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Folklife Resources for Educators

Materials Related to Holidays

There are 14 titles in this list.

 

American Indian Perspectives on Thanksgiving
by National Museum of the American Indian
http://americanindian.si.edu/education/files/thanksgiving_poster.pdf

Teaching poster, designed for educators and students in grades 4-8, examines the deeper meaning of the Thanksgiving holiday for American Indians through the themes of environment, community, encounters, and innovation. Appropriate for use at any time of the year, the poster includes information on teaching about American Indians and ideas for classroom activities. (10 p. PDF)

Grade Level: 3-5; 6-8 Curriculum: History and Social Studies; Art and Culture
Resource Type: Activities; Posters Language: English
Subjects: Thanksgiving Day; Indians of North America; Holidays
Geographic locations: United States

Sponsoring Organization:
National Museum of the American Indian
Fourth Street & Independence Avenue, SW
Washington DC 20560
(202) 633-6996
http://www.nmai.si.edu/


Bermuda Connections Cultural Resource Guide for Classrooms
by Ministry of Culture and Social Rehabilitation, Government of Bermuda
http://www.communityandculture.bm/bermuda-connections

Educational guide for the K-12 curriculum with lesson plans, projects, and activities developed in connection with the 2001 Smithsonian Folklife Festival featuring the culture of Bermuda. The guide is composed of thirteen chapters introducing students to the cultural arts and heritage of Bermuda, including celebration, foodways, hospitality, play, performance, occupation, artistry, Bermudian identity, maritime life, musical traditions, and the effects of globalization. In addition, the guide provides guidance on doing interviews and fieldwork plus resources for further study and documentation of Bermudian community culture. Curriculum materials are intended for use in Bermuda, but could easily be adapted for classrooms elsewhere. (259 p. PDF)

Grade Level: K-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12 Curriculum: Performing Arts; Music; Language Arts; History and Social Studies; Art and Culture
Resource Type: Lesson plans; Activities Language: English
Subjects: Festivals; Occupations--Folklore; Music; Folk music; History; Bermuda--Social life and customs; Fieldwork (Educational method); Interviewing; Maritime culture; Holidays; Folklore; Foodways; Celebration; Play; Hospitality
Geographic locations: Bermuda

Sponsoring Organization:
Ministry of Culture and Social Rehabilitation, Government of Bermuda
81 Court Street
Hamilton, Bermuda HM 12
(441) 292-1681
http://www.communityandculture.bm/

Other Organizations:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
600 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Suite 2001 MRC 520
Washington DC 20024
(202) 633-6440
http://www.folklife.si.edu/


Folk Arts in Education - A Resource Handbook II
by Marsha MacDowell, LuAnne Kozma
http://www.folkartsineducation.org/

Resource handbook examining folklife, folklore, and folk arts in education throughout the United States with sample curricula from over fifty programs for youth in K-12 educational settings, museums, arts and humanities councils, and other non-profit cultural and arts organizations. The 262-page handbook includes many web-based educational resources, plus a webography and bibliography, for the study of folk arts that encourage students to become involved in hands-on, experiential learning, fieldwork, and place-based research in local community settings. It is available on the site in downloadable form or for sale in hardcopy or on CD through the Michigan State University Museum's Michigan Traditional Arts Program Store.

Grade Level: K-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12 Curriculum: Sports and Recreation; Science; Performing Arts; Music; Math; Language Arts; History and Social Studies; Art and Culture
Resource Type: Video recordings; Primary sources; Lesson plans; Audio recordings; Activities Language: English
Subjects: Festivals; Fieldwork (Educational method); Folklore; Occupations--Folklore; Oral history; Inquiry-based learning; Music; Oral tradition; Place-based education; Holidays; Vernacular architecture; Urban folklore; United States--Social life and customs; Rites of passage; Storytelling; Artisans; Community life; Children--Folklore; Folk music; Folk songs; Folklore--Fieldwork; Folk art; Foodways; Ethnic arts; Culture; Ethnic folklore; Family--Folklore; History; Needlework
Geographic locations: United States; General

Sponsoring Organization:
Michigan State University Museum
Michigan State University
East Lansing MI 48824
(517) 353-2370
http://museum.msu.edu/

Other Organizations:
Michigan Traditional Arts Program
Michigan State University Museum
East Lansing Michigan 48824-1045
(517) 353-2370
http://museum.msu.edu/s-program/MTAP/


Folkwriting: Lessons about Place, Heritage and Tradition for the Georgia Classroom
by Diane W. Howard, Laurie Kay Sommers
http://www.valdosta.edu/folkwriting/

Curriculum materials created in 2002 that combine the teaching of folklore concepts and fieldwork with the development of writing skills. Using lesson plans, activities, and resources for K-12 classrooms, background is given in the writing process and the concept of folklife as a subject for writing assignments. The guide includes instructions for doing folklore fieldwork and interviews, geared to different grade levels. Although written with Georgia traditions and curriculum standards in mind, the curriculum materials are applicable to the study of other states or regions. (354 p. PDF)

Grade Level: K-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12 Curriculum: Language Arts; History and Social Studies; Art and Culture
Resource Type: Lesson plans; Activities Language: English
Subjects: Fieldwork (Educational method); Georgia--Social life and customs; English language--Writing; Holidays; Folklore; Folklore--Fieldwork
Geographic locations: Georgia; General

Sponsoring Organization:
Valdosta State University
1500 N. Patterson Avenue
Valdosta GA 31698
(229) 333-5946
http://www.valdosta.edu/


Harvest Ceremony: Beyond the Thanksgiving Myth
by National Museum of the American Indian
http://americanindian.si.edu/education/files/NMAI_Harvest_Study_Guide.pdf

Study guide that assists teachers in preparing lessons about the first Thanksgiving, from the Native American perspective. It includes information about the Wampanoag Indians, their initial encounters with the "pilgrims," the importance of corn, instructions on how to make johnny cakes, and information about the Wampanoag today, with suggested classroom discussion topics. (5 p. PDF)

Grade Level: 3-5; 6-8; 9-12 Curriculum: History and Social Studies; Art and Culture
Resource Type: Activities Language: English
Subjects: Corn; Wampanoag Indians; Thanksgiving Day; Holidays
Geographic locations: New England; Massachusetts

Sponsoring Organization:
National Museum of the American Indian
Fourth Street & Independence Avenue, SW
Washington DC 20560
(202) 633-6996
http://www.nmai.si.edu/


Iowa Folklife: Our People, Communities, and Traditions
by Iowa Arts Council
http://www.uni.edu/iowaonline/folklife/intro/index.htm

Learning guide for middle and high school students plus elders in senior centers based on field documentation of Iowa traditional culture, communities, and groups done in preparation for the Festival of American Folklife and the Festival of Iowa Folklife, both held in 1996. The guide includes lesson plans with objectives, background, conceptual and hands-on activities, and handouts, arranged by subject matter: Social Studies, Language Arts, Music, and Art. Accompanying the lesson plans are activities with guidance on developing a community research archive, collecting field recordings, and creating exhibitions, festivals, and publications based on fieldwork done by students. On the site are two streamed videos for classroom viewing, streamed audio of a CD exemplifying a variety of Iowa traditional musical styles, and "Inherit Iowa," a senior citizen activity guide.

Grade Level: All ages; 6-8; 9-12 Curriculum: Music; Language Arts; History and Social Studies; Art and Culture
Resource Type: Video recordings; Lesson plans; Audio recordings; Activities Language: English
Subjects: European Americans; Scandinavian Americans; Crafts; Iowa--Social life and customs; Ethnic folklore; Festivals; Folklore--Fieldwork; Inquiry-based learning; Folk artists; Music; Foodways; Community life; Fieldwork (Educational method); Immigrants; Folk music; Holidays; German Americans; Czech Americans; Hmong Americans; African Americans; Mexican Americans; Occupations--Folklore; Material culture; Fishing; Maritime culture; Quilting; Decorative arts
Geographic locations: Iowa

Sponsoring Organization:
Folk & Traditional Arts Program
Iowa Arts Council
Des Moines IA 50319-0290
(515) 242-6195
http://www.iowaartscouncil.org/programs/folk-and-traditional-arts/resources.shtml

Other Organizations:
Iowa Arts Council
600 E. Locust Street
Des Moines IA 50319-0290
(515) 281-6412
http://www.iowaartscouncil.org/


Iowa Folklife -- Volume II
by Iowa Arts Council
http://www.uni.edu/iowaonline/folklife_v2/

Online curriculum resource guide for K-12 students and educators that explores the traditional music, foods, dance, rituals and crafts of Iowa's diverse cultures. A companion resource to "Iowa Folklife: Our People, Communities, and Traditions," it includes content pages, audio samples, suggested readings, lesson plans and other online resources. Lesson plans and accompanying materials focus on the blues, Gospel, Latino music, Old Time music, Polka, First Nations Peoples, Vietnamese Tet, and cultural traditions from Laotians, Danes, Bosnians, and Asian Indians who have settled in Iowa.

Grade Level: K-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12 Curriculum: Performing Arts; Music; Language Arts; History and Social Studies; Art and Culture
Resource Type: Lesson plans; Audio recordings; Activities Language: English
Subjects: Holidays; Religious life and customs; Vietnamese Americans; Vietnamese New Year; Iowa--Social life and customs; East Indian Americans; Foodways; Dance; Polka; Old-time music; Music; Blues (Music); Gospel music; Hispanic Americans; Bosnian Americans; Indians of North America; Meskwaki Indians; Laotian Americans; Danish Americans; Crafts; Asian Americans
Geographic locations: Iowa

Sponsoring Organization:
Folk & Traditional Arts Program
Iowa Arts Council
Des Moines IA 50319-0290
(515) 242-6195
http://www.iowaartscouncil.org/programs/folk-and-traditional-arts/resources.shtml

Other Organizations:
Iowa Arts Council
600 E. Locust Street
Des Moines IA 50319-0290
(515) 281-6412
http://www.iowaartscouncil.org/index.shtml


Jubilation! : African American Celebrations in the Southeast
by Digital Traditions
http://www.digitaltraditions.net/html/J_Resources.cfm

Educator guide that explores the special nature of African-American celebrations within the family and community, and encourages students to discover their own cultural heritage. It focuses on rites of passage and community celebrations among African Americans in the Southeastern United States, with guidance in documenting celebrations and doing oral history. Includes lesson plans, activities, teacher background, and a bibliography of adult and children's literature. The guide is geared towards students in grades 3-12. (51 p. PDF)

Grade Level: 3-5; 6-8; 9-12 Curriculum: History and Social Studies; Art and Culture
Resource Type: Lesson plans; Activities Language: English
Subjects: United States--Social life and customs; Folklore--Fieldwork; Rites of passage; Southern States--Social life and customs; African Americans; Holidays; Family--Folklore; South Carolina--Social life and customs; North Carolina--Social life and customs; Celebration
Geographic locations: Southern States

Sponsoring Organization:
Digital Traditions
Folklife Resource Center, McKissick Museum
Columbia SC 29208
(803) 777-3714
http://www.digitaltraditions.net/Index.cfm

Other Organizations:
McKissick Museum
University of South Carolina
Columbia SC 29208
(803) 777-7251
http://www.cas.sc.edu/mcks/


Louisiana Voices : An Educator's Guide to Exploring our Communities and Traditions
by Paddy Bowman, Sylvia Bienvenu, Maida Owens
http://www.louisianavoices.org/edu_get_start.html

Comprehensive resource guide for K-12 educators on the folklife of Louisiana. Although written for Louisiana, lessons and activities are adaptable to any region. The guide contains forty two lessons and many activities in nine units, correlated to Louisiana Content Standards, particularly those in English Language Arts and Social Studies. Units include: 1) Defining Terms; 2) Classroom Applications of Fieldwork; 3) Discovering the Obvious; 4) The State of Our Lives; 5) Oral Traditions; 6) Louisiana's Musical Landscape; 7) Material Culture; 8) The Worlds of Work and Play; and 9) The Seasonal Round and the Cycle of Life. It includes over 1000 pages, some in PDF-format, and links to many essays, slide shows, video and audio clips, and other web resources.

Grade Level: K-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12 Curriculum: Science; Music; Math; Language Arts; History and Social Studies; Art and Culture
Resource Type: Lesson plans; Activities Language: English; French; Spanish
Subjects: Interviewing; Play; Performance; Celebration; Seasons; Family--Folklore; Games; Place-based education; Inquiry-based learning; Folklore--Fieldwork; Folklore; Music; Foodways; Louisiana--Social life and customs; Oral tradition; Storytelling; Material culture; Occupations--Folklore; Rites of passage; Holidays; Crafts; Decorative arts
Geographic locations: Louisiana; General

Sponsoring Organization:
Louisiana Voices
Louisiana Division of the Arts
Baton Rouge LA 70804
(225) 342-8180
http://www.crt.state.la.us/arts/


Papel Picado: A Traditional Mexican Folk Art
by Museum of International Folk Art
http://www.moifa.org/eventsedu/education/muertos/papelpicado.html

Lesson plan with art activities created by the Museum of International Folk Art on the topic of traditional cut paper folk art called "papel picado," found in former Spanish colonies. For most holidays in Mexico, the brightly-colored strings of cut tissue paper banners are strung in homes and across streets. Curriculum materials are geared towards grades 1-8 and are correlated with the New Mexico State Content Standards for Art.

Grade Level: K-2; 3-5; 6-8 Curriculum: Art and Culture
Resource Type: Activities; Lesson plans Language: English
Subjects: Holidays; Mexico--Social life and customs; Paper work; Folk art; Crafts; Decorative arts
Geographic locations: Mexico

Sponsoring Organization:
Museum of International Folk Art
PO Box 2087
Santa Fe NM 87504-2087
(505) 476-1200
http://www.moifa.org/


The Seasonal Round
by Local Learning: The National Network for Folk Arts in Education
http://locallearningnetwork.org/the-seasonal-round/

Curriculum unit that provides a point of inquiry for K-12 students to explore how seasonal changes reflect and influence daily life and culture, holidays, festivals, and personal, family and community celebrations. Includes ideas and activities for examining and documenting how traditions vary from season to season, affected by weather, agricultural patterns, ecology, religious practice, and the recurrent yearly cycles of human life.

Grade Level: K-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12 Curriculum: Science; Language Arts; History and Social Studies; Art and Culture
Resource Type: Activities Language: English
Subjects: Rites of passage; Farm life; Weather--Folklore; Foodways; Folklore--Fieldwork; Fieldwork (Educational method); Holidays; Festivals; Birthdays; Ecology; Family--Folklore; Seasons; Weather; Agriculture; Occupations--Folklore; Celebration
Geographic locations: [No specific location]

Sponsoring Organization:
Local Learning: The National Network for Folk Arts in Education
c/o City Lore
72 East First Street
New York NY 10003
http://locallearningnetwork.org/


Skeleton Esqueleto Puppets and Día de Muertos Ofrendas
by Museum of International Folk Art
http://moifa.org/eventsedu/education/muertos/skeletonpuppets.html

Two activities associated with Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) for students in grades 1-8. Also known as All Souls' Day, Día de Muertos is rooted in both indigenous and Catholic religious belief and is increasingly being celebrated throughout the United States. The Skeleton Esqueleto Puppets activity will help students learn how puppets can reflect the cultures from which they come from, using Mexican skeleton puppets as an example. The Día de Muertos Ofrendas activity will give students an understanding of how ofrendas, or altars, are set up in people's homes for dead relatives during this holiday. The activities correlate to New Mexico State Content Standards for Art and Social Studies.

Grade Level: K-2; 3-5; 6-8 Curriculum: History and Social Studies; Art and Culture
Resource Type: Activities Language: English
Subjects: Religious life and customs; Holidays; Altars; Puppets; All Souls' Day; Mexico--Social life and customs; Crafts; Decorative arts
Geographic locations: United States; Mexico

Sponsoring Organization:
Museum of International Folk Art
PO Box 2087
Santa Fe NM 87504-2087
(505) 476-1200
http://www.moifa.org/


Thanksgiving - Primary Source Set
by Library of Congress
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/thanksgiving/

Study photographs, paintings, letters, and official proclamations to discover historical perspectives on American Thanksgiving holiday traditions, beginning with the pilgrims who came to North America on the Mayflower. The resources in this primary source set are intended for classroom use. Includes a Thanksgiving teacher's guide (6 p. PDF), and photographs and manuscript materials drawn from the Library of Congress' online digital collections, and a link to primary source analysis tools.

Grade Level: 6-8; 9-12 Curriculum: Language Arts; History and Social Studies; Art and Culture
Resource Type: Primary sources Language: English
Subjects: Massachusetts--Social life and customs; Thanksgiving Day; Holidays; United States--Social life and customs; United States--History--Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
Geographic locations: United States; Massachusetts

Sponsoring Organization:
Library of Congress
101 Independence Avenue, SE
Washington DC 20540-1300
(202) 707-5000
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/


The Ties that Bind
by Colorado Council on the Arts
http://www.coloarts.state.co.us/programs/education/folkarts/index.htm

Multi-media resource created in 2006 for K-12 classroom teachers to address Colorado model content standards in History, Geography, and other disciplines. The tool contains the following: Written essays (Sections 1 and II); Lesson plans (Section III); Lists of additional resources (Section IV); plus audio and video resources that can be downloaded from the site. Eleven lesson plans include: "The Art of Interviewing" (14 p. PDF), "Colcha Embroidery" (8 p. PDF), ""Exploring Cowboy Life Through Cowboy Poetry," (30 p. PDF), "Folklore Bingo" (10 p. PDF), "Hmong Cultures" (12 p. PDF), "Introduction to Folklore for Grade 12" (6 p. PDF), "Latino Cultures" (10 p. PDF), "Quilts across Cultures" (12 p. PDF), "St. Patrick's Day and the Irish" (12 p. PDF), "Take a Trip to a Special Place" (6 p. PDF), and "Wheat Weaving" (10 p. PDF).

Grade Level: K-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12 Curriculum: Geography; Language Arts; History and Social Studies; Art and Culture
Resource Type: Video recordings; Lesson plans; Audio recordings; Activities Language: English
Subjects: Irish Americans; Straw work; Folk art; Place-based education; Saint Patrick's Day; Quilts; Quilting; Hispanic Americans; Folklore; Hmong Americans; Cowboys--Poetry; Colorado--Social life and customs; Fieldwork (Educational method); Folklore--Fieldwork; Interviewing; Oral history; Embroidery; Weaving; Crafts; Holidays; Needlework
Geographic locations: General; Colorado

Sponsoring Organization:
Colorado Council on the Arts
1625 Broadway, Suite 2700
Denver CO 80202
(303) 892-3802
http://www.coloarts.state.co.us/


 

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