12 Days Countdown… Day 4: TRADITION
JOYcabulary is counting down the days to the holiday break with our 12 Days Countdown. This series of 12 posts are like a vocabulary advent calendar to keep word learning going during the hectic holiday season.
Happy Winter Solstice! Today may be the shortest day, but it may feel never ending as you try to complete various tasks for the holidays. The entire month of December brims with tradition. Tradition is defined as "handing down of a culture's beliefs and customs from parents to children over many years.” It's important for children to be aware of other holidays celebrated this time of year and not just their own. We believe everyone should have opportunities to see characters through windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors.
Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Glass Doors
Mirrors: Reflect your own culture and help you build your identity. Gives you a sense of belonging. Builds a positive social identity. Increases pride, confidence, and a healthy self-esteem.
Windows: Offer you a view into someone else’s experience. Gives you a range of possibilities (diversity) and helps you develop understanding about the wider world. Builds empathy.
Sliding Glass Doors: Allow the reader to walk into the story and become part of that world. The goal is to encourage reflection and action. The focus is on a change in perspective.
Check out some of our book suggestions celebrating traditions from across the globe:
Reena and the Diwali Star by Ushma Multani.
Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto. This book pairs well with the video below about making tamales:
Gracie's Night: A Hanukkah Story by Lynn Taylor Gordon
Latkes and Applesauce: A Hanukkah Story by Fran Manushkin
Light the Lights!: A Story About Celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas by Margaret Moorman
