December, 2007 -

Kwanzaa - December 26-January 1
(Tune: “Go Tell It On the Mountain”)

Chorus:
Kwanzaa is coming                     (Clap hands.)
We’ll celebrate with gifts and lights.
Kwanzaa is coming
For seven days and nights.

We’ll unite and come together       (Hold hands as a class.)
With people everywhere.
We’ll work and help each other
To show how much we care.
Chorus

We’ll celebrate the harvest         (Pretend to pick fruit and
And all the earth’s first fruits.      put it in a basket.)
Black, red, and green
Are colors that we’ll choose.
Chorus

Kwanzaa Friendship Salad - Ask each family to send in a fruit. Let the children prepare the fruits in bite size pieces. Put all the fruit in a large bowl and stir to mix. Serve each child a portion in a cup. What would happen if we each just ate the fruit that we brought? Would it taste as good? How is our classroom like fruit salad?

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Friendship Chain - Give each child a strip of construction paper 9” x 2”. Have them write their name on their strip and decorate with designs. Ask children to sit in a circle. One at a time staple their strips together to make a chain. What happens when one strip of paper breaks? (Gently pull the staple on one to demonstrate this.) How is our classroom like the friendship chain?

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Cymbals - Give each child 2 paper plates to decorate with markers or crayons. Encourage them to use the Kwanzaa colors. Let the children keep the beat of the music with these as you sing the song.

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