CONFERENCE/WORKSHOP CALENDAR

Greetings!  I am Cindy Kuhrasch, a continuing editor for the interdisciplinary page.  I have taught K-12 schools in Wisconsin as well as several universities.  Presently, I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.   Please feel free to offer suggestions for future interdisciplinary content. This interdisciplinary section will focus on holidays. December Holiday Scavenger Hunt Visit the following holiday websites and answer the questions or follow the instructions that follow. Good luck! Website #1: www.12days.com Read Bobby's Christmas Story and answer the following questions: What did Santa dress up as to test Bobby? What did the children at the orphanage want more than anything? Visit the holiday crafts page and look at the snowman project. What are the snowballs made of? Website #2: www.ort.org During Hanukkah, candles are lit for how many days? Hanukkah is the Hebrew term for what? What does Hanukkah commemorate? Website #3: www.globalindex.com When is Kwanzaa celebrated? What does the word "Kwanzaa" mean? What does green stand for? Website #4: www.claus.com Visit the Elf School and play a game to earn your Elf School Diploma. Print out for credit. What is the secret elf greeting? Website #5: www.holidays.net What is Santa Claus called in Holland? Does the Holland Santa Claus use a sleigh? In Scandinavia, who brings the Christmas gifts to children? Who is La Befana? Website #6: www.fernlea.com At what temperature are poinsettias put in danger of dying? Where are poinsettias originally from? Website #7: Christmas/xmas.htm Answer the following Christmas jokes/riddles: Who sings "Love Me Tender" and makes Christmas toys? How does Santa take pictures? What is the difference between the Christmas alphabet and the normal alphabet? Under the games section, take the elf test. If you pass, print the certificate at the end. Good luck! Website #8: www.soon.org.uk What is Christmas called in France? What is a German Adventskranz? In Portugal, people pretend that Father Christmas brings gifts and leaves them either under the tree or where? Website #9: candycane.html What does a candy cane represent? What do the lights on a Christmas tree represent? What do the berries on a holly leaf represent? Website #10: colorpages.html Print a Christmas color sheet of your choice! Cindy Kuhrasch Interdisciplinary Section Editor

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Christmas Tree Scramble Grades: K-6 Equipment: Tennis balls, one with a Christmas tree on it. Objectives: Fitness, cooperation Divide the class into two equal teams, and have each team begin with their backs against one wall of the gym. Throw lots of tennis balls all around the playing area. On the teacher's signal, players from both teams run to try to find the Christmas tree ball. As soon as someone finds the ball, their team is awarded one point, and the game begins again. During the game, balls may be picked up, but not thrown.  Create a Family  Grades: 2-6  Equipment: Index cards. Objectives: Cooperation Family, health. As students enter the playing area, they are each given an index card with the name of a family member on it. For example; Mother, Father, Grandmother, Sister, etc. They are told to keep the name to themselves. Students are then told to spread themselves out around the playing area. On "Go " they are to get together with other people to form a family. As soon as they think they have all the members that they need, they are to sit down. Discuss the resulting combinations, and make sure to talk about how different families might be, but how they can all be fine as long as all the members love each other.

Name/Title: Grinch Stole Christmas

Purpose of Event: To give students the opportunity to work on locomotor movements while chasing and fleeing in a fun holiday situation. Prerequisites: The ability to move safely through general space (avoiding others) and knowledge of locomotor movements. Suggested Grade Level: 4-5 Materials Needed: Cones to mark off two semi-circular areas and a large rectangular playing area with marked boundaries. Description of Idea Mark off two semi-circular areas with 6-8 cones on either sideline about 2/3 of the way down the playing area. It is best if these semi-circular areas are not directly across from each other, but more at an angle. Divide your class into groups with about 5-8 students in each group. Give each group a different holiday name (e.g., reindeer names, candy canes, elves, snowmen, etc.) Have all students line up at one end of the playing area. Pick one person to be the "Grinch" and two to be "Santa and Mrs. Claus". The "Clauses" go to the "North Pole" and the "Grinch" goes to his "cave" (the coned-off semi-circles). To start the game the teacher calls out a holiday name (e.g., Candy Canes). All of the children with that name move (you tell them what locomotor movement you want them to use--it is best to start with walking--running can be very dangerous) to the other end of the playing area and back home. If the "Grinch" tags them with his/her hand, they have to go to his "cave". While the "Grinch" is out capturing people, the "Clauses" run over to the "Grinch cave" to release them to safety. If the "Grinch" gets 10 or more people in his "cave" OR tags either of the "Clauses", that stops the game and a new one can be started. If you have gone a complete round calling out all of the holiday names, start a new game choosing new people. Feel free to stop the game at any time as well and start a new one. Teaching Suggestions: Have the students walk, hop, jump, etc. as opposed to running. The results will be much better and the game is safer. The "Grinch" gets an extra workout he/she may need to be changed out sooner. Don't let students taunt the Grinch. Stop the game periodically to talk about how well the students are working together or chasing and fleeing. Give them tips about how it can be done better. Play the game in time limits. At the end of the time limit switch to new people. Assessment Ideas: Observe students' ability to change pathways, so as to avoid getting tagged. Observe the teamwork used by ALL students against the "Grinch".

Artsedge

Holiday Roots includes many ideas and information for you to use in the creation of movement activities that relate the the origins of holidays from a variety of countries.

Interdisciplinary Web-Sites

PE Central Holiday Lesson Ideas This website provides a variety of lesson ideas to use in teaching about the holidays.

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