Christmas unit study

[PeterPan]

I'm thinking we might shake things up and do a Christmas unit study for a couple weeks. I found this http://www.easyfunschool.com/Blessed.pdf that I thought I might be able to get to work for us (with customizing, obviously). Anyone have anything they love for this age? It's just ironic that now that she's old enough to DO so many things for herself, there's this pressure to stick your nose in a book and not have fun or break out! Well nuts with that, lol. :tongue_smilie:

 

I started making a list of other things we could do over the next couple weeks. I'm not sure we've ever actually done a Christmas unit study before Christmas. I think we've usually just taken off. Thought we could read some O'Henry and Dickens and some short story collections I found. We could go in an international direction or more historical. I just figure I'll get some ideas and talk it through with her. I have books lying around I've collected for the topic and never thrown at her. Might be the right time! Thought it might be fun to do some Christmas art study or art imitation. Maybe replicate old victorian christmas cards or something. Don't know, just tossing around ideas and seeing what I find when I google...

 

Any thoughts?

[Lily_Grace]

What time period is she studying?

 

For ancients, we deconstructed the Christmas story and researched everything from the star to the census. Oh, and read the Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

 

For middle ages, we had an Elizabethean Christmas (and read Catherine Called Birdie, though not the right time period)

 

For early modern we did a lesson on where our common traditions come from - hanging stockings, Santa Claus, Rudolf, mistletoe, eggnog..

[PeterPan]

We've been doing the French Revolution, and next is the Industrial Revolution. I finally landed on doing Dickens, who of course wrote about that time period. So we're on but off at the same time, hehe. It's finally coming together for me. I found this unbelievable guide http://eclassroom.110mb.com/Dickens/index.html and this fun guide with a Humbug's Grammar http://www.leasttern.com/ChristmasCarol/CCarol.html I didn't realize it's the 200th anniv. of Dickens' birth, so there's a website for that http://charlesdickenspage.com The BBC has a beautiful website http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/famouspeople/charles_dickens/ And this is full of fun stuff.

http://www.wartgames.com/themes/reading/dickens-christmascarol.html

 

 

I downloaded some jpgs of Edwin Abbey's illustrations of a Christmas Carol that she can color (good for finger strength).

 

Yes, I have a book with info on the history of Christmas and various symbols. So I'm think we finally have gobs here to keep us busy, mercy. The projects at that first link are fabulous.

 

Good for you for doing a historical christmas each year to go with what you've been studying! It never even occurred to me. I am so NOT a history person, mercy. :)