‘Tis the season to get wrapped up with gifts, family, friends, food and holiday content. As always, engaging content for students continues to be a priority for educators across the country. Newsela holiday content covers a wide variety of topics ranging from annual celebrations to food waste and DNA, so teachers are empowered to select authentic and accessible content for students. Check out these 5 holiday articles that educators can use during the holiday season.

The world wastes roughly one-sixth of the food produced each year 

During the holiday season, cooking and eating often bring people together. However, this recent article is about another topic related to food...food waste.

Sitting Bull's great-grandson identified through DNA from 130-year-old hair 

The holiday season should also be a time to reflect on the history behind events, festivities and traditions. At times, the annual holiday celebrations disregard the stories of groups marginalized in society, such as Indigenous people. Newsela’s recent article covers the story of Sitting Bull, an Indigenous American leader, and the process of using DNA to identify his great grandson.    

Where Christmas trees come from 

It’s almost Christmas time! For many, it’s also tradition to put up the tree and hang up the bright lights. This article explores the origin of Christmas trees.

Is it Hanukkah or Chanukah? Why the Jewish holiday has multiple spellings

Do you spell it Hanukkah or Chanukah? Curious to know the difference? Students can read this article to learn the origin behind the spelling of this Jewish holiday. 

What the Kwanzaa holiday means for Black Americans

Beginning December 26th, the celebrations of Kwanzaa will begin. Kwanzaa is a time to celebrate and recognize Black history. This article discusses the history of the holiday and its importance to the Black community.

Providing students with options in what they read promotes student voice and choice. Research indicates that a learner's sense of control over the process and outcomes of learning influence motivation. That’s why we also took a look at what students search for. Here are the most popular search terms by students during November 2021.

1. Roblox

2. Animals

3. Thanksgiving

4. Sports

5. Football

Examining student search terms gives a little insight into student interest and classroom experience. Student search terms in November covered a variety of themes, indicating a time of celebrations, activities, and comfort. 

Whatever content area interests students this holiday season, it’s important to continue to encourage them to find joy in making choices in their learning. Newsela offers culturally relevant content that can complement your curriculum and engage the diverse experiences of students as they learn. Let's continue to wrap up in engaging content this holiday season and beyond.

Looking for more to unwrap? Stay tuned for Newsela holiday content this December.

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When students are engaged in their own learning, whether that’s independently or with their peers, we hit the sweet spot.

Engagement flourishes when students have a choice in learning.

To understand more about student engagement and how Newsela supports the drivers of student motivation watch the recorded webinar here.