See also  Special Days

Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett Book review, printable, lesson plans, recipe

Christmas Booklist   More books to share with kids this Christmas here

http://www.thisischristmas.com
Title: Christmas in London and the UK
Description: Family oriented website about Christmas events and markets in London and the UK. Read
the Christmas UK Blog, View beautiful flash animations.

Christmas Reference from Urban Legends Grade K to 12 - - 7849

http://www.theholidayzone.com/
The Holiday Zone offers free holiday and seasonal educational resources for use in early childhood and elementary educational settings. Holiday and seasonal materials include learning games, whole language activities, writing prompts, songs, action rhymes, fingerplays, printable worksheets, printable and interactive puzzles, coloring pages, art and craft activities, educational game ideas, and children's literature recommendations. Themes include: Easter, Chusok, Hanukkah and Christmas.

Talking About Grade 8 to 12 - English Portal

Christmas Traditions Around the World
http://www.caslt.org/research/christmas4.htm
An annotated guide to numerous sites detailing international Christmas
traditions. Teachers and librarians may especially be inspired by an
elementary school's internet scavenger hunts.
From: Neat New Stuff I Found This Week http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2007.

Holiday Celebration Grade K to 5 - The Holiday Zone- 7890

This site offers a variety of craft, poetry, language arts and music activities based on winter holidays and celebrations.

The story of Christmas.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/holydays/christmas_1.shtml
Website. A commonsense explanation of Christmas as a Christian holy day.

Danish Woven Baskets Grade 3 to 6 - northpole.net- 5509

Add another dimension to your multicultural classroom Christmas tree with ornaments inspired by Denmark, and crafted by your students. This patterns and set of instructions for Danish baskets requires only shiny paper and glue. Younger children will need some help with this one.

St Nicholas - the origins of Santa

http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=35

Lovely Christmas Grade 1 to 8 - - 8393

Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
 http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/DicChri.html
 Text of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol".

Christmas Around the World Grade 3 to 6 

This well-organized WebQuest involves students in investigating how Christmas is celebrated in cultures around the world. Materials and online resources are provided; the only thing you must contribute is the computer lab.

How Christmas Works Marshall Brain
A comprehensive site about the Christmas story and how it is observed.

Notes on A Christmas Carol Grade 8 to 12 - GradeSaver

Supplement a unit on Dickens and the Victorian novel with this site that focuses on A Christmas Carol. Highlights include brief overviews of the major themes, discussions of the characters, biographical information about the author, summaries and analyses of each stave, and links to related resources. Use the 40-question interactive quiz as a review after reading the novella or viewing a film adaptation in class.

 The Gift of the Magi
 http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/Gift_of_the_Magi.html
 Original Text of this short story by O. Henry.

World Advent Calendar Grade 2 to 6 - Woodlands Junior School- 5503

Make this interactive calendar part of your daily routine during the holiday season. Each day of Advent, students can click to open a window and discover answers to questions about Christmas celebrations throughout the world.

The Christmas truce [website] / by Aaron Shepard.

Shepard, Aaron.
http://www.aaronshep.com/rt/RTE34.html
Reader's theatre script which can be printed from Aaron Shephard's site for classroom use.

World Traditions Grade 4 to 7 - History Channel- 5500

Click on the interactive map to discover facts about how Christmas is celebrated in that part of the world. Be sure to visit the "Evolution of Santa" link for an interesting glimpse of St. Nick's progression from 3rd century Turkey to the American shopping mall.

 World Map of Christmas Traditions
 http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/holidays/christmas/world.html
 Click around this map to learn about traditions from different regions  and, along the way, learn about the history of this most cherished of  holidays.

Christmas Celebration Lesson Grade K to 8 - The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation- 7857

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.

Christmas Around The World
 http://www.the-north-pole.com/around/
 This is a collection of historical Christmas celebrations for many different countries.

Multi-Media Text of A Christmas Carol Grade 8 to 12 - Mitsuharu Matsuoka- 5479

Dickens' beloved Victorian novella may be a bit daunting for some students because of unfamiliar 19th century vocabulary and references. This complete, online version provides readers with assistance in the form of links to definitions and explanations, illustrative media clips from film adaptations of the work, and helpful summaries.

The celebration of the Christian festival of Christmas provides an opportunity for teachers to investigate with their students, the historical, religious and cultural significance of religious festivals in the Australian community.  - multiple links

Mrs. Cassidy's Web Page - Merry Christmas Grade K to 3 - Mrs. Cassidy- 8845

Christmas World
 http://www.northpole.net/world.htm
 To hear about very different kinds of Christmas, visit these pages.

Organs for Christmas Grade 9 to 12 - Genentech, Inc.- 2646

This is a lesson from Genentech's Access Excellence collection, which contains several hundred detailed lesson plans for high school level biology topics. Each lesson includes objectives, instructions, methodology, and outcomes.

Ten ages of Christmas / by Christine Lalumia. .
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/ten_ages_gallery.shtml
Development of Christmas traditions from medieval times to today.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art – Explore and Learn Grade 3 to 12 - Metropolitan Museum of Art- 9173

Explore and Learn is your gateway to educational fun and learning at the Metropolitan Museum of Art! This area is organized into themes such as "Just for Fun," "A Closer Look," "Artists," "Themes and Cultures," "What’s New," "Timeline of Art History," "Read All About It," and "Publications for Educators." Built around the world-class collections of the museum, the Met provides interactive learning games, virtual scavenger hunts, activities, worksheets, commentary, and resources for students and teachers. This site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom: Pick a theme and jump in! The themed areas lend themselves to whole class viewing with an interactive whiteboard or projector. Mark this site as a Favorite and turn those classroom computers into activity centers where students can explore and learn with interactive art games. Base a hands-on art activity around the themes "A Closer Look" and "Artists." Visit "Themes and Cultures" for a multicultural tour and discussion about art styles around the world. Create a classroom art gallery of student art in time for Open House. Don’t forget to take digital pictures for your “archives” and as examples for another year.

 Christmas In Ireland
 http://www.irishclans.com/articles/irish_christmas.html
 Irish Christmas traditions are similar to those found in many western  countries but Ireland does have its unique Christmas rituals.

 

Christmas Around The World Grade K to 8 - Kaboose- 7851

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.

The History of Christmas
 http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/holidays/christmas/index.html
 Explore our site to find out the true history.

Holidays Grade 1 to 3 - Manatee School District- 9544

Need some information or class ideas about Christmas, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, Yom Kipper, or New Years? Check out this interactive, easy to follow website. Each holiday has an individual page with several links to photos, historical information, vocabulary definitions, reference information, and more. There is also a Read feature available with each paragraph. This allows students to hear the paragraph read aloud (a great feature for non-readers and ESL or ELL students).
At the time of the review, the link on the Yom Kipper page to Hear the Sound of a Shofar was being updated. All of the other many links and information worked perfectly. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom: Save this site in your favorites to share during the holiday seasons. Assign research groups to investigate the holidays listed at this site. Have students report their findings to the class. Create a class wiki for students to share holidays they celebrate and holiday traditions that they follow.

 The Evolution of Santa Claus
 http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/holidays/christmas/santa.htmlLearn about the history of Santa Claus.

Holiday List to Santa Grade K to 2 - Funbrain- 8859

Children type in their Holiday wish list through this interactive site. There is some advertising, but it is easily ignored. After keying in the list, print it and send it on to...Santa? Home in the backpacks? This site requires FLASH. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom: Turn this experience into a service project by creating holiday wish lists of items to collect and give to needy families. Or make "pretend" lists of items your favorite characters from books would ask for and posting them in your classroom. Sometimes it is hard for students to "put themselves in someone else's shoes" during the holiday season, but this activity might provide the incentive to think less selfishly.

How Christmas works [website] : the complete guide to Christmas traditions! / by Marshall Brain.
Brain, Marshall.
http://people.howstuffworks.com/christmas.htm

Spirit of the Season Grade 5 to 12 - NY Times- 8849

This site is a collection of seasonally-appropriate lesson plans for winter and the holiday season, including philanthropy, winter sports, and weather. In addition to lesson plans, there are timely crossword puzzles and questions and answers about winter weather.

In the Classroom: Use this to find a curriculum-appropriate way to include the holidays in your plans. It's a great place to give students info about symbols of international religions, for example, or to explain the history and applications of volunteerism and giving. If you advise a service club, there are fresh ideas here, as well.

 Christmas in Italy
 http://scuole.provincia.ps.it/dd.pesaro1/Lavori%20Netd@ys/christmas.htm
 Learn about La Befana, the Christmas witch and other Italian Christmas  Traditions.

Interplanetary Christmas Grade K to 12

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. This lesson was developed prior to Pluto's "change" to a lesser status. Mention this change to prompt discussion about how science changes over time!

Christmas in Italy  
http://www.initaly.com/regions/xmas/xmas.htm
Website. Interesting information about Italian Christmas customs

The Christmas Story in Art Grade 2 to 12 - The Metropolitan Museum of Art- 9078

35. Urban Legends Reference Pages: Christmas
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   The site offers over two dozen Christmas legends and myths,
   including Jesus' birth date, the number of wise men, the accepted
   meaning of the Immaculate Conception, the origin of the Yule log,
   the symbolism of candy canes, Christmas cards, Boxing Day, the
   Twelve Days of Christmas, and more, while discrediting some
   commonly accepted Christmas news stories. Do not miss the
   fruitcake page.

  http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/christmas.asp#immac17. The History of "Silent Night" and "The

Christmas Cookie Archive Grade K to 12

We could claim that this site made the cut because it has recipes from all over the world. Frankly, we liked it because we suspect every classroom needs a good cookie recipe at this time of year. This site has dozens of tempting recipes you may want to try. Try mixing the recipes with some of the international customs described in the sites below.

• Art, craft and activities
• Christmas around the world
• Christmas clipart
• Christmas in Australia
• Christmas learning quests
• Christmas recipes
• Christmas stories, poems and carols
• ICT and Christmas in the Classroom

Christmas Carol Words Grade K to 12

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.

Christmas and Holiday Lesson Plans
Hot Chalk's Lesson Plan page

White House Kids Learn About Traditions Grade 2 to 6 - White House- 8366

View pictures and read lively text about three seasons at the White House: Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving. Currently, President George and First Lady Laura Bush’s dog, Barney, has his own section on this site. For a fresh view of holiday life in the White House, watch the Barney cam and read (or act) the Barney scripts and tours of the festivities. Traditional holiday fun is presented in such a way that all students, regardless of religious background, will not be offended. Various activities on this site require Windows Media Player, QuickTime, or Real Player.

In the Classroom: Teachers may want to use the script for each Barney Cam as a Readers’ Theatre while the video is projected onto a screen. Teachers can use a Venn Diagram to illustrate differences/similarities of cross-culture holidays or make comparisons on a personal level. As a creative writing assignment, students could create their own drama using their personal pets and favorite holiday instead.

Christmas in Austria, Germany, Switzerland
 http://www.german-way.com/christmas.html
 Although we usually take today's Christmas celebration customs for granted, most of the so-called "traditional" Christmas practices only date back to the 19th century.

Holiday Traditions Grade 4 to 6 - Museum of Science and Technology- 5526

This guide to Christmas celebrations around the world focuses mainly on the greetings, decorations, and traditions that are part of this religious holiday. But the site also includes descriptions of other cultural celebrations, including Diwali, Hanukkah, Ramadan, and Kwanzaa. This is an excellent resource for a seasonal multicultural unit. Younger children may need a bit of help with the text, so consider developing a simple Web hunt to focus their exploration.

Cyclone Tracy website  
http://www.ntlib.nt.gov.au/tracy/advanced/cyc_tracy.html

Christmas Resources Grade 3 to 12 - TeachersFirst- 151

 The Symbols and Traditions of Christmas
 http://wilstar.com/xmas/xmassymb.htm

Calendars of National Days and Festivals Grade K to 5 - Woodlands Junior School

This informative and resourceful website provides information about numerous holidays. Although this website was created for use in the United Kingdoms, it provides a great deal of knowledge about holidays celebrated in many countries throughout the world. Some of the specific topics include New Years, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Christmas and other holidays. Use this website to help your students gain a better understanding of numerous holidays in other cultures. This website provides information about the history of holidays, how the holidays are celebrated and much more.

In the Classroom: As you study other cultures, be sure to include this resource for students to research the celebrations there. Or include the link on your teacher web page with the title "Every Day is a Holiday?" asking students to use the holiday calendar to become more be aware of different cultures. Instead of a reporting on a current event from the newspaper, give them the option of reporting on a holiday that occurred this week in another part of the world.

 Christmas in Norway
 http://www.julenissen.no/story.html
 Christmas celebrated Norwegian style means that it is celebrated a little
 differently from the way other people do it.

Christmas Activities Grade 1 to 6 - Birmingham Grid for Learning- 8260

 Christmas in Mexico
 http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/feature/xmasindex.html
 Learn about Mexico's Christmas traditions and customs.

Word Search Puzzles Grade 1 to 5 - Primarygames.com- 8699

This site offers user-friendly, interactive word search puzzles for vocabulary and reading enhancement. Some of the topics include the Olympics, Earth Day, butterflies, and various holidays. These are computer-based word searches, not printables. There is a link to a companion site with printables. NOTE: when you choose a topic, you first see an advertisement. You can bypass the ad by clicking "skip this ad" in the top right corner. Teach your students to look for "skip" buttons on ads! The site requires Java. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom: Share a search on your interactive whiteboard (use student FINGERS to circle the words!). Of make it a center as one of several options for spelling and vocabulary. Your students may ask you to include the link on your teacher web page so they can try some from home, as well.

 Christmas in Sweden
 http://hem.bredband.net/berteg/xmas.htm
 The festive season is a long one in Sweden and there are many traditions  to learn about.

Magic Vocabulary Grade K to 5 - Viktor Gayol- 8271

This online tool and vocabulary site creates up to thirteen games, puzzles, and worksheets from a word list the teacher inputs on the home page. The working database contains about 2000 English singular words, but doesn't include abstract nouns. There are some ready-made activities already done for you as examples: body parts, Christmas, family, feelings, foods, and more. Typical activities include findaword, matching, multiple choice quizzes, memory, word scrambles, and labeling. There is a charge for subscription to the services, but users who recommend someone to this site receive a one-year subscription free. One caution: set the speed to "tortoise" on the "STOP" game. Even adults can't click the mouse fast enough above that speed!page. This site requires QuickTime to hear the audio. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox. .

In the Classroom: Use this for a center with vocabulary review activities in any primary classroom or with speech and language or special ed students for vocabulary development. Using it in ESL classes will also be great, even on an interactive whiteboard with a small group. Students can also use the games on their own to practice vocabulary outside of class, so be sure to include the link on your teacher web page.

Christmas under fire / by Mike Brown. 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/britain_wwtwo/christmas_underfire_01.shtml
Website. Tells how people of Britain celebrated Christmas during World War II.

Christmas Activities Grade K to 5 - - 7850

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
Education World
Lesson ideas for various learning areas.

 

Drama Workshop: Ideas for teaching drama Grade 1 to 8 - Andrew McCann- 7263

Looking for a variety of improvisational activities for your students? Or perhaps an original play? This site offers several of these that are varied and interesting. Worth a look for a change of pace. While the site is a little cluttered with ads, the links in the left side column provide a lot of activities filed under categories (such as animals, Christmas, etc.) as well as two plays written by the creator of the site that are quite cute for middle school students. This provides some variety in the activities that you may have planned, particularly if you like looking for holiday focused activities.

In the Classroom: Use improvisation as a springboard to writing in your language arts classes. Once students have tried acting, have them write "plays" or do brief improvisations to illustrate concepts from socisl studies or science!

Twelve Days of Christmas"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
   A short discussion of "the fascinating stories behind two of the
   most popular Christmas carols." Provides the "most likely origin"
   for "The Twelve Days of Christmas" (a memory game) as well as a
   discussion of other popular interpretations of this song. Also
   learn how a broken church organ inspired "Silent Night." Includes
   lyrics and audio files. From the British Broadcasting Corporation
   (BBC). Note: Online quiz is not functioning.

  http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/advent/carols/index.shtml

The Night Before Christmas
 http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=MooNigh.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&

tag=public&part=1&division=div1
 Clement Moore\'s poem, \"The Night Before Christmas\" including original  illustrations.

Scrooge for Mayor Grade 8 to 12 - - 5481

This Web Quest engages students in examining the complexities of Victorian society through the eyes of Ebenezer Scrooge. Having developed a new attitude after visitations from the three spirits, Scrooge is ready to change the world by running for mayor of London. Students – working as campaign managers - must help Ebenezer develop campaign points and outline strategies to woo the public into accepting his ideas for social reform. Aspects of Victorian life described in A Christmas Carol, form the basis for this activity, although it could easily be adapted to any of his other novels.

 Green Christmas: Tips for an Eco-Friendly Holiday
 http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1220_041220_

green_christmas.html
 Tips on how to be environmentally friendly this Christmas.

Christmas time
http://holidays.kaboose.com/christmas/index.html
Website. Contains lots of Christmas activities to keep children amused with crafts, online games

Christmas Crackers Grade 1 to 6 - - 5507

Bring the spirit of a traditional British Christmas into your classroom with this easy-to-follow plan for creating Christmas crackers. No, they're not edible, but your students can fill them with tiny treats!

 Green Groups Urge Trimming the Holiday Wasteline.
 http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/12/1221_holidaywasteline.html
 With the holiday season in full swing, conservation groups are chanting  their mantra: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

 I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
 http://soe.hyperchat.com/newchat/u/lisanne/~soe/hippo.htm
 Fun Christmas song to sing.

The Giving Tree Lesson Grade 2 to 8 - TeachersFirst- 7894

 CVC Christmas Links
 http://www.cvc.org/christmas/index.htm
 Links to sites related to Christmas and a collection of video and mp3
 Christmas concert files.

 

Holiday Traditions
----------------------------------------------------------------------
   A guide to winter holiday traditions from around the world. The site mainly addresses Christmas greetings, decorations, and related traditions. Browsable by country. Also includes brief information about holidays that celebrate light or enlightenment, such as Chinese New Year, Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Ramadan.
 From the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

  http://www.msichicago.org/temp_exhibit/catw2004/traditions/

Christmas in Abruzzo
http://abruzzo2000.com/abruzzo/traditions/christmas/
Website. Visit the Abruzzo region in Italy for poems and traditional songs, Christmas recipes

Christmas in other Countries Grade 4 to 7 - Rochedale State School- 5501

This comprehensive site, designed by 7th grade students, provides excellent information about Christmas celebrations around the world. While it is still a work in progress, it would be a great starting point for a research project on Christmas traditions.

 http://www.firststep.com.au/gday_down_under/
 Create your own cards to send to a friend by e-mail. Just follow the
 simple steps.

Christmas season celebrations in Australia [website].
Australia. Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.
http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/christmas/
The Christmas page from the Cultural and Recreation Portal provides an excellent starting point

 Australian Christmas Cards
 http://www.australianexplorer.com/electronic_postcard_christmas.htm
 Select from a range of Christmas cards with an Australian flavour.

 Christmas Around The World
 http://www.rochedalss.qld.edu.au/xmas/christmaslinks.htm
 Links to sites about Christmas traditions in several different countries.

French and French Canadian Christmas Customs Grade 4 to 8 - - 7893

 Culture Goggles: Same Holy Land, Different Holidays
 http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/06/gk2/holidays.html
 In this lesson, students will visit the Culture Goggles exhibit in  Xpedition Hall, where students select a religion to see how a Christian, a  Jew, or a Muslim might view the Old City of Jerusalem in Israel.

Christmas Traditions Grade 4 to 6 - - 5499

Explore customs, recipes, and Christmas legends from around the world. This site provides concise descriptions of holiday traditions, but is a bit heavy on text. Use this for background information to design a multi-cultural Christmas celebration in your classroom.

 Dickens for Dummies: Notes on \"A Christmas Carol\"
 http://dickensfordummies.homestead.com/carol.html
 Summary notes on this story by Dickens.

Christmas  
World Book, Inc.
http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?content_spotlight/holidays/christmas

A Victorian Christmas Grade 4 to 8 - TeachersFirst- 173

This unit introduces Victorian Christmas customs and offers several activities which students can complete to show their understanding of Christmas celebrations a century ago.

Create Your Own Australian Cards

Beyond the Story: A Dickens of a Party
 http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=238
 Students are invited to attend a 19th Century party as a character from
 Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. To play this role, students must
 understand the values and customs Dickens\' characters represented in
 Victorian society.

Christmas around the World Grade 2 to 4 - northpole.net

Click on the name of a country to access several facts about holiday celebrations there. These brief descriptions of Christmas observances in more than a dozen countries can easily be incorporated into a Web search activity for younger elementary students.

 The Gift of Holiday Traditions: Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Christmas
 http://edsitement.neh.gov/monthly_feature.asp?id=83
 Before taking time off to enjoy the holidays, take the opportunity to
 discuss with students the way different cultures contribute to what
 becomes a popular holiday tradition.

 Poets of Christmas Past
 http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20041224friday.html
 In this lesson, students consider the meanings of Christmas by reading and  creating a sequel to the poem \"A Visit from Saint Nicholas\".

http://www.snaithprimary.eril.net/cdrag0.htm

 Christmas Adventure
 http://www.midcoast.com.au/~ttc/Christmas2.html
 Internet hunt based on Christmas.

Christmas Web Hunt Grade 4 to 7 - Woodlands Junior School- 5504