People all over the world celebrate special days known as festivals or holidays. Some of these days are connected to specific dates, but others are not.
Although the purpose of each festival or holiday is different, they tend to have some things in common. Many are filled with traditions, like decorating a tree at Christmas. Festivals and holidays also bring people together.
Use the following activities to help elementary and middle school students appreciate all the wonderful festivals celebrated around the world!
Elementary School
Use this Britannica School (Asia) Elementary level resource pack to help your students explore the significance of Christmas and other International Festivals.
Teacher Tip:
Schools subscribed to Britannica School (Asia version in China) can also access this resource pack at:
Britannica School (Asia version in China) Elementary level resource pack↗
Activity
- Using the Venn Diagram Worksheet, compare two festivals from different places around the world.
- Christmas is a religious holiday for Christians but for many people it is no longer only a religious festival. Instead it has become a season of general celebration and giving presents. Think about what Christmas means. Using creative art materials make an artistic response themed, “What Christmas Means to Me.”
Middle School
Use this Britannica School (Asia) Middle level resource pack to help you with the following activities. It contains articles and multimedia exploring festivals, holidays and traditions from around the world.
Teacher Tip:
Schools subscribed to Britannica School (Asia version in China) can also access this resource pack at:
Britannica School (Asia version in China) Middle level resource pack↗
Activity
- Research how another country celebrates a special day in their culture.
- Using the Timeline Worksheet create a timeline of celebrations throughout the year from around the world.
- Advent is a period of preparation leading up to Christmas. Make a Feel-Good Advent Calendar by creating deed cards that can be done each day of Advent e.g. help with cooking dinner.
Featured Image from Britannica School: Young people in Mumbai, India, smear themselves with brightly colored powders as they celebrate the Hindu Holi festival. Divyakant Solaki—EPA/Landov.
These activities and resources have been created using content from Britannica School, the go-to site for safe, comprehensive student research. Contact your librarian to find out if your institution already has access. Find out more about Britannica School or set up your own free trial.
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