1.1: Celebrating birthdays
In this activity students explore the special personal days celebrated by each family.
Tasks
- Introduce and discuss the importance of celebrating our birthdays. Explain that cultures often celebrate birth in different ways and our birthdays mark yearly our uniqueness as human beings.
- Mark students' birthdays on a multicultural calendar and use it as a resource to learn about other special events celebrated on students' birthdays.
- Introduce the idea that families celebrate birthdays in different ways e.g. birthday cakes, candles, presents, special meals, special gatherings, parties etc. Ask students for examples of how they or their family celebrates their special day. Ask students to complete Handout 1: Celebrating birthdays and special days. Collect and collate the handouts into a class book.
- On each birthday, draw a life-size outline of the birthday child using a sheet of large paper. Ask the class to decorate the outline with illustrations, pictures and birthday wishes. Only positive comments and images should be included. Display the birthday art work in the classroom and then give it to the birthday child to take home.
- Note that in some cultures, days other than birthdays have greater significance e.g. name days or anniversaries. It may be appropriate to substitute birthdays for other days in the case of some students.
- The ways and extent to which birthdays are celebrated will vary according to differing family circumstances. Teachers should ensure that each child's special day is celebrated equally at school.
- Teachers should remember to include all students' special days including those students whose special days fall in the holidays.
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Downloads
Resources:
- Multicultural (or other) calendar
- List of students' birthdays
- Large sheets of paper
- Coloured pencils, textas or paints
- Multicultural (or other) calendar
- List of students' birthdays
- Large sheets of paper
- Coloured pencils, textas or paints
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