Winter Break

Packet

Enrichment Prepared by Curriculum & Instruction

Winter 2007

A Tourist in your Own Town…

This multi-level, interdisciplinary set of activities is designed for use by students in grades PreK through High School. In an attempt to give guidance to parents and students, a reduced version of the following graphic is shown by the activities.

PreK – 2 Grades 3 - 5 Grades 6 - 8 Grades 9 -12

This graphic is a rough representation of the developmental level of the activity. This graphic shows the activity to be most appropriate for students in about grades 2 and 3. These are only guidelines. If you feel your child can gain valuable knowledge or is capable of completing the activity with some modification, please feel free to modify the activity to suit your needs. It is our hope that these activities provide fun, educationally stimulating activities that challenge and provoke thought and conversation between you and your children.

A Tourist in your Own Town Many times, we host out-of-town relatives and friends over the winter break. Other times, we simply stay at home rather than travel during the break. It isn’t necessary to sit at home and do nothing. There are many wonderful attractions available for little or no cost right here in Miami-Dade County. Possible Attractions for Family Fun and Learning: Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre 305-444-9293 www.actorsplayhouse.org

Barnacle Historic State Park 305-442-6866 www.floridastateparks.org/thebarnacle

Biscayne National Park 305-230-1100

FREEwww.nps.gov/bisc/ $1 per person age 6+

Biscayne Nature Center 305-361-6767 www.biscaynenaturecenter.org

Deering Estate 305-235-1668 www.deeringestate.org

Everglades National Park 305-242-7700 www.nps.gov/ever

Fairchild Tropical Gardens 305-667-1651 www.fairchildgarden.org/

Haitian Heritage Museum 305-371-5988 www.haitianheritagemuseum.org

Historic Hampton House

$10 per Car

305-635-5130 www.dadeheritagetrust.org

Historical Museum of Southern Florida

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305-375-1492 www.hmsf.org

Jewish Museum of Florida 305-672-5044 www.jewishmuseum.com

Miami Art Central 305-455-3333 www.miamiartcentral.org

Miami Children’s Museum 305-373-5437 www.miamichildrensmuseum.org

Miami Metrozoo 305-251-0400 www.miamimetrozoo.com

Miami Science Museum 305-646-4200 www.miamisci.org

$10 Students 6-17

Adults $8 Children FREE

$5 student age 6-12

$5 student age 6-12

$13 Students Museum of Contemporary Art

City of Miami Residents - $5 Playground Theatre

$9.95 Students + tax ANY LOCAL LIBRARY BRANCH

305-893-6211 305-751-9550 (305) 375-2665 (Main Branch) www.mocanomi.org www.theplaygroundtheatre.com www.mdpls.org/news/events/webev

ents.asp$15 Tickets Under 12 FREE / $5 others If you visit one of these places, take along a camera and record your visit on film or digitally. Be sure to keep track of the time so you can make a timeline of your visit. Take notes on what or who you saw,

how it made you feel, and why you chose to go to this particular place.

or Plan a trip to one of these places. Use Mapquest® if you have a

computer, or a map if you don’t and plan how you will get there, how much it will cost. Don’t forget to plan for your breakfast, lunch or

dinner if you are going to be there during these times.

Suppose you have guests that will be taking over your life (and maybe your room) for a while. How will you feel? How will you make these visitors feel welcome? What problems might you encounter? How can you avoid these problems? Keep a journal about this experience. Be sure to share who is staying with you, their relationship to you, and how you feel.

Many other celebrations are happening during or near the winter break. Here are a few with some information about each: Junkanoo: A festival originating in the Bahamas when slaves were given freedom for three days around Christmas, it takes place between December 26 and January 1. It is a celebration where people wear masks and dance to music in the streets beginning at 2 am and ending at dawn. Kwanzaa: A celebration of family community and culture that takes place from December 26 to January 1. It is an African American holiday that is focused on the seven principals of Unity, Faith, Creativity, Purpose, Cooperative Economies, Self-Determination, and Collective Work and Responsibility. Chanukkah: One of the most popular Jewish holidays, not for its religious significance, but for its proximity to Christmas. The history of Chanukkah is the celebration of a revolution against assimilation and the suppression of Jewish religion. It is celebrated from December 26 to January 1 with the tradition of the lighting of the menorah, a series of seven candles. Hogmany: A New Year’s Celebration in Germany from December 29 to January 1. It is four nights of partying, celebrating the New Year. Every night there are different activities and events for people to enjoy. St. Nicholas Day: Observed on December 6 and traditionally celebrated in Northern Europe. Children are taught that Santa Claus is actually St. Nicholas, a Fourth Century bishop known for his kindness. Children place shoes outside to be filled with gifts and treats. Ganga Bois: A Vodoun (Voodoo) holiday celebrated in Haiti on December 10. Advent: Advent is the beginning of the church year for most churches in the Western tradition. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas day, which is the Sunday nearest November 30, and ends on Christmas Eve (December 24). If Christmas Eve is a Sunday, it is counted as the fourth Sunday of Advent, with Christmas Eve beginning at sundown. The main color is purple, which represent royalty. Advent is a Christian holiday that can be celebrated in the home and/or in the church. Three Kings Day: Takes place on January 6 (12 days after Christmas). This is a Christian holiday in Mexico where children receive gifts instead of on Christmas day. It is a celebration that

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commemorates the Biblical story of the three kings who followed the star of Bethlehem to bring gifts to the Christ child. Eid-al-Adha: A three day feast that follows the Pilgrimage to Mecca. This is a Muslim holiday that begins on January 10. It commemorates Ibraham’s (Abraham) willingness to obey God by sacrificing his son, Ishmael. Muslims believe Ishmael is the forefather of the Arabs. Lunar New Year: A holiday celebrated for two weeks by the Chinese, Koreans, and Vietnamese, it takes place during the first three days of the first lunar moon (late January or early February). People dress up in costumes and exchange food and gifts. Bodhi Day: On December 8, Buddhists celebrate this day to commemorate the Enlightenment (bodhi) of Shakyamuni Buddha. This is the most important holiday to the Buddhists. Japanese New Year: Celebrating the New Year is the biggest event in Japan. Omisoka is New Years Eve in Japan. People spend a great deal of time cleaning and shopping to prepare for the new year (much like spring cleaning in the United States) in order to get rid of the dirty past and start the new year fresh and clean. Shogatsu is the celebration that takes place on New Years day. People decorate their homes and give gifts of money and toys to children and greeting cards to family and friends. Las Posadas: This holiday takes place December 16 to December 24 in Mexico. In English, it means “the Inn” and is a traditional Mexican festival which reenacts Joseph’s search for a room at the inn. Each Christmas season, a processional carrying a doll representing the Christ Child and images of Joseph and Mary riding a burro walks through the community streets. World Religion Day: This holiday takes place on January 15 and is celebrated by those of the Baha’i religion. It originated in the United States and aims to foster the establishment of interfaith understanding and harmony by emphasizing the common denominators underlying all religions. The message of World Religion Day is that mankind, which has stemmed from one origin, must now strive towards the reconciliation of that which has been split up. Research one or several of these celebrations. How are they same as how you celebrate your winter holiday? How are they different?

Choose one of the holidays from above and make a diorama about the holiday.

Research the holiday to see if there are special foods. Look up the recipes and, with the help of an adult, prepare an exotic feast based on the holiday.

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Winter Solstice Many holidays are centered around the winter solstice – The astronomical event of the Winter solstice, occurring sometime between December 20 and 23 each year in the northern hemisphere, and between June 20 and 23 in the Southern Hemisphere. It is the shortest day and the longest night of the year, marking the beginning of winter when the sun is at its greatest distance from the equatorial plane. The name Winter Solstice means Sun set still in winter.

In Celtic countries such as Ireland the winter solstice is traditionally considered as midwinter, the winter season beginning November 1 on All Hallows or Samhain. Winter ends and spring begins on Imbolc or Candlemas, which is February 1 or 2. This system of seasons is based on the length of days exclusively. The three-month period of the shortest days and weakest solar radiation occurs during November, December and January in the Northern Hemisphere (May-July in the Southern).

Many Midwinter festivals have occurred according to lunar calendars and so, often took place on Höku night (Hawaiian), the night of the full moon closest to the winter solstice. And many solar calendar Midwinter celebrations still centre upon December 25th in the north, which was the winter solstice upon the establishment of the Julian calendar.

The difference between the Julian calendar year (365.2500 days) and the tropical year (365.2422 days) moved the day associated with the actual astronomical solstice forward approximately three days every four centuries until 1582 when Pope Gregory XIII changed the calendar bringing the northern winter solstice to around December 21st. In the Gregorian calendar the solstice moves around a bit but in the long term it moves only about one day in 3000 years.

June Solstice December Solstice Year Day Time Day Time

21 18:06 22 06:08 2007 20 23:59 21 12:04 2008 21 05:45 21 17:47 2009 21 11:28 21 23:38 2010 21 17:16 22 05:30 2011 20 23:09 21 11:11 2012 21 05:04 21 17:11 2013 21 10:51 21 23:03 2014

Many people believe this is a magical day. What special things might happen on or around the winter solstice – the shortest day of the year? Write a story about something that happens (real or imagined) during this special time.

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Enrichment Grades PreK - 12

“Loved the Book…Not Sure About the Movie” Many movies that have been released recently

are based on popular children’s and young adult books. The chart on the following page highlights

some of the more popular releases. Read the book and then watch the movie. How is the story the same or different? Is the dialogue the same in the movie as the book? Which do you like better and why?

Year Book Title – Date - Author Movie Title Because of Winn-Dixie (2000) – Kate DiCamillo Because of Winn-Dixie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1963) – Roald Dahl

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Chronicles of Narnia (1950) – C. S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000) – J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

The Nurse Matilda Stories (2002) – Christiana Brand

Nanny McPhee

Oliver Twist – (1867) Charles Dickens Oliver Twist Pride and Prejudice (1813) – Jane Austin Pride and Prejudice A Sound of Thunder (1977) – Ray Bradbury A Sound of Thunder War of the Worlds (1898) – H. G. Wells War of the Worlds

2005

Zathura: A Space Adventure (2002) – Chris Can Allsburg

Zathura

Alice in Wonderland (1865) – Lewis Carroll Alice All the King’s Men (1946) – Robert Penn Warren

All the King’s Men

Brideshead Revisited (1945) – Evelyn Waugh Brideshead Revisited Charlotte’s Web (1952) – E. B. White Charolotte’s Web Curious George (1941) – H. A. Rey Curious George My Friend Flicka (1941) – Mary O’Hara Flicka Hoot (2002) – Carl Hiaasen Hoot

2006

How to Eat Fried Worms (1973) – Thomas Rockwell

How to Eat Fried Worms

Bridge to Terabithia (1977) – Katherine Paterson

Bridge to Teribithia

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003) – J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2007

A Day with Wilbur Robinson (1990) – William Joyce

Meet the Robinsons

Appropriate for ALL grade levels (based on the book and movie)

Photo Journaling – Don’t forget disposable cameras and digital cameras (including cell cameras) to record any trip you make. You can even record “A Day I Did Nothing.” You’d be surprised how much you really do when you say you’re doing nothing!

These pictures can be printed and posted on a timeline. Write captions that explain where you are, what you are doing, how this place makes you feel, people you met, what you learned, and other things of your choosing.

For younger students, write as much as you can or see if someone older can write the captions for you. You can use the same thoughts – what I did, who I saw, how I felt…

Don’t have a camera? Draw the pictures yourself! Shape Walk – We have all studied different shapes – circle, squares, and triangles. Some of you have even studied things like tetrahedrons! Record a prediction of what shapes you think you will find and how many you think you will see. Go for a walk around your neighborhood or use pictures you find in magazines to look for shape. Out line all the circles in red; outline all the rectangles in blue. Be sure to make a “legend” that tells what colors mean what shapes. Check your prediction against what you actually find. Were you close? Why or why not?

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Enrichment Grades PreK - 12

“Tell Me a Story About Our Family” – Collecting stories about families is often called “Oral Histories.” Talk with someone in your family. Record your conversations if you have a recorder. Ask them to tell you about how things are different now from when they grew up. Maybe they even remember when you were born. Ask them to tell stories

about the people who were important to them. Write these stories in a blank book or make your own book. You can take pictures of the people if you have a camera or draw a picture if you can’t.

How many ways can you say, “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year?”

The following list shows many different countries and how people wish each other “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!” Afrikaans Geseknde Kersfees en 'n gelukkige nuwe jaar

Hungarian Kellemes karacsonyi uennepeket es boldog ujevet!

Argentine Feliz Navidad y Feliz Año Nuevo

Icelandic Gledhileg jsl og farsflt komandi ar!

Bohemian Vesele Vanoce

Indonesian Selamat Hari Natal dan Selamat Tahun Baru!

Brazilian Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo

Iraqi Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah

Afrikaans Geseknde Kersfees en 'n gelukkige nuwe jaar

Irish Gaelic (classic) Nollaig Shona duit

Argentine Feliz Navidad y Feliz Año Nuevo

Irish Gaelic Nollaig faoi shean agus faoi shonas duit agus bliain nua faoi mhaise dhuit!

Bohemian Vesele Vanoce

Italian Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo!

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Brazilian Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo

Japanese Meri Kurisumasu soshite Akemashite Omedeto!

Bulgarian Vesela Koleda i chestita nova godina!

Latin Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!

Catalan Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!

Latvian Priecigus Ziemsvetkus un Laimigu Jaungadu!

Chinese Sing Dan Fae Lok. Gung Hai Fat Choi (Cantonese)

Lithuanian Linksmu Kaledu

Chinese Shen Dan Kuai Le Xin Nian Yu Kuai (Mandarin)

Maltese Nixtieklek Milied tajjeb u is

Chinese Shen tan jie kuai le. Hsin Nien Kuaile

Modern Greek Kala Christougenna kai evtichismenos o kainourios chronos!

Croatian Sretan Bozic

Norwegian God Jul Og Godt Nytt Aar

Czech Stastne a vesele vanoce a stastny novy rok!

Pennsylvania German En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!

Danish Glaedelig Jul og godt niter

Polish Vesowe Boze Narodzenie

Dutch Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuw Jaar

Polish Wesolych Swiat i Szczesliwego Nowego Roku

Dutch Prettige kerstdagen en een gelukkig nieuw jaar

Portuguese Boas Festas

English Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Portuguese Feliz Natal e um Prospero Ano Novo

Eskimo (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!

Romanian Craciun fericit si un an nou fericit

Esperanto Felican Kristnaskon kaj Bonan Novjaron!

Russian S nastupaiushchim Novym godom i s Rozhdestvom Khristovym!

Estonian Rõõmusaid jõulupühi ja head uut aastat!

Romanche (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!

Faeroese Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!

Serbian Hristos se rodi

Filipinos Maligayang Pasko

Slovakian Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce

Finnish Hyvää joulua ja onnellista uutta vuotta!

Slovak Vesele Vianoce i na zdravie v novom roku!

Flemish Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar

Slovenian Vesele bozicne praznike in srecno novo leto

French Joyeux Noel et Bonne Année!

Spanish Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo

Scots Gaelic Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath yr!

Swedish God Jul Och Ett Gott Nytt Ar

Galician Bo Nadal

Thai Suk san wan Christmas

German Frohe Weihnachten und ein gl|ckliches Neues Jahr!

Thai Suk san wan pee mai

Greek Hronia polla kai eytyhismenos o kainourios hronos

Trukeese (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!

Greek (classic) Hronia polla ke eftihismenos o kenourios hronos

Turkish Noeliniz kutlu olsun ve yeni yilinis kutlu olsun!

Hausa Ukrainan Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!

Khrystos Rodevsia

Hawaian Vietnamese Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou! Chuc mung nam moi va Giang Sinh vui ve

Choose one language & learn about the country where it is spoken. Make a travel poster about the country and explain how the country celebrates Christmas.

Categorize the countries by location on continents: North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Are there similarities in languages based on location? Why or Why not?

Look at countries that are close or related. For example, there are three different entries for Chinese: mandarin, Cantonese and plain (classic). How are these alike? How are they different?

Research how languages change. For example, both Argentina and Spain have Spanish as their language. Why do you think the two phrases are different when the languages are the same? Are there other examples of this phenomenon? Why or Why not?

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Which of these countries are you most likely to hear a phrase wishing someone “Merry Christmas”; which countries are you unlikely to hear the phrase? Why?

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