Festivals Teacher Resources

What is more fascinating than a festival? More fun that a parade? The study of human behavior, tradition, and customs has long been the purview of anthropologists as they examine these celebrations to uncover what they reveal about a society’s values.

Lesson Planet provides reviewed educational resources that encourage social scientists of all ages to join the fun by exploring the observances and celebrations of different cultures, countries, and religions through apps like this one (yes, there are apps for that), presentations, and unit plans.  

Cross-curricular activities ask young engineers to design brochures for festivals from a geographic perspective, and use their math skills to allot space for display booths, while reading worksheets help both native speakers and language learners develop their comprehension skills and interactives like this one let learners enter exotic celebrations across the world.

So come on, it’s time to celebrate and have a good time while learning about the rich tradition of festivals.

Showing 84 resources
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Film Festival: Documentaries for Hispanic Heritage Month

For Students 9th - 12th
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the New York Times provides links to five short documentary films depicting Hispanic themes and culture. Learners can click on each embedded link to view the films, then answer each set of related...
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Lesson Plan
Anti-Defamation League

Anti-Bias Mini-Film Festival

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
Imagine a resource that provides all the materials you need to organize a film festival. Imagination becomes a reality with a five-star resource that has done all the work for you. Eight different award-winning short films are featured...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Arkansas Festivals of the Land

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle Schoolers research Arkansas community festivals which are tied to the landscape. They create brochures that reflect the festival from a geographical and historical perspective and share them with the class. This ambitious and...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

The Coachella Festival

For Students 7th - 10th
A New York Time article on a major music and arts event can be a good way to get kids interested in the daily news. They read an article about Coachella, and then answer eight comprehension questions, in either blog or print form. Note:...
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Lesson Plan
Bowland

Torbury Festival

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Have you been to Torbury Fair? In the set of four lessons, learners solve a myriad of problems related to a music festival, including situations involving floods, market stalls, cows, and emergency plans. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Japanese Festivals and Holidays

For Teachers 3rd - 11th
Bring the excitement and beauty of Japanese festivals into your classroom. Kids with special needs create calendars that reflect special festivals and holidays common to Japanese culture. They start the project by creating a list of...
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Unit Plan
Northern Ireland Curriculum

Festivals: Learning for Life and Work

For Students K - 12th
How do different communities celebrate special occasions? After researching celebrations in their countries, class members investigate other festivals like those associated with Ramadan, Diwali, Chinese New Year, Halloween, Easter,...
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Activity
Teaching Tolerance

Film Festival

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Everybody's a critic—even your pupils! Using the included resources as a guide, screen films related to social justice and ask film enthusiasts to critique them. Publish the reviews for your school community or develop a film festival...
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Lesson Plan
Japan Society

Tanabata: Japan's Star Festival

For Teachers 1st - 5th
The Star Festival or Tanbata, is a holiday celebrated in Japan every year. People make tanzakus out of paper and hang them on the trees. Pupils will learn about this culturally significant holiday while creating tanzakus of their own....
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Lesson Plan
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Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment

Festivals of Light Hanukkah

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Five sessions make up a lesson on the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. After reading and teaching young historians the history of the Jewish holiday, learners explore the celebration through hands-on activities and collaborative learning.
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Activity
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Minnesota Renaissance Festival

Renaissance Festival: Classroom Study Guide

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
This resource incorporates a variety of worksheets on the Renaissance, from crossword puzzles and timelines to an activity designing a family coat of arms. If you are considering hosting a Renaissance fair in your class or you're...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival Chicago - Chicago Blues

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Watching Great Performances’ Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival Chicago launches an investigation into and discussion of how the electric guitar and guitarists have changed the sound of the blues over time. An engaging way to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Storytelling Festival

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the native cultures of the Americas, to learn some aspects of oral storytelling, and to share their knowledge with others. They, in groups, write a story that should say something important about the culture from which...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Moomba Festival

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Students study an Australian festival, Moomba. They research early tram usage, power sources and construct 3-D tram for their own tram parade. They decorate large recycled boxes, such as refrigerator boxes, as trams. Younger children and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Film Festival: An ESL Lesson Plan to Get Students Talking About Movies

For Teachers 6th - 10th
If your ESL pupils love talking about movies, here is an activity ideal for providing practice with both informational reading and elements of a story. Given fictional movie posters, they decipher the information and put it into a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

And We Were All in One Place: Youth Culture and the Rock Festival

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners explore historical youth culture events. In this youth culture lesson, students discover details regarding the Altamont, Woodstock, and Monterey concerts. Learners conduct research that regarding the rock festivals and analyze...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Festive Season

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students research various cultural and religious festivals celebrated and observed by Australians, describing common elements and identifying adaptations that have been made for life in Australia.
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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Religious and Cultural Festivals of the World

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Here are some interesting activities teachers can do with students to teach them about the religious and cultural festivals of the world.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Glastonbury Festival

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students read about the Glastonbury Festival and then have to plan their own summer festival. In this festival lesson plan, students fill out worksheets and create a presentation for their festival.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

A Fall Festival with Grandma

For Students 2nd - 3rd
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students read a page long story and answer 5 multiple choice comprehension questions. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Frighteningly Fabulous Festivals

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars explore the significance of holiday foods, first by researching Halloween-type festivals from around the world, and then by reporting on foods related to different holidays celebrated in their homes.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Light in Festivals

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students examine how five different countries use light in their celebrations and festivals. They locate countries on a map, conduct research and prepare a poster for a specific holiday, complete a worksheet, and create a tin lantern.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

International Festival: Venezuela

For Teachers K
Students become familiar with the Venezuelan culture and geography.  In this Venezuelan Festival lesson, students compare and contrast themselves to the people of Venezuela.  Students participate in activities to understand the culture...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

International Festival: Mexico

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Students explore the culture of Mexico through music and food. In this multicultural lesson, students read the book Mexico and listen to samples of Mexican music. Students use ingredients to make tacos.

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Festivals