The tradition of Thanksgiving in America dates back to 1621 when the Pilgrims were virtually starving. Nowadays, Americans celebrate this event by eating more than they need and giving some thoughts to the blessings they had for the past year. Many of today's children are not accustomed to how it feels to be hungry, although many experience it on…

Holiday and festival celebrations are a unique form of cultural expression. Physical activities associated with cultural traditions offer the perfect opportunity for physical educators to integrate interdisciplinary teaching in their programs. This article focuses on the application of a multicultural perspective by introducing 12 station tasks…

Saint Patrick's Day can be a day to honor the Irish for the contributions they have made to American life. Important historical figures of Irish descent and Irish folk customs are discussed. (DF)

Activities that explore the history of the New Year tradition in the United States and other countries help students gain a better understanding and appreciation of other cultures. (DF)

With this ready-reference and resource, educators can make every day a holiday for their students--from January 1 to December 31. This book, for grades K-12, is organized chronologically and lists holidays and multicultural events from around the world for every day of the year--historic happenings, birthdays, famous firsts, inventions, and other…

An activity book presents arts and crafts projects for the special events and holidays occurring during November and December. The section includes class activities, student activity pages, and directions for making several kinds of bird feeders. (SM)

The legacies of all cultures can be found in their creations--their arts, their celebrations, and their traditions. This book is designed to help educators introduce students to the diversity of people around the world through creative, hands-on activities based on cultural traditions. It offers teachers, librarians, and parents access to 28,000…

Designed to acquaint teachers and students with aspects of a particular ethnic group's culture, this booklet contains background information and classroom activities related to the Chinese New Year. The first of two parts contains a bibliography of fiction and nonfiction materials, an annotated list of nonprint materials and articles for teachers,…

This publication, which provides information about the African-American celebration known as Kwanzaa, was designed to support the Portland (Oregon) Public School District's goal of increasing students' understanding and appreciation of the history, culture, and contributions of different geocultural groups. The document is comprised of the…

Designed as a resource for teachers, this booklet, written in Spanish, contains brief information on seven May events: La Semana de la Educacion (first Friday in May), Harry S. Truman (May 8), Dia de las Madres (second Sunday in May), Luis Llorens Torres (May 14), La Cruz Roja (May 21), John F. Kennedy (May 29), and El Dia De Conmemoracion (May…

Designed as a resource for teachers, the booklet contains brief information on eight events celebrated by Puerto Ricans in the month of February: La Candelaria; Abraham Lincoln; Black History; Valentine's Day; Julia de Burgos; Luis Munoz Marin; George Washington; and the Carnaval. Written in Spanish, the booklet discusses the orgin and ways of…

Describes the activities associated with lesson plan development in an elementary social studies methods class. Recommends developing lessons about "international day" as designated by the United Nations. Includes a listing of International Days and Weeks. (CFR)

The Dias de los Muertos is a celebration of Mexico that is a recognition of mortality, transience, and death, and a celebration of life, hope, and resurrection. This curriculum activity book begins with a general introduction to the festival followed by sections of explanations and activities intended to engage the learner in various aspects of…

Written in Spanish, this booklet contains information on three events occurring in the month of November: Armistice Day (November 11), the discovery of Puerto Rico (November 19), and Thanksgiving (last Thursday in November). Following a brief discussion of "Dia del Armisticio" (Armistice Day), first celebrated on November 11, 1919, the…

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…