Activities that explore the history of the New Year tradition in the United States and other countries help students gain a better understanding and appreciation of other cultures. (DF)

Presents several pages of teaching ideas and activities for elementary school teachers. Many of the activities have a Christmas theme. (JMB)

Noting basic misconceptions clouding the dialogue about the role holidays play in an antibias curriculum for young children, this guide for early childhood practitioners invites them to rethink their approach to holidays and provides the tools for addressing the holiday question in new, creative, and effective ways. The three sections of the guide…

Ideas for art and drama projects that will help students celebrate the meaning of December traditions and feasts are offered in this article. (DF)

Presents experts' answers to 54 questions on a variety of teaching issues, such as teaching about religious holidays, giving candy as a reward, violating children's confidences, managing classroom routines, assigning homework, grading and using teacher aides. (JMB)

This paper suggests that the study of holidays presents an opportunity for elementary school teachers to employ a range of social science disciplines and to teach their students the fundamentals of inquiry and critical thinking. The study of holidays from a cross-cultural perspective helps students to understand that peoples of all cultures find…

An activity book presents arts and crafts projects for the special events and holidays occurring during November and December. The section includes class activities, student activity pages, and directions for making several kinds of bird feeders. (SM)

Presents CyberHunt 3, an interactive, multicultural activity for the holiday season. Students visit a variety of web sites for facts and activities related to Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. A CyberHunt reproducible has students write their answers to nine questions based on information they find at the different web sites. (SM)

Describes holiday celebrations in the Caribbean as important contemporary social events with historical, geographical, and cultural significance. Discusses the origins, development, and customs of the major Caribbean street festivals. Suggests that the holidays can combine all social science disciplines into focus and emphasize the geographic…

Presents a lesson plan dealing with the Columbian Exposition of 1893 at the Chicago (Illinois) World's Fair. Stresses recognition of (1) the connection between the past and the present; (2) the significance of Columbus Day; (3) the use of photographs as primary sources; and (4) the architecture of historical periods. Includes suggestions,…

Described are five halloween season activities. Included are investigations which focus on observing, measuring, creating, and cooking. A recipe for pumpkin bread is given. Ideas for infusing science into a halloween party are provided. (CW)

Asserts that holidays offer excellent opportunities to teach about cultural diversity and enrich the social studies curriculum. Provides five activities for teaching about holidays in elementary schools. Includes three charts keyed to the activities. (CFR)

Describes the activities associated with lesson plan development in an elementary social studies methods class. Recommends developing lessons about "international day" as designated by the United Nations. Includes a listing of International Days and Weeks. (CFR)

Three articles describe methods for teaching library skills. The first presents a song used to teach students the Dewey Decimal system; the second describes a reading program incorporating Halloween and foreign countries; and the third includes short poems designed to teach students to care for library books properly. (CLB)

This document presents Jackson County (Michigan) Intermediate School District's Special Education Early Childhood Center's 1988 curriculum. Sections focus on: (1) the center's program; (2) play observation; (3) eligibility; (4) classroom structure and function; (5) the importance of play; (6) developmental milestones; (7) planning and teaching…