The article "Winter Solstice: 6 Traditional Midwinter Celebrations From Around the World" from BBC's Science Focus explores various ways people celebrate the winter solstice. From Roman pagans to modern festivals in the UK, these celebrations mark the shortest day of the year with unique traditions and rituals, highlighting the cultural significance of this astronomical event.
Kyan conquered his fear of the dragons to help his friends! Pretend you are in a parade and do your best dragon dance. Color the lanterns to complete the pattern.
The article "What Were the Ancient Olympics Like? Take a Visit to the Games of 436BC" from BBC's HistoryExtra is a time-travel guide to one of the greatest sporting events of the ancient world. With vivid descriptions of travel, food, competition, and cultural traditions, readers explore the five-day festival in Olympia. From brutal pankration to sacred feasts for Zeus, the ancient Games come vividly to life.
Gung Hei Fat Choy!
Celebrate Lunar New Year with the BBC Learning Hub’s curated resources for students ages 4-14. Through videos, articles, and printables, students can explore the traditions, symbols, and stories that mark this important holiday. From family gatherings and festive foods to lanterns, lion dances, and the Chinese Zodiac, these resources help students understand how Lunar New Year is celebrated across cultures and communities around the world.
Happy holidays! With so many celebrations all over the globe during this season, it's the perfect time to teach your Grade 3–5 students about winter holidays around the world. Make copies of this mini-book (simply print on both sides flipped on the short edge, stack, and fold to assemble) for your students and invite them to read about each holiday and complete a simple report page full of questions, coloring, drawing, favorite facts, and more. Here are the eight winter holidays covered:
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Diwali: A Hindu Festival of Lights celebrating the victory of light over darkness, with lamps, fireworks, and family gatherings.
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St. Lucia Day: A Scandinavian holiday honoring St. Lucia, featuring processions with candles and special buns to bring light during the dark winter.
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Las Posadas: A Mexican tradition reenacting Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter, celebrated with processions, songs, and parties.
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Hanukkah: A Jewish holiday celebrating the miracle of the Temple’s menorah oil lasting eight days, marked with candles, dreidel games, and fried foods.
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Winter Solstice: The shortest day and longest night of the year, celebrated by many cultures as the return of the sun with feasts and light-themed traditions.
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Christmas: A Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus, often marked with gift-giving, decorations, and family gatherings.
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Kwanzaa: A weeklong African American celebration honoring African heritage and the Seven Principles through candles, reflection, and community activities.
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Lunar New Year: An Asian cultural holiday welcoming the new year on the lunar calendar, celebrated with family reunions, special foods, and traditions for good luck.
In Inside the Harbin Ice Festival, the Harbin Ice Festival lights up the night sky in Harbin, China for a few weeks each winter. Huge ice buildings are created and lit for tourists to visit before they melt in the spring. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Chinese New Year: The Biggest Celebration on Earth, a documentary series detailing the world's largest annual human migration (Chunyun), where over 1.5 billion people celebrate the Lunar New Year.
In Chunwan: The World’s Biggest Stage, performers have prepared for a year to participate in the largest televised event in China. The Chunwan, or Chinese Spring Festival Gala, is a collection of amazing acts. It is televised to the entire country and is watched by billions of people. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Chinese New Year: The Biggest Celebration on Earth, a documentary series detailing the world's largest annual human migration (Chunyun), where over 1.5 billion people celebrate the Lunar New Year.
The article "Winter Solstice: 6 Traditional Midwinter Celebrations From Around the World" from BBC's Science Focus explores various ways people celebrate the winter solstice. From Roman pagans to modern festivals in the UK, these celebrations mark the shortest day of the year with unique traditions and rituals, highlighting the cultural significance of this astronomical event.
Kyan conquered his fear of the dragons to help his friends! Pretend you are in a parade and do your best dragon dance. Color the lanterns to complete the pattern.
The article "What Were the Ancient Olympics Like? Take a Visit to the Games of 436BC" from BBC's HistoryExtra is a time-travel guide to one of the greatest sporting events of the ancient world. With vivid descriptions of travel, food, competition, and cultural traditions, readers explore the five-day festival in Olympia. From brutal pankration to sacred feasts for Zeus, the ancient Games come vividly to life.
Gung Hei Fat Choy!
Celebrate Lunar New Year with the BBC Learning Hub’s curated resources for students ages 4-14. Through videos, articles, and printables, students can explore the traditions, symbols, and stories that mark this important holiday. From family gatherings and festive foods to lanterns, lion dances, and the Chinese Zodiac, these resources help students understand how Lunar New Year is celebrated across cultures and communities around the world.
Happy holidays! With so many celebrations all over the globe during this season, it's the perfect time to teach your Grade 3–5 students about winter holidays around the world. Make copies of this mini-book (simply print on both sides flipped on the short edge, stack, and fold to assemble) for your students and invite them to read about each holiday and complete a simple report page full of questions, coloring, drawing, favorite facts, and more. Here are the eight winter holidays covered:
-
Diwali: A Hindu Festival of Lights celebrating the victory of light over darkness, with lamps, fireworks, and family gatherings.
-
St. Lucia Day: A Scandinavian holiday honoring St. Lucia, featuring processions with candles and special buns to bring light during the dark winter.
-
Las Posadas: A Mexican tradition reenacting Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter, celebrated with processions, songs, and parties.
-
Hanukkah: A Jewish holiday celebrating the miracle of the Temple’s menorah oil lasting eight days, marked with candles, dreidel games, and fried foods.
-
Winter Solstice: The shortest day and longest night of the year, celebrated by many cultures as the return of the sun with feasts and light-themed traditions.
-
Christmas: A Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus, often marked with gift-giving, decorations, and family gatherings.
-
Kwanzaa: A weeklong African American celebration honoring African heritage and the Seven Principles through candles, reflection, and community activities.
-
Lunar New Year: An Asian cultural holiday welcoming the new year on the lunar calendar, celebrated with family reunions, special foods, and traditions for good luck.
In Inside the Harbin Ice Festival, the Harbin Ice Festival lights up the night sky in Harbin, China for a few weeks each winter. Huge ice buildings are created and lit for tourists to visit before they melt in the spring. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Chinese New Year: The Biggest Celebration on Earth, a documentary series detailing the world's largest annual human migration (Chunyun), where over 1.5 billion people celebrate the Lunar New Year.
In Chunwan: The World’s Biggest Stage, performers have prepared for a year to participate in the largest televised event in China. The Chunwan, or Chinese Spring Festival Gala, is a collection of amazing acts. It is televised to the entire country and is watched by billions of people. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Chinese New Year: The Biggest Celebration on Earth, a documentary series detailing the world's largest annual human migration (Chunyun), where over 1.5 billion people celebrate the Lunar New Year.