3 pagesView all 3 pagesChristmas in mexico and the Philippines: reading passage
Comparing and contrasting the most important points and key details in two texts on the same topic
Answer key on page 3
3 pages48 KB
Christmas Around the World Worksheets
Reading passages and activities about holiday customs in Mexico, the Philippines, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Japan, Italy and the UK.
Download the christmas around the world worksheets
Reading passages
3 pagesView all 3 pages
3 pagesView all 3 pagesChristmas in germany and Sweden: reading passage
Integrating information from two texts on the same topic
Answer key on page 3
3 pages53 KB
3 pagesView all 3 pagesChristmas in Summer: australia reading passage
Explaining the relationship between events or ideas in a scientific text, based on specific information in the text
Answer key on page 3
3 pages64 KB
3 pagesView all 3 pagesChristmas in Japan, italy and the UK: reading passage
Analyzing multiple accounts of the same topic, noting important similarities and differences
Answer key on page 3
3 pages54 KB
Activities and writing
View all 2 pagesChristmas around the world compare and contrast chart
Organizing information from short texts in a chart to compare and contrast
Answer key on page 2
2 pages50 KB
View all 2 pagesChristmas around the world matching worksheet
Matching words and phrases about holiday customs to their meanings
Answer key on page 2
2 pages41 KB
View all 2 pagesChristmas around the world word search
Reading and finding words about holiday customs around the world
Answer key on page 2
2 pages49 KB
View largerPlan a holiday celebration from around the World: writing prompt
Writing an informative text that groups related information and uses facts and details
1 page43 KB
View all 2 pagesChristmas around the World: daylight bar graph
Reading a graph to reveal patterns in day length in different places at the same time of year
Answer key on page 2
2 pages41 KB
Print at 100% (actual size) for the cleanest tracing lines.
About these christmas around the world worksheets
These Christmas around the world worksheets take 3rd, 4th and 5th graders to eight countries: Mexico, the Philippines, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Japan, Italy and the United Kingdom. Short original reading passages describe customs, food, dates and weather: star-shaped parol lanterns in the Philippines, Christmas markets in Germany, Lucia Day in dark December Sweden, a summer Christmas at the beach in Australia, panettone and La Befana in Italy, and crackers that snap in the United Kingdom.
The passages focus on what many families do, never on what everyone in a country does. They explain why December is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, and why light matters so much in a Swedish winter.
Activities include a compare-and-contrast chart, a matching page, a word search, a daylight bar graph and a plan-a-celebration writing page. Every page with one right answer has an answer key. For more holiday practice, see the Christmas worksheets for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders.
Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.9Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.4Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.7Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.9Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.6Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation).CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.3Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.6Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.NGSS 5-ESS1-2Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
How to use them
- Read one passage a day in the weeks before break and mark each country on a classroom globe.
- Use the compare-and-contrast chart after two or more passages, then discuss what is alike everywhere: family, food and light.
- Finish with the plan-a-celebration page so children use the facts they learned.
Teaching tips
- Remind children that customs vary from family to family inside every country.
- Invite families who celebrate in other ways, or from other countries, to share their own traditions.
Questions teachers and parents ask
Which countries are covered?
Mexico, the Philippines, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Japan, Italy and the United Kingdom.
Why is Christmas in summer in Australia?
Earth's axis is tilted. In December, the Southern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun, so Australia has long, warm summer days. The Australia passage and the daylight graph explain it.
What grades are these for?
3rd to 5th grade. Each sheet is pitched at one grade, but most work across all three.
Are the pages religious?
No. They describe customs, food, decorations, dates and weather.