Christmas Around the World Activities | Digital Christmas Around the World
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Description
Do you need a themed reading unit that is both engaging and informational to get you through the month of December? These “Christmas Around the World” informational passages and activities are just what you need.
Note: This Christmas Around the World reading resource now includes digital versions for use with Google Slides™. See pages 4-5 for the details and links.
*****Christmas is a Christian holiday. The passages that focus on how Christmas is celebrated may reference religious traditions and customs in those countries. Keep this in mind when determining if this resource is a good fit for your students. *****
Each year, we spend the two-three weeks before Christmas break studying about Christmas (and other holidays) traditions in other countries.
About the Christmas Around the World Passages and Activities
Each country (see list below) includes the following reading activity:
•An engaging text written at a 4th/5th grade reading level (I do not recommend this resource for readers who read at a 3rd grade reading level or below unless teacher support is provided.)
•A graphic organizer with a set of questions (the same questions for each country) to guide the students to see similarities and differences between the countries we study. THIS IS OPTIONAL AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ASSIGN IT IF YOU FEEL IT IS REDUNDANT FOR YOUR STUDENTS.
•A set of text-dependent comprehension questions in a task card format. The task cards can be used as a reading center or they can be taped around the room for the students to move around and answer.
Christmas Around the World Activities Choice Board
I have also included a choice board with other activities that the students can complete for each country they study. The students use their completed graphic organizers and the text to help them complete the activities. This is the fun part that the students love! Students love designing their own ornaments, creating illustrations, comparing and contrasting countries, and more!
The choice board tasks (there are seven in all) also come with optional printables. You may use the choice board by itself and have the students complete the work on pieces of regular paper. You could also use the choice board activities as separate activities without allowing choice through the board.
*****Christmas is a Christian holiday. The passages that focus on how Christmas is celebrated may reference religious traditions and customs in those countries. Keep this in mind when determining if this resource is a good fit for your students. *****
Digital Christmas Around the World: TWO Options for Use
The digital Christmas Around the World passages and questions are designed for use with Google Slides.
There are two digital versions included:
Menu Version – From a digital menu, the students choose which countries they want to read and practice comprehension with.
"Assign One Country at A Time" Version – Using this version, you can assign just the texts and questions for the countries that you want each student to complete.
Please see the video preview to see how the digital Christmas Around the World versions work.
Using the Christmas Around the World Passages and Activities
This resource is extremely versatile and can be used for whole-group reading, reading centers/stations, or independent reading (or all three).
Personally, I do a mixture of all three (whole group reading, reading centers, and independent work). We read about a different country each day as a whole group. The students reread the text and complete the graphic organizer with details about that country. I place the task cards in a center for the students to continue practicing comprehension with the same passage. At another center, the students choose an activity from the choice board to complete.
Answer keys are included for all activities except the choice board.
Countries/Holidays Included
•United States
•Australia
•Brazil
•France
•Germany
•Japan
•Italy
•Mexico
•Spain
•Sweden
In addition to the countries, there are two texts specifically for these winter holidays:
•Hanukkah
•Kwanzaa
These holidays ONLY come with texts and task card questions.
*****Christmas is a Christian holiday. The passages that focus on how Christmas is celebrated may reference religious traditions and customs in those countries. Keep this in mind when determining if this resource is a good fit for your students. *****
More Christmas Math and Reading Activities
Christmas Just Print 5th Grade Math
