EHS Christmas Aroud the World(Kwanza, Hanukkah, Christmas, Navidad. etc.)

Changes to Environment

Pictures of Christmas from different Cultures

Dreidel (Hanukkah)

Stockings

​Wooden Shoes

Child Appropriate Menorah (Hanukkah)

Child Appropriate Kinara (Kwanza)

Boxes wrapped with wrapping paper

Wrapping Paper cut into squares

Pictures of Candy Canes, Wreathes, Decorated Trees, Menorahs, Kinaras, Dreidels, Misteltoe, Stockings, etc)

Music/Song Sheets of Christmas Songs/Music

Empty Jug of Egg Nog

Empty Bottles of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Pumpkin Spice, etc

File Folder Game related to the Holiday

Empty Pinata (La Posada)

Santa Hat

Elf Hat, Elf Ears

Greeting Cards

Child appropriate Nativity Scene

Advent Calendar

Homemade song book for carolers

Silver bells

Insta-snow

Plastic ornaments

Christmas cupcake liners

Green cones (like what snow cones are served in)

Multicultural puppets, people, etc

Drum ("Little Drummer Boy")

Cookie cutters

Pie pan

Empty boxes of food and drink containers that you might see at Christmas time

Water table: plastic ornaments, green water, plastic candy canes, plastic stars, etc.

Sensory table: insta-snow, green cones for trees, silver bells, shovel, etc.

Teaching Concepts for Indoor Experiences

1. Show pictures that introduce the many ways people around the world celebrate Christmas and talk about how it is celebrated on different days or for several days (the link below describes how different countries celebrate Christmas).

http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/armenia.shtml

2. Explain the gift of giving and helping those in need. Practice giving and sharing.

3. Glue “decorations” on a paper tree

4. Decorated old oatmeal containers and use as drums. (Kwanzaa)

5. Paint toilet paper rolls 3 red, 3 green, 1 black to make candles for a Kinara, tape a paper flame to ends of rolls, glue rolls to small box or paper towel roll

6. Decorate a paper lantern. (Japanese)

7. Make Christmas cards

8. Wrap small boxes with wrapping paper, tissue paper, construction paper, newspaper, etc

9. Guess what is in the stocking. Fill stocking with different items (such as bows, bells, ribbon, wrapping paper pieces, small toys, etc), let children feel and guess what is in it.

10. Cut out shapes using “Christmas” cookie cutters and playdough.

11. Pretend play a Christmas party

12. Show pictures and talk about the different ways families travel during the holidays to see their friends and families

13 Color with red and green

14. Decorate a stocking

15. Glue paper cup on paper plate ahead of time. Let children paint and decorate with yarn and pom poms to make sombrero.

Teaching Concepts for Outdoor Experiences

1. Spin the dreidel

2. Hide and seek reindeer (hide printable reindeer and find them)

3. Ring Around the Christmas Tree (played like Ring Around the Rosies)

4. Toy delivery (see how fast you can deliver toys to the children)

5. Pass the present (play like hot potato)

6. Follow the reindeer (play like follow the leader)

Teaching Concepts for Music Movement Wellness IMIL

1. Reindeer Pokey

You put your antlers in. You put your antlers out.

You put you antlers in and you shake them all about.

You do the Reindeer Pokey and you turn yourself around.

That’s what it’s all about!

Continue with:

You put your hooves in….

You put your red nose in….

You put your fluffy tail in…

You put your reindeer body in…

2. Feliz Navidad

3. Advent Song tune: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Advent is a time to wait

Not quite time to celebrate

Light the candles one by one

Till the advent time is done

Christmas day will soon be here

Time for joy and time for cheer

4. The 7 Days of Kwanzaa  tune: 12 Days of Christmas

On the first day of Kwanzaa, my family gave to me, a cup for our family unity

on the second day of Kwanzaa, my family gave to me, 2 woven mats and a cup for our family unity

repeat the song, adding the following lines

3rd- 3 special flags

4th – four kinds of fruit

5th – five ears of corn

6th – six handmade gifts

7th – seven kinara candles

5. Hanukkah is Here tune: The Farmer in the Dell

Oh, Hanukkah is here. Oh, Hanukkah is here

Light the candles, one by one. Oh, Hanukkah is here.

Spin the dreidel, too. Oh, spin the dreidel, too

Spin the dreidel round and round. For Hanukkah is here

Eat some latkes next. Eat some latkes next.

Eat some latkes — yum, yum, yum –

For Hanukkah is here.

6. Ten Little Latkes

Ten little latkes sizzling in a pan, (Hold up 10 fingers.)

One jumped out, said “Catch me if you can!” (Jump.)

I chased it and chased it and chased it some more, (Run in place.)

Then that little latke ran out the kitchen door. (Wave good-bye.)

Now, there’s nine little latkes sizzling in a pan … (Hold up 9 fingers.)

Continue until there is none left.

7. I’m a Little Dreidel

I’m a little dreidel (Point to self.)

With a point and a top. (Make point with hands; pat head.)

I spin, spin, spin, (Spin around.)

Then I drop. (Fall to the ground.)

8. Go Christmas caroling to the different classrooms in center

Teaching Concepts for Fingerplays

1. Five Little Bells

Five little bells hanging in a row.

The first one said, “Ring me slow.”

The second one said, “Ring me fast.”

The third one said, “Ring me last.”

The fourth one said, “I’m a chime.”

The fifth one said, “Ring me at Christmas time.”

The sixth one said, “Ring me with the others.”

The seventh one said, “Ring me for the mothers.”

The eighth one said, “Ring me with a song.”

The ninth one said, “Ring me all day long.”

2. 5 Little Christmas Trees 

5 little Christmas Trees

Standing all alone

Their heart were very sad

‘Cause they hadn’t found a home.

Then chop went the ax

And down fell the tree

And off they went with a happy family!

(continue from 4 to 1 Christmas Trees)

No little Christmas Trees

Standing all alone

Their hearts were very happy

‘Cause they all found a home!!!

3. K-W-A-N-Z-A-A tune: One Little Two Little three little Indians

one little, two little, three little candles

four little, five little, six little candles

seven little candles shine for Kwanzaa

shining in the kinara

three little red and three little green ones

black in the middle shines a little taller

shine little candles, shine for Kwanzaa

4. My Menorah

Here is my menorah, (Put hands together.)

Eight candles standing tall. (Fan out eight fingers.)

In the middle is the shamash, (Link thumbs and hold them up straight; let fingers fan on the sides.)

Rising above them all.

We use the shamash, (Pretend to hold a candle.)

To light a flame each night. (Pretend to light a candle.)

Eight nights of Hanukkah, (Hold up eight fingers; pretend to sleep.)

Eight candles burning bright. (Hold up eight fingers; cup hands around face like a candle flame.)

5. Dreidel Game tune: This Old Man

My sister,

She played one.

She played dreidel

On her thumb.

With a zig-zag, wig-wag,

Dizzy wizzy spin,

Her dreidel rolled around to win.

My brother,

He played two.

He played dreidel

On his shoe.

With a zig-zag, wig-wag,

Dizzy wizzy spin,

His dreidel rolled around to win.

My mommy,

She played three,

She played dreidel

On her knee.

With a zig-zag, wig-wag

Dizzy wizzy spin,

Her dreidel rolled around to win.

My daddy,

He played four.

He played dreidel

On the floor.

With a zig-zag, wig-wag,

Dizzy wizzy spin,

His dreidel rolled around to win.

6. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Teaching Concepts for Distance Learning

1. Scavenger hunt

You can gather a list or some ideas include looking for particular shapes, colors, items that are a certain length, or items that start with a particular sound.

2. Make an ABC/123 Sensory Bin

Take letter shapes, scrabble tiles, letter puzzle pieces, etc. and bury them in a sensory bin. You can use any fillers such as rice or sand. Set up a letter wash with warm, soapy water and foam or plastic letters. Alternatively, you can use numbers too.

3. https://www.virtualmusicalinstruments.com

Kid's play instruments online. Instruments include guitar, piano, pan flute, drums, and bongos.