Can You Guess the Holiday? and “Have You Ever” Lesson Plan with free downloadable Power Points
Can You Guess the Holiday?
Grade Level: Middle School (6th-8th grade)
Objective:
- Students will develop critical thinking and deductive reasoning skills by playing a holiday-themed guessing game.
- Students will practice asking and answering questions about holidays, traditions, and personal experiences.
Materials:
- PowerPoint presentation (downloadable)
- Projector and screen
- Whiteboard and markers
- Holiday-themed images (e.g., symbols, decorations, or scenes)
- Handout with questions for the “Have You Ever” activity
- Internet access for downloading the PowerPoint
Duration: 60 minutes
Lesson Plan Can You Guess the Holiday?
Introduction (10 minutes):
- Begin the lesson by showing a few holiday-themed images on the screen (e.g., a pumpkin, fireworks, a Christmas tree, etc.) and ask the students if they can identify which holiday each image represents.
- Discuss the concept of holidays, traditions, and celebrations. Explain that the lesson will include a guessing game and a discussion about their personal holiday experiences.
Activity 1: “Can You Guess the Holiday?” (20 minutes):
Introduce the “Can You Guess the Holiday?” PowerPoint game. The game will consist of images representing various holidays, and students must guess the holiday associated with each image.
- Divide the class into small groups (3-4 students per group).
- Share the PowerPoint presentation with the class, displaying each holiday-themed image one by one.
- In each round, allow each group to discuss and guess the holiday. After a set amount of time (e.g., 30 seconds), ask each group to share their answer.
- Award points to each group for correct answers, and keep track of the scores on the whiteboard.
- Engage the class in discussions about the significance and traditions associated with each holiday after revealing the answers.
Activity 2: “Have You Ever” (20 minutes):
Transition to the “Have You Ever” activity. Provide each student with a handout containing questions related to holiday experiences (e.g., “Have you ever celebrated a holiday in a different country?” or “Have you ever tried a food specific to a holiday?”).
Instruct students to work individually or in pairs to answer the questions on the handout.
After students have had time to complete the handout, lead a class discussion where students share their responses and holiday experiences. Encourage students to ask follow-up questions to their peers to promote dialogue.
Conclusion (5 minutes):
Summarize the key points of the lesson, emphasizing the importance of learning about and respecting different holiday traditions.
Provide a link for students to download the PowerPoint presentation for further review and practice.
Homework:
Assign students to research and present a brief report on a holiday celebrated in a different country. This can be done in the form of a short presentation in the next class.
Assessment:
Assess students based on their active participation in the “Can You Guess the Holiday” game and the quality of their responses in the “Have You Ever” activity.
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Power Point: Can You Guess the Holiday?
