Objectives:

• Students will be able to identify the cultural characteristics of a country or region.

• Students will be able to learn about cultures and celebrations around the world

• Students will be able to demonstrate basic word processing skills.

• Students will be able to utilize and apply Internet research skills.

 Key Words:

Culture, monuments, celebrations, festivals, calendar

 TimeLine:

3-4 class periods

 Materials: I

Internet, Microsoft Word (calendar wizard), computers, printers (Color)

 Procedures:

1. Begin a discussion with students about national holidays that are celebrated here in the United States.  Discuss with the students why these specific dates are celebrated. Use the think-pair-share method for this activity. Give students a few minutes to start their own lists; then arrange students in pairs and give each pair a few minutes to share their lists and add to them; next, combine pairs of students to create groups of four for more sharing and thinking. Eventually, bring all students together to create a class list of cultural celebrations.

2. Ask the class how these holidays represent the culture of the people of the United States.

3. Tell the students that all countries have national holidays.  These holidays represent and symbolize the culture of a country.

4. Explain to the students that they are going to research a specific country around the world, focusing on that country's national and major holidays.  Then they are going to create a year-long picture calendar of their country to assist Mister Panda on his travels around the globe.

5. Show or demonstrate examples of picture calendars for student to use for examples or assistance.  Have student bring in additional calendars from home for extra examples.

6. Assign each student a country.  You might divide the class into the different continents of the world, since some countries might share major holidays.  Have the students use the Internet or other reference materials (encyclopedias, world almanacs, etc) to research their country's holidays.  In addition, have the students copy pictures/clipart of famous landmarks or monuments of their country  to decorate each calendar month.  (They will need 12-14 images)

7. Using Microsoft Word Calendar Wizard or other Calendar Maker, have the students create their country calendar.  Each calendar must have a cover page with image/clipart representing their country, name of country, student name, and calendar year.  Each calendar must have a page for each month, plus a picture/clipart, and that month's holiday highlighted and listed including the name of the celebration, the date of the celebration, and a brief explanation or history of the celebration.

8. Have the students share their completed calendars with the class.  Explain/Discuss some of the different holidays celebrated around the world.

9. Showcase the World Calendar around the school, including Media Center and Administration Offices.

 Assessment:

Calendar Rubric

Extension Activity:

Create a bulletin display of cultural celebrations around the world for example:

• World map. Post a world map on a bulletin board. Display students' celebration information cards around the map.
• Timeline. Create a timeline so students can track celebrations throughout the school year. (They also might add to the timeline throughout the year as they learn about additional celebrations.)
• ABC book. Combine students' information cards into an ABC Book of Celebrations Around the World. Older students might create a list of celebration-related words and terms from their cards; some celebrations might include several unique words.
• Web site. Create a Web page of students' work. You might even create a clickable world map or a clickable calendar that visitors can use to learn more about the world's special celebrations.

Suggested Web Links:

Internet School Library (Holidays around the World): list of web links to research different world holidays.

Yahooligans (World Holidays): links to holidays around the world.

Earth Calendar: calendar of holidays celebrated by countries around the world.

Global Calendar: daily listing of world holiday for each day of the year.

World Calendar: creates individual calendar of countries of the world.

World Holidays: links to various sites on international holidays.