December Homework
Assignment #1: Holidays Around the World
Students will learn about December holidays in four countries. The gingerbread boy will be visiting the four countries. Students will create a book in class, which includes postcards from the gingerbread boy, a postcard from each country he visits describing the holiday and how children and families celebrate.
One of the postcards for the book will be completed at home. This postcard will represent your family traditions for the holiday celebrations. On the blank front side of the postcard include pictures from the holiday past or present, which can be colored, copied and glued on the postcard. On the other side, have your child address the post card to your home address. On the other lines provided, take dictation, or have your child write about what he/she celebrates and the details of the celebration.
If you do not celebrate a holiday in December, please choose another holiday that you celebrate during the year.
Due: December 9th
Assignment #2: Family Tree
Students have learned about historical events, families, cultures, also trees, parts of trees, importance of trees. We would like to tie all of these ideas together. For the month of December, students will be learning about your family tree.
A family tree is a symbol that represents the parts of the person’s family, using the branches, the trunk, etc.
Students may decide to make a book, a poster, or a scrapbook or any other idea that works for you. The final product is open-ended. The finished product must include the following: parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.
If students wish to include more members of their family, such as aunts, uncles, cousins, that would be an extra challenge the student chooses. Students must find one thing that is the same about the child and the family member and one thing that is different. Example: my parents and I like to draw which is the same for us; my parents did not have a Wii, but I do.
The goal of this assignment is for students to gain an appreciation of the importance of family during the holidays, to understand the similarities and differences between generations, to gain a greater appreciation of his/ her heritage.
Due: December 16th
Students will be sharing both of these assignments with classmates. They will have much to say on sharing day if the student has been deeply involved in the creation of the two homework assignments.
Step One: For the Week of November 30th: Introduce both assignments to the student. Start looking through photos of holidays and photos of family members.
Monday 7th of December and 8th: Glue holiday photos on the front and complete the writing on the back.
December 10th and 11: Plan the layout of the family tree (poster, book, etc.) and plan which family members will be used in the project. (Please include parents, grandparents, and great grandparents from Mom’s side of the family and also Dad’s side)
December 12-15th: Put the family project together, including the similarities and differences.