Cultural & Historical Resources Merry Christmas from TeachersFirst. This is the season when Christmas web sites are everywhere. We've tried to avoid the ads and ugly artwork, selecting sites and resources which will help your students understand the history of the Christmas celebration and the variety of ways in which Christmas is celebrated in different countries and cultures. Along the way, we've collected some crafts and activities to keep students attentive at a time of the year when paying attention can be a little difficult. These sites open in a new window. Click the box in the upper right border to expand them to full-screen. Enjoy!
Christmas Reference from Urban Legends - While no one doubts the religious significance of Christmas, the origin of many of the customs associated with the holiday is lost in legend. These pages sort out the origins of some of these customs and symbols in instructive fashion. Are poinsettias poisonous? Where did the Yule Log come from? Find out here... and note that not all legends are appropriate for all ages - read first, then use. Christmas Activities - Here's a nicely done collection of activities, coloring items, and other Christmas treats for elementary students. Lots of printable sheets to color, letting students make gift tags, cards, and the like. Christmas Around the World - This British site offers summaries of Christmas customs and traditions from around the world. (Did you know you're supposed to stir the Christmas pudding from east to west?) Your students might like to see what the Brits think of some of our American Christmas traditions, and to learn how these vary in other nations. A Christmas Card from TeachersFirst - Here's our own greeting for your classroom - an Adobe Acrobat file that you can print and display. We hope your students are as excited about their web adventures as the group on our card. Happy Holidays!
Christmas Carol Words - What it says is what you get - the words to dozens of different carols, displayed in a format that should be easy to print out and use. Can't remember the second verse to Silent Night? Look no further! Privately published.
Colonial Christmas Customs - Teachers - Here's a description, written at an adult level, of the ways in which 18th century Christmas celebrations differed from those of today. If' you're planning activities dealing with the history of Christmas customs, this site has good information that you can incorporate. From Colonial Williamsburg. Christmas Celebration Lesson - Grades 4-8 - Here's a Christmas customs lesson from folks who know what food can do for learning. Let your class try its hand at some colonial Christmas recipes from Williamsburg as they learn about the celebration of Christmas in the 18th century colonies. This lesson plan includes activities and a sampling of recipes. Holiday Celebrations - Grades 3-8 - This site offers a variety of craft, poetry, and music activities based on winter holidays and celebrations.
Interplanetary Christmas - Grades 4-8 - Our friends at NASA shared this lesson, which lets students learn about planetary orbits (and more) while plotting Santa's interplanetary journey. It's a nice blend of science and celebration. French and French Canadian Christmas Customs - Grades 4-8 - This site doesn't have a lot of depth, but there are examples of French Christmas traditions and how they have evolved over the last few hundred years. The presentation is extremely easy to navigate. C'est aussi en Français! The Giving Tree Lesson - Grades 3-8 - A Christmas gift from one of our own staff, this lesson based on Shel Silverstein's book The Giving Tree is sure to get you students thinking about the Christmas spirit. We're also offering a place for you to share your students' responses on TeachersFirst's own giving tree. Nineteenth Century Christmas - Teachers - This site from Indiana's Conner Prairie restoration details the evolution of Christmas in the 19th century and the growth of "commercial" celebration activities. If you're tracing Christmas customs, it's a nice follow-on to the Colonial customs link above. TeachersFirst's Victorian Christmas Collection - Grades 6-12 - Our own blend of resources to illustrate how Christmas was marked in late 19th century England and America. This page includes a lesson on making Victorian cornucopia decorations, and also a tour of Charles Dickens' house. Twelve Books of Christmas - K-12 - From the Children's Literature Web Guide at the University of Calgary comes this collection of books for Christmas for students of all ages. There is a short review for each, along with a short excerpt. Lots of good pointers for a trip to the library.
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Hannukah Resources • Kwanzaa Resources • Ramadan Resources
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Still more selections: 
