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Beyond the Wrapping Paper

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Lesson Plan

Beyond the Wrapping Paper

Students will be able to describe different cultural or family traditions around the holidays, fostering greater social awareness and appreciation for diversity.

Understanding diverse holiday traditions helps students develop empathy, perspective-taking skills, and cultural humility, preparing them to be more inclusive global citizens.

Audience

9th-12th Grade Students

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Through sharing and discussion, students will explore and synthesize the value of diversity.

Materials

Prep

Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Share Personal Traditions

5 minutes

  • Begin by displaying the first slide of the Cultural Traditions Slides.
    - Ask students to briefly reflect on a personal or family holiday tradition they enjoy. They can think about any celebration or special time of year.
    - Facilitate a brief whole-class share, inviting 2-3 students to quickly share one tradition. Emphasize that all traditions are valued.
    - Transition to the next slide introducing the concept of diverse traditions.

Step 2

Think-Pair-Share: Discuss Diverse Perspectives

7 minutes

  • Introduce the Think-Pair-Share Guide and explain the process.
    - Display the relevant slides from the Cultural Traditions Slides that showcase different holiday traditions.
    - Give students 1-2 minutes to Think individually about the traditions presented and any others they know.
    - Have students Pair with a partner (or small group) to discuss their thoughts using the prompts from the Think-Pair-Share Guide. Circulate to listen and guide.
    - Bring the class back together for a brief Share out, asking pairs to highlight interesting traditions or insights they discussed.

Step 3

Synthesize: Value of Diversity

3 minutes

  • Display the final slide from the Cultural Traditions Slides.
    - Lead a brief discussion on the importance of understanding and appreciating diverse traditions.
    - Ask questions like: 'Why is it valuable to learn about holiday traditions different from your own?' or 'How can appreciating diversity make our community stronger?'
    - Conclude by reiterating the lesson's objective and the importance of cultural humility and perspective-taking.
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Slide Deck

Beyond the Wrapping Paper: What's Your Tradition?

Think: What's a holiday or special family tradition you love?
It could be about food, decorations, activities, or stories!

Welcome students and introduce the day's topic in an engaging way. Start with a hook about how holidays are more than just gifts.

A World of Celebrations

Every family, every culture, has special ways to celebrate. These traditions connect us to our past and each other.

Key Concepts:

  • Diversity: The variety of differences among people.
  • Traditions: Customs or beliefs passed down through generations.

Transition from personal sharing to the broader idea of diverse traditions. Emphasize that every family and culture has unique ways of celebrating.

See Through New Eyes

When we learn about others' traditions, we practice:

  • Perspective-Taking: Understanding a situation from another's point of view.
  • Cultural Humility: Approaching other cultures with respect, openness, and a willingness to learn.

Introduce the idea of perspective-taking and cultural humility. Briefly explain what these mean in the context of learning about others' traditions.

Traditions Around the Globe (and Next Door!)

Diwali (India): Festival of Lights, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness.

Hanukkah (Jewish): Festival of Lights, celebrating a miracle.

Kwanzaa (African-American): Celebration of African heritage and culture.

Christmas (Christian): Celebration of the birth of Jesus, with various cultural expressions worldwide.

New Year's Eve (Global): Often celebrated with specific foods, fireworks, and resolutions.

Provide examples of diverse traditions to spark interest and provide concrete examples for the Think-Pair-Share. These are just a few examples; encourage students to think of more.

Let's Share Our Learning!

Now, let's discuss what we've discovered. Use the Think-Pair-Share Guide to help us explore these diverse traditions together.

This slide sets up the Think-Pair-Share activity. Explain that students will discuss what they've learned and reflected upon.

Embracing Our Diverse World

Learning about diverse traditions helps us build a more understanding and inclusive community. Every tradition holds a unique story and value!

Conclude the lesson by reinforcing the main takeaways: the beauty of diversity and the importance of respecting all traditions.

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Discussion

Think-Pair-Share: Exploring Holiday Traditions

THINK (2 minutes)

  • Reflect on the holiday traditions we discussed in the slides, or any other holiday traditions you know.
  • What makes these traditions special for the people who celebrate them?
  • How might these traditions be different from your own, or similar?






PAIR (3 minutes)

  • With your partner, share your reflections from the "Think" phase.
  • Discuss these questions:
    • What was one new or interesting tradition you learned about today?
    • Why do you think it's important to understand and respect traditions that are different from our own?
    • How can learning about diverse traditions help us understand each other better?












SHARE (2 minutes)

  • Be ready to share some of your group's insights with the whole class.
  • What was a key takeaway from your discussion?












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