Las Posadas {with a freebie}

This week the 2nd graders have been reading The Legend of the Poinsettia.  Today, we spent some time focusing on Las Posadas since that is a major focus of the story.

First, we read the Nonfiction Reader from Rooted in Reading December to gain new information about the holiday.

We jotted down important facts and compared the holiday to Christmas in the United States.

Students worked on organizing their information using a graphic organizer suitcase that you can find HERE for free!  We used our Nonfiction Reader to check for facts and information!

Students wrote about the holiday underneath each flap and then used the Venn Diagram to compare.

It was a simple way to organize all of our new learning!  I get asked a lot “How do you teach the holidays without including the religious aspect?”  Well, friends… you don’t have to leave it out!  Learning about other cultures is a part of the standards, and religion is a huge part of cultures.  Do I force the information down their throat and correct things I don’t agree with?  No!  I just simply share the facts and we compare and contrast.  Las Posadas revolves around church and the manger scene, so it only makes sense to include it.

When you close the graphic organizer it becomes a suitcase!  Students added a poinsettia to the front cover and a handle to the top.  I kept seeing them carrying it around as a suitcase out of the corner of my eye 🙂

I found a box of cookies at my local grocery store that said they originated in Mexico, so I picked those up for the students to sample!  They loved the treats and begged for more 🙂  Learning about other holidays and cultures can be so fascinating for students (and adults!).  I didn’t realize how many cookies were in a package, so now I’m left with a couple of extra boxes, ha!  I guess my babies at home will get a little culture experience too 🙂