TeachersFirst Kwanzaa Resources
Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture that is a week-long celebration observed from December 26 to January 1. Kwanzaa culminates with gift-giving and a feast called Karamu. Explore this collection of resources related to Kwanzaa to learn about the 7 Core Principles, crafts, recipes, and other information.
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Kwanzaa - Kids Britannica
Grades
K to 12
In the Classroom
Students can use History in Motion, reviewed here to create a timeline of the history of Kwanzaa. Students can learn more about Kwanzaa by using Kidrex, reviewed here. Students can compare and contrast Kwanzaa to another holiday using Figma, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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A Fun Script for Explaining Kwanzaa to Kids - Parents Together
Grades
K to 5In the Classroom
Students can create one of the crafts mentioned in the article. Students can create their own digital escape room about the symbols and seven principles using Online Escape Room Templates, reviewed here. Finally, students can create a Word Cloud for Kids- ABCya- reviewed here using one word to describe Kwanzaa.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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A Brief Summary of Kwanzaa - Schoolhouse
Grades
K to 4In the Classroom
Students can use Canva for Education, reviewed here to create an infographic teaching about Kwanzaa. Students can use Padlet, reviewed here to share how they celebrate Kwanzaa. Finally, students can create a game about Kwanzaa using Gimkit, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teaching Kids About Kwanzaa with Author Ibi Zoboi - HarperKids
Grades
K to 6This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Students can learn more about the various Kwanzaa symbols by searching on Kiddle, reviewed here. Students can use Padlet, reviewed here to share facts that they learn about Kwanzaa. Challenge your students to use Book Creator, reviewed here to create a book about Kwanzaa and the winter holidays.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kwanzaa Facts for Kids - Twinkl
Grades
K to 5This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Students can compare and contrast Kwanzaa to another winter holiday using the Interactive 2 Circle Venn Diagram by ReadWriteThink, reviewed here. Students can use Cartoon Comic Maker, reviewed here to create a visual image sharing the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Students can learn more about the holiday by searching on Kiddle, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Celebrating Kwanzaa with Your Class - Kami
Grades
3 to 7This site includes advertising.
tag(s): african american (128), holidays (228), kwanzaa (23)
In the Classroom
Have students highlight or annotate key details in a short Kwanzaa article using Kami tools, focusing on symbols like the kinara, mkeka mat, and unity cup. They can share one discovery with the class. Using a free Kami template, have students select one of the seven principles and write a reflection on how that value can be applied in school. Then, add images, icons, or drawings to bring it to life. Groups can collaborate in Kami to design an online poster that explains the meaning behind Kwanzaa traditions. Then have them present their digital display to the class or embed it into a class website to teach others.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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How to Teach Kids about Kwanzaa - CharlottesvilleFamily
Grades
2 to 5tag(s): african american (128), crafts (84), holidays (228), kwanzaa (23)
In the Classroom
Show pictures of symbols such as the kinara, unity cup, and colorful, woven mats. Have students predict their purpose and meaning, then confirm using the article to build curiosity and background knowledge. After learning about the seven principles, students choose one and create a mini collage (paper or digital using Photo Collage, reviewed here) that shows how the value can be practiced in school or at home. Inspired by the article's emphasis on celebration and togetherness, assign students to research a traditional food eaten during Kwanzaa. Then have them write a short informational paragraph explaining its significance and design a recipe card with symbols and colors representing the holiday.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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7 Kwanzaa Activities for Elementary Students - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Grades
K to 5tag(s): african american (128), crafts (84), holidays (228), kwanzaa (23)
In the Classroom
Give each small group a short description of one of the seven Kwanzaa principles and have them guess which principle it represents. Groups can share their answers and learn the complete set as a class. Students can create a paper kinara or a digital design using Adobe Creative Cloud Express, reviewed here and label each candle with its principle. Have them write two or three sentences explaining how that principle can be practiced at school or in their community. Using a sample Kwanzaa celebration recipe (for example, cornbread or a fruit salad), have students solve multiplication or division problems to adjust ingredient amounts for different group sizes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teaching About Kwanzaa - We Are Teachers
Grades
3 to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): african american (128), holidays (228), kwanzaa (23)
In the Classroom
Give students short descriptions or scenarios and have them sort each one under the correct Kwanzaa principle to spark discussion and build understanding of the core values. After exploring the article, students can write a short paragraph or mini-brochure that explains one symbol of Kwanzaa, such as the kinara or unity cup, and share it with classmates. Have students brainstorm a small class project that reflects one of the seven principles, such as helping younger students or organizing a classroom supply drive, and present a plan for how they will put the value into action.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Celebrating Kwanzaa - National Geographic Kids
Grades
2 to 5This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
After reading the article, students can work in pairs to create a short list of the "top five facts" about Kwanzaa and share it with the class to build a collective understanding. Have students design a colorful kinara using paper, digital tools, or clay. They can label each candle's meaning and write a brief explanation of how the principles help build strong communities. Have students match each of the seven principles of Kwanzaa with real-world examples from their own lives or community. They can record their ideas on sticky notes and place them under principle posters around the room.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kwanzaa - Sandbox and Co.
Grades
K to 8tag(s): cross cultural understanding (176), holidays (228), kwanzaa (23)
In the Classroom
Introduce your students to Kwanzaa by taking the quiz to see how much they know about Kwanzaa. Then in pairs or small groups, have students research the terms. As students research, substitute paper and pen journals by asking younger students to create a blog using a tool like Penzu, reviewed here to share what they are learning with fellow students. A great blogging tool for older students is Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph have students click on an icon to upload related images, add YouTube or Vimeo links. Engage older students, by having them create a poster about Kwanzaa using a tool like DesignCap, reviewed here, and then upload the poster to their blog about the terms and what they've learned about this December holiday.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kwanzaa Activities and Fun Ideas for Kids - Child Fun, Inc.
Grades
3 to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): cross cultural understanding (176), holidays (228), kwanzaa (23)
In the Classroom
Add this site to your activities to use for Kwanzaa and to help children from all backgrounds understand the different holidays celebrated in December. Introduce simple activities on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Bookmark this site on your classroom computers to use during center time. Share this link on your class website for families to access at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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All About Kwanzaa - CBC Kids
Grades
4 to 8tag(s): cross cultural understanding (176), holidays (228), kwanzaa (23)
In the Classroom
Add this site to your activities to use during December and to help students from all backgrounds understand the different holidays celebrated in December. Have students look at the site in pairs and create a bulletin board of what they thought were the most interesting facts. We recommend a site such as Padlet, reviewed here. With Padlet you can create columns for each of the holidays celebrated in December. Have students display their bulletin boards.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ducksters Holidays - Kwanzaa - Technological Solutions, Inc. (TSI),
Grades
4 to 8tag(s): africa (172), cross cultural understanding (176), holidays (228), kwanzaa (23)
In the Classroom
Add this site to your activities to use for the December holidays and to help students from all backgrounds understand the different holidays celebrated in December. Have students look at the site in pairs, and create a poster of what they thought were the most interesting facts. We recommend a site such as DesignCap Poster Creator, reviewed here. Have students display their posters using social media with the provided link, download to your computor, or print the posters.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kwanzaa History - History.com
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): cross cultural understanding (176), holidays (228), kwanzaa (23)
In the Classroom
Add this site to your activities to use during December and to help students from all backgrounds understand the different holidays celebrated in December. Introduce this site using the colorful video, then have small groups research a different principle and symbol of Kwanzaa and present their findings to the class. Use an engaging bookmarking tool such as Wakelet, reviewed here. With Wakelet students can make their wakes distinctive by adding a cover image or symbol for their Kwanzaa topic, a background, and choose the layout. As a culminating activity enhance learning by having each student compare Kwanzaa to Chanukah and Christmas using the Interactive Three Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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All About the Holidays - PBS Learning Media
Grades
K to 12tag(s): back to school (55), chinese new year (5), christmas (37), cinco de mayo (10), easter (10), elections (83), fathers day (17), fire prevention (17), flag day (5), halloween (46), hanukkah (22), hispanic (46), holidays (228), july 4th (11), Juneteenth (22), kwanzaa (23), labor day (5), martin luther king (45), new years (4), pi (28), presidents (145), rosh hashanah (12), st patricks day (11), thanksgiving (25), valentines day (11), veterans (29), women (177), womenchangemaker (67), womens suffrage (63), yom kippur (14)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site to use as a resource for teaching material during holidays throughout the year. For each holiday use a bookmarking site such as Wakelet, reviewed here, to organize and share lesson materials, videos, and game sites for your students. Instead of worksheets or written reports, enhance student learning by asking them to create infographics sharing information about any holiday. Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, is a very easy to use tool that includes pre-made templates. Don't keep student learning to yourself, share their knowledge through holiday podcasts for your entire school and community to hear. Spotify for Podcastors, reviewed here, features many kid-friendly tools to get you started with creating and sharing podcasts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kwanzaa Activities - DLTK
Grades
K to 5tag(s): kwanzaa (23)
In the Classroom
Use an interactive whiteboard or projector and treat your students to the reference information about Kwanzaa and then play some of the interactive games!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Kwanzaa Web Site - Official Kwanza Website
Grades
K to 12tag(s): cross cultural understanding (176), holidays (228), kwanzaa (23)
In the Classroom
Enhance student learning by having students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or X (formerly Twitter) links. This blog creator requires no registration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Wrapped in Pride - Kente Cloth - Smithsonian Institution
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): africa (172), african american (128), cross cultural understanding (176), holidays (228), kwanzaa (23)
In the Classroom
Use this activity Kente Cloth Lesson Plan for Kids in your own classroom during a unit on African culture. Open the site on the interactive whiteboard or projector to guide the classroom on how and when to wear Kente cloth. Students can do this with their own cloth, just so long as they are still grasping the significance of the real thing. This would be a fun activity during a class period that's devoted to presentations & the like.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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