Cultural Celebrations Teaching Resources
Explore cultural celebrations and holidays around the world and promote cultural awareness in your social studies classroom with printable worksheets, fun crafts and more teacher-created teaching resources!
The Teach Starter team of expert teachers has curated a curriculum-aligned collection of activities and interactive ideas to teach young students about the ways people in different cultures come together to celebrate. Save time on your lesson plans with resources that have been carefully curated by expert teachers just for you!
Is this your first year teaching this section of the social studies curriculum, or are you just looking for some fresh ideas? Read on for some tips from our teacher team!
Holidays Around the World Activities for the Classroom
Exploring how people around the world celebrate isn't just an important part of meeting social studies standards. Learning about these major holidays celebrated outside of the US is also a way to help students build a greater appreciation for other people and other cultures!
So how do you do that? Here are some fun holiday around the world ideas from our teacher team on bringing these cultural celebrations into your social studies lesson plans.
Create a Gallery Walk
Assign each student a specific holiday from another country such as Holi or Diwali from India or Japan's Hinamatsuri festival. Or provide a list, and allow them to pick their favorite! Have students research the holiday and create posters that detail where and when the holiday is celebrated as well as specific information about its history and specific traditions. Display the posters on the hallway wall, and allow your class to go on a gallery walk to take in the information about each holiday!
Hold a Holiday Lunch in the Classroom
Ask students to bring in a dish from a cultural holiday their family celebrates that can be shared with the class. Each student can present the dish to the class and tell their peers a little bit about the holiday.
Have Students Plan a Holiday-Based Trip for a Teacher
Break your class into small groups, and let them choose a cultural celebration from another country. Each group then has to plan a trip for you (or another teacher) to that country to celebrate that holiday. Include math skills practice by having students create a trip budget, and encourage them to interview the teacher about their likes and dislikes to figure into their planning!
teaching resource
Chinese Dragon Art Activity for Kids
Print a creative Chinese dragon art activity for kids to celebrate Lunar New Year in the classroom.
teaching resource
Dia de Los Muertos Word Wall Vocabulary Cards
Dia de los Muertos Word Wall vocabulary cards to teach your students about cultural activities around the world.
teaching resource
Rio Carnival Mask - Template
A set of two printable mask templates to decorate and use in the classroom.
teaching resource
Cinco De Mayo Display Banner
A classroom display banner to use on your 'Cinco De Mayo' display board.
teaching resource
Celebrations Around The World - Inquiry Task
A four page inquiry task, assessing students' knowledge of cultural celebrations from around the world.
teaching resource
Valentines Around the World – Comprehension Worksheet
Explore five global Valentine’s Day traditions with this informational text and comprehension questions activity.
teaching resource
Halloween vs. Dia de Los Muertos - Differentiated Paired Passages
Integrate reading, writing, and celebration of world cultures with differentiated paired passages comparing Halloween and Dia de los Muertos.
teaching resource
Dia de Los Muertos - The Day of the Dead Printable Book
Promote cultural awareness and learn about the Mexican holiday of Dia de Muertos or the Day of the Dead.
teaching resource
Dia De Muertos Vocabulary and Writing Prompts
Learn and use the language of Mexican tradition with a Dia de Los Muertos vocabulary word wall and writing activity.
teaching resource
Day of the Dead - Sugar Skull Mask Template
Promote cultural awareness and introduce Dia de Muertos to your students with a Sugar Skull mask craft.
teaching resource
Day of the Dead - Skeleton Craft Activity
Promote cultural awareness make a Dancing Calavera craft for Dia de Muertos.
teaching resource
Day of the Dead Decor - Papel Picado Template
Promote cultural awareness and create your own Day of the Dead decorations with a printable Papel Picado template.
teaching resource
Winter Celebrations
A set of educational posters covering popular celebrations that fall in Winter.
teaching resource
Independence Day Paper Lantern Art Activity
A creative art activity to use when learning about the Independence Day celebration.
teaching resource
Day of the Dead Coloring Pages
Promote cultural awareness and create your own Day of the Dead decorations with Dia de Los Muertos coloring pages.
teaching resource
Kwanzaa Vocabulary Word Wall
Celebrate Kwanzaa with holiday-related vocabulary cards for your word wall.
teaching resource
Religious Holidays and Observances – Posters
A set of posters explaining the significance and traditions of various religious holidays.
teaching resource
Christmas Gnome Craft Template - Sweden
Introduce your students to one of Sweden’s most popular Christmas figures with a printable “tomte” or gnome craft template.
teaching resource
Brazilian Tinsel Tail Bird Ornament Craft
Introduce your students to Christmas in Brazil with a printable tinsel-tailed bird Christmas ornament template.
teaching resource
Holidays Around the World - Australia Mini Book
Introduce your students to Christmas in Australia with a printable mini book and graphic organizer.
teaching resource
Holidays Around the World Mini Book - Sweden
Introduce your students to Christmas in Sweden with a printable mini book and graphic organizer.
teaching resource
Holidays Around the World Mini Book - Mexico
Introduce your students to Mexico's Christmas traditions and decorations with a printable Christmas Around the World Mini Book.
teaching resource
Australian Christmas Bush Craft Template
Introduce your students to one of Australia’s Christmas traditions and decorations with a printable Christmas bush craft template.
teaching resource
Holidays Around the World — Brazil Mini Book
Introduce your students to Brazil’s Christmas traditions and decorations with a printable Christmas Around the World Mini Book.
teaching resource
Christmas Around the World Mini Book - Germany
Introduce your students to Germany's Christmas traditions and decorations with a printable Christmas Around the World Mini Book.
teaching resource
Merry Christmas Around the World Poster Pack
A pack of posters with Merry Christmas written in 19 languages!
teaching resource
Christmas in Italy - La Befana Christmas Craft
Introduce your students to the traditions and figures associated with Christmas in Italy by crafting a La Befana tree topper!
teaching resource
Chinese New Year Animal - Reading Passage and Activity
Read and learn about the Chinese zodiac animals with a zodiac animal reading passage and a set of 12 matching activity task cards.
teaching resource
Chinese New Year for Kids - Zodiac Animal Craft Templates
Get crafty and teach your students about the Lunar New year with printable zodiac animal New Year's hat templates.
teaching resource
Hanukkah Word Wall Vocabulary
Celebrate the festival of lights with 28 Hanukkah-related vocabulary cards for your word wall.
teaching resource
What is Dia de Los Muertos? Instructional Slide Deck
Promote cultural awareness and learn about the Mexican holiday, the Day of the Dead with an instructional slide deck.
teaching resource
Fiesta San Antonio - Instructional Slide Deck
Celebrate Texas culture and learn about Fiesta San Antonio with an instructional slide presentation.