Ohio Social Studies Strands
Third Grade
Holidays
(Special Occasions)
Karen Bova,
Dana Falls,
and
Amber Spaulding
ED 417-01
Instructor: Dr. Helms
November 14, 2001
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Table of Contents
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Introduction- Page 3
Objectives- Page 4
American Heritage- Page 5
People in Societies- Page 9
World Interactions- Page 12
Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities- Page
15
 Democratic Processes- Page 18
 Decision Making and Resources- Page 21
 Science, Technology, and Society- Page 25 2
Introduction
 Through the seven Ohio Social Studies
Strands, students will complete
activities dealing with holidays and
special occasions to increase their
cultural awareness.
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Objectives
 Through activities based on the seven Ohio
Social Studies Strands, the students will
increase their knowledge of the celebrated
holidays and special occasions found
throughout the world and within their own
community.
 The students will also come to have a greater
appreciation of the cultural diversity found
within their classroom, community, and the
world in which they live.
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American Heritage
Activities
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1. A Family Tree of Me (Grandparent’s Day)- The students will invite
their grandparents to school on Grandparent’s Day to participate in
various classroom activities. (If a student can not have their
grandparents visit the class, then they can ask another family relative to
participate for that day.) During the course of the day, the students will
organize a family history tree of their heritage. The students’
grandparents will be a great resource into their family history and
heritage.
2. Labor Day- The students will research into the origin of how Labor
Day began. (Labor Day began in New York City organized by the
immigrants that came to our country. They formed a parade to show off
their skills and trades they brought to America from other countries.)
The students will create a poster or flier to describe the trade or skill
they would advertise in a Labor Day parade in their community.
3. Columbus Day- After the discussion of how Christopher Columbus
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discovered America, the students will create a community they
founded.
Activities Continued
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The students will create a set of laws that the citizens in their
community would abide by. The students will also create a type of
monetary system that will be used in their community.
4. Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday (February 12)- The students will use the
world wide web to access five famous quotes given by Abraham
Lincoln on www.bartleby.com. The students will choose one of the
quotes to analyze. The students will write two paragraphs on what
might have been happening in our country when the speech was given
and the purpose of the speech given by Lincoln. Once the paragraphs
have been written, the class will have an open discussion to analyze
each of the quotes.
5. Mardi Gras- The celebration of Mardi Gras came to America
through its French heritage in New Orleans. There are many different
traditions associated in the Mardi Gras celebration. After discussing
the characteristics of Mardi Gras, the students will enjoy a King Cake
that is a tradition of Mardi Gras. The student who finds the plastic baby6
in their portion of the
Activities Continued
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King Cake will wear plastic necklace beads and give an important
characteristic of Mardi Gras. That student will then pass the beads
onto another class mate. The process will continue until each student
has worn the beads. The idea that Mardi Gras celebration can from the
French settlers in America should be stressed.
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Web Sites
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
WWW.bartleby.com/99/422 (Lincoln’s Birthday)
WWW.holidays.net/mardigras/story/html (Mardi Gras)
WWW.genealogy.com (Family Trees)
WWW.timeforkids.com
WWW.mcrel.org/compendium/browse.asp
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People in Societies
Activities
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1. Cinco de Mayo- This lesson is designed to introduce students to the
Mexican holiday, Cinco de Mayo. Students will have the opportunity to
learn about typical foods of Mexico and explore the history and origins
of some authentic Mexican foods. At the end of the lesson, the
students can make their own healthy tortilla wraps.
2. Kwanzaa- This lesson is designed to introduce students to the
African American holiday, Kwanzaa. The students will explore the
history and origins of Kwanzaa, and some symbols that represent the
African American holiday. The students will make a place mat called a
mkeka (em-kay-kah) which is one of the symbols of Kwanzaa. They
will make their mkekas out of red, green, and black strips of paper that
they will weave together. Explain to the students the reason for using
these particular colors.
3. Rosa Louis Parks (Black History Month)- This activity is designed to
limit the students’ choices. The students will be instructed that they
must make a picture of their home or neighborhood to be displayed in 9
the hall for
Activities Continued
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all of the school to see. Tell them that they must do their best work,
and it will effect their grade. Then pass out the crayons to the children.
Boys can only use yellow and blue, and girls can only use the red and
orange crayons. Instruct them that they can’t share, and that they can’t
complain because nothing will be done about their complaints. After
the art is turned in discuss the children’s feelings. Discuss the
structural and funding differences between the white and black schools
at that time of history.
4. Being Treated Equally (Martin Lurther King Day)- This lesson is to let
the students experience prejudice first hand. Pick and choose half of
the class to come over to a table, while leaving the other half of the
class sitting at their seats. Don’t explain why you are doing this. Have
the chosen half build a wall around the table so that the students sitting
at their desks can’t see what’s going on. Pass out little bags of M&M’s
to the chosen group and explain to them that they can’t give any of their
M&M’s to the other students. Have them go back and sit at their seats,
and eat the M&M’s, while you go back and sit quietly in front of the
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class. Allow the silence to go
Activities Continued
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on for a few minutes, then ask the students who didn’t receive any
M&M’s to comment on how they feel. Discuss and explain that you
were demonstrating prejudice and unequal treatment.
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5. Cinco de Mayo Party- Plan a Cinco de Mayo party. Investigate the
history and significance of the pinata. Make pinatas and use them for
the party. Teach the students songs and games that are used on Cinco
de Mayo. Prepare and eat food that is eaten on this day, as well as
investigate the significance for these traditions and the holiday.
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Web Sites
 http://www.asfsa.org/childnutrition/education/cincodemayo.asp
 http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/Tlresources/longterm/LessonPlans/afric
a/kargil/index
 http://www.eduplace.com/ss.html
 http://atozteacherstuff.com/lessons/BeingTreatedEqually.shtml
 http://www.umkc.edu/imc/cincomay.htm
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World Interactions
Activities
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1. Columbus Day- On a world map have the students plot each of Columbus’
four voyages in a different color. Continue by creating a key for the map to
indicate the meaning of each color. For extra credit ask the students to calculate
the distance that Columbus traveled on each voyage.
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2. Valentine’s Day- Using the Internet, library, textbooks, etc. Have students
research all the different cities found throughout the world that have a name that
has something to do with Valentine’s Day. Have the students write the city name
on a heart, made out of construction paper, and place it on a map, in its proper
location.
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3. Christmas- Using the Internet have students research how different people
celebrate Christmas around the world.
4. St. Patrick’s Day- As a class, have students brainstorm ideas on why they
think St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated all over the world. In groups, have students
research the answers to the following questions: 1. When was Saint
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Activities Continued
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Patrick born? 2. When did Saint Patrick die? 3. What was he known
for? 4. What is a patron saint? 5. Why do people wear green on Saint
Patrick’s Day? List three reasons. Using their newfound knowledge
have students create a story strictly about the facts of Saint Patrick.
Post the stories in the hallway when they are completed.
5. Halloween- Students will be divided into two cooperative teams:
“Orange” and “Black.” Each team must use a compass and map and
search for clues written on Halloween figures around the school to find
a hidden treasure. The group who finishes the treasure hunt first must
then explain how they used and followed cardinal and intermediate
directions to find the hidden treasure.
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Web Sites
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http://www.cstone.net/~bry-back/holidayfun/dec.html
http://top-biography.com/9015-Christopher%20Columbus/
http://www.howstuffworks.com/valentine.htm
http://www.weekiwis.com/stpatkiwis.html
http://www.benjerry.com/halloween/index.html
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Citizenship Rights and
Responsibilities
Activities
1. Independence Day (What does it mean to be an American?)- Have
students assemble a collage in the image of the American flag. The
right half of the flag will consist of images from the students’ own
American experiences. The left half of the flag will consist of media
representations of Americans that the students has collected.
2. President’s Day- Students will decide on a name and identity as a
letter writer. They will write a letter to the President discussing what
might have been their concerns or criticisms about the government
during that time period.
3. Election Day- The students will simulate the workings of Congress by
bringing the lawmaking process into their own classroom. Students will
role-play Congressmen and women attempting to pass a bill into a law
through the appropriate steps.
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Activities Continued
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4. Earth Day- Have students pick a particular section of the schoolyard
and have them write down how many pieces of glass, paper, and litter
they can find. When sufficient data is collected have students import
the data into a spreadsheet program. Have student share their findings
and discuss why it is our responsibility to keep the Earth clean and
suggest ways they can diminish litter at their school.
5. Thanksgiving- Place a picture of a turkey on the classroom bulletin
board. On the turkey’s tail feathers have students write why they are
thankful they are Americans. After this is completed, as a class,
brainstorm ideas on how they can protect our American freedoms and
rights.
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Web Sites
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http;//earthday.wilderness.org/
http://wilstar.com/holidays/july4.htm
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/socialstd/
http://www.kidsvotingusa.org/students.html
http://www.theholidayspot.com/thanksgiving/round_the_w
orld.htm
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Democratic Processes
Activities
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1. Voting Is Elementary (Election Day)- Conducting a mock election helps
primary students understand the voting process. In this lesson the students will
conduct a mock election for a class mascot, and you through each step of the
election process.
2. The PBS Kids Democracy Project: How Does Government Affect Me?
(Election Day)- In this interactive online game, the students will see what role
the government plays in their lives. It breaks the government down into its
simplest form and shows how the government determines a country, state,
county, township, city, and village and who it’s run by.
3. Community Government (Election Day)- In this lesson the students will be
introduced to community government and its function in the local community.
The students will become active participants in the local government and handle
a problem that has the entire community alarmed.
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Activities Continued
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4. Know Your Local Government (Election Day)- Often students show little
interest in the government process because they have grown up in an
atmosphere where little or no interest has been shown in government, and the
process and the people involved. By the time they become old enough to
actively participate in this process, their interest in other things over shadows
their interest in the government and the importance of their participation in the
process. The purpose of this activity is to introduce students to the local
government structure and the people in the various power positions. They will
see the the day to day activities that directly affect their lives, and where to see
the day to day process of the local government and how it affects their lives.
5. Our Flag (Independence Day)- In this activity the students will make an United
States flag collage. The students will learn the history or background of the
American flag. They will learn that it is a national symbol, and they will learn
what the symbols mean on the flag. After making an United States flag collage,
have the students try making a flag that would mean something to them by using
symbols that stand for important things in their life.
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Web Sites
 http://www.eduplace.com/ss/act/ourflag.html
 http://www.kidsdomain.com
 http://ericir.syr.edu/virtual/Lessons/Social_Studies/US_Go
vernment/GOV0055.html
 http://www.pbs.org/democracy/kids/mygovt/index.html
 http://205.146.39.13/success/lessons/lesson7/pssd3_1.ht
m
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Decision Making and Resources
Activities
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1. President’s Day- The students will discuss the importance of money in
society. After, the students will learn that there are many symbols of the United
States of America on money. The students will create their own form of money
of what is important in their lives and what they stand for. They will use symbols
to create their money. They will then write a paragraph to describe the
importance of the symbols on their money.
2. Memorial Day- Students will understand that Memorial Day began as a
remembrance for the soldiers who fought in the Civil War. The students will
create a badge of honor for someone in their community who they feel should be
honored. The students will then write a paragraph to that person to describe
why they are honored in their community. Each student can then present their
badge of honor to their person to thank them for their importance.
3. Bill of Rights Day (December 15)- The students will identify the values in the
Bill of Rights that was written for the citizens in our country by our
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Activities Continued
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Founding Fathers. The students will show their understanding of the purpose of
the Bill of Rights by creating a personal Bill of Rights. Each student will include
rules and activities that he or she will perform in the classroom, at home, and in
the community to show his or her respect of participating.
4. Holiday Celebration Symbols- Each student will create his or her own
symbol for a holiday or celebration that is important to him or her. They will do
this to show their understanding of the different symbols of many cultures to
describe their winter celebrations. For instance, the star is the symbol of Christ
for Christians at Christmas and the menorah is a symbol of Chanukah for the
Jewish religion. The class will then discuss the different symbols that are seen
in their community around the winter months.
5. Labor Day- The students will display their gratitude to community workers
that provide them with services in their community. Each student will write a
paragraph to a person in their community to thank them for their services.
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Web Sites
 Http://www.HolidayFestival.com
 http://www.education-world.com/learning
 http://pecentral.org/lessonideas/holiday/holidayideasindex.
asp
 http://www.rubicon.com/passport/holidays/holidays.htm
 http//ericir.syr.edu/virtual/Social_Studies/Holidays/presiden
ts
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Science, Technology, and
Society
Activities
1. Olympics- Using a computer with Internet accessibility students will
complete Eddie and Spike’s Virtual Olympic Adventure at
http://www.school.nt.edu.ao/olsu/olyadvent/index.htm
2. Earth Day- The students will create a news collage of three to five
articles, found on the internet, dealing with issues that affect our
environment. Using markers, crayons, paint, etc. students will illustrate
their collages. After the collages are complete they should be
displayed in the hallway.
3. Birthday- Using a computer with internet accessibility the students
will research events that occurred on their birthday in the distant past.
Then have the students take one of the events and write a creative
story to be displayed in the hallway.
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Activities Continued
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4. A Personal Calendar of Special Occasions- The students will create
a calendar of their own on Holidays ‘Round the World Wide Web site.
The students can explore the background of many different holiday
around the world. Each student will create his/her personal calendar of
special events and holidays.
5. Lincoln’s Birthday- The students will explore the history of Abraham
Lincoln through a virtual tour website. The interactive website will allow
the students to journey through the hometown of Abraham Lincoln.
The students will then write a paragraph to compare and contrast the
characteristics of Abraham Lincoln’s hometown (past) to their own
community (present).
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Web Sites
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http://www.schools.nt.au/olsu/olyadvent/index.htm
http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/earthday/
http://www.calendarzone.com/Holiday/
http://www.holidays.net
http://www.wkycorp.org/civilwar/region3/hodgenev.
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