A Sampler of Winter Holiday Celebrations

Introduction

People celebrate different holidays with special rituals and festivities. Take a quick tour of some holiday traditions and then create your very own holiday. What kind of holiday would you want to have? What rituals and traditions would you include in your holiday? When would you celebrate your holiday? 

Task

Choose a partner to work with to learn about Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Research the different winter holidays by viewing websites,  interviewing your family, friends, teachers, etc. about the holidays they celebrate in December. Using your research, selects ideas from each holiday celebration and design a new holiday. Include day of holiday, special rituals, and reason for the special occassion.


Process

Click the titles below to go to the new links in the following sections.

Answer the following questions using the websites below:

When is the holiday?

Why is it on that day?

What rituals are performed during this holiday?

Who celebrates the holiday?

What are the symbols connected to this holiday?

1) Christmas- 

www.whychristmas.com/cultures/usa.shtmlwww.pickyourownchristmastree.org/facts.phphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s0C5V4OB182)Hanukkahwww.myjewishlearning.com/article/hanukkah-2015/www.whychristmas.com/customs/hanukkah.shtml3)Kwanzaahttp://presentations.mrdonn.org/kwanzaa.html

Now, answer the same questions for a new holiday that you are creating.

When is the holiday?

Why is it on that day?

What rituals are performed during this holiday?

Who celebrates the holiday?

What are the symbols connected to this holiday?

Create a presentation to share with the class. Type a word dcoument summarizing your new holiday. Include a powerpoint or a poster displaying images and information that represents your new holiday. Share the information as a team.

Evaluation

To complete the WebQuest,  use the computer to write a description and then create an illustration of your new holiday. Make a powerpoint or poster about your new celebrations. 

Follow the grading criteria below:

Criteria
4 3 2 1 Points
Intro

All questions answered completely and rationales for answers clearly stated

All questions answered completely but rationales were not all clearly stated

Not all questions were  answered completely or greater than 2 rationales were not clearly stated

All questions were not completely answered
Task All areas of the task were addressed. Demonstrated plan and great deal of thought At least one area of the task was not addressed. Demonstrated great deal fo thought At least 2 areas of he task were not addressed. Demonstrated a moderate level of thought The task is incomplete and/or demonstrated little effort into plan and thought

Process;  Teamwork

It is evident that mutual effort and cohesive unit created final product The team worked well together but could have utilized each other's skills better The team had problems woking together . Little collaboration occurred Final product is not result of collaboratove effort

Process;  Originality

Ideas expressed by the body of work deomstrate high degree of originality Ideas expressed by the body of work are mostly original. Group may have improved upon a previous idea Ideas expressed by the body of work demonstrate low degree of originality There were no orginal ideas expressed

Grammar Format Spelling

Final body of work is free of grammar, spelling, and formatting errors Final body of work has 1 error related to grammar, spelling or formatting The final body has 3-5 errors in spelling, grammar, or formatting The final body has major erros in spelling, grammar and formatting

Conclusion

Students present their completed projects to the class. Audience provides feedback.