HOLIDAYS AND DIVERSITY
- fromlargemountains
- Dec 18, 2015
- 4 min read
Kindergarden/Grade 1
This unit was created and implemented in collaboration with Zita McDonough and Hailey Bergstrom from Vancouver Island University. - Photo of Zita teaching one of her lessons in the forest.
During the past 2 weeks, we have been learning about our similarities and differences in our families, the food we eat, our individual qualities, and in our holiday traditions. Throughout the mini-unit, we created a placemat for our dinner table that shows what we have learned about.
To begin the unit, we read the story "The Crayon Box that Talked" by Shane Derolf. The story goes that there was a box of crayons who did not get along with each other. They preferred to draw on their own and were not quite sure why they didn't like the other colours. Then a girl buys the box of crayons and creates a BIG, BRIGHT, and BEAUTIFUL picture with all the colours and the crayons learn that although they are different from one another, they create a beautiful picture when they work as a team. After reading the story, we talked about respecting and appreciating the differences of others, and students had the opportunity to create their own colourful picture on a placemat of what is important to them and to their family. The students did fantastic work in creating representations of themselves and their families on their placemats.
The next part of the unit involved talking about our families. Students were asked to interview their families about their background (Canadian, English, Japanese, etc.), and a traditional food their family likes to share and why it is important to them. They incorporated this onto a plate-sized circle that will be later attached (in a removable fashion) to their placemat.
We then transitioned into a healthy eating focus, where we discussed the food groups, and how eating proper amounts of the food groups keep us healthy. Students sorted cut out foods into the food groups and pasted them onto a plate-sized circle for their placemat.
We read a few versions of the "Stone Soup" book where we focused more on social responsibility and also linked our learning to what we know about food groups and eating healthy. We then wrote a journal about how we are helpful just like the people in the story!
Then we had a holidays around the world day where students were separated into groups and rotated through different traditions celebrated during the winter. One station students read "Clifford Celebrates Hanukkah" by Norman Bridwell, and talked about the similarities and difference Hanukkah has to holiday traditions the students celebrate. Afterward they made paper dreidels which we attached to a plate with the other crafts from this day. Another station involved reading "Mouse Celebrates the Winter Solstice" by Terri Mack and students learned about cedar weaving and the importance of the moon and gathering to First Nations' culture. They coloured the First Nations' winter moon to add to their plate of celebrations. The third station involved reading "D is for Dragon Dance" by Ying Chang Compestine where students learned about the Chinese New Year and drew conclusions about the similarities and differences to our holiday traditions. Afterward they made paper lanterns to attach to their plate. The last station was where students read "The Seven Days of Kwanzaa" (there are many versions of this book) and they discussed the similarities and differences to our holidays. Afterward they made a mkeka, which is a placemat African Americans weave during Kwanzaa. This placemat was then glued onto the back of the "my family" placemat used as the beginning part of our unit's culminating activity. Some similarities they found between the traditions included families spend time together, they light candles for light/send up lighted lanterns/celebrate the moon's light just as we hang Christmas lights and celebrate New Years and Canada Day with fire works, they decorate just like we do, and many involve giving gifts.
At the end of the unit, students made holiday cards for themselves based on their own favourite family tradition, or their favourite tradition they learned about during the unit. They drew a picture on the front, and then I interviewed the students so they could give a compliment about seven of their peers about something they like about them - this could be something they have in common or something that is different about their friend. I collated these that night and glued them into their cards so that the next day they had a lovely holiday card from their friends with beautiful compliments. Some of my favourite comments include:
I like that you focus and do your work.
I love that you bring a healthy lunch to school every day.
Thank you (to the teacher) for having expectations of us.
You are very beautiful and friendly and fancy!
I like that you help me when I need help on my work.
I liked when you showed your crystals at show and tell.
You make good art!
I liked when you dressed up like Super Man for Halloween.
It just goes to show the insight children have and what they notice and love about their peers.
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