Exploring Holiday Traditions Through Products

December is filled with twinkling lights, cozy gatherings, and traditions passed down through generations. It’s a magical time to help students learn why we celebrate the season the way we do — from decorated trees to bustling markets and festive foods.

This month, I’m spotlighting two of my newest fact booklets that explore where these traditions began — and how they’ve evolved. Along with these, I’ve paired a few meaningful read-aloud books and simple hands-on activities you can do at home or in the classroom to make learning both joyful and memorable.

So grab a warm drink, your favorite picture book, and let’s dive into some Christmas traditions together. 

The History of the Christmas Tree

Christmas trees are one of the most recognizable symbols of the holiday season — but their story goes back much farther than many realize. With roots in ancient winter celebrations, evergreen trees have long represented hope, life, and the return of sunshine after the darkest days of winter.

This booklet helps students explore how different cultures shaped the tradition over time — from candles and apples, to ornaments and lights — making it the perfect learning companion for December.

Christmas Market Fact Booklet

Christmas markets are full of music, treats, handmade gifts, and colorful stalls — and they play an important role in winter culture, especially in Europe. These markets began as places where people gathered to prepare for the long, cold months ahead. Over time, they became places of celebration, community, and tradition.

With this booklet, children learn about foods, decorations, crafts, and customs — while also developing an appreciation for history, geography, and global holiday celebrations.

Looking to extend learning even further? These picture books beautifully support the history-and-tradition focus and make great read-alouds during December.



The Legend of the Christmas Tree by Rick Osborne -

This story offers a meaningful look at the symbolism behind evergreen trees and how they became connected to Christmas. It supports discussion around meaning and tradition rather than just decoration.

Walk This World at Christmastime by Debbie Powell -

Travel the globe without leaving your classroom! This book introduces how different countries celebrate the season with music, food, festivals, and traditions — perfect for comparing and connecting cultures.

Pick a Pine Tree by Patricia Toht -

A fun and engaging read-aloud that takes students through the excitement of choosing, decorating, and celebrating around a Christmas tree — building emotional connection and anticipation.



 The Nutcracker  (child-friendly retelling) - 

This classic and beautifully illustrated story highlights European traditions, storytelling, and holiday performances — connecting directly to what might be seen in holiday markets.



 The Little Christmas Tree by Jessica Courtney-Tickle -

A gentle and poetic tale about belonging, growth, and holiday joy — a lovely emotional connection to the tree tradition.

Hands-On Activities to Bring the Learning to Life

Here are some simple, meaningful activities you can pair with the books or use alongside the fact booklets:

Mini Christmas Market Craft - Students create tiny paper or cardboard market stalls, choosing what they sell — ornaments, food, or handmade items. This connects to economics, culture, and creativity.

STEM Evergreen Challenge - Set up a challenge: Can you build a tree that stands tall and holds ornaments? Use materials like sticks, dough, paper cones, blocks, or modeling clay. This activity encourages engineering and problem-solving.

Ornament Heritage Project - Invite students to decorate a paper ornament representing a tradition from home — or research one from another country. This activity supports geography, cultural identity, and SEL.

Market Senses Exploration - Use scent jars (pine, cinnamon, orange, peppermint) or optional taste tests (gingerbread or peppermint candy). This builds science connections and descriptive writing.

Real vs. Artificial Tree Inquiry Lab - Compare texture, smell, needles, weight, and durability — then chart findings. This integrates observation skills and classification.

December is more than decorations — it’s a time rich with meaning, culture, and community. By sharing stories, exploring traditions, and offering hands-on learning experiences, we help children appreciate history while also building understanding, curiosity, and connection.

Whether you’re teaching in a classroom or reading together at home, these books and activities are a wonderful way to celebrate the season with purpose, joy, and wonder.

Wishing you a warm and meaningful December full of reading moments worth remembering! 

This resources may be found in my store:  

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/thebeezyteacher

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month in the Classroom

Each November, we celebrate Native American Heritage Month — a time to honor the rich traditions, history, and contributions of Indigenous peoples across North America. This special month is not only about remembering the past but also about recognizing the vibrant cultures that continue to shape our world today.

For young learners, this is a wonderful opportunity to explore the creativity, wisdom, and resourcefulness of Native American communities through stories, art, music, and hands-on learning. 

Native American Heritage Month began as a way to acknowledge the first peoples of this land — their deep connection to nature, community, and storytelling. By teaching students about Indigenous cultures in a respectful, age-appropriate way, we help them understand the importance of diversity, gratitude, and caring for the Earth.

Here are four of my favorite products to help your students learn about Native American heritage through art, research, creativity, and project-based exploration:

1. Native American Totem Pole Activity (Freebie!)

Introduce students to the artistic symbolism of Native American totem poles — tall, colorful carvings that tell stories and honor family history. Students can learn how each animal or symbol has a special meaning, then create their own paper totem design to represent qualities they value most. 

2. Native American Project-Based Learning Unit

Bring history to life with this hands-on project-based learning unit! Designed for young learners, it includes everything from pattern block teepees, rug weaving, and drumbeat syllable games to digital projects like QR codes, Chatterpix, and Voki.Students can explore facts, compare Native American life to their own using Venn diagrams, and even complete crafts like dream catchers, wigwams, and paper families. It’s a comprehensive and creative way to celebrate culture through learning and fun!

3. Indigenous Americans Fact Booklet

Perfect for independent or guided reading, this fact booklet introduces students to the daily lives, traditions, and contributions of Indigenous Americans. The set includes research forms, note-taking sheets, and crafts, making it a great foundation for cultural exploration or history units.Students can read, record facts, and create projects to display what they’ve learned — all while developing reading comprehension and research skills. 

4. How to Draw Early American Life

Art meets history with this engaging directed drawing set! Students will follow step-by-step directions to draw corn, shelters, feathers, canoes, and more while writing about how these tools and symbols were used long ago.It’s a perfect blend of creativity and education — building fine motor skills, focus, and confidence while helping students visualize early American life. 

5 Fun Classroom Activities for Native American Heritage Month

-Make Mini Totems: Have students create paper totems with animals that represent their strengths (e.g., bear for courage, owl for wisdom).

-Nature Walk & Gratitude Writing: Take a short walk outside and write about what they notice and appreciate — a simple connection to Indigenous respect for the Earth. 

-Story Circle: Read a Native American folktale and let students retell it through drawings or puppet play.

-Weaving Craft: Use paper strips or yarn to make small woven mats or “rugs,” discussing patience and craftsmanship.

-Create a Classroom Museum: Display all student projects — totems, crafts, and drawings — and invite them to explain what they learned about early life and culture.

5 Great Books to Read About Native American Heritage

-Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard - A warm, rhythmic story celebrating family, tradition, and food.

-We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom - A beautifully illustrated book about protecting the Earth, inspired by Indigenous-led movements. 

-When We Were Alone by David A. Robertson - A gentle, moving story about family, resilience, and the importance of culture.

-The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie dePaolaA retelling of a Native legend that celebrates creativity and storytelling.

-Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith - A joyful story about tradition, dance, and community, perfect for early elementary students.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month in the classroom helps young learners appreciate the beauty of different cultures while building respect for history, community, and creativity. From storytelling to art and exploration, these activities encourage curiosity, kindness, and understanding — the heart of meaningful learning. 

Your students will love diving into this month’s lessons with the Native American Totem Pole Freebie, Project-Based Learning Unit, Indigenous Americans Fact Booklet, and How to Draw Early American Life resources — each designed to make cultural learning engaging, thoughtful, and age-appropriate. 

These resources may be found in my store:  

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/thebeezyteacher

Stitching Together Kindness: Celebrating World Kindness Day in the Classroom

World Kindness Day is celebrated every year on November 13, and it’s the perfect opportunity to remind students that small acts of kindness can make a big difference.  From sharing a smile to helping a friend, kindness connects us all — like the pieces of a quilt coming together to create something beautiful.

Your students will love expressing what kindness means to them with my Quilt of Kindness activity! Based on the heartwarming story The Kindness Quilt by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, this project invites students to draw or write about ways they can show kindness on their own quilt square. Once completed, the squares can be combined into a colorful classroom quilt — a beautiful reminder that kindness is something we build together! 

This resource includes additional quilt activities and a quilt craft perfect for classroom displays, bulletin boards, or hallway art galleries. It’s a wonderful way to blend art, writing, and character education into one meaningful lesson!

5 Fun Kindness Activities for the Classroom

 Kindness Chain: Have students write one kind act on each strip of paper, then connect them to form a kindness chain that grows all week.

 Kindness Rocks: Paint rocks with positive messages like “Be kind,” “You matter,” or “Share a smile” and place them around the school.

 Helping Hands Mural: Trace students’ hands and write ways they can help others inside each one — then assemble into a classroom “tree of kindness.”

 Kindness Mailbox: Encourage students to write short notes of appreciation or encouragement to classmates.

 Kindness in Action Chart: Track small daily acts of kindness with stickers or checkmarks — and celebrate the class’s progress at the end of the week!

5 Wonderful Books About Kindness include:

The Kindness Quilt by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace – A perfect companion to your activity; it shows how small acts of kindness can inspire others.

Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud – A timeless favorite that teaches kids how kindness “fills” others’ invisible buckets.

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson – A touching story about compassion, empathy, and the ripple effect of our actions.

Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller – A simple, heartfelt story showing that kindness can come in many forms, big and small.

Kindness is My Superpower by Alicia Ortego – A bright, engaging book that helps kids see kindness as a strength they can use every day.

Kindness Matters so much! Kindness builds more than character — it builds community. When children see their acts of kindness displayed together in a classroom quilt, they learn that their choices and words help create a safe, caring, and connected space.

Celebrate World Kindness Day by giving your students the chance to illustrate empathy, teamwork, and compassion through your Quilt of Kindness resource.  Together, their little pieces of kindness can create something truly beautiful. 

Product may be found in my store:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/thebeezyteacher

Celebrating World Freedom Day

World Freedom Day is celebrated each year on November 9 — a day that marks one of the most important moments in modern history: the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The Berlin Wall once divided families and friends in Germany, separating the city of Berlin into East and West for nearly three decades. When the wall finally came down, people celebrated with tears, hugs, and hope. It became a powerful symbol of freedom, unity, and peace — a reminder that when people work together, walls can come down in more ways than one. 

World Freedom Day reminds us that freedom is more than a word — it’s a shared value that connects people across the world. For teachers, it’s a meaningful opportunity to introduce students to the idea of peace, fairness, and human connection. Even young learners can begin to understand that freedom means kindness, respect, and the right to be together and share ideas.

To celebrate World Freedom Day, you can help your students learn more about Germany — its people, traditions, and history — through fun, hands-on learning. Here are three resources to make that journey come alive:

Germany Fact Booklet

Your students will love discovering Germany through this fun, age-appropriate fact booklet! From fairy tale castles and soccer (football) to the smell of fresh pretzels, children can explore the culture and landmarks of this beautiful country. Perfect for independent reading, small group work, or centers, this resource helps students learn about Europe, geography, and world cultures while developing research and comprehension skills. 

German Cultural Centers and Activities

Turn your classroom into a mini trip to Germany! Students can decorate a luggage case, fill it with stamps, stickers, and maps, and complete creative projects like designing a German T-shirt or postcard. They’ll also love participating in write-the-room and count-the-room activities, learning key vocabulary along the way. A perfect resource for a cultural fair or “Around the World” unit, this pack builds excitement and global awareness through play and creativity. 

How to Draw Germany – Directed Drawing

Spark creativity with a directed drawing experience! Students will follow step-by-step directions to draw famous German landmarks and symbols such as the Brandenburg Gate, Alps, castles, flags, and apple strudel. Each drawing comes with three levels of writing prompts, making it easy to adapt for different learners. This activity builds listening, fine motor, and following directions skills while giving kids a wonderful sense of pride in their artwork. 

5 Fun Activities for World Freedom Day or a Germany Unit

Create a Classroom “Wall of Unity – Have students write ways they can bring people together on paper bricks, then “tear down the wall” to show that kindness connects us all.

Passport to Freedom – Give each child a paper passport and “stamp” it as they visit different German-themed stations or centers.

Pretzel Counting and Pattern Activity – Use pretzel shapes for counting, sorting, or pattern-making — a fun math tie-in! 

German Castle Craft – Let students design their own fairy tale castles using cardboard or construction paper.

Freedom Lanterns – Create colorful paper lanterns decorated with words like peace, hope, and unity to symbolize light overcoming division

5 Wonderful Children’s Books to Pair with Your Lesson

1. The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sís - A moving picture book that helps children understand what life was like before the Berlin Wall came down.

2. Hansel and Gretel by Rachel Isadora - A classic German fairy tale retold with beautiful illustrations — great for discussing folklore and storytelling.

3. Learn about Germany by Meontrip – A fun read for kids on the population, weather, flag, and much more about Germany.

4. Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming - Based on a true story about kindness and friendship between American and Dutch children after World War II — perfect for discussions on generosity and connection.

5. The Book of Gold by Bob Staake - A beautifully illustrated story about curiosity, discovery, and the power of learning — tying in the value of freedom through knowledge.

World Freedom Day is a beautiful reminder that walls can fall and bridges can be built — both in history and in our hearts. By teaching children about Germany’s journey and celebrating global cultures, we inspire empathy, understanding, and appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy today.

Your students will love exploring, drawing, and creating with your Germany Fact Booklet, German Cultural Centers and Activities, and How to Draw Germany resources — the perfect trio for a meaningful celebration of World Freedom Day! 

All resources may be found in my TPT store:

 https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/thebeezyteacher