How They Celebrate Christmas in Australia

Lesson Plans: Teaching Your Child About Cultures & Holidays Part 3

When I first learned that Christmas was celebrated in the "summertime" in Australia, I was a little confused. Even now as an adult, it is a little confusing that Australia is nice and warm during the Unites States winter season and cold and wet during our heated summers. Then, I moved to Houston, Texas, and now I know exactly why Australia does what they do. Christmas is just a couple of weeks away and the temperature is almost 80 in the afternoon. No snow has been seen in this city for over 5 years. While I may miss a bit of the white stuff on Christmas day, it certainly gives me a new appreciation for the summertime weather that Australia has during our winters.

Geography: Show your child a globe. Even your toddler can appreciate looking at all the colors on the globe, seeing how far apart the "pictures" are, and the use of the globe also reinforces their opposite skills as they can see big "places" and little "places" close together. Of, course; I am using terminology your child would understand.

Story time: See Weather and Just for Fun. For books, you may want to read "Christmas around the World," by Mary Lankford and Karen Dugan.

Weather: This is a great lesson plan for reinforcing the weather concepts you may have already completed earlier in the year. Exhibit to your child (or classroom) hot and cold and if possible show them different weathers like rain, sun, wind and snow. Some suggestions for teaching them weather are: the DVD, Elmo and the Great Outdoors (there is a weather segment) and "Oh Can You Say What the Weather is Today" by Aristidez Ruiz and part of the "Cat in the Hat Learning Library."

Science: To teach the children about warm, place mittens on their hands and see how warm they get. You can also get the gel packs in the sporting goods sections of most stores like Wal-Mart. You snap them and they become warm. Athletics use them to keep there hands and feet warm. To teach your child about cold fill a small bowl with ice and allow them to touch it. If they are older allow them to place the ice cube in their mouth to feel what cold is.