Grade Levels:  7 and 8 (This lesson can be adapted for other grade levels.)

Subjects:  English Language Arts and Social Studies

Learner Outcomes: The learner will:

Research Christmas customs and traditions from various countries around the world.

Develop a PowerPoint presentation based on their findings.

Materials: Books and articles about Christmas in other lands can be used to supplement information obtained on Internet.

Technology Tools/Courseware:

Computer
Internet access
Presentation Software (PowerPoint, etc.)
Graphic software program (optional)
Means of showing PowerPoint presentations to the entire class (LCD projector, Computer/TV connector)

A copy of each student's signed Acceptable Use Policy must be on file in the school.

Basic instruction in how to develop a PowerPoint presentation is essential for students to create quality work.

Consideration should be given to taking students to the computer lab to do this lesson.

Be sensitive to students who do not observe holidays.  An alternative assignment may be necessary.
 

In this lesson students will select a country and research its Christmas customs.  Students will use the information discovered in their research to develop and make a PowerPoint presentation to the class.

Organize the class into heterogeneous groups to accommodate students of various ability levels.  The teacher must decide how many groups there will be (e.g., one group for each computer, one group for each country).

Students can choose the country they wish to research; however, it is suggested that there be some teacher influence so that presentations will be made on a variety of countries.  One way to do this would be for the teacher to write the names of several countries on slips of paper and have one student from each group draw the country for which their group will be responsible.

Assemble an assortment of books students can use for their research when computers and Internet are not available.

Some sites which may prove helpful to your students as they are doing research on Christmas customs in various countries are listed here.  You might want to consider bookmarking these sites:

Holiday Traditions
Countries Included:  Austria, England, Germany, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Poland, Spain, Sweden, USA
 Christmas Around the World
Countries Included:  Finland, Australia, Greenland, Poland, United Kingdom, France, and Canada
Kids' Exchange Christmas Corner
Countries Included:  Australia, Austria, Canada, Europe, Finland, Mexico, Philippines, and additional Christmas links
Pleasant Grove Elementary Christmas
In addition to numerous countries, an extensive list of links to other Christmas related sites.
International Greetings
How to say "Merry Christmas" in a variety of languages.
Holiday Traditions Immigrate Too

Inform students as to what must be included in their presentations.  Some suggested topics for your consideration are listed below, but be willing to make adaptions to accommodate your students' ability levels and the countries chosen.

The Gift Giver
    What is his/her name?
    When does he/she bring presents?
    How does he/she give presents?
    What does he/she look like?
What are the holiday customes?
    Is there any symbolism for these customes?
What are the holiday decorations?
    Is there any symbolism for these decorations?
What is some of the traditional holiday food?
    Is there any symbolism for this food?
What is some of the Christmas music?
What are some of the Christmas games?
What are the Christmas festivals?
How do you say "Merry Christmas" in the native language?

Set the date(s) on which presentations are to be made.

Arrange heterogeneous groups to accommodate students of various ability levels.

Follow the school's policy for inclusion.

Refer to individual IEP's.

Provide an alternate assignment for students whose religious beliefs prevent their doing this lesson.
 

Plan a Christmas celebration in which students from each group share something from the country they researched.  On that day, students will represent their countries by:

supplying traditional holiday decorations.
decorating a Christmas tree with representative ornaments.
dressing in traditional costumes.
making and providing traditional Christmas foods.
playing traditional Christmas music.
playing traditional holiday games.

Send students to Pleasant Grove Elementary Christmas where they can participate in three Christmas Internet-Based Scavenger Hunts.

A link to a PowerPoint Rubric has been provided for your consideration.

West Virginia IGO's:

English Language Arts:

8.18, 8.22, 8.26, 8.29, 8.31, 8.116, 8.117, 8.118, 8.120, 8.125, 8.127, 8.144, 8.145
7.22, 7.57, 7.124, 7.125, 7.146, 7.163

Social Studies:

7.47, 7.48, 7.59, 7.60, 7.68, 8.47, 8.59, 8.60

National Standards

Holiday Traditions
Christmas Around the World
Kids' Exchange Christmas Corner
Pleasant Grove Elementary Christmas
Holiday Traditions Immigrate Too
International Greetings
PowerPoint Rubric (Created by Susan Alkire at Romney Middle School, Momney, WV)

An Overview	Lesson 1 Christmas Customs and Traditions	Lesson 2 Christmas Tree Timeline	Lesson 3 Dear Santa	Lesson 4 Santa's Travels	Lesson 5 Santa: Man and Myth	Lesson 6 Christmas Around the World	Lesson 7 Sounds of the Season

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