EDU251 Thematic Unit Plan

Brooke Swartz

Professor Wargo

EDU 251

Thematic Unit

Christmas around the world

Name: Brooke Swartz

Date: 12/14/21

Unit Title (must include the topic): Christmas Around the World

Grade Level: Preschool/kindergarten

1. Broad Unit Understandings/Goals:

 What will students understand (about big ideas) because of the unit?

 “Students will understand that our world if filled with different cultures and countries.

 The students will understand that all different places celebrate Christmas differently than

we do here in the states

2. Unit Questions:

 What is the importance of Christmas?

 Is Christmas the same all over the world?

 What other holidays are celebrated instead of Christmas?

3. State/Common Core Standards (obtained from PDESAS):

Standard Area 7.1: Geography – Basic Geographic Literacy

Standard Area 1.5: Speaking and Listening

Standard Area AL.1: Constructing and Gathering Knowledge

4. Learning Objectives:

 TO REMEMBER INFORMATION AND RECALLING IT AFTER LEARNING

o Learn about the different cultures, then in the end be able to distinguish which is

which. Learn the climate too, match which climate goes with which country.

 CONSTRUCT

o THE STUDENT WILL BE ABLE TO CONSTRUCT THEIR OWN ARTS AND CRAFTS,

PASSPORT ETC.….

 Apply:

o Apply all they’ve learned to the passport game, writing their “what I know

about____”

o Appling their knowledge while in a lesson and the teacher asks them a question

about Christmas or the other holidays

5. Description of Unit:

 You will choose a theme that can be incorporated into a PK-4 curriculum. For example:

plants, my country, community leaders, friendship, manners, etc.

 Using the Common Core Standards as a springboard, write a narrative explaining how the

standards will correlate to the unit of study/thematic topic and why the topic is important.
EDU251 Thematic Unit Plan

6. Introduction

 For this unit we will explore the idea of Christmas in of the world. For example,

the countries we will explore are as follows: Africa, Japan, Ireland, China)

2.

 African Christmas-

i. “Christmas in the Congo”- where the annual pageant occurs.

ii. Christmas days begins with some carolers walking through a village, and

along the roadway they see houses filled with missionaries. They’re

singing Christmas carols- which are known all around the world. Often

houses will be awaken by the groups of carolers. As they return home to

make the final parts of their clothes as an offering to the Christmas

service.

iii. The most important part of African Christmas is the worship service. They

do a love offering as a gift to honor Jesus. Around 9pm there’s a big

celebration for Jesus’ life. During the services only those who bring a gift

of offering are allowed to attend.

iv. A huge gathering occurs.

v. Christmas in south Africa is a summer holiday. December in south Africa

is summer season. The days are filled with sunshine, on beaches, rivers,

and the shaded sides of mountain slopes.

vi. All the schools are closed

vii. In south Africa there is no snow, instead it filled with beautiful flowers.

 Christmas in Japan:

i. Only a very small percentage of the people in Africa believe in Christ, so

Christmas isn’t celebrated like Christians do

ii. They still decorate with evergreens though. They have a Buddhist monk

called Hotei-Osho who acts like Santa. Children think he has eyes on the

back of his head, so they try to behave all the time.

iii. Christmas isn’t about a day of a family gathering its about helping do nice

things for others.

 Christmas in Ireland:

i. Christmas last from December 24- January 6, which is referred to as little

Christmas.

ii. The windows have candles placed on them Christmas eve for every person

in the house

iii. Irish women bake a seed cake for each person in the house. They also

make three puddings, one for each day of the Epiphany such as Christmas,

New Year's Day, and the Twelfth Night.

iv. For hospitality, bread and milk are left out

v. The day after Christmas is referred to as St. Stephens day, when football

matched, and meetings occur. The Wren Boys Procession is a big even for

the children. The boys go from door to door with a fake wren on a stick,

singing, with violins, accordions, harmonicas, and horns to accompany

them. The reason for the ceremony is to ask for money 'for the starving

wren', that is, for their own pockets

vi. Children hang sacks instead of stockings

vii. Mince pies and a bottle of Guinness is left out for Santa

 Christmas in Mexico:

i. La Posada is celebrated- which is a religious procession that reenacts the

search for shelter by Joseph and Mary before the birth of Jesus. During the

procession, the celebrants go from house to house carrying the images of

Mary and Joseph looking for shelter.

ii. Santa is not predominated.

iii. The Mexican children receive gifts. On Christmas day they are

blindfolded and taken to try and break a decorated clay piñata that dangles

and swings at the end of a rope. Once the piñata has Holidays Around the

World Lesson Ideas 4 been broken, the children clamber to recover the

candy that was inside the piñata. Those children who have been good also

on January 6th receive a gift from the Three Wise Men. Mexicans attend a

midnight mass service which is called la Misa Del Gallo or "the rooster's

mass," and at the mass they sing lullabies to Jesus.

 Christmas in China:

i. The Christians of China decorate trees with ornaments. The ornaments are

made of paper in the shapes of flowers, lanterns, or chains. Muslin

stockings are hung.

ii. The Chinese Christmas tree is called “trees of Light”

iii. Santa is called “Dun Che Lao Ren- meaning Christmas old man

iv. Non-Christians call this “Spring festival”

Teach the children about Hanukkah:

Handprint Menorah

Materials: 2 clean hands, dark colored finger paint, 2 paper plates, large sheet of light-colored

construction paper, yellow finger paint.

Steps:

Pour dark colored paint onto 2 paper plates side by side. Lay out light colored construction

paper. Put one hand in each plate of paint. Carefully lift hands out of paint, link thumbs together

so they overlap (they will make the center candle), and place both hands down on construction

paper with fingers spread out to make a menorah print. Wash your hands and then dip your

thumb into yellow paint and dab a "flame" at the top of each candle.

Homemade Hanukkah Menorah

9 blue birthday cake candles 11 white lifesavers 1" x 8" strip of posterboard glue 1 white certs

candy
EDU251 Thematic Unit Plan

Steps:

Spread a thick coat of glue down the center of the posterboard. Glue 9 lifesavers in a row onto

the posterboard. Glue four lifesavers on the left side of the strip and four on the right. Glue the

certs candy in the center. Glue another lifesaver on top of each piece of candy on the bottom row.

Glue a third lifesaver on top of the center stack. Let the glue dry completely. Set one candle in

the hole of each candy piece.

Christmas Songs and Fingerplays:

"This Old Man"

Christmastime, Christmastime,

Is a very special time,

With a tree and gifts and goodies to eat.

Christmastime is neat!

Christmas Song - sung to "I'm A Little Teapot"

I'm a little snowman, round, and fat,

Here is my scarf and here is my hat.

When Christmas comes around just hear me shout, "Here comes Santa. You better watch out!"

Christmas Star - sung to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" Twinkle, twinkle,

Christmas star, Way up high is where you are. Shining there for all to see, On the tiptop of our

tree. Twinkle, twinkle, star so bright,

Shine up there till morning light.

Jingle Bells Jingle Bells. Jingle Bells. Jingle all the way! Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse

open sleigh - Jingle Bells. Jingle Bells. Jingle all the way! Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-

horse open sleigh!

Book List:

Books about Hannukah:

A Great Miracle Happened There: A Chanukah Story - Karla Kuskin

A Picture Book of Hanukkah - David A, Adler

Arielle and the Hanukkah Surprise - Devra Speregen and Shirly Newberger

Asher and the Capmakers: A Hanukkah Story - Eric A. Kimmel

Chanukah Fun - Tali Marcus Minelli (craft ideas)

The Chanukkah Guest - Eric A. Kimmel

Books about Christmas:

Olive, The Other Reindeer - Vivian Walsh

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

A Christmas Memory - Truman Capote

A Christmas Miniature - Pearl S. Buck

A History of Santa Claus - W. Willis Jones

Christmas Is a Time for Giving - Joan Walsh Anglund

Jacob's Gift - Max Lucado

Books about Kwanzaa:

7 Days of Kwanzaa: A Holiday Step Book - Ella Grier

A Kwanzaa Celebration (pop-up book) - Nancy Williams

Celebrating Kwanzaa

My First Kwanzaa Book

7. Additional Standards and Assessments

a. Memory game

b. Passport math game

c. Oral Recognition of Climate, Holiday and location

d. Crafts that are listed out above

8. References:
EDU251 Thematic Unit Plan

Theme Curriculum. (n.d.). Www.stepbystepcc.com. Retrieved December 17, 2021, from

http://www.stepbystepcc.com/themes.html

Preschool Activities for a Multicultural Theme. (n.d.). Www.preschoolrainbow.org.

http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/multicultural.htm

‌Christmas Teaching Ideas, Activities, Lessons and Printable | A to Z Teacher Stuff Themes.

(n.d.). Retrieved December 17, 2021, from

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/Christmas

Thematic Graphic Plan:

Reading:

1. Kwanza Books

2. Christmas books

3. Hanukkah Books

Writing

1. Christmas writing- What do you think of when you hear Christmas?

2. Kwanzaa Writing- What do you think of when you hear Kwanzaa?

3. Hanukkah Writing- What do you think when you hear Hanukkah?

Science
EDU251 Thematic Unit Plan

1. Dissolving candy canes- Dissolving Candy Canes | Christmas Science for Kids

(lemonlimeadventures.com)

a. Take hot water, cold water, vinegar, and oil. See which dissolves the best or

worst

2. Bubbling Christmas lights- How to Make Your Own Homemade Bubble Christmas

Lights (steamsational.com)

Social Studies

1. Allowing the children to see what other countries are like for the holidays.

2. Diving into different cultures

Math:

1. Around the world passports. With each country on it make math stations out of it

and each sticker thy get that’s another country they’ve “been” to

2.

Movement/Music

1. Learning Christmas/Hanukkah/ kwanza songs

2. Then learn dances to go with them

3. Make a skit like the first country we talked about (Africa)

Art

1. Build a gingerbread house

2. Build a Christmas tree (for each holiday)

3. A present racing games