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Holidays & Traditions

Second graders learn what holidays and traditions are — special days and customs that families and communities celebrate — and how learning about many different celebrations helps us understand and respect one another.

Grade 2Culture35 minutes1 class periodC3 InquiryExplicit teaching4 StandardsC3
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain what a holiday is.
  • ✓Explain what a tradition is.
  • ✓Name some holidays.
  • ✓Respect different celebrations.
Essential Question

Every family has special days they celebrate and special ways of doing things. What are holidays and traditions — and why do people all over the world have so many different ones?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

The Holidays & Traditions Explorer

Project this and tap each idea. Have children learn about holidays, traditions, and how people celebrate around the world.

🎉 Explore holidays & traditions — tap eachTry it

The Lesson · C3 Inquiry Arc (Question · Investigate · Evaluate Evidence · Communicate · Take Action)

35 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Question — Special Days

5 min

Every family has special days and special ways of doing things — what are they?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Ask about a holiday they know.
  • Ask what makes it special.
  • Get ready.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Share it.
  • Get ready.
2

Investigate — Explore Celebrations

9 min

Children investigate.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send children to the Holidays & Traditions Explorer.
  • Note holidays.
  • Note traditions.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tap each.
  • Note holidays.
  • Note traditions.
3

Evaluate Evidence — Holidays & Traditions

9 min

Children explain.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Explain what a holiday is.
  • Explain what a tradition is.
  • Name some holidays.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Explain holidays.
  • Explain traditions.
  • Name some.
4

Communicate — Around the World

8 min

Children share.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Share a family tradition.
  • Explain a holiday.
  • Respect differences.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Share it.
  • Explain it.
  • Be respectful.
5

Take Action — Take Action

4 min

Children conclude.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a holiday or tradition.
  • Say why it’s special.
  • Draw it.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name it.
  • Say why.
  • Draw it.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards (Grade 2 / Neighborhoods).

C3
D2.His.2.K-2

Compare traditions and celebrations over time.

C3
D2.Civ.6.K-2

Describe how cultures share holidays and traditions.

C3
D2.His.3.K-2

Generate questions about celebrations.

C3
D4.6.K-2

Take informed action in the community.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Celebrate students’ own holidays.
  • Sentence frame: “My family celebrates ___.”
  • Use holiday pictures.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with a familiar holiday.
  • Use pictures.
  • Focus on one tradition.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Compare holidays around the world.
  • Share a family recipe.
  • Make a class holiday calendar.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🎉Holiday pictures
  • 💻The Holidays & Traditions Explorer
  • 🖍️Crayons
  • 🗓️A class calendar
  • 🎫Sticker charts
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

holidaya special day of celebrationtraditiona special custom passed downcelebrateto do something special for an eventculturea group’s way of lifecustoma usual way of doing somethingfamilythe people you live with and lovecommunitythe people of a placerespecttreating others and their ways well
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is a holiday?
A special day when we celebrate something important.
QUESTION 2
What is a tradition?
A special way of doing something, passed down in a family or community.
QUESTION 3
Why is it good to learn about others’ holidays?
It helps us understand and respect one another.

Growing at home? Share a tradition.

Have children share one holiday or tradition their family celebrates and tell the class why it is special. A printable holidays sheet is in the Social Studies library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Holidays & TraditionsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Holidays & TraditionsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Holidays & TraditionsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: celebrate, community, culture, custom, family, holiday, respect, tradition
  1. a group’s way of life
  2. a usual way of doing something
  3. to do something special for an event
  4. a special day of celebration
  5. a special custom passed down
  6. treating others and their ways well
  7. the people you live with and love
  8. the people of a place

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is a holiday?
  2. What is a tradition?
  3. Why is it good to learn about others’ holidays?
Answer key — Part A: 1) culture · 2) custom · 3) celebrate · 4) holiday · 5) tradition · 6) respect · 7) family · 8) community
Part B: 1) A special day when we celebrate something important. 2) A special way of doing something, passed down in a family or community. 3) It helps us understand and respect one another.