Music, Celebrations, and Holidays
"The School Holiday Calendar"
This Teaching Tolerance lesson can be used to get students to think critically about the holidays represented in our schools. This is appropriate for students in grade 3-12.
"Holidays: A Sampler From Around the World"
This article from Scholastic lists holidays around the world for each season. It does not link to information about the holidays, but it provides definitions for each one listed.
"Holidays Around the World Glossary"
This glossary provides a comprehensive list of holidays by month. It links to definitions of each holiday and activities that could be used for teaching about the holidays.
This Teaching Tolerance lesson can be used to get students to think critically about the holidays represented in our schools. This is appropriate for students in grade 3-12.
"Holidays: A Sampler From Around the World"
This article from Scholastic lists holidays around the world for each season. It does not link to information about the holidays, but it provides definitions for each one listed.
"Holidays Around the World Glossary"
This glossary provides a comprehensive list of holidays by month. It links to definitions of each holiday and activities that could be used for teaching about the holidays.
![Picture](/uploads/4/6/3/2/46325565/143143610.jpg?250)
Tree of Cranes by Allen Say
This is a story about how a Japanese family celebrates Christmas. A young boy goes out and plays around a pond in the cold. When he arrives home his mother treats him for being ill. He sees her folding many paper cranes, then digging up a pine tree for his first Christmas celebration. She tells him a story about how when she lived in California, people celebrated Christmas, decorated trees, and received gifts. They decorate his tree with the paper cranes his mother made and candles. They celebrate the day together by building a snowman and him getting a dragon kite. The boy’s mother remembers celebrating Christmas when she was little and the story ends with the boy’s remembrance of his first Christmas.
Age Group:
Grades K-2
Genre:
Realistic Fiction
Ethnic or Cultural Group:
Japanese
Use:
This story can be used to teach children that people celebrate different holidays. Students can compare and contrast the settings and cultures.
Lesson Plan:
Tree of Cranes
In this lesson, students will create a story map as they read the story and discuss character traits and ask and answer questions about the boy in the story.
How to Make an Origami Crane
Step-by-step tutorial
This is a story about how a Japanese family celebrates Christmas. A young boy goes out and plays around a pond in the cold. When he arrives home his mother treats him for being ill. He sees her folding many paper cranes, then digging up a pine tree for his first Christmas celebration. She tells him a story about how when she lived in California, people celebrated Christmas, decorated trees, and received gifts. They decorate his tree with the paper cranes his mother made and candles. They celebrate the day together by building a snowman and him getting a dragon kite. The boy’s mother remembers celebrating Christmas when she was little and the story ends with the boy’s remembrance of his first Christmas.
Age Group:
Grades K-2
Genre:
Realistic Fiction
Ethnic or Cultural Group:
Japanese
Use:
This story can be used to teach children that people celebrate different holidays. Students can compare and contrast the settings and cultures.
Lesson Plan:
Tree of Cranes
In this lesson, students will create a story map as they read the story and discuss character traits and ask and answer questions about the boy in the story.
How to Make an Origami Crane
Step-by-step tutorial
![Picture](/uploads/4/6/3/2/46325565/440796739.jpg?250)
The Legend of Old Befana by Tomie DePaola
This is an Italian Chrisitmas story about the legend of La Befana. She is said to be a witch who searches for the Christ Child and visits children on January 6th leaving gifts. Children can compare their Christmas traditions with the story of La Befana.
Age Group:
K-2
Genre:
Fiction
Ethnic or Cultural Group:
Italian
Lesson Plan:
"Multicultural Winter Holidays Around the World"
This website links to art and social studies connections using Old Befana. Students compare and contrast their own traditions and can create the Befana broom.
Videos:
"The Legend of La Befana"
5:40
"La Befana at EPCOT"
8:37
This is an Italian Chrisitmas story about the legend of La Befana. She is said to be a witch who searches for the Christ Child and visits children on January 6th leaving gifts. Children can compare their Christmas traditions with the story of La Befana.
Age Group:
K-2
Genre:
Fiction
Ethnic or Cultural Group:
Italian
Lesson Plan:
"Multicultural Winter Holidays Around the World"
This website links to art and social studies connections using Old Befana. Students compare and contrast their own traditions and can create the Befana broom.
Videos:
"The Legend of La Befana"
5:40
"La Befana at EPCOT"
8:37
![Picture](/uploads/4/6/3/2/46325565/599293284.jpg?250)
Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Chief Jake Swamp
This book is based on the Thanksgiving Address from the Iroquois. It teaches children how to say thanks to Mother Earth. Chief Jake Swamp comments that Native American children are taught to say thank you to all living things every morning.
Age Group:
PreK-2
Genre:
Nonfiction
Ethnic or Cultural Group:
Native American (Mohawk, Iriquois)
Use:
This book could be used during Thanksgiving and teaching students how to give thanks. This would also be a good text for building community in the classroom and as an introduction for teaching children how to talk around the circle during Morning Meeting.
Video:
Mohawk Nation Sub-Chief Jake Swamp: The Sacredness of Feathers
This is a video of Chief Jake Swamp speaking about using a feather in a "Talking Circle". This could be used for an introduction to morning meeting and teaching students to be thankful and respectful.
This book is based on the Thanksgiving Address from the Iroquois. It teaches children how to say thanks to Mother Earth. Chief Jake Swamp comments that Native American children are taught to say thank you to all living things every morning.
Age Group:
PreK-2
Genre:
Nonfiction
Ethnic or Cultural Group:
Native American (Mohawk, Iriquois)
Use:
This book could be used during Thanksgiving and teaching students how to give thanks. This would also be a good text for building community in the classroom and as an introduction for teaching children how to talk around the circle during Morning Meeting.
Video:
Mohawk Nation Sub-Chief Jake Swamp: The Sacredness of Feathers
This is a video of Chief Jake Swamp speaking about using a feather in a "Talking Circle". This could be used for an introduction to morning meeting and teaching students to be thankful and respectful.
![Picture](/uploads/4/6/3/2/46325565/530012525.jpg?250)
Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae
A giraffe named Gerald keeps trying to dance, but his body is so awkward, that he keeps falling down. The other animals tease him and he feels useless. He hears a cricket who tells him it's ok to be different, and with a different song he will dance. Gerald begins to dance to the cricket's music and proudly goes back to the forest to show the other animals he can dance. This is a delightful story of difference and determination.
Age Group:
Grades PreK-K
Genre:
Fiction, Rhyming Story
Ethnic or Cultural Group:
Multicultural, Africa
Video:
Giraffes Can't Dance
In this video, the book is set to a song. This would be good to play when discussing our differences, building community, and for movement in the classroom.
A giraffe named Gerald keeps trying to dance, but his body is so awkward, that he keeps falling down. The other animals tease him and he feels useless. He hears a cricket who tells him it's ok to be different, and with a different song he will dance. Gerald begins to dance to the cricket's music and proudly goes back to the forest to show the other animals he can dance. This is a delightful story of difference and determination.
Age Group:
Grades PreK-K
Genre:
Fiction, Rhyming Story
Ethnic or Cultural Group:
Multicultural, Africa
Video:
Giraffes Can't Dance
In this video, the book is set to a song. This would be good to play when discussing our differences, building community, and for movement in the classroom.
![Picture](/uploads/4/6/3/2/46325565/858200510.jpg?250)
Amelia's Show-and-Tell Fiesta by Mimi Chapra
Amelia, a new student in her school, is from Cuba. For show-and-tell, she wears her Carnavale dress. She gets discouraged when she misunderstood how the class shared. All the other students brought in objects, but Amelia wore hers to school. She proudly shared her fiesta dress and felt at home in her new American school. This book is written in Spanish and in English.
Age Group:
Grades K-2
Genre:
Fiction
Ethnic or Cultural Group:
Multicultural, Cuban, Spanish
Use:
This book could be used as an introduction to show-and-tell and for inviting students to bring in items that represent their home culture. This could also be used for learning about story structure, character, and retelling.
Amelia, a new student in her school, is from Cuba. For show-and-tell, she wears her Carnavale dress. She gets discouraged when she misunderstood how the class shared. All the other students brought in objects, but Amelia wore hers to school. She proudly shared her fiesta dress and felt at home in her new American school. This book is written in Spanish and in English.
Age Group:
Grades K-2
Genre:
Fiction
Ethnic or Cultural Group:
Multicultural, Cuban, Spanish
Use:
This book could be used as an introduction to show-and-tell and for inviting students to bring in items that represent their home culture. This could also be used for learning about story structure, character, and retelling.
![Picture](/uploads/4/6/3/2/46325565/981017504.jpg?250)
Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith
In this story, Jenna begins making a jingle dress for a pow-wow. She borrows jingles from the other women in her family. They give her jingles from their dresses and her grandmother helps her sew the dress. After the story, Smith describes the Muscogee Nation Jenna comes from and how the jingle dresses are made. She also notes the honor it is to become a new dancer. There is also a glossary describing the terms fry bread, Indian taco, powwow, and regalia.
Age Group:
K-2
Genre:
Realistic Fiction
Ethnic or Cultural Group:
Native American
Use:
This story could be used in a lesson about different family traditions. Students could compare and contrast the way they dance with their families with how Jenna dances.
Lesson Plan:
"Jingle Dancer Curriculum Guide: Supplemental Questions and Links"
Cynthia Leitich's website provides links and questions to go with this text.
In this story, Jenna begins making a jingle dress for a pow-wow. She borrows jingles from the other women in her family. They give her jingles from their dresses and her grandmother helps her sew the dress. After the story, Smith describes the Muscogee Nation Jenna comes from and how the jingle dresses are made. She also notes the honor it is to become a new dancer. There is also a glossary describing the terms fry bread, Indian taco, powwow, and regalia.
Age Group:
K-2
Genre:
Realistic Fiction
Ethnic or Cultural Group:
Native American
Use:
This story could be used in a lesson about different family traditions. Students could compare and contrast the way they dance with their families with how Jenna dances.
Lesson Plan:
"Jingle Dancer Curriculum Guide: Supplemental Questions and Links"
Cynthia Leitich's website provides links and questions to go with this text.