Christmas In Italy- "Holidays Around the World"

In first grade we love to do a “Holidays Around the World Unit” around Christmas time. Towards the end of the unit we have our first graders “travel” to each of the classrooms and the teachers each do a different country. I usually do Italy every year. Here is a great smartboard lesson you can do for teaching some of the holiday traditions of Italy. It goes along with the story “The Legend of Old Befana.” It also discusses some of Italy's special traditions such as the Nativity Scene, Ceppo "Tree of Light, and the Urn of Fate. There is also a little broom stick craft that I make to go along with it using a popsicle stick and a little broom pattern made from cardstock. Students also color a picture of La Befana and take home a retelling of the legend. Buon Natale! (Merry Christmas)