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Virtual Viewing Party: Holidays Around the World

On-Demand Event

Winter is a time of holidays and Discovery Education is celebrating by hosting a virtual viewing party so students can enjoy learning about various traditions of the season. Join us for this unusual holiday party that brings teachers and students together for a fun-filled exploration that spreads both joy and understanding.  

What is a Virtual Viewing Party?


A virtual viewing party is a shared viewing experience of a special Discovery Education video. The Holidays Around the World virtual viewing party features the video Celebrate with DE: Holidays around the World (CND). The video reviews the history and traditions of four well-known holidays. Thousands of classrooms will simultaneously access this video and share their thoughts and reflections about holiday celebrations. If this is your first virtual viewing party read our FAQs for additional information. The content and activities are suitable for all grades but we always recommend a preview to determine whether the content suits your needs.

How to Watch


 

We recommend you download the video, Celebrate with DE: Holidays around the World (CND), in advance of your viewing party for the most seamless viewing experience.

This video is available to all Discovery Education Streaming, Science Techbook, Social Studies Techbook, and Math Techbook customers. If you are not currently a subscriber to these services, you can sign-up for a free trial to watch the video for this event.

Viewing Party Essential Questions

  • Why do people celebrate holidays?
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  • What do all of the winter holidays featured have in common?
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  • What are some unique ways to celebrate the four holidays featured?

 

Join the Discussion


What if we are participating in the on-demand event?

Your class can watch the video at any time and join the discussion independently. If you are participating on-demand, you may want to have students review the Holidays Around the World Padlet or Twitter discussion to compare ideas and make connections. You can also use the suggested resources below to support your discussions.

 

Made with Padlet

 

Suggested Viewing Activities


To make the most of the virtual viewing party with your class, we suggest the following activities.
Before the Viewing Party

Explain to your students that this virtual viewing party will focus on the traditions and history of four holidays: Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Lunar New Year. Each of these holidays has particular meaning for those who celebrate and each has some unique traditions and activities. Encourage your students to learn about all the holidays and reflect on their own family’s celebrations and traditions.

  During the Viewing Party

Use a combination of Pause and Play (CND) and an adaption of the strategy ABC Summary (CND) to engage students in the video. After you’ve played the video through once, apply the adaptation of ABC Summary during the second viewing’s pauses. Instead of using the alphabet as you would in the standard strategy format, use the letters in the holiday names to guide students’ summary statements. When you pause the video, have them jot down notes that start with the letters in the holiday. For example, HANUKKAH notes might include Hebrew word for dedication, and Ancient language spoken in prayer. For students who would like note starters, have them come up with every day words that could begin their notes, such as Kids, Keep, or Kind for the Ks and Usually for the U in Hanukkah.

  After the Viewing Party

Immediately following the viewing party, have students participate in a round of 25 Things You Didn’t Know (CND) to prepare them to design their own holiday celebration. This strategy will result in a collaborative list of reasons and ways to celebrate that should inspire creativity. Finally, have students design their perfect holiday celebration, taking familiar traditions, new ideas from the virtual viewing party, and list from the 25 Things You Didn’t Know activity into account. They may design their own winter holiday or simply plan the perfect celebration for one they already celebrate. Offer to share your students’ work via your personal, class, or school Twitter account. Don’t forget to share it all with us on Twitter @DiscoveryEd using #CelebratewithDE.

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