Parent Teacher Associations can promote acceptance and appreciation of cultural differences by commemorating ethnic observances. Background information and suggested activities are presented for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday; Chinese New Year and Tet; Black History Month; Pan American Day; Cinco de Mayo; Asian-Pacific American Heritage Week;…

Designed for children ages 8 to 13, this teaching resource presents an explanation of seasons, calendars, and why people celebrate particular days. The four seasons are discussed. Canada's national holidays, and the seasonal, social and religious holidays celebrated by diverse Canadian culture groups are described. A separate section presents…

There are many times throughout the year when change is celebrated. This elementary level, interdisciplinary resource gives background information and activities related to cross-cultural celebrations of change. Topics covered include: (1) "Charting Changes"; (2) "Special People"; (3) "Celebrating Light"; (4)…

Asserts that cultural celebrations and their symbols are one way teachers can enhance children's appreciation of diversity and develop mathematics literacy. Presents ideas for integrating learning around the theme of the new year, offering activities for such cultures as China, Japan, Morocco, and Africa, as well as cultural mathematics activities…

This is a resource guide for observing and celebrating special days according to the traditions of many cultures. It brings together the experience and activities of persons from many religions--Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and the Sikh religion--and draws on diverse backgrounds from many parts of the world. The context is…

This book provides a collection of patterns and activities based on the origins of customs and traditions practiced during the fall holidays in countries around the world. Students celebrate traditional and contemporary fall holidays by creating art projects and writing about the celebrations. The book features hands-on cut-and-paste activities…

The U.S. celebration of Halloween has worldwide connections. Although Halloween originated in the pre-Christian European celebration of summer's end, many of the customs associated with the event derive from both pagan and Christian beliefs and practices throughout the world. This document gives a historic overview of Halloween customs and…

This book provides a collection of patterns and activities based on the origins of customs and traditions practiced during the winter holiday seasons in countries around the world. Christmas is a Christian tradition, but it is recognized by many in the world as a time of joy, hope, peace on earth, and goodwill for all. This book examines how many…

This seasonal idea/activity book for grades 1-6 features interesting facts on the origins of traditions and customs of spring and summer festivals from around the world. There are numerous hands-on art activities, a map of each country or continent of the activity's origin, and a brief explanation of each tradition. Areas and countries of the…

In recent years, strategies for multicultural education and human relations have been applied to progressively younger preschool children. This paper identifies five approaches to multicultural education, then goes on to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the predominant human relations approach. Challenging issues encountered in applying…

This paper describes Caribbean street festivals as celebrations that reflect the historic, climate, and movement patterns of the region. Celebrations such as Carnival, Hosay, and Jonkonnu are discussed, and it is proposed that study of these and other festivals can be linked to the five thematic generalizations often utilized by geographers. These…

Kwanzaa, the African-American cultural holiday, can be a valuable resource for teachers to help students develop as partners in a democratic society. The origins and practices of the celebration are explored, and several resources are described to help teachers and librarians develop programs to observe Kwanzaa and its seven principles. (SLD)

This workshop section includes six articles on the celebration of holidays in day-care centers: (1) "Going One Step Further: No Traditional Holidays"; (2) "A Questionnaire for Families about Celebrations"; (3) "Celebrations, Festivals, Holidays: What Should We Be Doing?"; (4) "Ideas for Celebrations"; (5)…

This book is a collection of activities, stories, ideas, and games designed to help adults and young children develop a shared awareness of their environment. The material is presented in eight chapters. Activities and stories are interwoven throughout each chapter to provide a holistic view of the topic covered. The end of each chapter contains…