Lesson Plan
Holiday Hands-On Fun!
Students will develop fine motor skills and cultural awareness by engaging in three craft-based activities representing different holiday traditions.
Understanding diverse holiday traditions promotes empathy and cultural appreciation. Fine motor skill development is crucial for early childhood development, aiding in writing readiness and daily tasks.
Audience
Pre-K Students
Time
15 minutes
Approach
Hands-on craft activities.
Materials
- DIY Hanukkah Menorah Craft, - Kwanzaa Kinara Bracelet Activity, - Christmas Tree Garland Creation, - Construction paper (various colors), - Child-safe scissors, - Glue sticks, - Yarn or string, - Beads (various colors), - Markers or crayons, and - Glitter/sequins (optional)
Prep
Prepare Activity Stations
10 minutes
- Review the Holiday Hands-On Fun! Lesson Plan and all linked materials.
- Set up three separate stations, one for each craft activity.
- Pre-cut construction paper shapes (candles for menorah, paper tree shapes) for younger students or have students cut if appropriate for their skill level.
- Place all necessary materials at each station (e.g., glue sticks, markers, yarn, beads, pre-cut shapes).
Step 1
Introduction to Holiday Traditions
3 minutes
- Gather students: Have students sit in a circle.
- Engage: Ask students, "Who likes to celebrate holidays? What are some special things your family does?" (Listen to a few responses).
- Introduce: Say, "Today, we're going to learn about some different holidays people celebrate and make some special crafts that help us practice using our hands! We'll explore Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa."
Step 2
Activity Rotation & Crafting
10 minutes
- Explain Stations: "We have three fun craft stations today! Each station is for a different holiday. You'll get to visit all three and make a special craft at each one."
- Demonstrate Briefly: Quickly show an example or explain the main action for each craft:
- DIY Hanukkah Menorah Craft: "At this station, you'll use glue and paper to make your own Menorah."
- Kwanzaa Kinara Bracelet Activity: "Here, you'll put beads on a string to make a Kwanzaa-inspired bracelet."
- Christmas Tree Garland Creation: "And over here, you'll decorate paper trees and string them together to make a garland."
- Rotate: Divide students into three small groups and assign each group to a starting station. Explain they will rotate after a few minutes.
- Facilitate: Circulate among the stations, providing assistance, encouraging fine motor skill development (cutting, gluing, beading), and discussing the holiday traditions associated with each craft.
Step 3
Wrap-Up & Share
2 minutes
- Clean Up: Guide students to clean up their stations.
- Share: "Who wants to show us one of the crafts they made today? What holiday does it remind you of?" (Allow 2-3 students to share).
- Review: "Great job everyone! You used your amazing hands to make beautiful crafts and learned about different holidays like Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas!"
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Slide Deck
Holiday Hands-On Fun!
Let's explore holidays and make cool crafts!
Greet students and start with a warm welcome. Ask about their favorite parts of holidays.
What are Holidays?
Holidays are special days!
Families celebrate in many different ways.
We share traditions, food, and fun!
Introduce the idea of different families celebrating different ways. Keep it simple and engaging.
Hanukkah: Festival of Lights
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday.
It's also called the Festival of Lights.
We light candles on a special holder called a Menorah.
Let's make our own DIY Hanukkah Menorah!
Briefly introduce the concept of Hanukkah. Emphasize the craft aspect.
Kwanzaa: Celebration of Community
Kwanzaa is a celebration of African-American culture.
It's about family and community.
We light a Kinara and wear special colors.
Let's make a Kwanzaa Kinara Bracelet!
Briefly introduce Kwanzaa. Focus on unity and the craft.
Christmas: Joy and Giving
Christmas is a Christian holiday.
People decorate trees and exchange gifts.
It's a time for joy and giving.
Let's make a Christmas Tree Garland!
Briefly introduce Christmas. Talk about decorations and the garland craft.
Time to Create!
We have three stations:
- Hanukkah Menorah
- Kwanzaa Bracelet
- Christmas Garland
Move to your first station and let's get crafting!
Explain the rotation. Remind them they will visit all three stations. Encourage careful work and sharing.
Great Job, Crafters!
You made amazing crafts!
You learned about Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas.
You used your super fine motor skills!
What was your favorite craft?
Conclude by reviewing what they learned and made. Praise their efforts and fine motor skills.
Activity
DIY Hanukkah Menorah Craft
Objective: Students will practice cutting, gluing, and arranging to create a Menorah, developing fine motor skills.
Materials:
- Blue and yellow construction paper (or other colors)
- Pre-cut candle shapes (9 per student, or allow students to cut if appropriate)
- Small flame shapes (9 per student)
- Glue sticks
- Markers or crayons
Instructions:
- Introduce: Explain that a Menorah is a special candle holder used during Hanukkah.
- Make the Base: Give each student a piece of blue or yellow construction paper for the Menorah base. They can fold it in half and then unfold it to create a crease, or simply draw a straight line across the bottom.
- Add Candles: Hand out the pre-cut candle shapes. Ask students to glue eight candles in a row on the Menorah base. "How many candles are there? Let's count them!"
- Add the Shamash: Explain that one candle is special, it's called the shamash, and it lights the other candles. Have students glue the ninth candle slightly higher or in the middle to make it stand out.
- Add Flames: Provide small flame shapes for students to glue on top of each candle.
- Decorate: Encourage students to decorate their Menorahs with markers or crayons. They can add stars, dots, or patterns. "What colors do you like to use for your Menorah?"
My Hanukkah Menorah
(Space for students to glue and draw their menorah parts and decorate.)
Activity
Kwanzaa Kinara Bracelet Activity
Objective: Students will practice threading beads onto a string, enhancing pincer grasp and hand-eye coordination.
Materials:
- Red, black, and green beads (colors of Kwanzaa)
- Yarn or string (pre-cut to bracelet length, with one end taped for easy threading)
- Small bowls to hold beads
Instructions:
- Introduce: Explain that Kwanzaa is a holiday that celebrates family and community, and that red, black, and green are special colors for Kwanzaa, representing unity and hope. "These are the colors of Kwanzaa!"
- Demonstrate Threading: Show students how to hold the string and carefully push a bead onto it. Emphasize taking their time and being gentle.
- Create Patterns (Optional): Encourage students to create patterns with their beads (e.g., red, black, green, repeat), or simply choose colors they like. "Can you make a pattern with your beads?"
- Thread Beads: Have students thread beads onto their yarn until they have a full bracelet. This is a great exercise for their small finger muscles.
- Tie Bracelet: Once students have finished adding beads, help them tie the ends of the yarn together to form a bracelet. (Adult supervision and assistance needed for tying).
My Kwanzaa Colors Bracelet
(Space for students to draw their bracelet design or simply to acknowledge their creation.)
Activity
Christmas Tree Garland Creation
Objective: Students will practice decorating, folding (optional), and stringing to create a Christmas tree garland, enhancing dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
Materials:
- Green construction paper (pre-cut into small Christmas tree shapes, or allow students to cut if appropriate)
- Markers, crayons, glitter, sequins, small pom-poms
- Glue sticks
- Yarn or string (pre-cut for garland length)
- Hole punch (for adult use)
Instructions:
- Introduce: Explain that during Christmas, many people decorate Christmas trees. "We're going to make our own string of Christmas trees!"
- Decorate Trees: Give each student several pre-cut green Christmas tree shapes. Encourage them to decorate their trees using markers, crayons, glitter, sequins, or small pom-poms. This is a great opportunity for creative expression and using small items.
- Punch Holes: Once the decorations are dry (or mostly dry), an adult will use a hole punch to make a hole at the top of each decorated tree. (Adult-only step for safety).
- String Trees: Help students thread their decorated trees onto a piece of yarn or string to create a garland. They can decide the order of their trees. This further develops their hand-eye coordination and fine motor control.
- Display: Once completed, the garlands can be hung up in the classroom or taken home.
My Christmas Tree Garland Design
(Space for students to draw their garland design or describe their decorated trees.)