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Christmas Celebrations: Global Traditions

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Lesson Plan

Christmas Celebrations: Global Traditions

Students will identify and describe diverse Christmas traditions from around the world, fostering cultural understanding and global awareness.

Understanding global Christmas traditions helps students appreciate cultural diversity, develop empathy, and broaden their perspective beyond their own experiences, connecting them to a wider world.

Audience

8th Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive exploration and creative sharing.

Materials

Smartboard or Projector, Global Christmas Traditions Slide Deck, Markers or Colored Pencils, My Global Tradition Activity, and Reflection Cool Down

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: What's Your Tradition?

5 minutes

  • Begin with a brief discussion: "What are some Christmas traditions you know about or celebrate?"
    * Use the Warm Up: Holiday Traditions material to guide this initial sharing.
    * Encourage students to share personal or commonly known traditions. Ensure a respectful and inclusive environment.

Step 2

Explore Global Traditions

10 minutes

  • Present the Global Christmas Traditions Slide Deck.
    * Go through each slide, briefly describing a different global Christmas tradition (e.g., Krampus in Austria, Sinterklaas in Netherlands, Yule Lads in Iceland, Christmas Pickle in Germany, KFC Christmas in Japan).
    * Encourage quick questions and reactions from students after each tradition is presented. Focus on sparking curiosity and brief comparisons to their own experiences.

Step 3

My Global Tradition Activity

10 minutes

  • Distribute the My Global Tradition Activity worksheet.
    * Explain that students will choose one of the global traditions discussed (or another they know) and create a small drawing or write a few sentences about it, explaining what makes it unique.
    * Circulate around the room, offering assistance and prompting deeper thought about the chosen tradition.
    * Allow students to share their creations with a partner or small group if time permits.

Step 4

Cool-Down: One New Thing

5 minutes

  • Distribute the Reflection Cool Down.
    * Ask students to complete the cool-down ticket, focusing on one new or interesting tradition they learned today.
    * Collect the cool-down tickets as an exit pass to gauge understanding and engagement.
    * Thank students for their participation and cultural exploration.
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Slide Deck

Christmas Celebrations: Global Traditions

Get ready to journey around the world!

Welcome students and introduce the exciting topic of exploring Christmas traditions beyond their own experiences. Ask a general question to get them thinking.

Beyond Our Borders

How does the world celebrate Christmas?

Let's find out!

Explain that Christmas isn't celebrated the same way everywhere. It has many unique customs.

Austria: Krampusnacht

Forget Santa! In Austria, on December 5th, children might encounter Krampus, a horned, devil-like creature who punishes naughty children. It's quite a spectacle!

Introduce Krampus. Emphasize the contrast with Santa Claus.

Netherlands: Sinterklaas

Sinterklaas arrives by steamboat from Spain in November! Children leave their shoes by the fireplace or window, hoping to find treats (not coal!) inside on December 5th.

Describe Sinterklaas and the tradition of shoes being left out.

Iceland: Yule Lads

Instead of one Santa, Icelandic children are visited by 13 mischievous Yule Lads! Each has a unique name and personality, leaving gifts (or potatoes!) in shoes for 13 nights leading up to Christmas.

Explain the Yule Lads and their mischief.

Germany: The Christmas Pickle

A hidden pickle ornament on the Christmas tree brings good luck! The first child to find it on Christmas morning gets an extra present or good fortune for the year. But is it really German?

Discuss the Christmas Pickle tradition and its origins.

Japan: KFC Christmas

Thanks to a clever marketing campaign in the 1970s, many Japanese families celebrate Christmas Eve with a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken! It's become a beloved national tradition.

Explain the modern, unique Christmas Eve tradition in Japan.

Amazing Traditions!

Which tradition surprised you the most?

What makes these traditions unique?

Encourage students to think about which tradition was most surprising or interesting.

Your Turn! My Global Tradition

Choose one global Christmas tradition you learned about (or another you know).

Draw a picture or write a few sentences about it. Explain what makes it unique!

Explain the activity and guide students to choose a tradition.

Reflect and Share

What is one new thing you learned about global Christmas traditions today?

Conclude the lesson by asking students to reflect on what they learned. Collect the cool-down tickets.

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Warm Up

Warm-Up: Holiday Traditions

Take a moment to think about Christmas or holiday traditions you know about or celebrate. These could be traditions from your family, friends, or even things you've seen in movies or books.




Share with a partner or the class:

  • What is one Christmas or holiday tradition you know?
  • What makes this tradition special to you or others?




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Activity

My Global Tradition Activity

Instructions:

  1. Choose a Tradition: From the global Christmas traditions we discussed (or another one you know), pick one that you found most interesting or surprising.
  2. Draw or Write: In the space below, either draw a picture representing your chosen tradition OR write a few sentences describing it.
  3. Explain its Uniqueness: Briefly explain what makes this tradition unique or different from what you already knew.

My Chosen Global Tradition: ___________________________________________________________________

















What makes this tradition unique?







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Cool Down

Reflection Cool Down

Instructions:

On this exit ticket, please answer the following question:

What is one new or interesting Christmas/holiday tradition you learned about today, and what made it stand out to you?







Thank you for exploring global traditions with me!

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