Curated OER
Holidays in Lands Far Away - Boxing Day
A instructional activity on the holiday known as Boxing Day is here for you. In it, middle schoolers read a passage about the history of the holiday, then complete some reading comprehension worksheets embedded in the plan to reinforce...
Curated OER
Famous Landmarks
Learners research a country and the national holidays the people of that country celebrates. In this cultural celebrations lesson, students are assigned a country, research the major holidays of that country, and create a 12-month...
Curated OER
The Ultimate Guide to December Holidays Around the World
In this holidays around the world worksheet, students answer short answer questions that are celebrated around the world. Students complete 10 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Today and Yesterday: Festivals through the Year
In this world cultures worksheet, students research information and answer questions about festivals around the world. This worksheet gives detailed information on how to do the Internet research. This worksheet was generated in the U.K.
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: What Do You Hear?
Celebration words can be used to help students review and practice beginning sounds. This lesson will help students recognize and produce the initial sound of a given word. Included are an assessment checklist, videos of the lesson in...
Michigan State University
Michigan State University: Lets Net: Holiday Explorations Unit
A great compilation of ideas to use when teaching about celebrating holidays. Lists of resources, materials, and very detailed lessons are provided in an easy to follow and organized way.
Utah State University
Teacher Link: Celebrations: A Resource Guide for Teachers
TeacherLINK at Utah State University offers a wealth of topics and project information on celebrations held throughout the world. Click on "Topics and Authors," to access a long list of available lesson plans on a variety of...
Utah State University
Teacher Link: Light in Festivals
This lesson plan combines the study of cultural and religious festivals which center on light, with a science study of candle flames. The holidays which are covered are Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Le Re'veillon, Los Posados, and St. Lucia Day....
Project Britain
Project Britain: Calendar of British Holidays in the Uk
Holidays help us celebrate who we are and who we were! Many of these celebrations are centuries old. Click on each month for an explanation of each holiday and the days it falls on for a specific year.
University of Florida
Baldwin Library: Happy Holidays by D. Lothrop & Company
This is an online photocopy of the original text of the children's book Happy Holidays by D. Lothrop & Company (c1884), a collection of stories about holiday celebrations around the world.
Other
Mandala: The Symphony of Friendship
This site illustrates the history behind the tradition of playing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at Christmastime in Japan. This story is written and illustrated for children. Includes a sound file of a portion of the ninth symphony.
Read Works
Read Works: What's Cooking
[Free Registration/Login Required] Students read about how different holidays are celebrated with different types of food. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in classifying and categorizing.
Read Works
Read Works: Nights of Light
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about seven different holidays that are celebrated with lights. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
A&E Television
History.com: Saturnalia
Saturnalia, held in mid-December, is an ancient Roman pagan festival honoring the agricultural god Saturn. Saturnalia celebrations are the source of many of the traditions we now associate with Christmas.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Holidays
Holidays video clip prompts students to write about two of their favorite family traditions.
PBS
Pbs: The Story of India: Holi
Information and an accompanying video [0:33] on the Hindu festival Holi.
Other
Earth Calendar of Holidays
This extensive website allows you to search through holidays around the world. Use this site to learn more about holidays around the world and from different cultures.
Center for Literacy and Disability Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Tar Heel Reader: Winter Holiday Images From Around the World
This e-book takes a tour around the world highlighting the ways different nations celebrate the winter holidays.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Christmas and Other Holidays Around the World
[Free Registration/Login Required] Christmas and many other November and December holidays around the world are explored through engaging web links.