Take Your Students on a Holiday Trip Around the World Without Leaving Your Classroom 

Looking for Winter Holidays Around the World for Kids?

If your students are anything like mine were, then I know the holidays can be a tough time to keep them engaged in the classroom.

It can be a challenge!

Between the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, plus the anticipation of Winter break, students can easily lose interest and the ability to stay on task. 

What better way to power through those last few days until Winter break, than with engagement!

Pack your bags, and prepare to take a festive trip around the world.

Students can become explorers right within the walls of your classroom. 

Not only can students sharpen and enhance critical reading comprehension skills, but this is the perfect opportunity to discuss holiday cultural differences around the world!

I feel that it is so important for students to explore the different ways others choose to celebrate the Christmas holiday. 

This will allow students the ability to see an important celebration through the eyes of others and realize there are many traditions that other families observe all across the globe. 

Create a Passport

Capture the interest of your students, by first telling them they are going on an adventure!

Let the excitement build before you embark on your journey, by engaging students in creating passports.

There are TONS of free passport templates available on TPT – check them out HERE.

If you’re feeling extremely adventurous and up for a challenge, snap a quick photo of your students to include in their passports. 

Students love using their creative and artistic abilities and are so much more engaged when they can take ownership.

You can also use this as a real-life moment and explain to students the importance of needing a passport to travel. 

What’s better than combining real-life skills with classroom activities?!

Authentic hands-on learning is where the magic takes place! 

Winter Holidays Around the World Reading Passages Color-By-Number 

Students will explore the cultural backgrounds of eleven different Holiday celebrations with comprehension passages!

Once students have their passports and are ready to embark, get ready to transform your reading block.

Plus, what better way to keep students plugged into learning up until those very last days before Winter break. 

Once students have read and correctly answered comprehension questions, the fun begins.

Each comprehension question answer choice dictates a color next to it (like green, red, blue, etc.).

Students will color the coded picture based on the answer that they choose.

This is a perfect low-prep activity for you!

Just print and your students are ready to explore Holiday cultures and traditions from around the world.

Use this as whole-group independent work, for pair-share partner groups and even during small groups. 

Click HERE to learn more about the winter holidays around the world color-by-numbers.

Transform Your Classroom with Centers

Bring the magic, and excitement into your classroom by transforming your classroom into far-off lands!

Decorate your room and really set the stage to fully engage your students.

Create centers with each reading passage! 

I don’t know about you but my students loved nothing more than the chance to get up and move around.

Create destinations at each center with a reading passage waiting at each center.

Again, super little prep or set-up while teaching winter holidays around the world for kids. 

This instance would be the perfect opportunity for students to work in either partner pairs or teams. 

Students love engaging activities where they are given the chance to explore and collaborate with their peers. 

Read-Alouds for Winter Holidays Around the World for kids

If you’re looking to create a whole unit built around Holidays and Cultures Around the World, then what better way to continue the learning than with a read-aloud.

Mentor texts are the perfect way to sharpen listening skills, while also reviewing skills like prediction, text connections, and critical thinking. 

I especially love “Let’s Celebrate” by Kate Depalma (Amazon Affiliate link).

Students will celebrate 13 special traditions around the world! 

Mentor texts allow students to interact and discuss with each other, while also allowing each student the ability to form his/her thoughts and opinions about what was just read.

Interactive read-alouds instill a deep-rooted love for books and learning into the heart and mind of each student. 

And if you’re still teaching virtually and still love mentor texts, check out the audio version of Let’s Celebrate here.

Assign using Google Classroom for students to follow along, or read it together as a class. 

New to reading comprehension color-by-numbers?

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There are so many ways to explore the cultures of other holiday traditions in the classroom when teaching winter holidays around the world for kids.

Grab my comprehension passages for little to no prep and engaging activities.

Remember, engaged students are those who take ownership of the learning process! 

Other blog posts you may be interested in:

• Christmas Virtual Activities You’ll Love
• Fun Reading Comprehension Activities For Your Students
• Reading Comprehension Strategies: Before, During, and After

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