Spotlight on Sources:
Welcome to Renzulli Learning’s Spotlight on Sources, some of our most engaging resources to excite and inspire your students!
Countries and cultures around the world are heading into the holiday season. Renzulli Learning places hundreds of resources at your students’ fingertips to learn about holidays across the globe. Use the Teach tab to search for resources or to create an Assignment or Lesson!
Check out a few of our favorite holiday activities below!
K-2
Around the World with Santa Claus - Fiction Books
It's not every day that you get to see Santa Claus riding in a canoe or going down the chimney of a teepee! Enjoy this Christmas book from the late 19th or early 20th century.
Build a Snowman - Online Activities
Do you like to build snowmen? Here is your chance to build a snowman by using your mouse to drag the pieces onto the snowman. See how many different kinds of snowmen you can make! Happy building.
Build a SnowmanCelebrating the Holidays with a Kid's Heart! - Online Activities
We're celebrating the holidays at A Kid's Heart with online games and puzzles, printable activity pages, mini games to download, screensavers, clip art, coloring pages, gift tags to print, desktop wallpaper and whole lot more! Your being here makes our holidays even more exciting and fun! Click on one of the holiday links and come celebrate with us!
3-5
A Southern Cross Fairy Tale – Fiction Books
What is it like on the other side of the world? This antique book will give you a good idea of what it is like to spend Christmas in New Zealand, a land of no snow and beautiful foliage. Follow a brother and sister as they set out on a Christmas Eve adventure. This 19th century book has great illustrations, too!
Chinese New Year – Website
Are you a dog or a rat? Neither, you say? Find out which animal on the Chinese Zodiac represents you. Learn all about the interesting customs and traditions that are celebrated each year at Chinese New Year. Find information about food, parades, honoring ancestors, and other important rituals.
What Month Begins the New Year? – Videos and Podcasts
New Year's Day wasn't always celebrated on January 1st (and in many places, it still isn't). When do different cultures celebrate the first day of the new year? And what does January 1st have to do with Julius Caesar? Watch to find out!
6-9
Akhlah – Website
Happy Hanukkah! Come expand your knowledge with these Jewish and Hebrew activities. With the click of your mouse you will learn about Hebrew vocabulary, Israel, Jewish holidays, and tons more exciting information!
National Geographic: What is Thanksgiving? – Videos and Podcasts
What does the Thanksgiving holiday celebrate? Learn about the first encounter between the Pilgrims and Native Americans in 1621, their surprising relationship, and the reason a United States president created a holiday in honor of it.
History of the Christmas Tree –Websites
How long ago did families start using trees as a symbol for Christmas? Did they always use fir trees? Get your Christmas tree questions answered by reading about its history!
10-12
How Hanukkah Became Americanized – Videos and Podcasts
Is Hanukkah really just a minor Jewish festival, or is it a big deal? Is it the Jewish answer to Christmas? Author Dianne Ashton discusses this "boundary holiday," as well as her own fondness for potato latkes! Listen to the interview or read a transcript.
Buddhist Ceremonies – Research Site
If you want to learn about Buddhism, then you may want to check out this webpage. Here you can learn about important holidays, ceremonies, and festivals for Buddhists. This site gives details about private ceremonies, such as marriages and funerals, as well as public religious holidays.
World Strides: December Holidays Around the World – Research Site
Few months present as many multicultural celebrations as December. From Christmas to Omisoka, the last month of the year is a “world of holidays.” Let’s take a look at some of December’s holidays around the world.
World Strides: December Holidays Around the World
Each week, we will send you teaching suggestions and a few examples of our best and most popular resources. For more ideas to infuse enrichment activities with your curriculum, please visit the Unit Supplements on the Teacher Site, under “Teach.” We can also link these enrichment resources to your regular curriculum if you send us a theme or topic.
Thanks for being a part of the Renzulli Learning family and we hope you find these resources helpful.
Your Renzulli Learning Team