Lower School Celebrates Holidays around the World
The O’Neal Lower School hosted Holidays around the World - an engaging, informational, and fun-filled morning of special holidays in ten countries.
Students in kindergarten through third grade had passports and suitcases to help them as they traveled around the world to different countries. Fourth and fifth grade students diligently researched a holiday or country, including Kwanzaa (USA), South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Sweden, Ecuador, Italy, Israel, Germany, and Nicaragua. The students presented the information to the younger students using posters, SmartBoard presentations, often with music in the background. Some countries had samples of traditional foods that students enjoyed.
For Thailand, students presented on the Songkran festival which is their traditional New Year's Day (from 13 to 15 April.). The festival is a joyous time and includes water fights as well as other water related activities. Fish and other aquatic wildlife are ceremoniously released back into the rivers and streams. The students made cut out fish that were then stamped with paint dipped celery (representing the scales). Students in K-3 also colored in mini Thai flags and watched a PowerPoint on traditional costumes, foods, historic buildings while they worked.
In Sweden, students learned about St. Lucia's Day which is celebrated on December 13th. They then instructed the younger students on how to make crowns out of paper strips, candles and leaves. The traditional Swedish crowns are decorated with evergreen branches and are said to represent new life in winter. The presenters also handed out 'Pepparkakor', or ginger snap biscuits for the younger students to try.
For Israel the older students instructed the younger students on some traditional foods as well as geographical features of Israel and explained why Israel was important to the Jewish people. They taught them how to play the dreidel game with authentic “gelt” or chocolate coins. The students were also shown how to make an edible dreidel out of marshmallows, blue frosting and a Hershey’s kiss. Every student left with their own plastic dreidel as well as a sweet treat!
In Ecuador, students discussed New Year’s Eve and the burning of the straw dolls. One's sins and transgressions are told and then the dolls are burned. That way a new year can begin with a fresh start. Students made straw dolls.
Christmas Eve was the focus for Italy. Students learned about the feast of the 7 fishes. They made and colored plates of seven different fish. On this Catholic holiday no meat or dairy is consumed.
In Germany, students learned about Christmas traditions including the pickle ornament tradition. If you find the pickle ornament in the tree, you get an extra present. They were able to make their own pickle ornaments out of salt dough.
Students presented the South Korean New Year for South Korea. Kindergarten and first grade students colored pictures of Korean New Year scenes and made flags. The second graders made paper models of traditional South Korean New Year’s lanterns.
Kwanzaa was the focus for the United States. The kindergarten students made paper dolls of Kwanzaa women and men in their traditional attire. The second and third grade students made paper Kwanzaa hats.
For Spain, students presented “Three Kings Day”, which is a Christmas-type holiday that celebrates the Three Wise Men. They had the other students create crowns made of toilet paper rolls, paint, glitter, and fake jewels.
Christmas was presented for Nicaragua. The younger students made fireworks out of popsicle sticks and glitter. They also made candles out of construction paper, tissue paper, glitter, and glue.
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