Kwanzaa
Laura Gilmore
ED 417-01
Holidays
•Grade 2
•Kwanzaa
Objectives
• The students will be able to explain what the
Kwanzaa celebration is and why it is celebrated.
• The students will recognize the seven principles of
Kwanzaa.
• The students will be able to name the three colors
of Kwanzaa and what they stand for.
• The students will be able to describe what is done
during the Kwanzaa celebration.
Materials
• Empty Toilet Paper Roll
• Construction Paper (in the colors you want for
your candles)
Tissue Paper (yellow and orange)
String
Tape (or glue)
Scissors
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Spoon
Materials Continued
• Paper for pictures about gifts
• Kwanzaa crossword copies
• Candleholder
Websites
• Kids Domain
http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/kwanzaa/index.htm
l
DougUSA.com
http://www.globalindex.com/kwanzaa
Kwanzaa, quanza, quansa, kinera, what is, seven
principles of
http://globalindex.com/kwanzaa/welcome.htm
Kids Zone
www.kidszone.com
Kulture Kidz
www.yahooligans.com
Kwanzaa Crossword
• The students will complete the Kwanzaa
crossword in order to practice using the
different words used to describe the
Kwanzaa celebration.
Kwanzaa Candleholder
• The teacher will discuss with the students
what each of the candles in the Kwanzaa
candleholder mean. The students will work
together to set up the Kwanzaa candleholder
in groups at their tables and talk about the
order in which the candles would be lit.
Making Benne Cakes
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You will need:
oil to grease a cookie sheet
1 cup finely packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted sesame seeds
Making Benne Cakes Cont.
• Preheat the oven to 325°. Lightly oil a
• cookie sheet. Mix together the brown
• sugar and butter, and beat until they are
• creamy. Stir in the egg, vanilla extract, and
• lemon juice. Add flour, baking powder,
• salt, and sesame seeds. Drop by rounded
• teaspoons onto the cookie sheet 2 inches
• apart. Bake for 15 mintues or until the
• edges are browned. Enjoy!
Candle Treats
• Take your toilet paper roll and lay it down on your
construction paper. Use a ruler to draw a line on the
paper for the width of the paper roll. Use your
scissors to cut along the line that you drew, Lay
the Paper Roll down on the edge of the
construction paper. Tape one of the ends of the
construction paper to the Paper Roll, then
carefully roll the Paper Roll until you get to the
end of the construction paper. When the
construction paper is all the way around the Paper
Roll, put a piece of tape to hold the paper together.
You can also glue the paper down
the Paper Roll, put a piece of tape to hold the paper together.
You can also glue the paper down instead of using tape. If you
do this, put a rubber band around the Paper Roll, and allow time
for this step to dry. Cut two squares of tissue...one of the yellow
color and one of the orange tissue paper. I use a nice sized squa
here so my candle flame is nice and large. Also remember when
making this part of the candle, most of the tissue will be inside
of the paper roll…so be generous with it's size. Lay the tissue
down, one piece on top of the other. If you angle it like the
sample here to your left, both colors of the tissue will show
nicely in your finished project. Use a spoon to gently push the
tissue into the Paper Roll. Don't push too hard or the tissue may
rip. Once the tissue is in the Paper Roll... add your treats. This
can be little toys, candy, or
anything you would like to give the children for treats.
Once your treats have been added... tie off the end. Here
we've used green
string... but that is only so you can see where we added the
tie. With your fingers... work
up the tissue to form a tip to make it look like a candle flame.
Make as many candles as there are for your celebration...
at least one candle per child. These can be set up to be part
of your decorations.
Kwanzaa Gifts
• The teacher will discuss the ritual of giving
children gifts on the last day of Kwanzaa.
• The teacher will instruct the children to write
about and draw a picture of what kind of
homemade gifts they would like to receive if they
celebrated Kwanzaa.
• They should think about the nature of Kwanzaa
gifts and also what they would like. Kwanzaa
gifts are traditionally homemade and creative.
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa
• Kwanzaa means “first
fruit” in Swahili.
• Kwanzaa is an African
harvest celebration.
• Kwanzaa is a time of
harvest, reverence, and
celebration.
When is Kwanzaa?
• December 26thJanuary 1st
• Kwanza was started in
1966 by Dr. Maulana
Karenga, a professor
at California State
University.
Colors of Kwanzaa
• Black for the race of
our people
• Red for the blood our
people shed
• Green for the hope and
color of the
Motherland
Principles of Kwanzaa
There is one principle for each of the
seven days of Kwanzaa.
Imani
Kuumba
Nia
Ujima
Umoja
Kujichagulia
Ujamaa
Kwanzaa Celebration
• The Kinara is placed atop the Mkeka.
• Each candle represents a distinct principle
beginning with Umoja.
• Candles are then lit each day alternately from left
to right.
• Three red candles should be placed on the left and
three green candles should be placed on the right.
• On the last day of Kwanzaa the children are given
homemade gifts.