Australia: Christmas Around the World Across the Curriculum

Here's a great unit to integrate social studies, literature, music and the Christmas holiday. I'll add more countries soon, but we're starting with Australia.

Start with this book:

Wombat Divine by Mem Fox

This book shares the adventures of a wombat, an Australian animal as he and other Australian animals prepare for the Nativity scene.

For your students to learn more about the animals of Australia, use Unique Australian Animals' site at http://australian-animals.net/

Then learn how Christmas is celebrated in Australia. Read the Australia section from Christmas Around the World  by Mary Lankford. You can supplement this information with a bit of Australian Christmas history at WhyChristmas.com's site at http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/australia.shtml 

Be sure to follow the hyperlink to the Christmas Crackers page at http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/crackers.shtml and don’t miss out on the fun Christmas Cracker jokes at http://www.whychristmas.com/fun/cracker_jokes.shtml

(If you’re homeschooling your children or would like an activity to work on during the school break, look into Canadian’s Parents guide for making Christmas Crackers at http://www.canadianparents.com/article/make-your-own-christmas-crackers. )

Add a bit of music to your lesson next. We’ve had fun listening to this Australian children’s song: Six White Boomers sung by Rolf Harris and posted by Beautiful Purity.

I hope your students enjoy this tour of an Australian Christmas.

www.celebrationsacrossthecurriculum.blogspot.com

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