Over the last few months, Ms. Kirk’s class at A.W. Becker Elementary School has been traveling all over the world to learn about and celebrate different holidays. Although we know they would have loved to hop on a plane, Ms. Kirk, Mrs. LaBarge, and Ms. Keyer have worked hard to bring the holidays to them right in class!
So far, they have celebrated eight holidays, including Hanukah, Las Posadas, Kwanzaa, St. Lucia Day, Christmas, New Year's, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Lunar New Year! For each celebration, they learn about the customs and traditions through a variety of class activities and lessons.
“It has been exciting to watch the students learn and integrate knowledge from different cultures while we have learned about winter holidays,” said A.W. Becker Elementary School Teacher Ms. Kirk. “I am grateful to staff members who have shared their family traditions, such as Hanukkah foods and games, to allow students to have authentic experiences with traditions and cultures they otherwise might not experience.”
One of the favorite projects of the class was when they were learning about Las Posadas. They discussed how a piñata is often a part of the celebration. Students created their own piñatas of paper bags, streamers, pipe cleaners, and stuffed candy inside. They then brought them home for a celebration with their families!
The class has utilized a number of projects to immerse themselves in the traditions of each holiday. They have created decorations, tried new foods, and learned how to respectfully participate in each celebration by studying the history and customs of each! Recently, they celebrated the Lunar New Year, the class made lanterns, enjoyed a meal together, and decorated the room with red for good luck.
A big shout-out goes to Ms. Kirk, Mrs. LaBarge, and Ms. Keyer for providing these opportunities to their students!
