Merry Christmas! Felice Navidad! Joyeux Noel! No matter how you say it, Christmas is a time for celebration around the world. Your job is to research how Christmas or a similar holiday(Hannukah, Kwanzaa) is celebrated in another country and then write a feature article for our special holiday magazine, Christmas Around the World.
In doing research for your article, you might use---
1) our magazine databases-- Kentucky Virtual Library
2) our online catalog to find books on your country and Christmas customs
3) an encyclopedia
4) the Internet resources listed for you
5) interviews with people from the country you have chosen
You will be working in groups of four. Each person has his/her own job but remember to work and plan together. Each person should help with the research and take notes about the information they find. The jobs for the members of your group are---
1) editor---chairperson for the group; reviews all work for correctness
2) writer---write the article for the magazine
3) graphic artist---find icons or photos to use with your article
4) food editor/cartographer---find a recipe from your country as well as a map showing the location of your country
Your article should include the name and location of your country, how Christmas or a similar holiday is celebrated in that country, a recipe for a food from that country, and a graphic. Your article should be no longer than 2 pages. The pages should be 2 columns and be size 12 Helvetica font. Be sure to include a bibliography of your sources.
In order to understand the focus of our magazine, think about the following questions and discuss them with your group before you start.
1) How does your family celebrate holidays---for example, Thanksgiving
2) What special traditions does your family have? What special foods do you serve? Why?
3) What symbols are associated with this holiday? Why?
4) Is this holiday celebrated differently in other countries? Why?
After you have discussed this, write your article on Christmas or your chosen holiday. Consider---
1) What is the importance of celebrations?
2) Why are celebrations different in different places?
3) Are traditions important to a family? To a country? Why?
4) If you had to convince people in your country to celebrate the way they do in another country, how would you convince them?
Good luck! This is your big chance in the fast-paced, competitive world of magazine publishing. Your entry will be judged for the accuracy and conciseness of its information, its attractiveness, and the interest it creates for the reader. Your group will also be evaluated on how efficiently and well you work together.
Kentucky Technology Standards Included in this Webquest
5.1, 6.1 Uses district approved software in reading, writing, math, drawing and productivity tools.
5.7 Correctly cite electronic and print references
5.11, 6.12 Uses software and online resources to participate in collaborative problem-solving activities for the purpose of developing solutions for products.
5.12, 6.13 Uses a rubric to self-assess technology used in classroom projects.
5.12, 6.15 Work cooperatively and collaboratively with peers when using technology.
Core Content Included in this Webquest:
Reading 1.2 Work cooperatively and collaboratively with peers when using technology.
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Bibliography
1. Kentucky Virtual Library. http://www.kyvl.org. May 12, 2003.
WebQuests were first developed by Dr. Bernie Dodge at San Diego State University. This is a fast-growing way to present learning effectively on the Web. For more WebQuests, visit the technology of the Kentucky Department of Education page. There are links explaining more about the WebQuest idea and a link to a matrix of WebQuests for all grade levels and all subjects.