Units on African-American Culture
Kwanzaa
by Emily Henesler
Day one Lesson one
Title: Kwanzaa Preview
Subjects/Strategies: Reading, Language Arts
Visualization, Brainstorming
Time Required: 45 minutes
Materials: chalk, blackboard space, My First Kwanzaa Book by Deborah M. Newton, a
Kwanzaa portfolio booklet for every student
Objectives: The students will be able to:
write something they like about their holiday on the board.
orally share ideas before, during, and after the reading of the book.
write one paragraph on what they think Kwanzaa is.
Pre-Lesson: The teacher will tell the students to close their eyes. The teacher will say the
following: "Think of a holiday where all of your family gets together and you eat, visit, and
maybe exchange gifts. You wake up on that morning and smell a turkey in the oven, and
fresh pumpkin pie. You rush downstairs to see gifts wrapped in colorful paper. Pretty soon,
your relatives start to come: grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. You have a big meal
and your stomach so full you can barely move. Later you play games with your family, visit,
and perhaps sing songs." The teacher will tell the students to open their eyes. The teacher
will ask the students what holiday they were thinking of. Students will probably respond
with "Christmas." The teacher will ask, if anyone celebrates a different holiday instead of
Christmas around the same time of year. Hanukah or other such holidays may be
mentioned.
Lesson: The teacher will write Christmas, Hanukah, or other holidays (like Christmas) on
the middle of the board. The teacher will tell the students to think about the things they like
about their particular holiday. Students will take turns coming up to the board and writing
down things they like about Christmas (or Hanukah) on the board, creating a concept web.
The teacher will facilitate the brainstorming session by asking such questions as, "What are
some smells of the holiday? Who comes to your house, or do you go somewhere else?
What do you like to eat that day? What else do you do? What are your
Christmas/Hanukah traditions?"
After the web is complete, the teacher will ask the students if they have ever heard of
Kwanzaa. Students may volunteer their responses. The teacher will show the book, My
First Kwanzaa Book, by Deborah M. Newton Chocolate and ask, "By looking at the
picture and remembering what we have been talking about, what do you think Kwanzaa
might be?" Students will volunteer answers. The teacher will ask, "What do you think this
book will be about?" and "Why do you think so?"
The teacher will read the book orally to the class. Students will be invited to predict, clarify
meaning, and summarize throughout the reading. The teacher will ask, "Do you think you
have a better idea about what Kwanzaa might be? Who do you think celebrates
Kwanzaa?"
Post-Lesson: Students will write at least one paragraph in their Kwanzaa booklet (page 3)
about what they think Kwanzaa might be.
Day 2 Lesson 2
Title: What is Kwanzaa?
Subjects/Strategies: Class Discussion, herringbone diagram, cooperative learning
Time Required: 45 minutes
Materials: A Kwanzaa portfolio booklet for each student, strips of construction paper, a
stapler, chalk, and blackboard space
Objectives: The students will be able to:
orally share ideas about what Kwanzaa is after reading the bulletin board.
complete the sentence, "Kwanzaa is..." and hang it up on the bulletin board.
work collaboratively to complete a herringbone diagram on Kwanzaa.
ask 5 people what Kwanzaa is and record the answers on the provided worksheet.
Pre-Lesson: In the beginning of the day, the teacher will tell the students to look at and read
the bulletin board before Social Studies class. The bulletin board will be titled, "What is
Kwanzaa?" (see Bulletin Board)
The teacher will ask the students to re-read (silently) what they wrote in their Kwanzaa
booklet about what they thought Kwanzaa was.
Lesson: The teacher will start out a discussion on what Kwanzaa is by saying, "Now that
you have all had a chance to look at the bulletin board, can someone tell me in a sentence
or two, what Kwanzaa is?" The students will volunteer answers. The teacher will keep the
discussion going by asking questions such as:
Who celebrates Kwanzaa?
What is the purpose of Kwanza?
When is Kwanzaa celebrated?
How many days does Kwanzaa last?
What religion is Kwanzaa?
The teacher will fill in gaps of knowledge by adding information as questions arise.
The students will write one sentence starting out, "Kwanzaa is..." and write this on a strip of
construction paper. Each student will put this on the bulletin board under the category,
"What is Kwanzaa?"
Post-Lesson: The students will divide into groups of 4 or 5 and complete a herringbone
worksheet on Kwanzaa on page 3 of their Kwanzaa booklet.
The teacher will assign to the students the worksheet in their booklet on page 4. (This will
be done out of class) Students will be asking 5 people (parents, friends, siblings, etc.) what
Kwanzaa is and recording this information on a their worksheet.
Day Three Lesson Three
Title: Who Knows About Kwanzaa?
Subjects/Strategies: Math
Brainstorming, Cooperative Learning
Time Required: 1 hour
Materials: worksheets from the Kwanzaa booklet, markers, tag-board, chalk, and black
board space
Objectives: Students will be to:
orally share the results of their survey with a small group.
categorize survey answers into three groups.
work collaboratively to create a bar graph displaying the group’s data.
orally share ideas about what the graph means with a small group.
orally share ideas about conclusions from the class graph.
work collaboratively to brainstorm ideas about how to inform people about Kwanzaa.
Pre-Lesson: The teacher will divide the students into groups of 4 or 5. The teacher will
have the following questions written on the board.
Did all of the people you interviewed know what Kwanzaa was?
Did most of the people you interviewed know what Kwanzaa was?
Did some of the people you interviewed know what Kwanzaa was?
Did none of the people you interviewed know what Kwanzaa was?
The teacher will tell the students to look at the questions and determine which question
applies to their results. The students will then report their findings to the group, stating at the
beginning if all, most, some, or none of the people they questioned knew what Kwanzaa
was.
Lesson: Next, the teacher will hand out tag-board and markers to each group. The teacher
will ask the students to look at the board again to see the following:
Responses:
a. "I don’t’ know"
b. incorrect response
c. correct response.
The teacher will ask the students, "When you interviewed people, did the responses fall into
one of these three categories?" The students will discuss this with the teacher. (All of the
responses should fit into one of the categories.)
The teacher will instruct each group to combine their data and make a bar graph showing
how people answered, within one of the three categories.
After the each group is done, the teacher will say, "Look at your graphs. What can you
conclude about what people know about Kwanzaa? Please discuss this in your groups."
Next, the teacher will bring all the graphs up to the front of the class and have the class help
create one graph which combines all of the information from all the groups. After this is
done, the teacher will say, "Now that we can see how everyone answered, what can we
conclude about what people know about Kwanzaa?" Students will discuss this.
The teacher will ask, "Why don’t you think very many people know what Kwanzaa is?" or
depending on how the data turned out, "Why do you think most people know what
Kwanzaa is?" Students will discuss the various reasons while the teacher facilitates the
discussion.
Post-Lesson The teacher will have the students remain in their groups. Students will
brainstorm a list of ways they could educate people about Kwanzaa. Students will place
this list in their packet.
Day 4 Lesson 4
Title: The Seven Principles: What They Mean to Me
Subjects/Strategies: Drama, Language Arts
Cooperative Learning
Time Required: 1 hour
Materials: chalk and black board space
Objectives: The students will be able to:
work collaboratively to create a skit about one of the principles of Kwanzaa.
play a part in the skit they created.
write a few sentences on what each principle means to them.
Pre-Lesson: The students will again refer to the bulletin board. The teacher will ask the
students what the seven principles of Kwanzaa are. (unity, self determination, collective
work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith) The teacher
will tell the students to use the English names for now, and that the Swahili (an African
language) names and pronunciation will be discussed later. The teacher will lead a
discussion about what each principle means to them, in their life. The teacher will ask the
students, "What do you think unity means?" and continue for each principle until all are
covered.
Lesson: The teacher will divide the students into seven groups. Each group will be assigned
one of the principles. Each group will make up a short skit that best demonstrates their
principle. Students will be assigned to first brainstorm ideas and then put their skit together
in a cooperative way. Each groups will present their skit for the rest of the class. Every
student must be involved with the skit.
Post-Lesson: Each student will write in their Kwanzaa booklet (page 5) what each principle
means to them in their own words.
Day 5 Lesson 5
Title: Nguzo Saba
Subjects/Strategies: Game
Cooperative Learning
Time Required: 30 minutes
Materials: Kwanzaa booklets, 4 or 5 sets of index cards with the 7 principles on them (one
set in English and one set in Swahili)
Objectives: Students will be able to:
pronounce the names of the 7 principles in the Swahili language.
match the Swahili word for each principle to the English word.
Pre-Lesson: Each student will turn to page 6 in their Kwanzaa booklet. The seven
principles in English will be written on one side and the seven principles in Swahili will be
written on the other side. Students will try to match the correct words. After the students
completed their worksheets, the students will turn to the next page and read through the
correct names with the help of the teacher. (The teacher will not discuss meaning at this
time.)
Lesson: The teacher will go over the pronunciations with the students. The teacher will
write each word on the board, its pronunciation, and it’s meaning in English. The students
will practice the pronunciations many times.
The students will get into groups of 4 or 5. The students will play a "Memory" game with
the Swahili word matched to the English word. The student will also have to pronounce the
Swahili word to take the pair. Students will play this game a few times.
Post-Lesson: The teacher will take a stack of the memory cards and play "Around the
World." The English word will be shown and the students will say the African word.
Day 6 and Lesson 6
Title: The Seven Principles: What They Mean in Kwanzaa
Subjects/Strategies: Reading, Language Arts, Drama
Collaborative Learning, Brainstorming
Time Required: 1 1/2 hours
Materials: Kwanzaa booklets
Objectives: Students will be able to:
read a paragraph on one of the seven principles.
discuss the paragraph in small groups.
work collaboratively to create and present short lesson about a principle.
Pre-Lesson: The teacher will say, "We have talked about the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
Let’s name them." Students will name the seven principles. The teacher will ask the
students to pronounce them in the Swahili language and tell what the English equivalent is.
Next the teacher will say, "We have talked about what each principles means to us. Today
we will learn what each principle means to the African American as they celebrate
Kwanzaa."
Lesson: The teacher will divide the class into 7 groups again. Again, each group will be
assigned a principle. The students will turn to page 8 in their Kwanzaa booklet. The teacher
will explain the assignment as stated in their booklet:
Your group will be creating a short lesson to teach the class about your principle. Please
follow this basic outline.
1. Read the paragraph about your principle on page 7 in your Kwanzaa booklet. Refer to
the books and articles on the display table to find out more information on your principle.
Discuss all of the information you have found and make sure each person in the group
understands the principle.
2. Brainstorm ideas on how you want to present your lesson. (Some ideas are a skit, a
game, a song, etc.) Remember you are teaching the others in your class about your
principle.
3. Decide on an activity. Please okay this with the teacher.
4. Make a plan, outline, or script of your presentation. Write this down in the space below.
5. Collect or make any materials needed for your presentation.
6. Practice your lesson.
7. Make any necessary changes.
8. Present and have fun!
The teacher will monitor each groups progress.
The students will present their lessons.
Post-Lesson: The teacher will go back into their groups and answer the following
discussion questions page 9 in the Kwanzaa booklet:
Why do you think unity is important to African Americans?
What does it mean to have self determination?
Why do you think African Americans emphasize collective work and responsibility
Why do African Americans want to stress cooperative economics.
Why do people need a purpose in life?
Why do you think African Americans want to be creative?
What does faith mean to African Americans?
The teacher and students will discuss the questions in a whole class setting.
Day 7 Lesson 7
Title: Symbols of Kwanzaa
Subjects/Strategies: Drama, Reading, Language Arts
Time Required: 1 hour
Materials: Kwanzaa booklets, a copy of the play, "A Kwanzaa Story" by Claire Boiko for
each student, chalk, blackboard space
Objectives: The students will be able to:
read a part aloud in a play about Kwanzaa.
identify the seven symbols of Kwanzaa and what they mean.
complete a worksheet on important items in their life.
Pre-Lesson: The teacher will have a straw mat, a candle-holder, seven candles (three red,
one black, and three green), an ear of corn, a cup, a unity cup, a Black Nationalism Flag,
and wrapped gifts displayed on a table with the African words for them beside each item.
The teacher will have the students look at the items on the table. The teacher will explain
that the items on the table are the 7 symbols of Kwanzaa, which are very important to the
celebration. The teacher will pronounce each of the words in the Swahili language and have
the students repeat and practice them.
Lesson
The teacher will handout the play, "A Kwanzaa Story" by Claire Boiko about a family
celebrating a week of Kwanzaa. The teacher will explain to the students that they are going
to read through the play. (The teacher will make any necessary adjustments so that each
student has a part.) The students will be instructed to pay close attention and try to identify
the seven symbols in the play.
After the students read the play the teacher will ask the students to identify the seven
symbols of Kwanzaa from the play. The teacher will ask students to volunteer information
on each of the symbols and what they mean to the celebration of Kwanzaa according to
what the Johnsons did in their family. The teacher will facilitate the discussion by asking
questions and probing the students. As the students are discussing they will be filling in the
worksheet on page 10 of their Kwanzaa booklet.
The students will refer to their Kwanzaa booklets (page 11) The students will complete the
creative writing assignment.
Think about the things in your life that are really important to you. Think of objects that
could represent these important things. Describe the five things that are important to you,
why they are important, an object that represents it, and why that object best represents
that particular item.
Summary: The teacher will summarize the seven principles of Kwanzaa by saying a
principle in the African language and having the students say the word in English and explain
its purpose in the Kwanzaa celebration.
Day 9 and 10 Lesson 8
Title: The Seven Days of Kwanzaa
Subjects/Strategies: Language Arts, Reading, Drama
Cooperative Learning
Time Required: 2 hours (2 days)
Materials: copy of the play, "A Kwanzaa Story" by Claire Boiko for each student, chalk
and blackboard space
Objectives: The students will be able to:
share ideas orally about what the Johnson’s did each day of Kwanzaa.
work collaboratively to create and present a skit.
work collaboratively to write down what happens on each day of Kwanzaa.
Pre-Lesson: The teacher will ask the students to think about the play that was read the day
before. The teacher will ask the students why there are 7 days of the Kwanzaa celebration?
(Students should suggest that their are 7 principles and each is celebrated on a day, as in
the play.)
Lesson: The teacher will ask the students to remember what the Johnson family did on each
day. Students will be allowed to look in back in their text of the play. The teacher will write
"Day 1, Day 2" etc. on the board and students will tell what the Johnson family did on each
day.
The teacher will explain that each family celebrates in a slightly different way, but always
celebrate a principle on each day, and they are always done in that order.
The teacher will divide the students in groups of 4 or 5. The teacher will explain the
assignment.
Each group will write a short skit about a family celebrating the week of Kwanzaa similar to
the play that was read in class.
The teacher will remind the students that a story has a beginning, a middle which contains a
conflict or problem, and an end where the problem is resolved. The teacher will ask the
students what the problem was in the play. Students should answer that Korlie didn’t want
to celebrate Kwanzaa because she wanted to go on a class trip. The teacher will ask how it
was resolved. The students should answer that Korlie’s uncle came from Hawaii and
Korlie realized she was being stubborn.
Students will work on their skits for the rest of the day and then present their skits the next
day.
Post Lesson: After each group presents their skits, the teacher will review what happens on
each day of Kwanzaa by having students compete in a game. Without using any references,
a group of two will write down what happens on each day on a timeline (page 12 in the
Kwanzaa booklet) and turn it into the teacher. The teacher will announce the group winner
and correct any misunderstandings of what happens each day of Kwanzaa.
Day 10 Lesson 9
Title: Preparation: Making Invitations
Subjects/Strategies: Art, Computer Skills
Brainstorming
Time Required: 45 minutes
Materials: chalk and blackboard space, Microsoft Publisher or The Print Shop software,
computer for each student
Objectives: Students will be able to:
orally share ides about who they want to invite to the Kwanzaa Celebration.
create and print out an invitation to the Kwanzaa Celebration.
show their invitations to the class.
Pre-Lesson: The teacher will explain to the students that in few days the class will be
conducting their own Kwanzaa celebration. Just as African American families do, the class
will celebrate a principle on each day, and include all of the symbols of Kwanzaa. The
teacher will explain that they will need a few days though to prepare for their celebration.
The teacher will explain that the Kwanzaa celebration will start on the 20th. The teacher
will remind the students that Kwanzaa is really held in December and the first day of
January. The teacher will then explain that because it is African American month, they are
learning about Kwanzaa in February.
The teacher will post of list of things that must be done in preparation of Kwanzaa:
Make gifts
Invite family/friends for 6th day, Karamu
Gather materials
The teacher will explain that today they will be making invitations so that they can send
them in time for Karamu. The teacher will explain that they will be making the invitations on
the computer.
Lesson:
The teacher will review with the students the sixth day of Kwanzaa, where the principle,
Kuuumba (creativity) is celebrated and many friends and family are invited to gather in a big
feast called karamu.
The teacher will have the students brainstorm a list of people who they want to invite. The
teacher will narrow down the list to those that are feasible. The list may include
another class
parents
the principle
the janitor
Each student will pick someone to make an invitation to. (If a child knows his/her parents
can’t come, for example, he/she may make one for one of the other people on the list.)
The teacher will post the following pertinent information on the board:
Karamu
February 27, 1996
2:00 p.m.
The fifth grade classroom, Kennedy Elementary School
The teacher will have the students make invitations to Karamu on the computer using
Microsoft Publisher or The Print Shop. The teacher will remind the students of the
importance of creativity in the Kwanzaa celebration. Therefore, invitations should be
original and creative. (It will be assumed that the students are familiar with the software
used.)
Students will print out two copies of their invitations: one for the person they are inviting
and the other to put in their portfolio.
Post-Lesson: The teacher will have the students get in groups and show others the
invitations they made.
Invitations will be distributed.
Day 11 Lesson 10
Title: Preparation: Making Gifts
Subjects/Strategies: Art, Music, Language Arts
Time Required: 1 1/2 hours
Materials: paper, crayons, markers, a shallow dish, flour, water, bowl, petroleum jelly,
strips of newspaper, a cup, table knife, tempera paints, paintbrushes, scissors, sharp knife
Objectives: Students will be able to:
write a 5 line Haiku poem about another student and decorate it.
recite the Kwanzaa song.
work collaboratively to create a melody to the Kwanzaa song.
make an African mask.
share ideas about a class discussion on gift making.
Pre-Lesson: The teacher will ask the students what the significance of the gifts are in
Kwanzaa. Students should understand that gifts are given to display and share creativity.
The teacher will explain to the students that they will be making a variety of gifts in
preparation of Kwanzaa.
Lesson:
Activity 1
The teacher will put every students name in a container. Each student will draw out another
name (students should not have their own name). The teacher will tell the students not to tell
who’s name they have. Students will write a 5 line Haiku poem about the students. (Haiku
poems should have already been covered earlier in the year.) Students will decorate their
poem by drawing on it, coloring it, or anything else they might think of. The students will
keep this poem in their desk. Students will make another copy of the poem and put it into
their portfolio.
Activity 2:
The teacher will have the Kwanzaa song on a transparency. The teacher will guide the
students as they practice saying it. The students will divide into groups of 3 or 4. The
students will make up their own melody to the song. Each group will sing their version to
the rest of the class.
Activity 3:
Students will make African Masks. (Instructions attached)
Post-Lesson: As a class the students will discuss the Kwanzaa aspect of making gifts. The
teacher may ask the following questions:
Did you like making gifts for others? Why or why not?
Do you think making gifts is meaningful?
Do you think other people like the gifts they receive from me as much as a gift bought from
the store?
Do I think that creativity or uniqueness is important in making gifts?
What did you like and dislike about the activities today?
Day 12 Lesson 11
Title: Preparation: Making Woven Mats
Subjects/Strategies: Art
Time Required: 1 hour
Materials: 3 to 4 sheets of construction paper of different colors for each students, rulers,
pencils, scissors, and glue
Objectives: Students will be able to:
identify the symbol of mkeka.
make a woven mat and share it with the class.
Pre-Lesson: The teacher will ask the students what the symbol mkeka is. Students should
respond with the woven (or straw) mat. The teacher will review what the mat symbolizes,
its use and importance in the Kwanzaa celebration.
Lesson: The students will make their own woven mat. (Instructions attached) Students use
different colored construction paper, cut it into strips, and weave the strips to make a
woven mat.
Post Lesson: The teacher will conclude the last few days of preparation by summarizing
what they have done to get ready for Kwanzaa. The teacher will also explain to the
students what will be happening during the week of Kwanzaa.
Plan for the a 7 Days of Kwanzaa
For the seven days of Kwanzaa, a speaker will come to speak to the students. Hopefully, I
would have other children as speakers for some of the days. This way, the students can
relate and see that people of their own age actually participate in Kwanzaa. I will have each
speaker touch on an area that I may not have covered. For example, African dress (what
they wear), the foods they eat, the colors of the flag and what they represent, or anything
else they may suggest. Then the speakers will discuss what they do on that day in their
family. The speaker will then lead the activities for the day, just as would happen at their
home. There are certain things done each day, and I have included these as things that may
happen in the lesson. What actually happens will all depend on the speaker, and what
his/her family does. The students will participate in the Kwanzaa activities At the end
students will ask the speaker questions they have written.
Special Days
On the fifth day, the speaker who comes in will be helping the students prepare for the meal
on the next day. They will make several types of food including, Ants on Log, Hush
Puppies, Cornmeal Bread, Chapatis, Hopping John, Luku, and Sweet Potato Pie.
This food will be saved for the next day. On the sixth day, the parents and friends who
were invited will come to join in the feast. A speaker will again discuss and lead the
activities. All will be invited to eat.
Day 13 Lesson 12
Title: The First Day of Kwanzaa: Umoja
Subjects/Strategies: Language Arts
Simulation, Cooperative Learning
Time Required: 1 1/2 hours
Materials: a straw mat, a candle holder, three red candles, green candles, one black candle,
a unity cup, an ear of corn for each student, mats made by students, gifts made by students,
the Black Nationalism Flag, a basket of fresh fruit, Kwanzaa booklets
Objectives: Students will be able to:
work collaboratively to decorate the classroom with the symbols of Kwanzaa.
write two questions to ask the speaker.
participate in Kwanzaa activities.
write a reflection on unity.
Pre-Lesson: The students will work together to set up the room. The following will need to
be done: On a table set up in the middle or front of the room mkeka (straw mat) will be
placed in the center. Next, the Kinara (candle holder) will be placed in the center of the
mkeka and the Mshumaa (candles) will be set beside. Muhindi (ears of corn - one
representing each student) will be placed on the sides of the mkeka. Students will creatively
place Zawadi (gifts they made), Kikombe Cha Umoja (the unity cup), and a basket of fresh
fruit on the Mkeka. A Bendera Ya Taifa (Flag of the Black Nation) will be hung up.
Students will also place their mats that they made on their desks. The teacher will ask the
students to point out the seven symbols. The teacher will then ask the students if they know
what the fresh fruit is for. (Students may guess.) If a student does not know, the teacher will
explain that is what the word "Kwanzaa" means (fresh fruit).
The teacher will explain that each day of Kwanzaa someone will be coming in to lead the
ceremonies. This person will be someone who celebrates Kwanzaa in their own home,
therefore they know how Kwanzaa is celebrated. The teacher will have the students write
at least two questions they would like to ask the guest speaker about Kwanzaa in their
Kwanzaa booklets.
The teacher will write the name of the speaker who is coming that day on the board.
The teacher will review what is celebrated the fist day of Kwanzaa: Umoja, or unity. The
teacher will have the students review what umoja means.
Lesson: The speaker will come in and explain what his/her family does on the first day. The
speaker will then lead the activities for that day. Some things that may be done are:
Lighting of the black candle
Leading a discussion on unity
Drinking from the Unity Cup
Saying "Harambee!" ("let’s pull together, let’s work together as a family and community."
This is repeated then by the students, 7 times for the 7 principles.
Singing of the Kwanzaa Song
The students will ask the speaker the questions they wrote if they had not been answered
yet.
Post-Lesson: Students will write a reflection in their Kwanzaa booklets which must contain
what he/she will do to promote unity in his/her family.
Day 14 Lesson 15
Title: The Second Day of Kwanzaa: Kujichagulia
Subjects/Strategies: Language Arts
Simulation
Time Required: 1 hour
Materials: a straw mat, a candle holder, three red candles, green candles, one black candle,
a unity cup, an ear of corn for each student, mats made by students, gifts made by students,
the Black Nationalism Flag, a basket of fresh fruit, Kwanzaa booklets
Objectives: The students will be able to:
write two questions to ask the speaker.
participate in Kwanzaa activities.
write a reflection on self-determination.
Pre-Lesson: The students will make sure everything is in place, as the day before. The
teacher will tell the students who is coming and write his/her name on the board.
The students will be required to write down two more questions for the speaker to answer.
The teacher will ask the students which principle is celebrated today. Students should
respond kujichagulia (self-determination). Students will briefly discuss this principle to
refresh their memory.
Lesson: The speaker will come in and explain what his/her family does on the second day.
The speaker will then lead the activities for that day. Some things that may be done are:
Lighting of the black candle and the read candle closest to the center.
Leading a discussion on self-determination
Drinking from the Unity Cup
Singing of the Kwanzaa Song
The students will ask the speaker the questions they wrote if they had not been answered
yet.
Post-Lesson Students again will write a reflection which should contain personal goals set
by them to work on and also a reflection on how the second day of Kwanzaa went.
Title: The Third Day of Kwanzaa
Subjects/Strategies: Language Arts
Simulation
Time Required: 1 hour
Materials: straw mat, a candle holder, three red candles, green candles, one black candle, a
unity cup, an ear of corn for each student, mats made by students, gifts made by students,
the Black Nationalism Flag, a basket of fresh fruit, Kwanzaa booklets
Objectives: The students will be able to:
write two questions to ask the speaker.
participate in Kwanzaa activities.
write a reflection on collective work.
Pre-Lesson: The students will make sure everything is in place. The teacher will tell the
students who is coming and write his/her name on the board.
The students will be required to write down two more questions for the speaker to answer.
The teacher will ask the students which principle is celebrated on the third day of Kwanzaa.
Students should respond, ujima, collective work and responsibility. The teacher will hold a
brief discussion about ujuma to refresh the students’ memories.
Lesson: The speaker will come in and explain what his/her family does on the third day of
Kwanzaa. The speaker will then lead the activities for that day. Some things that may be
done are:
Lighting of the black candle, the read candle closest to the center, and the green candle
closest to the center.
Leading a discussion on collective work and responsibly
Drinking from the Unity Cup
Singing of the Kwanzaa Song
The students will ask the speaker the questions they wrote if they had not been answered
yet.
Post-Lesson: Students will write a reflection in their Kwanzaa booklets including how they
can help their family with work and responsibility
Title: The Fourth Day of Kwanzaa
Subject/Strategies: Language Arts
Simulation
Time Required: 1 hour
Materials: a straw mat, a candle holder, three red candles, green candles, one black candle,
a unity cup, an ear of corn for each student, mats made by students, gifts made by students,
the Black Nationalism Flag, a basket of fresh fruit, Kwanzaa booklets
Objectives: The students will be able to:
write two questions to ask the speaker.
participate in Kwanzaa activities.
write a reflection on cooperative economics.
Pre-Lesson: The students will make sure everything is in place. The teacher will tell the
students who is coming and write his/her name on the board.
The students will be required to write down two more questions for the speaker to answer.
The teacher will ask the students which principle is celebrated on the fourth day of
Kwanzaa. Students should respond, ujamaa, cooperative economics. The teacher will hold
a brief discussion about ujamaa to refresh the students’ memories.
Lesson: The speaker will come in and explain what his/her family does on the fourth day.
The speaker will then lead the activities for that day. Some things that may be done are:
Lighting of the black candle, two red candles, and the green candle closest to the center.
Leading a discussion on cooperative economics
Drinking from the Unity Cup
Singing of the Kwanzaa Song
The students will ask the speaker the questions they wrote if they had not been answered
yet.
Post Lesson: The students will write a reflection on how they can help their family in
cooperative economics .
Title: The Fifth Day of Kwanzaa
Subject/Strategies: Science, Cooking
Simulation, Cooperative Learning
Time Required: 2 1/2 hours
Materials: a straw mat, a candle holder, three red candles, green candles, one black candle,
a unity cup, an ear of corn for each student, mats made by students, gifts made by students,
the Black Nationalism Flag, a basket of fresh fruit, Kwanzaa booklets
Cooking Materials:
kitchen area, kitchen utensils,
Ants on a Log:
4 stalks of celery, one jar of peanut butter, one box of raisins
Hush Puppies
1 3/4 cups white or yellow cornmeal, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking
powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, 1/2 onion,
finely chopped, vegetable oil
Cornmeal and Wheat Corn Bread
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, 5 teaspoons baking
powder, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 2/3
cup brown sugar, 3 eggs, 3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice, 1 cup 2% or skim
milk
Chapatis
1/2 teaspoon salt, 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup plus 1 to 3 tablespoons
vegetable oil, 3/4 to 1 cup water
Hopping John
2 cups dried black-eyed peas, 9 cups water, 1 pound ham hock, 1 large onion, 1 clove
garlic, 1 bay leaf, 2 teaspoons dried parsley, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 1/2 cups
uncooked white rice
Luku
8 hard-boiled eggs, 3.4 cup vegetable oil, 5 to 6 cups chopped onion, 1/4 cup tomato
paste, 1/2 cup water, 2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 1/4 tablespoons
garlic, peeled and minced, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 8 pieces
chicken
Objectives: Students will be able to:
write two questions to ask the speaker.
participate in Kwanzaa activities.
write a reflection on purpose.
work collaboratively to make a Kwanzaa food item/dish.
Pre-Lesson: The students will make sure everything is in place. The teacher will tell the
students who is coming and write his/her name on the board.
The students will be required to write down two more questions for the speaker to answer.
The teacher will ask the students which principle is celebrated on the fifth day of Kwanzaa.
Students should respond, nia, purpose. The teacher will hold a brief discussion about nia to
refresh the students’ memories.
Lesson: The speaker will come in and explain what his/her family does on the fifth day. The
speaker will then lead the activities for that day. Some things that may be done are:
Lighting of the black candle, two red candles, and the 2 green candles
Leading a discussion purpose
Drinking from the Unity Cup
Singing of the Kwanzaa Song
On the fifth day, the speaker will explain the food is made for the next day. The students,
teacher, and speaker will go into the kitchen. The teacher will already have all materials
there. The teacher will go over all safety rules of cooking. The students will get into 7
groups and the speaker and teacher will help the students make the following dishes: Ants
on Log
Hush Puppies
Cornmeal Bread
Chapatis
Hopping John
Luku
Sweet Potato Pie
* Instructions for each dish attached.
The teacher and/or speaker will explain each dish, its history, and why it is used in the
Kwanzaa celebration. The food will be cooled and put away for the next day.
The students will ask the speaker the questions they wrote if they had not been answered
yet.
Post Lesson: The students will write a reflection on how purpose guides their life.
Title: The Sixth Day of Kwanzaa
Subject/Strategies: Language Arts
Simulation
Time Required: 1 1/2 hours
Materials: a straw mat, a candle holder, three red candles, green candles, one black candle,
a unity cup, an ear of corn for each student, mats made by students, gifts made by students,
the Black Nationalism Flag, a basket of fresh fruit, Kwanzaa booklets, red, black, and
green streamers, red, green and black balloons, food dishes made from the day before
Objectives: The students will be able to:
write two questions to ask the speaker.
participate in Kwanzaa activities.
share their "Kwanzaa is.." statements with the guests.
give their home-made gifts to the appropriate persons.
write a reflection on creativity.
Pre-Lesson: The teacher will ask the students which principle is celebrated on the sixth day
of Kwanzaa. Students should respond, kuumba, creativity. The sixth day a great feast
called karamu is celebrated where many families and special friends gather. The teacher will
hold a brief discussion about ujamaa to refresh the students’ memories. The teacher will
explain that on Karamu, the room is decorated in black, red, and green (the colors of the
African American flag). Using the materials the teacher has provided, the students will
decorate the room.
The teacher will tell the students who is coming and write his/her name on the board.
The students will be required to write down two more questions for the speaker to answer.
Lesson: After all guests and the speaker has arrived, the teacher will direct the guests to the
bulletin board. The teacher will describe Kwanzaa a little bit to the guests and then have
each student read their sentence on the bulletin board, "Kwanzaa is..." The teacher will
introduce the speaker.
The speaker will come in and explain what his/her family does on the sixth day. The
speaker will then lead the activities for that day. Some things that may be done are:
Lighting of the black candle, three red candles, and two green candles.
Leading a discussion on creativity.
Drinking from the Unity Cup
Singing of the Kwanzaa Song
On the sixth day gifts are exchanged. The students will give their poems to the person they
drew and the African masks to the guests they invited to the celebration. The guest will
demonstrate African dance to African music.
Finally, all guests and students will be invited to share in the feast.
The students will ask the speaker the questions they wrote if they had not been answered
yet.
Post Lesson: The students will write a reflection on how they can practice their creativity.
Title: The Seventh Day of Kwanzaa: Imani
Subjects/Strategies: Simulation, Guest Speaker
Time Required: 1 hour
Materials: a straw mat, a candle holder, three red candles, green candles, one black candle,
a unity cup, an ear of corn for each student, mats made by students, gifts made by students,
the Black Nationalism Flag, a basket of fresh fruit, Kwanzaa booklets
Objectives: The students will be able to:
write two questions to ask the speaker.
participate in Kwanzaa activities.
write new resolutions to improve him/herself throughout the year.
write a reflection on the whole process of Kwanzaa.
Pre-Lesson: The teacher will ask the students which principle is celebrated on the seventh
day of Kwanzaa. Students should respond imani, faith. The teacher will hold a brief
discussion about imani to refresh the students’ memories.
The students will make sure everything is in place. The teacher will tell the students who is
coming and write his/her name on the board.
The students will be required to write down two more questions for the speaker to answer.
Lesson: The speaker will come in and explain what his/her family does on the seventh day.
The speaker will then lead the activities for that day. Some things that may be done are:
Lighting of all the candles
Leading a discussion on faith
Drinking from the Unity Cup
Singing of the Kwanzaa Song
Shouting "Harambee" five times
Conclusion on Kwanzaa, and how to implement the seven principles year-round
The students will ask the speaker the questions they wrote if they had not been answered
yet.
Post Lesson: The students will write a reflection on how to use faith in their lives and also
write new resolutions (as if it were New Years Day) on how they can improve themselves
for the better. Students will also write a separate page on a total reflection of the 7 days of
Kwanzaa.
Display Table
Books
1. Let’s Celebrate Kwanzaa: An Activity Book for Young Readers"
By Maulana Karenga
2. My First Kwanzaa Book By Deborah M. Newton Chocolate
3. Kwanzaa Karamu By April A. Brady
4. Kwanza, An African American Celebration of Culture and Cooking"
By Eric Copage
5. Kwanzaa, an Everyday Resource and Instructional Guide
By Eric Copage
6. Kwanzaa: Origin, Concepts, Practice" By Maulana Karenga
7. The Children’s Book of Kwanzaa: A Guide to Celebrating the Holiday
By Dolores Johnson
Magazines With Related Articles:
1. "Sharing Holidays" Child Development Dec ‘93 p. 4-6
2. "Celebrating Kwanzaa" U*S* Kids Nov-Dec ‘92 p.6
3. "Kwanzaa" Jack and Jill Dec ‘92 6-8
Objects (representing the symbols of Kwanzaa)
1. Mkeka -- a straw mat
2. Kinara -- a candle-holder
3. Mshumaa -- seven candles (placed in the candle holder: three red, three green and one
black)
4. Muhindi -- an ear of corn
5. Kikombe Cha Umoja -- a unity cup
6. Zawadi -- wrapped gifts
7. Flag of Black Nationalism -- red horizontal stripe, black horizontal stripe,
green horizontal stripe
Web Sites
The Kwanzaa Information Center
http://www.melanet.com/kwanzaa/
Kwanzaa -- What Is It?
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/K-12/Kwanzaa_What_16661.html
What is Kwanzaa
http://www.infidels.org/org/aha/kwanzaa.html
Lyndale School Kwanzaa Celebration
http://www.mpls.k12.mn.us/lyndale/kwanza.html
Kwanzaa
http://www.emerson.edu/student_orgs/EBONI/KWANZAA.html
Kwanzaa Links
http://longwood.cs.ucf.edu/~MidLink/kwanzaa.html
Assessment
The students will be assessed in three ways: portfolio assessment, student/teacher meetings,
and observation check sheets.
Portfolio Assessment
At the beginning of the unit, the teacher will pass out a Kwanzaa Portfolio Booklet to each
student. During the unit, the students will keep all documents in this packet. At the end of
the unit the students will choose their best 6 documents to be graded. The students must
also select 3 out of the 8 reflections done to be graded. Included in each portfolio will be a
rubric on how all documents and reflections will be graded. Each document will be worth
25 points. Reflections will be worth 10 points a piece.
Observation Check Sheets
Also included in the portfolio will be a sample of an observation check sheet. The teacher
will explain to the students how they will be used. The teacher will fill out two observation
check sheets a week when students are in collaborative work groups. At the end of the unit
the student may choose 3 to be included in their portfolio. Observation check sheets will be
worth 25 points a piece.
Student/Teacher Meetings
Students will meet with the teacher three times during the course of the unit. Students will
bring their portfolios and discuss progress, strengths, and things that needed to be worked
on (weaknesses). Student/Teacher meetings will be worth 15 points each
Total Points - 300 points
Documents/Worksheets.........................150 points (6 @ 25 pts each)
Reflections............................................ 30 points (3 @ 10 pts each)
Observation Check Sheets.................... 75 points (3 @ 25 pts each)
Student/Teacher Meetings......................45 points (3 @ 15 pts each)
270 - 300.............................................Well Done
240 - 269.............................................Satisfactory
210 - 239.............................................Improvement Needed
209 - .............................................Unsatisfactory
Rubric: Documents/Worksheets
25 points - All must be present:
* assignment is handed in
* correct grammar is used
* work is done neatly
* assignment is fully completed
* assignments shows originality/creativity
* assignment is accurate (correct information)
20 points - Only one must be present:
* some incorrect grammar
* work is not done neatly
* assignment is partially completed
* assignment does not show originality/creativity
* some information included is not accurate
15 points - Two must be present
* some incorrect grammar
* work is not done neatly
* assignment is partially completed
* assignment does not show originality/creativity
* some information included is not accurate
10 points - Three must be present
* some incorrect grammar
* work is not done neatly
* assignment is partially completed
* assignment does not show originality/creativity
* some information included is not accurate
5 points - All must be present
* some incorrect grammar
* work is not done neatly
* assignment is partially completed
* assignment does not show originality/creativity
* some information included is not accurate
0 points - No Attempt - not handed in
Rubric for Reflections
10 points - All must present
* handed in
* correct grammar is used
* proper sentence structure
* shows rational, organized thinking
7 points - One must be present
* incorrect grammar is used
* sentence structure is incorrect
5 points - Two must be present
* incorrect grammar is used
* sentence structure is incorrect
* does not show rational, organized thinking
3 points - All must be present
* incorrect grammar is used
* sentence structure is incorrect
* does not show rational, organized thinking
0 points - No attempt - not handed in