Hot Topic: Celebrations, Festivals and Special Occasions

This Hot Topic is a selection of resources providing information about the celebrations, festivals, and special occasions that take place at different times of the year by different groups of people around the world.

Celebrations - general

Celebrations
This ESOL Online unit intended for level 1, new entrants-year 3, looks at special events people may share within their communities by focusing on multicultural customs and traditions in the Pacific, Asia and Europe.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/esol/esolonline/primary_mainstream/classroom/ units/celebrations/home_e.php

Why Celebrate?
In this level 3 unit intended for year 5-6 students, explore a variety of events that people all over the world celebrate such as New Year, a wedding, harvesting or other festivals, and learn about how they have similar purposes.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/socialscience/curriculum/SSOL/celebrate/index_e.php

Celebrations and Commemorations
This is an Internet project designed to help students discover their own cultural identity by looking at events that their own and other cultures celebrate.
http://www.abc.net.au/civics/celebrations/

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!
An English Online unit plan about celebrations, for year 10, level 5-6. Students critically analyse features of descriptive writing and produce a piece of writing suitable for publication. There is a focus on poetic writing and exploring written language. Includes teaching and learning activities, an assessment schedule, and a list of resources that can be used.
http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/units/celebrate/home.html

A Personal Celebration Scene
In this level 1 drama learning example, students develop and share a scene about personal celebration using facial expressions, sounds and body movement to express feelings in the scene. It also includes ideas for planning and assessment, notes on elements, techniques, and conventions and links and references for teaching and learning materials.
http://www.tki.org.nz/e/arts/drama/drama_L1/drama_L1_A1_menu.php

Cakes and Candles
This is a level 1 unit intended for years 1-2. It looks at the ways different groups celebrate birthdays and some of the traditions associated with this celebration in children's lives.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/socialscience/curriculum/SSOL/cakes/index_e.php

Celebrating Birthdays
In this level 1 unit, intended for years 1-2, students conduct an inquiry into birthday customs and traditions around the world and plan a classroom birthday party for Q-Bear.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/socialscience/curriculum/SSOL/birthday/index_e.php

Children's Day
This website outlines the reasons for Children's Day in New Zealand (the last Sunday of October) and gives examples of activities that schools can do to celebrate the day.
http://www.childrensday.org.nz/

Holidays & Celebrations from Around the World
Holidays and Celebrations from Around the World is from TOPICS Online Magazine, for learners of English. This page contains personal accounts of celebrations by students from around the world. Search by country or by the holiday index which includes New Year, Valentines Day, Independence Day, Christmas, Halloween, and All Saints Day.
http://www.topics-mag.com/internatl/holidays/festivals.htm

New Zealand History Online - Culture and Society
From NZHistory.net.nz, an online history of New Zealand culture and society from pre-1840 to the 20th century. Topics include pre-1840 contact, holidays and anniversaries, health and welfare, crime and punishment, sport, lifestyle, transport, and many more. This site also has links to other history subjects, resources, and history guides.
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture-and-society

Matapihi - Showcase: Summer Holidays
This Matapihi showcase is a selection of digitised images and paintings which capture the feeling of New Zealand summer holidays from various New Zealand archives, art galleries, libraries, and museums. Click on the images to enlarge them. Includes links to explore the topic further. The showcase can be viewed in English or in Māori.
http://tinyurl.com/2fyf83

Labour Day
This site from NZHistory.net.nz contains a history of Labour Day since it was first celebrated in 1890. Includes information about Samuel Parnell who helped New Zealand become one of the first countries in the world to adopt the eight-hour working day. Suitable for upper primary levels and above.
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/politics/labourday

More than a Holiday - Labour Day
Samuel Parnell's struggle to promote workers rights in New Zealand is celebrated each Labour Day. In this level 4 unit intended for years 6-8, students conduct an inquiry into Labour Day. They look at Parnell's ideas, create a cartoon strip that tells his story, and take a look at current issues relating to children and work.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/socialscience/curriculum/SSOL/labour_day/index_e.php

April Fool's Day Unit
This unit by Megan Crandall provides background information to the origin of April Fools' Day and a unit plan for lower/middle primary school students.
http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/units/Byrnes-celebrations/april.html

History of Easter Eggs
From BBC online this website outlines the history of Easter eggs and the forms they have taken over the years. This site also includes a selection of Easter egg games.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A528897

The History of Halloween
A website containing information about the ancient origins and modern tradition of Halloween, and links to related information.
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/halloween/index.jsp

The History of Valentine's Day
This site contains useful information and links about the history and relevance of St Valentines Day. It is recommended as a ’Teacher only‘ resource, due to a rather high amount of distracting advertising.
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/valentine/

Auckland Festival
The Auckland's biennial festival of the arts website features dance, music, theatre, comedy, visual arts, and discussion forums. The site includes latest news, programme and calendar of events, general information, and contact details.
http://www.aucklandfestival.co.nz/

Parihaka International Peace Festival
This is the site for the annual Parihaka International Peace Festival. As well as information on the festival it contains historical information on the settlement of Parihaka.
http://www.parihaka.com/

Religious Festivals

Religious Festivals
From the BBC Schools section, this website has information about religious festivals celebrating Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism. Includes related student activities and worksheets.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/

Holy Days
From the BBC religion and ethics section, this website gives information about the holy days celebrated by Christians, including Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter, and Christmas.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/holydays/

Asian Festivals

Chinese Lantern Festival - social studies
This level 1-4 unit from the 'Educating for Asia' series, intended for years 1-8, looks at the lantern festival celebrated as part of the Chinese New Year in communities all over the world. Online resources support each of the activities and provides links to related information.
http://www.asianz.org.nz/education/educatingforasia/lanternfestivals

Chinese New Year - Chinese Calendar
This site provides information on the Chinese New Year and explains the significance of the twelve animals that represent each year in the twelve-year cycle. Includes a picture gallery and desktop calendar.
http://www.chinapage.com/newyear.html

Lunar New Year in Taiwan
This website provides information about The Lunar New Year which is a significant festival for Chinese around the world. Read how the festival is celebrated. Includes images of the twelve symbolic animals of the Chinese Zodiac which represent the different lunar years.
http://www.gio.gov.tw/taiwan-website/5-gp/newyear

Têt Trung-Thu - Vietnamese Harvest Festival
This page has information about the Têt-Trung-Thu or Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam, a day for a family holiday and celebrations. Includes links to information about festivals in other cultures.
http://www.familyculture.com/holidays/tettrungthu.htm

Matariki – Māori New Year

Matariki - Māori New Year - Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
This section of the Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand website is about Matariki, and can be viewed in te reo Māori or English. Matariki is the Māori name for the small cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades or the Seven Sisters in the Taurus constellation. When it rises in the north-eastern skies in late May or early June, it signals to Māori that the New Year will begin. Contains further information in images, audio, and video clips.
http://www.teara.govt.nz/EarthSeaAndSky/Astronomy/MatarikiMaoriNewYear/en

Matariki Interactive
This interactive is based on the appearance of Matariki in our skies around the month of June. The interactive explores some of the themes around this time of year in the Māori calendar through proverbs, pictures, and stories, and can be viewed in both English and te reo Māori. Includes a link to teachers' notes from Pūtaiao Online.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/wick_ed/matariki/index.php

Matariki - Social Studies Activities
Matariki, the Māori New Year, is an important festival that reflects New Zealand's bi-cultural heritage. This page outlines how a study of Matariki can be used by teachers and students of social studies. Matariki can also be a springboard into further topics associated with the different ways the passage of time is celebrated and measured. NZhistory.net.nz has some general information on the measurement of time in different cultures.
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/classroom/matariki-maori-new-year

Indian Celebrations

A Multicultural Thanksgiving: Pongal
This article provides information on Pongal, a popular harvest festival of South India. Has links to books and additional information.
http://www.familyculture.com/holidays/pongal.htm

Aainaa - Reflections through Indian Weddings
This resource, based on the 2004 exhibition ’Aainaa - Reflections through Indian Weddings‘ at Te Papa's Community Gallery, is designed for students to learn about Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim wedding ceremonies as experienced by people living in New Zealand. It links to the New Zealand curriculum framework and is suitable for students years 5-10, achievement levels 3-5. Includes video clips, and interactive activities to reinforce students' learning.
http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/LEARNING/AAINAA/default.htm

Brothers' and Sisters' Day - Teachers' Notes
This page provides teachers' notes for a report by Asha Patel from School Journal Part 1, Number 2, 2006. The report describes the Indian festival of Raksha Bandhan, a special day for brothers and sisters. Includes an overview, suggested teaching purpose, features to consider, readability, sharing learning outcomes, a framework for the lesson, and revisiting the text.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/literacy_numeracy/professional/teachd_sisters_day_e.php?part=1

Hindu Festivals

Hindu Festivals
This page on Hindu festivals is from the HeritageKids web page from the Singapore National Heritage Board. Brief information is given on the following festivals: Tamil New Year, Pongal Festival, Thaipusam, Thimithi (Fire-walking Festival), Deepavali, and Navarathiri.
http://www.nhb.gov.sg/discover_heritage/heritagekids/feature_articles/feature_festival_hindu.shtml

Diwali - Teachers' Notes
These online Teachers’ notes support the fluency (purple) level fiction book of the same name from the Ready to Read series published by Learning Media Limited. This third-person recount, set in New Zealand, describes an Indian girl's experience of the five-day festival of Diwali. The notes identify text features, and provide guidelines for teachers on setting the scene, how to approach the first reading with the students, ideas for revisiting the text, and suggestions for further activities.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/literacy_numeracy/professional/teachers_notes/ ready_to_read/tchr_notes/diwali_e.php

Rangoli - Teachers' Notes
This page provides Teachers' notes for a procedural text by Jill MacGregor from School Journal Part 2, Number 4, 2005. It describes preparing for a rangoli competition as part of the celebration of Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Light. Includes an overview, suggested teaching purpose, features to consider, readability, sharing learning outcomes with students, a lesson framework, and revisiting the text.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/literacy_numeracy/professional/teachhp?part=2

Diwali
Diwali is one of the biggest festivals celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. The festival of light takes place in the latter half of the last month of the Hindu year. This website from the BBC has images and information about the festival.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork/features/diwali.shtml

Hindu Festival - Let's Share Diwali
This is a level 1-4 unit intended for years 1-8 from the Asia New Zealand Foundation website. It provides activities for students to learn about the Hindu festival of Diwali as it is celebrated in India and in New Zealand.
http://www.asianz.org.nz/education/educatingforasia/letssharediwali

Muslim Festivals

Muslim Festivals
This page on Muslim festivals is from the HeritageKids web page from the Singapore National Heritage Board. Brief information is given on the following festivals: Maulud Nabi (Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad), Awal Muharram (First Day of the Islamic New Year), Hari Raya Puasa, and Hari Raya Haji.
http://www.nhb.gov.sg/discover_heritage/heritagekids/feature_articles/ feature_festival_muslim.shtml

Jewish Festivals

History of Hanukkah
This page from the History Channel website gives information on the origins and history of the Hanukkah celebrations. It started in 168BC when the Greeks seized the Jewish holy Temple in Jerusalem. It also provides information on how the Jews reclaimed the temple and how since then Jews have celebrated Hanukkah.
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/holidays/hanukkah/history.html

Christmas Celebrations

Christmas and New Year Celebrations Around the World
This wickED topic is part of an integrated series of activities that fit within the New Zealand curriculum. These activities involve researching, comparing, and contrasting Christmas and New Year celebrations around the world using ICT. Includes activities in te reo Māori.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/wick_ed/themes/celebrations.php

Kiwi Christmas
This page from NZHistory.net.nz has a series of short articles about the meaning of Christmas for New Zealanders. Links to images, a video on New Zealanders' attitude to Christmas, and a Christmas cards slideshow.
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/kiwi-xmas

Christmas Traditions in France and in Canada
This web page provides information about Christmas traditions in Canada and France. Includes social and communal customs, family celebrations, religious ceremony aspects, and the religious observance of Christmas from the middle ages to the 1990s. Suitable for upper primary and secondary levels.
http://www.culture.fr/culture/noel/angl/noel.htm

Feliz Navidad - Christmas in Mexico
This Mexican website provides information about the many traditions that make celebrating Navidad (Christmas) in Mexico. Includes links to related areas of the site.
http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/christmas.html

Weddings

Weddings from Around the World
This website has information and images of different wedding practices and customs from around the world. Includes information about Mahndi (hand painting in India), and weddings in the Middle East, Bangladesh, China, Colombia, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Mexico, Turkey, and Vietnam.
http://www.topics-mag.com/internatl/weddings/wedding-page.htm

Virtual Finland: Wedding Customs
This web page from Virtual Finland website gives information on Finnish wedding customs.
http://virtual.finland.fi/finfo/english/wedding.html

Stories about Special Occasions

Long long time ago - stories for children
This site has samples of fables, folktales, fairy tales, myths, and festival stories from around the world. The fairy tale section includes information about fairies from different cultures. Includes story puzzles and games, and invites readers to write their own stories.
http://www.longlongtimeago.com/index.html

The King's Birthday - Teachers' Notes
This page provides Teachers' notes for a story by Jill MacGregor from School Journal, Part 1, Number 2, 2002. It is about the King of Tonga's birthday, and how everyone is preparing for the feast that follows the grand parade and the celebrations. Includes an overview, features to consider, readability, supports and challenges, responding to the text, suggested activities, and cross-curricular links.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/literacy_numeracy/professional/teachp?part=1

White Sunday in Sāmoa - Teachers' Notes
These online teaching notes support the fluency (purple) level non-fiction book of the same name from the Ready to Read series published by Learning Media Limited. This factual recount describes how a young Sāmoan boy, with the support of his family, gets ready to celebrate White Sunday. There is a glossary of Sāmoan terms and extra information about White Sunday at the end of the book. The notes identify text features, and provide guidelines for teachers on setting the scene, how to approach the first reading with the students, ideas for revisiting the text, and suggestions for further activities.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/literacy_numeracy/professional/teachers_notes/ ready_to_read/tchr_notes/white_sunday_samoa_e.php