Description
What our Holidays: Christmas lesson plan includes
Lesson Objectives and Overview: Holidays: Christmas is a high-interest reading comprehension lesson plan. As such, students will practice various close reading and comprehension skills. In addition, they will learn about the origins of this well-known holiday. This lesson is for students in 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade.
Classroom Procedure
Every lesson plan provides you with a classroom procedure page that outlines a step-by-step guide to follow. You do not have to follow the guide exactly. The guide helps you organize the lesson and details when to hand out worksheets. It also lists information in the orange box that you might find useful. You will find the lesson objectives, state standards, and number of class sessions the lesson should take to complete in this area. In addition, it describes the supplies you will need as well as what and how you need to prepare beforehand.
Teacher Notes
The paragraph on this page provides a little more information or guidance on what to expect from the lesson. It explains that you can teach this lesson in a whole-class setting or as an independent, small-group activity. You can use the blank lines to record any thoughts or ideas you have as you prepare.
HOLIDAYS: CHRISTMAS LESSON PLAN CONTENT PAGES
The Holidays: Christmas lesson plan includes three content pages. Christmas is celebrated every year on December 25 by millions of people around the world. For
Christians, it is one of the most important holidays because it celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, whom they believe is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Today, Christmas is also celebrated by many people who are not Christian. Families gather together, exchange gifts, decorate their homes, and enjoy special traditions that have been passed down for generations.
The Story of Christmas
The story of the first Christmas comes from the Bible. Mary and Joseph traveled to the town of Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. There was no room for them to stay at an inn, so they took shelter in a stable. After Jesus was born, Mary placed him in a manger, a feeding trough for animals. According to the Bible, angels announced Jesus’ birth to nearby shepherds, who hurried to see the newborn child.
The Bible also tells about Wise Men, sometimes called the Magi. They traveled a great distance after seeing a special star in the sky that they recognized as a sign that Jesus had been born. They brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to honor Jesus. Many people picture the Wise Men arriving on the night Jesus was born, but the Bible suggests they visited sometime later. Today, nativity scenes often include the Wise Men along with Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, shepherds, angels, and animals, and the Star of Bethlehem to tell the story of the first Christmas.
Although Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, no one knows the exact date He was born because the Bible does not give a specific day. By about the fourth century, Christians had chosen December 25 as the day to celebrate His birth. Over time, churches throughout Europe began observing Christmas each year, and the celebration gradually spread around the world.
Celebrations and Traditions
Many Christians spend the weeks before Christmas preparing for the holiday during a season called Advent. Advent begins about four weeks before Christmas Day. It is often a time of prayer, giving, and helping others. During this time, many families and churches use an Advent wreath with four candles. One candle is lit each Sunday before Christmas to help people remember the coming celebration of Jesus’ birth. Sometimes, people count down the days with an Advent calendar, opening one small door or window each day—and getting the little gift inside!—until Christmas arrives.
As Christmas spread to different countries, many new traditions became part of the festivities. Families decorate Christmas trees with lights and ornaments, sing Christmas carols, hang stockings, exchange gifts, and gather for special events. While these customs developed over hundreds of years, they have become some of the most recognizable parts of Christmas today.
One of the best-known Christmas figures is Santa Claus, whose story began with a real person named Saint Nicholas. He was a Christian bishop who became known for secretly helping people in need and giving gifts to children. Over hundreds of years, stories about Saint Nicholas mixed with traditions from different countries and gradually became the cheerful Santa Claus figure recognized around the world today.
For many people, Christmas is also a season of giving and kindness. Families may donate toys, food, or clothing to people in need. Others volunteer at food banks, visit nursing homes, or collect gifts for children through community programs. Christians often see these acts as a way to follow Jesus’ teachings, while many others simply enjoy helping their neighbors. Sharing with others has become an important part of Christmas in many communities, regardless of religious affiliation.
Christmas Around the World
Christmas is celebrated in many different ways around the world. Some families attend church services, while others gather for large meals or community festivals. In some countries, people enjoy fireworks, colorful lanterns, or Christmas markets. Every culture has its own traditions, but spending time with family and friends is one custom that many if not most cultures have in common.
An interesting fact about Christmas is that the celebration traditionally continues beyond December 25. In many Christian churches, the Twelve Days of Christmas begin on Christmas Day and end just before Epiphany on January 6, which is a day that remembers the visit of the Wise Men to Jesus. Although many people today celebrate only on December 25, many churches around the world continue to observe this part of the Christmas season.
One of the most meaningful Christmas symbols is the nativity scene. It reminds Christians of the story of Jesus’ birth as told in the Bible. Nativity scenes can be found in churches, homes, schools, and public displays around the world. For Christians, the nativity remains a powerful reminder of the true meaning of Christmas and the celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth.
Christmas is one of the world’s most widely recognized holidays. For Christians, it is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and remains one of the most important days of the year. Many people who are not Christian also celebrate the holiday by spending time with family, exchanging gifts, and sharing traditions. Although celebrations differ from one family or country to another, Christmas continues to carry a special spirit that brings people together through hope, generosity, and joy.
HOLIDAYS: CHRISTMAS LESSON PLAN WORKSHEETS
The Holidays: Christmas lesson plan includes two worksheets: an activity worksheet and a practice worksheet. Each one will help students solidify their grasp of the material they learned throughout the lesson. You can refer to the classroom procedure guidelines to know when to hand out each worksheet.
CHRISTMAS SYMBOL SHOWCASE ACTIVITY WORKSHEET
For the activity, students will create a presentation on a specific Christmas topic. Christmas is filled with meaningful people, places, objects, and traditions. Students will choose one Christmas topic (symbol, tradition, person, etc.) to research further. Their presentation will include a short essay and a creative representation or
project of some kind. The page provides a set of questions for guidance in their research. On the second activity page is a list of topics and project ideas to choose from. They can of course choose a topic or project that is not listed as long as you approve their choice. Students can then present their projects to the class.
HOLIDAYS: CHRISTMAS REVIEW PRACTICE WORKSHEET
The practice worksheet requires students to answer a series of 10 questions. These questions all relate to the content pages, so students will need to refer to them often for the answers. In addition, each question provides which reading tool the question corresponds to, such as text feature, vocabulary, or comprehension.
Worksheet Answer Keys
At the end of the lesson plan document is an answer key for the practice worksheet. The correct answers are all in red to make it easier for you to compare them with students’ responses. If you choose to administer the lesson pages to your students via PDF, you will need to save a new file that omits these pages. Otherwise, you can simply print out the applicable pages and keep these as reference for yourself when grading assignments.
