Kate Freeman
Professor Hendricks, Cooperating Teacher: Mrs. Hopke
11 AM-12 PM, December 5th, 2013
Mott Elementary School
ELE 301-02
1. Title or Topic of the Lesson and Grade Level
Kwanzaa: Traditions and Symbols, Kindergarten
2. Lesson Essential Question(s):
What are the traditions that families celebrate on Kwanzaa?
3. Standards:
6.1.P.D.2. Demonstrate an understanding of family roles and traditions.
4. A. Learning Objectives and Assessments:
B. Assessments:
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to describe and recall
the four main traditions of Kwanzaa: music,
decorations, food, and gifts. They will be able
to describe their favorite part of Kwanzaa’s
traditions.
Assessments
Successful choice of a “favorite thing” shape
which students will color for the graph. Oral
description of students’ preferences, and
answers to teacher questions such as “what
are the symbols/traditions associated with
Kwanzaa?”
Students will be able to state that there are
Student oral answers to questions, and
seven days of Kwanzaa each represented by ability to recall and describe the values of
a candle on the Kinara; they will know that
Kwanzaa when questioned/reminded about
these candles are Kwanzaa colors: red, black, key details of the holiday.
and green.
5. Materials:
Pointer
Objectives/Standards on Sentence Strips
Kwanzaa poster
Velcro pieces of: Mazao (crops), Mkeka (mat), Kinara (candleholder), Candles, Kikombe
(unity cup), Muhindi (corn), Zawadi (gifts), and a drum
The Gifts of Kwanzaa (Synthia Saint James)
Kikombes filled with grape juice (30-one per student)
Zawadi bags filled with candy corn, which represents the Muhindi, or corn (30-one per
student)
Prop Table with: Mazao, a Mkeka, a Kinara, a Kikombe, Muhindi, Zawadi, a small drum
Poster of the Song of the Day (Kwanzaa’s Here)
Blank poster (for class I like THIS best about Kwanzaa graph poster)
Assorted shapes (drum, Mkeka, corn, presents)
8 bins filled with crayons/pencils
6 . Pre-lesson assignments and/or prior knowledge:
On the day prior to this lesson, the teacher has taught an overview of the history of
Kwanzaa. She has introduced the Kinara (and connected it to Hanukkah’s Menorah), and
explained that there are seven days to the holiday-each associated with a value. She has
discussed Kwanzaa colors, the language of Kwanzaa, and that Kwanzaa is celebrated to
bring people of African-American descent together, and is a celebration of grown (or
harvested food). Students will build off of this information to learn key Kwanzaa traditions.
7. Lesson Beginning:
To begin the lesson, the teacher will question/remind students of several of the things that
they learned the day before about Kwanzaa. She will state that Kwanzaa is a celebration of
African-American culture, and is a celebration of harvesting food (collecting grown food),
and stresses the importance of bringing people or communities (people with the same
ideas) together. She will use this review to segway into an activity where she describes
several key traditions/symbols of Kwanzaa, and velcroes pictures of these items to a
teacher-made poster.
8. Instructional Plan:
 I will begin my lesson by asking students to come to the carpet, and sit in their rows
‘criss-cross applesauce’ with their hands in their laps.
 I will state my objectives for the lesson to students; today we will learn about the
important ways people celebrate Kwanzaa, and about the music, food, presents, and
decorations that people give one another on Kwanzaa.
 First, the teacher will review the previous lesson, and will ask students “What are
the two reasons that people celebrate Kwanzaa?” (Harvest and community) She will
remind students that Kwanzaa is celebrated in order to celebrate the culture of
African Americans, and is based off of Harvest ceremonies (food that has been
grown and collected)/celebrations that return to African roots. In any Kwanzaa
celebration, Kwanzaa is celebrated to bring people (communities or people with the
same ideas) together. She will also remind students that the key colors of Kwanzaa
are red, black, and green.
 The teacher will then define the following terms (some of which are review), which
are necessary to understand Kwanzaa, and the read aloud, and will coordinate
explanation of these terms with a poster of Africa (on which she will velcro several
manipulatives).
 The teacher will explain that when celebrating Kwanzaa crops (Mazao) are
celebrated, because they are food-or a “harvest.” Students will model teacher
instruction, and will repeat “Mazao.” The teacher will put the “Mazao” card on the
poster. (She will explain that this is the ‘harvest’ or grown food) Next, the teacher
will explain that Muhindi (Corn) is always present/eaten in Kwanzaa feasts and is
used for decoration. Students will model teacher instruction, and will repeat
“Muhindi.” The teacher will put the Muhindi card on the board.
 The teacher will discuss how people decorate for Kwanzaa. She will say that families
often make their tables feature a tablecloth/decorations made of Kwanzaa colors.
She will state that in Kwanzaa the Mkeka or mat is under the food on people’s tables,
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and is used for decoration. Students will model teacher instruction, and will repeat
“Mkeka.” She will put the “Mkeka” card on the poster.
The teacher will ask students to remind her, “What candleholder did we learn about
yesterday?” (She will pick one student to answer the question using the popsicle
cup) She will then remind students about the Menorah, and will ask, “What other
holiday had a candleholder called the Menorah which was lit during each night of
the holiday?” (She will pick one student to answer the question using the popsicle
cup) She will remind students that when people celebrate Kwanzaa they use a
similar candleholder called the Kinara. She will explain that there are several
variations of the Kinara but most importantly there must be red, one black, and
green candles, and there are seven candles-one for each day of Kwanzaa. (the black
candle is always in the middle) The teacher will put the “Kinara” card on the poster.
Students will model teacher instruction, and will repeat “Kinara.”
The teacher will then explain that the Kikombe or Kikombe cha Umoja is used
during ceremonies (when music is played while celebrating the values of Kwanzaa)
each person drinks from the Kikombe as it is passed around the room, and will drink
juice while music is played. The teacher will put the Kikombe on the board. Students
will model teacher instruction, and will repeat “Kikombe.”
The teacher will explain that Zawadi (gifts) are given on the last day of Kwanzaa
(called Kuumba) and are related to school or education-or can be artwork. The
teacher will put the Zawadi card on the poster. Students will model teacher
instruction, and will repeat “Zawadi.”
Last, the teacher will explain that drum music is very popular and associated with
Kwanzaa celebrations and dances, and will velcro a drum to the board.
The teacher will then read The Gifts of Kwanzaa aloud to students. She will use it to
review, and help students to learn key Kwanzaa concepts. The poster will remain up
during these questions/the read aloud.
On page 2, the instructor will ask what two Kwanzaa decorations are in the picture.
(Mkeka and Kikombe).
On page 3, the instructor will ask students what Kwanzaa food (or vegetable is in
the picture/is introduced). The teacher will also ask students what Kwanzaa
decoration (the Mkeka) is in the picture/is underneath the food.
On page 4, the instructor will ask students to identify the Kinara.
On page 12, the instructor will point out different types of Zawadi, and how they
include books (education) and music (drums).
After the read aloud, the instructor will play/sing the song of the day (which is
written on poster board).
KWANZAA’S HERE
Tune: “If You’re Happy And You Know It”
If you’re happy and you know it, Kwanzaa’s here.
If you’re happy and you know it, Kwanzaa’s here.
Time to gather in first fruits, and celebrate our roots.
If you’re happy and you know it, Kwanzaa’s here.
Jean Warren
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The teacher will then explain that we are going to have a “Karamu” (feast that
occurs on the last night of Kwanzaa). She will have set up a table with props (Mazao,
a Mkeka, a Kinara, a Kikombe, Muhindi, Zawadi, and drums).
The teacher will dismiss students by row to their tables.
She will play traditional drum music on a traditional African drum, and students will
get to drink grape juice and will pass around a “Zawadi bag” (each student will take
one small bag filled with “candy corn” which will represent the Muhindi.)
While students are eating their snacks, each of them will decide if Kwanzaa’s music,
decorations, food, or gifts are their favorite part of the holiday. They will be given a
shape of their choice (Drums, Mkeka, Corn, or present box) to color at their tables,
and will be instructed to write their name in the shape and then color it in.
When students are done coloring their shapes the instructor will use the popsicle
stick to ask them to come up one by one to share their favorite part of Kwanzaa, and
put their shape on a class graph called “I like THIS best about Kwanzaa…”
The teacher will then dismiss students to look at the prop table, and explore
different things associated with Kwanzaa. This will help make the holiday more
relateable to students.
Differentiation: If students are struggling to write their names, the teacher
will give them assistance. Because there are many different parts to
Kwanzaa, and it may be difficult for students to remember everything, the
poster will be left up to reinforce main ideas/help students to remember
important symbols/traditions associated with Kwanzaa. Students who
complete the activity quickly will be allowed to look at/touch items on the
prop table.
o Questions:
o What are the two reasons that people celebrate Kwanzaa?
o What are the key traditions and symbols of Kwanzaa?
o What food do you eat on the Holidays?
o What food is eaten on Kwanzaa?
o How do people decorate for Kwanzaa?
o What is corn used for during Kwanzaa?
o What types of gifts does your family typically give one another when you
celebrate a holiday?
o What gifts are given on Kwanzaa?
o What type of music does your family listen to on the holidays?
o What is the importance of the Kinara and its’ candles? What do they
represent?
o What is the role of the Kikombe?
o How is music incorporated into Kwanzaa celebrations?
Classroom Management:
To regroup students, get the class’ attention, or quiet them down, the teacher will
clap out a rhythm that the students know to repeat and quiet down when they hear.
(*clap-clap-clapclapclap*)
Students will be reminded to not disrupt the flow of the story/lesson by talking
amongst themselves.
The teacher will distribute materials before the lesson so that students will not be
disrupted by the distribution of materials.
Transitions: First transition: Students will be asked to come and sit on the carpet
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criss-cross apple sauce for the start of the lesson. The teacher will explain
behavioral expectations (students are expected to be quiet/listen to the lesson
silently) and objectives for the lesson.
Second transition: The teacher will review important information about Kwanzaa.
Third transition: The teacher will teach students important traditions/symbols
associated with Kwanzaa using the poster/velcro manipulatives.
Fourth transition: The teacher will sing the song of the day with students.
Fifth transition: The teacher will explain that we will now have an African Kwanzaa
feast called a Karamu. Students will be dismissed to their tables and will be given
Zawadi, Muhindi, and a Kikombe.
Sixth transition: Students will complete the individual activity. (Coloring shapes that
represent what they like best about Kwanzaa) When finished, the students will
share their favorite things with the class, and the teacher will construct a graph of
the class preferences. Students will be allowed to explore a prop table with items
used in Kwanzaa celebrations.
9. Closure:
The teacher will give students shapes to color that represent Kwanzaa’s music, decorations,
food, or gifts. Students will have to choose their favorite part of Kwanzaa, and will color
their shape (after writing their name in the shape). The students will share their favorite
part of Kwanzaa with the class, and we will make a class graph of students’ favorite parts of
the holiday. Also, to make Kwanzaa more relatable, the teacher will bring in physical props
that students will be able to touch/explore that are related to Kwanzaa celebrations
including Mazao, a Mkeka, a Kinara, a Kikombe, Muhindi, Zawadi, and a small drum. This
will help students (none of whom have celebrated Kwanzaa before according to the Parent
surveys) to connect to the holiday.