Holiday Resources

November: National American Indian Heritage Month

• National American Indian Heritage Month recognizes the significant contributions of American Indians.
• We Shall Remain: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/weshallremain/
• Unlearning "Indian" Stereotypes: https://www.rethinkingschools.org/books/title/unlearning-indian-stereotypes
• The People Shall Continue: https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2006/12/simon-ortizs-people-shall-continue.html

Veterans Day - (November 11)

Voices in Wartime: https://www.yesmagazine.org/for-teachers/curriculum/voices-in-wartime

Thanksgiving ( fourth Thursday in November)

• Teaching Thanksgiving in a Socially Responsible Way
• A Racial Justice Guide to Thanksgiving for Educators and Families: http://indigenousagain.com/racial-justice-guide-thanksgiving-educators-families/
• 1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/1621-a-new-look-at-thanksgiving-by-catherine-o-neill-grace/
• Oyate: http://www.oyate.org/
• Rethinking Thanksgiving: Myths and Misgivings: https://www.rethinkingschools.org/articles/rethinking-thanksgiving-myths-and-misgivings
• In 1970, Wamsutta Frank James, a Wampanoag Indian, was invited by the commonwealth of Massachusetts to deliver a speech about Thanksgiving. The speech was titled "The National Day of Mourning." When the text of the speech was revealed, Massachusetts uninvited him. In response, a group of New England Native Americans declared Thanksgiving 1970 the first annual National Day of Mourning.

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga: https://www.tracisorell.com/we-are-grateful-otsaliheliga/

Buy Nothing Day (November 29)

Buy Nothing Day (BND) is an international day of protest against consumerism, strategically celebrated on "Black Friday," the busiest shopping day of the year in the US.

• The Story of Stuff: http://storyofstuff.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/reading-guide.pdf
• The Story of Change: https://storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-change/

Diwali ( between October & November-lasts five days)

• Teaching Tolerance: Diwali in the Classroom
• Huffington Post: Incorporating an Understanding of Diwali in Your Classrooms
• Hindu American Foundation: Diwali Toolkit
• NatGeo Info on Diwali
• ThoughtCo info on Diwali

Hanukkah (lasts eight days-usually begins sometime between Thanksgiving and late December)

• Hanukkah, the Jewish "festival of lights" , What is
• New York Times article-Jewish parents explaining Hanukkah in their children's schools

Martin Luther King Day (third Monday of January)

• Teaching Tolerance - https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/the-best-of-our-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-resources
• NEA - http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/mlk-day.html
• Scholastic - https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/collections/teaching-content/commemorate-life-dr-martin-luther-king-jr/
• PBS - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/tag/martin-luther-king-jr/

Lunar New Year (It always falls between January 21 and February 20)

• CNN - Lunar New year Fast Facts
• Asia for Educators - The Lunar New Year: Rituals and Legends
• VOA - Lunar New Year in the U.S.: Not Just "Chinese" New Year
• ABC News - Lunar New Year: What is it and how do people celebrate?
• Brightly - 8 Picture Books to Celebrate Lunar New Year

Passover (8 Days-March/April timeframe)

information online :

• https://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/871715/jewish/Passover-2019-Pesach.htm
• https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/passover
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover
• https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-exodus-effect/

Ramadan (1 month long- the ninth month of the Islamic calendar)

information online:

• PBS News Hour: How Teachers Can Support Students During Ramadan
• Vox: Ramadan 2019: 9 questions about the holy month you were too afraid to ask
• Teaching About Ramadan and Eid