Your class can watch the video at any time and join the discussion independently. If you are participating on-demand, you may want to have students review the Holidays Around the World Padlet or Twitter discussion to compare ideas and make connections. You can also use the suggested resources below to support your discussions.

Explain to your students that this virtual viewing party will focus on the traditions and history of four holidays: Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Lunar New Year. Each of these holidays has particular meaning for those who celebrate and each has some unique traditions and activities. Encourage your students to learn about all the holidays and reflect on their own family’s celebrations and traditions.

Use a combination of Pause and Play (CND) and an adaption of the strategy ABC Summary (CND) to engage students in the video. After you’ve played the video through once, apply the adaptation of ABC Summary during the second viewing’s pauses. Instead of using the alphabet as you would in the standard strategy format, use the letters in the holiday names to guide students’ summary statements. When you pause the video, have them jot down notes that start with the letters in the holiday. For example, HANUKKAH notes might include Hebrew word for dedication, and Ancient language spoken in prayer. For students who would like note starters, have them come up with every day words that could begin their notes, such as Kids, Keep, or Kind for the Ks and Usually for the U in Hanukkah.

Immediately following the viewing party, have students participate in a round of 25 Things You Didn’t Know (CND) to prepare them to design their own holiday celebration. This strategy will result in a collaborative list of reasons and ways to celebrate that should inspire creativity. Finally, have students design their perfect holiday celebration, taking familiar traditions, new ideas from the virtual viewing party, and list from the 25 Things You Didn’t Know activity into account. They may design their own winter holiday or simply plan the perfect celebration for one they already celebrate. Offer to share your students’ work via your personal, class, or school Twitter account. Don’t forget to share it all with us on Twitter @DiscoveryEd using #CelebratewithDE.