Dec. 21, is winter solstice and many cultures celebrate the returning light. This month’s hands on history kits reflects this theme with the following items, which you can collect from the CHS Cares Closet or order for your class or student by e-mailing margocaulfield@icloud.com or calling 802-226-7807.
• Ready to paint plaster items. During Saturnalia, source of various Christmas traditions, sun ornaments made out of gold were frequently given. These are light enough that they can be hung on a tree. I’d recommend using a strong glue like E 6,000 in order to add a ribbon. Magnetic strips will also work for frig magnets.
• Dreidels: Includes direction.
How to play the Dreidel Game
• Kente
Cloth to color: In recognition of Kwanzaa, we have a Kente Cloth pattern on
card stock which can be colored. A brief summary of Kwanzaa and Kente cloth are
on the reverse side. Good resource for teaching kids about Kente cloth and provides
a paper weaving project.
• Origami Cranes: In Japanese, Chinese and Korean traditions, the crane stands for good fortune and longevity. More recently is has become a peace symbol thanks to the story of SadakoSasaki, who developed Leukemia as a result of the bombing of Hiroshima and tried to make 1,000 cranes to achieve the wish of health. Recommend this project for older students. These cranes look beautiful on a Christmas tree.
Learn to make a crane by watching this video.
To string the crane, watch the following video.
Historical Dates for December
Dec. 1 1955: The birth of the modern American civil rights movement occurred when Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat to a white man and move to the back section of a municipal bus.
Dec. 2, 1859: Abolitionist John Brown was executed for treason following his raid on the US Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry.
Dec. 6, 1865: The 13th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified abolishing slavery.
- St. Nicholas Day
Dec. 7, 1941: The US Naval base at Pearl Harbor, HI was bombed, killing nearly 3,000 Americans dead. The US declared war on Japan the next day.
Dec. 10-18: Hanukkah is a Jewish festival commemorating the re dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. Also known as the Festival of Lights.
The Story of Hanukkah for Kids
Dec. 11, 1918: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was born in Russia. The 1970 Noble Prize winner in literature and the Templeton Prize winner in 1983, Solzhenitsyn lived in Cavendish for 18 of the 20 years he was exiled from Russia. While here he wrote the Red Wheel. CHS has written a book for 4th-7th graders The Writer Who ChangedHistory: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. If there is interest in having a group of students read the book and discuss it, we can arrange for a Zoom discussion.
Dec. 13:Saint Lucia’s Day
- 1773: The Boston Tea Party
Dec. 21: Winter Solstice (the shortest day of
the year) National Geographic video
Dec. 25: Western Roman Catholic Church started the tradition of Christmas in 336 AD. It was based on the tradition of Mithra, god of the sun, who was believed to be born on Dec. 25,
- Washington crossed the Delaware
December 26-January 1 - Kwanzaa, an African American family observance established in 1966 celebrating traditional African harvest festivals, focusing on family unity, with a community harvest feast on the seventh day. Kwanzaa means "first fruit" in Swahili. Learn more about Kwanzaa by watching this video.
Dec. 31st: New Year’s Eve
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