Celebrations of Light: Divali, Christmas, Solstice, Hanukkah, & Kwanzaa (8-12)

Sometimes the darkness in this world is reflected by literal darkness. As the year becomes darker, many people grow darker inside. It is easy to feel darker inside during the dark time of the year, so for thousands of years people have gathered together to celebrate light at this time of year.

Students will learn through storytelling and visualization as Iris Imaginoria lights candles and briefly explains the following holidays:
1: Yule Log for the Winter Solstice as it is honored through science and paganism (ancient and neopaganism)
2: Advent Wreath for Christmas (Christianity, both Catholic and Protestant
3: Hanukkiah Menorah for Hannukah (Judaism)
4: Divali Lamp for Hinduism
5): Kinara for Kwanzaa (African American culture)
Please note: there are different spellings for many of these holidays)

In each section she will ask students a bit about their experience with the holidays and she will show a few creative ways to honor the holidays. 

At the end the class will play a kahoot game to review the information. 

We will close with a song guiding the students to fill themselves with light and then send their light into the world. It is a bit of positive inspiration to help get them through the final part of the year and into the new year.