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Kwanzaa |
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Poems & Songs
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 Kwanzaa's Here
(Tune: Three Blind Mice)
Red, green, black,
Red, green, black.
Kwanzaa's here,
Kwanzaa's here.
The decorations are quite a sight,
We light a candle every
night,
The holiday is filled with light.
Kwanzaa's here |
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa comes along
Just one time a year
We’re so happy it’s come
Weave a m’keka,
Let’s drink from the kikumbé,
Zawadi for everyone
Celebrate for seven days
Light the Kinara,
Let’s let the holiday shine
Let’s all get the Kwanzaa spirit
And we’ll have a real good time |
Little
Candle
(sung to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot")
Here's a little candle dressed in white,
Wearing a hat of yellow light.
When the night is dark, then you will see
Just how bright this light can be!
Here's a little candle straight and tall,
Shining its light upon us all.
When the night is dark, then you will see
Just how bright this light can be!
Here's a little candle burning bright,
Keeping us safe all through the night.
When the night is dark, then you will see
Just how bright this light can be! |
 Kwanzaa Song
(Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle)
Kwanzaa is a time to light
A glowing candle every night
A time to show
How much we care
A time to think about the past
And values that we want to last.
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Literature
Connections
Balanced
Literacy
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Shared Reading
The Gifts of
Kwanzaa
by Synthia Saint James
Materials Needed:
Symbols of Kwanzaa: straw mat, candle holder (for 7 candles) and seven candles (1 black, 3
red, and 3 green), ears of corn, fruits and vegetables, and unity cup OR make a poster
displaying the items to show students.
Read The Gifts of Kwanzaa by
Synthia Saint James out loud to the class. As you read, you may want to stop and discuss
each of the seven principles in the context of how they play a part in the students' own
personal lives. (For example, in talking about Nia, you could ask, "What are some
goals you have?") Discuss the who, why, what,
where, and how of Kwanzaa as they are covered in the book. (Make sure that students
understand that Kwanzaa is not celebrated in Africa, but draws from its heritage.) |
Guided Reading
Display Kwanzaa items on
a table or have a poster to look at and explain the various symbols and the Swahili words
for each. Have the students repeat the words until it seems they can match the symbols
with the word and meaning. Label each symbol with the Swahili word. If you can acquire
more literature or artifacts about Kwanzaa, you might want to set aside a center or table
to display the symbols along with the additional resources that children can refer to in
their free time for enrichment.
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Independent Reading
Try this Rookie Reader by David F Marx |
Shared Writing
Have students choose three concepts or
symbols that they learned about Kwanzaa. On separate pieces of paper, have them draw a
picture and write a sentence describing the meaning of each concept or symbol. These could
then be made into personal books or a class Kwanzaa book. Gather the students and let them
share their pages as a final summary and review. |
Interactive Writing
The name Kwanzaa means
"first fruits of the harvest". Make a list of fruits and vegetables that
might be harvested at this time.
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Independent Writing
Celebrate creativity with
creative writing stories about Kwanzaa.
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Math
Activities
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Mancala Game
What You NeedCardboard egg carton (dozen
size)
2 Tuna cans; washed, rinsed,
and dry
Craft paints
Paintbrush
48 Marbles, tiny rocks,
beads, beans, etc.
Instructions (see below)
How To Make It
- Paint the egg carton in the color
desired. Let dry.
Paint the tuna cans on the
outside. Let dry. (If you paint the inside, the paint will chip off as you play the game.)
Paint designs on the side of the egg carton
and tuna cans if you wish. Let dry.
Play your game with a friend or family
member.
RULES: Object: 2
players compete against each other to collect as many marbles as they can before one of
the players clears his side of the egg carton of all its marbles.
Setting up the game: Place the egg
carton between the 2 players, lengthwise. The cups closest to you is your side of the
board. The Mancala (tuna can) to your right is yours. Place 4 marbles in each of the cups.
Choose a player to go first.
Playing the game: The first player
picks up all the marbles in one of his cups. The player then starts to the first cup to
the right and starts dropping one marble in each. If he reaches the end of his side, he is
to drop one marble in his Mancala, then continue around to the other side of the board. He
is not, however, to drop a marble in his opponent's Mancala.
If the player places his last marble in his
own Mancala, the player gets to play again. Example: If you start the game, a good play
may be to choose the cup that is located 4th from the right. You would pick up 4 marbles,
dropping one in each cup and ending in your Mancala. This gives you an extra turn.
If the player drops his last marble on his
side of the board in an empty cup, he captures all the marbles in his opponent's bin
directly across from that bin. All captured marbles, plus the capturing marble, gets put
in the player's Mancala.
Players are not allowed to touch marbles in
order to count them. If you touch your marbles, you are to play that cup.
Winning the game: The game ends when
one player runs out of marbles on his side of the egg carton. When the game ends, the
other player gets to take all his stones from his side of the egg carton and place in his
own Mancala. Strategy sets in by determining whether it is wiser to go out, or play
longer, depending on how many stones are in the opposing players cups. |
Kwanzaa Patterning
Dye 3 groups of Mostaciolli noodles red, green, and black with alcohol and food
coloring (you can get black food coloring at craft stores in the cake decorating section).
Let dry. Give each child a piece of yarn with a small piece of masking tape wrapped around
one end. Let each child string the Kwanzaa colored noodles to form patterns.
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Center Ideas
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Kwanzaa Beaded Necklaces
Measure out desired length of fishing line. Make a double knot at one end. String
beads onto the fishing line. Use different colors and make a pattern. For example, put
three red beads, three yellow beads, three blue beads, and then repeat the process. Use
speckled beads. Make your own by dotting paint on solid-colored beads. Tie the necklace
securely around a friend's neck. Make and exchange many strings of beads with friends.
Have a great time celebrating one of America's own holidays!
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Kwanzaa Placemats
Let the children try this version of African cloth dyeing to make placematsfor snack
time. Have them dribble rubber cement in designs on sheets of white construction paper.
Allow the glue to dry for about half an hour. Then have the children brush paint over the
glue. When the paint has dried, let the children peel off the rubber cement to reveal the
designs they created. |
Color Center
Integrate any Kwanzaa book into your lessons about colors by displaying the book at a
table covered with a kente tablecloth. Almost every fabric store or discount store will
carry kente cloth. Kente will give your classroom a splash of bright colors. On your
special "color table" display all sorts of color books, art materials, and more.
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Kwanzaa Flag
To reinforce the colors of Kwanzaa, make a Kwanzaa flag. The children cut red, green, and
black paper. Then they glue the paper onto black paper. When they are finished, they have
created their own Kwanzaa flag. Not only does it reinforce the colors, it also allows them
to use their Kumbaa (creativity). It also develops their fine motor and cutting skills.
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Art
Activities
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Kinara
What You Need:
Red, green and yellow
construction paper.
Glue.
Heavy poster paper.
Tissue or crepe paper - the
color of fire (red, yellow, orange)
What You Do:
Cut the construction paper
into strips - one black, three red and three green. Make the black strip the longest and
make the red and green strips go down in graduated lengths.
Draw or glue a picture of the
seven branch candlestick onto the poster paper. Glue the strips of paper (to represent
candles) on the picture of the candlestick.
Use the tissue and crepe
paper to add the detail of fire burning from the candles
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Kwanzaa Candle Favors
toilet paper rolls 1-per child
black, red and green construction paper
orange or yellow tissue paper
glue/scissors
1. Cover cardboard tube with glue and then any of the colors of contstuction paper.
2. Cut a 10 inch square of tissue paper and place candy, nuts or a small prize in the
middle of the square.
3. Gather the tissue up
around the prize and push the prize down into the tube so that the ends of the tissue
papaer are sticking out like a candle flame. (Tissue paper is the candle flame.)
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African Animal MasksZebra
Masks...
Paint the back sides of paper plates with vertical black stripes. When the paint has
dried, glue on nose and ear shapes. Then glue short strips of tissue paper or crepe paper
around the edges of the plates. (To keep the paint from smearing, glue ears and tissue
paper strips to the unpainted sides of the masks.)
Leopard Masks...
Paint back sides of paper plates yellow. When the paint has dried use black felt-tip
markers or black paint to make spots. Glue on nose and ear shapes and add tissue paper
strips.
Elephant Masks...
Paint the back sides of paper plates gray. Glue on trunks, ears and tissue paper
strips.
When the children have finished, display their masks on a wall or bulletin board or attach
tongue depressors for handles and let the children use them for dramatic play. |
Kwanzaa Quilt
You could create a class quilt
using African fabrics. Each child could decorate their piece at home with their
family including items(pictures or words) that have special meaning to them. Bind(or
sew) the quilt to hang in the classroom |
More Ideas
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Fried Bananas
Materials:
6 med to large bananas;
plastic knives;
lemon juice;
brown sugar;
cinnamon;
butter;
frying pan;
spatula;
paper towels
Ask the children to peel the bananas and cut into 1/2" slices (you may want to do the
cuting). Place banana slice on a plate and sprinkle a little lemon juice, brown sugar and
cinnamon onto the slices. Put butter in the frying pan
over med heat. Place a layer of
slices in the frying pan. Fry both sides of the slices until golden. Drain on paper towels
and serve.
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Chocolate Heaven
You may also want to serve snack with hot chocolate. Tell the students that cocoa and
chocolate are made from the beans of cacao trees, which are found in the troplical rain
forests of Africa. Ask students to name some different kinds of chocolate and ways it is
used.
Old-fashioned hot chocolate
Mix together 1/3 cup of
cocoa, 1 cup sugar and 3 quarts of milk in a saucepan over medium heat
(serves approx 15 students)
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Kwanzaa Facts
Kwanzaa is an
African-American holiday that celebrates the harvest and teaches principles that go far
beyond ethnic boundaries. An African-American holiday of Kwanzaa is a holiday in
which people celebrate their African heritage. (Dec 26 - Jan1) The holiday is based on
traditional "first fruits" or harvest.
* Share experiences of children who have celebrated Kwanzaa.
* Talk about these Kwanzaa facts:
- Kwanzaa was created in 1966 in the U.S. by Maulana Karenga, a professor. The name
Kwanzaa, which means "first fruits of the harvest," comes from the African
language of Swahili. Many of the new words you will here associated with Kwanzaa are
Swahili words. - During Kwanzaa seven candles are placed in a kinara (kee-nar-rah), which
is a wooden candle holder. For each day of Kwanzaa, one candle is lighted to celebrate a
special principle. These principles come from beliefs held by families in many parts of
Africa.
- The seven principles of Kwanzaa are: unity, self-determination, responsibility,
cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.
- On each of the seven days, families will participate in an activity which
symbolizes that day's principle. For example, on the sixth day of Kwanzaa people make up
dances to perform for family and friends, showing creativity.
- Kwanzaa gifts, called zawadi (zah-wah-dee), are made by hand. Gifts symbolizing African ancestry. Some examples are: fabric dolls with
black-button eyes, homemade storybooks with African folk tales, and necklaces strung with
specked beads. These zawadi are made and given by adults and children alike on Kwanzaa. |
Benne Cakes
from The Story of Kwanzaa
by Donna L. Washington, illustrated by Stephen Taylor
Benne cakes are a food from West Africa. Benne means sesame seeds. The
sesame seeds are eaten for good luck. This treat is still eaten in some parts of the
American South.
(Warning:
Cookies and baking sheet will get very hot and can burn! Always bake with a grown-up for
help and safety!)
You will need:
oil to grease cookie sheet
1 cup finely packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted sesame seeds
Preheat the oven to 325°.
Lightly oil a cookie sheet. Mix together the brown sugar and butter, and beat until they
are creamy. Stir in the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Add flour, baking powder,
salt, and sesame seeds. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto the cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
Bake for 15 mintues or until the edges are browned. Enjoy! |
Kwanzaa Kabobs
You'll need kabob sticks, bananas, apples, pineapple slices, and oranges. Cut each fruit
into little pieces and place on a plate for each child. Let them put the fruit pieces on
the kabob, however they'd like. You can substitute red and green toothpicks for kabob
sticks. Use a black paper plate to add to the colors of Kwanzaa.
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Unity Cups
One of the Kwanzaa
principles is Unity. Use plastic champagne glasses and paint them with red and green
fabric paint. Now the children have their own unity glass to use at home! |
Kwanzaa Unity Chain
Cut out strips of red,
green, and black paper. The children use chalk to color on the paper. Make a chain with
all the paper. Make sure to write the children's names on a piece of paper to show that we
are united in our friendship. |
Kufi (hat)
Glue red, green &
black strips of paper together so that they all criss-cross in middle (like a star). Use a
black strip of paper as headband (fit to students' heads). Glue ends of each strip of
paper inside headband to make kufi-style hat.
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Kwanzaa DecorationsUse a
small Christmas tree to make a "Kwanzaa bush" for your celebration. Let the
children decorate the bush with chains made from strips of red, green, and black
construction paper. Or cut geometric shapes out of black construction paper and let the
children glue on small pieces of red and green giftwrap to make ornaments for hanging. If
desired, let them sprinkle glitter on their ornaments while the glue is still wet.
VARIATION:
Instead of using a real tree, cut a large Christmas tree shape out of green construction
paper and mount it on a wall or bulletin board. Then attach the children's decorations
with tape or glue. |
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