Once upon a time, there was a teacher who wished and wished for a book of really great seasonal clip art. "O," said the teacher, "if I had such a book, I could make door decorations, bulletin boards, window displays, hangers, headings and more!" And do you know what? The teacher was holding that very book in her hands!

Every year we celebrate a cycle of seasonal holidays. The ancient Greeks called this cycle “The Dance of the Horae,” after the mythical divinities who represented the seasons. What myths sit at the foundation of our own holiday celebrations? This interdisciplinary book explores the myths and symbols that underlie our major seasonal holidays and give them their meaning. Arthur George also shows how America’s own mythmaking has shaped some holidays. This mythological approach reveals how and why holidays arose in the first place, how and why they have changed over the centuries, why they have remained important, and finally how we can celebrate them today in a more meaningful manner that can enrich our lives and better our society. George devotes particular attention to the depth psychological aspects of holidays and their corresponding myths, as well as to the insights of modern biblical scholarship for key holidays such as Easter and Christmas.

“Neil Pasricha is a gift. This book would make even the grinchiest Grinch love the holidays again.”—A. J. Jacobs There’s nothing like the holidays. They bring out the best, and sometimes the worst, in everyone. Luckily, Neil Pasricha is here to remind us that not only are the holidays great, but there’s actually even more to celebrate than we realize. From Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, to other holidays throughout the year, such as Mother’s Day and Thanksgiving, The Book of (Holiday) Awesome will show you why holidays are...AWESOME. • Making the first footprint in fresh snow • When the in-laws leave • Waking up and realizing it’s Christmas • Just barely wrapping a gift with that tiny scrap of leftover wrapping paper • When they finally stop playing Christmas songs on the radio • Knowing “Kwanzaa” is worth more Scrabble points than “Hanukkah” or “Christmas”

Poetry is valuable for stimulating the young child’s brain growth. Combine poetry with fun movements and you have an effective way to actively involve children in exploring celebrations of all cultures around the world. What fun your children will have as they pretend to play musical instruments, steer a ship, look through a telescope, plant a tree, be a groundhog, fly on a broomstick, spin a dreidel, or march in a band. You can add any of the suggested small props (ribbons, small bells, maracas, miniature flags, and party hats) to the rhymes to help build large motor skills and increase the fun factor even more! Included is a CD (print books) or MP3 files (eBooks) with the various rhymes being sung that provide appropriate background music for use for singing the rhymes and/or performing the movements.

The purpose of the "December" unit is to assist elementary school teachers in teaching a multicultural unit emphasizing December holidays: Kwanzaa, Hanukkah (Chanukah), and Christmas around world. Included are poems, worksheets, recipes, and art ideas. Enclosed is a child's book highlighting the December holidays that can be reproduced so the child can take it home and share it with his or her family. By studying a variety of countries, the children learn that a considerable number of holiday customs have their origin in the many cultures and ethnic groups that came to America.

A Checklist for Everything! is chock-full of research-based checklists that meet national standards and promise to save you valuable time and energy. Checklists are effective as an assessment and reporting tool, to write a grant proposal, sit on a committee for curriculum change or search for a direct new way to inform parents. You will find exactly what you need in this book.

Celebrate special days and themes August to December with the creative ideas in this 320-page book--bulletin boards, teacher helps, reproducible student activities, resource lists, parents' letters and much, much more! Plus a CD-ROM (print books) or .zip file (eBooks) chock-full of clip art. A valuable resource to keep close at all times!

Celebrate special days and themes with the creative ideas in this 320-page book--bulletin boards, reproducible student activities, resource lists, parents’ letters and much, much more! Features a CD-ROM (print books) or .zip file (eBooks) chock-full of color and black & white clip art images. A valuable resource to keep close at all times!

Bring the world a little closer with these multicultural books. An excellent way for students to appreciate and learn cultural diversity in an exciting hands-on format. Each book explores the history, language, holidays, festivals, customs, legends, foods, creative arts, lifestyles, and games of the title country. A creative alternative to student research reports and a time-saver for teachers since the activities and resource material are contained in one book.