The Grinch and Holiday Traditions around the World

We’ve had a very exciting few weeks! The Grinch sent us packages every other day from a different location around the world. First, we got a letter from the Grinch, who was still in Whoville, explaining how he now loved Christmas and wanted to learn more about Christmas traditions, as well as other holiday traditions around the world.

 

His first stop? The North Pole! The Grinch sent us the book Santa’s Stuck by Rhonda Gowler Greene and Christmas Time by Gail Gibbons. The first day, we read Santa’s Stuck and completed this craft.

The second day, we read Christmas Time and began filling out a chart to track each holiday’s symbols, traditions, and country of origin, which we would complete for every holiday he visited. The students also completed a worksheet where they drew and labeled two Christmas traditions they learned about. Our next Grinchy package came from Mexico, where the Grinch taught us about Las Posadas.

We got a real poinsettia, as well as a piñata! You can imagine the kids’ excitement! The first day, we learned that hitting a piñata is a tradition that children in Mexico take part in each night of Las Posadas. So, the kids all took turns whacking the piñata (that looked like a burro, they learned). The second day, we read The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie DePaola and they each made paper poinsettias of their own. From Mexico, the Grinch traveled to Africa to learn about Kwanzaa. 

He sent us a postcard from Ethiopia, along with simply Kwanzaa book and directions for making a handprint kinara. The students again completed a worksheet where they drew and labeled two Kwanzaa traditions they learned about. Then we made handprint kinaras, along with a poem we found in The Mailbox Magazine.

Next, the Grinch was off to Israel! In this mystery package, the kids found it hilarious when they opened it and it was filled with toilet paper tubes! 

We read an informational book about Hanukkah, and then worked together to create three class menorahs.

Our sixth Grinchy package came from Sweden.It happened to arrive on December 13^th – St. Lucia Day! He sent us materials to make candle-wreath crowns, just like the ones St. Lucia wore.

The Grinch’s final package came from India. In it was a book about Diwali. We used the information we learned to complete the worksheet where they drew and labeled two Diwali traditions. The Grinch encouraged us to take a look at our now-completed chart and compare the traditions of all the holidays we learned about. Next week, we will be using Venn diagrams to do this. After winter vacation, the studnets will be sharing some of their own family traditions with the class in a short presentation. We’ll keep you posted! Happy Holidays!

What's Next? Grinchy Traditions!

Our next IB Unit is Where We Are in Place and Time and we are focusing on traditions. To kick off our unit, we will be spending the week after Thanksgiving with The Grinch! By Friday, we will have learned all about how the Grinch’s character changes from the beginning to the end of the story and how the Whos celebrate Christmas in Whoville. Then, the fun will really begin!

Our classes will receive letters from the Grinch explaining that he enjoyed learning about Christmas traditions in Whoville so much that he plans to travel the world to learn about holiday traditions in other countries. Each day, we will receive a package from the Grinch telling his location, the holiday that country celebrates, and including a book for us to read and an activity for us to do to learn about that holiday’s traditions. (Download the Grinched font we used to prepare the letters here.)

Each day, we will add to a running chart that we can use to compare and contrast the holidays and their traditions.

The Grinch will travel to:

The North Pole – Christmas

Africa – Kwanzaa (we realize that Kwanzaa began in America but it was celebrated by people of African descent)

Israel – Hanukkah

Mexico – Las Posadas

Sweden – St. Lucia Day

India – Diwali

Some days, the students will be asked to draw and label two traditions for each holiday or to compare holiday traditions. Download a free copy of the worksheets we created here. Other days, they will complete a craft or activity (i.e. make a poinsettia, take turns swinging at a piñata, work cooperatively to create a toilet paper tube menorah, etc.).

We will post pictures as we move through the unit. Once we have learned about holiday traditions around the world, the students will conduct a family interview to learn more about a tradition their family engages in, and will present this tradition, along with an artifact/song/dance, to the class.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!