End-of-term activities for primary school teachers

Storyworld 'Home wasn't built in a day'

1. Celebrate Hanukkah in LA

Step inside the home of Mackie, who lives in LA with her family, and learn how they are enjoying Hanukkah celebrations. Find out about the traditions associated with this special time of year and how food, games, gift-giving and the lighting of the Menorah are important parts of a Hanukkah celebration.

Hanukkah in LA is a brand new Lyfta storyworld set in Los Angeles, California.

Find out why every year during Hanukkah and the festive season, thousands of Jewish people across America eat Chinese food. A tradition that began over 100 years ago in New York City.

2. Take a trip to theatre

Take your children on a virtual trip to the theatre this Christmas, without the cost of coach hire and tickets! Visit the Finnish Opera House and explore the main stage, the backstage area, the orchestra pit, the workshops and the dance studios.

Secrets of the Opera is a series of eight storyworlds that share stories from the Finnish Opera and Ballet.

By exploring interactive 360° spaces, children can visit different parts of the theatre and meet the extraordinary people who work there. This is an excellent way for children to feel the excitement of a theatre trip without leaving the classroom.

3. Don't make a waste of Christmas

Asalif creating in storyworld Ethiopian Treasures

Asalif working on his 'flying machine' in storyworld 'Ethiopian Treasures'

We all love the festive season, but this year, ask children to pause and think about how much extra waste is produced at this time; decorations, wrapping paper,crackers and wasted food. Ask them to think of ways that they can reduce their waste.

What could they do with any wrapping paper, cracker toys and party items? What changes could they make to generate less waste?

Ethiopian Treasures is a Lyfta storyworld set Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. 10-year-old Asalif is growing up on the very edge of the city in a simple mud hut with his mother. Asalif uses his imagination and technical skills to turn 'trash' into 'treasure' making flying machines and lights from things that others have discarded. This storyworld can be used to explore the theme of creativity and how this can support our mental wellbeing. It includes a lesson on how to design your own torch and another where children will be designing their own electrical wire loop game.

Use this storyworld as inspiration for students to start thinking about things they could create for Christmas.

4. Play Globingo

The Globingo sheet

This is a fun getting-to-know-you game that helps children understand our global connections and interconnectedness. Also known as 'Find someone who' this game is a great way for children to explore some of the ways in which we are connected to people all over the world without even realising it!

For example, children will ask their classmates questions such as 'Who has a relative living in another country?', 'Who can speak two or more languages?' Once they have completed all the questions they can shout 'Globingo!'

Download the Globingo sheet here and get started.

5. Explore faith celebrations and festivals around the world

Hanukkah

Christmas isn't the only celebration taking place this December. Ask students to research and explore the many faith festivals and celebrations around the world.

Hanukkah or Chanukah, the eight-day Jewish holiday begins at nightfall on December 7 and ends at nightfall on December 15.

Ask children to research the different celebrations and find out what happens during the festivities. They could look at Eid and Chinese New Year as well as Christmas.

How do they differ, what is the same?

Get started by reading our blogs about faith celebrations: Christmas, Diwali, Hanukkah and Ramadan.

6. Charity begins at school

The festive season is a time to think about those less well-off than us and it's important to remind students of this. Christmas will be an expensive and difficult time for many families this year.

Ask children to think about how they might be able to help those in need. Perhaps they could do some research into local children's charities.

They could organise a collection and bring in unwanted toys or clothes for donation.

Ask them to think about how the holidays might be for those who are hard up and unable to spend a lot on gifts and food.

Showing compassion for others can have a very positive effect on mental health and it's an important thing for children to learn, especially at this time of year.

Read more in our blogs: Mental Health and Wellbeing and The importance of empathy

6 Christmas around the world

Every country celebrates Christmas differently.

In the UK many children hang stockings but in France, children put out polished shoes in front of the chimney. In Italy, gifts are exchanged on the 6 January, the day of Epiphany and in Germany, the Christmas tree is only usually put up on Christmas eve. In Australia, it's traditional to go to the beach on Christmas day.

Invite children to do some research into different countries and how they each celebrate.

What's the most interesting or strangest tradition the children can find out?

Lyfta users could use the Lyfta globe to select countries and then research how Christmas is celebrated there.

You could also add a bit of maths into the activity and ask children to work out which country wakes up first on Christmas day and which will be celebrating it last.

"Feliz Navidad"

SPANISH

"Merry Christmas"

ENGLISH

"Joyeux Noël"

FRENCH

"聖誕快樂"

MANDARIN

"Buon Natale"

ITALIAN

"メリークリスマス"

JAPANESE

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