Young scholars explore the origins of a traditional Christmas song. They adapt historic lyrics to have meaning in their lives today and fabricate, write, and illustrate an accordion book or card. They compare this song to the words of...

Christmas trees can be as large and elaborate as the tree in Rockefeller Center, or as small and understated as Charlie Brown's tree in A Charlie Brown Christmas. But where did the tradition of Christmas trees come from? An engaging...

Learners research the history of Christmas carols and find out where the practice of caroling originated. They copy the words to and then illustrate a Christmas song. Afterwards, they identify each other's favorite songs from their...

Students consider the meanings of Christmas by reading an op-ed. As a class, they then create a sequel to the poem "A Visit from Saint Nicholas," in which "Mamma" tells a story about the history of Christmas.

Students read and analyze the anti-slavery poem, "Christmas Bells" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. They discuss the content and form of the poem, write an essay, write an original poem, examine how this anti-slavery poem was converted...

Students recognize that the Christmas tree is one symbol of Christmas, then demonstrate their ability to identify symbols. They compare the lightstock (Christmas pyramid) with the Paradise tree and apply their knowledge about the history...

Students learn how other countries celebrate Christmas. In this Christmas lesson plan, students read a story about Christmas celebrations in other countries, discuss how they differ from U.S. celebrations, color pictures of traditional...

Students read the poem T'was the Night Before Christmas, and then partner with another student to complete a poem of their own based on the original. The new poem has missing words and students fill in the missing parts of speech like a...

Class members meet the original scrooge, the Dickens character whose name has become synonymous with a cold-hearted, tight-fisted, miser. Using the provided worksheet, readers closely examine context clues to determine the meanings of...

Students write the lyrics to their own Christmas carol. Through discussion and lecture, students become aware of the history of two Christmas carols. They memorize the lyrics to carols and perform them in class. Students use their...

Students examine three different versions of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and complete a comparison activity. Their own version of the poem is created and illustrated in this instructional activity.

Students describe the elements that make up particular writers' styles. Small groups then choose an author, write something in his or her style, and invite other groups to play 'literary detective' in identifying whose style they have...

Sixth graders use Internet research to find out about holidays based on the winter solstice, Christmas, and Christmas traditions around the world. They create a PowerPoint presentation about what they learned.

Young scholars use the internet to examine how other countries celebrate Christmas. They practice saying "Merry Christmas" in different languages and create a flyer about the benefits of having a tree for the holidays. They also write...

Students explore the poinsettia and its symbolism as a Christmas flower. Students will listen to a story about the poinsettia and its origins in Mexico and discuss what they know about Mexico. They will discuss the poinsettia's...

Students read an article on the history of the Christmas Tree. They discuss the article and talk about their experiences with Christmas trees.

Students write in their journals to analyze the use of nostalgia. After reading an article, they identify aspects that are universal for holidays. They describe and examine their own memories of a specific holiday and interview someone...

Young scholars read about the sights and sounds of a Las Vegas Christmas. They use words and phrases taken from articles in a recent issue of the New York Times to create a holiday-themed "found Poem."

Students study customs of various winter holidays. In this holiday lesson, students read the book The Reasons for the Seasons and complete a winter glyph. Students use graphing software to create a chart of the holidays that are celebrated.

Students investigate the Christmas customs of Great Britain. In this holiday lesson, students construct pomander balls and sing English Christmas carols.

Students read and compare/contrast three different cultural versions of "Twas the Night Before Christmas." Using handheld computers, they read eBook versions of each version, complete a BooksLog, and write and illustrate a modern version...

Students examine their family's particular spending habits for a holiday they celebrate, research the financial expectations of retailers during the holiday season and at other times during the year.

Students examine the mass marketing of Christmas. In this gift giving lesson, students visit selected websites to discover the history behind gift-giving, research marketing techniques, and consider giving alternative gifts.

Pupils examine how they greet the holiday season and participate in a class discussion to explore the ongoing debate on how best to celebrate the holidays. They read and discuss an article, and write a personal essay.