas is celebrated on December 6th.


Child Seven

: Children set out a shoe on the stairs in hopes that St. Nicklaus will bring some yummy treats for good boys and girls.

Russia:

(

Child wears an elegant white robe.

)


Child Eight

: On Christmas Eve in Russia, children sing in honor of the elf girl, Kolyáda.


Child Nine

: She, like Santa Claus, brings presents to the children.

China:

(

Children will hang stocking on fireplace.

)


Child Ten

: In China, the children decorate stockings, which are left out for Nice Old Father to fill with gifts.


Child Eleven

: The boys and girls decorate the house with red Chinese Paper Lanterns and watch fireworks in the evening.

Japan:

(

Children will exchange gifts.

)


Child Twelve

: The Japanese give gifts and eat turkey on Christmas. They also throw dried beans into the corners of their home for good luck.

Poland:

(

Children decorate a tree.

)


Child Thirteen

: Father Frost brings gifts to the children in Poland.


Child Fourteen

: They have homemade ornaments to decorate the tree along with nuts and apples.


Child Thirteen and Fourteen

: For dinner they eat sauerkraut, fish, potato pancakes, and beef stew.

Conclusion:


Child Fifteen

: “It does not matter where you live, what day you celebrate, what you eat, or how you decorate, gift giving seems to be a part of Christmas everywhere on earth. So whether you give a pretty package, a note of encouragement, or a kind act make sure you give the gift of Christmas this year.”

E-Mail

Heidi Schondelmeyer

!