A Christmas Unit Study (Social Studies) ~ Christmas is such an amazing time of year to celebrate the birth of the blessed baby, Jesus. While parents and teachers who are teaching about the events of the Bible, and the events of the seasons, why not turn it into a fun unit study? Add some math, science, social studies, language arts, art, and music to your lesson plans with some of these ideas.
The History of the Christmas Holiday
- Christmas History
- Read this page for an overview of the history leading to our modern day celebration.
- The History of Christmas
- Watch Christmas history videos, read about Christmas history, stories, fun facts, Christmas trees, origins of Santa, world traditions, and the history of toys at History Channel.
- From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians
- PBS's Frontline presents many informational documents and videos about Jesus, His life, and the early church.
~ Many Faces ~ How well do the archaelogical clues historians are uncovering match up with the story Christians have long told each other?
~ A Portrait of Jesus' World ~ His was a deeply religious generation, spiraling toward war amid expectations of a coming cosmic battle of the Sons of Light against the Sons of Darkness
~ The Story of the Storytellers ~ The first gospel was written almost 40 years after Jesus' death. Were they historically accurate, objective accounts? Or intended as proclamations of faith?
~ The First Christians ~ The clash of customs and cultures among early Christians yielded a Jesus of many different interpretations and multiple messages
~ Why Did Christianity Succeed? ~ How did this small Jewish sect become the Christian church, embraced by the Empire that had sent Jesus to his death?
~ Watch the Full Program Online!
~ Also find Maps, Archaeology & Sources, Discussion, Bibilical Quiz, A Follow-Up Symposium, Behind the ScenesTapes, Transcripts & Events, Teachers' Guide, and Viewers' Guide .
The History of Christmas Celebrations
A Christmas Unit Study
Check out the other subjects in the unit!
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Christmas Unit Study 4 - Bible
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A Christmas Unit Study (Bible) ~Christmas is such an amazing time of year to celebrate the birth of the blessed baby, Jesus. While parents and teachers who are teaching about the events of the Bible, and the events of the seasons, why not turn it int...
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Christmas Unit Study 6 - Math
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A Christmas Unit Study (Math) ~ Christmas is such an amazing time of year to celebrate the birth of the blessed baby, Jesus. While parents and teachers who are teaching about the events of the Bible, and the events of the seasons, why not turn it int...
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Christmas Crafts & Gifts for Children
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Children have an instinctive ability to produce interesting artwork. They allow their imaginations to explore multiple areas without boundaries of any type. There are no limitations on what they may create when given a chance to design...
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Christmas Unit Study 3 - Language Arts
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A Christmas Unit Study (Language Arts) ~Christmas is such an amazing time of year to celebrate the birth of the blessed baby, Jesus. While parents and teachers who are teaching about the events of the Bible, and the events of the seasons, why not tur...
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Christmas Unit Study 1 - Science
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A Christmas Unit Study (Science) ~Christmas is such an amazing time of year to celebrate the birth of the blessed baby, Jesus. While parents and teachers who are teaching about the events of the Bible, and the events of the seasons, why not turn it i...
Christmas Around the World
- *Christmas Celebrations Around the World
- Enjoy this 25 day unit about how Christmas is celebrated around the world from Teaching Mom. A summary of each country's customs and links are provided in these easy to use lessons. Countries include: Bethlehem, Russia, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Poland, Great Britian, South Africa, Costa Rica, Greece, East Asia, Philippines, Ethiopia, Brazil, Mexico, Holland, India, Americas, Ukraine, Italy, and Hawaii!
- *Christmas Around the World Unit Study & Lapbook
- Another one of my very favorites that I will be using with my children, this huge unit from Homeschool Share has an amazing amount of information, resources, links, games, and lapbook components!
- *Christmas Around the World
- This is one that I will most likely use for my children. Besides having interesting information on several countries, there are recipes, crafts, activities, and links to find out more.
- Christmas Traditions Around the World
- After learning how to say "Merry Christmas" is several language, read a one page article about each of the following places on the earth: Christmas in Africa, African America, Alaska, America, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bethlehem, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, England, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Greenland, Guatemala, Holland, Holy Land, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Iran (Persia) , Iraq , Italy, Japan, Latin America, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Micronesia, Netherlands, New Guinea, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, Scotland, Sicily, Slovakia, South America, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, United States of America, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wales, Yugoslavia
- Christmas Traditions
- Each country listed has a small paragraph about it's Christmas traditions.
- Christmas Traditions Around the World
- Here is a one day lesson plan for elementary students about Christmas over the world.
- Christmas Worldwide
- Brief descriptions of Christmas in many lands
- Christmas Around the World
- Links for units from Woodland School
- *Christmas Around the World
- A full page of information from each country listed.
- World Advent Calendar
- "On each day in December 2009, test your knowledge on how Christmas is celebrated around the world, using our very own interactive advent calendar."
Christ's Love Spread Throughout the Earth
Christmas Around the World
Learn about twelve countries, their cultures, and how they like to celebrate the Christmas season.
Christmas Around the World Coloring Book
Create and learn at the same time while coloring these wonderful illustrations from Dover Books
Christmas Crafts from around the World (Kids Can Do It)
Hand-On Learning has always been my favorite way to teach! Students will enjoy creating these many multi-cultural crafts and art.
Celebrate Christmas Around the World
"Expand cultural awareness with Christmas activities from more than 20 countries. Background information is provided along with activities, crafts, carols, legends, recipes, patterns, and more."
Merry Christmas, Everywhere!
"Grade 2-5-Christmas is celebrated by more than a billion people each year, in more than 100 countries around the world. The Erlbachs introduce readers to traditions from 20 of them, from Australia to Serbia. Each spread includes a holiday greeting in one of that country's languages, a brief description of some of the celebration's highlights, and a craft or a recipe. Some of the traditions and foods will be familiar (an advent calendar from Germany, for example), while others may be a little surprising (spiders are a symbol of prosperity and good luck in Poland). The artwork is bright and festive, and the instructions are easy enough for even the most craft-challenged adults to follow." from School Library Journal
You will enjoy these units from Lynn!
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Christmas Around the World with Children
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I have always loved Christmas. There is just something so special about the time of year. It's not just about the presents, it was the whole magic that surrounded the the holiday. One of the things I loved learning about was the customs of Christmas...
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Christmas Unit Study
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Christmas is a wonderful time of year and a great learning opportunity. This December why not do a unit study about Christmas? This a work in progress, please check back often to see the updates!
What do all these things we see at Christmas time have to do with the real Christmas anyway?
Find out the meanings in the units below!! Christmas Customs & Symbols
- Christmas Customs Lapbook
- Free from Homeschool Helper! Mini books are about: gifts, yule log, Nativiy, wassailing, mince pies, Christmas crackers, stockings, shoes, Santa, Advent wreath, St. Lucia's Day
- Christmas Symbols Lapbook
- Another fantastic free lapbook from Homeschool Helper that contains minis on candy canes, Christmas trees, gingerbread, stars, wreath, angels, Nativity scene, ornaments, and holly.
- Christmas Symbols Lapbook
- Contains mini books for: candy cane, nativity scene, lights, tree, colors flip book, Xmas, wreath, cover, ornaments, star, angel, minibook pages, poinsettia, gift, and Jesus is Better than Santa ~ poem from 1 + 1 + 1 = 1 Blog. The minis are colorful and easy to use.
- Christmas Symbols
- Find 20 lesson plans on the symbols of Christmas. Each lesson contains the history, symbolis, Bible verse, activity, music, and resources. Topics are: Wreath and Advent, Christmas Tree and Ornaments, Christmas Food, December 25, Santa Claus, Elves, and Reindeer, St. Nicholas and Stockings, Candy Canes, XMas, Christmas Carols, Christmas Plants, Gifts and Wise Men, Colors of Christmas, Candles and Lights, Star, The Nativity, Angels, Christmas Cards, Bells, Nutcrackers, and the 12 Days of Christmas. ~~ These lessons fit very well with the above lapbooks! :)
- *A Blessed Christmas*
- A Blessed Christmas: A Unit Study Approach to Studying the Symbols of Christmas by Karen Caroe and Kathryn Martinez. You have probably already done or seen some of Karen's fabulous work. She has written many units for her children and generously shared them on 'Easy Fun School'. This 49 page document is a very complete, easy to use unit study that you will love. This is one of my favorites from this page! We did the unit many years ago, but will be doing it again and changing it to higher age appropriateness.
Lesson topics include Advent, bells, Christmas cards, St. Nicholas, gifts, ornaments, Christmas trees, candles, wreaths, holly, poinsettia, shepherd's staff, candy canes, "X-Mas", Christmas carols and carolers, star, manger scene, angels, Baby in a manger, Mary, Joseph, shepherds, lambs, wise men, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day, and the 12 Days of Christmas.
Lesson activities incude Bible verses, Bible applications, Christmas symbols, discussion topics, crafts, recipies, Advent activities and devotions, service projects, printables, coloring pages, poems, research, reading, book list suggestions, country customs, languages, and music and songs. - A Blessed Christmas
- See the original form of the above unit by Mrs. Caroe at Funschooling Unit Studies.
- *Teach the Children
- Our family tries to avoid all the "Santa" hype at CHRISTmas time, but this story which includes him touched my heart, and therefore I wanted to share it. In the story, Santa gently tells of the Biblical symbols of Christmas.
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"Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One who is, and I bow down to worship Him, our Lord, our God." ~ Santa
Woodlands Junior School in the United Kingdom also lists many other Christmas teaching activities and resources to use in your classrooms. - *The 24 Days of the Symbols of Christmas
- Also based upon Mrs. Caroe's original unit study, this mom adapted it and added a few bonuses!
Christmas Symbols Quiz
So Joseph also went
up from the town of
Nazareth in Galilee to Judea,
to Bethlehem the town of David,
because he belonged
to the house and line of David.
Luke 2:4
Biblical Lands
- The Land of Israel
- Learn about the country of Jesus' birth! Study the geography, natural features, history, Israeli media, fine arts, people, and the government of Israel.
- Geography of Israel
- Find out about the geography, physical geography, economy, people,and government, history of Israel .
- Israel Geography
- Simply put information from Kidport Reference Library
- *Israel Maps
- This is one of my favorite websites for maps for children! Create maps designing the content for the age and ability of your students.
~Freeform Israel Map - choose if you want cities, physical attributes, and neighboring areas on your map.
~ "Label Me" Israel Map - same as above except there are blanks of locations to fill in, an answer key is given - these are nice to use for practice or quizzess.
~ Israel Location Word Search - find the names of the places in the puzzle; choose their list or create your own
~ Scrambled Places of Israel - students unscramble the names of locations and identify them on a map.
~ Israel Crossword Puzzle - choose 10, 15, or 20 words in the categories of cities, neighbors, and physical attributes. - Israel at Enchanted Learning
- Read a page about the flag, take a quiz, or try one of the simple geography research worksheets.
- The Holy Land ~ Israel & Palistine
- Resources for teachers and kids at Mr. Donn's site.
- Biblical Geography
- Info and maps on: The World Beyond Palestine ~ The Roman Empire ~ A History of Palestine ~ The Territories and Rulers of Palestine
- Cities of Ancient Israel
- Here is a large beautiful map of Israel - great for study.
The Christmas Truce
What an amazing story!
Fighting stopped on both sides of World War I due to the celebration of Jesus' Birth. The Prince of Peace was working in the hearts of men for this truce.
And there were shepherds
living out in the fields nearby,
keeping watch over
their flocks at night.
Luke 2:8
Biblical Occupations
- Bible Occupations
- Here you will find a Bible lesson / filll in the blank study about careers in the Bible. It includes beggars, cupbearers, carpenters, fishermen, potters, and shepherds.
- *Jobs in the Bible
- Find here a long list of Biblical jobs and their references to use for study.
- *Bible Jobs Scripture Game
- What a great idea from Scripture Lady! Learn the fun way with occupations, Scripture study, and charades!
- Occupations in the Bible
- Try this fun online crossword puzzle!
- Bible Occupations
- Try another online crossword puzzle about careers found in the Bible.
- Occupations Scramble
- Can you figure out what jobs these are? Unscramble the words to discover Biblical occupations.
- Occupation Quiz
- Test your knowledge of the Bible. Can you name who had each of these occupations?
- The Apostles
- What were the occupations of the apostles? Where did they come from? What was their role? Find out here.
- Jesus Christ the Carpenter
- A sermon from Crystal Lake Church
- The Biblical Wood Shop
- Look at the pictures of carpenter tool, and read information about the trade.
- Carpenter
- A definition and references from Easton's Bible Dictionary
- How to Hook a Fisherman
- An interesting sermon about the events of Luke 5:1-11 is from Bible.org.
- The Big Fisherman Speaks
- I enjoyed reading this story from the perspective of Peter.
- *The Shepherd: Bible Usage
- Read several pages of Bible study on sheep and shepherds throughout the Bible.
- The Shepherd
- Did you ever stop to think about what a Biblical shepherd carried with them on their job? No? Me, neither. But know I have a better perspective of these important workers.
- Sheep Crafts
- Danielle's Place has the most adorable lessons and crafts! Make sure to click on "Sheep Crafts for Kids Page" in lesson 6.
- Shepherds, Angels, and a Manger
- Read an interesting shepherd story.
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Community Helpers ~ Labor Day
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Lesson Ideas & Resources for Teaching about Labor Day, Community Helpers, & Neighborhoods
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Luke 2:16-20
A shepherd () is a person who tends to, feeds or guards sheep, especially in flocks. The word may also refer to one who provides religious guidance, as a pastor.
Category: Image - :Rumunia 5806.jpg|thumb|250px|Shepherd in F?g?ra? Mountains, Romania.
Category: File - :Un pastor en Valdunquillo.jpg|thumb|250px|Shepherd in Valdunquillo, Spain.
"Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?
Matthew 13:55
: "Carpenter (occupation)" redirects here. For Carpenter, see Carpenter (disambiguation) or Carpenter (surname).
Category: Image - :PalmercarpenterA.jpg|Carpenter at work in Tennessee, June 1942|thumb
A carpenter (builder) is a skilled craftsperson who performs carpentry. Carpenters work with wood to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work may involve manual labor and work outdoors.
Carpentry skill is gained through experience and study. Outside of unions, there are no formal training requirements (in the U.S.) and the trade can be easy to enter. In other countries, such as Germany, Japan and Canada there are strict standards.
The word "carpenter" is the English rendering of the Old French word carpentier (become charpentier) which is derived from the Latin carpentrius artifex, "(maker) of a carriage.The American heritage dictionary of the English language - Etymology of the word "carpenter" The Middle English word (in the sense of "builder") was wright (from the Old English wryhta), which could be used in compound forms such as wheelwright or boatwright.The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
In British and Australian slang, a carpenter is sometimes referred to as a "chippie". One of the German words for carpenter is "Zimmermann" (room-maker, literally room-man), and hence is the source for the surname in German and English-speaking countries. Other woodworking names/professions, that also occur as a surname, are Tischler and Schreiner.
Carpentry in the United States is almost always done by men. With 98.5% of carpenters being male, it was the fourth most male-dominated occupation in the country in 1999.
Category: File - :Cervo100.jpg|thumb|225px|Traditional carpenter's tools Ethnographic Museum of Western Liguria, Cervo, Italy
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him.
Matthew 4:18-19
A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish.45-3011 Fishers and Related Fishing Workers US Department of Labor Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishermen and fish farmers. The term can also be applied to recreational fishermen, and may be used to describe both men and women. Fishing has existed as a means of obtaining food since the Mesolithic period.Early humans followed the coast BBC News article.
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Matthew 4:20-22
Great Reading Material
If you lived in Biblical times ...
Roll Playing Careers
Family
- Genealogy of Jesus Christ
- Study the passages about the genealogy of Jesus Christ n Mathew 1:1-17 (Joseph's lineage with a Jewish perspective) and Luke 3:23-38 (Mary's family with a Greek perspective). Why did the Israelites maintain years of family records? With such a long list of male ancestors, why are there a few women? Who are they and why were they set apart?
Children's Reading
A Is For Angel: A Christmas Alphabet And Activity Book (Augsburg Books for Children and Families)
Have fun learning the alphabet while reading the Christmas story and enjoying the beautiful illustrations!
B Is for Bethlehem: A Christmas Alphabet Board Book
This is a wonderful book! Several years ago I turned this into a Christmas pageant I directed by having the children carry in the letters of the alphabet and read the story about their letter (written on the back of the alphabet cards). We interspersed a few favorite carols in between, and voila! Easy musical!
The Christian Origin of the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Children's Activity Book
Besides being a really fun song to sing at Christmas time, this favorite song has a wonderful history behind it. Each of the "gifts" represent something about the Christian faith! This book explains the meanings with illustrations, activities, and a poster to help students remember the significance of each verse.
Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend
Your children and students will enjoy this sweet story of the true pastor who spread gifts to children reminding us of Christian love and charity.
Christmas Around the World: A Pop-Up Book
What kid doesn't enjoy pop-up books? Product description: "Featuring France, Germany, Russia, Latin America, Scandinavia, Great Britain, Italy, and the United States, every spread is packed with delights: a luxurious central pop-up image, plus removable booklets, pullouts, mini pop-ups, and more. The text illuminates unique Christmas traditions, gift legacies, and portraits of mythic figures, such as England's Father Christmas and Italy's Le Befana. Like Christmas in New York, CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD is destined to become a treasured keepsake and a bestseller for years to come."
Bethlehem
The Birthplace of our Savior!!
In the City of David ...
- Share the Christmas Story through Geography
- Use this lesson plan for 3rd - 6th grade to teach about Biblical geography in Bethlehem.
- Bethlehem
- Information from the WebBible Encyclopedia
- Bethlehem Pictures
- An archieve of pictures
- Nativity Church
- A virtual tour of Nativity Church in Bethlehem
- Nazareth
- Information from WebBible Encyclopedia
- Palestine
- Information from WebBible Encyclopedia
- The Road to Bethlehem Game
- I love the games that Valerie at Christian Preschool Printables makes! This colorful game will be a hit with young students!
O Little Town of Bethlehem ...
More Map Skills
- A Variety of Geography
- Learn about time zones, world travel (Santa), poles (North Poles especially), latitude and longitude, and compasses.
Saint Nicholas
The real man and the legend ...
"Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One who is, and I bow down to worship Him, our Lord, our God." ~ SantaThe quotation is from the story "Teach the Children"
at the Woodlands Junior School Website.
Thanks for for showing the true meaning of Christmas!
May God bless you with the
true significance of Christmas ~
The birth, life, and death
of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
Some of my other lenses ...
Please take a visit!
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Reading Music
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Do you play music, but have wanted to learn how to read music? Here is a lens with resources and materials about reading pitches and rhythms for my students, anyone who wants to read music, and anyone who teaches music. My hope is that the resources...
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Orchestra: The String Family Lapbook Unit
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Super, spectacular symphonic string instruments! Soothingly sing along with the slow, slippery, sliding bow strokes or skip along with the spirited, sparkling, staccato sounds of strings! Beautiful string instruments have existed far back in human h...
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Joyful Songs Lensography
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Hello world ~ I'm very glad to meet you! Writing lenses here on Squidoo has been so much fun for me. I truly am becoming addicted to writing and reading the wide range of lens topics throughout Squidoo. I am a performing musician and teacher who...
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The French Revolution
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A series of revolutions have occured throughout the world during all of history. Groups of people seeing things differently have unfortunately ended in too much bloodshed. The French Revolutions is one of these wars that took a toll on many people ~...
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Constitution Lapbook
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As young future American voters, children need to learn about forms of government, laws, and choices we can make in America. The following is a unit my children and I studied this spring to help them make wise decisions in the coming years.
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